Within the Void Tower, Han Yi moved with incredible speed. After breaking through to the Golden Immortal realm and stabilizing slightly, although his mastery of the Laws was far from that of a peak Golden Immortal, his Immortal Power had transformed, imbuing him with resplendent Immortal Might. His overall strength was now more than ten times greater than when he was at the peak of the Profound Immortal realm.
As a result, his progress through the lower half of the tower was virtually unstoppable, facing no real resistance.
In just a single day, he reached the 2,913rd floor, the level corresponding to the lowest-ranked Golden Immortals on the Golden Immortal Ranking.
When Han Yi's name appeared on the Golden Immortal Ranking, the myriad immortals erupted in discussion.
"As expected, he finally came."
"To cross over nine hundred floors in a single day and reach the Golden Immortal Ranking—Han Yi's speed is simply insane."
"Arrogant! This speed is far too arrogant!"
"Strength speaks for itself. If I had his power, I'd make my entire climb public to shake the Immortal Court to its core."
"I wonder how far he'll go. When he first appeared on the Profound Immortal Ranking, he didn't advance much further."
"We'll see."
Meanwhile, Han Yi, the subject of all this chatter, had slowed down somewhat but remained swift. After joining the Golden Immortal Ranking, he faced peak Golden Immortals, the strongest within their respective layers.
Even at his current cultivation realm and strength, as a Peak Golden Immortal, he could still dispatch opponents with a single sword strike.
It wasn't until he reached the top fifty that he encountered formidable opponents like the Palace Master of the Righteous Law and the Jade Spring Golden Immortal, both Peak Golden Immortals, that his pace gradually slowed.
After securing his place on the ranking, he relied not only on all the techniques of the Immortal Dao System but also occasionally supplemented them with Ancient God Divine Arts.
The Fifth-Rank Sword Realm, combined with three Fifth-Rank Immortal Swords, had limited effectiveness but could still restrain opponents for a moment or two.
The Sixth-Tier Sword Control Immortal Art, paired with the Green Ripple Sword—a peak Sixth-Tier Immortal Artifact—remained his most formidable trump card.
Although he had only comprehended nine Divine Arts at the Knowing Destiny level, and his understanding of them was far from perfect, these ancient arts proved surprisingly effective as auxiliary measures.
Once he reached the top thirty of the Golden Immortal Ranking, Han Yi's progress slowed further. At this level, he was facing opponents on par with Golden Resonance Daoist.
Each tower layer took him longer to clear, and occasionally, due to the opponents' bizarre tactics, he was even expelled from the Void Tower. But he quickly reentered, evaded the tricky maneuvers, and eliminated the opponents.
Three months later, Han Yi finally stopped his tower assault. He had climbed to the 2,933rd layer, securing the fifteenth position on the Golden Immortal Ranking.
This ranking didn't necessarily reflect Han Yi's true capabilities. During his climb of the Void Tower, he hadn't truly pushed himself to his limits—after all, he hadn't unleashed the Yueguang Divine Spear. Had he done so, Han Yi estimated he could have reached the top eight.
The top three on the Golden Immortal Ranking were universally acknowledged as Golden Immortals capable of challenging an Immortal Monarch in battle.
Han Yi was not far from this tier.
As for Qin Yi, who had once slain a Demon Monarch with a single sword strike in Brilliant Flame Immortal City, even the Sui Zhu Immortal Court had never produced such a world-shaking prodigy.
At this ranking, Han Yi felt it was just right.
After leaving the Void Tower, he headed straight for the Immortal Ease Pavilion in the Immortal Market Palace.
The storm of gossip he had stirred spread like a tempest, igniting fervent discussions among the myriad immortals.
As he entered the Immortal Ease Pavilion, he ran into Li Zhengyang, who had rushed over from the Immortal Court. Li Zhengyang had clearly heard about Han Yi's descent from the Profound Immortal Ranking and his ascension to the Golden Immortal Ranking.
