As soon as Joe Di rushed into the Saint Seat Plaza, he sensed a brand new, vast Dao resonance. Although this Dao resonance was of no benefit to him now, if it had appeared before he constructed the new universe, it would definitely have been an opportunity to step into the Fourth Step.
That golden radiance itself contained a supreme Dao essence. For anyone seeking to break into the Fourth Step, cultivating here would surely yield twice the result with half the effort.
Just as Joe Di had this thought and hadn’t yet had time to observe the Saint Seat Plaza, his mind was struck by a buzzing sound. Immediately, a faint shadow surged into his sea of consciousness, wrapping his soul and intent.
Possession? Joe Di was amused. He had just arrived and wasn’t planning to act here, yet a top-tier primordial soul was already trying to possess him.
"Hmm? This isn’t Rivergate’s Dao law…" The primordial soul in Joe Di’s sea of consciousness immediately sensed that the Dao law here had nothing to do with Rivergate. It was a completely new Dao law, as if…
No, if it wasn’t Rivergate Universe’s Dao law, possession would hardly be possible.
Previously, all the Saint Seat Holders in the Saint Seat Plaza regarded any Third Step cultivators entering from outside as mere vessels. This was because Rivergate’s Dao law was a tier lower than any Saint Seat Holder’s Dao law here, and held no secrets whatsoever.
Any cultivator who trained in the Rivergate Universe and came here was basically delivering their body for possession. The Dao cultivated in the Rivergate Universe couldn’t stop ninety percent of the Saint Seat Holders in the Saint Seat Plaza from taking over.
"It’s been a long time since anyone dared to possess me. Well, you’re in luck…" As Joe Di spoke, a massive Dao resonance handprint condensed in his sea of consciousness. With ease, it grabbed the shadow of the primordial soul, as if seizing a lamb.
To dare attempt possession in his sea of consciousness—how bold must this primordial soul be?
The primordial soul was shocked. Upon realizing the opponent did not cultivate the Dao of the Rivergate Universe, he knew possession would be difficult, but never imagined this person would be so terrifying. Even the strongest Saint Seat Holder in the Saint Seat Plaza probably couldn’t possess him.
He hurried to escape. In that instant, the primordial soul gripped by Joe Di erupted with violet light, twisting and warping Dao resonance, as if trying to tear open Joe Di’s handprint and flee.
Yet no matter how hard the primordial soul struggled, the Dao resonance rules only exploded within Joe Di’s Dao handprint, unable to loosen his grip in the slightest.
"I was wrong this time, fellow Daoist, please let me go. I am Saint Zane Wyne. You must also be a reincarnated Great Saint, cultivating your own Heaven-Earth Dao law. Now, we are on the same side. I acted in ignorance, so please show mercy…" The primordial soul gripped by Joe Di pleaded sincerely, without much panic, clearly believing Joe Di wouldn’t kill him.
Joe Di couldn’t help but feel helpless. Did this guy really think he was some Great Saint? Even after Joe Di had seized his primordial soul and he was trapped in Joe Di’s sea of consciousness—after even attempting possession—he still naively believed Joe Di wouldn’t kill him? What gave him such confidence to claim ‘ignorance is no crime’?
"Sigh, I admire your confidence. Is being a Saint really that impressive?" Joe Di sighed, locking Saint Zane Wyne with countless Dao laws. The pressure of the rules mounted, and killing intent surged.
Is he really going to kill me? Saint Zane Wyne was stunned. Didn’t Joe Di know that Saint Seat Holders were forbidden from killing each other? He’d already said ‘ignorance is no crime,’ yet Joe Di still wanted to act against him—wasn’t he afraid of death?
"Fellow Daoist, don’t you know Saint Seat Holders cannot kill one another? Are you suffering from memory loss?" Saint Zane Wyne could no longer remain calm. He suspected Joe Di was a reincarnated Saint Seat Holder who had forgotten his previous life’s memories.
Joe Di was struck by a thought and asked in a deep voice, "Why did you react with surprise when you realized I wasn’t cultivating the Dao of the Rivergate Universe?"
