Han Yi used the Divine Sealing Art to capture a strand of Demon-Slaying Sword Qi. Even this casual strand of Sword Qi from Immortal Venerable Daoling required considerable effort to seal and store in his Cosmic Ring.
Immortal Venerable Daoling's gaze returned to normal as he observed Han Yi, inwardly nodding in approval. From this display of Divine Art, he discerned that Han Yi's mastery of techniques already rivaled that of some ordinary Immortal Monarchs.
To have climbed to the pinnacle of the Golden Immortal Ranking and reached the Immortal Monarch Tower level was no empty claim.
After expressing his gratitude, Han Yi clasped his hands and departed the Dao Ling Realm Heaven, returning to the Immortal Pavilion.
Three days later, he presented Xuan Cheng's invitation and attended the grand assembly marking Immortal Lord Zhenxiao's establishment of his Dao Field. Astonishingly, this Dao Field was none other than the former domain of Han Yi's grandfather, Cloud Departure Immortal Monarch.
Hundreds of years ago, Cloud Departure Immortal Monarch had perished during the Great Expedition to the Wisdom Realm, leaving his Dao Field in ruins. However, after Zhenxiao emerged from seclusion with the aura of an Immortal Monarch, the Yunli Dao Field was preserved, intended for his eventual ascension as Immortal Lord Zhenxiao.
Such cases were rare in the Immortal Court. When the master of a Dao Field perished, it remained vacant for a long period. Only when a new Immortal Monarch emerged from among the disciples, followers, juniors, or even grand-disciples would the field be inherited. The new Immortal Monarch would simply change the name, creating a new Dao Field.
The Mayoi Dojo was established for precisely this reason.
At the Immortal Assembly held to mark the founding of the Mayoi Dojo, Han Yi met dozens of Immortal Monarchs. Half hailed from the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, while the other half represented various other Immortal Courts and major factions. Among them was even a Demon Monarch emitting a faint demonic aura.
This particular Demon Monarch, however, exuded refinement and elegance, his demonic aura so subtle that one might mistake him for a scholarly teacher if not for its presence. Han Yi recognized him as Mingli Immortal Monarch of Donghuang, a member of the Heavenly Fox Demon Clan.
Clearly, Mingli Immortal Monarch also recognized Han Yi. With a courteous nod and a faint smile, he greeted Han Yi, who returned the gesture without engaging in further conversation.
In addition to the Immortal Monarchs, there were several dozen Golden Immortals present. Han Yi scanned the crowd and recognized them all as top-ranked figures on the Golden Immortal Ranking. When Han Yi's gaze swept over them, they nodded in acknowledgment.
This Immortal Monarch Dao Field's establishment assembly, though lacking Immortal Sovereigns and Dao Ancestors, was nevertheless conducted with great fervor. It was evident that Immortal Lord Zhenxiao possessed considerable influence.
Although Han Yishen hadn't formed deep connections with many Immortals, the majority of the Golden Immortals and nearly half of the Immortal Monarchs present were aware of his strength and potential. They approached to exchange a few words or nodded in acknowledgment.
The more powerful Immortal Monarchs no longer ignored Han Yi; their interest in him had grown. However, since his cultivation realm remained at the Golden Immortal level, they weren't yet inclined to show him any special favor.
Han Yi responded to each with measured courtesy, neither overly enthusiastic nor indifferent.
The next day, he departed from the Immortal Court and headed for East King Lake.
East King Lake was located within the Eastern King Immortal Domain of the Luo Tian Immortal Court, nestled deep in the southeast of the Great Luo Immortal Realm. It was a vast lake stretching thousands of miles across.
This massive lake was slightly smaller than Jade Lake, but together, they were the only two lakes in the Great Luo Immortal Realm whose names were used to name Immortal Domains.
Legend had it that an Ancient Immortal named Duke of the Eastern King had perished here, giving both the Immortal Domain and the lake their names.
Han Yi set out from Nine Rivers Plaza and teleported directly to White Bone Immortal City within the Eastern King Immortal Domain.
