Golden light permeated the heavens and earth.
This wasn't mere illumination spreading outward; rather, it seemed as if the very laws of existence had been rewritten, suffusing every corner of reality with a golden hue. The light coalesced into a vast, shimmering ocean, from which colossal mythical creatures began to emerge.
Among them was a massive, three-legged bird, gliding through the golden sea.
Han Yi reacted instantly, his face paling with shock.
"It's the Golden Crow!"
"No, to be precise, it's the true form of the Supreme Unity Dao Ancestor."
Above the Azure Shu Mountain Range, numerous Immortals and Cultivators had already gathered. Yuan Hong, equally stunned and bewildered by the unfolding events, only understood after hearing Han Yi's words.
"Did the Supreme Unity Dao Ancestor trigger this?"
"But why would he..."
Yuan Hong trailed off. The other Demigod Transformation Gods turned to him, following his train of thought.
The establishment of the Profound Hong Pavilion had greatly strengthened the Profound Pill Sect's foundation. They had scoured the heavens and earth for rare spiritual objects, ancient texts from the Primordial and Ancient Eras, and secret halls of antiquity, all while compiling the Great Luo Annals.
Through this research, they had long gained insight into the realms beyond the Dao Ancestors.
Their earlier confusion stemmed from never having considered such a possibility. Now that the pieces fell into place, their speculation began to coalesce around a single direction.
"It's a Heavenly Venerable."
"Ancient legends say that when the Three Great Heavenly Venerables of Great Luo attained their venerated status, extraordinary phenomena manifested."
"Moreover, these phenomena were far more terrifying than the Dao Ancestor's Celestial Phenomenon. There's a specific term for it: Heaven and Earth's Imprint, Myriad Paths' Homage."
"The celestial phenomenon unfolding now bears a striking resemblance to the recorded phenomena of a Heavenly Venerable's ascension."
"The Dao Ancestor of the Demon Race is about to become a Heavenly Venerable."
Han Yi nodded. Yuan Hong's explanation aligned perfectly with his own understanding.
The golden ocean surrounding them likely represented the primordial environment from which the Great One had emerged. It was as if time had been reversed, transforming the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm into his sacred domain for enlightenment.
No, perhaps not the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm.
Han Yi suddenly turned his gaze toward the Sui Zhu Dao Field, thousands of miles away. Within that sacred domain, the auras of numerous Immortal Monarchs flickered erratically, their energies roiling with unrest.
Looking back, he noticed that the density of the golden ocean diminished with distance.
This suggested that the Supreme Unity Dao Ancestor's ascension site wasn't the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm, but rather the Eastern Sovereign Demon Court, along with the eighteen Immortal Domains they had expanded into over the past century.
That's right.
Over the past century, the three great Immortal Courts—Age Candle, Luo Tian, and Imperial Court—had collectively lost eighteen Immortal Domains. Age Candle alone surrendered eight, while Luo Tian and Imperial Court, the successor factions to the fractured Great Luo Immortal Court, lost ten between them.
With the addition of these eighteen Immortal Domains, the Eastern Sovereign Demon Court now controlled thirty-three Immortal Domains, encompassing half the total land area of the Great Luo Immortal Realm.
This perspective shed light on the Supreme Unity Dao Ancestor's motive for launching war against the three Immortal Courts: to achieve Heavenly Venerable status by securing half of Great Luo's territory. As for why precisely half was necessary, Han Yi's limited cultivation realm prevented him from comprehending the underlying principle.
"What an audacious undertaking," Han Yi murmured in awe.
Before him, the golden ocean and the three-legged Golden Crow phenomenon persisted for the duration it took an incense stick to burn. As the incense burned down, the spectacle transformed: radiant golden lotuses bloomed across the heavens, their delicate petals resonating with the profound music of the Dao. Phantom shadows of immortal birds and spirit beasts roamed the void, flickering in and out of existence.
The extraordinary display finally faded away after half an hour, leaving the world in tranquil stillness.
