Joe Di set aside the question of whether he could leave, fixing his gaze on the bristly-mustached man. "How do you know there's a Duality Blossom in the Unfixed Sea?"
To Joe Di, the Duality Blossom was now even more important than escaping.
Bristlebeard chuckled, "The Unfixed Sea was once the dwelling of Indeterminate Lord. I'm not the only one who knows he possessed a Duality Blossom. Of course, it seems I'm the only one still alive now."
"So how do we get the Duality Blossom?" Joe Di didn’t bother debating Bristlebeard’s words. The man looked burly and fierce, but Joe Di found him just as unreliable as his mustache.
Bristlebeard pointed at the Unfixed Sea. "Before, even the two of us together might not have managed it. But now, we can. If you help me out, together we’re sure to get the Duality Blossom."
Joe Di replied coolly, "If that’s the case, I have no interest in cooperating. I’ll go down alone."
With that, Joe Di prepared to leap into the Unfixed Sea. Bristlebeard’s evasive chatter was starting to wear on his patience.
The man still hadn’t explained why it was impossible to get the blossom alone, forcing Joe Di to ask. But Joe Di couldn’t be bothered. If Bristlebeard didn’t stop him, he’d go in and see for himself.
Seeing Joe Di about to dive in without even asking why, Bristlebeard hurriedly called out, "Wait, friend! The Unfixed Sea is actually a magical artifact left by Indeterminate Lord. Its waters are fiercely corrosive—if you dive in, even a body of immortal flesh might be dissolved. Not only does the water corrode flesh, it erodes the soul. If you go down, you’ll likely meet a grim fate."
Joe Di didn’t respond, simply staring at Bristlebeard. Seeing no hint of doubt in Joe Di’s eyes, Bristlebeard felt a bit defeated and could only continue, "The Unfixed Sea is filled with restrictions that can trap cultivators inside, sealing them in for good. In fact, many people have entered before us, but not a single one has come out."
The reason I’m confident is because I inherited Indeterminate Lord’s arraycraft legacy. The restrictions inside the Unfixed Sea are all interlocked. I’ve already refined an Array Banner—once I throw one in, you must immediately place another at the corresponding position. Don’t ask me why; the Unfixed Sea has its rules. Anyone who enters can only place a single Array Banner, never two at once in opposite positions."
"That’s it?" Joe Di finally asked after Bristlebeard finished.
Bristlebeard nodded. "That’s all. So, are you willing to go down with me? If not, just pretend I never said anything."
Joe Di said, "Since you’re trapped between two realms and can’t get out, why haven’t you asked how I got in?"
Bristlebeard gave a self-deprecating smile. "Because I came in the same way you did—by accident. Getting into the gap between realms is pure luck. Once you’re in, don’t count on getting out. I’m guessing you stumbled in too, so there’s no point in asking how you’ll leave."
Joe Di found this believable. If he hadn’t met the Lotus Sage, he probably couldn’t have entered, either. Some things are only difficult for certain people. Leaving this place is tough—unless someone like the Lotus Sage comes, then it’s a different story. Now that he had the Lotus Sage’s personally inscribed method for tearing through realms, maybe leaving wouldn’t be so hard after all.
Joe Di nodded. "Alright, I agree. Hand over the Array Banner."
Bristlebeard was overjoyed. "With our cooperation, we’ll surely unlock Indeterminate Lord’s Divine Spirit Herb Garden!"
With that, he produced a ring and tossed it to Joe Di. Joe Di sent his divine sense into the ring—there was no restriction, and inside he could clearly see an Array Banner. One look at the banner told Joe Di that Bristlebeard was at least a Ninth-Rank Formation Sovereign.
The method for refining the Array Banner wasn’t anything special. Even if Bristlebeard was a Formation Sovereign, he was at best on par with Quentin Wood—still a notch below Joe Di.
"When we go down together, try not to get more than thirty feet away from me, or my magical relic won’t be able to protect you," Bristlebeard warned Joe Di, then leapt into the Unfixed Sea.
Without hesitation, Joe Di followed Bristlebeard into the Unfixed Sea. Bristlebeard’s arraycraft couldn’t compare to his, and though the man masked his cultivation, Joe Di could sense from the surrounding laws that Bristlebeard was likely late-stage Dao Fusion. That level of cultivation didn’t impress Joe Di, even though he himself was far from it.
Seeing Joe Di jump in after him, Bristlebeard was delighted. This meant Joe Di probably didn’t have a defensive relic—otherwise, he wouldn’t have relied on Bristlebeard’s protection.
Bristlebeard’s defensive relic was a giant umbrella. When he opened it, not a single drop of seawater entered the area within thirty feet.
The moment he entered the Unfixed Sea, Joe Di realized Bristlebeard had lied about one thing: the seawater didn’t just corrode immortal flesh—even a saint’s body would be partially eroded here.
As for the restrictions everywhere, Joe Di had sensed them even before entering the Unfixed Sea.
At that moment, Bristlebeard threw out an Array Banner and urged, "Quick!"
Almost simultaneously, Joe Di placed an Array Banner at the corresponding position. Bristlebeard was right—once an Array Banner was placed, the Dao resonance locked it in, and the same person couldn’t place another at the opposite spot.
But Joe Di was an exception. He didn’t even need an Array Banner—using a Law Array Banner, he could inscribe banners at both positions at once.
"Excellent, excellent! I knew partnering with you was the right move," Bristlebeard praised, tossing out Array Banners one after another.
Joe Di continued tossing Array Banners while inscribing his own Law Array Banners.
In no time, a winding passage appeared ahead. Bristlebeard was so excited he sped up, seemingly forgetting his warning about Joe Di staying within thirty feet.
From the outside, the Unfixed Sea looked vast, but once inside, it wasn’t so big. Bristlebeard and Joe Di stopped after less than an hour.
Before them was a massive Cloudspire Sanctuary, its doors slightly ajar. Aside from a Water-Repelling Array at the entrance, there were no other protective arrays.
Bristlebeard pointed at the sanctuary’s entrance. "Other people keep their relics inside their sanctuaries, but Indeterminate Lord’s sanctuary is inside his relic. Not only that, his Divine Spirit Herb Garden is also within this sanctuary. I’ll go in first, you follow me."
With that, Bristlebeard strode into the sanctuary.
Joe Di remained still. Bristlebeard probably thought his arraycraft was weak, but in truth, Joe Di’s skills surpassed Bristlebeard’s.
Just by standing at the entrance, Joe Di could tell the slightly open door was an array gate. So the sanctuary did have a protective array, and even if he entered, he doubted he’d be trapped. Knowing this, why walk into a trap? Besides, Joe Di wasn’t convinced the Divine Spirit Herb Garden was inside.
As someone who was nearly a Unity Pill Saint, Joe Di knew all too well the drawbacks of keeping a Divine Spirit Herb Garden inside a sanctuary. Divine Spirit Herbs need to absorb the world’s laws and Dao resonance, and the chaotic energies within a sanctuary are terrible for their growth.
Indeterminate Lord wasn’t an ordinary person. Even if he was, with a Divine Spirit Herb Garden, he wouldn’t have overlooked this issue.
Indeterminate Lord wasn’t just anyone. Even if he were, with a Divine Spirit Herb Garden, he wouldn’t ignore such an important detail.