Transmitting from the vast Grand Ruins to the Origin Dao Sect requires no divine crystals—just a disciple's identity token, regardless of whether one is an Outer or Inner Disciple.
As an Outer Disciple of the Origin Dao Sect, Joe Di easily transported himself back to the sect once more.
Upon returning to the sect, Joe Di had no intention of leaving again. Previously, he used the listening privilege jade talisman for Ancestor Hun Yuan’s Dao Lecture, which not only earned him an Outer Disciple’s status but also a fine Cloudspire Sanctuary.
Joe Di had never visited his sanctuary before, but the steward assured him that his Cloudspire Sanctuary was among the finest in all of Novice's Ridge.
Joe Di quickly arrived at Novice's Ridge; his residence was Unit 341, Novice's Ridge. Even before reaching Unit 341, he was already quite satisfied.
He preferred sanctuaries by the water. Back in the Wormhole Gate defense zone, he had risked danger just to live by Dao-Slaughter Lake.
And right outside Unit 341, there happened to be a lake—a rather large one at that. Moreover, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth in the area was abundant.
Joe Di walked up to the sanctuary and swiped his identity token. To his surprise, the protective array did not open.
He hadn’t reset the array, and since this was his Cloudspire Sanctuary, his identity token should have unlocked it instantly.
However, Joe Di didn’t pay it much mind. It was only a first-level divine array—once he moved in, he would eventually rearrange the protective array anyway.
Joe Di extended his hand and tore open the Guardian Array.
He was now a peak Tier-Two Arraymaster; such a simple first-level Guardian Array was trivial to him.
"Who dares destroy my Guardian Array?" an angry voice rang out, followed by a sallow-faced man rushing forth.
Your Guardian Array? Joe Di stared blankly at the sallow-faced man. This was clearly his Cloudspire Sanctuary—how had the array become someone else's? And why was someone living here? What was going on?
"A newcomer? You've got guts. Don't you know that in the Origin Dao Sect, destroying a fellow disciple's sanctuary Guardian Array is a capital offense?" The sallow-faced man sized Joe Di up, unable to discern his cultivation, and spoke coldly. Since he couldn't gauge Joe Di's strength, he refrained from attacking.
Joe Di replied calmly, "This is my Cloudspire Sanctuary—how did it become yours? Can the Origin Dao Sect assign the same sanctuary to two disciples?"
"Your sanctuary?" The sallow-faced man seemed surprised, then said, "You've been gone for years—who knows if you're dead or alive? Sanctuaries are sect resources; naturally, they must be reassigned."
"Get out." Joe Di strode straight inside.
He knew well that in the Origin Dao Sect, once a sanctuary was assigned to an Outer Disciple, it wouldn't be reassigned lightly. Only if the disciple was missing for over a century, with no news, could the sanctuary be redistributed.
But he had only been away for a little over ten years—far from a century. That was why Joe Di was certain the sanctuary hadn't been officially reassigned.
"Friend, do you know who I am?" The sallow-faced man's tone grew colder, and a powerful aura enveloped Joe Di. Having already reached Dao Forging, Joe Di could immediately tell that this cultivator had also reached Dao Forging.
"I'll give you three breaths. If you don't leave, don't blame me for taking action." Joe Di raised his hand, Azure Veil Blade appearing in his palm, his Spiritual Sense Domain pressing forward.
He didn't even unleash thirty percent of his strength, yet the sallow-faced man's domain was instantly suppressed. The man's face paled, and he retreated over ten steps.
The sallow-faced man took a deep breath, then looked at Joe Di and softened his tone. "I admit I'm no match for you, but I'm a disciple of the Zimo Xun Family. I'll offer three thousand top-grade divine crystals if you let me have this place. The Zimo Xun Family has many experts in the Origin Dao Sect. Even if I kill you here, you're just an Outer Disciple—there won't be much consequence..."