Yet, in Han Yi's perception, the fabric of reality itself had shifted. A new aura permeated the world, an aura of absolute dominion over all living beings, transcending all things—mortals, immortals, and the very laws of existence.
This was unmistakably the aura of a Heavenly Venerable.
"Indeed, the Supreme Unity has ascended to Heavenly Venerable status."
"From this day forward, he should no longer be addressed as the Supreme Unity Dao Ancestor, but as Celestial Venerable Taiyi."
"This is the fourth Heavenly Venerable of the Great Luo Immortal Realm, following Heavenly Venerable Qin, Heavenly Venerable Ye, and the Abyssal Heavenly Venerable: Celestial Venerable Taiyi."
Han Yishen took a deep breath, realizing he was witnessing history in the making.
From this moment forward, the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm would undergo profound changes due to Celestial Venerable Taiyi's emergence. Han Yishen suspected these changes would be unfavorable to the Sui Zhu Immortal Court. With a Heavenly Venerable to rely on, Donghuang's power would surge, forcing other Immortal Courts to make further concessions as the front lines advanced.
This aligned with the historical precedent set by the ascensions of previous Heavenly Venerables over the past million years, a clear demonstration of the Immortal Courts' profound reverence for these supreme beings. Han Yishen expected this trend to continue.
Yet, seven days later, perplexing news arrived from the front lines: the Demon Race had withdrawn their troops.
"Withdrawn?"
In the Profound Pill Hall, Han Yi accepted the Jade Slip offered by Lian Tingxi. A sweep of his Immortal Sense revealed its contents, including visual recordings from the front lines. Across the sky and land, the vast Demon Race army retreated like a receding tide.
Han Yi set down the Jade Slip, his eyes narrowing.
"Something's wrong. Terribly wrong."
"Given the Demon Race's nature, backed by a Heavenly Venerable, they would never simply back down like this."
"Unless the Demon Race withdrew their troops under the direct order of that Heavenly Venerable," Han Yi murmured, his brow smoothing as he abandoned his unease. The secret behind the Demon Race's retreat would naturally be investigated by the higher-ups of the Immortal Court. His primary concern now was the safety of himself and the Profound Pill Sect.
He turned to Lian Tingxi and instructed, "Even though the Demon Race has retreated, the Sect's Sixth-Rank Immortal Formation must remain active and cannot be deactivated."
"Although a century has passed, the bounty on the Great Sage Demonic Ape's head still stands. Heavenly Demons occasionally attempt to infiltrate the Sect, so we must remain vigilant."
"Furthermore, I will soon return to the Immortal Court. Upon my arrival, I will deliberately make a high-profile public appearance in a certain location to divert the Demon Race's attention from the Sect, thus easing the pressure on our defenses."
"Rest assured, Yuan Hong is stationed within the Sect. With the Immortal Formation's assistance, he can handle most senior Heavenly Demons. If a Peak Heavenly Demon appears, the Primal Art Dao Field will undoubtedly intervene to assist us."
Lian Tingxi bowed in acknowledgment. Han Yi had shared these contingency plans with him years ago. While the Demon Race's retreat differed from their original projections, the situation appeared far better than their worst-case scenarios.
Moments later, Han Yi quietly left the Sect and headed to the Primal Art Dao Field. After gathering information there, he found little of use. Like most Immortals in the Dao Field, he was utterly bewildered by the Demon Race's sudden withdrawal.
The Immortal Sovereigns of Age Candle had already begun discussing a further contraction of their defenses, preparing to cede portions of the Immortal Domain to appease the Demon Race. However, the sudden retreat of the demon forces caught them completely off guard.
"When things defy expectations, demons must be at play," they murmured, their initial reaction not joy, but suspicion. They knew that with the Great One's ascension to Celestial Venerable Taiyi, even the Dao Ancestor himself would have had to lower his head before the Demon Race.
