After refining the Ancient Demon Ninehowl, Han Yi decided to push his cultivation of several Sixth-Rank Immortal Arts to the Seventh-Tier, even if it meant risking everything.
These arts included the Cosmic Light Thought Realm Immortal Art, the Sword Realm, and the Fetal Transformation Disguise.
Among them, the most crucial was the Cosmic Light Thought Realm Immortal Art.
Han Yi had a strong intuition that if this art could be broken through to the Seventh-Tier and undergo a transformation, it would undoubtedly bring him immense surprise.
In fact, with this art, even if he couldn't defeat a Peak Immortal Monarch, he would at least be able to escape.
Even if he couldn't win, he could always flee—a tremendous advantage for preserving his life.
Within the Imperial Palace, Han Yi simulated the Cosmic Light Thought Realm Immortal Art using his Immortal Power. For a Sixth-Rank Immortal Art, it required little effort to manifest. In an instant, through the simulation, he traversed vast distances.
As he continued to deduce and simulate, countless insights emerged. Though each insight was small, their cumulative effect would inevitably lead to a qualitative breakthrough.
Moreover, after fully digesting the gains from the Grand Unity Immortal Tribulation, Han Yi's cultivation realm had completely entered the Grand Unity Realm. His understanding of Immortal Arts was no longer as impoverished as it had been during his Golden Immortal days.
Indeed.
From the Immortal Monarch's perspective, Han Yi's breakthrough as a Golden Immortal to Seventh-Tier Sword Flight was truly astonishing.
This breakthrough allowed him to possess the heaven-defying strength to slay ordinary Immortal Monarchs even at the Golden Immortal stage.
And now...
With the cultivation realm guaranteeing his advancement and the Panel accelerating his comprehension, his breakthrough from Sixth-Rank to Seventh-Rank Immortal Arts occurred far sooner than Han Yi had anticipated.
It took only six years.
He crossed the threshold from Sixth-Tier to Seventh-Tier, elevating the Cosmic Light Thought Realm Immortal Art to a new level.
Within the Panel, a brand new Immortal Art appeared:
Thought Realm Shift Immortal Art (Seventh-Tier 1/100)
As Han Yi read the name of this art, he immediately understood its profound implications, and a look of disbelief washed over his face.
"Hisss... It's actually a true, near-instantaneous teleportation technique! This... this..."
Overwhelmed by a surge of ecstasy and shock, his aura momentarily fluctuated.
This disturbance in his aura rippled out, affecting the Immortal Spirit Qi throughout the entirety of Heavenly Kui Mountain.
At several nearby Dao Fields, several Immortal Monarchs, startled by the disturbance, flew out of their Immortal Palaces to gaze upon Heavenly Kui Mountain.
"That's Heavenly Kui Mountain, the chosen site of Han Yi's Dao Seat."
"Wasn't he supposed to have stabilized his Cultivation Realm? This sudden fluctuation in his aura—could he have achieved another breakthrough?"
"It must be another breakthrough. His innate talent is truly terrifying."
The Immortal Monarchs speculated, sighing in awe.
At the summit of Heavenly Kui Mountain, within the Immortal Exchange Hall, Han Yi gradually regained his composure.
"Though it's merely a Shift, not true Instantaneous Movement..."
"...it's already remarkably close to a Dao Technique."
Han Yi now understood that while Immortal Arts are powerful, they operate within the confines of the Laws and Dao Principles. True transcendence is impossible.
Even mobility-type Immortal Arts must adhere to the Laws and Dao Principles of time and space.
Within the Laws of time and space, there is no such thing as Instantaneous Movement.
However, within the Dao Principles of time and space, the most powerful Dao Technique is Instantaneous Movement. With a single thought, one can traverse boundless space.
According to Han Yi's understanding, mastering such a Dao Technique requires at least the Dao Ancestor Realm. Only then can one manipulate the Dao Principles of time and space to achieve true Instantaneous Movement.
