Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch's previously dormant heart reignited with strength at Golden Resonance Daoist's words.
Forget about Immortal Sovereigns—even having a Peak Immortal Monarch as an ally would mean the Nine Sparrow Hall no longer needed to fear the Nether Luo Hall's threats.
Within the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect, whether it was their Refining Branch Sect or any other, power reigned supreme, and this brutal reality was openly acknowledged.
If they could suppress the Nether Luo Hall, even if the conflict escalated to the Great Hall of the Branch Sect, they wouldn't face consequences.
Just as when the Half-Step Immortal Monarch of the Wood Sparrow Lineage perished, the Immortal Sovereigns and Immortal Monarchs in the Great Hall likely suspected the Nether Luo Hall was behind it. But without conclusive evidence or leverage, they wouldn't condemn the Peak Immortal Monarch Lord of the Netherworld Hall.
The primary reason for this was the stark disparity in power between the Nether Luo Hall and the Nine Sparrow Hall. This power gap directly translated into their hierarchical status.
If the situation were reversed, and the Nine Sparrow Hall suppressed the Nether Luo Hall, then "righteousness" would be on the Nine Sparrow Hall's side.
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch understood this perfectly.
However...
Unbeknownst to him, Golden Resonance Daoist's heart was pounding with anxiety.
Although Han Yi had assured him that even if he couldn't win, he could still escape with him, facing a Peak Immortal Monarch would be extremely dangerous.
After all, this was a Peak Immortal Monarch! Even if not as powerful as Immortal Monarch Yuanshu, such a figure would still rank among the top echelons of the Sui Zhu Immortal Court.
He believed that even within the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect, this individual would be considered a leading expert.
If he were to face them alone, he would likely be instantly annihilated.
For now, his only option was to place his complete trust in Han Yi.
Based on his understanding of Han Yi, he believed things wouldn't go terribly wrong.
Within the Immortal Spirit Realm, as if sensing Golden Resonance Daoist's unease, Han Yi added:
"Senior Brother, there's no need to worry too much."
"The Nether Luo Hall has three Immortal Monarchs. The one likely to attack us won't be the Hall Master himself, but the Senior-level Starshadow Immortal Monarch."
"Against a Peak Immortal Monarch, my chances of victory are uncertain."
"But against a Senior Immortal Monarch, as long as they're not some heaven-defying prodigy, I can definitely defeat them."
Han Yi's declaration, "I can slay them," sounded so effortless. For low-level cultivators, wielding exceptional Magic Artifacts, Mana, or Spells, it wasn't difficult to surpass their rank and slay their opponents.
But for Immortal Monarchs, it was an immense challenge.
At the Immortal Monarch level, each Cultivation Realm was like a heavenly chasm, requiring vast amounts of time to cross and reach.
However...
He was no ordinary Immortal Monarch. Even at the Peak Golden Immortal stage, he had a record of slaying Senior Immortal Monarchs within the Void Tower.
Now that he had ascended to Immortal Monarch and made breakthroughs in his Immortal Arts, his strength was more than ten times greater than when he first stormed the Void Tower.
Moreover, his Ancient God cultivation, nurtured by the gradual influence of divine power over the years, had reached the Peak Void Extremity Realm.
Therefore, the overall enhancement of his strength was nothing short of earth-shattering.
Facing Senior Immortal Monarchs again, he naturally had the confidence to slay them.
Hearing Han Yi's explanation, Golden Resonance Daoist remained uneasy inwardly, but with no other choice, he steeled himself to press forward.
Within the Nine Sparrow Hall, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch pondered for a moment before finally believing Golden Resonance Daoist's words.
Or perhaps, he was willing to take a gamble.
Even in the worst-case scenario, it couldn't be worse than his current situation, waiting for death.
He wanted to contribute one last effort to the Nine Sparrow Hall before death claimed him.
"Very well, Fellow Daoist Jin Ming, please follow me."
"The Golden Sparrow lineage is the main vein of the Nine Sparrow Hall. The inheritances of all nine veins, including the main vein, are located deep within the hall."
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch led Golden Cry deeper into the Nine Sparrow Hall.
Golden Cry's heart lifted slightly; this was far smoother than he had anticipated.
However, he knew that such ease came at a price: the trials ahead would be arduous. He had mentally prepared for this long ago.
After walking for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch finally stopped before a massive bronze door.
Han Yi, hidden within the Immortal Spirit Realm within Golden Cry, kept a constant watch on the outside world and also observed this bronze door.
The door was not adorned with particularly ornate carvings.
However, near the sides, there were nine narrow cavities, each framed with a different color, totaling nine hues.
At that moment...
Before the massive bronze doors, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch turned sideways to face Golden Cry.
"Beyond these doors lies the Nine Vein Inheritance, traditionally opened only by the Hall Master."
"As the acting Hall Master, I can open this door for you, Fellow Daoist. Once you emerge, you will become the true Hall Master."
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch emphasized the words "true Hall Master," and Golden Cry understood the unspoken meaning.
He nodded solemnly.
