Ninth In the World

Thanks to his previous experience, Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force swept out to its maximum range the moment he stepped into the spatial rift created by the Plane Split Talisman. He had to find the location of the Yalun Continent and head over as fast as possible.

Planes flashed past his Spiritual Force one after another. Di Jiu searched for the correct direction as he evaded the boundless wind blades that existed in space.

Although he did not find the location of the Yalun Continent, to his pleasant surprise, he found the Small Central World. As Di Jiu dashed frantically towards the Small Central World, the familiar aura of a plane appeared at the edge of his Spiritual Force.

The Sky Screen. That place was definitely the Sky Screen.

Little Tree was still in the Sky Screen. Thus, Di Jiu considered taking a trip there first. However, he suddenly sensed a person running towards the Sky Screen along the edge of his Spiritual Force’s range.

Even though this person only touched the edge of his Spiritual Force briefly, Di Jiu felt anxious. He could sense that this person was much more powerful than him. His strength actually surpassed even Shu Haolan’s. When Di Jiu sensed that the person in question had noticed him, he no longer dared head to the Sky Screen. Instead, he cast the Spiritual Force escape technique immediately.

This time, he was not lucky. A terrifying spatial warp aura suddenly whipped at Di Jiu’s waist. Although he evaded it hurriedly, narrowly escaping being sliced into half, one of his legs was chopped off by the spatial warp.

Fortunately, Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force was at level-ten, which meant that he was able to grab hold of his broken leg, rip open the plane in front of him with the remaining energy of the Plane Split Talisman and dash into the hole created.

“Eh!” The culprit stopped moving the moment Di Jiu disappeared. Unlike Di Jiu, he had a much easier time moving through the spatial rift. As he stared at where Di Jiu had disappeared, he murmured, “Was that really the Spiritual Force escape technique?”

…

Bam! Di Jiu landed on the ground, sending rocks flying.

His Spiritual Sea, which had been split open by the Reincarnation Bridge recently, started splitting again. Di Jiu endured the pain he felt in his Spiritual Sea and body and connected his broken leg again.

He had finally witnessed how terrifying transcending planes could be. He would never use the Plane Split Talisman again, unless there was a special reason, before his strength was sufficient.

He would have broken more than a leg if it had not been for his level-ten Spiritual Force. That spatial warp had evidently wanted to rip him in half. His level-ten Spiritual Force had sensed that intent in advance and saved his life once more.

The first and second time could be contributed to luck. However, if such a thing happened many times, he would meet his doom in space eventually. Di Jiu did not know how he would be able to survive with just a Principal Spirit should his physical body be destroyed within the spatial rift.

After an unknown period of time, he was awakened by demon beast roars. Di Jiu climbed off the ground with great difficulty. His broken leg had yet to recover, his Spiritual Sea was still split open and his bones were covered in cracks.

Di Jiu let out a breath. At least, he was still alive.

He really wanted to extend his Spiritual Force and discover what kind of demon beast was roaring. However, the current state of his Spiritual Force was much worse than when he had landed within the Limitless 1,000-Mile Mountain.

“Are you alright?” asked an average-looking, black-robed lady as she stood outside the sand pit created by Di Jiu and looked down at him.

Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force had disappeared. Hence, he could not sense what her cultivation level was. However, he could still sense the scent of blood on her. The demon beast that had been roaring had probably been killed by this lady.

“Do I look like I’m alright?” Di Jiu sat up with great difficulty.

The black-robed lady nodded her head. “Fair enough.”

With a wave of her hand, a black silk ribbon carried Di Jiu outside the sand pit. Then, the woman took out an elixir, handed it to Di Jiu and said, “This is for you.”

Was that a grade-seven Spirit Elixir? Di Jiu’s alchemy skills were poor, but his knowledge was decent. He recognized the elixir’s grade the moment the elixir landed on his palm. This was definitely a grade-seven Spirit Elixir. It also seemed to be a Natality Rain Elixir.

“Thank you.” Di Jiu immediately swallowed the elixir without any hesitation. He knew that his guess had been correct the moment he swallowed it.

The grade-seven Natality Rain Elixir was the best kind of healing elixir. Given his severe injuries, there was no way he could reject it.

As expected, after swallowing the Natality Rain Elixir, the elixir immediately transformed into a liquid that healed his severely-injured body and bones swiftly. In a short period of time, his body recovered almost completely. The injuries his Spiritual Sea had sustained, however, would take more time to heal.

“You’re a Tempered Body Cultivator. Do you rarely use elixirs to break through cultivation realms? You must have a top-notch aptitude then,” said the black-robed lady in astonishment when she saw that the medicinal properties of the Natality Rain Elixir were used to the maximum.

Di Jiu stood up, cupped his fists and said, “Thank you for this elixir, Senior Sister. My aptitude is alright. It’s only because I don’t possess many Spirit Stones and cannot afford to purchase elixirs that the effect of this elixir is more evident.”

The black-robed woman most likely came from a wealthy or noble family if she could casually give away a grade-seven Spirit Elixir. As Di Jiu’s injuries gradually healed, he could vaguely sense that her cultivation level was higher than his.

“I’m Zhuo Wenshu. Why would you come to the Desert River Forbidden Zone? Considering your severe wounds, you would have been devoured by sand demons if you had not met me,” said the black-robed lady.

Di Jiu believed that the woman was wearing a disguise. Upon hearing that this was the Desert River Forbidden Zone, he hurriedly asked, “This is really the Desert River Forbidden Zone?”

Di Jiu had lived in the Small Central World for a while, so he naturally did not know much about the Desert River Forbidden Zone. However, he knew that even True Form Realm Cultivators would die if they entered the most dangerous areas of this zone.

