After leaving the Ninth World, Joe Di grabbed a handful of God Origin Pills, frantically boosting his strength.
However, his advancement was simply too rapid. No matter how many God Origin Pills and auxiliary medicines he consumed, it was hard to make further progress. Another year passed, and Joe Di received a message from Serena Yu.
Joe Di sighed, packed up his array flags, and ended his year-long seclusion. Aside from his God Origin becoming more refined, his cultivation had not improved at all.
"Brother Di, thank you for waiting for me all these years." After searching in the Grand Ruins for several years, Serena Yu now carried a hint of weariness. The veil she always wore over her face had also been removed.
Joe Di secretly marveled at this woman's beauty, but at this moment, he could clearly sense Serena Yu's disappointment. He guessed that perhaps she hadn't found what she needed here.
"It's nothing. Besides, I've gained quite a lot these past few years. Let's go, we can head to the second layer now." Joe Di waved his hand as he spoke.
He had indeed gained a lot these years. Not only had the Azure Veil Blade advanced to a mid-grade artifact, but he had also become a Dao Origin Pillmaster.
With the status of a Dao Origin Pillmaster alone, he had access to endless cultivation resources throughout the Dao Domain. Of course, that was provided he didn't offend Jaden Dai.
Serena Yu bowed slightly to Joe Di, somewhat embarrassed. "Brother Di, I have a senior sister from my sect named Wendy Wen. She perished in the Grand Ruins. My sect has sent many people to search for her, but none have succeeded. If possible, I'd like to look for her again on the second layer."
Joe Di immediately thought of the Jade Urn he carried. He was certain that Serena Yu's search for her senior sister Wendy Wen was related to that Jade Urn.
However, Joe Di had no intention of giving the Jade Urn to Serena Yu. Back then, Wendy Wen had tried to set him up; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken the Jade Urn at all.
He knew full well that the Jade Urn was on him, and no matter how long Serena Yu searched, she would never find it. Naturally, he wouldn't waste time helping her look for it.
"Junior Sister Yu, the second layer of the Grand Ruins is far more dangerous than the first. My suggestion is that we head to the third layer to search for Dao Fruits first. If we find them, our strength may rise another level. Then you can return to the second layer to look for your senior sister—wouldn't that be better?" Joe Di said without hesitation.
If Serena Yu disagreed, he would go to the third layer alone. Improving his strength was his top priority; he had no intention of wasting time wandering around with an unrelated woman.
Hearing Joe Di's words, Serena Yu realized he wouldn't accompany her to waste time in the second layer. She could only reply, "Then let's go to the third layer."
After speaking, Serena Yu took out a bone slip made of unknown material and handed it to Joe Di. "Brother Di, this is the location of the Dao Fruit Orchard in the third layer. I've had this item for a while but never used it. Originally, I planned to wait until I reached the Transformation Realm before coming here. But I trust what Morgan Leaf said—you have the ability to enter the third layer."
Morgan Leaf claimed that Joe Di had the strongest survival skills in the Grand Ruins. Serena Yu hadn't fully believed it before, but after meeting Joe Di, she realized Morgan Leaf might have been right.
Rumor had it that Ethan Chang had entered the third layer of the Grand Ruins while still in the Transformation Realm. As long as Joe Di's survival skills surpassed Ethan Chang's, entering the third layer shouldn't be a problem. By following Joe Di, she was sure to receive some protection.
Joe Di accepted the bone slip and sent his divine sense into it, immediately seeing a line of text: Grand Ruins, third layer, Dao Fruit Orchard. The location of the orchard was clearly marked.
In fact, Joe Di didn't need to look at the marked location. As soon as the bone slip was taken out, a faint arrow appeared on it, obviously pointing toward the Dao Fruit Orchard.
"Let's go." Joe Di did not return the jade slip to Serena Yu. He understood her intention; by holding onto the jade slip, he could look after her if needed.
The first time Joe Di entered the Grand Ruins, the law vortices and chaotic law currents of the second layer left him constantly injured.
This time, returning to the second layer of the Grand Ruins, neither the law vortices nor the misaligned spatial laws posed much threat to him. His divine sense could instantly detect them and avoid danger. In fact, with his current strength, his Rule Cycle could even absorb those chaotic law vortices for cultivation.
After following Joe Di for a day, Serena Yu realized she had made the right choice. She was secretly astonished by Joe Di's strength in the Grand Ruins.
She had been to the second layer of the Grand Ruins before, but after only a few days, she was severely injured and forced to retreat to the first layer.
This time, upon returning to the second layer, Serena Yu hadn't planned to seek Joe Di's help. But witnessing his survival skills here, she was completely stunned.
In the Grand Ruins, law vortices and shattered law fragments were unpredictable, yet Joe Di could always find the safest path. All Serena Yu had to do was follow him; she barely needed to do anything. Occasionally, when encountering weaker shattered law zones, she could handle them with ease.
Serena Yu glanced at Joe Di walking ahead and silently thought to herself that Morgan Leaf hadn't just been honest—Joe Di's way of traversing the Grand Ruins was more like a stroll than survival.
She clearly remembered Ethan Chang's disdain for Morgan Leaf's words. Now, she was certain: in the Grand Ruins, Ethan Chang couldn't compare to Joe Di's survival skills—they were on entirely different levels.
A wild, furious roar snapped Serena Yu out of her distraction. When she saw the endless surge of Elemental Sand rushing toward them, despair welled up in her heart.