After two sword strikes and three steps, Han Yi returned to Daoist Jinming's Immortal Spirit Realm.
In the skies above Nine Sparrow Mountain, only Daoist Jinming remained.
He looked down at Nine Sparrow Hall below, his gaze shifting from shock to sharp focus.
Had Han Yi not intervened, even unleashing the full power of the Golden Sparrow Sword would have been insufficient to save him.
Dangerous.
It was truly too dangerous.
Below, Nine Sparrow Hall began to collapse. This collapse would not affect the Ancient Bronze Gate deep within, which guarded the inheritance. That inheritance existed in another dimension, sustained by the gate's presence.
Having just received the inheritance and emerged from seclusion, he had been immediately targeted for assassination—a blatant blow to Nine Sparrow Hall.
The internal strife within the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect's Refining Division had escalated to such a perilous extent.
As these thoughts raced through his mind, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch, who had fled earlier, arrived on the scene.
He activated the Nine Sparrow Mountain Guardian Formation, a Seventh-Tier Formation Art that required vast amounts of energy to activate, hence it remained dormant most of the time.
Seeing Daoist Jinming safely suspended in the air, he breathed a sigh of relief. Approaching, he asked:
"Are you injured, Hall Master?"
Golden Resonance Daoist descended. "Let's go down and see who dared to do this."
At the shattered palace, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch gently beckoned and retrieved a pitch-black sword fragment. Calling it a fragment was hardly suitable, as it was no larger than a fingernail.
"The aura on this is unmistakably that of a Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword—the Eternal Darkness Immortal Sword, belonging to Starshadow Immortal Monarch."
"Was Starshadow Immortal Monarch the one who just fell?"
"Hall Master, did you kill Starshadow Immortal Monarch?"
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch whirled around, his eyes blazing with heaven-shaking intensity as he stared intently at Golden Resonance Daoist, seeking confirmation in his expression or gaze.
Golden Resonance Daoist neither confirmed nor denied.
With a flash, he returned to the site where Han Yi had just slain the Illusory Immortal Monarch with a single sword strike. There, he unsheathed the Golden Sparrow Immortal Sword and suspended it in the void. Immortal Power surged, its fluctuations rapidly spreading for dozens of miles in all directions.
This technique, leveraging the power of the Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword, the Golden Sparrow Sword, disrupted the surrounding causality, grinding any lingering souls of Immortal Monarchs in the vicinity into dust.
Even if someone were to investigate later, they would find not a single trace.
Then...
He descended, standing amidst the ruins of Nine Sparrow Hall, now half-collapsed. He gathered the shattered fragments of Immortal Swords from the surroundings, storing them in a special Cosmic Immortal Ring. After casting an Immortal Art to suppress their auras, he finally transferred them into the Immortal Spirit Realm.
Having completed this, he turned to Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch and said:
"This matter should not be widely publicized for now. If other Immortal Sovereigns inquire, you may say that an enigmatic Immortal Monarch attempted an assassination, but I startled him away."
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch nodded vigorously. A faint flush of excitement appeared on his pale face.
Though Golden Cry hadn't explicitly acknowledged killing Starshadow Immortal Monarch, his actions made the conclusion obvious.
"Fellow Daoist Silver Sparrow, has something happened? The Nine Sparrow Grand Formation hasn't been activated in years. Its sudden activation must signify a significant event."
"Old Ghost Silver Sparrow, why all the mysterious posturing? Are you on your deathbed?"
Eight Immortal Monarchs approached Nine Sparrow Mountain from all directions. Some looked concerned, others thoughtful, some inquisitive, and a few sneered continuously.
Golden Resonance Daoist held the Golden Sparrow Sword. With a slight tremor of the blade, he deactivated the Nine Sparrow Mountain Guardian Formation. This Golden Sparrow Sword served as both a Seventh-Rank Immortal Sword and the central control artifact for Nine Sparrow Mountain.
Silver Sparrow had been able to activate the Immortal Formation earlier because, in the urgency of the moment, his authorization remained active.
