Han Yi's confusion didn't last long.
As soon as the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor finished speaking, an illusory Boundary Heaven materialized above Han Yi's head. This vast and colossal realm, comparable in size to a mid-sized world or even half an Immortal Domain, stretched out before him.
Then, one after another, Manifest Immortal Tribulations emerged from this illusory Boundary Heaven. They swirled around, coalescing into a Tribulation Transcending Grounds that extended into the Void, transforming the entire area into a tribulation-crossing domain.
After ten breaths, the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor finally retracted the illusory Boundary Heaven.
Now, before Han Yi stood a Tribulation Transcending Grounds encircled by tens of thousands of Manifest Immortal Tribulations.
These tribulations took myriad forms: some manifested as Thunder Tribulations, flickering with blinding, sun-like brilliance; others materialized as Dao Principles, their Five Elements radiance shimmering and swirling; still others solidified into tangible entities, such as a Dao Tree or various Immortal Artifacts.
Daggers, swords, halberds, halberds, daggers, hammers, staves, fans, cauldrons, bottles, spears, mirrors, whips, teapots...
These Immortal Artifacts were not true artifacts but condensed manifestations of the Immortal Tribulation. Yet, the power they emitted surpassed that of ordinary Immortal Artifacts, with even the weakest radiating the aura of a Seventh-Rank Immortal Artifact—a truly terrifying sight.
Now, all the Manifest Immortal Tribulations formed a circle, half above the Great Luo Immortal Realm and half extending into the Void. The vast central area was Han Yi's Tribulation Transcending Grounds.
"This is the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation," the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor said calmly. "Go forth. The Inner Tribulation of the Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation should pose no difficulty for you, as long as you remain vigilant. As for the Outer Tribulation, with me here, no one will dare to interfere."
Han Yi took a deep breath and slowly walked toward the center of the circle formed by the Manifest Immortal Tribulations.
After several breaths, he stood still, looking around. The aura within him began to stir.
The tens of thousands of Manifest Immortal Tribulations conjured by the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor were not the actual Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation Han Yi needed to transcend. Instead, they served as a protective measure, akin to a Formation Art.
The Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor cultivated the "Myriad Tribulations" path, so his methods were all related to "tribulations."
As for the Great Unity Immortal Monarch Tribulation that Han Yi faced, it was far more terrifying, grandiose, and dangerous than the True Immortal Tribulation, Profound Immortal Tribulation, or Golden Immortal Tribulation.
This Immortal Tribulation was divided into Inner and Outer Tribulations.
The Outer Tribulation was relatively easy to understand, referring to external threats during the Tribulation Crossing. These could be Human Tribulations, such as assassins who lurk and strike during the crossing, or natural calamities, such as heavenly fire plummeting from the skies, destroying space.
The Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor's Myriad Tribulations Formation was designed to counteract the Outer Tribulation.
The Inner Tribulation, however, was divided into Thunder Tribulation and World Tribulation.
The Thunder Tribulation required the Tribulation Transcender to withstand the Dao Thunder, a form of Dao Lawful Divine Lightning. Its intensity and duration far surpassed even that of the Golden Immortal Tribulation.
The World Tribulation, on the other hand, targeted Han Yi's Immortal Spirit Realm.
Indeed.
In the Immortal Monarch Tribulation, not only did Han Yi need to undergo the Tribulation Crossing, but his Immortal Spirit Realm also had to endure its own trial.
The Immortal Spirit Realm would be subjected to Divine Lightning strikes. The shortest duration recorded was forty-nine days, while the longest, according to the annals of the Great Luo Immortal Realm, lasted ninety-nine years.
With each strike of Divine Lightning, the laws of the Immortal Spirit Realm harmonize more deeply with the realm itself. Eventually, these laws fully integrate, coalescing into the embryonic form of a Realm Spirit. This marks the successful transcendence of the World Tribulation.
