Ninth In the World

Di Jiu came out because Huan Mingzi had asked him to. Di Jiu had thought that since he was already at the peak fourth-stage True Form Realm, he should be able to reach the sixth stage without any issues if he could just cultivate in seclusion for another two to three years. Because he thought so, he had been very relaxed while he had been in seclusion earlier. He had spent two to three months practicing alchemy in order to become a grade-nine Elixir King. At the same time, he had turned the stalk of Ice Vine into 12 True Vine Elixirs.

He had spent this time practicing alchemy because, firstly, he wanted to take time off to collect his thoughts right after reaching the peak fourth-stage True Form Realm by cultivating at the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. Secondly, he wanted to help Geng Ji refine the Ice Vine Elixir before he went to the True Dominion.

Although he did manage to refine the Ice Vine Elixir, three years had passed ever since Huan Mingzi had asked him to exit the seclusion, yet he was still a fifth-stage True Form.

Every step forward was filled with difficulties in the True Form Realm.

“Senior Huan, have you attained the Domain Realm?” Di Jiu could see that Huan Mingzi had broken through to the Domain Realm. Meanwhile, he also looked younger than he had before. Although the Rainbow Immortal Peach hadn’t rejuvenated Huan Mingzi, his life-force had clearly become more exuberant and his aura had also become stronger. This was definitely good news.

“Ha ha... I thought you wouldn’t be able to see my cultivation level.” Huan Mingzi laughed out loud.

Di Jiu pouted. Even the Skygold Protectorate Lord could not hide his cultivation level from him. Huan Mingzi was only at the first-stage Domain Realm, yet he thought that Di Jiu could not see his cultivation level? Wasn’t he being overly confident?

“How is your cultivation coming along?” Huan Mingzi really could see Di Jiu’s cultivation level.

Di Jiu shook his head and said, “I haven’t improved much.”

Advancing from the fourth-stage to the fifth-stage True Form Realm in three years would have been a great leap forward for an ordinary cultivator. However, Di Jiu considered this improvement small.

“It is okay that your improvement was small. I have enough lifespan to improve even more, so even if I cannot go to the Immortal World this time around, I will still have the chance to do so in the future,” Huan Mingzi told Di Jiu in an effort to console him.

“Hmm...” Di Jiu frowned the moment his Spiritual Force swept out and asked, “Why is Di Di not in seclusion at the Galaxy Peak?”

Huan Mingzi snorted. “I’m afraid Di Di is much more gifted than you. Although she is really young, she has already attained the Pioneer Sea Realm. I suggested that she should get out of her seclusion and go out for a trial. Geng Ji has already attained the seventh stage of the Life Tribulation Realm, so he is accompanying Di Di out for the trial.”

Di Jiu nodded. Geng Ji was a seventh-stage Life Tribulation Realm, while Di Di was a first-stage Pioneer Sea Realm. Thus, both of them had a sufficient cultivation to have a foothold in the Small Central World. Huan Mingzi was right—it wouldn’t be beneficial to stay in seclusion and not go out to get practical experience.

“Sir, have you asked me to leave seclusion because the True Dominion Genius Tournament is about to start?” Di Jiu knew that Huan Mingzi considered the True Dominion Genius Tournament the most important battle.

“Yes, it would be great news for the Galaxy Master Sect if you reached the top three of this True Dominion Genius Tournament,” answered Huan Mingzi.

Di Jiu didn’t comment on whether he would be able to make the top three. In Huan Mingzi’s opinion, even though Di Jiu had killed the True Form experts of the Genesis Sect and the Mirage Sword Sect, his most powerful skill was still the Array Dao. It was also due to his Array Dao that he had managed to kill the True Form experts previously.

He’d rather show this to Huan Mingzi in action than explain.

Thus, Di Jiu changed the topic and asked, “Senior Huan, did anything happen in the Small Central World while I was in seclusion?”

“This is what I was about to speak to you about,” replied Huan Mingzi. “Not long ago, the Five Continent Dao Pagoda opened up and Di Feixue managed to ascend to the 108th stage, which is the summit.”

Di Jiu wasn’t surprised. He had expected that Di Feixue would reach the summit of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. She had the Dao Law of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda, so it would have been strange if she hadn’t reached the summit.

“Aren’t you shocked?” Huan Mingzi was surprised that Di Jiu had remained so calm after hearing that Di Feixue had reached the summit of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda.

Di Jiu smiled and said, “What I am concerned about is whether the Five Continent Dao Pagoda is still around.”

Huan Mingzi looked at Di Jiu with a puzzled expression. “The Five Continent Dao Pagoda has existed for a long time. Why would it disappear?”

“Then I feel even more relieved.” Although Di Jiu chuckled, there was something odd about his tone. It seemed like Di Feixue had lost the qualification to refine the Five Continent Dao Pagoda when he had taken the Five Continent Seal.

Huan Mingzi didn’t pay attention, as he thought that Di Jiu was just joking. Thus, he went on to say, “However, there is something strange going on. Following the murder of Mirage Sword Sect Master Xiao Wu and Genesis Sect Master Shu Haolan, the Ocean Monarch Palace Sect Master Ao Huang was also killed at the Herald Night Lake. Before he died, he transmitted the word ‘Di’. Many people are now suspecting that you were the one who killed Ao Huang.”

