Felix Fang shuddered violently. Only now did he realize how lucky he was to have survived under Joe Di's hand. He had witnessed with his own eyes an Immortal Emperor being stomped to death by Joe Di.
"Moria Lane, come inside and sit with me for a while." Yannette Hui clearly didn't take the various trapping arrays of Cauldron Haven seriously and walked straight into the city.
Moria Lane could only say to Joe Di, "Senior Brother Joe, I'll say a few words to Ancestor first, then come find you in a bit."
Joe Di nodded, "Don't worry about me. I might stay in Cauldron Haven for a while. If you don't want to leave, come to me. Remember, no one can force you."
Yannette Hui snorted coldly and gave Joe Di a frosty look. "I'll be leaving today. If you want to die, just stay here."
With that, Yannette Hui grabbed Moria Lane's hand and stepped directly into Cauldron Haven.
Joe Di didn't respond to Yannette Hui's words. He understood she meant no real harm. She was telling him that if he stayed in Cauldron Haven after she left, it would be a dead end. Perhaps in Yannette Hui's mind, the reason he was still safe wasn't because of his own intimidating presence that made Immortal Emperors wary, but because of her.
Joe Di cast his gaze over Miles Silent and the others without a word, then said to Zhong Ao beside him, "Old Zhong, let's go into the city too."
Sprout hurriedly supported Quentin Pooler and Shirley Pooler, following behind Joe Di. "Big Brother, are we going to the Starlight Teahouse?"
Joe Di replied calmly, "We can't go to the Starlight Teahouse anymore. It's been taken over by a notorious figure. I don't dare provoke him, so we'll have to go somewhere else."
As Joe Di entered the city, no one made a move. The scene of Yannette Hui grabbing Jude Yue and Joe Di stomping Jude Yue to death was still vivid in everyone's minds. As long as Yannette Hui remained in Cauldron Haven, no one would dare attack Joe Di.
Cauldron Haven's Vice City Lord, Gavin Jet, heard Joe Di's words and sneered inwardly. The Starlight Teahouse that Joe Di mentioned was the very one he had seized. Knowing Joe Di was still bold enough to enter the city after losing the teahouse, he thought, was simply courting death.
Looking at Yannette Hui, it was clear she wouldn't stay in Cauldron Haven for long, and she didn't seem to like Joe Di much either. Once Yannette Hui left, it would be Joe Di's turn to face his fate.
Even Miles Silent, who was about to hold Joe Di accountable, stopped himself. He knew that questioning Joe Di now would only result in Yannette Hui taking Joe Di away, not keeping him here. The real question was, would Joe Di leave with Yannette Hui once she left?
Given Joe Di's proud and self-assured nature, as long as he didn't follow Yannette Hui, they would have succeeded.
As for whether Joe Di would leave with Yannette Hui, everyone had their own expectations. Back when Joe Di was just a fledgling Immortal Lord with no backing, he dared to sell Starlight Tea in Cauldron Haven, challenge the Starspire Apothecary, and even kill the daughter of Ethan Huang, the leader of the Thousand Maple Guild.
He came alone to Cauldron Haven for the auction, snatching treasures from several Immortal Emperors. Even when fleeing, he robbed Star Moon Trade Tower at the Moon Ruins. How could this be anything but brazen?
Such a brazen fellow was now likely to have stepped into the Immortal King Realm, and with Old Zhong beside him—who was probably a late-stage Immortal Emperor—how could he just leave so easily now that he had such backing?
The thought that Joe Di had reached the Immortal King Realm in such a short time made the hearts of many powerful cultivators burn with excitement.
"Once Yannette Hui leaves, Joe Di definitely won't follow her," Miles Silent said calmly, his tone full of certainty.
"Why?" someone asked aloud. Everyone suspected Joe Di wouldn't leave, but no one was completely sure.
Miles Silent spoke with a mocking tone, "This man thinks he has Cauldron Haven all figured out. He didn't arrive with Yannette Hui in the first place. As for Yannette Hui, she just happened to meet Joe Di at the city gate—she's not his backing. I suspect Joe Di relies on the man beside him, whose cultivation is likely very strong."
No one said a word. No matter how strong an Immortal Emperor was, he couldn't dominate Cauldron Haven. Only Felix Fang remained silent; he knew all too well how powerful Zhong Ao was. In the eyes of Old Zhong, a late-stage Immortal Emperor was nothing.
"Why not make a move now?" Zhong Ao asked in confusion as he watched Joe Di enter the city.
Joe Di chuckled, "It's no fun to act now—there are still many who haven't arrived. If I make a move now, they'll be shy about coming over. Since I've decided to act, I want to catch them all in one sweep. Besides, don't think these bastards are sparing me just because Yannette Hui is here. With her around, it's not convenient for me to act either. She'll definitely step in when the time comes."
Joe Di saw Yannette Hui for what she was—proud and highly cultivated. If he went on a killing spree and the people of Cauldron Haven called for help, Yannette Hui might intervene. If she did, it would be troublesome whether he killed her or not.
"Big Brother, where are we going?" Seeing Joe Di lost in thought as he walked, Sprout hurriedly asked.
