Han Yi was naturally aware of his concerns for Yang Jiuhuan.
Although he had gained a great opportunity by establishing a connection with the Heavenly Venerable Supreme Treasure and could cultivate rapidly with its aid, such high returns inevitably meant high risks.
This was a Heavenly Venerable Supreme Treasure. If someone tried to seize it, the attacker would undoubtedly be at least an Immortal Monarch, and even a Dao Ancestor or Heavenly Venerable might personally intervene. Even Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns would struggle to protect him from such formidable adversaries, let alone Li Zhengyang.
Moreover, Ye Wuxian seemed to be pursuing something. With the Desolate Pagoda in tow, she had to stay close to him and had faced countless formidable enemies and perilous situations. Naturally, she was reluctant to involve Li Zhengyang.
Ye Wuxian didn't prevent Han Yi from speaking with Yang Jiuhuan, but after three breaths, her expression shifted. "A Chaos Evil God is approaching," she said. "We must leave."
Han Yi's expression turned serious. He clasped his hands in a respectful salute. "If that's the case, we'll meet again."
Ye Wuxian and Yang Jiuhuan returned the salute. Then, they swiftly vanished to the side using an escape technique. Their speed rivaled Han Yi's full-speed flight. As they moved, ripples spread through the Void, but they quickly smoothed out, erasing all traces of their passage and any lingering Causality.
Whether the Immortal Sovereign could detect it remained uncertain, but with Han Yi's current cultivation, it was impossible to trace.
This was an excellent method for concealing one's tracks.
With this thought, Han Yi swiftly vanished into the distance using an escape technique from the North Mang Immortal Scripture, erasing all traces behind him and leaving no karmic consequences.
Moments later, a Chaos Evil God descended upon the scene. With a gentle gesture, he gathered the fragmented soul of the fallen Guangpu Xiefo. However, when he attempted to investigate further, he found the soul utterly muddled, devoid of any discernible information. This indicated that the Immortal Artifact or Immortal who had slain the Demonic Buddha possessed extraordinary essence or power, rendering all traces undetectable.
The Chaos Evil God let out a sinister laugh and murmured, "Fascinating!"
Had a Great Immortal Venerable or Dao Ancestor been present, they would have discerned that this Chaos Evil God was not one of the four who had descended from the Chaos, nor the Lord of the Evil Mountain. Instead, he was a former Peak Immortal Monarch, an Evil Immortal who had undergone a metamorphosis through exposure to a Malevolent Aura, transforming into a true Chaos Evil God.
Numerous such transformed Chaos Evil Gods existed in the depths of the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool.
The Chaos Evil God shifted its approach, probing the traces in the Void. It then detected a faint aura trail, one that would have eluded even an Immortal Monarch.
Only by ascending to the Immortal Sovereign realm, reaching a higher cultivation level and beginning to comprehend Dao Principles, could one perceive such subtleties.
"How intriguing."
With a subtle flicker, the Chaos Evil God began to pursue the aura trail.
This aura belonged to Han Yi.
After escaping tens of thousands of miles, Han Yi suddenly felt a pang of dread, sensing an imminent, unseen danger closing in.
The Chaos Evil God.
It was indeed the Chaos Evil God, and this Evil God must be an Immortal Sovereign. Only at that level could it instill such terror across such vast distances.
Han Yi's face paled, but he remained calm.
Without hesitation, he altered his course, hurtling toward a specific location within the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool.
He didn't attempt to flee beyond the Heavenly Pool. At his current speed, the pursuer would catch him before he could escape.
Facing the Chaos Evil God, he possessed trump cards, yet held no hope of victory. With his Life Seed depleted, he struggled to wield even his Ancient Divine Artifact. Moreover, Taiyuan had explicitly warned him against intervening. This was undoubtedly a fatal predicament.
Therefore, Han Yi chose to head straight for an Immortal Monarch-level battlefield.