"Fellow Daoist, rest assured. After accepting the inheritance, I will naturally uphold its karmic consequences. I won't leave until the Nine Sparrow Hall is stabilized."
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch nodded without further comment. He turned and drew a silver longsword, which he inserted into the silver sockets flanking the bronze doors. Silver light spread from the insertion points, gradually covering the entire door.
With a deep rumble, the bronze doors slowly creaked open.
Golden Resonance Daoist took a deep breath and stepped through the doorway.
The bronze doors creaked shut behind him.
Outside, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch removed his silver sword and stood at attention, the blade upright before him. His eyes flickered with divine light, which gradually faded into stillness. He closed his eyes, becoming a living statue as he guarded the bronze doors.
After the bronze gate closed, Golden Resonance Daoist found himself in a corridor lined with countless mysterious sword patterns etched into the walls.
Guided by an inexplicable calling, he walked deeper into the passage. At its farthest reaches, he crossed a spatial barrier and entered a domed chamber. At the chamber's center stood a colossal golden sword.
When Golden Resonance Daoist clearly saw the Giant Sword, his face lit up with excitement. This was no longer a handleless, fragmented inheritance, but a complete Immortal Sword—a full Seventh-Tier Inheritance.
He stepped closer to the massive Immortal Sword, engulfed by its golden radiance.
In the Immortal Spirit Realm, Han Yi sat cross-legged in mid-air, using the Four Origins Dao Technique to mask his aura.
He observed the Giant Sword within the Immortal Spirit Realm undergoing gradual transformation. A hilt slowly materialized beneath the blade.
Seeing this, he nodded.
"The Immortal Monarch's inheritance is finally complete."
"Now there will be no more risk of split personalities."
Half a month later, deep within Nine Sparrow Hall, before the ancient bronze doors, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch abruptly opened his eyes and turned to see a golden light slowly emerge from the doors. The light spread out, merging into the narrow, nine-colored caves on either side.
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch's face lit up with excitement, tears welling in his eyes.
Eight thousand years. It had been eight thousand years since he inherited the position of Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall. During that time, under his stewardship, the hall had lost seven of its nine veins, leaving only the Silver and Water veins remaining.
Now, the Golden Sparrow Main Vein had returned, finally granting Nine Sparrow Hall a true Master once more.
Even if he were to die in battle, he would have fulfilled his duty to the hall.
The golden light filled the air as the ancient bronze doors swung open completely.
Golden Resonance Daoist emerged slowly, carrying a golden longsword in his hand.
At this moment, within his Immortal Spirit Realm, there was no longer the Heaven-Piercing Giant Sword.
Originally, due to an incomplete inheritance, the Immortal Sword could only be integrated into his Immortal Spirit Realm as a support. Now that the inheritance was complete, he finally had full control over the sword and no longer needed to merge it into his Immortal Spirit Realm. He could now wield it freely.
The longsword in his hand was taken directly from his Immortal Spirit Realm: the Golden Sparrow Immortal Sword.
Though the sword's aura had diminished somewhat due to the loss of its true hilt, it still surpassed ordinary Seventh-Rank Immortal Swords in power.
The bronze gates slowly closed behind him. Golden Cry could sense a deeper connection between himself and the Immortal Palace, for he had become the Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall.
"Greetings, Hall Master," Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch said, bowing deeply.
From that moment on, he acknowledged Golden Cry's position.
Golden Resonance Daoist nodded and led the way to the Nine Sparrow Main Hall.
"Summon the Golden Immortals of the Silver Sparrow and Water Sparrow lineages," he declared. "Announce to the world that the Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall has returned. All Nine Lineages that have wandered afar may now return and restore the glory of Nine Sparrow!"
His voice resonated with authority.
Back at the Primal Art Dao Field, when Immortal Monarch Yuanshu was absent, Golden Cry had been entrusted with managing the entire Dao Field. His administrative prowess far surpassed that of ordinary Immortals.
Even before reaching the Blazing Sun Mountain Range, he had already devised countless plans for revitalizing Nine Sparrow Hall after receiving the inheritance. He was fully prepared.
If everything went smoothly, it would take only a millennium to settle the karmic debt.
At that time, he would have the freedom to choose whether to remain with the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect or return to the Sui Zhu Immortal Court. Even balancing both options would be feasible.
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch acknowledged the orders, his heart surging with excitement. Drawing his sword, he strode out of Nine Sparrow Hall to summon the remaining two lineages across Nine Sparrow Mountain. He also prepared to widely announce the recall of the seven lost lineages, aiming to restore the glory of Nine Sparrow.
Inside the Nine Sparrow Main Hall, Golden Resonance Daoist immersed his consciousness into the Immortal Spirit Realm, communicating with Han Yi within.
"Junior Brother, when do you think the crisis will begin?"
Han Yi's expression suddenly hardened. "The crisis could erupt at any moment."
"For example..."
"Now!"
As soon as the words left his lips, Han Yi's physical form vanished from the Immortal Spirit Realm.
At the same instant, in the main hall, Golden Resonance Daoist's eyes snapped open, a look of shock appearing in his gaze.
Before him, less than ten meters away, an invisible black illusory figure materialized, holding a sword and swiftly closing the distance.
