At two o'clock in the morning, Joe Di returned to Tan's Apricot Hall. He planned to bid farewell to Sherry Shi and Keith Fei, and also urged them to leave quickly. With Zane Bi's influence, it was only a matter of time before he discovered Joe was staying at Tan's Apricot Hall—perhaps even before dawn.
The lights in Tan's Apricot Hall were still on. As Joe Di opened the door and entered, he saw Sherry Shi, Keith Fei, and Yvette Tan sitting in the main room, all looking very serious.
As soon as Joe Di came in, Yvette Tan stood up. "Joe, why don't you even have a cell phone?"
"My phone is broken. It's so late—why are you here?" Joe Di wasn't in the mood to joke with Yvette Tan.
"After I finished my business, I went to Riverfront Tower, but they wouldn't let me in. Then I tried calling Sylvia Su, but her phone wouldn't connect either. I came back to ask you what was going on, and Big Sister Shi told me something shocking." Yvette Tan stared at Joe Di as she spoke.
Joe Di nodded. "It seems you already know that the underground floor of Riverfront Tower is where the Peace Arena is located. Since that's the case, I'll tell you everything that happened tonight. Not just Sylvia Su—even I was nearly killed by Zane Bi's men."
Of course, being nearly killed wasn't entirely true, but Joe Di knew it was only because he had mastered the First Blade of the Di Family Seven Blades. In other words, if he were still the same Joe Di who had just arrived here, he really would have been finished.
"Zane Bi found out you saved Keith so quickly?" Sherry Shi jumped up in panic, feeling a bit guilty. If Zane Bi knew, it meant that Joe Di would end up living a life of hiding, just like them.
No one knew better than her how ruthless and merciless Zane Bi could be.
Yvette Tan also stood up in alarm. To be honest, when Sherry Shi first told her about the Peace Arena, she couldn't believe it. She had lived in Luojin City for many years, but had never heard of such a place—the whole idea seemed far too remote from her life.
"Where's Sylvia Su?" Tan Yueyue asked anxiously, her concern for Sylvia evident.
Di Jiu replied, "The people sent to capture me were shaken off. I tracked down Sylvia Su by following clues from their conversation and rescued her. Right now, Sylvia has gone to Yanjing—she said she wants to find her aunt."
No matter how many flaws there were in his story, Di Jiu would never admit he killed those men. Fei Qi and Shi Jinshan were one thing, but if Tan Yueyue learned the truth, she might reveal it during an investigation.
Originally, Di Jiu planned to leave Luojin quietly and avoid Bi Zhengsheng. Now, realizing Sylvia Su’s parents suffered because of him, he decided to settle the score before departing. With careful planning, perhaps he could eliminate Bi Zhengsheng.
Tan Yueyue’s eyes reddened at Di Jiu’s words, but she could only sit down helplessly. She knew Di Jiu was right—especially since the discovery and opening of Celestia, so many things had changed without anyone noticing.
"You’re leaving too?" Tan Yueyue looked at Di Jiu and asked.
"That’s right, I do plan to leave. I hope you both leave as well—Bi Zhengsheng will find this place sooner or later." With that, Di Jiu took out the Great Xing Sect Manual and handed it to Fei Qi. "Brother Fei, this is for you."
He hadn’t finished reading the book yet, but since everyone was parting ways, he might as well return it to Fei Qi. He was bound for Celestia; once he mastered the Di Family Seven Blades, he could surely find similar cultivation techniques there.
Fei Qi stopped Di Jiu’s hand, refusing the book. "Brother Di, you know this manual is of no use to me if I keep it. You should hold onto it. When you’ve finished reading it, if I have descendants, pass it on to them. Shi Jinshan and I will leave now—perhaps fate will bring us together again someday."
With those words, Fei Qi turned and left. Shi Jinshan greeted Di Jiu, just as decisively and briskly following Fei Qi out. Fei Qi was experienced and never hesitated in action.
"Wait—" Di Jiu hurriedly called after Fei Qi, keeping the Great Xing Sect Manual in his hands. He understood Fei Qi’s meaning; though it was said to be borrowed, it was actually a gift to repay the life-saving favor.
"Let me see your phone," Di Jiu said, pulling out his own Di Family Seven Blades manual from his pocket.
Shi Jinshan handed her phone to Di Jiu in confusion. Di Jiu used her phone to photograph the first six blades of the Di Family Seven Blades manual, then quickly wrote down the cultivation method and important details on a piece of paper. Returning the phone, he said, "This is a family inheritance for cultivation. You can try it in the future, but remember to use it with medicinal herbs, or your body will be severely depleted."
He didn’t photograph the seventh blade because it required mastery of the first six before it could be unlocked. Until now, apart from Di Yue, who wrote the Seven Blades, no one in the Di family had ever reached the seventh.
Once Shi Jinshan had her phone back, Fei Qi said to Di Jiu, "Brother Di, you truly are an upright man—I was not mistaken about you. Until we meet again."
Tan Yueyue watched as Di Jiu, Fei Qi, and Shi Jinshan bid farewell. After Fei Qi and Shi Jinshan left, she said, "Di Jiu, though I don’t know why you came to my house as a worker, I’m sure your future will be extraordinary. Luojin isn’t a place to stay long—I’ll leave too. When I get back to Yanjing, I’ll tell my grandfather about this."
After sending the three off, Di Jiu quickly packed his belongings, locked up the Tan Xing Hall, and left without delay.
Originally, he planned to leave Luojin immediately—Lin Chuan was the best destination. But now, he’d changed his mind. Even if he left, he would deal with the Taiping Arena and Bi Zhengsheng before going.
Although he’d killed six of Bi Zhengsheng’s men, Di Jiu knew that aside from Bi Zhengsheng hunting him, there was little trouble. Bi Zhengsheng would cover up the incident thoroughly.
But the murder of Sylvia Su’s parents by Bi Zhengsheng wouldn’t be so easily hidden. Di Jiu didn’t care how Bi Zhengsheng tried to cover it up; what mattered was how to take him down.