As Han Yi, in his thousand-zhang True Body of an Ancient God, strode onto the central plain of the Land of Divine Revelation, the land underwent another transformation.
The radiant Divine Marks began peeling away from the stone platforms of the palaces, coalescing high above into a vast ocean of divine light.
As the Divine Marks converged, an immense pressure, as heavy as an Immortal Tribulation, suddenly weighed upon Han Yi's heart, his expression turning grave.
"Something's wrong," he muttered. "This Divine Tribulation is different from the usual kind."
"Could the fundamental laws have shifted, altering even the Divine Tribulation here?"
Han Yi's mind grew heavy with uncertainty. He couldn't pinpoint the cause of this unprecedented phenomenon. Instead of a celestial judgment ordained by the Dao, the Land of Divine Revelation itself was spontaneously activating and condensing into a Divine Tribulation.
Though baffled by this turn of events, Han Yi knew one thing for certain: once this Divine Tribulation materialized, enduring it would propel him into the Supreme Truth Realm as an Ancient God.
Facing the brewing tribulation, Han Yi let out a sharp cry. He summoned his remaining eight Immortal Swords to form the Sword Realm, suspended the fragment of the Heavenly Demon Halberd above his head, and summoned the Divine Spear Yueguang behind him as his final safeguard.
"It's a pity the Green Ripple Sword is still undergoing its transformation and can't accompany me through this tribulation," Han Yi thought, immediately focusing all his attention on the Divine Tribulation rapidly coalescing above him.
Within the Divine Light Ocean, formed by countless Divine Marks, a powerful Divine Might began to emerge. Han Yi finally realized that this Divine Might was the Divine Tribulation itself, utterly different from any Heavenly Tribulation, Immortal Tribulation, or Primordial Tribulation he had previously faced.
This formidable tribulation, radiating a heavy, almost tangible Divine Might, carried no aura of destruction. Instead, it pulsed with immense vitality.
A sudden realization dawned upon Han Yi.
Though not a true Divine Tribulation from the Primordial Era, its essence remained largely the same. Sensing the shifting laws of the cosmos and the absence of genuine Divine Tribulations, the Divine Marks had coalesced to serve as a surrogate.
As for the Primordial Divine Tribulation he had previously endured, it was a corrupted version spawned from aberrant cosmic laws. Ninety percent of its aura reeked of destruction, making the title "Death Tribulation" all too fitting.
With this understanding, Han Yi sheathed his Immortal Swords and the Heavenly Demon Halberd Fragment. He then plunged the Divine Spear Yueguang into a stone platform below before slowly rising in his True Body of an Ancient God, soaring toward the Divine Light Ocean looming above.
In an instant, Divine Might erupted, blasting Han Yi down onto the stone platform below. He violently coughed up a mouthful of divine blood, but his eyes burned even brighter.
"Just as I suspected," he thought. "The true Divine Tribulation is not one of pure destruction, but a trial of shedding the old to embrace the new."
Han Yi soared upward again, plunging once more into the Divine Light Ocean high above.
With each fall, the True Body of an Ancient God was torn open, but the powerful vitality within the Divine Might rapidly healed the wounds. His aura grew stronger with each cycle.
Meanwhile, the countless Divine Marks that formed the Divine Light Ocean overhead gradually faded. Once a Divine Mark was consumed, it vanished completely.
As Han Yi underwent his Tribulation Crossing, the turbulence of the Divine Marks and the surging Divine Might reverberated for tens of millions of miles. Like sharks drawn to blood, countless Ferocious Beasts swarmed toward the Azure Shu Mountain Range.
However, instinctively fearing the Land of Divine Revelation, they dared only to lurk outside the mountains, never crossing its boundaries.
Inside the Land of Divine Revelation, within the mountain range, a figure crashed onto the platform. The Divine Light Ocean, woven from Divine Marks high above, finally flickered briefly before dissolving completely.
As the Divine Light Ocean dissipated, the remaining Divine Marks on the stone platforms surrounding the Palaces of the Land of Divine Revelation gradually faded into darkness.
