The Star Dao Pill is a Prime Dao Pill that helps cultivators comprehend all kinds of top-tier cosmic star arts. Yet, its most crucial function is not this—when a cultivator fails a Dao breakthrough and their Dao Foundation is damaged, the Star Dao Pill is the best pill for recovery.
In the vast void, there are countless cultivators whose Dao Foundations are damaged due to failed breakthroughs. This shows just how precious the Star Dao Pill truly is.
Joe Di closed the jade box in his hand and handed it back to Louis Banner. "I'm sorry, the Star Dao Pill is a Prime Dao Pill. I still can't refine Prime Dao Pills yet, but I can make Transformation Pills."
Joe Di had originally thought that many cultivators would come seeking his skill in refining Prime Dao Pills, and that he would receive numerous Dao Yuan Dao Fruits, allowing him to advance to Prime Dao Pill Saint here.
The idea was beautiful, but reality was harsh. So far, the Nine-Star Bamboo was the only Dao Yuan Dao Fruit he had received.
Louis Banner was actually delighted—he hadn't expected Joe Di to be able to refine Prime Dao Pills. What he truly wanted Joe Di to make was the Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill, since aside from the piece of Nine-Star Bamboo, he also had a Violetcloud Fruit and five unknown fruits.
Though he knew the value of Nine-Star Bamboo far exceeded the Violetcloud Fruit, the Star Dao Pill was useless to him. What he needed most right now was the Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill, not the Star Dao Pill. It was like a thirsty man in the desert who needed a bottle of water, not a piece of gold.
He offered the Nine-Star Bamboo to Joe Di as a test. If Joe Di tried to take his Nine-Star Bamboo, he would leave. If Joe Di took his Violetcloud Fruit, his path to transformation would be blocked.
Since Joe Di didn't even want the Nine-Star Bamboo and directly said he couldn't refine Prime Dao Pills, it meant Joe Di definitely wouldn't take his Violetcloud Fruit. This showed Joe Di was truly an upright and honorable powerhouse.
Louis Banner hurriedly took out another jade box and handed it to Joe Di, speaking even more respectfully, "Senior, what I want refined is the Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill. This Nine-Star Bamboo is my payment to you."
Joe Di, hearing this, quickly opened the jade box. Sure enough, inside was a Violetcloud Fruit. Joe Di was equally excited—he hadn't expected someone to offer Nine-Star Bamboo as payment, just for refining the Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill.
This payment was simply against the heavens. Joe Di immediately said, "Rest assured, I can help you refine the Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill right away. Please wait outside for a moment."
"Yes, Senior." Louis Banner quickly stepped out.
Even though Louis Banner hadn't provided a single auxiliary Divine Spirit Herb, Joe Di took out his own and, in the shortest time, helped Louis Banner refine a batch of Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pills.
This was a batch of top-grade Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pills, twelve in total. Joe Di straightforwardly put them into two jade bottles, six pills in each.
In fact, exchanging Nine-Star Bamboo for twelve Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pills refined by Joe Di was more than enough. Joe Di wasn't greedy for Louis Banner's Skycloud Pills—he already had plenty. Rather, he knew that a Dao Realm Pill Saint could only refine up to six pills in one batch.
If he produced twelve, that would be rather unusual.
"Your pills are ready. Come in." Joe Di excitedly put away the Nine-Star Bamboo and pill furnace. He hadn't expected to obtain Nine-Star Bamboo here, so he decided to give Louis Banner something extra. Taking advantage of others was not Joe Di's habit.
Louis Banner, who was anxiously waiting outside, heard Joe Di's words and hurried in, his voice trembling with excitement: "Senior..."
Joe Di handed a jade bottle to Louis Banner. "It's ready. Take a look."
"Yes." Louis Banner's voice was trembling. He had been waiting for this day for countless years, and now finally had the chance.
He opened the jade bottle. When Louis Banner saw six top-grade Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pills, he nearly cried out in excitement. Bowing respectfully to Joe Di, he said, "Thank you, Senior, for refining these pills for me. I am truly grateful."
Joe Di waved his hand and took out a piece of earth-attributed law fragment, handing it to Louis Banner. "I refined a batch of Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pills for you but took a piece of Nine-Star Bamboo as payment—that's a bit much. This earth-attributed law fragment is a gift for you."