The moment he entered the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool, he had spotted this battlefield. Immortal Monarchs of the Immortal Path, Demon Monarchs of the Demon Race, and numerous Evil Immortals were locked in fierce combat, occupying a vast area.
However, hoping to replicate his previous success and obtain a Life Seed, Han Yi had bypassed the battlefield and ventured deep into the Heavenly Pool.
But now, danger closing in, Han Yi's only viable option was that very Immortal Monarch battlefield.
Upon reaching the battlefield, the Chaos Evil God would undoubtedly strike first at other Immortal Monarchs or Demon Monarchs.
Better to save oneself than a Fellow Daoist.
Han Yi wasn't foolish enough to cling to outdated principles in this situation.
In less than ten breaths, he covered the vast distance and plunged directly into the Immortal Monarch battlefield.
Ahead, a Demon Monarch and a female Evil Immortal clashed—a pair of Senior Immortal Monarch-level combatants.
Han Yi aimed for the female Evil Immortal's position. She was a half-naked female immortal who leered at him with a sinister smile. A wave of terrifyingly cold, malevolent energy surged toward his mind.
But behind them, an Immortal Sovereign had descended, bringing imminent danger. Facing the Malevolent Female Immortal, Han Yi immediately used the Spirit God Concealment to evade, sweeping past the battlefield of the Immortal Lord and fleeing deeper into the pool.
The Malevolent Female Immortal was slightly taken aback. In her eyes, Han Yi was merely a lowly Golden Immortal. For a Golden Immortal to be immune to her Bewitching Heart Immortal Art was unprecedented—this was the first time she had ever encountered such a thing.
Just as the Evil Immortal stood stunned, the Demon Monarch, who had been preparing to attack, suddenly brightened. But in the next instant, his expression drastically changed, and he abandoned his assault to flee.
In that fleeting moment, the Evil Immortal hesitated, considering pursuit, when a furious roar echoed from behind, accompanied by a swift approach.
"Get lost!"
The Evil Immortal's face paled.
In truth, no organized group of Evil Immortals existed within the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool. These beings were inherently lawless, defying all constraints. Even under the authority of the Chaos Evil God above, they only answered to summons, not commands. Outside the deepest recesses of the pool, each Evil Immortal carved out their own territory, vying for dominance.
It could be said that every Evil Immortal was a natural enemy, destined never to unite.
Hearing the furious roar behind her, the Senior Immortal Monarch-level Evil Immortal swiftly used her Escape Technique. But she was a step too slow, and the terrifying malevolent aura sent her flying, crashing into a floating landmass and shattering it into fragments.
After blasting away the obstructing Evil Immortal, the Chaos Evil God, his gaze dark, continued his search for Han Yi. However, his path was blocked by a towering figure.
Before him stood a six-zhang-tall Demon Monkey, wielding a golden staff and clad in gilded battle armor. The creature licked its lips, radiating a battle aura that pierced the heavens.
The Chaos Evil God's dark eyes reflected the six-zhang-tall Demon Monkey. This time, he didn't casually blast the creature away as he had with other Immortal Armies. Instead, a hint of solemnity appeared on his face.
"Donghuang, First Great Sage, Great Sage Lingming."
Ahead, the six-zhang-tall Great Sage Lingming swung his golden staff downward, the golden rod shattering space and dispersing malevolent entities, as if reenacting the primordial Chaos.
Han Yi, who had fled, suddenly felt the lingering unease in his heart dissipate. Turning back, he saw the golden, heaven-piercing staff shattering space and dominating the Immortal Lord Battlefield. His expression changed.
This sight reminded him of something, and he gasped aloud.
"Great Sage Lingming!"
"That's right, it's Great Sage Lingming—the first Great Sage of the Eastern Emperor, who, despite being in the Immortal Monarch Realm, once wielded this staff to slay an Immortal Sovereign—a heaven-shaking demon monkey."
Han Yi took a deep breath.
In his previous life, there was a mythological masterpiece that featured a demon monkey strikingly similar to this one. That monkey bore a household name, a title that echoed through the ages:
Great Sage Equaling Heaven.
