Every day afterward, Joe Di focused on refining his spiritual sense. Unfortunately, after reaching a certain point, the Starstream Veins method slowed the process of further refinement considerably.
Although his spiritual sense was more refined than anyone else's, it was still insufficient for this escape technique. If danger arose, he could only escape a dozen meters—barely better than not knowing the technique at all.
He needed a new way to refine his spiritual sense, or a cultivation method that could enhance it further.
Wait—that's not right. Suddenly, Joe Di realized something. He had cultivated the Starstream Technique by unlocking the Starstream Veins with that mysterious Graystone, and the veins themselves greatly strengthened his spiritual sense. Only then was he barely able to practice the technique.
Joe Di was certain that few, if any, cultivators of his level possessed a spiritual sense stronger than his. If that was the case, what use was this Mindshift technique?
The fact that the previous cultivator gave him the Mindshift technique was itself telling.
If the Mindshift technique was useless, why did it exist? Was this escape technique really intended for cultivation?
Joe Di stared at the Mindshift Stone in his hand, lost in thought. A cultivation method exists to be practiced; if it cannot be cultivated, then it is meaningless.
His ability to cultivate was not a universal standard; not everyone possessed the Graystone or the golden lightning as he did.
There must be something about this method that he hadn't fully grasped. With that thought, Joe Di began to study the Mindshift Stone over and over again.
Again and again—until in the end, Joe Di even wondered if the person who copied this Mindshift Stone had left something out.
He had read through this Mindshift Stone at least a thousand times. Each time, he pored over every detail—even comparing the brush strokes of each character—yet nothing seemed to be missing...
As Joe Di examined the jade slip once again, he finally noticed something amiss. It wasn't the characters themselves, but some extremely subtle fluctuation within the slip. If he hadn't studied it over a thousand times, he wouldn't have been able to detect it.
Joe Di was a Level Five array master—he immediately recognized this as a Spirit Mark.
He now counted as a skilled practitioner of Spirit Marks himself, yet this hidden mark was so faint he could only barely sense it—sometimes, not at all. As for extracting it from the Mindshift Stone, that was nothing but a pipe dream at his current level.
A chill crept into Joe Di's heart. He vaguely recalled that the Mindshift Stone had been given to him by a cultivator at the Ninth Level of Essence Training. Could that person have left the mark to harm him?
But the next moment, Joe Di dismissed the thought. That was impossible. Even if his array skills reached Level Seven, he doubted he could set such a mark.
To lay out a Level Seven array would make one a King Array Master. Even such masters couldn't create a Spirit Mark of this complexity. The only explanation was that it had been set by another King Array Master—at least a Level Nine.
The Spirit Mark must have already been present when that Essence Training cultivator got hold of this jade slip.
But are there any Level Nine King Array Masters on the Aurora Continent? Why would such a master copy this escape technique onto a Mindshift Stone and then embed a Spirit Mark within it?
Based on Joe Di's experience with arrays, the Mindshift Stone could not have been copied more than two hundred years ago.
If he hadn't detected the Spirit Mark, Joe Di would still be endlessly refining his spiritual sense and practicing Mindshift.
After discovering the Spirit Mark, Joe Di lost all interest in those pursuits.
Now, only one question echoed in his mind—why?
Who would be so bored as to copy such a powerful Mindshift Stone and then toss it aside?
Joe Di assumed the Mindshift Stone had been discarded because he got it from an Essence Training cultivator. If even a low-level cultivator could obtain one, then surely it wasn't very valuable. But in truth, this Mindshift Stone was anything but ordinary.
After pondering for a whole hour, Joe Di still hadn't found an answer. He began to imagine himself as the Level Nine King Array Master who had discarded the Mindshift Stone.
Suppose he possessed the original Mindshift Stone, and out of boredom, made countless copies and tossed them out at random?
Even if he did, there must have been a reason.
A reason? The reason must be that he couldn't cultivate it. But even so, as a Level Nine King Array Master—a figure of immense prestige—why bother with such a foolish and pointless act?
He wasn't overly selfish, but he certainly wouldn't casually share his precious cultivation method with others. If someone capable of cultivating it—someone like himself—came across it, they might not be grateful. Just as he didn't necessarily feel grateful to the person who created the Mindshift Stone; even if he did, he wouldn't know who that person was...