The Seventh-Rank Immortal Technique displayed on Han Yi's panel, its "Shift" function now approached the concept of instantaneous teleportation, though the distance it could cover paled in comparison to true teleportation Dao Techniques.
Exactly how far it could reach remained to be tested.
However, when this Seventh-Rank Immortal Technique was activated, Han Yi could penetrate any formation, bypassing even Dao Formations to directly teleport out.
Moreover, in the event of an ambush, he could instantly escape danger with a single thought, fleeing at a speed far surpassing other Seventh-Rank Immortal Arts. As for Eighth-Tier Immortal Arts, Han Yi had never encountered them and couldn't make comparisons.
With this realization, Han Yi felt a surge of curiosity and decided to test his newly acquired Seventh-Rank Immortal Technique.
He stepped out of the Immortal Exchange Hall. With a single thought, his figure vanished from the spot.
This disappearance wasn't due to speed blurring his form, but rather a direct erasure of his existence.
Moments later, Han Yi abruptly materialized high above the Eternal Calamity Territory, having crossed two Dao Fields beyond Heavenly Kui Mountain. The surrounding spacetime rippled with an unusual disturbance.
This fluctuation was imperceptible to all immortals below the rank of Immortal Monarch. Even among Immortal Monarchs, only those at the peak could detect it.
Han Yi turned to gaze in the direction of Heavenly Kui Mountain, a smile blossoming on his face.
In the next kshana, his body vanished from his original position and reappeared above the Immortal Market Palace.
Then, he vanished again...
Ten breaths later, Han Yi had returned to the summit of Heavenly Kui Mountain. In those ten breaths, he had completely circled the Sui Zhu Immortal Court. Based on his calculations, excluding the special effects of teleportation, the full power of this Immortal Art allowed his speed to rival that of a Peak Immortal Monarch.
Back in the Immortal Exchange Hall, Han Yi spent several breaths slowly calming his excitement.
"This means that even if I encounter a peak demon like the Great Sage Demonic Ape, even if I can't defeat him, I can still escape."
"If I ever encounter another Immortal Formation like the one last time, if I sense something amiss, I can use this to teleport away and avoid being trapped."
"This Immortal Art is truly a great surprise."
"Moreover, as this Immortal Art advances to the Eighth-Tier, even the Ninth-Tier, the distance of its teleportation will increase. Eventually, with a single thought, traversing the entire Great Luo Immortal Realm might become possible."
"If there's a Dao Guidance, transforming this Immortal Art into a Dao Technique would enable true instantaneous teleportation."
Inside the cultivation palace, Han Yi's imagination soared as he contemplated the future potential of this Immortal Art.
His gaze shifted to another technique displayed on the panel: the Sword Realm.
The Sword Realm originated from the Jade Balance Realm, initially just a Demigod technique. But under the influence of the panel, it had undergone multiple transformations and now stood at the peak of the Sixth-Tier.
Having witnessed the divine capabilities of the Seventh-Rank Thought Realm Shift, Han Yi eagerly anticipated the extraordinary properties that would emerge if the Sword Realm broke through to the Seventh-Tier.
Within the Immortal Palace, he devoted his entire focus to the Sword Realm. Through simulations powered by Immortal Power, he steadily guided this Immortal Art toward the threshold of a Seventh-Tier technique.
But then, in an instant...
Han Yi sensed something amiss. He snapped out of his cultivation, his expression shifting subtly as he flew out of the palace and gazed upward into the vast dome above.
He sensed a fracture in the Dao Principles high above the Immortal Realm. He didn't know what this meant, but he suspected it was no trivial matter. In the Profound Repository Palace's annals of the Immortal Realm's history, such a phenomenon had never been recorded.
At this moment, even ordinary Golden Immortals couldn't detect the anomalies in the Immortal Realm's Dao Principles. Only Immortal Monarchs could perceive and understand that a change had occurred in the realm's Dao.