Ah... Louis Banner grew even more excited. For him, an earth-attributed law fragment was second only to the Skycloud Pills in value. Since he had an earth spiritual root, this law fragment would deepen his understanding of the Dao.
Even if Louis Banner wanted to refuse, he didn't have the courage to do so.
He quickly accepted the law fragment from Joe Di, repeatedly expressing his gratitude. He knew he had met a true benefactor. Ordinary Pill Saints would only give half the pills to the client, even after receiving payment. But this Pill Saint gave him all the pills, and even an earth-attributed law fragment. How could he not be overwhelmed with excitement?
To Joe Di, taking a piece of Nine-Star Bamboo in exchange for refining a batch of Transformation Pills was indeed too much. But as a Pill Saint, he couldn't understand Louis Banner's feelings. Having a Violetcloud Fruit but being unable to turn it into a Skycloud Pill—Joe Di couldn't relate to that kind of anxiety.
If Joe Di had asked for two pieces of Nine-Star Bamboo, Louis Banner would have given them to him if he had them.
Joe Di waved his hand. "Alright, you may go. I'm about to start closed-door cultivation."
Louis Banner bowed again, then carefully took out five jade boxes and handed them to Joe Di. "Senior, these five fruits were found near the Nine-Star Bamboo and Violetcloud Fruit. I don't know what they are, so I'll give them to you."
In fact, Louis Banner obtained six of these Dao Fruits in total. After eating one and finding no effect, he thought they must be quite ordinary.
Stellar Breakthrough Fruit?' Joe Di exclaimed excitedly. This was the Dao Fruit that was truly useful to him.
The value of the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit was far less than Nine-Star Bamboo, but it was even rarer. If not for the World Book, Joe Di wouldn't have recognized it either.
Senior, what is a Stellar Breakthrough Fruit?' Louis Banner asked instinctively.
Joe Di picked up two Stellar Breakthrough Fruits and handed the other three back to Louis Banner, saying, "These are Stellar Breakthrough Fruits. For cultivators below the Prime Realm, any one of them can help you advance a minor realm directly. It's one of the few Dao Fruits that can be consumed without pill refinement. Of course, it only advances a minor realm, not a major level. These are useful to me, so I'll take two and you keep the other three."
Joe Di suspected Louis Banner had already eaten one, because each Stellar Breakthrough Fruit plant bore six fruits, and now only five were present.
Ah...' Louis Banner's mouth fell open. No wonder he hadn't felt any effect after eating a Stellar Breakthrough Fruit—so that's how it was.
A moment later, he asked, "If the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit is so precious, why hasn't it become widely known?"
Joe Di chuckled, "Because to refine the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit, you need a special cultivation method. Otherwise, eating it only satisfies your appetite. Since I received two of your Stellar Breakthrough Fruits, I'll give you a method to refine them."
After speaking, Joe Di took out a blank jade slip and quickly engraved the method for refining the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit, then handed it to Louis Banner.
Louis Banner was even more overwhelmed with excitement. Suddenly, he understood a principle—sometimes being generous to others is being generous to yourself. This was true for both Joe Di and him.
If he hadn't offered the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit, even if he learned its effects, he could only watch. If Joe Di hadn't given him the law fragment, he wouldn't have offered the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit.
Thank you, Senior. I will take my leave.' Louis Banner took the jade slip and Skycloud Pills, now even more eager than Joe Di to begin closed-door cultivation.
Joe Di called in Ding Chi, took out a Nine-Stripe Skycloud Pill and handed it to him, saying, "I'm going into closed-door cultivation for a while. You can use this time to cultivate as well. For now, pill and artifact refining will be put on hold. This Skycloud Pill is for you—use it when you reach the Transformation Realm."
Joe Di established the Pill & Artifact Pavilion here for cultivation resources. Now, with the Stellar Breakthrough Fruit, he was even more eager to start closed-door cultivation.
Skycloud Pill? Ding Chi was stunned—even Great Buddha Mountain couldn't produce a Skycloud Pill. Yet Joe Di casually gave him one... this...
(That's all for today's update. Good night, friends!)