Ninth In the World

Di Jiu was not aware of what prize the First Evolution Dao Sect had received. However, he could see from An Tuning’s expression that the prize was good. After rejecting the cultivator who wanted to purchase his jade card, An Tuning immediately led Di Jiu into the flying boat and back to the First Evolution Dao Sect.

This time, An Tuning did not ignore Di Jiu. Once they boarded the flying boat, she called him over.

Di Jiu knew that An Tuning wanted to give him some rewards and he did not mind getting more.

As expected, when Di Jiu arrived on the third level of the flying boat, An Tuning said with a smile, “Di Jiu, you have made a huge contribution to the sect. After the Sect Master comes out of seclusion, letting you become a core disciple will be one of the rewards. Apart from that, go ahead and name anything you want.”

Di Jiu hurriedly replied, “Valley Master, you have already given me an inner sect disciple position. If I ask for anything else, I will seem greedy.”

It was fine to want a benefit deep down, but he definitely could not speak up just because An Tuning had said so.

When she heard Di Jiu’s words, An Tuning was even happier. Regardless of whether what Di Jiu had said was true or not, she liked a disciple who knew his place.

“What prize is that inner sect disciple position considered? I might not be able to help with a huge matter. If it’s a small matter, I can help. Besides, I will still need your help later,” said An Tuning while gesturing with her hands.

Di Jiu suddenly had a bad feeling about this. What could he help An Tuning with? If it was alchemy, she probably would not take a Dao Modeling Alchemy Deity like him seriously.

The only thing that An Tuning thought he could help her with was the Dao Ridge jade card he had.

Di Jiu sighed. Even though he did not know what this Dao Ridge jade card could do, he knew that he could not save himself. In that case, he should just let her know about his request.

“Valley Master, even though I’m still a low-level Alchemy Deity now, I long to be a top-notch Alchemy Dao expert in the future. I was an Itinerant Cultivator in the past. This time, I hope to get some divine spirit herbs.” Di Jiu bowed as he voiced his request.

An Tuning muttered a little. She then took out a token and handed it to him. “Di Jiu, this is the token of the Spring Evolution Valley. It will allow you to enter the First Evolution Dao Sect’s herb garden to pick herbs. You can enter and pick herbs for three days.”

“Ah…” Di Jiu took the token, looking pleasantly surprised. He could enter a herb garden and pick herbs for three days? How many medicinal herbs could he pick?

After taking the token, Di Jiu asked with uncertainty, “Valley Master, when I enter the herb garden, can I pick herbs at will?”

When An Tuning saw Di Jiu’s expression, she realized that he had misunderstood and replied with a laugh, “I don’t think you really understand what the Dao Evolution Herb Garden is. It used to be the Dao Evolution Mountain Range. Then, it was swept up by the First Evolution Dao Sect and turned into a place where all sorts of divine spirit medicinal herbs could grow.

Indeed, you can pick what you want once you enter the Dao Evolution Herb Garden. However, the Dao Evolution Herb Garden is hundreds of thousands of kilometers big and it is locked by the alleviation restriction. Thus, your Spiritual Force cannot be used and your line of sight is limited. Even though there is no danger there, I’m afraid you cannot pick much in three days.”

So that’s how it was. Di Jiu still thanked her. “Thank you, Valley Master. Three days is enough time for me.”

This was a specialized herb garden, so he would also have been satisfied with one day, let alone three days.

“Di Jiu, I need your help with something.” When An Tuning saw Di Jiu put away the token, she spoke up again.

Even though Di Jiu knew that An Tuning definitely wanted his Dao Ridge jade card, he still responded respectfully, “Please speak, Valley Master.”

An Tuning nodded. “You have a Dao Ridge jade card that you don’t have much use for. My disciple, Pang Ying, is at the perfected Dao Birth and has always wanted to go to the Dao Ridge for a Dao Transformation. However, she never had the chance…”

Di Jiu did not need An Tuning to tell him that. He took out the jade card without hesitation and handed it to her while saying, “Even though I want to go to the Dao Ridge to have a look, I will naturally give priority to Senior Sister Pang since she wants to attain the Dao Transformation.”

He still had to take it out in any case. Why not be straightforward? After he said that he also wanted to go, he meant to tell An Tuning that this jade card was still useful to him. By doing a good deed, he had to get a favor.