At this moment, on the northeastern edge of the Void surrounding the Age Candle, within the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation, Han Yi released the suppressed aura that had been restraining his true power. His aura surged upward, breaking through a subtle barrier and continuing to surge with explosive force.
Witnessing this, the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, seated at the edge of the Dao Formation, his eyes gleamed with interest.
"Such a powerful aura! In terms of sheer quantity, it already rivals that of a Peak Golden Immortal, and even surpasses that of an ordinary Immortal Monarch. Among ordinary Immortal Monarchs, few could match this."
"Moreover, his combat prowess is truly formidable. To date, two ordinary Immortal Monarchs have fallen to his hand, while he remains unscathed."
"Only two years have passed since he first ascended—just two thousand years."
"With twenty thousand years remaining until the Final Tribulation, this young prodigy might yet bring me even greater surprises."
"Fellow Daoist's discerning eye truly never fails."
"However, being too discreet won't do."
"An Immortal must embrace the Nine Heavens Star River, vanquish countless enemies, and forge an Immortal Dao Heart."
"Let me help you make a name for yourself once more."
He suddenly turned his gaze toward the Eastern Sovereign Immortal Court, his eyes turning cold.
A dozen Immortal Domains away, within the Eastern Sovereign Demon Court, a Demon Venerable opened his eyes, a blood-colored, eerie light flashing within them.
"A Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation?"
"Such a brazen Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation... I'm curious which youngling is attempting it. If they fail to protect the Dao, I'll make them my mount."
The Demon Venerable rose, his mountain-like form towering. He had a lion's head and a human body, with thick, bristly fur, each hair as sharp as an Immortal Artifact.
It was none other than the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant of the Eastern Sovereign Immortal Court.
As the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant departed the Monster Court, several other Demon Venerables also stirred, eager to test their mettle. They left their Immortal Courts and hastened toward the site of the grand Immortal Tribulation.
In the Demonic Ape Demon Territory, several Immortal Domains away, the Great Sage Demonic Ape sensed the Tribulation Crossing aura of Han Yi. His crimson ape eyes blazed with murderous intent as he roared thunderously, gripping his pitch-black staff. He leaped out of his territory, heading northeast.
Within the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, several Immortal Monarchs sensed the aura of a Tribulation Crossing. After some deliberation, some rushed toward the northeastern edge of the Void.
As for the Immortal Sovereigns of the court, none appeared. Just as the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor had said, the Sui Zhu Immortal Assembly were all occupied with important matters and couldn't spare the effort to protect Han Yi's path.
Moreover, the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor had his own reasons for placing Han Yi's Tribulation Crossing at the northeastern edge of the Void. He believed that Han Yi's past cultivation had been too gentle, too low-key. Though he had climbed to the top of the three ranking lists of the Void Tower and even slain an Immortal Monarch as a Golden Immortal, it still wasn't enough—far from it. Achieving Immortal Ascension wasn't difficult for a Venerable One. What the Age Candle lacked wasn't one or two Immortal Sovereigns, but a transcendent being who could become a Dao Ancestor.
Therefore, during this Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation, he decided to place Han Yi under the spotlight, applying considerable pressure.
Within the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation, Han Yi remained unaware of all this. Even if he knew the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor's intentions, it wouldn't have fazed him. The tribulations he had endured far exceeded outsiders' imaginations. Now that he had become an Immortal Monarch, not even the Great Luo, let alone the Nine Primordial Realms or even Chaos itself, could deter him. What was there to fear?
After releasing the suppression and restraint on his aura, streams of Divine Lightning began to coalesce above the void. This was no ordinary Immortal Tribulation Divine Lightning, but pure Dao Lawful Divine Lightning, its intensity far surpassing even that of the Golden Immortal Tribulation. Even Han Yi dared not take it lightly, needing to devote his full attention to the challenge.
Boom!
A bolt of Divine Lightning struck Han Yi, yet it splashed off his body like water poured over steel, causing him no harm whatsoever.