Han Yi couldn't tell whether this change was for the better or worse. With his current cultivation, he could only vaguely sense the shift in the Dao, but couldn't discern its cause.
Within the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, several dozen Immortal Monarchs and a few Immortal Sovereigns shared Han Yi's perception. Even the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, who was cultivating in a mysterious location within the court, opened his eyes. He first looked up in confusion, but after comprehending the change in the Dao, his expression abruptly shifted.
Beyond the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, in the other Immortal Courts of the Great Luo Immortal Realm—such as Luo Tian, Imperial Court, Lingxiao, Pure Yang, Donghuang, and other Dao Fields—Immortal Monarchs and other powerful Immortals were equally alarmed.
Even beyond the Great Luo Immortal Realm, in the Eight Immortal Realms, all beings at the Immortal Monarch level and above sensed the change.
This shift in the Dao was radiating across all Nine Realms, indicating that a major event of cosmic significance, concerning the entire Primordial Great World, was either about to occur or was already unfolding.
Above Heavenly Kui Mountain, a voice resonated in Han Yi's mind—the voice of the Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor. He was summoning all Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns of the Sui Zhu Immortal Court to Sui Zhu Mountain for an urgent assembly.
Han Yi acknowledged the summons and immediately flew toward Sui Zhu Mountain. Throughout his journey, he refrained from using the Seventh-Tier Mind Realm Shift Immortal Art, opting instead for the standard flight speed of an Immortal Monarch.
Upon reaching the foot of Sui Zhu Mountain, he focused his thoughts and connected with the Dao Seat within Sui Zhu Hall. Space shifted, and he found himself standing before the azure prayer cushion—a cushion that had materialized from a fragment of Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor's consciousness when he had first chosen his seat.
Sui Zhu Hall was already filled with numerous Immortal Monarchs. Their gazes flickered as they observed Han Yi's arrival.
Han Yi met the gazes of the observing Immortal Monarchs, nodded in greeting, and slowly settled into his seat.
This was, in fact, his first time attending an assembly at Sui Zhu Hall, a gathering reserved for Immortal Monarchs and higher-ranking immortals.
Such gatherings had a special name: the Sui Zhu Seat Conference. This name derived from the hall's location—the Sui Zhu Hall itself. However, the Sui Zhu Seat Conference wasn't held at fixed intervals. It convened only in response to major events of cosmic significance.
Over nearly two millennia, numerous major events unfolded, such as the Great Luo Immortal Court's division, the establishment of the Blazing Flame Dao Court, the emergence of the Sacrificial Daoists, the Donghuang invasion, the Expedition to the Wisdom Realm, and the descent of the Chaos Evil God. These events triggered multiple Sui Zhu Seat Conferences.
Suddenly, Han Yi spotted a familiar Immortal Monarch nearby—Immortal Lord Golden Cry, whom he hadn't seen in a while.
Sensing Han Yi's gaze upon him, Immortal Lord Golden Cry turned to look back, his expression initially brightening with recognition. But the smile quickly faded, replaced by a cold detachment, as if he were looking at a complete stranger. He then turned away.
Han Yi raised an eyebrow at this peculiar reaction. The initial flicker of joy had been normal, but the abrupt shift to icy indifference, treating Han Yi as a stranger, was highly unusual. Their relationship had always been close; such a dismissive attitude was unwarranted.
Han Yi suddenly recalled that during his Great Unity Immortal Monarch Tribulation, Immortal Lord Golden Cry hadn't been present. At the time, he'd merely thought that Golden Cry must have been delayed by some urgent matter.
Now that he thought back to it, after returning to the Immortal Court, stabilizing his cultivation, emerging from seclusion, returning to Azure Shu Mountain, and then applying to establish a cultivation site on Heavenly Kui Mountain—a series of events that spanned a significant amount of time—Golden Resonance Daoist had never come looking for him.
This was completely out of character for Golden Resonance Daoist.