Only Huan Mingzi knew that Di Jiu hadn’t killed Ao Huang and had nothing to do with his death. He had been standing guard outside while Di Jiu had been in seclusion, so Di Jiu couldn’t have left to kill Ao Huang without letting him know. Even if Di Jiu had the capability to hide this from him, he wouldn’t have done so.

Di Jiu looked upset. He knew that Di Feixue must have been the one who had killed Ao Huang. Di Feixue had made him her scapegoat many times before. What a lowly slave!

Di Jiu finally understood why Di Feixue and her father, Di Caishang, had approached him. They hadn’t come to him because they wanted to rely on him to help them seek revenge and kill the sect masters of the five large sects. They had hoped to get Huan Mingzi to strike and kill the five sect masters through him.

Di Feixue was a master at preying on the human mind. Although Di Jiu had killed Shu Haolan in defense and murdered Xiao Wu to avenge Liang Guqing, who had been killed by the Mirage Sword Sect, what Di Feixue had told him had had an effect on him. That was why he had not only thought of killing Ao Huang too, but he had also asked Yan Xueyi about when he had searched Di Feixue with his Spiritual Force.

When he had asked Yan Xueyi about it, he had discovered that Di Feixue had been lying all this while. Di Feixue and her father, Di Caishang, were indeed great actors.

“Is Di Feixue at the True Form Realm already?” Di Jiu asked what seemed like a totally unrelated question after he calmed down.

Huan Mingzi looked at Di Jiu in surprise. It took him a while to react. “How did you know? She has indeed attained the True Form Realm.”

Di Jiu then asked, “How long until the True Dominion Genius Tournament starts?”

Upon hearing Di Jiu mention the True Dominion Genius Tournament, Huan Mingzi immediately replied, “You have to go to the True Dominion now. I asked you to come out precisely because of the number of qualifying spots. The Prophecy Pavilion has two qualifying spots. Because I was the Pavilion Lord of the Prophecy Pavilion, I hold one of those spots. Chang Xiao holds the other one. However, when I went to the Prophecy Pavilion to look for him, they told me that he wasn’t on the Prophecy Island. When I looked for him a second time, he had yet to return. I can tell that he is probably holding back the qualifying spot from me.”

Di Jiu felt silently relieved. Luckily, he’d had the foresight to obtain a qualifying spot to the True Dominion Genius Tournament at the auction house. It would have been disastrous if he had counted on Huan Mingzi alone.

“Senior Huan, I have a way of obtaining the necessary qualifications to take part in the True Dominion Genius Tournament. You don’t have to worry about it. However, I have to make a trip to the Ocean Monarch Palace first,” said Di Jiu.

He had wanted to go with Geng Ji and try their luck at the upcoming True Dominion Genius Tournament. However, after he heard from Huan Mingzi, he knew that Geng Ji would probably not stand a good chance of entering the top three. In that case, Geng Ji would not be going and he would have one qualifying spot just for himself.

Huan Mingzi, who didn’t understand, asked Di Jiu, “Why are you going to the Ocean Monarch Palace? You didn’t kill Ocean Monarch Palace Sect Master Ao Huang. You had nothing to do with his death. You don’t have to worry about the Ocean Monarch Palace seeking revenge. I have also decided to stay in the Galaxy Master Sect.”

Di Jiu answered, “Although I get deceived sometimes, I don’t like to have to take the rap for someone. I am going to the Ocean Monarch Palace to tell them that I wasn’t the one who killed their Sect Master. It was either Di Feixue, or she and her father.”

“What?” Huan Mingzi looked at Di Jiu in astonishment. He couldn’t believe that Di Feixue had killed Ao Huang.

...

The Ocean Monarch Palace was one of the five large sects of the Small Central World. Ever since the Prophecy Pavilion had fallen into internal disorder and all the True Form cultivators of the Genesis Sect and the Mirage Sword Sect had been killed by Di Jiu, the status of the Ocean Monarch Palace had risen.

Plus, it was rumored that Ocean Monarch Palace Sect Master Ao Huang had been on good terms with the Galaxy Master Sect Master and had even delivered some gifts personally to the Galaxy Master Sect. Thus, many people believed that the Ocean Monarch Palace would experience better development in the future compared to the Moonlight Snow Mountain and the Purple Thunder Sect.

No one had expected that the Ocean Monarch Palace Sect Master Ao Huang would suddenly get murdered at the Herald Night Lake. Everyone speculated that Ao Huang had been killed by Di Jiu. However, the Galaxy Master Sect had become really influential now, so the Ocean Monarch Palace didn’t dare question the Galaxy Master Sect about this before they collected enough evidence.

When Di Jiu arrived at the Ocean Monarch Palace’s encampment, he stood and looked in awe at the grandeur of the Ocean Monarch Palace.

The Ocean Monarch Palace was built on top of the Vast Sea, and its entrance, which was a huge water screen, levitated above the surface of the sea. It looked just like a dragon king’s palace.

Di Jiu was a level-nine Array King, so he could tell that the huge water screen entrance was a Teleport Entrance. Two guarding cultivators appeared in front of him the minute he landed at the doorstep of the Teleport Entrance.

Before the two men could ask, Di Jiu cupped his fists and said, “Di Jiu of the Galaxy Master Sect has come to visit. Please inform your master.”

Was this the Galaxy Master Sect Master? The moment the two guards heard Di Jiu’s name, they became guarded and vengeful. They immediately brought the news into the Ocean Monarch Palace.