Finally, this Holy Land, from which countless Ancient Gods had emerged during the Primordial and Primordial Eras, fell silent once more.
At the central platform, Han Yi sat cross-legged. His thousand-zhang True Body of an Ancient God emitted a faint golden aura, which gradually intensified, radiating outward until it enveloped him completely, solidifying into a small, tangible golden world.
Outside the Land of Divine Revelation, the Ferocious Beasts that had been lurking nearby sensed the fading Divine Might and began to stir restlessly. They climbed the mountains and prepared to pounce, but as they crossed the mountain range, intending to enter the sacred land, they suddenly detected an inexplicable Divine Might that permeated everything. Terrified, they turned tail and fled, never daring to linger.
Some Ferocious Beasts stubbornly lingered at the perimeter of the Land of Divine Revelation, unwilling to abandon their prey. But as time wore on, their patience frayed, and they roared in frustration before departing.
Three years later.
Within the Land of Divine Revelation, the golden world had condensed to its utmost limit, gradually revealing the vague outline of a colossal golden figure.
Another three years passed.
The Golden Light was completely absorbed into Han Yi's body, transforming his True Body of an Ancient God into an incomparably brilliant, immortal golden form.
Han Yi opened his eyes, stood up, and bowed respectfully in all directions.
This Divine Tribulation had been bestowed upon him by the Land of Divine Revelation, and it could even be said that it was facilitated by the collective efforts of countless Ancient Gods who had cultivated here since the Primordial Era.
The Divine Marks beneath the surrounding palaces and stone platforms were formed from the unconscious emission of divine power by these Ancient Gods during their cultivation. Over millions of years, these marks had gradually weakened, but Han Yi's arrival and the surge of his advancing aura awakened them. The dormant patterns spontaneously coalesced into a vast Divine Light Ocean, which aided him in overcoming the tribulation.
Han Yi glanced at a message on his Panel, his heart leaping with joy:
Ten Thousand Realms Fate Unification Divine Canon (Supreme Truth Realm 2/100).
After many years, he had finally ascended from the Primordial Realm to the Supreme Truth Realm, a monumental leap in his cultivation. Though untested, he was confident that with his Supreme Truth Ancient God cultivation, numerous Divine Arts, and the ability to wield Ancient Divine Artifacts, he could now contend with an ordinary Golden Immortal.
Next, Han Yi withdrew the Yueguang Divine Spear from the ground, storing it within his Divine Aperture World. He then glanced upward at the sky.
During his Tribulation Crossing, the illusory palace that had once hovered high above had vanished.
Instead of immediately flying out of the Land of Divine Revelation, Han Yi climbed the Azure Shu Mountain Range to its peak. Looking down, he found no trace of Ferocious Beasts. A thought struck him: six years must have passed. The notoriously aggressive creatures had likely long since dispersed.
He couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Initially, he had worried about being hunted by Ferocious Beasts after his Tribulation Crossing. But after entering the Land of Divine Revelation and understanding its unique properties, Han Yi had abandoned that fear. Now, his concern was that the surrounding beasts might still be lurking. Yet even the simple process of stabilizing his Supreme Truth cultivation and refining his turbulent divine power had consumed six years. By now, the Ferocious Beasts on the periphery had vanished without a trace.
This turn of events worked perfectly in his favor for his departure.
Han Yi turned to cast one last look at the Land of Divine Revelation, silently resolving: When I break through to the Void Extremity Realm, I will definitely return.
Though many of the Divine Marks within the land had diminished, enough remained—enough to aid him in transcending the Void Extremity Realm.
However...
Once he had exhausted all the Divine Marks, the Land of Divine Revelation would lose its special properties, and the mysterious Divine Might protecting it would dissipate. The Ferocious Beasts lurking outside would no longer be deterred and could freely enter.
In that scenario, Han Yi wouldn't be as fortunate as he had been this time, forced to face hordes of Ferocious Beasts immediately after surviving his Tribulation Crossing.
