Joe Di opened his eyes. After a night of cultivation, his strength had improved considerably. At the same time, Joe realized the shortcomings of training here—there simply wasn’t enough spiritual energy. Whenever he reached a critical point in his practice, the flow of energy around him would stall.
This couldn’t go on. Joe Di stood up and sighed, knowing there was nothing he could do about it.
The lack of spiritual energy wasn’t unique to this place; anywhere else would be the same.
The only solution was to go to Celestia. Celestia had top-tier medicinal herbs, and its spiritual energy was bound to be far richer than Earth’s. If he wanted to reach Celestia, he would have to rely on himself.
Even if he hadn’t given his registration credential to You Huli, Joe doubted he could have used it to get to Celestia anyway.
Northlake University had opened martial arts classes, but new students wouldn’t immediately qualify to go to Celestia. Only after studying for a certain period and reaching a specific level would they be permitted to go.
Other people had no way, but Joe Di did. He still had a flying device hidden in the Lethe Mountains. Once his strength improved a bit more, he’d find a way to repair it.
......
The Ziheng Restaurant in Luojin City ranked among the top ten in the area. Built by the sea, it offered diners a view of the ocean as they ate. Its owner was Henry Di, the heir to Di Pharmaceuticals.
At this moment, Henry Di sat in the restaurant’s most luxurious private room. Across from him was a middle-aged woman with an air of wealth and nobility. Facing her, Henry Di seemed to lack confidence. This woman was his mother, though he hadn’t seen her since childhood. She only returned three years ago to care for his father after he fell seriously ill.
“Henry, if you keep being so indecisive, how will you ever take control of such a huge corporation?” May Xi’s expression darkened.
Henry Di’s already pale face turned even whiter at his mother’s words. He replied, lacking confidence, “Mom, after all, I grew up with him, we were brothers as children. Can’t we just let him sign off and be done with it…?”
May Xi slammed her palm down on the tea table with a sharp crack, her voice rising in anger. “Useless child! David Di has no blood relation to you. Do you know whose place you’re sitting in? All of this used to belong to David Di. If you keep being so useless, it never will be yours. I’ll be blunt—David Di clearly doesn’t want to sign anything…!”
After several heavy breaths, May Xi’s tone softened slightly. “As long as David Di is alive, your inheritance will never be secure. Even Zoe Shen isn’t yours. What’s the point of liking someone who doesn’t belong to you?”
Henry Di remained silent, unable to understand why his mother was so ruthless. Before DNA tests, by all rights, David Di was supposed to be her real son.
He hesitated for a long time before finally saying, “Mom, about Zoe Shen…”
May Xi seemed to know what Henry wanted to say and snorted, “Someday you’ll understand just how much the Shen family can help you.”
Just then, there was a knock at the door, followed by a voice, “Chairman, Miss Zoe Shen is here.”
May Xi’s angry expression softened immediately. “Bring her here for lunch.”
"Yes." With that reply, the sound of footsteps faded into the distance.
The middle-aged woman, her expression now pleasant, walked to the entrance of the private room just as Zoe Shen was led in by another woman.
“Zoe, I know you’ve had a lot going on lately. If I hadn’t heard about this, I really wouldn’t want to disturb your studies.” May Xi greeted Zoe Shen with a broad, welcoming smile.
“Good to see you, Aunt May.” Zoe Shen quickly bowed in greeting. She recognized this woman—May Xi, Henry Di’s mother, once thought to be David Di’s mother.
“Come in and have a seat… Henry, what are you still standing there for?” May Xi shot a glance at Henry Di.
Zoe Shen didn’t enter the private room. Instead, she stood at the doorway and bowed again. “Thank you, Aunt May, but I won’t come in. I know why you called me here. I’ve already been married once. Once is enough for me—I don’t want a second marriage. Besides, my health has never been good…”
After leaving the hospital, the first thing Zoe Shen did was make her intentions clear to the Shen family—no matter what, she would not marry a second time. Now, she only hoped to enter Celestia through Northlake Martial Academy and find a way to prolong her life there.
Her attitude was resolute, and the Shen family’s business had begun to turn around, so they temporarily agreed to her request. However, if she couldn’t prove herself at the academy, she would eventually have to contribute to the Shen family.
May Xi smiled warmly. “I just received some news—there’s an exceptional internist at Linchuan Aibo Hospital. He managed to rescue a patient who had been sent to Taiping Pavilion and was fully recovered after several hours. I wonder if this doctor could help you.”
Zoe Shen was slightly surprised. She’d thought the Di family didn’t know about her illness, but apparently they did. If what May Xi said was true, this doctor was truly remarkable.
Zoe Shen knew her illness well. When she visited Lethe Temple, the host, Hongchen and Shang, told her that her disease couldn’t be cured on Earth. She was clear about their abilities. Even if Linchuan had a brilliant doctor, he wouldn’t be able to cure her.
As for her illness being miraculously cured by Joe Di, she had no real understanding of that. She’d been hospitalized more than once, and each time, after a period of rest, she’d suddenly recover. But this time, her recovery felt much easier than before. Because it had happened more than once, she didn’t even bother to get checked again after leaving the hospital.
“Thank you, Aunt May. I just want a few peaceful years of study—I don’t wish to trouble you, Aunt May. I’m leaving now.” Zoe Shen bowed once more, then turned and left with quiet dignity.
Watching Zoe Shen’s departing figure, May Xi’s face grew grim. If Zoe Shen refused to marry into the Di family, her plans couldn’t move forward.
“Mom, did Linchuan really produce such an incredible doctor? Could he help Dad with his illness?” Henry Di admired Zoe Shen, but his feelings were different from his mother’s. For him, Zoe Shen was a hurdle he couldn’t get past. As for his supposed affection for her, forcing Zoe Shen to meet him was entirely May Xi’s idea, not his own.
“I’ve already started making arrangements for all of this. You don’t need to concern yourself.” May Xi’s tone was calm and firm.
“Actually, I’d like to go to the academy myself…”
“Di Pharmaceuticals is a massive family business. If you don’t focus on managing it and only think about going to the academy, let me tell you: once Celestia is fully open, you’ll be able to buy residency there at any time. If you give up the Di family’s assets to go study, you’ll end up with nothing.” May Xi’s words were stern.
The woman who escorted Zoe Shen stepped forward and spoke in a low voice, “Chairman, we’ve just received word: David Di has disappeared and his whereabouts are unknown. Also, several murders have occurred at Riverside Mansion, and the Luojin police have sealed off the building. According to the grapevine, an underground fighting ring was discovered on the lowest floor of Riverside Mansion. What’s more, David Di vanished after going there.”
May Xi frowned and immediately said, “Stop worrying about David Di. Let him go.”