After lengthy deliberations without reaching a firm conclusion, they resolved to adapt to events as they unfolded. Han Yi then visited Golden Resonance Daoist, the Peak Golden Immortal temporarily overseeing the Primal Art Dao Field, but he had no additional information either.
Left with no other options, Han Yi departed.
This time, he returned directly to the Sui Zhu Immortal Court. The moment he arrived, he immediately began challenging the Void Mirror, a plan he had devised back at the Profound Pill Sect. His goal was to project a strong presence, draw the Demon Race's attention, and alleviate the pressure on his sect.
The Void Mirror's notoriety was unmatched.
Half a month later, Han Yi emerged from the Void Mirror, thoroughly satisfied with his combat prowess. He had reached the 1,864th floor of the Void Tower, surpassing the original leader, Murong Wuxiang, by two levels.
In other words, the leaderboard had been overturned: Han Yi now reigned supreme.
In truth, Han Yi hadn't even used his full strength. He believed that even if he went all out, conquering the Void Tower would be impossible.
The Immortal Tower was never meant to be conquered. The rumor that clearing the Three Gates would grant mastery over the Void Mirror was utter nonsense.
Of course, Han Yi had once believed this rumor back when he was a True Immortal.
The rumor's purpose was to lure countless Immortals into the tower for training.
But now, as a Peak Profound Immortal with the combat prowess of a Senior Golden Immortal, he had seen through the Void Mirror's true nature.
For Profound Immortals:
Reaching the 1800th floor required battling Golden Immortals; the 1850th floor, Senior Golden Immortals; and anything above the 1900th floor, Peak Golden Immortals.
Such difficulty meant that even if Han Yi reached the absolute limit of the Profound Immortal stage, attempting it would still take an exorbitant amount of time.
With that same time, he could have already broken through to Golden Immortal, his combat power skyrocketing once more.
A thought flashed through Han Yi's mind: No wonder so many Golden Immortals on the ranking list have lost interest in the Void Tower. Golden Resonance Daoist, for example, had long since abandoned it as a trial.
Having reached the top of the Profound Immortal Ranking and harvested a wave of Immortal Marks, Han Yi decided to halt his ascent through the Void Tower.
News of his achievement spread rapidly, soon reaching the Demon Race. Upon learning that Han Yi had returned to the Sui Zhu Dao Field, many Heavenly Demons who had been preparing to infiltrate the Primal Art Dao Field abandoned their plans. The thought of venturing into the Sui Zhu Immortal Court paralyzed them with fear.
Leaving the Void Tower, Han Yi went to the Heavenly Candle Hall to exchange his Immortal Marks. He purchased a second Fifth-Rank Immortal Sword and numerous Fourth-Tier Immortal Swords.
The twenty-two Immortal Swords that comprised his Sword Realm had been damaged during his battle with Yuan Jingtian. Moreover, with his rapidly increasing strength, the original Third-Tier swords had become largely useless. Replacing them all with Fourth-Rank swords posed no problem.
Acquiring another Fifth-Rank Immortal Sword allowed him to form a dual-core system within his Sword Realm alongside the Burial Path Dragon God Sword, significantly enhancing its power to a level capable of confronting senior Golden Immortals.
Afterward, Han Yi didn't linger in the Sui Zhu Immortal Court. He departed, fleeing southwest across the Immortal Domain.
Seven days later, he arrived at the Jade Lake Immortal Domain.
Years prior, after finalizing his Branch Sect Plan, Han Yi had quietly brought Yuan Hong to infiltrate an Immortal Sect near Jade Lake, transforming it into his own branch sect.
The entire process unfolded smoothly, without a single drop of blood spilled.
As a result, Han Yi gained his first Profound Immortal-Class Immortal Slave.
Although this Profound Immortal was merely an ordinary one, easily handled even by Yuan Hong, it signified that Han Yi's Immortal Power had far surpassed the initial stage of the Supreme Truth Realm.
Now that his strength had grown, he reached the Jade Lake Immortal Domain from the Primal Art Dao Field in just three days.