“You didn’t know that this is the Desert River Forbidden Zone? Why are you here then?” exclaimed the black-robed lady.

“I escaped here because I was being chased by someone.” Di Jiu did not say that he had used the Plane Split Talisman. He was only at the Pioneer Sea Realm, so it would seem suspicious that he had been able to use a Plane Split Talisman.

“Have your injuries fully healed after taking the Natality Rain Elixir? Why can’t I see your cultivation level? If your injuries are still not fully healed, I have some more elixirs here,” Zhuo Wenshu added.

Di Jiu waved his hand. “There’s no need. My cultivation level is at the fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm. My injuries are still recovering. The cultivation technique I’m cultivating is very strange. If I have sustained any severe injuries that have yet to recover, you would indeed be unable to see my cultivation level.”

Zhuo Wenshu clapped. “Not bad… You are at the fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm? Impressive, impressive… There is something I need your help with… Oh, I forgot. What’s your name?”

“I’m Di Jiu. What do you need from me?” asked Di Jiu casually.

Zhuo Wenshu lowered her voice and said, “I’ve discovered some good stuff in the Desert River Forbidden Zone. Unfortunately, I could not get them on my own. Now that your injuries have healed, you could help me out. I will share a portion of the loot with you when the time comes.”

“Let’s wait till my injuries are fully healed. I’ll start recuperating now,” said Di Jiu.

His Spiritual Force had yet to recover, so he dared not accept the offer yet. Instead, he took a cave abode Spirit Weapon out of his ring with great difficulty, pulled out a Roast Divine Herb from within it and swallowed it. Then, he started to circulate the Spiritual Force Training Art.

A day later, Di Jiu’s Spiritual Sea had recovered. He displayed his fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm cultivation before walking out and putting away the cave abode.

Di Jiu could now see clearly that Zhuo Wenshu was at the early-stage Life Tribulation Realm. An early-stage Life Tribulation Realm cultivator had actually praised Di Jiu for being at the fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm? This was truly…

“You’ve fully recovered so fast? I’ve helped guard you for a day,” said Zhuo Wenshu, as though Di Jiu did not know.

“Thank you for the elixirs, Senior Sister Zhou. However, my cultivation is truly too weak, so I’m afraid I will not help you much if I head to the Desert River Forbidden Zone with you.” Di Jiu’s only thought was to leave this place as soon as possible.

Zhuo Wenshu frowned and said, “You are really ungrateful. I gave you a grade-seven Spirit Elixir and guarded you. I only wanted you to help me with something. I was planning on compensating you for your help…”

Di Jiu remained silent. He possessed enough Spirit Stones to pay the woman for the grade-seven Spirit Elixir, so he would do so later. As for the guarding part, although his cave abode might be a low-grade Spirit Weapon, there was a level-nine Defense Array within it. Zhuo Wenshu’s guarding duty had been redundant.

When Di Jiu did not speak, Zhuo Wenshu had no choice but to say, “The Desert River Forbidden Zone is boundless. The place I discovered this time is a top-notch spiritual herb garden that contains various level-nine spiritual herbs, including a 1,000-Year Stalagmite Pith. Aren’t you currently at the fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm? If you wish to break through to the Ekayāna Tripod Realm, you have to enter this garden. Inside it grows the main ingredient of the Genesis Ekayāna Elixir, the Genesis Wistaria Fungus. You came from the Small Central World. Therefore, you should be aware that the Genesis Wistaria Fungus is extinct there.”

Upon hearing Zhuo Wenshu’s words, Di Jiu guessed that she most likely did not come from the Small Central World. However, he was truly tempted now. The thing he lacked the most was large amounts of top-notch spiritual herbs.

He had recently discovered the benefits and purposes of top-notch elixirs. If he had some, he could stop and recuperate in mid-air and would no longer need to search for a place to slowly enter seclusion and heal every time he sustained severe injuries.

He would probably be unable to afford top-notch elixirs even if he wanted to buy some. He had to become an Elixir King above grade-seven. This would most likely be impossible. Otherwise, anyone would be able to become an Elixir King at or above grade-seven. However, Di Jiu was certain that he could do it. The main reason was the golden lightning that he possessed. The golden lightning seemed to be formed from a formidable Law. Should anything occur while he was practicing alchemy, he could rely on the golden lightning to gain insight into alchemy Laws.

“Besides, my cultivation level is not that much higher than yours. I’m only at the seventh-stage Pioneer Sea Realm. One has to rely on oneself to obtain resources. Resources don’t grow on trees,” Zhuo Wenshu added when she saw Di Jiu hesitate.

Di Jiu scoffed. The seventh-stage Pioneer Sea Realm must have been her cultivation level several decades ago. Had an early-stage Life Tribulation Realm cultivator actually said that she was only at the seventh-stage Pioneer Sea Realm? Di Jiu would have found an excuse and left if he had not been afraid of her.

“How will we split the loot?” Di Jiu, who was not bothered by Zhuo Wenshu’s lie, was tempted by the level-nine spiritual herbs.

When she heard his reply, Zhuo Wenshu realized that he was tempted and said obstreperously, “I will give you 20 percent of the loot if you help me with a small issue.”

“It’s either 50-50 or we go our separate ways,” Di Jiu said lightly.

“Are you crazy? I discovered this place. A fourth-stage Pioneer Sea Realm cultivator like you wants to split the loot 50-50 with me?” Zhuo Wenshu stared at Di Jiu, looking dumbfounded.

Di Jiu laughed. “Your cultivation level is not that much higher than mine. You are only at the seventh-stage Pioneer Sea Realm.”