"I plan to train on the Ninetieth Tier for a while as well," Liam Shaw volunteered.
"What about the three of you?" Joe Di turned his gaze to Aaron Xu, Leah Jade, and Hugh Beck.
As Joe Di looked over, Aaron Xu, Leah Jade, and Hugh Beck all nodded, clearly wishing to cultivate on the Ninetieth Tier for a while as well.
For them, the most coveted tier in the Fivefold Dao Tower was the Soulspire Tier, famed for refining divine sense. Sadly, they couldn't vie for those nine Jade Meditation Seats.
For a cultivator, the strength of one's divine sense and the breadth of one's spiritual sea directly shape their future potential and path.
They'd thought their chance was lost, until they met Joe Di and his Fivefold Dao Disk. If they could ascend to the Ninetieth Tier to refine their divine sense and expand their spiritual sea, who would choose to remain at the Soulspire Tier?
Joe Di's plan matched the others: to refine his divine sense on the Ninetieth Tier. Now that everyone had spoken, he considered for a moment before saying, "I originally intended to cultivate on the Hundredth Tier. Though I'm the leader, I must consider everyone's needs. Let's all go to the Ninetieth Tier to refine our divine sense."
Joe Di's decision satisfied everyone. As their leader, if he refused, the group would surely fall apart. In truth, all here hoped to use the Fivefold Dao Disk to reach the summit of the Fivefold Dao Tower; no one wished to quarrel with Joe Di.
Even Liam Shaw, who hadn't been fond of Joe Di, found his view changed by Joe Di's sense of the greater good. His earlier disdain stemmed not from anything else, but from looking down on Joe Di as a mere rogue cultivator.
As a prodigy from the Nine Star Sect, how could he ever take a rogue like Joe Di seriously? If not for Joe Di's Fivefold Dao Disk, even if Joe Di knelt before him, he wouldn't spare him a glance.
"Everyone, I have a small question I'd like to ask," Joe Di took the chance to clasp his fists and speak.
Aaron Xu replied heartily, "Brother Joe, once we're out, we're brothers. If you have something to say, just say it. You weren't this shy when asking for spirit stones before."
"Alright, I wanted to ask: how does one determine their own divine sense level?" Joe Di guessed his own divine sense was strong, but had no idea what rank it was.
Upon hearing Joe Di's question, Aaron Xu and the others exchanged glances. When he saw sympathy flicker in Leah Jade's eyes, Joe Di wondered if he'd spoken out of turn.
"Hahaha..." After a few breaths, Aaron Xu finally burst out laughing. "Brother Joe, you must be from some tiny backwater. After reaching the Soul Origin stage, you have to unlock your Soulmark Foundation to know your divine sense level. Major sects can usually open their own Soulmark Foundations."
So that's how it was. No wonder he'd never heard of this in Nightfall Starland—there were only a handful of Soul Origin cultivators there.
Before Joe Di could ask how to unlock the Soulmark Foundation, Aaron Xu continued, "Smaller sects or rogue cultivators usually go to the guild to open their Soulmark Foundation. There are three or four places in Fivefold City where you can do this. The best are the Destiny Pavilion's guild branch and the Fivefold Pavilion; both can help unlock your Soulmark Foundation."
"How many spirit stones does it cost?" Joe Di asked.
Aaron Xu chuckled, "That depends on your wealth. Unlocking the Soulmark Foundation depends on the herbs. At the guild, you have two options: bring your own herbs and pay a spirit stone fee—usually at least a hundred thousand spirit stones. Or, let the guild provide the herbs, and the price depends on your selection."
Joe Di thought of Fu Che and the others. He was sure they, like him, hadn't unlocked their Soulmark Foundation. Otherwise, they wouldn't have used Nightlake to test their divine sense level.
"What are the benefits of unlocking the Soulmark Foundation?" Joe Di pressed on. With no master and never having joined a sect, he was clueless about such things.
Aaron Xu pointed to his forehead. "Once you've unlocked your Soulmark Foundation, you can better understand your cultivation path and select techniques that suit you. Plus, the first time you unlock it, using the right herbs can greatly boost your divine sense level. I've heard of a top cultivator whose divine sense jumped two levels with the finest herbs."
"If you don't unlock the Soulmark Foundation, once your divine sense reaches level seven, you'll sense your own level automatically," Leah Jade couldn't help but add.
Aaron Xu nodded. "That's right. If you can wait until your divine sense reaches level seven, you won't need to unlock the Soulmark Foundation—you'll know your level. But reaching level seven isn't easy. Even some weaker True Transformation cultivators may never get there."
Joe Di clasped his fists. "Thank you all for clearing up my doubts."
Relying on the guild to open the divine sense foundation was absolutely impossible for Di Jiu. His spiritual sea's secret was too great—whether or not opening it would expose him, Di Jiu refused to take the risk.