Upon seeing Han Yi, Li Zhengyang's excitement bordered on frenzy.
"Han Yi, you've become a Golden Immortal! And you're on the Golden Immortal Ranking!"
"I'm made! From now on, even Golden Immortals will have to give me some respect!"
"Having a patron sure beats all!"
"Meeting you was the best decision I ever made!"
"Yes! Yes! Yes!"
Gradually calming down, Li Zhengyang discussed his expansion plans with Han Yi.
Han Yi actively participated, occasionally offering suggestions and insights, but the plans remained primarily Li Zhengyang's.
Having been promoted to Golden Immortal and ranked on the Golden Immortal Ranking, the Immortal Ease Pavilion could indeed afford to be bolder.
This was also a way to expand their influence and gather resources.
A short while later, Han Yi departed. Soon after, Immortals began arriving at the Immortal Ease Pavilion, most of them Golden Immortals. Some came to establish connections, while others, drawn by Han Yi's increased strength and influence, sought collaboration.
Han Yi's position at number fifteen on the Golden Immortal Ranking was higher than he had anticipated within the Golden Immortal realm.
Moreover, when Han Yi first appeared on the ranking, his cultivation realm was likely only recently advanced to Golden Immortal.
Once he reached the Senior or even Peak Golden Immortal stage, he could potentially replicate his rise in the Profound Immortal Realm and ascend to the top of the Golden Immortal Ranking.
Many Golden Immortals still recalled the legendary tale of Han Yi confronting the Black Realm Star Lord.
If Han Yi truly ascended to Peak Golden Immortal, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that even a Golden Immortal Monarch could be slain by him.
Years ago, a mysterious Sword Immortal appeared in Brilliant Flame Immortal City, slaying the Eastern Sovereign Red Fox Demon Monarch with a single sword strike. This event shook all the major factions.
Han Yi continued on his path, likely with similar potential.
Many Golden Immortals believed in investing early—either through direct support or by establishing connections—so that when Han Yi eventually achieved Immortal Ascension, they would already have a foothold in their relationship.
Cultivation wasn't about abandoning worldly affairs; rather, the distribution of resources made such social maneuvering even more overt.
At the Immortal Ease Pavilion, Li Zhengyang initially seemed overwhelmed by the favorable treatment he received from every entering Golden Immortal. But he soon regained his composure.
His confidence stemmed from Han Yi's strength; to some extent, he represented Han Yi himself.
Negotiations would proceed as they should, regardless of the circumstances.
With this mindset shift, Li Zhengyang began to handle the multitude of Golden Immortals with ease.
Meanwhile, Han Yi had barely returned to the Immortal Pavilion when he received a message summoning him to the Origin Technique Arena.
Eighty years prior, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu had angrily beheaded four Black Realm Star Lords, showcasing terrifying combat prowess rivaling that of an Immortal Sovereign. The Immortal Realm had been shaken by this event, a fact well-known to Han Yi.
Yuanshu's intervention had undoubtedly stemmed from the Black Realm's ambush of Golden Resonance Daoist and Han Yi himself.
Han Yi felt indebted to Immortal Monarch Yuanshu for this.
Within the Origin Technique Arena, Han Yi navigated through countless Immortal Monuments and Strange Stones. These artifacts bore inscribed Immortal Arts, radiating auras that ranged from profound to ethereal, scorching to frenzied.
When Han Yi first learned of Immortal Monarch Yuanshu's involvement, he discovered that the Origin Technique Arena was an Immortal Artifact the Monarch had refined for countless years.
Rumor had it that Immortal Monarch Yuanshu might have even reached the Immortal Venerable Realm through this very artifact.
Now, as he passed through the Origin Technique Arena once more, Han Yi felt a different emotion than during his previous visits.
Stepping into the Three-Story Pavilion, Han Yi saw Immortal Monarch Yuanshu.
