Kira Ji fled in desperation, not heading toward Genesis City at all. She knew Sean Chen far better than most; while others believed Zane Edge was the strongest in Genesis City, she thought Zane Edge was at best the third, because Sean Chen was even more formidable.
The reason Sean Chen never claimed the position of City Lord, and even assisted Zane Edge, was because he knew there was someone even stronger in Genesis City. Unfortunately, she didn't know who this strongest person was—only Sean Chen did.
Given Sean Chen’s temperament, once he learned she and Gavin Ford had still lost to Joe Di—and that even their artifacts were taken by Joe Di—it would be a miracle if she survived. Sean Chen would interrogate Joe Di about how he defeated her and Gavin Ford, then kill her. That’s why she was fleeing so frantically—she was running for her life.
She ran because she was confident she could escape—she could leave the Genesis Universe. As for Sean Chen, he would never leave the Genesis Universe just to hunt her down.
......
Joe Di lingered outside the Edge of Time, not leaving immediately. After several months, he felt his strength had only half recovered. Just as Joe Di was preparing to leave the Edge of Time and return to the Mortal Realm, he suddenly sensed a dangerous presence.
Joe Di slowly stood up, his gaze fixed on a patch of void, unmoving. That sudden sense of danger was coming precisely from within that void.
“Heh, not bad—you actually noticed my presence.” With a chuckle, a shadow appeared in the void, gradually becoming more solid, until finally a smiling, fair-skinned man stood before Joe Di.
Joe Di’s heart sank. If this man hadn’t harbored killing intent toward him, he would never have noticed. In fact, the killing intent was so faint it was almost negligible—only a slight ripple in the rules. The man was likely testing whether Joe Di could detect such a faint killing intent, or perhaps probing the direction of his Dao. If so, then this person was truly terrifying, for it meant he was extraordinarily sensitive to the laws.
“Who are you?” Joe Di asked calmly, his entire being on guard.
After this man appeared, he seemed utterly harmless to Joe Di. Yet Joe Di sensed that his danger far surpassed Gavin Ford and Kira Ji combined.
"My name is Lucas Pearl. You can call me Brother Pearl. I heard you possess a Fate's Arrow—mind showing it to me?" Lucas Pearl's tone was so casual, it was as if he were borrowing a spoonful of soy sauce from a neighbor.
Joe Di did not answer Lucas Pearl, but the Azure Veil Blade at his back stirred, unleashing waves of blade aura and killing intent that enveloped the space. He could tell—even if he were uninjured, he would have to go all out to face Lucas Pearl.
Lucas Pearl was unfazed by Joe Di's silence. Smiling, he said, "We're not enemies—we ought to be partners. When the time comes to vie for the Saint Seat, we can join forces. Show me your long arrow; at least let me see if you're qualified to work with me... to take on a certain someone together."
Joe Di replied coolly, "That's none of your concern. Whether I'm qualified to cooperate depends on my own mood. As for who I deal with, that's for me to decide."
Lucas Pearl smiled faintly. "Even if you step into the Genesis Realm, you still won't be able to handle him."
"So you want me to team up with you against Zane Edge?" Joe Di asked, catching the implication.
Lucas Pearl remained unhurried. "Zane Edge? He's nothing. You think I'd need a partner just to deal with him?"
Joe Di looked at Lucas Pearl in confusion. "Isn't Zane Edge the City Lord of Genesis City? If even the City Lord isn't worth mentioning, then who is?"
Lucas Pearl scoffed, "Who told you the City Lord has to be the strongest in Genesis City? I, for one, have no desire for that position. I pursue a higher Grand Way."
Joe Di chuckled. "At least the City Lord can gain plenty of cultivation resources, rally others to help him fight for the Saint Seat, and enjoy the highest authority."
Lucas Pearl shook his head. "Who says so? Once you reach the Genesis Realm, you'll realize cultivation resources are fleeting. Supreme status? Can it grant you eternal life? Only the Saint Seat—now that's something worth rallying others for. Zane Edge isn't even as good as Sean Chen, yet he dares claim to be the top in Genesis City?"
