The Chaos dissipated, and space returned to normal.
Han Yi discovered that beneath his feet lay a massive Transmission Formation, its surface covered with countless runes interwoven into a vast, harmonious array.
Above him hovered a yellow Dao Formation, enveloping the area. A sweep of his Dao Thought revealed that he stood on a landmass roughly twice the size of an Immortal Domain, illuminated by yellow Dao Light and suspended within the Chaos.
Expanding his Dao Thought, Han Yi suddenly looked beyond the land. At the far reaches of his perception, an immense Divine Mountain stood within the Chaos, its base and summit hidden from view.
In that moment, Han Yi realized this must be Demon Witch Mountain.
The land he stood on was one of many surrounding the mountain. Countless such Grotto-Heaven Lands circled Demon Witch Mountain.
Han Yi's expression remained unchanged. Having witnessed the Ancestor God Star and the Eternal Dao Trace, Demon Witch Mountain paled in comparison to the shock he had felt from the Eternal Dao Trace, let alone the Ancestor God Star.
He turned his gaze away from the mountain and looked beyond the Formation Arts.
Outside the formation stood a female cultivator in a Daoist Robe, gazing at him. With a single step, Han Yi was before her.
"I am Han Yi. Greetings, Fellow Daoist," Han Yi said first.
Across from him, Jiang Xiying studied Han Yi, her gaze flickering with keen interest. A Heaven's Chosen who had leaped across multiple major realms in just six thousand years to reach the Dao Realm was a rarity indeed.
Moreover, she had observed how Han Yi's expression remained remarkably unchanged upon first seeing the vast Demon Witch Mountain. This subtle reaction did not escape her notice.
In that moment, she realized that this Dao Realm cultivator before her was no ordinary figure.
She had initially worried that the Dao Realm expert she had summoned, though advanced, might lack experience and combat prowess. But now, that notion was shattered; she couldn't gauge his depth either.
Composing herself, she said, "Let me introduce myself. I am Jiang Xiying, belonging to the Second Mountain Lord of Demon Witch Mountain."
"Welcome, Fellow Daoist Han."
Her voice was melodious, even sweeter than it had sounded through the Transmission Formation earlier.
Han Yi smiled faintly. "Thank you for your efforts, Fellow Daoist Jiang."
Jiang Xiying gestured to the side. "Fellow Daoist Han, this way please. I'll take you to the Demon Martial Hall first, where you can exchange your Identity Token for a Purple Token befitting the Dao Realm."
Without hesitation, Han Yi followed her.
"To be frank, this is my third time leaving the Great World and entering the Chaos. My understanding of Demon Witch Mountain comes solely from my Fellow Sect Member, a Senior Brother in the Dao Realm, and is far from comprehensive. Fellow Daoist Jiang, could you enlighten me?"
Jiang Xiying glanced sideways at Han Yi's composed expression, noting the complete absence of any nervousness. Her regard for him grew even higher.
"The origins of Demon Witch Mountain trace back to the dawn of the Chaos. Twelve ancient Demonic Witches, born from the Chaos and inherently divine, established Demon Witch Mountain. Each of these twelve powerhouses gave rise to a corresponding branch, forming the Twelve Branches of the Demonic Witches, a legacy that endures to this day."
"The Demon Witch Mountain within Vast Heng Dao Domain—the one you see before you now—was founded by the Sword Demonwitch. Consequently, this particular mountain is also known as Sword Witch Mountain."
"..."
"Sword Witch Mountain is governed by ninety-nine Mountain Lords. Together with the Demon Witch Mountain Spirit, they form the mountain's leadership."
"Among the ninety-nine Mountain Lords, the First Mountain Lord, known by the Daoist Title 'Sword Witch,' is one of the twelve Ancient Existences. However, the First Mountain Lord rarely resides on the mountain. According to records, he hasn't returned for three Chaos Epochs."
"I belong to Demon Witch Mountain's Second Mountain Lord, the Holy Flame Dao Lord."
"The Dao Lord has been in seclusion for 130,000 years. If he emerges, he will undoubtedly break through to the Heavenly Venerable realm, becoming the second Heavenly Venerable of Sword Witch Mountain."
Han Yi felt a slight chill in his heart at these words.
The Dao Lord Jiang Xiying spoke of was not a Dao Ancestor, nor the Master of a Dao Field, but the Master of the Great Dao—a special title reserved for beings in the Dao Harmonization Realm.
He also knew that, besides the Holy Flame Dao Lord, who was in seclusion attempting to break through to the Heavenly Venerable realm, Demon Witch Mountain had four other Dao Lords—the Third Mountain Lord to the Sixth Mountain Lord.
As Jiang Xiying continued to explain, Han Yi's understanding of Sword Witch Mountain grew increasingly detailed.