The Immortal Monarch looked unchanged, appearing no different to Han Yi's senses than before. He set down an ancient text and turned to look at Han Yi, his gaze flickering slightly. Han Yi tensed, as if the Monarch had seen through his very being.
Little did Han Yi know that Immortal Monarch Yuanshu was even more astonished. Having already taken half a step into the Immortal Venerable Realm, he now detected several Karmic Threads coiling around Han Yi—threads so potent that even he dared not touch them. The secrets these threads entwined far exceeded his expectations, sending a shiver through his inner qi.
Indeed, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu thought, for Han Yi to ascend to Golden Immortal status in just over a thousand years, and to possess such extraordinary methods, even ranking among the top twenty on the Golden Immortal Ranking—his secrets must be truly profound.
Moreover, even the Dao Ancestor had taken notice of these secrets. This very summons to the Origin Technique Arena had come at the Dao Ancestor's specific behest, tasking Han Yi with a particular mission.
He was merely a messenger.
"Han Yi, it's been only a few hundred years since your promotion to Profound Immortal. I never expected you to reach the Golden Immortal realm so quickly."
"Excellent, truly excellent," Immortal Monarch Yuanshu nodded in approval.
Before Han Yi could offer any modest remarks, the Immortal Monarch got straight to the point, tossing a Jade Slip to him and saying:
"There's a mission that requires your personal attention."
Han Yi's heart stirred. For the Immortal Monarch to summon him personally and entrust him with a mission, it must be something extraordinary.
"Please give me your instructions, Immortal Monarch," Han Yi said, bowing. "I will devote my utmost effort to this task."
Yuanshu nodded. "You should be familiar with the three great dark organizations of the Immortal Realm: Evil Mountain, the Black Realm, and the Soul Tower."
"Among these three, the Black Realm is the most powerful. Its Realm Lord is likely a Dao Ancestor."
"Yet, despite their sinister reputations, Evil Mountain is actually the weakest and least harmful of the three."
"The mission I'm assigning you concerns the Soul Tower."
"Fifty years ago, the Soul Tower's Tower Master, the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable, appeared in the Southern Immortal Realm and clashed with the Yinglong Immortal Venerable. He was wounded and retreated."
"You've never met the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable himself, but one of his avatars was once connected to you. That avatar's name was Dai Zhe."
At this point, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu deliberately paused.
Han Yi's heart stirred.
The distant name "Dai Zhe" once again awakened a perilous memory from before his Immortal Ascension.
Back then, when he first clashed with Dai Zhe, Han Yi was merely a Transformation God, while Dai Zhe had already reached the Demigod stage. In the Outer Void southeast of Great Luo, during an ambush by the Wisdom Clan, his Immortal Fortress disintegrated, and Dai Zhe targeted him. If not for his quick wits and the speed of his Thought Realm Divine Power, which allowed him to evade Dai Zhe's pursuit, he would have perished.
Later, at Great Mound Immortal Lake, Han Yi encountered Dai Zhe again and barely escaped being hunted down.
When Han Yi finally became a Demigod, he discovered that Dai Zhe had ascended to Immortality. He had planned to lure Dai Zhe to Immortality before killing him, but Dai Zhe struck first, setting a trap that teleported Han Yi to the Giant Deer Mountain Range, intending to kill him there.
In the end, Han Yi revealed his true strength, unleashing the power of an Ancient God at the cost of severe injuries to obliterate Dai Zhe.
This was the bitter grudge between him and Dai Zhe—a conflict that had lasted nearly a century.
Yet to Han Yi now, it was merely a perilous episode from his pre-Immortal days. If Dai Zhe were to appear before him now, a single glance would reduce him to ashes.
Han Yi never could have imagined that the Dai Zhe of old was actually an Avatar of the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable, the Tower Master of the Soul Tower—one of the Three Great Dark Organizations of the Immortal Realm.
