"Thud!" Liam Oak could clearly hear the sound of his own body being torn apart. Fear and regret surged in his heart. In his mind, it wasn’t that his strength was inferior to Joe Di, but rather that his spiritual sense was far weaker than his opponent’s. Joe Di’s spiritual sense might have even surpassed the tenth level... His thoughts stalled completely at this point, and then his soul plunged into darkness.
Joe Di reached out and grabbed Liam Oak’s ring, instantly sweeping his spiritual sense over it, but found he couldn’t break its seal.
Instead of being alarmed, Joe Di was delighted. Normally, he could break the seals on most rings with ease, even those belonging to cultivators at the True Transformation stage. Since this ring resisted him, it meant he would need time to refine it. A ring that required such effort to refine was likely connected to the True Spirit World mentioned by that soul cultivator at the base of Xieya Snow Mountain.
Compared to the True Spirit World, small worlds were nothing. While small worlds weren’t common in the cultivation realm, they weren’t rare either. The True Spirit World, however, was truly one in a million.
Joe Di didn’t continue refining the True Spirit World. Instead, his gaze shifted to the battle between Charles Chang and Julius Mew. Julius Mew was already weaker than Charles Chang and more seriously injured. Now, he was being completely suppressed. Joe Di estimated it would only take a dozen breaths for the fight to end.
As expected, just as Joe Di thought this, Charles Chang’s Thunderlash Whip coiled around Julius Mew’s magical weapon and tore him in half. Charles Chang was a seasoned fighter; he didn’t even wait for Julius Mew’s soul to escape. With another lash, Julius Mew’s soul was annihilated—he didn’t even have time to beg for mercy.
"Thank you, Young Master Redcable, for your assistance." Charles Chang didn’t immediately take Julius Mew’s ring, but instead cupped his fists toward Joe Di.
Joe Di returned the gesture and said, "Guildmaster Chang, you’re too polite. I should be the one thanking you. If you hadn’t intervened, I would have had to flee."
Joe Di wasn’t exaggerating. Although he had killed Liam Oak easily, that was only because Liam Oak was injured and hadn’t expected Joe Di’s spiritual sense to be above the tenth level. That allowed Joe Di to strike successfully. If his opponent had known about his spiritual sense, it would have been a much tougher fight.
Of course, Joe Di wasn’t afraid of Liam Oak.
"Back when I was in seclusion, Liam Oak and Julius Mew ambushed me. Liam Oak shamelessly took over the Destiny Guild, and I’ve been hiding ever since, waiting for a chance. If it weren’t for Young Master Redcable today, I don’t know when I’d get my revenge. Maybe never. So please, accept my thanks. The one I killed is Julius Mew, a domain-stage cultivator. Please, Brother Di, take his ring." Charles Chang said sincerely.
If Miles Phantom had said this, Joe Di might have accepted Julius Mew’s ring. Charles Chang seemed straightforward, but Joe Di still trusted Miles Phantom more. Although Liam Oak was behind Miles Phantom’s misfortune at the Destiny Guild, Charles Chang likely played a part too.
Now, Charles Chang’s injuries were lighter than Liam Oak’s and Julius Mew’s, so he didn’t really need to disappear back then. His absence left Miles Phantom alone to deal with the upheaval at Destiny Isle, probably hoping Miles Phantom would be the scapegoat. Miles Phantom never went looking for Charles Chang afterward, likely seeing through his intentions and feeling disappointed.
Charles Chang had hidden at the edge of Destiny Isle’s array, and when he saw he could block Liam Oak, he didn’t hesitate to come out and use Joe Di. That says a lot about his character. He probably thought he’d be killed by Liam Oak too, and just needed to hold out for a while. Unexpectedly, it was Liam Oak who ended up dead.
Joe Di didn’t believe someone like Charles Chang would really give him the ring of a domain-stage cultivator.
"Thank you, Guildmaster Chang, but I have my own ring. Besides, you personally killed Julius Mew, so I can’t accept his ring."
After speaking, Joe Di turned to Frank Fields and Di Dee, who had already come out, and said, "Uncle Fields, Di Dee, let’s go."
"Wait..." Charles Chang suddenly stopped Joe Di.
Joe Di’s expression darkened. The red tassel of his Azure Veil Blade fluttered without wind, and a chilling aura spread around him.
Charles Chang hadn’t seen how Joe Di killed Liam Oak, but since Joe Di managed to kill Liam Oak before Charles finished off Julius Mew, his strength shouldn’t be far off.
Now that Joe Di’s killing intent was leaking out, Charles Chang quickly said, "Brother Di, please don’t misunderstand, I have a small request..."
Joe Di sneered inwardly. If it’s an unreasonable request, why even bother saying it?
Seeing Joe Di didn’t respond, Charles Chang had to continue, "When Liam Oak ambushed me, he stole my ring. I hope Brother Di can return Liam Oak’s ring to me. Of course, name your conditions—aside from giving you Julius Mew’s ring, anything in the Destiny Guild is yours for the asking."
Upon hearing this, Joe Di stomped his foot in regret and said, "That bastard was so cunning. If I’d known, I’d have burned some of my own blood essence—anything to keep his soul from escaping."
