The powerful aura, emerging from Chaos, appeared at the summit of Demon Witch Mountain in the blink of an eye.
Han Yi gazed upon it and saw a Sword—a colossal blade constantly shifting, as if containing all the mysteries of the Sword Dao in the world.
With a single glance, his understanding of the Sword exploded in his mind. The barriers he had struggled to overcome suddenly shattered like ice under a flood, clearing in an instant.
He immediately sat cross-legged, his eyes fixed on the impossibly vast Giant Sword, which felt larger than Demon Witch Mountain itself. His mind roared with insights.
As his comprehension deepened, the Myriad Transformations Profound Truth Dao Fruit within him condensed further.
This profound mystery, infinitely profound, continuously enriched his foundation.
After the time it takes an incense stick to burn, the Giant Sword at the summit of Demon Witch Mountain finally dissipated.
Han Yi emerged from his state of enlightenment.
He stood up, his expression solemn with gratitude, and bowed deeply toward the summit of Demon Witch Mountain.
The First Mountain Lord, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable, had manifested the Giant Sword to impart teachings to all the Dao Realm cultivators—and even those below the Dao Realm—on Demon Witch Mountain.
Han Yi acknowledged this profound grace.
He looked around and noticed other Dao Realm cultivators in the Demon Witch Mountain headquarters or within the surrounding Secret Realm Grotto-Heavens, bowing towards the summit of Demon Witch Mountain.
Han Yi retracted his gaze, a smile spreading across his face.
Even if he had only come to Demon Witch Mountain for the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's distant teaching, the long journey had been worth it.
He extended his hand and summoned the Ruined Abyss Dao Sword. This was the sixth Dao Sword he had refined, and although only about half-refined and barely usable, it still carried profound power.
With a gentle flick of his wrist, black sword light swirled around him like a soaring dragon, its movements unpredictable and imbued with profound spirituality, embodying the supreme beauty of the Sword Dao.
This strike was the Sixth Form of the Mi Luo Profound Truth Sword Canon: Primordial Chaos.
Primordial Chaos, a single, perfect strike.
The Mi Luo Profound Truth Sword Canon was a new sword canon Han Yi had developed over the years, based on his original cultivation of the Mi Luo Primordial Chaos Sword Manual. He had combined it with the Dao Fruit he was currently condensing, the "Mi Luo Xuan Zhen," and the ancient scripture he was cultivating, the Myriad Transformations Profound Truth Dao Scripture.
This new sword canon was no longer limited to the six forms of the Mi Luo Primordial Chaos Sword Manual. In his vision, it now comprised a full nine forms.
The first six forms retained the essence of the original Mi Luo Primordial Chaos Sword Manual.
Only now had he fully comprehended the Sixth Form.
Ascension, Grand Unity, Attainment of the Dao, Great Luo, Profound Dharma, Primordial Chaos.
The original master of the Mi Luo Primordial Chaos Sword Manual had only reached the first step of the Dao Realm, which is why the sixth form of this sword manual stops short of the Dao Fruit.
Moreover, during the era when the sword manual was first created, the first step of the Dao Realm was also known as the Primordial Chaos Realm. This is why the sixth form is called "Primordial Chaos."
In Han Yi's vision, however, the sixth form is not the end.
In the future, he would create a seventh form capable of harming the Dao Fruit Realm, an eighth form rivaling the power of the External Dao, and a ninth form matching the combat prowess of the Dao Harmonization Realm.
After a moment, he received a summons from the summit of Demon Witch Mountain. He sheathed the Ruined Abyss Dao Sword and slowly ascended the mountain.
The journey from his Secret Realm Grotto-Heaven to the summit of Demon Witch Mountain took a full quarter of an hour, a testament to the vast expanse of the Chaotic Void between them and the sheer immensity of the mountain itself.
At the summit of Demon Witch Mountain stood an enormous central palace, with several smaller palaces scattered around it.
Han Yi knew that the massive central palace was the cultivation domain of the First Mountain Lord, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable. Whenever the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable ventured out, the palace would be sealed shut.
Only Mountain Lords who have reached the Dao Harmonization Realm are qualified to build their own palaces in the surrounding area.
At that moment, the gates of the central Great Hall stood wide open, and Mountain Lords from all directions were converging, entering the hall one after another.
Han Yi slowly descended to the gate, exchanged greetings with several Mountain Lords he had met before, and entered with them.
Over the past few decades, Han Yi had attended several Mountain Lord meetings, becoming acquainted with some of them. Though their relationships were superficial, amounting to little more than nodding acquaintances, Han Yi's status as a lone cultivator, without any power base or direct conflicts of interest with the Mountain Lords, meant that interactions between them remained cordial on the surface.
As soon as Han Yi entered the Great Hall, he saw the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable himself.
Unlike the boundless, surging Sword Intent aura he had sensed earlier, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable now appeared completely sealed, radiating no aura whatsoever, seemingly no different from an ordinary mortal.
He appeared as a robust middle-aged man in his forties, with a stern, vigorous demeanor.
Surrounding him stood a young man in his thirties, exuding a profound aura. Even a fleeting glimpse of the aura inadvertently released by this youth sent a shock through Han Yi, causing him to instinctively lower his head.
He surmised that this young man must be the Second Mountain Lord, Holy Flame Dao Lord, who had recently broken through to the Heavenly Venerable Realm but had yet to stabilize his cultivation realm.
No, from today onward, his title would become Holy Flame Heavenly Venerable.
Han Yi's heart stirred as he stepped inside and took his place toward the back of the hall. Ranked ninety-third, his authority among the Mountain Lords was relatively minor.