Of course, such a title held no reality in this world. The "Heaven" here was clearly of a higher essence, so even the most arrogant Great Sage of the Eastern Emperor could never truly "Equal Heaven."
Before Han Yi could recover from his shock, he sensed an attack approaching from the side. He blurred into motion, evading the strike, and turned to see a Demon Race Evil Immortal.
This evil immortal was a demon of the Demon Race, its demonic aura and evil qi intertwining in chaotic disarray.
Such Evil Immortals were not uncommon in the Great Luo Immortal Realm. Many Human Race Immortals had fallen into evil, and no fewer Demon Race Immortals had descended into depravity.
Sensing the aura of the Demon Race Evil Immortal, Han Yi realized it was merely that of an ordinary Immortal Monarch. His eyes turned cold.
With a subtle flicker, he charged toward the Evil Immortal.
The Green Ripple Sword in his hand swept through the air, the Ninth Form of the Sword Manual—Great Unrestrained—manifesting. Invisible sword light coalesced into a realm of boundless freedom, enveloping the Evil Immortal.
The Evil Immortal's expression abruptly changed, but it was too late.
Han Yi's strike was a full-powered blow. In actual combat, he was even more focused and powerful than in the Void Tower, completely overwhelming an ordinary Immortal Monarch.
Whoosh!
The sword light flashed, severing the Evil Immortal's head from its body. With a Peng, it reverted to its original form and was reduced to dust with a flick of Han Yi's hand.
These Evil Immortals were inherently malevolent entities. While absorbing them into the Divine Aperture World might have secondary effects, the primary concern was attracting the attention of Chaos Evil Gods, who might track him down. The risk outweighed the reward, so he preferred to reduce them to dust outright.
In an instant, Han Yi had slain an Immortal Monarch-level Demon Race Evil Immortal. The surrounding Immortal Monarchs exchanged glances, their eyes filled with shock.
To Han Yi, none of this mattered. His heart remained devoid of emotion as he turned and swept forward, leaving this Immortal Monarch Battlefield behind.
In his view, this Immortal Monarch-level battlefield was extremely dangerous. Despite his strength, entering at the Golden Immortal Realm would inevitably make him the top target for slaughter by the numerous Evil Immortals. After all, the satisfaction of slaying a low-realm Immortal with high combat prowess—a Heaven's Chosen—was an allure that drove Evil Immortals wild.
After he escaped,
the surrounding Immortal Monarchs and Demon Monarchs gasped inwardly, their hearts trembling.
Han Yi's reputation was well-known, but his fame had been earned entirely within the Void Tower. In actual combat, he had never faced a true Immortal Monarch.
Yet what they had just witnessed—a single sword strike that slew a Demon Race Evil Immortal—was undeniable proof of his prowess. Even if they had faced that sword themselves, they likely wouldn't have fared much better than the slain Evil Immortal; they would have met the same fate.
This meant Han Yi's combat strength wasn't mere rumor, but a tangible reality they had witnessed with their own eyes.
"That sword technique must be a Seventh-Tier Immortal Art."
"And that Immortal Sword is also Seventh-Tier."
"To wield Seventh-Tier power at the Golden Immortal Realm... Han Yi's Immortal Power is terrifyingly potent."
"His speed is no less remarkable. He's undoubtedly reached the Grand Unity realm."
"This young man's future knows no bounds."
Han Yi fled through the void, leaving the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool and arriving at the Immortal City he had teleported to earlier. From there, he used a Transmission Formation to reach the Age Candle.
Only after exiting Nine Rivers Plaza did Han Yi's tension gradually subside.
"The might of an Immortal Sovereign... my current strength is far from sufficient."
"Even if I ascend to Immortal Monarch, I wouldn't be a match for one for now."
"Unless I reach the Senior, or even Peak Immortal Monarch realm."
"Enough. It's too early to dwell on such things."
