Ninth In the World

Di Jiu thought that once he left the pagoda, Ji Hongchuan would attack him frantically. He was astonished when Ji Hongchuan did not do that. Instead, he looked at Di Jiu calmly and asked, “What kind of supernormal ability was that footstep?”

This fella was really patient. Had he misjudged Ji Hongchuan’s violent temper? Logically speaking, this fella would not let this matter rest now that he’d stepped on his face.

Before Di Jiu could answer, Xuanyuan Kong’s Aerial Star Axe slashed at Ji Hongchuan. “You bastard! You caused me to only be able to ascend to the 90th level. I would be your grandson if I let you off today!”

Boom! Contrary to Xuanyuan Kong’s expectations, the lacerating flare created by the Aerial Star Axe did not send Xuanyuan Kong flying. The saber Xuanyuan Kong was carrying was unsheathed before it transformed into a white flare. This flare landed on Xuanyuan Kong’s axe blade, creating an explosion of Quintessential Essence.

Xuanyuan Kong’s chest felt heavy, so he was forced to take several steps back by the saber aura.

Xuanyuan Kong looked at Ji Hongchuan in disbelief. How could this adonis be so powerful? It was important to note that he ranked 83rd on the Sea Roll and his cultivation level surpassed Ji Hongchuan’s by far.

“I have said so before. You are no match for me. If you want to fight, tell Ju Qi to come out.” Ji Hongchuan’s saber had already returned to its sheath.

“What if I joined the fight?” Ling Yixiao’s cold voice was heard. Xuanyuan Kong was not alone in wanting to kill Ji Hongchuan. Ling Yixiao also hated Ji Hongchuan to his very core. When he was teleported out, he could do nothing but look at the Five Continent Dao Disc while laying on the empty space of the 90th level.

“I want to join in too!” said Xu Bai.

“Me too!” said Yue Qiongyu.

“Me too!” said Xin Qilun.

In an instant, the five of them had surrounded Ji Hongchuan. Di Jiu ironically became a bystander.

“Fighting is prohibited on the Five Continent Dao Pagoda Square. Violators will be severely punished!” said a deep voice, making them shudder and become clear-headed immediately.

They were no longer in the Five Continent Dao Pagoda, as they had been teleported out.

“The Young Master Red Embellishment has come out of the 90th level. He ranks 6th now.”

“We want to thank the Young Master Red Embellishment for saving our lives.” A few cultivators who had been saved by Di Jiu at the Herald Night Lake came over, bowed and expressed their gratitude.

They had thanked Di Jiu once before, but this time was different. The Young Master Red Embellishment currently ranked among the top 10 people on the Five Continent Dao Roll. Thus, it would be an honor if people discovered that they knew him.

Ling Yixiao and Xuanyuan Kong looked at each other. They were experts on the Sea Roll, while Di Jiu was just an Essence Soul Realm cultivator. Why was he more well-known than them? And what was this stuff about the Young Master Red Embellishment?

Di Jiu loved to call himself a Young Master. Was that how the name “Young Master Red Embellishment” had come about? Why had they never realized how reputable that name was?

When he saw Di Jiu come out, Gai Shitian, who had been at the Five Continent Square for a long time, ran towards him in surprise. He truly had great insight if he had casually become friends with someone who was among the top 10 people on the Dao Roll.

“Xuanyuan Kong, Ling Yixiao, Yue Qiongyu, Xu Bai, Xin Qilun and Di Jiu. The six of you, follow me,” said an ordinary-looking, middle-aged man with a smile as he walked over to them.

He seemed really powerful! Although the middle-aged man did not exude a strong aura, Di Jiu could still sense how powerful he was. He was probably a Life Tribulation Realm expert.

“Yes, City Lord Pang.” Xuanyuan Kong and everyone else bowed and did not object to his order.

City Lord Pang? Was this the city lord of the Five Continent City? Di Jiu believed that the city lord of the Five Continent City was calling them over to ask them about what had happened in the Five Continent Dao Pagoda.

Ji Hongchuan, who had ascended to the 90th level with them, ranked 7th. Why was he not called along as well?

When he saw the fearless Xuanyuan Kong become tame, Di Jiu banished any thoughts of asking questions and controlled his Quintessential Essence fluctuations, making them stay at the ninth-stage Essence Soul Realm.

City Lord Pang, who seemed to sense Di Jiu’s Quintessential Essence fluctuations, looked back at Di Jiu silently with a smile.

Di Jiu felt helpless. He had not intended to hide his cultivation level, yet a mutation had occurred while he had been cultivating the Galaxy Art and a galaxy meridian had formed inside him. This meant that even True Form Realm Cultivators could not detect his cultivation level if he didn’t want to let them know.

When he saw Di Jiu leave with the Five Continent City Lord, Gai Shitian, who had caught up with everyone, could only sigh, turn away and leave. He was certain that Di Jiu was not meant to join the Azure Sect. Even if Di Jiu joined a sect, he would join a large sect or another big power.

A small place like the Azure Sect was not suitable for such a formidable person.

The six of them followed City Lord Pang to a temporary cave abode beside the Five Continent Square. There were already eight people waiting inside.

The auras of those eight people were extremely powerful. However, even without their oppressive auras, Di Jiu would still have sensed that each of them was no weaker than City Lord Pang. Some of them were actually stronger than him.

The strongest of these eight people were definitely True Form Realm experts.

Di Jiu felt cold when their gazes landed on him. Although no one used their Spiritual Force to probe him, he still felt as though he was standing naked in front of them.