White Bone Immortal City lay on the eastern edge of the Eastern King Immortal Domain, separated from the territory of the Eastern Emperor Demon Clan by a vast expanse of ancient, verdant mountains.
However, Han Yi didn't head towards the mountains. After leaving Eastern King Immortal City, he traveled west. After about fifteen minutes, he descended upon a vast lake.
This was East King Lake.
Immortal Venerable Daoling had provided little information, only mentioning East King Lake and Su Yan.
But Han Yi uncovered much by investigating the name. Near East King Lake stood a modest Immortal Peak called Mount Taisu. On Mount Taisu lived a rogue cultivator named Su Yan.
This Su Yan was no ordinary Immortal; he was an Immortal Monarch.
However, Immortal Monarch Suyan hadn't long crossed the Immortal Monarch Tribulation. Only about three hundred years had passed since his ascension. By this timeline, he likely only became an Immortal Monarch around the time the Blazing Flame Dao Court departed.
Now, the Sui Zhu Immortal Court was investigating the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable's Avatar. They had likely traced the Avatar's trail back to Su Yan's Immortal Monarch Tribulation, where certain characteristics matched the Avatar perfectly. This was why he'd been placed on their list.
Han Yi harbored no feminine compassion. His purpose here wasn't just to repay Immortal Venerable Daoling's debt of causality, but also to gauge the true strength of the Myriad Nether Incarnation.
Han Yi hadn't forgotten his promise to Immortal Monarch Yuanshu to investigate the Myriad Nether Incarnation. More importantly, he had deduced the Myriad Nether Tome from the Soul Scripture.
This time, he had another purpose: to observe the effects of the Myriad Nether Tome, which he had only cultivated to the Seventh Layer, when confronted with the Myriad Nether Incarnation.
At the foot of Mount Taisu, Han Yi tossed a Dao Child named Du Bian into his Divine Aperture World. Using Soul Techniques, he extracted Du Bian's Divine Soul memories and then transformed into his exact likeness with the Fetal Transformation Disguise, even replicating his aura perfectly. Even an Immortal Monarch would be unable to discern the truth.
Du Bian, though only sixteen years old, had already reached the Golden Core stage. In the Jade Balance Realm of old, his innate talent would have been described as heaven-sent, but in the Immortal Realm, he was far from exceptional. Moreover, his cultivation realm wasn't achieved through personal cultivation but through consuming pills.
Indeed, Immortal Monarch Suyan's public identity was that of a rogue cultivator alchemist—a rare Immortal-Rank Alchemist.
Disguised as Du Bian, Han Yi simulated the Dao Child's Divine Soul fluctuations, bypassing Mount Taisu's protective Formation Arts, and stepped into the mountain's interior.
Next, he swiftly used an escape technique to head towards Immortal Monarch Suyan's cultivation site.
The reason he dared to infiltrate was twofold: first, his confidence in his own strength. Having advanced to the Peak Golden Immortal stage, his power in the Immortal Path had surged dramatically. He estimated that he could likely defeat ordinary Immortal Monarchs in battle, and even if he couldn't win, he could at least protect himself.
Moreover, his Fetal Transformation Disguise, now at the Sixth-Tier, could even deceive Immortal Monarchs. Whether for a surprise attack or escape, this ability would prove doubly effective.
In case of emergency, he still had the Yueguang Divine Spear and 10,000 reserve Life Seeds. When combined, their combat power was so formidable that even he couldn't fully predict it.
Within Mount Taisu, Han Yi, disguised as Dao Child Du Bian, fabricated an excuse and seized the opportunity to impersonate another Immortal of a higher cultivation realm—a Profound Immortal this time. Even a Profound Immortal couldn't resist his Soul Technique, and Han Yi instantly obtained the memories from his Divine Soul.
Using the Profound Immortal's identity, Han Yi finally entered the depths of Mount Taisu and arrived at the Grand Solemn Hall.
