After several days, Joe Di finally let out a sigh of relief. His Spiritual Sea had at last stabilized.
Even though Joe Di was eager to reach Seventh Grade Immortal Sense, he didn’t dare to casually consume Graysky Essence anymore. This Graysky Essence was definitely imperfect. Unfortunately, it couldn’t be preserved, and he still didn’t know exactly what its flaws were.
Joe Di disguised himself as an ordinary middle-aged cultivator before heading to Cauldron Haven. His disguise was different from others—thanks to the Ninth Prime Law, he could change his aura as well. As long as he didn’t make a move, it was nearly impossible for anyone to recognize him.
......
Before Joe Di even reached the city gates of Cauldron Haven, he spotted a massive wanted notice in the distance.
Both Joe Di and Simon Di were listed among the wanted. Not only that, but his own face was clearly printed on the notice.
Joe Di strolled nonchalantly beneath the wanted notice, as if carefully examining its contents.
“A hundred million Liberty Credits?” Joe Di exclaimed in astonishment when he saw several cultivators also approach to take a look.
“What’s the big deal? A hundred million Liberty Credits is just for information. If you actually catch this guy, heh, you’ll never have to worry about cultivation resources for the rest of your life.” A nearby Great Yi Immortal chuckled.
Joe Di asked curiously, “Fellow Daoist, I haven’t been to Cauldron Haven in a long time. What kind of monstrous deeds did this Joe Di commit to be wanted by so many great sects and powerful figures—and for such a high reward?”
“Haha, I heard this guy forcibly snatched a Chrono Crystal and Trueglass Elixir from an Immortal Emperor, and even provoked several Immortal Emperors. That’s just asking for death.” Before the cultivator Joe Di questioned could answer, another laughed and replied.
This incident was known throughout all of Cauldron Haven—not exactly a secret.
“Chrono Crystal?” Joe Di exclaimed in amazement. “There’s a Chrono Crystal in our universe? Incredible! That’s a treasure for comprehending time-based divine arts. So powerful...”
Joe Di kept muttering to himself, his eyes burning with fanatic longing for the Chrono Crystal.
“Friend, the Chrono Crystal may have a big reputation, but it’s not actually that useful.” Someone nearby, seeing Joe Di’s feverish expression, couldn’t help but chuckle.
Joe Di replied seriously, “The Chrono Crystal isn’t just for comprehending the Law of Time—it’s said to help refine a World of Rules, too. You say it’s useless? As far as I know, the Chrono Crystal is only a legendary item. I wonder where it actually came from.”
That last question was what Joe Di truly wanted to ask. He didn’t expect everyone to know its origin—he was just laying the groundwork. By acting so obsessed now, when he later inquired about the Chrono Crystal in Cauldron Haven, no one would suspect his motives.
“Heh, comprehend the Law of Time with a Chrono Crystal? The odds of success are less than one in ten thousand. As for refining a World of Rules, even if you handed the Chrono Crystal to an artifact master, no one could actually forge a World of Rules. Besides, this isn’t the first time the Chrono Crystal has appeared—rumor has it Moon Ruins has produced three Chrono Crystals before. The one auctioned in Cauldron Haven last time probably came from Moon Ruins too...”
Hearing this, Joe Di was a bit stunned. Was it really that easy to find out? What kind of place is Moon Ruins?
He still said aloud, “Sigh, maybe I’ll try my luck at Moon Ruins someday.”
This time, the cultivator chatting with Joe Di completely lost interest in talking. To him, Joe Di was just a fool. Sure, Moon Ruins had Chrono Crystals, but was that something just anyone could obtain? Without Immortal Emperor cultivation, how could you get a Chrono Crystal from Moon Ruins?
Joe Di didn’t mind. He purchased another Liberty Pass and entered Cauldron Haven.
.......
Two hours later, Joe Di left Cauldron Haven, having acquired a jade map for Moon Ruins. He also saw that his shop had been taken over by Fortune Resthaven. That wasn’t something he cared about for now. When he returned, he’d make sure Fortune Resthaven learned that Starry Sky Teahouse wasn’t so easily occupied.
......
Moon Ruins was actually an independent star continent, with cosmic laws fluctuating wildly. Some areas had weak laws, others had extremely powerful ones. Cultivating here could easily lead to deviation, and it wasn’t suitable for living. To put it nicely, the laws fluctuated greatly. To put it bluntly, they were a chaotic mess.
