Ninth In the World

Upon hearing that Di Jiu had a favor to ask her, Su Qianqian gave him a smile. “Alchemy Deity Di, as long as the Winter Valley or I can do so, there will definitely be no problem.”

Di Jiu replied with satisfaction, “Thank you, Valley Master Su. I met Xiaoshuang by chance and I plan to leave the Winter Valley with her. Please allow that.”

When Su Qianqian heard that Di Jiu wanted to take away Ling Xiaoshuang, her expression turned ugly. She was really in a difficult position. It was not that she was unwilling to let Ling Xiaoshuang go. However, Grand Elder Jiu You had said before entering seclusion that Ling Xiaoshuang could not leave. Furthermore, they could not let Ling Xiaoshuang feel that the Winter Valley had treated her unfairly.

At the sight of Su Qianqian, who was in a difficult position, Di Jiu said with a faint smile, “Valley Master, if you’ve been put in a difficult position, I won’t mention this. I plan to get some rest.”

To Di Jiu, not bringing this matter up that day did not mean that he would not do so the next day. He was confident about recovering his strength in the shortest time possible with the help of the Starry Sky Tea.

Upon hearing that Di Jiu would not mention this matter anymore, Su Qianqian was relieved. She hurriedly said, “In that case, I’ll arrange for someone to take you to rest.”

While saying that, Su Qianqian called a female servant over to take him to rest.

Di Jiu gestured with his hand. “Valley Master, I get along well with Xiaoshuang. Let her take me.”

Su Qianqian did not hesitate to accept his request. She immediately told Ling Xiaoshuang, “Xiaoshuang, take Alchemy Master Di to rest. You must take good care of him.”

Since Ling Xiaoshuang was a female servant of the Winter Valley, taking good care of Di Jiu was nothing to her.

…

Although he was accompanied by Ling Xiaoshuang, the Winter Valley still sent a female cultivator to lead the way.

It was cold to the bone outside the Winter Valley. The place inside was warm as spring, though, and very suitable for living.

In just half an hour, Di Jiu and Ling Xiaoshuang arrived at a temporary cave abode led by the Winter Valley’s female cultivator. Not only was the Divine Spirit Qi extremely rich, but there was also a level-four Divine Defense Array outside.

After entering the cave abode, Ling Xiaoshuang did not say a word. She knew that an expert like Di Jiu would not have talked to her without any preparation.

Upon penetrating the place with his Spiritual Force, Di Jiu very soon found a hidden spying restriction in the cave abode.

The Defense Array outside the cave abode was only a level-four Divine Defense Array, and this spying restriction was unexpectedly a level-five peak restriction.

Likewise, Ling Xiaoshuang’s Spiritual Force scanned the place once. However, her cultivation level had been restricted and there was a limit to her Array Dao mastery. Therefore, she could not discover any boundaries.

Di Jiu did not take out an array flag but he constantly set up nomological array flags.

Upon seeing Di Jiu sit down and not make movements, Ling Xiaoshuang also sat down and did not say anything. She guessed that he should be observing this cave abode, but little did she expect that he was setting up nomological array flags.

After an hour, Di Jiu had set up a level-six concealment restriction. Then, he told Ling Xiaoshuang with a smile, “Senior Sister Xiaoshuang, we can now talk.”

“There are no surveillance Dharma Arrays here?” Ling Xiaoshuang asked in disapproval as she looked at Di Jiu doubtfully.

She was sure that there was a Spying Dharma Array there, but since there was a limit to her Array Dao strength, she could not find it.

Di Jiu nodded. “That’s right. There’s a Spying Dharma Array here, but I’ve blocked it.”

Ling Xiaoshuang heaved a sigh of relief. She realized that she had seemed to underestimate Di Jiu. After coming in, he only had Spiritual Force fluctuation. He had no other movements. She had thought that he had been searching for the Surveillance Array but had not managed to find it. She had not expected that he would block the Surveillance Array inside so quickly. This technique of his was simply heaven-defying.

“Big Brother Di, although I’m sure I’m older than you, I’ve only seen two other experts like you. Thus, calling you Big Brother is expected.” Once Ling Xiaoshuang spoke, she explained why she had called him Big Brother.

Di Jiu did not harp on this matter. He only asked, “At first, you wanted me to bring a message to your friends. You must have already planned to stay in the Winter Valley. Why do you want to leave all of a sudden? Is it because you feel that Su Nuo will make a move on you?”