He was currently escorting two people; if he were just strolling alone, Sprout wouldn't be so anxious to ask where Big Brother was headed.
"We're already here." Joe Di stopped. The place he halted was the most bustling area of Cauldron Haven.
Zhong Ao looked up and saw a stretch of tall buildings. Above them, floating in the air thanks to protective arrays, were several large characters: "Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion."
Leaving aside the status of this Rest Pavilion in Cauldron Haven, just looking at its prime location, it was clearly one of the city's top pavilions.
Joe Di summoned his Heavenlace Blade once more. A pale blue blade light slashed down, shattering the seventh-grade immortal array outside Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion as easily as breaking an eggshell.
"Joe Di, how dare you blast apart the protective array of my Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion..." A gray, obese figure rushed out, his voice trembling with rage.
Joe Di laughed, "How arrogant do you have to be to say something like that? I just slashed open Cauldron Haven's main array—do you think I wouldn't dare slice through your little Rest Pavilion?"
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As he finished speaking, Joe Di's Heavenlace Blade slashed down again.
A deadly aura swept over. The gray-faced man's complexion turned ashen as he shouted in shock and anger, "You dare kill me here...?"
A late-stage Immortal King standing beside the gray-faced man stepped forward to block Joe Di, but as soon as he did, he felt the space around him freeze completely. This was the domain of an Immortal Emperor, and cold sweat broke out all over him.
"Splurt!" The gray, obese figure was cleaved in two by the Heavenlace Blade, his body falling to the ground.
Joe Di sighed. How arrogant must one be to think I wouldn't cut you down?
"Bang!" A burst of flame landed on the gray man's body, and at the same time, the late-stage Immortal King was also slain by Joe Di with a single strike—there was no need for a second.
Though Joe Di killed the gray man and the late-stage Immortal King in just a dozen breaths, every cultivator in Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion was stunned. In that moment, all the staff and guests rushed outside.
Joe Di raised his Heavenlace Blade and said calmly, "All guests staying here must leave immediately. You have ten breaths. If you don't leave in ten breaths, you won't get another chance."
Ten breaths was less than ten seconds. Upon hearing Joe Di's words, almost every cultivator rushed out at once—no one dared risk their life. Cultivators were different from ordinary people; they kept their belongings with them and didn't need time to pack.
No matter how prestigious Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion was, that was a concern for later. Right now, they needed to escape.
In less than five breaths, all the guests had fled the pavilion. Even half the staff escaped; the rest frantically sent out distress signals and, led by a steward, tried to hold Joe Di off. They believed the Vice City Lord would arrive soon.
This time, Joe Di didn't even need Zhong Ao's domain. His Heavenlace Blade swept out again and again, and in just a dozen breaths, no one was left alive in Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion except Joe Di and his companions.
......
In Cauldron Haven's City Lord's Mansion, Gavin Jet suddenly stood up. Recalling Joe Di's words about the Starlight Teahouse being seized and not daring to return, he trembled with rage.
Joe Di had openly shattered the protective array of Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion and killed its manager—his top money-grubbing lackey, Gray. Not only that, he slaughtered the slower staff and stewards as well. It was as if Joe Di was repeatedly slapping Gavin Jet in the face.
"Vice City Lord Jet, I suggest you wait." Dui Pingchuan said coolly, "If you go now, you won't be able to do anything to him. The man beside him is likely a late-stage Immortal Emperor. Even without counting Yannette Hui, our five Immortal Emperors here might not be able to keep Joe Di. We need to wait for the five sect masters of Magic Garment Immortal Continent to arrive. I heard Nate Shee from Aurora Immortal Continent is also looking for him. Once these people come, even if Yannette Hui doesn't leave, Joe Di won't be able to escape no matter what."
Dui Pingchuan was actually quite unwilling; he knew Joe Di likely possessed a Dao Fruit.
"Emperor Boundless of Magic Garment Immortal Continent has arrived!" Almost as soon as Dui Pingchuan finished speaking, an announcement came from outside, followed by a red-faced, red-haired man walking in.
......
At Yan Yun Rest Pavilion, Yannette Hui suddenly sighed and stood up. "Moria Lane, come with me. If we don't leave now, there's nothing more I can do."
"Grandmaster, Senior Brother Joe has saved my life several times. Even if I have to leave, I must ask him to come with me." Moria Lane said, her voice growing emotional.
"Just now, the Palace Lord of Star Demon Palace, Xie Wanleng, and the Sect Master of Buzhou Immortal Sect, Xiling Yuanyi, both arrived. They're all here for Joe Di. Joe Di is too ruthless—he killed at least twenty people in Fortune Grand Rest Pavilion..." Yannette Hui looked at Moria Lane; she couldn't save Joe Di now. She also guessed the man beside Joe Di was an Immortal Emperor, but that meant little here.
"Grandmaster, please take Senior Brother Joe with us!" Moria Lane pleaded, growing more anxious at her ancestor's words.
Yannette Hui shook her head with a frown. Honestly, she hadn't expected Joe Di to draw so many powerful figures. If not for the arrival of the Immortal Emperors from Magic Garment Immortal Continent, she wouldn't have cared. But with more and more experts gathering, she knew the situation was now beyond her control.