Because the laws here were so chaotic, all grades of things could be found—from ordinary first and second grade spirit herbs to top-tier immortal spirit herbs, and even things surpassing immortal spirit herbs.
Rumor had it that Moon Ruins was boundless, divided into several regions. Since its existence, most areas still hadn’t been explored by anyone.
Besides its outrageous size, another reason was the chaotic laws inside Moon Ruins. Except for a few relatively safe areas that had been opened up, most places were perilously uninhabitable.
With no owner and frequent appearances of top treasures, Moon Ruins had become a favorite trial ground for rogue cultivators and sect disciples alike.
Joe Di had the Cloudspire Spear, so he didn’t take a void ship. Even with its speed, it took Joe Di a full three months to reach the outskirts of Moon Ruins.
Outside Moon Ruins lay a vast plaza nearly a hundred miles across, surrounded by all manner of shops, trading towers, and rest lodges. These shops formed an open-air marketplace.
At the far end of the plaza stood a gigantic gate, inscribed with the words: Moon Ruins Gate. With the gate and the mist swirling behind it, from afar it really did look like a burial mound—no wonder it was called Moon Ruins.
Joe Di entered a rather sizable trading tower. Before he could speak, a charming female cultivator greeted him, “Is this your first time at Moon Ruins, Fellow Daoist? Do you have a sect travel jade token?”
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Joe Di didn’t know how she could tell it was his first time at Moon Ruins, but he didn’t ask. He simply tapped the counter, “No travel token—I came alone. I’d like to know if you have a detailed jade map of Moon Ruins and an introduction jade slip?”
“Yes, yes...” The female cultivator answered with a bright smile, handing Joe Di two jade slips. “Our store’s Moon Ruins map is the most detailed, and the introduction slip lists nearly all the dangers. The price is cheap, only a thousand...”
Joe Di frowned. Two jade slips that could be endlessly copied, selling for a thousand Immortal Crystals? That was a bit steep. Still, he didn’t say more—a thousand Immortal Crystals meant little to him.
His spirit sense swept over the two jade slips, and his face immediately darkened. The map was incredibly crude—even though Joe Di had never been to Moon Ruins, he knew it wasn’t worth even a Lesser Immortal Crystal. As for the introduction slip, it was even worse, containing just a dozen or so entries.
“Sorry, you can keep these—I won’t buy them.” Joe Di handed the jade slips back to the female cultivator. He wouldn’t dare buy anything from a shop like this.
To Joe Di’s surprise, when the female cultivator saw him about to leave, her expression instantly turned cold. “Fellow Daoist, you’ve already copied the contents of my jade slip, and now you don’t want to buy it?”
Crack! The restriction at the shop’s entrance activated automatically, and two Great Celestial experts stepped out, one on each side, surrounding Joe Di.
Joe Di realized he’d stumbled into a shady shop. The moment the female cultivator confirmed he was new to Moon Ruins, she’d planned to fleece him.
“Which sect are you from, friend? Why did you copy our trading tower’s jade slip and refuse to buy it?” asked the mid-stage Great Celestial on the left.
“I’m not from any sect. Since you say I copied the jade slip, I’ll buy it then.” Joe Di wasn’t afraid of the two Great Celestials or the shop’s restriction—he just didn’t want to cause trouble.
He was wanted by too many factions, and everyone knew he used a blade. If a fight broke out, he worried he’d be suspected.
“You’re mistaken—it’s not a thousand Immortal Crystals, it’s a thousand Liberty Credits.” The female cultivator sneered at Joe Di. Gullible outsiders who immediately offered Immortal Crystals were the easiest to profit from. The thousand Liberty Credits were just the first wave—after that, there’d be fees for activating the shop’s protective array, closing costs...
Only sect disciples with travel jade tokens from major sects were off-limits their first time here. She’d already asked and confirmed Joe Di wasn’t a sect disciple.
Everyone in Moon Ruins knew that fleecing outsiders was the best way to earn Liberty Credits and Immortal Crystals. Most shops operated this way.
Joe Di put away the thousand Immortal Crystals he’d taken out and calmly looked at the female cultivator. “Are you sure you want my Liberty Credits?”