Saint Zane Wyne understood—Joe Di must have forgotten the memories of his Saint era. He no longer dared to hesitate, for if Joe Di killed him, it would be truly unjust.
Because the Heaven-Earth laws of the Rivergate Universe were once opened for everyone to observe, nearly all the Saint Seat Holders here have integrated them. Everyone is familiar with Rivergate Universe’s laws. So for anyone who cultivated in Rivergate Universe, possession by the Saint Seat Holders here is almost guaranteed.
After learning that Joe Di had forgotten the rules of Saints, Saint Zane Wyne’s tone became respectful. He didn't dare anger Joe Di in the slightest.
Joe Di frowned in confusion and asked, "Do all the Saints who come to the Saint Seat Plaza have to open their Heaven-Earth laws for everyone to observe?"
Saint Zane Wyne hurriedly replied, "How could that be? Every Saint’s Dao law is their greatest secret, just as the vast universe they once constructed is their greatest secret. It’s absolutely forbidden for anyone to glimpse even a little of it."
Then why did the Heaven-Earth laws of the Rivergate Universe have to be observed by other Saints? Was Saint Rivergate so kind-hearted?' Joe Di was even more puzzled.
Because Rivergate broke the Saint’s rules. After his universe suffered many tribulations, he chose to preserve the shattered universe. Not only that, he even wanted to let the Dao field of the Ninefold Heavens evolve into a habitat for those ants…
"What do you mean?" Joe Di interrupted Saint Zane Wyne. "After the tribulation, didn’t all vast universes immediately perish? Are there still shattered universes that survive?"
Saint Zane Wyne had already decided Joe Di was a reincarnated Saint Seat Holder who had lost his memories. Otherwise, how could he possess such a powerful sea of consciousness and mastery of Dao laws? Only a Saint could cultivate their own Dao law beneath another’s universe.
At this moment, when Joe Di asked, he didn’t hesitate and answered honestly, "After the tribulation, even if it’s a world-ending tribulation, it’s possible for shattered universes to exist. These shattered universes have incomplete Heaven-Earth laws, but they can still exist, so allowing some ants to survive isn’t a problem."
Normally, after a Saint’s vast universe suffers tribulation, the Saint will actively dissolve the shattered universe, turning it into the foundation of their own Dao law and resonance, then claim a seat in the Saint Seat Plaza. But Rivergate broke this rule, insisting on preserving the shattered Rivergate Universe, and even wanted to use the Ninefold Heavens as a new Dao field…
Joe Di understood, and flames of anger burned in his heart.
It turned out that after the tribulation, a Saint’s universe is not completely destroyed; some remnants remain. Because the universe is shattered and the Saint can no longer control it, they choose to dissolve the broken parts and transform them into the foundation of their Dao, leaving them in the Saint Seat Plaza.
Saint Rivergate must have pitied the countless lives, so he didn’t choose to dissolve the shattered universe after the tribulation. This is what provoked the outrage of the Saints in the Saint Seat Plaza.
Logically, this matter has nothing to do with the other Saints. Why were the Saints in the Saint Seat Plaza so outraged?
There are probably two reasons: First, Rivergate broke the tacit rule—should everyone still dissolve their former universes after the tribulation? Second, if Rivergate’s universe isn’t dissolved, how can a new universe be born? If a new universe isn’t born, how can the many Saints here have a chance to rise again?
“Since Rivergate’s shattered universe wasn’t completely dissolved, how do you handle it?” Joe Di tried to soften his tone.
“We released a Fourth Step Dao law from Rivergate, allowing someone in Rivergate Universe to step into the Fourth Step. This Fourth Step was fully formed after the cosmic debate. We’ve already set up the Saint Seat Plaza for the debate. Afterward, the Fourth Step will take over the shattered Rivergate Universe, but only for one epoch. After one epoch, a new universe will be born…”
Saint Zane Wyne kept talking, but Joe Di finally understood. The cosmic debate did exist, but it was just a tool used by these Saints. He must have disrupted it by setting up a Blood-Seeking Array, and somehow got swept into the Ninefold Heavens.
Could it be…
Joe Di didn’t dare to think further; he feared he might truly have been a cold-blooded Saint Seat Holder in the past.