Another month passed before Joe Di finally finished repairing and perfecting the Dao Domain Guardian Array, then left Lostlake.
Originally, Joe Di intended to leave an exit in the Guardian Array, worried that someone else might enter Lostlake and be blocked by the array, just as he had. After struggling through Lostlake, they would only be able to return the way they came.
He was only able to leave because the Guardian Array had been damaged before; now that he had repaired the broken section, even if someone managed to cross Lostlake, they would still have to go back the same way.
This did make it unfair for cultivators who managed to cross Lostlake but could not get out. Yet Joe Di quickly changed his mind, deciding that fairness doesn't truly exist in this world. If he left a back door, someone might eventually discover a flaw in the spot he repaired, rendering his efforts pointless.
Not everyone would think like him or care about maintaining the integrity of the Dao Domain Guardian Array.
So he simply chose not to leave an exit. Now, except for Joe Di, only those who exited through the official Guardian Array exit could leave the Dao Domain.
Joe Di left the Dao Domain Guardian Array in high spirits, even summoning Bolt to pilot the ship.
As for where Bolt wanted to go, Joe Di let it decide. He needed to stabilize his cultivation. The Void Sea had no direction anyway; he would focus on consolidating his realm first.
Joe Di grabbed a handful of God Origin Pills and piled up some Dao Pills for his cultivation. The Void Sea did have many resources, but Joe Di didn't believe they would be given out freely. Only by growing stronger could he guarantee his safety.
He no longer feared the Prime Realm, but Joe Di knew that he still couldn't compare to Jaden Dai. Perhaps only when he reached the Prime Realm could he truly stand on equal footing with Jaden Dai.
Now, improving his cultivation was only for one purpose—to be able to walk away calmly if he encountered Jaden Dai.
Bolt piloted the ship at incredible speed. Its combat power was average, but in terms of understanding speed, even Joe Di couldn't compare.
The mid-grade artifact ship, piloted by Bolt and aided by natural conditions, became a streak of lightning in the void. Within this lightning, a vortex of divine aura persisted—the result of Joe Di's cultivation.
The Void Sea was truly a sea, but unlike any other, it existed within the boundless void.
There were many divine cities in the Void Sea, but the only place most cultivators could reach was Crimson Saint City, the largest in the region. Legend says it was founded by the Crimson Saint Emperor, a powerful Dao Master, whose strength allowed him to establish the city in the Void Sea.
There were other divine cities in the Void Sea, but few cultivators stayed long. Even those who did were only passing through.
The reason was clear to those who stayed long in the Void Sea—anywhere outside Crimson Saint City, cultivators could vanish without warning.
Another feature of the Void Sea, besides Crimson Saint City, was its bottomlessness. No one knew how deep it was. Falling in and getting out quickly was fine, but those who tried to explore its depths rarely returned.
But after falling into the Void Sea, one must never linger. Staying too long meant sinking to the bottom—and disappearing forever.
Phantom Dock was just one of countless docks in Crimson Saint City. Though not as grand as Crimson Dock, it was still quite sizable.
At that moment, a long-haired young man struggled in the waters outside the dock. Each time he tried to reach the shore, a pale, beardless man kicked him back into the sea.
Many watched, but no one dared to speak up. Everyone knew the pale, beardless man—Ang Yuan, Young Pavilion Master of Yinghai Pill Pavilion in Crimson Saint City.
Crimson Saint City was filled with pill pavilions, thanks to its abundance of Dao fruits and divine spirit herbs. Top alchemists gathered here, seeking to advance their pill mastery.
Yinghai Pill Pavilion specialized in Dao Pills, but also traded in all kinds of divine pills. Its strength attracted many alchemists and cultivators seeking Dao fruits and divine spirit herbs.
Over time, Yinghai Pill Pavilion grew stronger. Though not one of the top three powers in Crimson Saint City, it was a leading force just beneath them.
Yinghai Pill Pavilion had three masters, each more powerful than the last. Ang Yuan, the fourth son, was himself a half-step Prime Realm cultivator—feared by all in Crimson Saint City.
“Young Master Ang, my friend has been in the sea for half an hour. Please show mercy and let him ashore. I, Ding Chi, apologize for my friend's earlier offense…” The handsome, long-haired youth realized his friend would perish if this continued and could only plead with Ang Yuan.
Before Ding Chi could finish, Ang Yuan slapped him. As a Dao Nurturing cultivator, Ding Chi stood no chance against a half-step Prime Realm expert. With a single blow, Ang Yuan sent him flying into the Void Sea.
At that moment, Ding Chi's friend had already disappeared from the surface of the sea—no one knew how he vanished.
No one here was surprised. In the Void Sea, staying for more than half an hour meant death was normal—surviving was the exception.
Ding Chi felt a chill in his heart, sensing his friend's demise. Now, he couldn't even save himself, let alone his friend.
“Kid, today I’ll see who dares call you ashore from these waters.” Ang Yuan stared coldly at Ding Chi in the sea, his tone icy.
Ding Chi did not reply; he didn't even try to climb ashore and disgrace himself. He knew better than anyone—he was doomed. If this were Dao Domain, he could invoke Mount Buddha, but here in Crimson Saint City above the Void Sea, claiming to be a disciple of Mount Buddha would be a joke.
A bitter despair welled up in his heart. Mount Buddha had sacrificed two Hunyuan experts to protect him, yet Ding Chi hadn’t even avenged them before being kicked into the Void Sea. How could he accept such a fate?
Ang Yuan walked to the edge of Phantom Dock, bent over to mock Ding Chi floating in the water, but just then, a flying sword descended from the sky.
Ang Yuan grabbed the sword. His divine sense swept over it, and he immediately turned and left, not bothering with Ding Chi in the sea.
Seeing Ang Yuan leave, Ding Chi hurriedly climbed out of the water and rushed toward the gates of Crimson Saint City.
If he stayed in Crimson Saint City, once Ang Yuan finished his business, he’d still be dead. Now, by escaping, there might be a slim chance to survive.
As Ding Chi dashed out, no one tried to stop him.
Meanwhile, Joe Di had Bolt stop the ship. He had just finished his closed-door cultivation, stabilizing his realm at the initial Dao Transformation stage. Upon emerging, he sensed a trace of a mark—he had met Serena Yu before, and with a sweep of his divine sense, he knew the mark was left by her.
Joe Di felt grateful. Serena Yu had found the Void Sea and left her mark here, worried that he might miss it.
If not for Serena Yu, Joe Di might really have missed the Void Sea’s location. Now, with her mark, he piloted the ship straight toward the Void Sea without hesitation.