Ninth In the World

A hunchbacked man had just walked to the entrance of Cave Abode Unit A7 when he saw Di Jiu walking out.

He was a little stunned by the fact that Di Jiu could walk out. He had been a step too slow earlier, so he had failed to intercept Di Jiu before the people from the Falling Ice Mountain had taken him away.

The Falling Ice Mountain was naturally incomparable to the First Plum Protectorate, but it was still not a simple existence. He had not dared enter the Falling Ice Mountain alone. However, after asking the Protectorate Lord, he had come to the Falling Ice Mountain immediately with the intention of taking Di Jiu away.

He had even thought of an excuse. He would say that he was there to invite Di Jiu over to participate in the celebratory banquet, as Di Jiu had obtained the first place in the True Dominion Genius Tournament.

He had not expected Di Jiu to walk out just as he reached the Falling Ice Mountain’s garrison. Had the Falling Ice Mountain not interrogated Di Jiu about the secrets he possessed?

“Young Master Red Embellishment, I would like to speak with you about some issues. Could you spare a moment?” asked the hunchbacked man gently after coming back to his senses.

“Who are you?” Di Jiu’s Spiritual Force landed on the hunchbacked man. Thanks to his level-eleven Spiritual Force, he saw easily that there was a restriction on this man. It was most likely a controlling restriction. The person who had placed this restriction would kill the hunchbacked man the moment the latter showed any signs of revelation.

“My name is Gou Shang,” replied the hunchbacked man respectfully.

“In that case, lead the way.” Gou Shang had hidden his killing intent very well, but it was still exposed to Di Jiu’s level-eleven Spiritual Force. Di Jiu was not concerned that Gou Shang’s cultivation was at the first-stage Domain Realm, for he was more interested in discovering the mastermind behind the attacks against him.

Gou Shang was momentarily stunned. Could Di Jiu be someone who did things without thinking? Otherwise, how could he agree so easily to his request? He had even been prepared to forcefully subjugate Di Jiu. If Di Jiu had disagreed, he would have taken him away. He had yet to even exude his aura, yet Di Jiu had already asked him to lead the way.

“Why? I’m heading back to sleep if you don’t wish to lead the way,” snorted Di Jiu.

Gou Shang came back to his senses and hastily said, “Please follow me, Young Master Red Embellishment.”

Gou Shang intended to use force if Di Jiu was unwilling to leave the Immortal Ascension Inn. Di Jiu would be at his mercy the moment he led Di Jiu out of the inn.

Gou Shang felt really sad 1 when Di Jiu followed him out of the Immortal Ascension Inn without hesitation. He could not understand how a cultivator like Di Jiu could have survived to this date.

He realized later on that there were more things he could not understand. Di Jiu continued to follow him as they walked out and left the Immortal Ascension City.

“You can walk at a faster speed now. Given your current walking speed, when will we leave the Immortal Ascension City far behind us and reach a place outside the range of anyone’s Spiritual Force?” Di Jiu felt piqued after they left the city.

Gou Shang stopped walking, lifted his head and looked at Di Jiu in a daze. He felt confusion for the very first time. He had no idea what was going on. Hadn’t Di Jiu been forced to leave despite his unwillingness? Since when had Di Jiu looked down on him because he wasn’t walking fast enough?

“Alright, I’m getting old. I need to exert some strength in order to walk fast.” As soon as he said that, Gou Shang’s figure became a blur of shadows.

He did not know where Di Jiu’s courage came from. However, if Di Jiu was so courageous, he would definitely follow him.

An hour later, when he stopped moving, Gou Shang was astounded to discover that Di Jiu was standing a short distance away from him.

“You...” Gou Shang could no longer suppress the shock he was feeling. He stared at Di Jiu with a sudden feeling of uneasiness. Could he really finish Di Jiu off?

Di Jiu took a few steps forward and Gou Shang subconsciously took a few steps backward. Gou Shang understood immediately that he should not have done so.

“Gou Shang, who sent you to kill me?” Di Jiu stopped walking and looked at Gou Shang speechlessly.

“Why did you follow me here if you knew that I came to kill you?” Gou Shang stared at Di Jiu in confusion. He refused to believe that a cultivator younger than 200 years old could be his match.

Di Jiu chuckled. “A mere first-stage Domain Realm cultivator whose body was shackled by a destructive restriction like you actually wants to kill me... I would like to ask you a question instead. How come you were so brave as to dare lure me here?”

Gou Shang was completely flummoxed. He’d had this feeling ever since Di Jiu had followed him out of the Immortal Ascension Inn. He knew that Di Jiu could not be such a fool. He finally realized that he had been a fool instead. Di Jiu had seen the strength and the restriction within him. Gou Shang did not believe that Di Jiu would lose a fight against him.

As Gou Shang fell silent, Di Jiu said, “If you tell me everything you know honestly, I might consider helping you break open the restriction you have within you and let you regain your freedom. If you’re unwilling to say anything, don’t blame me when I attack you. As for who sent you here, given your distinct appearance, I could probably get the answer by asking anyone.”

After hearing Di Jiu’s words, Gou Shang lost his will to fight. He exuded a defeated sorrow as he murmured, “I’m a dog 1. I’m Mei Bashan’s dog. I will attack whoever he wishes me to... Ha ha... I’m a dog.”