An Tuning took the jade card, looking very satisfied. She liked Di Jiu’s straightforward personality.

After putting away the Dao Ridge jade card, An Tuning spoke once again. “You can go to the Dao Ridge too. This Dao Ridge jade card can allow three people to enter. When the time comes, you can enter the Dao Ridge with me and Pang Ying…”

Di Jiu was puzzled. Since three people could enter, wouldn’t it be the same if he allowed Pang Ying to enter the Dao Ridge after him?

An Tuning, who could tell what Di Jiu was thinking, smiled slightly. “This Dao Ridge Enlightenment jade card is very precious. After entering the Dao Ridge, the disciple with the jade card can find the most suitable place for seclusion enlightenment based on the Dao rune aura on the jade card.”

Di Jiu bowed. “I understand. As long as Senior Sister Pang can take me into the Dao Ridge, I do not care about anything else.”

“Alright, don’t worry. When we return this time, you should still stay in the Outer Sect Mountain for some time temporarily. When the Sect Master comes out of seclusion, I will recommend you to him as a core disciple.” An Tuning felt increasingly satisfied with Di Jiu’s words.

The reason she had changed her mind was because she felt that if she let Di Jiu stay in the outer sect first, she could still find Wang Teng.

Not only was Wang Teng the Peak Master of the Rain Evolution Peak, but he was also the Hall Master of the sect’s Disciple Hall. He was in charge of recruiting disciples but he had unexpectedly not discovered a genius like Di Jiu. Instead, Di Jiu was an outer sect disciple on the Outer Sect Mountain because Wang Teng had neglected his job.

Since An Tuning had discovered Di Jiu on the Outer Sect Mountain, she was far more capable than Wang Teng.

…

Di Jiu did not know what An Tuning was thinking. The Outer Sect Mountain was good enough for him. Actually, going to the Spring Evolution Valley was not as comfortable as staying on the Outer Sect Mountain.

Several days later, the flying boat landed on the hall of the First Evolution Dao Sect. An Tuning let Di Jiu return to the Outer Sect Mountain first while she immediately headed to the place where Sect Master Fei Xuan had entered seclusion and waited.

Zhuo Wujia and Mu Jie had not returned his message. Therefore, he went to the Inner Sect Disciple Hall to inquire about them. After forking out 100 divine crystals, Di Jiu found out that the two of them were out on their mission.

Even though they had become inner sect disciples of the First Evolution Dao Sect, they still had to go on missions.

Di Jiu returned to the Outer Sect Mountain. Being a core disciple of the First Evolution Dao Sect was not very important. There were only two important matters in his opinion. First, he had to go to the Dao Evolution Herb Garden to pick herbs. Second, he would follow Pang Ying to the Dao Ridge to have a look.

Before Di Jiu could reach the entrance of his cave abode, his Spiritual Force scanned his cave abode, which had been once again occupied by someone else.

The first time, he had not returned for a long time, so his cave abode had been occupied because it was a good spot. This time, it was definitely intentional.

As expected, when Di Jiu approached his cave abode, a cold voice said, “That’s right. You have guts indeed. You killed the Xun Family’s disciple, yet you still dare to come back?”

The Xun Family’s disciple? Di Jiu immediately thought of Xun Shang and sighed. In fact, he hated being involved in this kind of fight but he had still ended up in it. He suspected that An Tuning had killed Xun Shang, not just because of her bad mood, but also very likely because of the sect’s conflicts. It seemed that he had guessed correctly.

He was not the one who had killed Xun Shang. An Tuning had. He knew that even though this person was aware that he had not killed Xun Shang, he did not have the guts to find An Tuning. Thus, he could only find Di Jiu.

This was a Dao Birth expert. Di Jiu could sense some of his domain aura but was not afraid of him. However, he was not a fool either. Since this person knew that he had not killed Xun Shang but had still dared to stop him here, it meant that this fellow had some confidence. The person behind him probably did not fear An Tuning.

This First Evolution Dao Sect had a chaotic sense of management but was still one of the Five Major Sects. Di Jiu just wanted to spit in contempt right now. There was no major sect in the Dao World where there were many internal conflicts but was also worthy of being one of the Five Major Sects, right?