At this thought, a vague answer began to form in Joe Di's mind.
At first, the answer was hazy, but as Joe Di continued to reason and hypothesize, it grew clearer and clearer.
Soon, Joe Di reached a terrifying conclusion. He sprang to his feet, his face drained of color.
The answer he deduced was that the absolute powerhouse—the Level Nine King Array Master—hadn't acted out of boredom. It was because the King Array Master truly couldn't cultivate the technique. If he couldn't, it must be that his spiritual sense wasn't refined enough.
This meant that cultivating Mindshift wasn't about one's cultivation level, but whether one's spiritual sense was sufficiently refined.
Unable to cultivate it, yet knowing Mindshift was an extraordinary technique, the King Array Master made countless copies and scattered them across the continent. Perhaps ninety-nine percent of people would be unable to cultivate it, but if someone could...
Joe Di didn't dare imagine further. If someone found a cultivator who could master it, they would use the Spirit Mark to track him down. He was just a Foundation Stage Nine ant—if he were found, it would mean certain death.
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Against the Qi Family, he might still manage to hide for a while. But against a Level Nine King Array Master, he likely wouldn't even have a chance to run.
If a Level Nine King Array Master had low cultivation, that would be a miracle. The entire Qi Family combined probably couldn't withstand a single finger from such a person.
As for how one could tell if the Mindshift Stone's holder could cultivate Mindshift, Joe Di was sure the other party had a way. Most likely, it was because he had used the technique—even if he'd only escaped a few meters, that instant movement with the Spirit Mark was enough to reveal his ability.
Whether his guess was right or not, Joe Di now desperately wanted to get rid of the Mindshift Stone—it was a hot potato.
Just then, the spaceship gave a slight tremor, and Felix Zheng's voice sounded from outside, "Brother David, we've reached the edge of Skyveil Plaza. We can disembark now."
The ship's announcement followed, informing all passengers that they had arrived at Skyveil Plaza.
When Joe Di put away his barrier and stepped out, Felix Zheng, Celia Qi, and Sherry Frost were already waiting outside.
The four of them, having formed a team, disembarked together.
"Brother David, you really work hard. I tried following your example and went into seclusion for a month, and I feel my cultivation has improved a lot," Sherry Frost said, searching for something to say as they left the ship. A gentle smile appeared on her face.
Joe Di laughed heartily and waved his hand. "In our path of cultivation, progress is everything. That's the answer I arrived at after much reflection, and now I'm giving it to you for free."
"Thank you, Brother David!" Sherry Frost said happily.
After expressing her thanks, Sherry Frost blushed slightly. She was about to invite Joe Di to rest at her sect’s residence when a sudden voice interrupted her. "Heh, a mere Foundation ant dares to talk about progress in cultivation?"
As the voice spoke, a handsome cultivator with jade-like features and a sword on his back walked over.
"Senior Brother Ewan!" Sherry Frost exclaimed, happily greeting him before introducing, "Senior Brother Ewan, this is Senior Brother David Di. He's very forthright, and his strength is nothing to scoff at."
Hearing Sherry Frost praise Joe Di, Ewan Wan’s expression softened a little. He nodded and asked, "Which sect are you from?"
Joe Di ignored Ewan Wan, his gaze fixed on a Foundation Stage Two cultivator emerging from the Qi Trading House.
He was carrying a time bomb—he needed to get rid of it first. Spotting the Qi Trading House cultivator, Joe Di immediately walked over.
As Joe Di passed by the cultivator, he pretended to stumble, grabbing at random to steady himself, and ended up tugging the cultivator's storage pouch.
"Sorry, fellow Daoist, I was lost in thought and wasn't watching where I was going," Joe Di apologized repeatedly, head bowed.
The Qi Trading House cultivator held considerable status here. Since Joe Di had only bumped into him and apologized profusely, the Foundation cultivator just snorted and ignored Joe Di, whom he considered beneath notice, then quickly walked away.
Joe Di breathed a sigh of relief—the time bomb was finally transferred into that cultivator's storage pouch. At that moment, he was deeply grateful for the years he'd spent studying arraycraft.
"Senior Brother David, there's only one day left of the Skyveil tournament. Let's go watch!" Sherry Frost said, ignoring Felix Zheng and sticking close to Joe Di. Even as he walked away, she hurried after him.