Too fast.
By the time Golden Resonance Daoist realized the danger and registered the figure's presence, the pitch-black sword light was already perilously close.
I'm dead!
I'm definitely dead!
In that split second, he couldn't react, but the thought flashed through his mind, overwhelming his consciousness.
In a fraction of a kshana—
Bang!
A streak of azure sword light materialized before him, deflecting the incoming pitch-black strike.
A tall, slender figure stepped in front of Golden Resonance Daoist, dispelling the frozen terror that had gripped his mind and allowing his frantic thoughts to resume their frantic pace.
The figure before him was none other than Han Yi.
In truth, ever since entering the Blazing Flame Mountain Range, Han Yi had kept his senses fully alert, vigilant against ambushes whether he was in the reception hall, on Nine Sparrow Mountain, or deep within Nine Sparrow Hall.
Putting himself in the Master's shoes, if he were the Master of Nine Sparrow Hall, he would have chosen to swiftly strangle his enemies and extinguish any hope for the hall.
Just moments ago, as he emerged from the depths of Nine Sparrow Hall, he sensed a faint trace of murderous intent.
As expected, this murderous intent didn't remain hidden for long, manifesting as a lethal strike aimed at Golden Cry.
After Han Yi used the Green Ripple Sword to deflect the pitch-black sword light, the illusory figure opposite him failed to reveal its True Body, maintaining its concealed form.
Moreover, the figure wasn't deterred by the counterattack and instead charged forward again.
Han Yi's eyes narrowed as the Green Ripple Sword flashed out from his hand once more.
This time, it wasn't a defensive move, but a full-force killing strike.
A Seventh-Tier Peak Green Ripple Sword, combined with a Seventh-Rank Immortal Technique, and the power of an Immortal Monarch.
This was the full power he could unleash after ascending to the Immortal Monarch realm.
The sword light, azure-black, radiated an infinite power capable of piercing through time and space. With a single strike, it reached the illusory figure.
The figure countered with its own sword, but the pitch-black sword light shattered upon contact with the Green Ripple Sword.
The illusory figure gasped in shock. "An Eighth-Rank Immortal Sword?"
The illusory figure's attack was met with the relentless Green Ripple Sword Light. The sweeping blade severed the Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword in his hand, its residual force then slicing off the illusory figure's left hand.
With a stifled groan, the figure whirled around and fled.
The shattered Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword, its fragments now scattered across the sky, transformed into countless shards of sword debris hurtling toward Han Yibiao.
Even a peak Immortal Monarch would approach the destructive potential of these fragments with caution.
He believed he could still escape.
Behind him, Han Yi's expression turned cold. "Can you really escape?"
He took a single step forward.
With this single step, he vanished from Nine Sparrow Hall, appearing high above the mountain.
Behind him, Daoist Golden Resonance, who had been dragged out along with him, trembled violently.
Han Yi's step had left no trace of spatial displacement, as if he had teleported.
But teleportation was a Dao Technique, a power reserved for the Dao Ancestors.
Could it be that Han Yi had mastered a Dao Technique that allowed him to teleport?
No wonder he had earlier claimed that even if he couldn't defeat a peak Immortal Monarch, he could still escape.
So that's how it was.
Understanding dawned on Daoist Golden Resonance's face, followed by an uncontrollable surge of elation.
If Han Yi possessed this ability, and they were as close as brothers, didn't that mean he effectively possessed this ability too?
The realization filled him with overwhelming excitement, causing his body to tremble violently.
And with that single step, he too had left Nine Sparrow Hall.
Han Yi didn't look down at Nine Sparrow Hall, which was being destroyed by countless fragments of broken swords. Instead, he gazed into the vast sky and swung his sword again.
The sword light flickered with boundless freedom, embodying the Ninth Form of the Sword Canon: Great Unrestrained.
Although Han Yi had cultivated the higher-level Mi Luo Primordial Chaos True Scripture, which included the Mi Luo Primordial Chaos Sword Canon, this new sword canon was extremely difficult. He had temporarily set it aside to focus on cultivating the Seventh-Rank Immortal Technique, the Thought Realm Shift Immortal Art. Therefore, the highest sword form he currently mastered remained the Great Unrestrained.
Several dozen miles away, the fleeing illusory figure suddenly felt overwhelming terror—the premonition of death. He opened his mouth to cry out, but a streak of sword light erupted from space, engulfing his body and annihilating even his Immortal Soul.
A hand reached into the destructive sword light, retrieved the Immortal Spirit Realm, and stored it within the Divine Aperture World. The owner of this hand was none other than Han Yi, who had taken another step forward.
After securing the Immortal Spirit Realm, he took a third step, placing him behind Golden Resonance Daoist. With a swift motion, he used an Escape Technique to enter the Immortal Spirit Realm.
From the moment the illusory figure first appeared to this instant, only half a breath of time had passed. In that brief span, Han Yi had swung his sword twice and taken three steps. And in those casual two sword strikes and three steps, a Senior Immortal Monarch had been utterly annihilated.
Golden Resonance Daoist took a deep breath.
In the next moment.