From Immortal Monarch Yuanshu, Han Yi finally confirmed the truth that the Black Realm Lord was at the Dao Ancestor realm, settling the long-standing rumors.
He was also aware of the great battle between Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable and Yinglong Immortal Venerable.
Though Han Yi spent most of his time in secluded cultivation, he occasionally took the time to keep abreast of events in the Immortal Realm.
Over the past century, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu had publicly declared his slaying of four Black Realm Lords, his grand battle with Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable and Yinglong Immortal Venerable, and the destruction of hundreds of thousands of miles of territory. Naturally, Han Yi was well-informed about these matters.
Noticing the flicker in Han Yi's eyes, as countless thoughts seemed to pass through his mind, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu continued:
"Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable was severely injured and temporarily lost connection with his Avatar. This presented an excellent opportunity to destroy the Avatar."
"In fact, over the past fifty years, not only the Immortal Court, but other major powers have dispatched countless Immortals—both openly and secretly—to search for Myriad Nether's Avatar. Yet, they've gained little information."
"Their Avatars are hidden so deeply that they're extremely difficult to track down unless they reveal themselves."
"Your past conflict with Dai Zhe created a karmic connection between you and Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable."
"The Immortal Court has issued a special mission for you to investigate this matter."
"Han Yi, are you willing?"
To avoid any misunderstanding, Immortal Monarch Yuanshu added:
"Rest assured. If the investigation leads to an Immortal above the Immortal Monarch level, you can return to the Immortal Court and report it to me. I will handle it. If even I cannot manage it, there are several Immortal Sovereigns, or even the Dao Ancestors themselves, who may personally intervene."
"For Immortals below the Immortal Monarch level, I trust you can handle it yourself."
"For those above the Immortal Monarch level, you need only investigate secretly."
"This Jade Slip contains preliminary investigation data. You may use it as a reference."
"What do you say?"
With a thought, Han Yi accepted the Jade Slip. His Immortal Sense flowed into it, instantly revealing countless pieces of information, images, and even some videos.
He stored the Jade Slip away and said, "As you command, Immortal Monarch. This disciple accepts the mission."
"This disciple never imagined that Dai Zhe from years ago was actually an avatar of the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable."
"How perilous."
Immortal Monarch Yuanshu acknowledged, "The danger is indeed considerable."
"That Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable is renowned as the most difficult Immortal to kill in the Immortal Realm. Even several Dao Ancestors acting together couldn't slay him."
"Even if a Dao Ancestor confronts one of his Myriad Nether Incarnations, they can't track down his True Body."
"Even if his True Body is killed, his other Myriad Nether Incarnations remain unharmed, and any one of them can transform back into his True Body."
"His cultivation of Immortal Techniques was truly bizarre."
"There's something you should know, now that you've accepted this mission."
"The Immortal Court has discovered that when Dai Zhe died and his Immortal Name shattered in the Myriad Immortals Hall, seven Grand Unity Immortal Monarchs perished simultaneously."
"Such a thing has never happened before."
"And since Dai Zhe is connected to you, we've ordered you to investigate. Who knows? There might be some pleasant surprises."
Han Yi was slightly taken aback by this revelation.
He had indeed heard about the deaths of the seven Immortal Monarchs, but he had never linked it to Dai Zhe's demise.
At the time, he had only been a Demigod. After killing Dai Zhe, he had immediately fallen unconscious, and by the time he awoke, some time had passed.
Moreover, Dai Zhe had only recently become a True Immortal, and Han Yi had never imagined he could be a Myriad Nether Incarnation.
"Additionally," Immortal Monarch Yuanshu added, "this mission is not compulsory, nor is there a time limit. If you uncover anything significant, report directly to me. If I'm unavailable, you can contact the Heavenly Candle Realm Spirit."
With that, he waved Han Yi away.
As Han Yi exited the Origin Technique Arena, the information from the Jade Slip swirled through his mind, leaving him solemn. He murmured:
"Dai Zhe."