Ling Xiaoshuang nodded. “Yes. If I don’t leave, Su Nuo will absolutely kill me.”

“Can you tell me why you planned to stay in the Winter Valley? Based on what I know, it doesn’t help that you’re staying there,” Di Jiu said straightforwardly.

Ling Xiaoshuang explained with a sigh. “I know my situation very well. Even if I leave the Winter Valley, I can’t do anything about my situation. I have a friend called Ye Yimo. Maybe her father can help me. I also have another reason for staying there. In the past, the Winter Valley’s Grand Elder Jiu You saved me. Without Grand Elder Jiu You, I’m afraid I would have perished the moment I reached Dao Integration.”

“You’re at the Dao Integration Realm?” Di Jiu was really surprised. He had guessed that Ling Xiaoshuang should be at Dao Integration, but most likely at the perfected Primordial Chaos.

Ling Xiaoshuang nodded her head. “Yes, I’m at the Dao Integration Realm. Unfortunately, someone plotted against me as soon as I reached Dao Integration. Then, my Dao runes stagnated and my Dao foundation degenerated. With every passing day, my cultivation level weakened a little, and my life-force eventually turned into the Green Qi pent-up in the Dao runes and degenerated into the void.”

Di Jiu frowned and asked all of a sudden, “According to you, you can’t cultivate. Why do you still cultivate in the Winter Valley?”

This time, it was Ling Xiaoshuang’s turn to frown. She had cultivated before? Ever since her Dao runes had stagnated and her Dao foundation had degenerated, she had lost the qualifications to cultivate. How could she cultivate?

“I didn’t cultivate.” Ling Xiaoshuang spoke frankly. If she had cultivated, she was afraid she would only have died faster.

“Let me see your wrist.” Di Jiu suddenly stretched his hand out.

Without hesitation, Ling Xiaoshuang put her wrist on Di Jiu’s hand. She used to have fair skin, but her wrist was now encircled by a layer of Green Qi, which was unaesthetic.

Upon pinching her wrist, he immediately sensed all her aura. He sensed that her cultivation technique was impressive. At the same time, he deduced something he was still unsure about.

Half an hour later, Di Jiu put his hands down and told Ling Xiaoshuang, “Tell me about back when someone plotted against you.”

“Alright.” Without hesitation, Ling Xiaoshuang explained, “The reason I reached Dao Integration is because I obtained some opportunities in a place called the Chaos Realm…”

Di Jiu interrupted her. “Senior Sister Xiaoshuang, what kind of place is the Chaos Realm? There is an opportunity there for Dao Integration?”

Ling Xiaoshuang laughed self-derisively. “Big Brother Di, call me Xiaoshuang or Junior Sister Xiaoshuang. I know that your cultivation level will definitely surpass Dao Integration in the future. As for the Chaos Realm, I don’t know whether it’s still there. When I entered the Chaos Realm with Senior Sister Cai Ji, the Chaos Realm was turned upside down. More than one person reached the third step there…”

Di Jiu breathed in cold air. The Chaos Realm allowed more than just one person to reach the third step. When Ling Xiaoshuang had entered, the place had been turned upside down many times and she had even obtained the Dao Integration opportunity. How heaven-defying was this Chaos Realm?

“Cai Ji and I obtained some opportunities. Sister Cai Ji had validated her Dao. After she left, I was prepared to learn peak martial arts and reach Dao Integration. Since I accumulated enough information, I reached Dao Integration without a hitch. As soon as I reached Dao Integration, a woman suddenly ripped apart my Defense Array and sneaked an attack on me…”

Di Jiu sighed. Even though he had yet to reach Dao Integration or Primordial Chaos, he had a more thorough understanding of cultivation than ordinary cultivators. Regardless of the realm one attained, they were the weakest at that moment. A sneak attack was basically fail-safe. However, Ling Xiaoshuang had been too careless and let someone break open the cave abode where she was in seclusion to reach Dao Integration.

Ling Xiaoshuang knew what Di Jiu was thinking and laughed self-derisively. “You must think that I was careless to let someone barge into my cave abode, right? In fact, my cave abode’s restrictions were very concentrated. Even if a Dao Integration expert had attacked them, they would not have instantly ripped apart. The person who suddenly broke open my cave abode had targeted me and she seemed to have used a top-notch Array-Breaking Dao talisman.”

“She used a top-notch Array-Breaking Dao talisman to open a Primordial Chaos cultivator’s cave abode?” Di Jiu found it unbelievable.