He immediately plunged into the depths of Jade Lake, located the mark he had made earlier, and entered the Divine Power Space, which led to the Divine Aperture World.
Vast golden divine power coalesced into an immeasurable ocean, upon which countless Divine Power Crystals floated.
As Han Yi entered the Divine Aperture World, the Yueguang Ancient Divine Artifact within him trembled slightly, clearly sensing its presence.
He took a moment to soothe the ancient artifact.
Then, he began "fishing" for Divine Power Crystals. After advancing to the Senior stage of the Supreme Truth Realm, his Divine Aperture contained few crystals, desperately needing replenishment. This urgency prompted his second dive into the depths of Jade Lake and entry into the Divine Aperture World.
After completely filling his Divine Aperture World, Han Yi didn't rush to leave. Instead, he remained within the golden ocean, immersing himself in absorbing the unclaimed divine power to further his cultivation as an Ancient God in the Supreme Truth Realm.
Twenty years later, deep beneath Jade Lake, within his Divine Aperture World, Han Yi suddenly opened his eyes and swiftly surveyed his surroundings.
The golden ocean around him had begun to tremble.
"What's happening?" His face paled with alarm. This Divine Aperture World had existed beneath Jade Lake for countless millennia. Could his recent absorption of divine power have triggered some unforeseen event?
No, impossible. The divine power I absorbed was less than one hundred billionth of the world's total. It couldn't possibly destabilize such an ancient realm.
Realizing this, he immediately plunged into the sea of divine power. Moments later, he resurfaced, his gaze fixed on the entrance to the Divine Power World. His figure flickered like a Phantom Shadow as he darted through the shimmering portal, reemerging from the depths of Jade Lake. With an Escape Technique, he fled the lake and turned his gaze towards the Southern Immortal Realm.
"Is that the Imperial Court Immortal Court?"
"No, based on the direction and distance, it must be the Blazing Flame Dao Court."
"And more specifically, the location of the Grave-Crossing Dao Vessel."
Han Yi's expression shifted with shock. Though he had never personally witnessed the colossal vessel, he had indirectly observed its massive form through Jade Slips.
Spanning entire Immortal Domains and comparable in size to multiple Dao Fields, the immense Dao Vessel was no mere boat—it was a tangible manifestation of a Boundary Heaven.
Resisting his curiosity, Han Yi refrained from rashly investigating. While the journey would only take a day from his current position, the vessel's tremors signaled further upheavals within the Blazing Flame Dao Court.
Following Donghuang's military uprising and the Great One's ascension to venerated status, Brilliant Flame was now making its own move.
Truly, these were tumultuous times—an era rife with upheaval.
For centuries, everyone had felt the looming sense of urgency and impending crisis, like the calm before a mountain rain.
Gazing southward, Han Yi sensed the tremors growing stronger.
These vibrations weren't merely physical—they were powerful enough to reverberate into the Divine Aperture World deep beneath Jade Lake, a terrifying testament to their magnitude.
Even to Han Yi's perception, the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm below was trembling violently. He couldn't fathom what could have transpired at the Dao Boat's location.
Could the Dao Boat have ascended?
The thought flashed through Han Yi's mind. He immediately extended his Immortal Sense, first reassuring the Immortal Slaves stationed at the Branch Sects near Jade Lake, then preparing to use his Escape Technique to return to the Immortal Court.
With the Immortal Court's intelligence capabilities, he would undoubtedly learn the truth about the Blazing Flame Dao Court's situation in no time.
But before he could turn, he froze mid-motion, his pupils shrinking to pinpricks.
Though separated by an immeasurable distance, he faintly perceived a colossal entity slowly rising from the horizon.
The sheer scale of this behemoth defied his imagination, as if an entire Boundary Heaven at the heart of the Immortal Realm had fully unfurled. It was likely that every Immortal in the realm could witness this spectacle, not just those in his vicinity.
There was no oppressive aura, yet an intangible pressure sent cold shivers down Han Yi's spine, leaving him speechless and wide-eyed.