After a short while, Jiang Xiying led him away from the floating land and toward the vast Demon Witch Mountain. At a palace halfway up the mountain, she processed and exchanged Han Yi's Sword Token.
His token leaped across several major tiers, upgrading from a Black Iron-level Sword Disciple token to a Dao Realm-level Purple Sword Token.
One side of the token was engraved with a majestic Divine Mountain, bearing a striking resemblance to Demon Witch Mountain itself. The other side bore the character 'Yi'.
For Sword Disciple tokens, it was natural that one's name couldn't be inscribed. But for Dao Realm cultivators, a character representing their Venerable title was engraved on the Purple Sword Token.
After receiving the Sword Token, Han Yi carefully stored it away. Jiang Xiying, observing this, let out a sigh of relief.
Her primary objective in recruiting Han Yi was to have him compete for the position of Mountain Lord, which would also benefit her personally. However, this goal was far from guaranteed. If Han Yi failed, she would persuade him to join the Second Mountain Lord's faction, thereby adding another Dao Realm expert to their ranks.
Within Sword Witch Mountain, the Mountain Lords were not united but harbored their own ambitions, each vying for resources. The Holy Flame Dao Lord had been in seclusion for too long, weakening the Second Mountain Lord's influence. Recruiting additional Dao Realm experts, therefore, offered Jiang Xiying long-term strategic advantages.
If Han Yi succeeded in becoming Mountain Lord, his lack of established connections would make him reliant on her support. This would naturally lead him to collaborate with the Second Mountain Lord's faction, securing them a powerful ally—a highly favorable outcome.
In short, her actions offered multiple benefits.
In truth, Jiang Xiying had recruited not only Han Yi but also four other Dao Realm experts. However, these four were of mediocre caliber, far from being favored Dao Children of the Great World.
Her methods were far from unique on Demon Witch Mountain. Many others pursued similar strategies, seeking to manipulate the Mountain Lord Assessment to their advantage.
"Next, I'll take Fellow Daoist Han to your temporary Immortal's Cave. You can cultivate there for the next nine years. The Mountain Lord Assessment will officially begin after that period. Use this time to adjust yourself properly."
"Additionally, Fellow Daoist Han, feel free to ask me any questions you may have."
Han Yi's eyes flickered. He did indeed have two questions he wanted to ask, and this seemed like the perfect opportunity. He spoke up:
"I do have two genuine doubts, Fellow Daoist. Would you mind enlightening me?"
Seeing Jiang Xiying nod, Han Yi continued:
"Firstly, it seems Demon Witch Mountain's requirements for becoming Mountain Lord are surprisingly lax. Even outsiders like me, from the Dao Realm, can participate as long as we possess a Sword Token. And from what I understand, obtaining a Demonic Witch Sword Token isn't particularly difficult."
Jiang Xiying smiled. "Fellow Daoist Han, there's more to it than you realize."
"Sword Witch Mountain has endured countless ages since its establishment. Its rules have been revised countless times, until finally, the First Mountain Lord—the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable—established the current system. We welcome all Chaos powerhouses, as long as they don't violate the nine fundamental mountain laws of Demon Witch Mountain. Beyond that, anything goes."
Han Yi was familiar with these nine fundamental mountain laws. They were fairly standard prohibitions, such as not revealing major secrets of Demon Witch Mountain.
"But if someone violates these laws, even if they've ascended to the Heavenly Venerable Realm, the First Mountain Lord can eliminate them effortlessly."
"With the Sea-Stabilizing Divine Pearl on Sword Witch Mountain, even if it were destroyed, it could be swiftly rebuilt."
Han Yi nodded slightly, fully understanding Jiang Xiying's words. Just as the First Mountain Lord ensured the stability of Demon Witch Mountain, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable served as the greatest safeguard.
His expression turned serious as he posed his second question.
"I have another perplexity. The current Demon Witch Mountain lacks a succession of Heavenly Venerable-level experts. In other words, why is there only one Heavenly Venerable, and why is the Second Mountain Lord, the Holy Flame Dao Lord, just one step away from ascending to that realm?"
This question had first arisen in Sui Zhu Hall when Dao Ancestor Xuanzang discussed the strength of the Demon Witch Mountain Lord. Han Yi had asked Senior Brother Profound Repository at the time, but even he hadn't known the answer.
Jiang Xiying looked slightly taken aback, clearly not having anticipated this question. "I've never considered this before."
"Hmm, that is strange." Jiang Xiying frowned, her eyes reflecting her confusion. She too sensed something amiss.
"I'll make note of this question and investigate further. When we meet again, Fellow Daoist, I'll share any conclusions I reach."
Han Yi expressed his gratitude. "Many thanks for resolving my doubts, Fellow Daoist."
A short while later, Jiang Xiying escorted Han Yi to an Immortal's Cave before departing.
Watching her go, Han Yi turned his attention inward.