Right now, he felt fortunate that he had risked his life to allow his Spiritual Force to reach Level Seven. The Book of the World and the small gray stone were both hidden in the deepest recesses of his Spiritual Sea, as he was not certain that no complications would arise otherwise.

“Greetings, Sect Master!” Xuanyuan Kong and company kneeled down when they entered.

Di Jiu felt nervous. The Sect Masters of the sects the other five members of the team were in were all there. However, Di Jiu did not know which of these eight people was the Sect Master of the Genesis Sect and which one was the Mirage Sword Sect Master.

“Arise. You were given an opportunity to ascend to the 90th level at the same time. I believe that you wouldn’t have ascended to the 90th level from the 71st level together without a good reason.” The first person to speak was a man with a square face, narrow eyes and pale skin-tone.

“Reporting, Sect Master…” Ling Yixiao said with an excited tone as he stood up hurriedly.

The square-faced man waved his hand. “Let Di Jiu speak. He reached the 71st level last. If my theory is right, you must all have benefited from Di Jiu.”

“That is correct,” Ling Yixiao replied quickly.

Di Jiu believed that this square-faced, narrow-eyed guy was the Sect Master of the Mirage Sword Sect. What was the Mirage Sword Sect Master called again?

Di Jiu could not recall, no matter how hard he tried. However, he was facing a nine-star sect master, so he dared not take too long to reply. He stepped forward and bowed respectfully before saying, “I accidentally obtained an immortal weapon at the Herald Night Lake…”

“Immortal weapon?” When they heard these two words, everyone stared at Di Jiu. Even the five large sects did not possess many immortal weapons. How could a late-stage Essence Soul Realm cultivator like Di Jiu actually have obtained an immortal weapon by the Herald Night Lake?

“Yes, it’s a Five Continent Dao Disc…”

“So you say. Could this disc be related to the Five Continent Dao Pagoda?” asked a burly man as he suddenly stood up. Half his face was blue in color, and his voice was extremely shrill.

Everyone else was also staring at Di Jiu closely. Di Jiu could not bear this pressure, even though they were all oppressing him unintentionally. He immediately started to sweat.

His cultivation level was nothing compared to these experts.

“Brother Huang, are you trying to scare our young friend Di Jiu?” said an extremely gentle voice before telling Di Jiu even more gently, “Di Jiu, I want to thank you for taking Xuanyuan Kong to the 90th level.”

When Di Jiu noticed that the person supporting him was a black-bearded man, he cupped his fists hurriedly and said, “May I know who you are, sir?”

“I’m Shu Haolan, the Genesis Sect Master.” The black-bearded man nodded his head at Di Jiu.

Meanwhile, the shrill-voiced, blue-faced man calmed down, sat down and told Di Jiu, “Everyone here is a sect master from one of the five large sects, as well as the Axe Overlord Palace, the Heaven Medicine Valley and the Star Mesh Mountain. I am Ao Huang, Palatial Lord of the Ocean Monarch Palace. Don’t be afraid. Tell us the precise details.”

Di Jiu could only bow once more. “Greetings, Sect Masters. That is indeed the Five Continent Dao Disc related to the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. I only had to place my Spiritual Force onto the Five Continent Dao Disc to easily climb to the 71st level. I encountered these people later, and we agreed to use the Five Continent Dao Disc to ascend to the topmost level of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda…”

“Then why were you teleported out of the 90th level?” asked Ao Huang, who was the Palatial Lord of the Ocean Monarch Palace, immediately.

“It was because of Ji Hongchuan. He forced all of us out,” answered Di Jiu truthfully.

“Yixiao, tell us what happened in detail,” the Mirage Sword Sect Master told Ling Yixiao.

“Yes.” Ling Yixiao narrated how he’d encountered Di Jiu, how everyone had ascended to the 90th level, how Ji Hongchuan had picked a fight with them, how everyone had joined forces, and how they had been teleported out before the Five Continent Dao Disc could have been used. He did not say anything about the Spirit Stones Di Jiu had requested, not because he wanted to help Di Jiu conceal this, but because he had no intention of paying Di Jiu. 100 million Spirit Stones was not a small sum.

“You are saying that the Five Continent Dao Disc is still on the 90th level?” asked the Mirage Sword Sect Master in astonishment.

“Yes,” answered Ling Yixiao with certainty.

Xuanyuan Kong and everyone else also confirmed that when they’d left the pagoda, the Five Continent Dao Disc had still been on the 90th level.

Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force was powerful, so he was able to sense a minute spatial fluctuation after their confirmation.

Di Jiu sneered silently. He knew the reason for this fluctuation without having to ask. These Sect Masters must have spread the news. They all wanted disciples from their own sects, who could ascend to the 90th level, to quickly seize the Five Continent Dao Disc.

“Alright, you can all leave.” The Mirage Sword Sect Master dismissed the six of them. Di Jiu was worthless now that they knew that he had obtained the Five Continent Dao Disc by chance. His only value were the points of the Five Continent Dao Convention.

There were currently two places of big value. One of them was the Herald Night Lake, and the other was the 90th level of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda.

…

“You fit my taste, Brother Di. Why don’t you join the Genesis Sect? I could guarantee you a slot as an inner sect disciple,” said Xuanyuan Kong boisterously as he clapped Di Jiu on the shoulder the moment they left the range of the sect masters’ sight. He was also worried that Di Jiu would demand the Spirit Stones from him. 100 million Spirit Stones was an amount Xuanyuan Kong could not afford to pay.

“Thank you, Brother Xuanyuan, but I have already promised a friend that I would join his sect if I decided to join any sect,” said Di Jiu hastily. His current priority was not to join a sect, but to break through to the Void Spirit Realm and transcend the Void Spirit Thunder Tribulation.