Gou Shang seemed to have sensed that he would die that day. As he finished his speech, the last bit of pride he had seemed to stir up. He started laughing loudly until he cried.

So it had been that bastard Mei Bashan... Di Jiu had heard of him. He was rumored to be the number one expert in the True Dominion at the ninth-stage Domain Realm. Mei Bashan was also the Protectorate Lord of the First Plum Protectorate. Mei Zhiyun, who ranked third at this True Dominion Genius Tournament, was his son.

“You’re wrong.” Di Jiu interrupted him suddenly.

Gou Shang finally woke up from his madness. He had the same dazed look in his eyes as he looked at Di Jiu and asked, “What am I wrong about?”

Di Jiu chuckled. “You are not a dog, because you are worse than a dog. A dog could find a bone to eat by itself, but you don’t have the qualifications to do so.”

“You’re right, I’m worse than a dog...” murmured Gou Shang once again.

In the past, he’d only had to attack anyone his owner had commanded him to, as it had been within his capabilities to do so. His willpower finally crumbled when he realized that the person he was about to attack was much stronger than him.

“Tell me your story. If it makes me pity you, I would consider helping you break open the restriction in your body,” said Di Jiu coolly.

He did not want to do a good deed, but he sensed that Gou Shang was being forcefully restricted by Mei Bashan. Making Gou Shang his ally would be of great benefit to him when he tried to plot against Mei Bashan in the future.

Mei Bashan’s cultivation level was at the ninth-stage Domain Realm, and he was also the number one expert in the True Dominion. Di Jiu did not possess the confidence to defeat him in a head-on battle. His confidence about plotting against Mei Bashan would increase if he made Gou Shang his ally.

Di Jiu believed that no other person in the True Dominion could threaten him if he eliminated Mei Bashan.

Gou Shang shook his head. “You can’t help me break open the restriction. No one, other than Mei Bashan, can do so. I had no intention of returning alive if I didn’t kill you today. I would only die if I headed back.”

Di Jiu laughed. “Gou Shang, I think that you have been subservient for so long that you have lost the basic ability to think. Since I can see through the restriction you have on your body and identify it as an interlocking restriction on your Spiritual Sea, Principal Spirit and dantian, I could naturally help you break it open.”

“You...” Gou Shang stared at Di Jiu in astonishment. Just how powerful was his Spiritual Force if he was able to see that the restriction implanted in him started from his Principal Spirit with one look?

He was certain that even Mei Bashan did not possess such an ability.

“It’s up to you. Go away if you still disagree. I don’t have much time to chit-chat with you,” said Di Jiu impatiently.

Gou Shang let out a long sigh. “I finally understand why Han Wushui of the Falling Ice Mountain let you leave the Cave Abode Unit A7 so peacefully. It was because he did not have the capability to make you stay.”

“You’re wrong again. It was not because he did not have the capability to make me stay, but because I was kind. I did not have any intention of killing all the members of the Falling Ice Mountain.” Di Jiu chuckled.

Gou Shang nodded his head. He believed Di Jiu’s words.

Di Jiu remained silent as he waited for Gou Shang to speak.

About three minutes passed before Gou Shang said, “The first Major Protectorate of the True Dominion was originally called the First Kun Protectorate, and the Protectorate Lord was called Jue Yueshao. He was the most powerful expert of the First Kun Protectorate and the entire True Dominion. One day, a cultivator called Mei Bashan arrived at the First Kun Protectorate, claiming that he came from the True Dominion’s Mei Family. He had obtained a Rainbow Immortal Peach that he wished to give to the Protectorate Lord of the First Kun Protectorate...”

Di Jiu lamented that Mei Bashan was generous. He might still possess some Rainbow Immortal Peaches on him, but items like the Rainbow Immortal Peach were scarce. The Rainbow Immortal Peaches he had were not of good quality, as they had been plucked from a new tree that had been transplanted.

No cultivator, especially an older cultivator, could resist the Rainbow Immortal Peach. Mei Bashan’s gift was one that no one could reject.

“Jue Yueshao did not suspect anything because the First Kun Protectorate was simply too powerful. He gathered all the Elders in the sect to welcome Mei Bashan’s gift...” A trace of pain flashed across Gou Shang’s eyes. “Mei Bashan opened the jade box when all the Elders were gathered in the hall. Within the jade box lay a peach. However, it was not a Rainbow Immortal Peach, but a Mirror Moon Peach...”

“Oh no...” said Di Jiu subconsciously. No one knew what the Mirror Moon Peach was, but he did. This peach was much more valuable than a Rainbow Immortal Peach. According to the Book of the World, it was a spiritual fruit that contained a trace of time laws. It was considered an item of extremely high rank, even in the Immortal World, as it could allow one to gain insight into time-related divine powers. It was not something he could come into contact with given his current strength.

Anyone who saw the Mirror Moon Peach for the first time would feel as though they had stepped into a mirror and experience a pause in time. This was the origin of the name of the Mirror Moon Peach, which implied that there was a reflection of the moon in the mirror.

Gou Shang, who took no heed of Di Jiu’s exclamation, said, “Everyone, including the Protectorate Lord, experienced that pause the instant they saw the Mirror Moon Peach. Mei Bashan suddenly attacked and killed all the experts of the First Kun Protectorate in the span of two breaths.”

“Why did nothing happen to Mei Bashan? Also, who are you exactly? How come you know these things so clearly?” Di Jiu stared at Gou Shang.