A faint, dark gray glow emanated from Han Yi's body—the activation of his Four Origins Dao Technique.
His expression remained solemn, devoid of complacency. He knew well that this initial lightning was merely an appetizer, or at best, a pebble to mark the target. The true spectacle was yet to come.
As his thought faded,
massive bolts of Divine Lightning, each tens of thousands of miles long, began descending from the void. Ten struck Han Yi with pinpoint accuracy. Then a hundred, a thousand, ten thousand...
A dense sea of lightning transformed the entire region into a domain of Divine Thunder. For millennia to come, the Immortal Tribulation aura here would far surpass that of other areas, making it an even more prime Tribulation Transcending Grounds than the Miao Lei Domain of the Penglai Immortal Realm.
At the edge of the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation,
!
The Great Venerable Lion-Elephant arrived first. Instead of looking at Han Yi, he turned his gaze toward the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, who sat cross-legged outside the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation. He bowed respectfully, his massive Demon Body pressing down so heavily that the surrounding space began to crack and fracture.
"Greetings, Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor!"
The Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor opened his eyes, glanced at the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant, then withdrew his gaze and closed his eyes.
Although Donghuang and Age Candle were adversaries, even to the point of past invasions, the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor wouldn't dare exterminate a Demon Venerable. Such an act would inevitably provoke retaliation from the Monster Court, plunging the entire realm into chaos.
Mutual slaughter between peers was an unspoken rule, tacitly accepted by both sides.
Moreover, since Donghuang's ascension to Venerable status, although the Celestial Venerable Taiyi appeared inactive, his position as the sole Heavenly Venerable in the Great Luo realm was indisputable.
Seeing the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor avert his gaze, the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant inwardly sighed in relief. He then turned his attention to the diminutive figure within the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation, being relentlessly bombarded by thousands of bolts of Divine Lightning, and uttered a soft sound of surprise.
"It must be Age Candle's Han Yi."
"He's about to ascend to Immortal Monarch."
The Great Venerable Lion-Elephant was slightly startled. Even with his status and power, he had heard of Han Yi's name, which had resonated throughout the Great Luo Immortal Realm for nearly a millennium.
This was especially true of Han Yi's miraculous survival after enduring a direct strike from the Great Sage Demonic Ape. Though the Demonic Ape's attack had been a private scheme, the incident had become widely known within the Eastern Sovereign Demon Court, provoking significant repercussions.
For a Peak Golden Immortal to survive the attack of a Peak Immortal Monarch—even one severely injured—was a shocking feat.
Thus, the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant had previously investigated Han Yi and formed an impression of him. Now, seeing Han Yi again, he was once more astonished.
Han Yi's rate of advancement was simply too rapid, so fast that it defied belief, so fast that it was downright abnormal.
However, with the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor protecting him, the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant dared not act. Out of caution, he even retreated a significant distance, positioning himself within the Eastern Sovereign Realm.
After the Great Venerable Lion-Elephant, over a dozen more Demon Monarchs arrived from Donghuang. But upon seeing the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, they paled with fear and fled in all directions.
The Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor didn't even open his eyes, deeming them unworthy of notice.
Only after realizing that even the Myriad Tribulations himself paid them no heed did the Demon Monarchs collectively sigh in relief and turn their attention back to Han Yi, who was in the midst of his Tribulation Crossing.
"Age Candle's Han Yi."
"It's that guy! How is he crossing the Immortal Monarch Tribulation so quickly? If I'm not mistaken, he only became a Golden Immortal and climbed onto the Age Candle Golden Immortal Ranking six hundred years ago, right?"
"You're right. Six hundred years ago, he transitioned from the Profound Immortal Ranking to the Golden Immortal Ranking. He even secured a spot within the top hundred of the Age Candle Void Tower's Golden Immortal Ranking, all while being a mere ordinary Golden Immortal. That caused quite a stir back then."