"Sean Chen?" Joe Di repeated. He'd heard of this man. According to Du Bu, the Chaos Gate was used by Sean Chen to suppress the chaos essence of the Five Elements Universe. In other words, the Chaos Gate was actually Sean Chen's artifact.
Lucas Pearl said, "That's right. Sean Chen is extremely patient and a master of long-term planning. On the surface, his strength ranks third in Genesis City, but I suspect he's not weaker than I am. Not that it matters to me—he only poses a threat to you."
"Why?" Joe Di blurted out, then realized the answer. Sean Chen suppressed the chaos essence of the Five Elements Universe, making him a natural enemy.
Lucas Pearl chuckled. "Because Sean Chen possesses a top-tier artifact called Heartless Dao. But Heartless Dao isn't complete—what he has is only the core, the Heart Gate, which is actually the Chaos Gate..."
At this point, Joe Di was starting to understand.
Lucas Pearl continued, "Sean Chen uses the Chaos Gate to suppress the chaos of the Five Elements Universe, shattering its cosmic laws. He's secretly plotted against several of its top cultivators, suppressing all Five Elements Universe cultivators. By using his prime artifact, the Chaos Gate, to suppress chaos and destroy the universe's laws, he hopes to transform the Five Elements Universe into part of Heartless Dao. Once he has both the Heart Gate and the Way, Heartless Dao will be complete..."
"He wants to refine the Genesis Universe itself?" Joe Di was stunned.
Lucas Pearl smiled. "That's not refining—you're not ready to understand yet, but you will one day. Recently, though, it seems Sean Chen's Heart Gate has encountered some problems. I'm not sure what's going on."
As Lucas Pearl spoke, his gaze remained steady on Joe Di.
Joe Di understood perfectly. He simply frowned and said nothing more.
Seeing Joe Di remain silent, Lucas Pearl continued, "If you help me, when Sean Chen comes after you, I can step in to persuade him. But first, I need a favor. When I face that person, I'll need your Fate's Loom. So, let me see your bow and arrow—only then will I know if it's worth asking for your help."
Joe Di retorted, "Are you always this arrogant, or is it just me?" He stared at Lucas Pearl, speechless. Though the man's tone and manner were calm, he clearly saw Joe Di as an ant—an ant who'd happened to get a good bow and arrow at the Edge of Time, and thus was barely qualified to help a big shot like Lucas Pearl.
Lucas Pearl didn't care about Joe Di's attitude. He just smiled, then—without warning—raised his hand and grabbed at Joe Di.
In that instant, the space-time around Joe Di vanished. His domain of killing intent and the Path of Rules shattered completely, leaving only a single handprint in his vision.
Joe Di's expression changed dramatically. He'd known Lucas Pearl was powerful, but never imagined he was this strong. If not for his mastery of the Path of Rules, he would have died right then. To have his cultivation nearly crushed by Lucas Pearl was a bitter irony for his Dao.
He couldn't control any laws around him; all space-time was under Lucas Pearl's palm. Without hesitation, Joe Di constructed his own space-time rules with his will. At last, a tiny gap appeared in the suffocating space-time, and Joe Di instantly used Lawstride to vanish without a trace.
Right now, the gap between him and Lucas Pearl was vast—they weren't even on the same level. With Lucas Pearl's strength, Joe Di couldn't even summon Fate's Loom before he recovered from his injuries.
"So it's a pure Path of Rules? And he can construct laws with his will?" Lucas Pearl, who hadn't thought much of Joe Di before, was now utterly shocked.
Joe Di's strength was still beneath Lucas Pearl's notice, but his Path of Rules completely overturned Lucas Pearl's opinion of him. With such a Dao, once Joe Di entered the Genesis Realm, he might truly be able to stand against Lucas Pearl.
Unless Lucas Pearl could lock down Joe Di's very thoughts and will, there was no way he could kill him.
Lucas Pearl gazed for a long time in the direction Joe Di had fled, finally letting out a sigh. If he couldn't kill this man, he could only join forces. Just now, Joe Di's escape technique had relied on the laws themselves. With such a Lawstride, Lucas Pearl could defeat his opponent, but killing him would be far too difficult—perhaps even impossible.
(This volume ends here. The next volume begins in Ning City.)