Golden Resonance Daoist rose from the ruins of Nine Sparrow Hall, looked around, clasped his hands, and declared in a clear voice:
"I am Golden Cry, the newly appointed Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall."
"An assassin recently stormed our hall and destroyed the main hall. However, I startled the assailant away. With Nine Sparrow Hall in ruins, Fellow Daoists, please bear with us for a few days. Once the main hall is rebuilt, we will certainly invite you all to gather and discuss the Dao."
Han Yi's voice was so loud that not only the eight Immortal Monarchs near Nine Sparrow Mountain heard him, but even those thousands of miles away, observing the events on Nine Sparrow Mountain, could clearly hear him.
"Golden Cry?"
"Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall?"
"When did this happen?"
"What about the Old Ghost Silver Sparrow?"
"A Fellow Immortal Monarch-level assassin? This new Hall Master seems quite capable."
"Fascinating. I wonder how Nether Luo Hall will react."
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch stepped forward to explain:
"Fellow Daoists, you are unaware..."
"The Hall Master arrived three months ago. He has obtained the Golden Sparrow Inheritance and wields the Main Vein Immortal Sword. There is no doubt he is the true Hall Master."
"I was just about to take him to the Branch Sect's Great Hall to pay respects to the Blazing Sun Immortal Venerable."
After Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch's explanation, the surrounding Immortal Monarchs suddenly fell silent.
If it were only Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch himself, their attitude would have been different. His Dao Foundation had been destroyed, leaving him with little time to live. It was uncertain how much of an Immortal Monarch's combat power he could still wield, and they held him in little regard.
But if a new Immortal Monarch had emerged—one who could survive an assassination attempt by another Immortal Monarch—the implications were entirely different.
Their assessment and attitude toward the Nine Sparrow Hall were bound to change with the appearance of the new Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall.
"So it's Fellow Daoist Jin Ming. Very well, very well."
"Congratulations on your ascension, Fellow Daoist."
The surrounding Immortal Monarchs exchanged a few perfunctory pleasantries before dispersing.
With a new Immortal Monarch entering the scene, the longstanding feud between the Nine Sparrow Hall and the Nether Luo Hall was bound to shift. They sat back, waiting for these changes to unfold.
Meanwhile, atop Nine Sparrow Mountain...
The Nine Sparrow Hall immortals and low-level cultivators who had rushed to the scene had snapped out of their initial shock and anger, their emotions now surging with elation.
"A new Hall Master?"
"Our Nine Sparrow Hall finally has a true Hall Master!"
"The Golden Sparrow lineage—the most formidable in combat power! The Nine Sparrow Hall is about to rise!"
"Excellent! The Dao truly has eyes!"
High above...
Golden Cry observed the Immortal Monarchs dispersing around him, sensing their cautious retreats as they refrained from sweeping glances. Looking down, he felt a surge of intense emotions emanating from Nine Sparrow Mountain. This wave caused the Golden Immortal Sword in his hand to resonate softly, as if thrilled by Nine Sparrow Mountain's resurgence.
Sensing this, a smile spread across his face. This simple shift had already reduced the Causality he owed for the Golden Sparrow Inheritance by over twenty percent. Now, if he could withstand the attacks and provocations of other Immortal Monarchs, gather the remaining scattered branches, and consolidate them, he could completely eliminate this Causality.
Meanwhile, in the Immortal Spirit Realm, Han Yi sensed this change and couldn't help but feel pleased for Golden Cry.
Once Golden Cry broke free from the Causality's bonds, he could accompany Han Yi to the Purple Sun Dao Sect to investigate Black Yama. Even if complications arose along the way, he could abandon the Black Yama affair and return to the Age Candle at any time.
A faint unease lingered within him, which he attributed to two possibilities: one, a connection to the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect; and two, a link to the Dao's warning they had received before setting out.
Three days later, Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch escorted Golden Cry to the Blazing Sun Hall of the Refining Branch Sect to register their presence. To conceal Han Yi, Golden Resonance Daoist sealed his Immortal Spirit Realm, making it impenetrable even to Immortal Sovereigns.