Still, Han Yi remained unfazed. By the time he reached the peak of the Supreme Truth Realm, his Immortal Dao cultivation would likely have already weathered the Golden Immortal Tribulation. His combat prowess would then reach the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal stage, possibly even surpassing the Immortal Monarch level. Confronting the Ferocious Beasts near the Land of Divine Revelation would no longer pose a significant challenge.
Reining in his thoughts, Han Yi traversed the mountain range, concealed his presence, and fled back along his original path toward the Great River. Following the river's course through forests, plains, and wilderness, he eventually returned to the spot where he had first landed in the Ferocious Realm.
The return journey proved far smoother than his initial descent. It felt almost divinely guided, as he encountered no Ferocious Beasts to hinder his progress.
Standing at the edge of the Void, Han Yi still felt a lingering unease from his expedition. Had any other Immortal, even a Golden Immortal, ventured here, their chances of escaping unscathed would have been slim.
No wonder the Three Realms of Absolute Yin were devoid of cultivators. This land was simply unsuitable for cultivation; survival itself was a struggle, let alone cultivation.
Han Yi turned and stepped into the void, retracing his steps.
Barely half a month later, he halted. Ahead, extraordinary phenomena unfolded: vibrant lotus flowers bloomed from nothingness, and golden bamboo sprouted from thin air, creating a scene resembling an earthly paradise.
Han Yi glanced at it, his expression twisting in horror. He immediately turned and fled.
He had witnessed battles between Immortal Sovereigns in the Chaos, whose sheer power defied description. Yet the danger emanating from this spectacle felt even greater.
A Dao Ancestor, Han Yi thought. The source of this phenomenon must be a Dao Ancestor-level powerhouse. But Dao Ancestors don't casually manifest such phenomena in the void. The most likely explanation is some hidden danger I can't comprehend—another Dao Ancestor, perhaps, or one of the rare, monstrous entities lurking in the void.
As Han Yi fled, the illusory paradise shattered like a bubble. Within it, a bloodstained Daoist figure emerged, fleeing into the Ferocious Realm.
Had Han Yi remained, he would have instantly recognized the figure: Li Qiankun, the man who had once brought him to the Penglai Immortal Realm.
Behind Li Qiankun, a Black-Robed Immortal strode through the void, slowly approaching the edge of the Ferocious Realm. He hesitated for a moment before swiftly stepping inside.
"Li Qiankun," the immortal said, "no wonder you attained Dao Ancestor status without triggering the usual phenomena. You achieved enlightenment within the Ferocious Realm itself."
Had any other long-established Dao Ancestors been present, they would have immediately recognized the Black-Robed Immortal as Celestial Venerable Chonglou from the Kunlun Immortal Realm.
Years ago, Li Qiankun had been excavating secrets of primordial destruction within the Kunlun Immortal Realm when his activities were discovered. Celestial Venerable Chonglou pursued him, but Li Qiankun managed to escape. Now, cornered once more, Li Qiankun fought and retreated into the Ferocious Realm.
Before entering, Celestial Venerable Chonglou glanced into the distant void. His gaze followed a tiny figure—a mere Profound Immortal—as it activated an escape technique and gradually vanished into the void. Yet that small figure carried an aura faintly familiar to him—a residual presence left behind by that one a million years ago.
"The Green Ripple Sword?" Celestial Venerable Chonglou murmured.
He shook his head slightly.
"At least the Green Ripple Sword remains."
The moment the thought crossed his mind, a terrifying aura of unimaginable intensity erupted from the heart of the Ferocious Realm. As the aura exploded, Celestial Venerable Chonglou's expression turned grave, blacklight flickering in his eyes.
Boom!
The aura surged forth, bringing utter destruction to all things...
Han Yi, who had already fled into the Void, turned to gaze back at the distant Ferocious Realm. Witnessing the swirling, savage aura roiling above it, his face paled even further.
He fled with renewed desperation.
The disturbance in the Ferocious Realm sent ripples through the other Eight Immortal Realms, drawing the attention of the rulers of the Dark Realm and Netherworld, not to mention the Heavenly Venerables and Dao Ancestor-level powerhouses of the Six Yang Realms.
