Joe Di had no idea what reward the Origin Dao Sect received, but judging from Ann Tu Ning's expression, it seemed quite generous. After she drove away the cultivators who wanted to buy the jade token from Joe Di, Ann Tu Ning immediately led him onto the spaceship and returned to the Origin Dao Sect.
This time, Ann Tu Ning did not ignore Joe Di. As soon as they boarded the spaceship, she called him over.
Joe Di knew Ann Tu Ning wanted to give him a reward. He was never one to shy away from rewards.
Sure enough, as soon as Joe Di arrived on the third deck of the spaceship, Ann Tu Ning smiled and said, "Joe Di, you've done a great service for our sect. When the Sect Master emerges from seclusion, you'll be made a core disciple—that's just one reward. If there's anything else you want, feel free to tell me."
Joe Di quickly replied, "Valley Master has already granted me an inner disciple quota. If I ask for more, it would seem greedy."
It's fine to desire benefits, but he absolutely couldn't ask for them outright just because Ann Tu Ning offered.
As expected, hearing Joe Di's response made Ann Tu Ning even happier. Whether he was sincere or not, a disciple who knew his limits was more to her liking.
"That inner disciple spot is hardly a reward. Just say what you want—if it's something minor, I can decide. For bigger matters, I can't promise, but I do need your help with something soon." Ann Tu Ning waved her hand as she spoke.
Joe Di suddenly felt a sense of unease. What could he possibly help Ann Tu Ning with? As for alchemy, his level as a Rule Cycle Grandmaster likely wasn't something Ann Tu Ning would care about.
The only thing Ann Tu Ning might think he could help with was the Grandridge Insight Token he possessed.
Joe Di sighed. Although he didn't know exactly what the Grandridge Insight Token could do, he was sure he wouldn't be able to keep it for long. Since that was the case, he might as well ask for something in return.
"Valley Master, although I'm currently just a low-level Dao Forging Pillmaster, I aspire to become a top-tier alchemist one day. I was always a rogue cultivator before, so this time I hope to obtain some Divine Spirit Herbs." Joe Di bowed and stated his request.
Ann Tu Ning pondered briefly, then handed Joe Di a command token. "Joe Di, this is my Springvale Division's permit for harvesting in the Origin Dao Herb Garden. You may enter and gather herbs for three days."
"Ah..." Joe Di accepted the command token in surprise. Three days in a herb garden? How many herbs could he possibly not collect?
After grabbing the command token, Joe Di still couldn't help but ask, "Valley Master, once I'm inside the herb garden, can I really pick anything I want?"
Ann Tu Ning saw the look on Joe Di's face and knew he misunderstood. She laughed and explained, "You probably don't know much about the Origin Dao Herb Garden. It was originally part of the Origin Dao Mountain Range. After our sect enclosed the mountain, it became the cultivation ground for all kinds of Divine Spirit Herbs.
As long as you can enter, you may collect as you wish. However, the garden spans millions of miles, with restrictions on flying and divine sense, and even your vision is limited. There's little danger inside, but in three days, you probably won't gather much."
So that's how it was. Still, even so, Joe Di said, "Thank you, Valley Master. Three days is more than enough for me."
With a dedicated herb garden, even a single day would satisfy him, let alone three.
"Joe Di, there is something I do need your help with." Ann Tu Ning spoke after seeing Joe Di put away the command token.
Joe Di knew Ann Tu Ning must be asking about the Grandridge Insight Token, but he still replied respectfully, "Valley Master, please instruct me."
Ann Tu Ning nodded. "You have a Grandridge Insight Token on you. It won't be of much use to you, but my disciple Penny Pang has completed Dao Forging and has long wished to go to Grandridge for Dao transformation, but never had the chance..."
Joe Di didn't need Ann Tu Ning to finish her sentence. Without hesitation, he took out the token and handed it to Ann Tu Ning. "Though I would like to visit Grandridge myself, since Senior Sister Pang needs it for her Dao transformation, she should have priority."
Since he was going to hand it over anyway, he might as well be straightforward. By mentioning his own interest, he made it clear the token wasn't useless to him, ensuring he earned some goodwill in return.
Ann Tu Ning was very pleased as she accepted the token from Joe Di. She liked his direct and decisive personality.
After putting away the Grandridge Insight Token, Ann Tu Ning added, "If you wish to visit Grandridge, that's possible too. The token allows three people to enter. When the time comes, you can go with Penny Pang..."
Joe Di was a bit puzzled. If three people could enter, couldn't Penny Pang just follow him into Grandridge?
Ann Tu Ning saw through Joe Di's thoughts and smiled. "This Grandridge Insight Token is very precious. After entering Grandridge, the disciple with the token can use its Dao resonance to find the best place for secluded enlightenment."
Joe Di bowed. "I understand. As long as Senior Sister Pang can bring me into Grandridge, I don't care about the other disciples."
"Good, don't worry. After we return, you'll stay at Novice's Ridge for a while. When the Sect Master comes out of seclusion, I'll recommend you as a core disciple." Ann Tu Ning grew even more satisfied with Joe Di's conduct.
The reason Ann Tu Ning changed her mind was because she thought letting Joe Di stay at Novice's Ridge would be a way to trouble Walter Teng once more.
Walter Teng was not only the Peak Master of Rainpeak, but also the head of the Disciple Hall. He was responsible for recruiting sect disciples, yet he failed to recognize Joe Di's talent, leaving him at Novice's Ridge as an outer disciple. That was Walter Teng's oversight.
And Ann Tu Ning was the one who discovered Joe Di at Novice's Ridge, proving her abilities surpassed Walter Teng's.
......
Joe Di had no idea what Ann Tu Ning was thinking. To him, Novice's Ridge was just fine, and he felt more at ease there than he would at Springvale Division.
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A few days later, the spaceship landed at the main hall of Origin Dao Sect. Ann Tu Ning told Joe Di to return to Novice's Ridge, while she headed straight for the Sect Master's closed cultivation area to await Felix Xuan's emergence.
Joe Di hadn't replied to the messages from Zhuo Wu Jia and Mu Jie. Instead, he went to the Inner Disciple Hall to inquire about them. After paying a hundred spirit crystals, he learned that both Zhuo Wu Jia and Mu Jie had gone out on assignments.
Even as an inner disciple of Origin Dao Sect, one still had to do assignments.
Joe Di simply returned to Novice's Ridge. Becoming a core disciple wasn't all that important. For him, two things mattered: first, collecting herbs in the Origin Dao Herb Garden; second, whether he could go to Grandridge with Penny Pang.