This palace had thirty-three floors and was named the Grand Solemn Hall. On its highest level resided Immortal Monarch Suyan, the master of Mount Taisu, where he cultivated.
Inside the Grand Solemn Hall, Han Yi circulated the Myriad Nether Tome, carefully sensing for any abnormalities, but found none. He reluctantly set aside this mysterious inheritance.
Next, he enveloped himself in a Divine Art called Spirit God Concealment. This was a technique for hiding one's presence, still at the Knowing Destiny level rather than the Fortune Cultivation level. However, it made him nearly undetectable to anyone below the Immortal Monarch rank.
As he climbed to the thirty-third floor, none of the Immortals along the way detected his presence.
Although Immortal Monarch Suyan was a rogue cultivator, this didn't mean he was completely isolated. He had followers, and after his promotion to Immortal Monarch, many rogue cultivators, Profound Immortals, and Golden Immortals joined his ranks, gathering at Mount Taisu.
Just as Han Yi approached the palace at the highest level, an abrupt change occurred.
A voice reached his ears:
"Didn't we agree not to contact each other for three thousand years?"
"Why have you come seeking me out?"
The voice carried no trace of suspicion or anger, only pure confusion.
Han Yi's heart lurched with shock.
The voice originated from within the hall. If he guessed correctly, its owner must be Immortal Monarch Suyan himself.
The implications of these two questions were profound. In that fleeting moment, Han Yi deduced several key pieces of information. One of them was that Immortal Monarch Suyan must recognize him.
This was not the Profound Immortal he was disguised as, but Han Yi himself.
No.
But Han Yi had never actually met Immortal Monarch Suyan. This didn't make sense.
Moreover.
Even with Fetal Transformation Disguise and Spirit God Concealment, a newly ascended Immortal Monarch should not be able to detect him.
His thoughts raced, and in a flash, he arrived at a further conjecture.
Aura.
Immortal Monarch Suyan recognized him through his aura, an aura that could penetrate even the Fetal Transformation Disguise and Spirit God Concealment.
That's right, it was the Myriad Nether Tome. After entering the Grand Solemn Hall, he had activated the Myriad Nether Tome, and that was when Immortal Monarch Suyan first made contact with him.
However, this aura-based connection was one-sided; Han Yi couldn't sense Suyan.
The Myriad Nether Tome originated from the Soul Scripture. Since Immortal Monarch Suyan was a Myriad Nether Incarnation, he must be cultivating an Immortal Technique from the same source, perhaps even the Myriad Nether Tome itself.
!
But Suyan wasn't the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable; he was an independent Avatar, so he likely didn't possess the complete version of the Myriad Nether Tome.
As for the content of those two lines, they likely meant that the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable had been wounded, and his various Avatars had agreed to avoid contact for three thousand years to avoid detection.
In other words, Immortal Monarch Suyan mistakenly believed Han Yi was another Myriad Nether Incarnation.
With this realization,
Han Yi, who had never actually practiced Immortal Techniques, pushed the door open and strode in.
Before him sat an elder with an immortal-like demeanor, cross-legged on a prayer cushion. His face glowed with a rosy radiance, perfectly matching the description Han Yi had received.
This was none other than Immortal Monarch Suyan.
At first, Suyan looked at Han Yi with a puzzled expression, his brow furrowed. But the frown quickly smoothed into a relaxed smile.
His initial confusion stemmed from never having met Han Yi before, and the fact that Han Yi was still concealing his aura and appearance.
The smile returned because, within the collective of Myriad Nether Incarnations, each maintained an independent personality with no shared consciousness. This visiting incarnation's refusal to reveal his True Body was simply a personal habit, understandable in itself.
Suyan might have encountered this particular avatar before, or perhaps not. But this didn't matter. He sensed the aura of the Myriad Nether Tome on Han Yi, though it felt somewhat different from before. He didn't dwell on this, however. In the Great Luo Immortal Realm, only Myriad Nether Incarnations could possess the aura of the Myriad Nether Tome—it was their most distinctive feature. Not even Dao Ancestors or Heavenly Venerables could mimic it.