But none of this mattered to Han Yi. His mind was solely focused on survival. A month later, he had ventured deep into the Void, far enough to finally feel safe. Only then did he orient himself and head south toward Primordial.
Perhaps because he had ventured so far into the Void, away from the Nine Realms, no further incidents occurred. Even when he reached the void outside Penglai, he encountered none of Black Yama's pursuers.
A year later, Han Yi finally glimpsed the colossal silhouette of the Great Luo Immortal Realm. Stepping onto its soil, he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
The journey to and from the Ferocious Realm, including travel time, had taken less than a decade.
However, if counted from his departure from Age Candle, the duration stretched much longer. After all, he had cultivated beneath Jade Lake for eighteen years, bringing the total time to nearly half a Sexagenary Cycle.
In that half-century, Han Yi's Immortal Dao cultivation hadn't advanced significantly, but his Ancient God System had undergone a complete transformation, leaping directly from the Primordial Realm to the Supreme Truth Realm.
This breakthrough had significantly enhanced his overall strength.
Upon returning to the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, Han Yi immediately headed to the Origin Technique Arena, only to find Immortal Monarch Yuanshu absent.
Next, he visited Golden Resonance Daoist's cultivation residence, but the Daoist was nowhere to be found.
Finally, Han Yi went to Heavenly Candle Hall. At the Golden Immortal Pavilion, he met Golden Immortal Puming and inquired about the follow-up to the mission Golden Resonance Daoist had accepted earlier. He also informed Golden Immortal Puming of his discoveries in the Crimson Thunder Hell.
Golden Immortal Puming showed no surprise. Ten years prior, Golden Immortals from the Lin'an Daoist Sect had already reported Han Yi's findings to the Immortal Court.
"Little Friend Han must have just returned to the Immortal Court," he explained.
Han Yi nodded.
"No wonder you weren't aware," Golden Immortal Puming remarked.
"Ten years ago, the Lin'an Daoist Sect reported to the Immortal Court that a second Immortal Monarch had been dispatched to the Crimson Thunder Hell. He severely wounded the Evil Immortal of Evil Mountain."
"However, the battle to corner and slay that Evil Immortal was exceptionally brutal. Of the thirty-odd Golden Immortals who participated, at least eight perished."
"Rest assured, Fellow Daoist Han. As far as I know, Fellow Daoist Jin Ming was merely injured and is currently in secluded cultivation at the Primal Art Dao Field, recuperating. He did not perish."
Golden Immortal Puming's explanation finally relieved Han Yi. The Primal Art Dao Field he mentioned wasn't a formal position within the Immortal Court, but rather a Dao Field located within the Primordial Arts Immortal Domain, not far from the Azure Shu Mountain Range where the Profound Pill Sect resided.
After expressing his gratitude, Han Yi immediately returned to the Primordial Art Immortal Pavilion. Although he had advanced to the Supreme Truth Realm and stabilized his foundation somewhat, he still needed more time to fully assimilate the gains from his Divine Tribulation. At the very least, he needed to refine Divine Power Crystals to further advance his Supreme Truth cultivation and master more Divine Canons and Arts.
His plan was to push his strength to its current limits, then purchase a Fourth-Tier Immortal Sword and venture back into the Void Tower to acquire more Immortal Marks, establishing a virtuous cycle of improvement.
This was Han Yi's plan for the future.
Upon arriving at the Immortal Pavilion and settling in, Han Yi checked his Golden Immortal Token. His brow furrowed when he noticed a message among the numerous entries, one that had been sent twenty years prior.
At the time, he had been at Jade Lake, far from the Immortal Court, and thus unable to receive the message. Only now, upon his return, had it finally been delivered.
The message originated from the Nine-Ring Pavilion, sent by its Demigod Shopkeeper. It stated that the Nine-Ring True Immortal was in dire straits and urgently requested Han Yi's assistance.
"Twenty years ago..."
"I hope it's not too late."