A sudden unease welled up in Han Yi, accompanied by ominous thoughts.
However...
Sensing Golden Resonance Daoist's aura, he found it unchanged, just as before. Moreover, while residing within the Immortal Court, it was impossible for such a ridiculous thing as Body Seizure to occur.
Suppressing his doubts for the moment, Han Yi turned his gaze to the central area of Sui Zhu Hall, focusing on the prayer cushion near the High Seat of the Age Candle.
Upon the cushion sat Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, whom he had seen several times before—the very Dao Protector who had safeguarded his Dao-Protecting Taiyi Immortal Tribulation.
Looking up, Han Yi noticed the absence of the High Seat of the Age Candle itself. This suggested that Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor was likely not only absent from the Immortal Court, but possibly even beyond the Great Luo Immortal Realm, necessitating Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor's presence to preside over the Immortal Assembly.
His gaze continued to roam, taking in the three Immortal Sovereigns: Wan Chuan, Hongwu, and Yuan Sui.
Wan Chuan and Hongwu were veteran Immortal Sovereigns, while Yuan Sui was a newly ascended Immortal Sovereign. Moreover, Yuan Sui had recently established the Yuan Sui Realm Heaven, solidifying his Immortal Sovereign status—a feat achieved even before Immortal Venerable Yuanshu.
As he surveyed the assembled Immortal Monarchs, Han Yi observed that while their expressions were solemn, they were also filled with confusion.
The solemn expressions on the faces of the three Immortal Sovereigns and Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor made Han Yi uneasy.
He refocused his gaze on Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, who was observing the assembled Immortal Monarchs and Immortal Sovereigns with a stern expression. He spoke slowly:
"A warning from the Dao."
"This warning is not confined to Great Luo alone, but affects the entire Primordial Great World."
"Two thousand years ago, during the Great Luo Division, the establishment of Brilliant Flame, and the descent of the Evil God, none of these events were deemed significant enough to warrant a warning from the Dao. These changes remained within the Great Luo Immortal Realm and did not extend to other Primordial worlds."
"But this time, it is different."
At this point, Myriad Tribulations' tone became unprecedentedly solemn.
An Immortal Monarch asked, his voice tinged with confusion, "Dao Ancestor, what exactly has changed to prompt this warning from the Dao? And what implications does it have for us?"
This question echoed the doubts shared by all present.
Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor shook his head. "To be honest, I do not know either."
"The Dao operates according to its own principles, its existence fundamentally different from ours."
"In the entire Primordial Great World, perhaps only one being can comprehend the reasons behind these changes in the Dao and their implications."
"That being..."
"Never mind, let's not dwell on that."
"Returning to the warning from the Dao, as I understand it, it signifies that a great upheaval is imminent."
Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor paused before continuing:
"The last time the Dao issued a warning was nearly a million years ago, at the end of the Primordial Era."
"You all know what happened during that warning."
The Immortal Monarchs' faces paled at these words.
They were well aware of the events at the end of the Primordial Era: the annihilation of the Ancient Gods, the shattering of the Primordial, and the birth of the Nine Realms—all major events that unfolded over tens of thousands of years.
Could it be that this current warning from the Dao would lead to similar cataclysmic changes?
The thought sent unease through the Immortal Monarchs, their hearts pounding with anxiety.
In a seat further from the center, Han Yi listened intently, his expression grave.
He had already surmised that a significant shift in the Dao meant a major event was unfolding or imminent.
But he hadn't anticipated it would be this severe.
Based on Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor's words, Han Yi deduced that this upheaval would likely overturn the very foundations of existence. After the changes concluded, not only the Age Candle, but even the Great Luo Immortal Realm itself might cease to exist.
Moreover,
as an Immortal Monarch, his own power felt utterly insignificant in the face of such cosmic upheaval.
Within Sui Zhu Hall, the immortals fell into a stunned silence for several breaths.
Seeing their reaction, Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor continued in a solemn voice:
"There's no need for excessive fear in this situation."