"Hisss... So he spanned the entire Golden Immortal Realm in six hundred years and reached Immortal Monarch? This guy is terrifying."
"Don't forget," one of them said, "that three hundred years ago, when he was at the peak of the Golden Immortal realm, he could withstand a strike from Fellow Daoist Demon Ape. There are even rumors that he once slew a Black Realm Immortal Monarch. If that's true, he's even more terrifying than we thought."
"This guy has come of age. Even if Demonic Ape tried to kill him now, he might not succeed."
"I have a premonition that Han Yi will become the Monster Court's greatest adversary. This is going to be trouble."
The Demon Monarchs watched Han Yi, engulfed in thunder, their eyes gleaming. They didn't expect him to perish during the Immortal Tribulation. For a Heaven's Chosen defying the heavens, crossing the tribulation was never difficult.
They naturally assumed Han Yi would surely overcome the Great Unity Immortal Monarch Tribulation and become an Immortal Monarch.
However...
Some Demon Monarchs were already scheming inwardly, vowing to strike with thunderous force at the first opportunity to slay Han Yi and eliminate this threat to the Monster Court.
Meanwhile, behind Myriad Tribulations, within the territory of the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, several Immortal Monarchs had also arrived. Seeing Myriad Tribulations presiding over Han Yi's tribulation, their expressions were mostly excited and approving. However, some eyes flickered with indecision. The addition of a new Immortal Monarch to the court would naturally benefit the overall situation, but it would also divert resources, inevitably causing discontent among some.
The Age Candle is not monolithic. Even in the Mortal Realm, wars over food and territory are common, let alone in the Immortal Realm, where resources are more concentrated and cultivation progress is more decisive.
Even within the same Immortal Court, conflicts are inevitable.
However, regardless of these Immortal Monarchs' opinions on how Han Yi's impending promotion to Immortal Monarch will affect resource allocation, they are universally shocked by his Tribulation Crossing.
While the Eastern Emperor Demon Lord had obtained considerable information, it was naturally more distorted compared to what the Sui Zhu Immortal Lords knew. As the backbone of the Immortal Court, occupying mid-to-high-ranking positions, they had access to more detailed and comprehensive information about Han Yi.
This was especially true after Dongming Immortal Monarch returned nine years prior and reported to the Immortal Court how Han Yi had slain the Black Yama of Penglai in the Northern Void. This incident drew the attention of numerous Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns.
Strictly speaking, this was the first time Han Yi had publicly and conclusively slain an Immortal Monarch.
The fall of the Black Star Black Robe Immortal Lord, on the other hand, lacked concrete evidence and was merely inferred from the Immortal Court's records.
As for Han Yi's slaying of Mountain Still Immortal Monarch from the Imperial Court Immortal Court within the Ninefold Void Prison, this remained a secret known only to Yuan Shun.
Under the watchful gaze of numerous Demon Monarchs, Immortal Monarchs, and Demon Venerables, the Divine Lightning within the Myriad Tribulations Dao Formation began to slowly dissipate, revealing a figure drenched in blood at its center.
Though the figure's aura was not particularly strong, it radiated boundless vitality, steadily rising at a terrifying yet steady pace.
This was none other than Han Yi, who had just endured one of his Inner Tribulations: the Great Unity Thunder Tribulation.
Han Yi was no stranger to the Great Unity Thunder Tribulation. This time, instead of provoking the Divine Lightning, he methodically and calmly navigated through it.
Even without unleashing his Ancient God Power, his strength alone would have easily allowed him to overcome this tribulation.
Though his focus remained solely on the Tribulation Crossing, he knew that such a grand Thunder Tribulation would inevitably draw spectators. Therefore, he concealed his Ancient God cultivation, relying solely on the Immortal Path to endure it.
As the thunder dissipated, Han Yi's expression turned solemn. With two fingers, he gently extracted the Immortal Spirit Realm from within his body.
This was the World Tribulation, the first time his Immortal Spirit Realm had been revealed to the external world.