It was precisely this aura that alerted Suyan to Han Yi's approach; otherwise, he wouldn't have detected him at all.
Suyan surmised that the Myriad Nether Immortal Venerable's True Form had been injured, severing the connection between his True Form and his avatars. This, he guessed, was the cause of the Myriad Nether Tome's unusual aura.
Having reached this point in his thoughts, Su Yan stood up and said, "Speak. What urgent matter brings you here unannounced?"
Across from him, Han Yi's mind raced with conjectures, countless possibilities branching out in an instant, coalescing into a plausible hypothesis.
He said, "I've come primarily to inform you of something."
Immortal Monarch Suyan looked at Han Yi, awaiting his explanation.
Han Yi paused before continuing, "Immortal Venerable Daoling of the Sui Zhu Immortal Court has taken notice of you."
This statement was deliberately ambiguous. "Taken notice" could mean positive attention or scrutiny, leaving ample room for interpretation.
Even an ordinary Immortal Monarch would be startled by such news. In the mortal realm, if an emperor took notice of an official, it would cause similar shock.
If the official were corrupt, they would tremble, suspecting the emperor had discovered their misdeeds. If the official were upright, they might rejoice, thinking the emperor had recognized their integrity and might soon entrust them with greater responsibilities.
Han Yi's words served precisely this purpose, leaving the rest to Immortal Monarch Suyan's imagination.
As expected.
Immortal Monarch Suyan's face paled with shock. "How could this be?"
The suspicion of an Immortal Sovereign filled him with fury. In the past, any doubt would prompt the Immortal Court to act. If they brought him back, an Immortal Sovereign would perform a Soul Search, leaving him no escape from death.
In that moment of shock, Han Yi chose to strike.
At that instant, Immortal Monarch Suyan was completely unguarded. Or rather, after confirming the aura of the Myriad Nether Tome on Han Yi, he had let down all defenses.
Han Yi's earlier words had been designed to divert Suyan's attention from himself to "Sui Zhu Dao Ling." If this caused Suyan to reveal more weaknesses, so much the better.
When Han Yi attacked, it was with overwhelming force, like a thunderbolt.
The Green Ripple Sword, now at the peak of Sixth-Tier, harmonized with the peak Sixth-Tier Sword Control Immortal Art. In a flash, Han Yi unleashed a strike he had once used as a Senior Golden Immortal to hold his own against Jade Fate Immortal Monarch.
Now that he had ascended to Peak Golden Immortal, his combat power had more than tripled compared to that time.
Dark-green sword qi flashed through the air.
But Han Yi didn't stop there. He followed up with a punch imbued with Divine Wrath, the most powerful single-target Divine Art.
Then, after the Divine Art, a streak of silver light flashed past.
This was the fragment of the Azure Heaven Demon Halberd, unleashed with Han Yi's full power.
A sword, a fist, and a fragment of a Dao Artifact—this was Han Yi's greatest might.
Immortal Monarch Suyan reacted with blinding speed, after all, Mount Taisu was his Dao Field.
Before his Immortal Sense could even activate, his instincts detected fatal danger. With a forward strike, the entire Grand Solemn Hall seemed to flip upside down.
The light transformed from Qingping's sword, disrupted by this inversion, veered off course and swept past Immortal Monarch Suyan, sending an arm soaring skyward.
In this slowed time, a flicker of confusion finally appeared on Immortal Monarch Suyan's face.
In the next instant, Han Yi, who had been dozens of meters away, teleported right in front of him and threw a punch. A massive force exploded the space before him, slamming into his body.
In that fleeting moment, the confusion on his face slowly shifted to rage.
Confusion was the first instinctive reaction to an ambush, while rage arose from comprehending the ambush's true meaning.
Even with the palace's inversion affecting him, the punch obliterated more than half of Immortal Monarch Suyan's Immortal Body, leaving only a fragment remaining.
Only then did he finally roar:
"You..."