This aged voice was undoubtedly that of the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor.
Han Yi responded respectfully, then proceeded toward the largest palace at the mountain's summit.
Approaching the palace, he slowed his pace and looked up at the plaque suspended above its entrance, upon which the majestic characters "Sui Zhu Hall" were branded.
Through this plaque, Han Yi seemed to glimpse a supreme Daoist seated cross-legged in the Void Land, his aura heaven-shaking and earth-shattering, vast and boundless, enveloping all time and space.
He lowered his head in reverence.
This grand hall was the only such structure on Sui Zhu Mountain, and also the place where the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor practiced cultivation.
The Dao Seats of every Immortal Monarch and Immortal Sovereign were also located within this hall.
Except for their first ascent, Immortal Monarchs need only reach the foot of Sui Zhu Mountain while within the Immortal Court. By focusing their thoughts on their Dao Seat, they could be teleported to the summit after Sui Zhu Mountain's authentication.
Han Yi stepped into Sui Zhu Hall, which stood open and unguarded.
Inside, he surveyed the immense space, realizing the hall was vast beyond measure, far larger than even a major Immortal City.
Across the palace floor, at great intervals, were scattered prayer cushions of varying sizes. The smallest were barely a meter in diameter, while the largest spanned tens of thousands of feet.
Dao Seats.
Han Yi understood inwardly. If he wasn't mistaken, these prayer cushions represented the Dao Seats.
Each cushion represented a Dao Seat, and behind each seat stood an Immortal Monarch, Immortal Sovereign, or even a Dao Ancestor.
With a single glance, Han Yi took in the multitude of Dao Seat cushions and instantly knew their number.
Five hundred sixty-seven.
A slight chill ran through him.
This number indicated that the Sui Zhu Immortal Court had once been home to five hundred sixty-seven Immortals of the Immortal Monarch rank or higher.
This count included those who had fallen in battle. Even after their deaths, their Dao Seats were not revoked but preserved in perpetuity.
This was the tradition of Sui Zhu Hall.
Han Yi shifted his gaze to survey the surroundings.
The palace walls were inlaid with dazzling stars, rare gemstones, and even several ethereal Small Worlds that hung above the hall.
At first glance, it didn't seem like the interior of a palace, but rather a mysterious world unto itself.
At the deepest, most elevated point of the palace, a high throne stood. Upon this throne sat a Daoist, his white brows and crane-like hair framing a gentle smile. Though his stature was unremarkable, his presence commanded the entire hall, as if the entire world were collapsing inward toward him.
This sensation lasted for less than a fraction of a kshana.
The moment Han Yi Xin's thoughts stirred, the sensation vanished without a trace. The Daoist seated on the high platform exuded a calm aura, devoid of any overwhelming presence.
Yet Han Yi dared not dismiss him.
He lowered his head and offered a respectful greeting:
"Disciple Han Yi pays his respects to Dao Ancestor!"
From his seat above, the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor observed Han Yi entering Sui Zhu Hall. Though his expression remained unchanged, a complex mix of shock and confusion stirred within him.
The shock stemmed from Han Yi's rapid progress. In the annals of the Great Luo, only two others had advanced so quickly. One had become a Heavenly Venerable, while the other was both the swiftest Dao Ancestor to ascend and the swiftest to perish.
The confusion was simpler: before Han Yi's Immortal Ascension, the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor had attempted to investigate his origins. However, an inexplicable force—one that even startled him—had traced back to him, disrupting his inquiries. He surmised that persisting would only strengthen this counterforce, likely leaving him severely injured, if not destroyed. Moreover, even if he survived, he might uncover nothing at all.
Yet, crucially, he detected no malevolent energy in this force. It seemed solely dedicated to preventing outsiders from discerning Han Yi's true identity.
At that time, he decided to stop investigating Han Yi's identity and instead let nature take its course, allowing Han Yi to cultivate on his own.
If Han Yi truly achieved great accomplishments, he would become a member of the Age Candle, which would benefit the Age Candle as well.
Looking at Han Yi before him, the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor pointed, and a beam of Spirit Light landed on him.
Han Yi suddenly felt his perspective rise, as if he could "see" the entire Sui Zhu Hall.
"Choose a position you like and condense a meditation cushion with your Dao Thought to serve as your Dao Seat," the Dao Ancestor's voice instructed.
With a thought, Han Yi randomly selected a spot.
This position wasn't near the front, as most of those spots were already taken. Han Yi felt there was no need to compete for a place.
The position of the Dao Seat didn't determine one's strength. Being closer to the front, or to the Dao Ancestor's elevated seat, didn't necessarily mean a higher status.
After selecting his spot, Han Yi found himself already there. His thought settled beneath him, merging with the Spirit Light rising from the Sui Zhu Hall's floor. In an instant, it transformed into a meditation cushion.
The cushion was azure, manifesting in perfect harmony with Han Yi's intentions.