Though called an Immortal's Cave, the place he now occupied was actually a Secret Realm—a special space detached from the normal space of Demon Witch Mountain, existing within the Dao Realm.
This Secret Realm wasn't far from Demon Witch Mountain, resembling the land he had arrived at through teleportation earlier. Within it, the Immortal Spirit Power was extraordinarily potent, making it suitable for Dao Realm cultivation.
Han Yi wasn't particular about his cultivation environment. After a brief exploration, he discovered that the Secret Realm housed other cultivators. Divided into upper and lower levels, he occupied the upper level, where the Immortal Spirit Qi was dense, while the lower level housed low-level cultivators with only ordinary Spirit Qi.
He felt no strong opinions about this assigned Immortal's Cave, reasoning that since he was here, he might as well make the best of it.
With a wave of his hand, he produced a Profound Black Dao Sword. This sword wasn't one of his original four; rather, it had been purchased by Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor from external realms over the years, specifically to enhance Han Yi's strength.
Naturally, Han Yi had also given several Dao Artifacts obtained from Myriad Dynasties Dao Ancestor to Myriad Tribulations Dao Ancestor, ensuring the Immortal Court didn't suffer any loss.
The Profound Black Dao Sword, named Profound Manifestation, hailed from the Kunlun Immortal Realm.
In addition to the Profound Manifestation Dao Sword, Han Yi carried another unrefined Dao Sword: the Ruined Abyss Dao Sword.
These two low-tier Dao Swords, combined with Han Yi's original four, significantly enhanced the power of his Void Sword Realm.
However, time was limited. Han Yi had only roughly refined the Profound Manifestation Dao Sword. He estimated that before the Mountain Lord competition, he would barely be able to activate the power of five Dao Swords.
Time passed swiftly for those in the Dao Realm. Nine years flew by in the blink of an eye.
Within the Secret Realm, Han Yi rose and picked up the Profound Black Dao Sword resting on his knees. Gripping the sword, he strode out of the realm.
Outside, the boundless void of Chaos stretched before him. Across a span of Chaos Space loomed the colossal Demon Witch Mountain.
Suddenly sensing movement, he glanced sideways. Three other Dao Realm cultivators had emerged from the Grotto-Heaven Land Secret Realm within his Dao Thought's range. One, with a gentle expression, nodded in greeting to Han Yi and the others. The other two remained impassive, their demeanor cold.
Han Yi returned the nod and headed toward Demon Witch Mountain.
He already knew that this year's Mountain Lord election would take place at a special location on the mountain: the Witch Tower.
The Witch Tower had been teleported from another location by the First Mountain Lord and placed on Demon Witch Mountain.
The tower consisted of nine layers: the lower six were accessible to the Dao Realm, while the upper three were restricted to the Heavenly Venerable Realm.
This Mountain Lord Assessment would take place in the lower six layers, specifically the bottom three.
On Demon Witch Mountain, if a Mountain Lord perished, the next-ranked Mountain Lord would ascend to fill the vacancy. This competition aimed to fill the final nine positions among the ninety-nine Mountain Lords.
According to Jiang Xiying's earlier information, four participants were at the Dao Fruit Tier, while the remaining three hundred-plus were at the First Step of the Dao Realm.
Those who could reach the Dao Realm, whether in the Great World or the Chaos, were no ordinary individuals. They were masters of cultivation, possessing innate talent, luck, opportunity, and the right temperament—all indispensable qualities.
Moreover, this Demon Witch Mountain specialized in the Sword Dao, a path of lethal combat. This gave its practitioners a slight edge in battle strength compared to other Dao Realms.
Now, over three hundred Sword Dao cultivators would compete for just nine positions—a challenge of immense difficulty.
Han Yi headed toward the Witch Tower. Along the way, more and more Dao Realm cultivators converged. They gathered at a distance from each other, neither speaking nor lowering their guard.
Formless Sword Intent permeated the Chaos, colliding but probing tentatively, withdrawing the moment contact was made, as if holding back.
As Han Yi approached the Demon Witch Mountain Dao Formation, he produced a Purple Sword Token. A beam of light emerged from the token and descended onto the formation, causing it to split open a passage, allowing him to enter alone.
Inside the formation, Han Yi saw a nine-layer Witch Tower.
What surprised him was that from the outside, the tower didn't appear particularly tall or remarkable. Each layer was roughly ten meters high, making the entire structure less than a hundred meters tall. Its deep gray color and ordinary, common design made it resemble any typical Dao tower.
Surrounding this gray tower, which stood less than a hundred meters tall, hundreds of cultivators hovered in the air, some standing, others meditating cross-legged. Some closed their eyes in rest, while others scanned their surroundings vigilantly.
Han Yi's gaze shifted to a group of Daoists standing before the tower, his eyes narrowing.
Among them was a figure he recognized. He had seen this individual before, in the Chaos beyond the Primordial Light halo.