Joe Di didn't even wait for him to finish. The Azure Veil Blade in his hand flashed white, and the sallow-faced man didn't even have a chance to dodge. The blade sliced his chest wide open, blood spraying forth.
The sallow-faced man was sent flying, hastily swallowing a Healing Pill to staunch his wounds. He hadn't expected Joe Di to actually strike.
His expression shifted, but he dared not escalate the matter—after all, he was in the wrong. He glared at Joe Di with murderous intent; if he couldn’t kill Joe Di, he wasn’t worthy of the Xun Family name.
"You've got guts. I hope you keep it up." Xun Shang spat out the words resentfully, then turned to leave.
Joe Di sneered. If not for the fact that this was the Origin Dao Sect, that blade would have sliced Xun Shang in two.
"Quite bold, daring to use a magical treasure and injure someone within the sect." A cold, icy voice rang out, and a woman in plain clothes landed before Joe Di.
"Junior Xun Shang greets Valley Master Ann." Upon seeing the woman in plain clothes, Xun Shang hurriedly bowed.
Joe Di’s spiritual sense landed on the woman, and he immediately sensed her unfathomable cultivation—far stronger than Sha Wu Shang had been. Not knowing which valley she led, he quickly offered a respectful greeting: "Joe Di greets Senior."
Ann Tu Ning was in a foul mood. The Origin Dao Sect had no chance at all in the upcoming Dao River Pill Competition, yet she had been assigned the task of representing them.
Accepting the task was one thing—at worst, Springvale Division could give up some sect cultivation resources if they lost. But what truly infuriated her was that, with the competition about to begin, she couldn’t find a single alchemist from the sect.
It was as if all the alchemists in the Origin Dao Sect had conspired to leave on tasks right before the Dao River Pill Competition.
Ann Tu Ning was no fool—she knew this was all orchestrated. Even if they lost, she had to bring a few alchemists to compete. Now, with none to be found, how could the sect even participate? Clearly, she’d been thoroughly set up.
Passing by Novice's Ridge in her foul mood, she sensed a fight breaking out. Normally, she wouldn’t even bother to scan such trivial matters with her spiritual sense, but today she was determined to find someone to vent her anger on. To dare fight in the Origin Dao Sect—clearly courting death.
Ann Tu Ning didn’t care who Joe Di or Xun Shang were; she raised her hand, ready to slap them both as a way to vent her frustration. The Origin Dao Sect was constantly suppressed by other sects because too many selfish rule-breakers ran rampant. If even major sect affairs were manipulated, how could the sect ever rise? These two Outer Disciples fighting in the sect were clearly more of the same.
Just as she raised her hand, Ann Tu Ning caught a faint scent of pills from Joe Di. Her gaze immediately locked onto him—was he an alchemist? An Outer Disciple who was an alchemist—this was a first.
Joe Di had spent years refining pills before returning, so he naturally carried a medicinal scent. He had no idea what Ann Tu Ning was thinking, only sensed danger—she seemed ready to attack, and her threat was terrifying. He couldn’t risk letting Ann Tu Ning strike; someone this powerful could kill him with a single blow.
So, the moment Ann Tu Ning raised her hand, Joe Di hurriedly spoke up: "Senior, this is my Cloudspire Sanctuary. When I returned, Xun Shang was living in my sanctuary. I asked him to leave, but not only did he refuse, he even threatened me. In anger, I struck back immediately."
With that, Joe Di produced his disciple identity token. The numbers were clear: Joe Di, Unit 341, Novice's Ridge.
Ann Tu Ning’s gaze turned icy as she stared at Xun Shang. "You’ve got nerve, occupying someone else’s sanctuary. Do you think your Xun family name makes you untouchable?"
"S-Senior..." Xun Shang was gripped by terror. He wanted to explain, but his teeth chattered so much he couldn’t get a word out.
With a resounding smack, Ann Tu Ning slapped Xun Shang, sending him flying. Joe Di watched from afar, chilled to the bone—Xun Shang was finished. Even if the slap didn’t kill him, his cultivation days were over.
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)