He sat down. In that moment, the clutter of his mind dissipated, replaced by profound stillness. He could feel a gentle aura emanating from the cushion, an aura deeply beneficial to his Immortal Monarch physique.
Han Yi felt a stirring within him, realizing this must be the amplification effect of Sui Zhu Hall.
This hall, nestled atop Sui Zhu Mountain, was the cultivation site of the Dao Ancestor. Every inch of its space was imbued with the Dao Ancestor's influence, making it extraordinary.
"Thank you, Dao Ancestor, for this audience!" Han Yi bowed deeply in gratitude.
The Dao Ancestor nodded and casually tossed him an object.
"Here are the things you need."
"You have just crossed the Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation. Now is the best time for you to go into seclusion to assimilate your gains."
"Go now!"
The Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor didn't prolong Han Yi's stay. Firstly, although Han Yi had ascended to Immortal Monarch, the path to becoming a Dao Ancestor was still long and arduous. The vast disparity in their cultivation levels made prolonged interaction inappropriate.
Secondly, having just succeeded in his Tribulation Crossing, Han Yi needed to go into seclusion to assimilate his gains, consolidate his foundation, and advance further to enhance his combat strength.
As for what he had given Han Yi, it consisted of two items perfectly suited to Han Yi's current stage, offering him optimal benefits.
Meanwhile, Han Yi felt his vision blur as the space shifted, and he found himself at the foot of Sui Zhu Mountain.
He bowed in reverence, then swiftly departed and returned to the Immortal Pavilion of the Primal Art Dao Field.
To put it simply, Immortal Venerable Yuanshu needed a millennium to establish the Boundary Heaven. Consequently, the Primal Art Dao Field remained within the territory of the Sui Zhu Immortal Court until the Boundary Heaven was fully completed, at which point it would be relocated.
Naturally, those who had broken through to the Immortal Monarch realm, such as Zhenxiao and Golden Cry, had already moved out of the Primal Art Dao Field. They established new Dao Fields beyond the borders of Sui Zhu Mountain, still within the Sui Zhu Immortal Court's territory, effectively severing their formal ties to the Primal Art Dao Field.
Once Han Yi emerged from seclusion, having fully assimilated and stabilized his cultivation, he would typically follow this same path.
Returning to the Immortal Pavilion, Han Yi retrieved the Green Ripple Sword and several Sixth-Rank Immortal Swords. He activated the Sword Realm but, instead of immediately cultivating to stabilize his realm, he took out the item given to him by the Dao Ancestor.
It was an Immortal Ring.
Holding the Immortal Ring before him, Han Yi focused his thoughts within. His eyes widened in astonishment. The ring contained three distinct spaces.
The first space held thirteen neatly arranged longswords, their design instantly recognizable to Han Yi. They were none other than the Green Ripple Sword.
"This..."
"The Qingping Sword Division! It's actually the Qingping Sword Division!"
"And there are exactly thirteen of them!"
Han Yi was deeply shaken. Unbeknownst to him, Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor had painstakingly acquired these thirteen Sub-Swords through exchanges with other Dao Ancestors from various Immortal Realms.
The Kunlun Immortal Sect hadn't eradicated the Green Ripple Sword completely, allowing it to circulate and be collected, which didn't contradict the Great Heavenly Venerable's decree.
His thoughts shifted to the second space of the Immortal Ring, where he saw a palm-sized black stone. The stone appeared ordinary, showing no signs of its true nature. But when his consciousness touched it, he realized it was an Ancient Demon Heartstone, just like the Wild Desolate Heartstone.
His heart stirred.
"An Ancient Demon Heartstone."
"The Dao Ancestor gifted this to me, likely because he knew of my Three-System Co-Cultivation."
!
"Legend has it that the Dao Ancestors hail from the Primordial Era, a time when powerful Ancient Demons were common, even some reaching the Heavenly Venerable realm."
"I wonder what cultivation realm the Ancient Demon was that formed this Heartstone."
"Anything the Dao Ancestor deems worthy enough to offer must be formidable—certainly at least Immortal Sovereign-level, perhaps even Dao Ancestor-level."
Han Yi resisted the urge to use the Ancient Demon Heartstone for now and instead retrieved the thirteen Qingping Sword Divisions.
As soon as the Sub-Swords emerged, the Green Ripple Sword, suspended above the Immortal Pavilion, reacted immediately, absorbing them and merging them into one.
"Not enough... still not enough!"
"To ascend to an Eighth-Rank Immortal Artifact, I need double the number of Sub-Swords."
The Green Ripple Sword transmitted this thought to Han Yi, who shook his head with a bitter smile.
The Green Ripple Sword had fallen into Reincarnation, scattering into countless Sub-Swords.
To have gathered so many Sub-Swords and forged them into a Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword was already an arduous feat, involving a series of coincidences and misfortunes. This included Yuan Shun, the Pure Yang Dao Ancestor, and the thirteen Sub-Swords he had just obtained, bestowed by the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor.
To continue searching would inevitably require venturing into other Immortal Realms, doubling the difficulty.