Fortunately, the Immortal Sovereign of the Refining Branch Sect of the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect, also known as the Blazing Sun Immortal Venerable, was absent. Only the Branch Hall Manager Immortal Lord was present, and he didn't make things difficult for Golden Resonance Daoist. However, his eyes flickered with an unreadable glint.
After completing the registration formalities, Golden Resonance Daoist officially became the Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall.
This reflected the organizational structure of the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect. Unlike the Immortal Court system of Great Luo, where collective interests took precedence over competition, the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect operated differently. Each Branch Sect, and even each Hall, functioned as an independent faction, with competition taking precedence over shared goals.
Moreover, the sect didn't require Immortal Monarchs to have "untainted" backgrounds. As a result, many Immortal Monarchs from the Three Great Dao Sects also held concurrent positions within the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect.
In short, describing the sect's structure as intricate and complex would be an understatement.
After leaving the Blazing Sun Hall, Han Yi, hidden within Daoist Jinming's Immortal Spirit Realm, suddenly felt a stirring in his heart. He drew the Green Ripple Sword.
The Green Ripple Sword hummed, a stream of thought emanating from it:
A Sub-Sword's aura.
At the base of this mountain range.
Han Yi's face lit up with joy, but now wasn't the right time to retrieve it. He soothed the Green Ripple Sword and sheathed it.
When Han Yi was first promoted to Immortal Monarch, the Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor bestowed upon him thirteen Qingping Sub-Swords, elevating the Green Ripple Sword to the peak of the Seventh-Tier. To advance to the Eighth-Tier Qingping, he would need another thirteen Sub-Swords.
An Eighth-Rank Immortal Sword! Han Yi had coveted such a weapon for ages. With it upgraded to the Eighth-Tier, he would dare to challenge even a peak Immortal Monarch at the Great Sage level.
Normally, only the most elite Immortal Monarchs or Immortal Sovereigns could wield an Eighth-Rank Immortal Artifact.
As far as he knew, within the Sui Zhu Immortal Court, only Yuan Sui and Yuan Shu possessed such artifacts. In the Eastern Sovereign Immortal Court, home to numerous Demon Monarchs, only the top three Great Sages held these powerful treasures.
Outside the Immortal Spirit Realm...
Daoist Golden Resonance and Immortal Monarch Silver Sparrow returned to Nine Sparrow Mountain.
That same day,
Han Yi slipped out of Nine Sparrow Mountain again, this time bringing Daoist Golden Resonance into the Immortal Spirit Realm. He couldn't risk leaving Golden Cry alone in Nine Sparrow Hall. If the Lord of the Netherworld Hall, with his peak Immortal Monarch strength, broke the rules and launched a surprise attack, Golden Cry would likely perish if Han Yi wasn't there to protect him.
Han Yi briefly explained the situation with the Qingping Sub-Swords to Golden Cry, who reacted with great excitement.
Golden Cry was willing to give his all to help Han Yi, but Han Yi dismissed him, citing his insufficient strength. This left Golden Cry deeply dissatisfied.
But the reality was undeniable: Han Yi was no match for Han Yi, not even in terms of mobility. He had no choice but to reluctantly accept this.
After several days of reconnaissance, Han Yi infiltrated the depths of the Blazing Sun Mountain Range and retrieved the three Sub-Swords stored in the Secret Treasury.
The Secret Treasury also housed several Seventh-Rank Immortal Artifacts, which Han Yi coveted. However, the artifacts' restrictions were linked to the Blazing Sun Immortal Formation. Even if he could break them, any attempt would inevitably trigger the formation's defenses. This was no ordinary Ninth-Rank Immortal Formation, but a Dao Formation established by the Dao Ancestor of Myriad Spirits. Even if Han Yi had ten times his current courage, he wouldn't dare act.
After fusing the three Sub-Swords, the Green Ripple Sword seemed unsatisfied.
