Ninth In the World

“Saber heart level?” Dong Youjian shook his head. “I’m not so sure about that. Perhaps there is one beyond the 99th level. However, there is definitely no such level before the 99th level.”

“Isn’t it said that the person who climbed the highest on the Five Continent Dao Pagoda was Yan Tashan, who reached the 94th level?” Di Jiu asked doubtfully.

“A long time ago, a lot of experts from the older generation climbed above the 94th level and even reached the 99th level,” Dong Youjian said disdainfully. “The 94th and 99th level might be only five levels away, but the respective difference in strength is vast.”

It was exactly as Di Jiu had expected. Yan Tashan’s record was nothing in comparison to the history of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda.

“Daoist Di Jiu, this is the Vast Sword Array Art of the Sword Array Sect. I believe that it would be difficult for you to learn it considering that you were able to ascend to the 71st level at such a young age.” Dong Youjian, who did not care about what Di Jiu was thinking, gave him a jade slip.

At first glance, Di Jiu could tell that this jade slip had a long history. Judging by the ancient aura it was exuding, it was no ordinary jade slip.

Di Jiu, who was not courteous, immediately put the jade slip away, turned around and looked at the remaining five people. “I did indeed master a little trick that could allow one to ascend to the higher levels of the Dao Pagoda. However, this trick is of no value. Brother Dong and I are now getting ready to head to the 72nd level. I welcome anyone who wishes to learn this trick of mine to do so.”

Dong Youjian remained silent. This trick belonged to Di Jiu, so everything was up to him. Dong Youjian only cared about being able to reach the 81st level.

The rest of the people on the 71st level had been filled with disdain and mockery when Di Jiu had said earlier that he could take Dong Youjian to the 81st level. However, they changed their attitude when Di Jiu said this.

What if he really possessed a trick that could allow them to enter the 72nd level?

“Daoist Di really knows of a method to ascend to a higher level on the Five Continent Dao Pagoda?” one of the cultivators could not help but ask.

Di Jiu laughed. “I always keep my word, Young Master. If there is no such method, I will compensate you.”

Di Jiu used this opportunity to state his motive. One had to pay if they wished to be taken to a higher level by him.

Di Jiu was already prepared to taken the lot of them up the Dao Pagoda. Otherwise, he would not have allowed his conversation with Dong Youjian to be overheard. He was certain that if he kept gaining insight into the Foundation Order of every level, he could really ascend to the 108th level.

The highest record to date was the 99th level. It would not be good for him if he reached the 108th level as an Itinerant Cultivator with no background.

He still remembered what Gai Shitian had said about a cultivator who had cultivated in the Five Continent Dao Pagoda for five years and disappeared thereafter.

Even a fool would know that he had not really disappeared. The truth was that he had been killed. Hence, Di Jiu planned on sharing this little trick with the whole world when he took Dong Youjian up the pagoda.

No one would attack him if everyone knew this trick, right?

“I’m Ling Yixiao, a disciple of the Mirage Sword Sect. How much exactly does Young Master Di intend to collect from us?” said a short, average-looking man frostily.

“A nine-star sect… Impressive!” said Di Jiu as he gave the man a thumbs-up. “I was worried that everyone came from small sects and could not afford to pay me in Spirit Stones.”

Di Jiu was aware that no person that could reach the 71st level could come from a very small sect. Otherwise, his method would not work.

“Daoist Di, I’m Yue Qiongyu from the seven-star Star Mesh Mountain Sect. Can you tell me how much you require to tell us this little trick?” a red-robed lady asked politely as she stood up and cupped her fists.

There was a total of seven people on the 71st level, including Di Jiu and Dong Youjian. However, there was only one woman, Yue Qiongyu.

Di Jiu extended a finger. “Everyone has to pay 100 million high-grade Spirit Stones.”

“Ha ha! Are you trying to rob us? The Spirit Stones everyone here possesses would probably not even add up to 100 million,” sneered Ling Yixiao, who sensed that Di Jiu was telling the truth. If Di Jiu could not accomplish that, he would definitely not use this method to obtain Spirit Stones. That would have been suicide.

“One has to both give and take. Don’t make this sound so horrendous,” Di Jiu said coolly. “I would never force anything on anyone. I know that you guys cannot afford 100 million. However, you could give me a down payment first and pay the rest in installments later.”

“What does that mean?” a sturdy young man asked with a frown. He did not understand what Di Jiu was saying.

“In other words, each of you would first pay me 10 million Spirit Stones. The rest of the payments would be listed on a loan slip and be paid in the future. The longer it took you to pay me, the more interest would accumulate,” Di Jiu said with a chuckle.

He knew very well that he would not be able to gain any Spirit Stones after this, at least not at the moment. However, this was what he had to do.

Although he did not lack several millions of Spirit Stones, he wanted to show everyone that the way he had ascended the pagoda was not a huge secret.

“Alright, I agree. When shall I give you the Spirit Stones?” said the young man without hesitation.