Since Di Jiu didn't even know about the Spiritual Sea Foundation, everyone was even more certain he was a rogue cultivator from a small place.
The six of them began rushing toward the ninetieth floor, since Di Jiu would cultivate for an hour on each floor. After the eightieth floor, every level was rich in spiritual energy and the rules were clear. So, on each floor, everyone seized the hour to cultivate furiously.
When the six reached the eighty-seventh floor, they unexpectedly saw someone there.
He was an extremely young cultivator, his skin as fair as a woman's, with phoenix eyes, downward-slanting brows, and thin lips. He also carried a blade on his back. Unlike Di Jiu, his blade had a sheath and no red tassel. The sheath radiated a fierce aura—it was impossible to tell how many people it had killed.
When Di Jiu studied medicine, he also learned a bit about physiognomy. Judging by this young cultivator's face, especially his sharply angled brows, it was clear he was self-centered and had a bad temper. Di Jiu didn't want to talk much to someone like that.
"It seems you must have mastered some technique to get six people up here at once," the young cultivator swept his gaze over the six, then fixed his eyes on Di Jiu.
Di Jiu didn't want trouble and said directly, "Let's all form a circle and cultivate."
"Since you've managed to reach the eighty-seventh floor of the Fivefold Dao Tower, I'll let you live if you destroy your blade and never use it again," the young cultivator stared at Di Jiu and spoke slowly.
Di Jiu looked at the youth speechlessly. "Are you crazy?"
"He is crazy, and not just a little," Xuanyuan Kong laughed, pulling out the Flying Star Axe. "Once your Grandpa Xuanyuan leaves here, I plan to use a blade too. What can you do about it?"
The youth looked at Xuanyuan Kong and said coolly, "Xuanyuan Kong of Kun Sect, ranked eighty-third on the Sea List, not bad. But you're not qualified to fight me. Only Ju Qi from your Kun Sect is worthy to battle me."
Xuanyuan Kong laughed again. "Just a mere first-level Sea-Breaking cultivator dares to say I'm not qualified to fight you? Today I'll see if your skills are as tough as your mouth!"
Xuanyuan Kong was about to unleash the Flying Star Axe, but Di Jiu stopped him. In fact, if Ling Yixiao had wanted to fight the youth, Di Jiu wouldn't have intervened. He was certain that regardless of the outcome, the battle would be transmitted outside.
His foundational laws couldn't protect Xuanyuan Kong during a fight here, and he had a good impression of Xuanyuan Kong, so he stopped him.
"Consider yourself lucky. I'll settle this with you outside," Xuanyuan Kong understood why Di Jiu stopped him—it was about his future potential, so he naturally didn't want to be transmitted out from the eighty-seventh floor.
The youth fixed his gaze on Di Jiu and said coolly, "My name is Ji Hongchuan. When the Fivefold Dao Tower ends, I'll wait for you at Fivefold Square. I hope I don't see you carrying a blade again—you're not worthy."
After saying this, Ji Hongchuan turned and walked toward the light steps leading to the eighty-eighth floor.
"Hey, Ji-whatever-your-name-is, wait a moment!" Di Jiu called out to Ji Hongchuan.
Ji Hongchuan stopped and turned to stare coldly at Di Jiu. His eyes held no warmth, nor indifference or mockery—just an air of absolute certainty, as if everything he said was simply how things should be.
"May I ask you something?" Di Jiu grinned, his smile bright and sunny, making it seem like his question was nothing serious.
Ji Hongchuan replied in the same emotionless tone, "Go ahead."
"If you stopped pretending to be impressive, would you die?" Di Jiu asked seriously.
Ji Hongchuan was a first-level Sea-Breaking cultivator, but this was the Fivefold Dao Tower. If he really wanted to fight, Di Jiu decided he would drive him out of the tower and deal with the rest outside.
Ji Hongchuan didn't quite understand the first half of Di Jiu's question, but he got the second half. He still replied calmly, "No."
After answering, he stepped onto the light stairs leading to the eighty-eighth floor.
"I wouldn't be so sure—you'll definitely die," Di Jiu's words reached his ears just as he stepped onto the stairs.
"Brother Di Jiu, what does 'pretending to be impressive' mean?" Xuanyuan Kong was grateful to Di Jiu for stopping him from fighting, and now addressed him as brother. He wasn't afraid of Ji Hongchuan, just worried about missing the chance to reach the ninetieth floor.
Di Jiu patted Xuanyuan Kong and said, "Ah, that's a long-lost divine ability. Back in Mingzhu City, I was just a beginner at it, and now I'm rusty. But I sensed that aura from Ji Hongchuan just now, so I was worried and asked him. All right, let's hurry and cultivate—we'll deal with him outside."
"Yeah, we'll deal with that ant outside," Xuanyuan Kong replied, still annoyed.