Charles Chang’s face changed, and he exclaimed, "Brother Di, did Liam Oak escape?"
Joe Di sighed, "Yes. I tore apart his body with a single blade, but I didn’t expect him to have a soul escape technique. At the moment his body split, his soul grabbed the ring and fled. I don’t have much combat experience and couldn’t stop him in time."
Although Charles Chang was much stronger than Joe Di, his spiritual sense was far inferior. During the fight, Joe Di not only completed the Star Array and ambushed Liam Oak, but his spiritual sense could also monitor the battle between Charles Chang and Julius Mew. He knew clearly that Charles Chang, while fighting Julius Mew, couldn’t pay attention to anything else around him. So even if Charles Chang doubted Joe Di’s story about Liam Oak escaping, he couldn’t be sure.
Charles Chang’s expression shifted several times before he finally said, after a long pause, "Sigh, looks like there will be a lot to deal with at Destiny Isle now. Brother Di, why don’t you come visit the Destiny Guild?"
Joe Di cupped his fists, "Thank you, Guildmaster Chang, but I’ve made plans with my friends. I’ll visit another time if I get the chance."
After speaking, Joe Di’s gaze fell on the young man and middle-aged man he’d pinned to the Ceremonial Arch. The middle-aged man had been watching Joe Di, and when Joe Di’s gaze swept over, he called out urgently, "Guildmaster, that woman..."
Joe Di didn’t let them finish speaking—two blade beams shot out instantly. The middle-aged man’s voice cut off as his soul was annihilated. The young man was pinned and killed by another blade beam, not even a breath left in him.
Charles Chang’s face turned cold. Joe Di’s blade technique could pin and kill even a soul directly—was it really just lack of combat experience that let Liam Oak’s soul escape?
"Sigh, that was one of the Destiny Guild’s managers. I’d planned to question him." Charles Chang sighed, sounding a bit annoyed. In truth, he was furious—the manager clearly had something to say, but Joe Di hadn’t let him speak.
Joe Di could tell Charles Chang was displeased. He sneered inwardly. If you want to fight, then fight—he wasn’t afraid of Charles Chang alone. His voice turned cold: "That man kidnapped my sister Di Dee and my uncle Frank Fields, locking them up on Destiny Isle. If Guildmaster Chang objects to me killing him, just come at me. I’ll take you on."
Charles Chang was stunned. He hadn’t expected Joe Di to turn hostile so quickly, nor that the two people Joe Di was taking away were his sister and uncle. He’d intended to find an excuse to keep Di Dee and Frank Fields, but after Joe Di’s words, that was impossible.
But Charles Chang quickly regained his composure. "Young Master Redcable, you’re too harsh. No matter what, I’m still grateful for your help today."
Joe Di smiled faintly. "I haven’t met many people who repay kindness, but I’ve seen plenty who forget it. Guildmaster Chang, don’t take it to heart. Di Dee, Uncle Fields, let’s go."
With that, Joe Di produced a flying ship, swept up Di Dee and Frank Fields, and the vessel turned into a streak, piercing through Destiny Isle’s protective array and vanishing instantly.
Charles Chang stared coldly in the direction Joe Di disappeared, even more shaken inside. Only a ninth-rank array master could ignore the protective array here.
Joe Di claimed Liam Oak escaped with the ring, but Charles Chang remained skeptical. While it was possible, he didn’t think it very likely.
He had no confidence in confronting Joe Di; otherwise, he wouldn’t have let Joe Di leave. Once his injuries healed, he planned to seek out Young Master Redcable again.
"A-Jiu, what’s your current cultivation level?" Di Dee had witnessed Joe Di kill Liam Oak. She didn’t know Liam Oak’s exact realm, but she guessed Joe Di’s strength was anything but ordinary. As soon as the ship left Destiny Isle, she couldn’t help but ask.
Frank Fields also looked at Joe Di. Since entering the cultivation world, he’d realized the universe held countless mysteries he’d never imagined as a frontier general.
"I’m at the first level of True Transformation—still pretty weak. Senior Miles Phantom will help me establish the Starstream School here. When that’s done, you and Uncle Fields should work hard to advance your realms, because I’ll need to visit the True Domain soon."
Joe Di took out two rings and handed them to Di Dee and Frank Fields. "These rings contain all kinds of cultivation resources. Don’t let anyone know about them."
"I know. Where are we headed now?" Di Dee didn’t ask about the True Domain, guessing it was a distant star region. Since entering the cultivation world, she understood things were no longer as simple as back in Pearl City, where family was always within reach.
Only by advancing her realm could she go wherever she wished, shortening the distance between loved ones.
"Back to Starstream School," Joe Di replied.
Before returning to Starstream School, Joe Di decided to refine the True Spirit World first. Once it was done, he’d give the small world to Di Dee and let Di Dee and Frank Fields enter the True Spirit World.
Only after Di Dee and Frank Fields entered the True Spirit World would Joe Di have a chance to visit Wulu City. This time, he didn’t plan to go openly, but rather to sneak in. His main goal was to see if he could use the golden Dao principle in his Sea of Consciousness to enter the Fivefold Dao Tower ahead of time.