Di Jiu looked at everyone else. “Brother Dong has already given me his share. Do any of you not agree to my conditions? If you agree, then report back to me and give me the down payment when we reach the 72nd level.”

“I agree. I am Xu Bai, a disciple of the eight-star Axe Overlord Palace Sect,” a yellow-haired man said as he stood up.

The sturdy young man from earlier looked at Di Jiu and chuckled. “I agree too. I am Xuanyuan Kong from the Genesis Sect. I hope you are telling the truth.”

“I agree. I am Yue Qiongyu, a disciple of the seven-star Star Mesh Mountain Sect,” said the red-robed lady.

Ling Yixiao from the Mirage Sword Sect looked at Di Jiu coldly. “I also agree. As Brother Xuanyuan said, I hope you are telling the truth.”

The last man, who looked extremely skinny, chuckled, cupped his fists and told Di Jiu, “Since everyone has agreed, I will as well. I am Xin Qilun, and I am a disciple of the eight-star Heaven Medicine Valley Sect.”

“Alright, since everyone has agreed, I will tell you how I was able to ascend to the 71st level so easily.” Di Jiu directly took out an array disc. “It was mainly because of this array disc.”

As he was speaking, he inserted the 71 Foundation Orders of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda into the array disc.

This array disc had not been refined by him, but by Master Qian Fenghua. It was an evolving array disc whose main purpose was to impart array formation to Di Jiu and allow his array formation skills to improve.

Qian Fenghua had known that he was unable to teach Di Jiu much. The only thing he could do was teach him about array formations. Since Di Jiu called him his Master, he had given Di Jiu some evolving array discs.

Despite Di Jiu’s current array formation skills, he had only understood a small part of this array disc. Actually, this array disc could be of great help to Di Jiu in the future. Unfortunately, in order to save his live, he had to take it out.

Di Jiu cared more about reaching the 108th level of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda than he did about keeping the array disc Master Qian Fenghua had given him a secret. He had a premonition that he would be able to break through if he reached the 108th level and obtained the 108th Foundation Order.

The Array Dao could be slowly researched, yet this was his only chance to go to the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. Who knew what would happen 10 years later?

“An array disc?” Yue Qiongyu looked at the array disc in confusion. She did not understand what Di Jiu meant.

“Is this an immortal array disc?” Dong Youjian’s array formation skills were the highest among everyone else. With one glance, he immediately identified Di Jiu’s array disc as an item that surpassed the Array Dao standards of the Cultivation World.

“That’s an immortal weapon?” everyone else exclaimed in shock. Even nine-star sects did not always possess immortal weapons, so every immortal weapon was a cornerstone for sects.

Di Jiu took a deep breath, cupped his fists and said, “That’s right. This is indeed an immortal weapon. I obtained it not too long ago near the Herald Night Lake. To be honest, I originally didn’t intend to come to the Five Continent Dao Pagoda, yet after obtaining this array disc, I chose to come here without hesitation. Please look at the words engraved behind it…”

When Di Jiu flipped the array disc, everyone saw a few indistinct ancient characters at its back spelling the words ‘Five Continent Dao Disc’.

Di Jiu believed that these fellas, who only knew how to cultivate, would not be able to tell that these words had been placed there by him. He was a Level-Nine Array King after all.

“Is this truly the Dao disc of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda? I seem to sense the Law Aura of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda within it…” said Ling Yixiao in shock.

Seizing this opportunity, Di Jiu cupped his fists once again and said, “Everyone, I just took out the Dao disc of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. Does 100 million still sound too expensive? Actually, you guys were not my only collaboration option. I could have headed to the 72nd level and approached the people there.”

Xuanyuan Kong from the Genesis Sect actively cupped his fists before Di Jiu and said, “Thank you, Daoist Di. This is definitely not expensive. I guarantee that I will give you the rest of the Spirit Stones once we leave the Five Continent Dao Pagoda.”

As soon as he said that, Xuanyuan Kong was the first to take out a ring and give it to Di Jiu. “This is 50 million high-grade Spirit Stones. It’s all I have right now. There’s no need to wait till we head up to the 72nd level. I’m giving them to you now.”

When Xuanyuan Kong took the lead, everyone else also took out their Spirit Stones and gave them to Di Jiu. On average, they gave him 20 to 30 million high-grade Spirit Stones each. Ling Yixiao was the only one who gave Di Jiu 60 million Spirit Stones. Everyone wrote up a loan slip.

No one questioned why Di Jiu had taken out the immortal Five Continent Dao Disc, as they all knew the answer. If he had not, he would have been surrounded by numerous experts once he came down from the high levels of the Five Continent Dao Pagoda. Di Jiu would be in less danger if he brought them along and told the truth. This was a fact they were all aware of.

This was also why Di Jiu had previously said that he did not necessarily need to take them along. The truth was that he could randomly find some disciples from large sects and head up with them. The most important thing was how he intended to deal with the Five Continent Dao Disc once he left the pagoda.