"In the Penglai Immortal Realm, I can still sense eleven Sub-Swords. Seven are deep within Buzhou Mountain, their signals faint, likely hidden in crucial locations. The remaining four are scattered across Penglai and should be easier to locate."
After advancing to Seventh-Tier, the Green Ripple Sword's capabilities had improved dramatically. Its sensing range now covered an entire Immortal Realm, albeit vaguely.
Han Yi was delighted by this news, but it wasn't the right time to venture out. He would consider searching for the Sub-Swords after resolving Golden Cry's matter.
Upon returning to Nine Sparrow Mountain, both Han Yi and Golden Cry were surprised to find that the Nether Luo Hall, which had long been at odds with the Nine Sparrow Hall, remained completely silent, as if they had forgotten their rival altogether.
During this period, Nine Sparrow Hall launched a massive search for the Nine Lineages lost in the past.
Half a year later.
One of the Nine Lineages of Nine Sparrow Hall, the Golden Sparrow lineage, returned. Although only two Profound Immortals returned, the lineage's inheritance was complete. Given time, it might produce Golden Immortals, becoming a pillar of the Nine Lineages.
Three years later.
Six of the Nine Lineages of Nine Sparrow Hall had reappeared. The Golden Sparrow served as the main lineage, with the Silver Sparrow as its auxiliary. The Water Sparrow, Golden Sparrow, White Sparrow, and Wood Sparrow all gathered on Nine Sparrow Mountain.
And in this year.
Silver Sparrow Immortal Monarch finally obtained definitive information about Nether Luo Hall.
Three years prior, Starshadow Immortal Monarch, the Vice Palace Master of Nether Luo Hall, had mysteriously perished outside. Art Departure Immortal Lord, the Blessing Palace Master, now oversees the hall's operations.
As for the true pillar of Nether Luo Hall, the Lord of the Netherworld Hall, he departed over a thousand years ago and never returned. However, his soul's presence still lingers in the Blazing Sun Hall, proving he hadn't perished outside.
Ten years later.
The seventh lineage of Nine Sparrow Hall, the Red Sparrow, returned. This lineage consisted entirely of female cultivators. Although their strongest cultivator was only a True Immortal, they were warmly welcomed by the low-level cultivators of Nine Sparrow Mountain.
Meanwhile, Golden Resonance Daoist's repayment of karmic debts was nearing completion, bringing him closer to breaking free from his shackles.
In this same year,
the Ten Thousand Spirits Immortal Assembly was held.
The Ten Thousand Spirits Immortal Assembly was a grand gathering where all branch sects of the Myriad Spirits Dao Sect convened to discuss the Dao.
As the Hall Master of Nine Sparrow Hall, Golden Cry was among those invited.
Initially, he had no intention of attending, but he had a sudden realization: by participating in this assembly and solidifying Nine Sparrow Hall's position within the sect, he could finally settle all the karmic debts he owed.
This was an opportunity he couldn't afford to miss.
After consulting with Han Yi, he ultimately decided to attend the assembly.
The venue for the Ten Thousand Spirits Immortal Assembly wasn't within the Blazing Sun Mountain Range, but rather at the heart of Ten Thousand Spirits Lake, on Ten Thousand Spirits Island.
Ten Thousand Spirits Lake was the largest lake within the Penglai Immortal Realm.
Within Penglai, it was considered one of the Four Great Sacred Grounds, alongside Buzhou Mountain, Purple Sun Palace, and Hanging Star Cave. These four sacred grounds were also the core territories of the Four Great Dao Sects.
Though called a lake, even Immortal Monarchs found it challenging to cross. Describing it as a vast ocean wouldn't be an exaggeration.
From within Daoist Jinming's Immortal Spirit Realm, Han Yi gazed upon the boundless azure waters, his heart stirred by the vast emptiness. For a moment, he felt an infinite sense of connection.
But this sentiment didn't last long.
Upon setting foot on Ten Thousand Spirits Island, Han Yi suppressed all traces of his aura, retreating deep into Daoist Jinming's Immortal Spirit Realm. To conceal his presence completely, he continuously employed the Fetal Transformation Immortal Art.