Suppressing his wandering thoughts, Han Yi visited the Golden Immortal Pavilion to submit his achievements from the Emperor's Fall Heavenly Pool. The Realm Spirit verified the authenticity of his deeds using the information recorded on his token, ultimately granting him the corresponding Immortal Marks.
However, these Immortal Marks held little significance for Han Yi now.
Returning to the Immortal Pavilion, he spent the time it takes an incense stick to burn documenting his recent experiences, particularly focusing on the Desolate Pagoda cradled in Yang Jiuhuan's arms—a Heavenly Venerable Supreme Treasure that had broadened his horizons.
Three Great Heavenly Venerables had once graced the Great Luo Immortal Realm. He had already witnessed the supreme treasures and artifacts of the Abyssal Heavenly Venerable and Heavenly Venerable Ye. Yet, not a single trace remained of the most ancient Heavenly Venerable Qin, long since washed away by the river of time.
Every individual who achieves the rank of Heavenly Venerable is extraordinary, a Chosen among Chosen, a cultivator favored by the Dao, and utterly unique throughout eternity.
At that moment, Han Yi suddenly recalled the Kunlun Immortal Realm and the two Heavenly Venerables residing on Kunlun Mountain, one of whom was the Great Heavenly Venerable, who had dominated the Immortal Realm for countless millennia.
These were living Heavenly Venerables.
The pressure of opposing Kunlun Mountain was unimaginable.
Of course, Han Yi wasn't yet worthy of challenging Kunlun Mountain.
In truth, with the might of a Heavenly Venerable, it would have been entirely possible to locate the Qingping Sword Division and extinguish the last shred of the Interception Sect's luck. Yet Kunlun Mountain had chosen not to act, suggesting there must be a deeper reason.
Han Yi's acquisition of Qingping and inheritance of this fragment of the Interception Sect's luck was also destined by the heavens. Even if the Heavenly Venerables of Kunlun Mountain were to learn of it, destruction wouldn't be their only course of action.
But he dared not gamble.
Therefore, apart from his initial unwitting visit to the Kunlun Immortal Realm, he never deliberately returned.
Sweeping away his distracting thoughts, he resumed his cultivation.
His path to becoming an Immortal Monarch had begun, though when he would truly ascend to that realm remained uncertain.
Twenty years later.
Golden Resonance Daoist had fully ascended to the Immortal Monarch Realm and established the Golden Cry Daoist Temple. Han Yi emerged from seclusion to attend the inauguration. Though he drew attention, he maintained a low profile, quietly observing from the sidelines, careful not to upstage the main event.
Another twenty years passed.
A new Boundary Heaven emerged in the Age Candle, named Yuan Sui. This was the ascension of Immortal Monarch Yuansui, the former master of the first Dao Field, to Immortal Sovereign status, giving birth to this new Boundary Heaven.
With this, the Age Candle gained a new Immortal Sovereign who possessed a Boundary Heaven: Immortal Sovereign Yuansui.
A century later, Han Yi returned to the Profound Pill Sect. He had come to serve as Dao Protector for Lian Tingxi, who was undergoing his True Immortal Tribulation.
This marked the first True Immortal from the former Profound Pill Sect, a monumental achievement that would usher in a new era for the sect.
Lian Tingxi did not disappoint, successfully breaking through to True Immortal status, bringing immense satisfaction to Han Yi.
In truth, Han Yi had initially believed He Fengdi would be the first Demigod to ascend to True Immortal status. However, with Yuan Hong's emergence, Lian Tingxi was able to devote more time to cultivation, eventually surpassing his peers and reaching the critical breakthrough point first.
After successfully protecting Lian Tingxi's Tribulation Crossing, Han Yi decided to continue cultivating in the Azure Shu Mountain Range.
In the twentieth year of his secluded cultivation in the Azure Shu Mountain Range, Han Yi received a message. Without hesitation, he left Azure Shu Mountain and teleported northward to the North Pole Immortal City.
From there, he ventured further into the Northern Region's Void, heading straight for the cluster of Immortal Fortresses stationed in the area.