He suppressed these thoughts. Regardless, these matters would have to wait until he emerged from seclusion.
Han Yi turned his attention to the third space within his Immortal Ring.
Inside, he found a hundred gray crystals, each about the size of a finger.
Seeing these crystals, Han Yi's heart filled with joy.
"Dao Crystals!"
"They're actually Dao Crystals."
"And a hundred of them!"
"A grand move! The Dao Ancestor truly thinks big."
After an Immortal overcomes the Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation and ascends to the rank of Grand Unity Immortal Monarch, their Immortal Power, Immortal Body, Law Comprehension, and even the Immortal Spirit Realm undergo profound transformations, reaching a certain pinnacle.
From this point forward,
their cultivation resources also undergo significant changes. The most notable shift is that Immortal Stones lose their original effectiveness.
This is because the next stage of their cultivation involves comprehending Dao Principles, which are even more fundamental than ordinary Laws.
Dao Principles pertain to the operation of the Great Dao and the cyclical rotation of the Dao.
The most common auxiliary materials for cultivating Dao Principles, aside from various rare treasures of heaven and earth, are Dao Crystals.
In essence, Dao Crystals are crystallizations of Dao Principles. They can only form in certain extraordinary locations and, strictly speaking, can be considered a type of rare treasure of heaven and earth.
Dao Crystals are exceedingly rare. Unlike Spirit Stones and Immortal Stones, which are composed of low-grade energy and can be nurtured by Spirit Ores and Immortal Ores, Dao Crystals are directly born from the Great World itself. Small Worlds lack the capacity to condense Dao Crystals.
Based on their energy levels, a Great World can be divided into four categories: Spirit Stones, Immortal Stones, Dao Crystals, and Origin.
Low-level cultivators rely on Spirit Stones, Immortals use Immortal Stones for cultivation, and Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns primarily depend on Dao Crystals to comprehend Dao Principles. Only Dao Ancestors, having already achieved the Dao, find little use for Dao Crystals and instead seek the Primordial Power of the Origin to further their cultivation.
When Dongming Immortal Monarch invited Han Yi to the Abyssal Demon Nest, the two Demonic Crystals he discovered there were, in terms of energy level, equivalent to Dao Crystals.
For Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns, Dao Crystals are essential for cultivation.
Of course, it's possible to comprehend Dao Principles without Dao Crystals, though this requires venturing into treacherous lands that pose significant danger even to Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns. These perilous realms, often natural wonders of heaven and earth, are fraught with danger but also radiate the most potent, natural Dao Principles.
Han Yi focused his thoughts, carefully separating out one hundred Dao Crystals and placing them within his Immortal Spirit Realm. He then stored the Immortal Ring containing the Ancient Demon Heartstone in his Divine Aperture World.
Han Yi then entered a deep state of secluded cultivation.
This seclusion would be the longest he had undertaken since beginning his cultivation.
Within the Immortal Pavilion, Immortal Spirit Qi flowed into his body, merging with his Immortal Spirit Realm.
Although his future cultivation would focus on comprehending Dao Principles, during this critical period after his breakthrough, stabilizing his cultivation through Immortal Spirit Qi remained paramount.
Time passed imperceptibly.
When Han Yi finally emerged from the Immortal Pavilion, having stored the Sword Realm and slung the Green Ripple Sword—which had absorbed thirteen Sub-Swords—across his back, he calculated that four hundred and eighty years had elapsed.
He retrieved his Token and swept it, unleashing a torrent of information so vast it was impossible to count. Among the messages were updates from the Immortal Ease Pavilion and Li Zhengyang, early invitations from other Immortal Monarchs, and notices of Immortal Court assemblies.
Seeing no urgent matters, he stored the Token and strode out of the Immortal Court.
Having ascended to the Immortal Monarch realm and undergone eight sexagenary cycles—four hundred and eighty years—of secluded cultivation, Han Yi had thoroughly stabilized his cultivation realm and fully assimilated his accumulated power.
His strength was now several times greater than before.
With his current cultivation realm and power, he could tear through space without relying on teleportation formations. If he exerted his full strength, he could traverse an entire Immortal Domain in just half an incense stick's time.
Han Yi knew that ordinary Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns rarely used teleportation formations. These formations were strained by such usage, requiring vast amounts of energy. Moreover, teleportation formations were vulnerable to being tracked and trapped. Ripping through space himself allowed for greater freedom, control, and safety.
After half an hour, he arrived at the Azure Shu Mountain Range.
To think it had been nearly five centuries since he last returned to the sect.
Even from a distance, he could see that Azure Shu Mountain was no longer the same size. Immortals from the Profound Pill Immortal Sect had expanded it tenfold through mountain-moving and pulse-expanding techniques.
Witnessing this development, Han Yi felt a surge of pride for the Profound Pill Sect's progress.
With a flash, he covered tens of thousands of miles, silently penetrating the sect's protective formation and arriving at the back mountain of the sect.