Joe Di looked at Ni Luan calmly and said, "I have only one question for you. If you answer too slowly, or get even a single word wrong, I’ll get angry. And when I get angry, the consequences are serious."
"Ask away." Ni Luan knew he was completely at Joe Di’s mercy now.
Joe Di stared at Ni Luan, his tone even but laced with a powerful, suppressive killing intent. "I heard that once, during a trial here, a Twin-Horned Dragon Beast kicked a woman into the Wormhole Gate?"
Ni Luan finally understood—it was revenge for that ant-like woman. He was about to answer Joe Di when a realization struck him. He stared at Joe Di in shock and uncertainty. "It was you… You kicked me in here?"
He finally realized who had delivered that kick—it was definitely the man before him. But this person wasn’t behind him, yet managed to strike him. No doubt, he had touched upon the Spatial Law.
Such a powerful Immortal Emperor—this guy must have a tremendous secret. It’s not rare for an Immortal Emperor to touch upon the Spatial Law, but to wield it as Joe Di did, without a trace, requires not just contact but true understanding.
Whether it’s the Spatial Law or the Temporal Law, reaching a certain level of comprehension isn’t just about sect teachings or personal insight—it requires fate, a chance encounter with treasures of the Spatial Law…
Ni Luan quickly remembered his current predicament, and his excitement faded. No matter what, he had to preserve his life first—even if he was only allowed to reincarnate, that would be enough for him.
"Pfft!" Ni Luan was just about to speak when one of his arms was severed and fell to the ground, followed by a burst of flame that consumed the limb, leaving no trace behind.
"You’re too slow. If you hesitate again, your next leg will be gone too." Joe Di’s tone was utterly calm and relaxed.
Ni Luan didn’t hesitate for a moment and said directly, "Yes, I did kick a woman in."
"Draw her portrait..." Joe Di’s voice was utterly cold.
"If you guarantee I’ll live, I’ll draw it right now." Ni Luan was certain Joe Di wouldn’t let him live; he only said this to try and keep his chance at reincarnation.
He possessed a Celestial Relic that could preserve a fragment of his soul. As long as he had this treasure, even if Joe Di killed him, he could keep a sliver of his spirit. At worst, he could still reincarnate.
As long as a trace of his spirit remained, or if he had a chance to reincarnate, his father would bring him back. After all, the Qian Yuan Trading Guild had a long history—if nothing else, they certainly possessed life-preserving treasures like these.
"Pfft!" Joe Di unleashed another wind blade, followed by a burst of flame. Ni Luan’s leg vanished without a trace.
"I’ll draw..." Ni Luan didn’t dare delay any further and quickly sketched a portrait of a delicate young woman in the void.
He swore to himself that if he ever came back to life, he’d send Joe Di to the deepest hell—otherwise, he’d be nothing but a coward.
Joe Di stared blankly at the portrait of the delicate young woman. Suddenly, he felt a sense of relief—this woman was not Xiuqi.
"You’re worthless now." Joe Di said, then raised his hand and hurled a fireball at Ni Luan.
Ni Luan stared coldly at Joe Di. He didn’t beg for mercy—a single fireball could kill him, but it wouldn’t destroy his soul. He would return in no time.
Boom! The fireball exploded, and a flicker of terror appeared in Ni Luan’s eyes—this wasn’t an ordinary fireball, it was Dao Flame...
The Dao Flame incinerated Ni Luan in an instant. A fragment, imperceptible even to spiritual sense, fell to the ground. Not even Dao Flame could destroy this sliver.
Any other cultivator would never believe that Ni Luan’s soul survived.
Unfortunately, Ni Luan chose the wrong opponent. He had encountered Joe Di, and as soon as Joe Di acted, the entire space became his domain. While others’ spiritual sense couldn’t detect it, Joe Di bent down and picked up the fragment invisible to the naked eye.
Joe Di forced his spiritual sense into the fragment and instantly sensed a trace of Ni Luan’s soul within.
Ni Luan had just hidden himself inside when he felt Joe Di’s spiritual sense. He cried out, "My father is Richard Ni, chairman of the Qian Yuan Trading Guild! You can’t touch me…"
As if Joe Di would listen. He was about to erase Ni Luan completely when a thought struck him, and he paused. Instead, he cast a series of restrictions to seal the fragment, then tossed it into his Ninth World.
If Ni Luan had such a life-preserving treasure, killing him outright would surely cause problems. Because Ni Luan was swept into the Wormhole Gate by the insects, and with such a treasure, his soul couldn’t be annihilated.
At least for now, Joe Di couldn’t kill Ni Luan. If he did, it would have to be after leaving the Wormhole Gate area.
As for the Ninth World, Joe Di was certain that no one could ever detect it, nor could any aura from within ever leak out.
After all, it was a world formed by the Ninth Dao Principle, the Sacred Yin Pearl, and his own Rule Cycle. Who could possibly be so formidable as to penetrate his Ninth World?
After collecting Ni Luan, Joe Di finally examined the hidden defensive array before him. The formation was expertly set up—neither the cultivators inside nor the insects outside could pierce it with their spiritual sense.
Joe Di simply raised his hand and tore a gap in the defensive array.
To Joe Di’s surprise, there were at least fifty or sixty living cultivators inside the array, all staring at him wide-eyed.
"You’re new here? Since you’ve found this place, hurry up and hide, then seal the array. The next wave of insects will arrive soon." The speaker was a bald old man, who seemed to have been trapped here for quite some time.
Joe Di glanced around and spotted the woman Ni Luan had kicked in—she was occupying a spot in the corner, together with several other women.
Joe Di didn’t enter, but said, "I was swept in here while trying to save someone. But now I’m leaving. The last wave of insects just passed, so now’s the perfect time to get out. Anyone want to come with me?"
In fact, Joe Di was puzzled—why would these people rather hide here than escape? It didn’t seem like it would take much time to get out.
What puzzled Joe Di even more was that after he spoke, the place fell silent. Not a single person volunteered to leave with him.
Just as Joe Di was wondering, a middle-aged man sighed and said, "It takes at least two hours to escape the wormhole from here. Because of the backflow of chaotic spatial currents, it could take even longer. The interval between waves of insects rarely exceeds two hours. If we leave now, we’re courting death. Many have already died trying to get out. Since you’re new here, just come inside and wait. Maybe, when there are enough of us, we’ll really have a chance to escape."
Joe Di understood what he meant—they’d definitely encounter a new wave of insects from behind while escaping. If that happened, it would be a death sentence.
Joe Di clasped his fists. "Thank you, but I’m leaving now. Anyone who wishes to come with me, let’s go together. Those who prefer to stay, remain here."
With that, Joe Di stepped back several paces.
The cultivators who stayed behind were even more surprised—why would anyone choose certain death?
"Friend, I’ll go with you. Waiting to die in this wretched place is pure torture." A long-haired youth stood up.
To Joe Di’s surprise, the woman called Qi also stood up. "I’ll go out too."
"Me too."
With two people taking the lead, the idea of leaving quickly spread. Staying here meant no cultivation and constant torment. For many cultivators, reincarnation was preferable to endless suffering.
In just a few breaths, more than ten people had gathered at Joe Di’s side.
Seeing that no one else was coming, Joe Di said, "Let’s go. I’ll take the lead; everyone just follow behind me."
(That’s all for today’s update. Good night, friends!)