However, he didn't mind. He had never come to Demon Witch Mountain seeking power or profit.
As he entered, Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable sensed something and glanced at Han Yi. The look was unremarkable, so subtle that Han Yi didn't even notice it.
Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable quickly averted his gaze.
Yet, inwardly, he began to keep a closer eye on Han Yi. Though unfamiliar with him, he could discern that Han Yi was astonishingly less than ten thousand years old.
A Dao Realm cultivator under ten thousand years old would be considered a supreme Heaven's Chosen and a Heavenly Venerable Seed, even within the prestigious Dao God Sect.
Yet such a prodigiously talented Dao Realm cultivator had joined Demon Witch Mountain.
Dividing his consciousness, he retrieved information about Han Yi from the Mountain Spirit. In less than a ten-thousandth of a kshana, he became thoroughly acquainted with Han Yi's background, and suddenly, everything made sense.
"So he's from that Great World."
"Although the Primordial World Sovereign has gone missing, his demise hasn't been confirmed."
"Could this be his backup plan?"
"Or is he merely a Dao Child from that world?"
The "Primordial World Sovereign" in Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's thoughts was the Great Realm Lord of the Primordial Great World, the Primordial World Sovereign.
A World Sovereign was a title reserved for beings above the Heavenly Venerable Realm, referring to both Half-Step Transcendents and True Transcendents.
Of course, those below the Heavenly Venerable Realm were unaware of this title. Among the lower realms, the widely used terms were "Half-Step Transcendent" and "Transcendent."
Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable was no stranger to the Primordial World Sovereign. He had met him several times under the leadership of the Lord of Demonic Witch Mountain, the Demon Witch World Sovereign, who was also the leader of the Twelve Demon Witches.
However, several Chaos Epochs ago, news spread that the Primordial World Sovereign and the Eternal Wisdom World Sovereign had clashed violently. Two Half-Step Transcendent-level World Sovereigns engaged in a fierce battle so intense that even Heavenly Venerables weren't qualified to observe, lest they be caught in the crossfire and either perish or suffer severe injuries. Following this, reports circulated that both combatants had vanished without a trace.
Now, upon sensing Han Yi's identity, memories of the Great World Lord of the Primordial Era and the Primordial World Sovereign resurfaced in Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's mind.
As his thoughts churned, his expression remained unchanged, so subtle that even Holy Flame Heavenly Venerable beside him couldn't detect the slightest shift.
A moment later...
The Mountain Lords arrived one after another. All those nearby Demon Witch Mountain were present, except for those who were traveling beyond the Chaos. Han Yi scanned the crowd and counted only seventy-seven Mountain Lords in attendance, with twenty-two absent.
Soon, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable rose from his seat, his solemn expression softening into a faint smile as he addressed the assembled Mountain Lords.
"My absence this time was brief—less than half a Chaos Epoch."
"In such a short span, many outstanding cultivators have reached the Dao Realm. This fills me with great satisfaction."
The Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's gaze subtly swept past Han Yi, who stood at the back of the hall.
Han Yi remained unfazed by the first words. Half a Chaos Epoch was fifty thousand years—more time than he had spent cultivating. To the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable, this might be a fleeting moment, but to Han Yi, it felt like an eternity.
However, considering the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable had lived through countless Chaos Epochs, half a Chaos Epoch was indeed a brief interval for him.
In the Hall, the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's expression turned grave as he continued in a solemn tone:
"As you all know, the Chaos Realm is about to face the Tomb Explosion of the Dao Grave. The first three hundred thousand years will be relatively stable, merely the ripples of the Dao Grave. But once that period ends, the full power of the Tomb Explosion will erupt. Its might is such that even I must approach with caution. A single misstep could lead to my death and the extinction of my Dao—a fate that is no empty threat."
"Those who fail to become World Sovereigns are all illusions."
As these words hung in the air, silence fell over the hall, suffused with an oppressive aura that weighed heavily on all present.
Han Yi's heart grew heavy.
However, he suddenly noticed two specific terms in the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's words: "Chaos Realm" and "World Sovereign."
Recalling how his Panel in the Witch Tower had upgraded to 'Xishu Chaos Realm,' Han Yi couldn't help but speculate about the meaning of "Chaos Realm."
As for "World Sovereign," it was a term he'd never heard before. Yet from the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's tone, Han Yi could tell that a World Sovereign was a being of a higher rank than even a Heavenly Venerable.
Han Yi surmised that it might refer to a "Transcendent."
Furthermore...
Yes, while the Dao Tomb Ripples themselves weren't immediately dangerous, at the end of their first phase, large-scale temporal and spatial distortions occurred, posing extreme peril to beings in the Dao Realm. When the Dao Tomb entered its second phase, the Destruction Tomb Beast would emerge, devouring entire worlds. At that point, Chaos would no longer be a realm one could traverse freely, but a domain riddled with danger.
This was the source of Han Yi's heavy heart.
The Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable continued speaking:
"Thousands of years ago, the Dao God Sect issued an order to form the Dao Tomb Alliance. They recruited numerous Heavenly Venerables from the Nine Great Dao Domains to deduce methods for crossing the Dao Tomb."
"My primary purpose in returning now is to open Demon Witch Mountain and journey to the Dao God Sect in the Central Dao Domain."
As the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable finished speaking, all the Mountain Lords present were stunned.
In the original message relayed by the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable, he had only mentioned bringing some Mountain Lords to the Dao God Sect, without mentioning the activation of Demon Witch Mountain.
The activation of Demon Witch Mountain involved moving the entire mountain from the Vast Heng Dao Domain to the Dao God Sect in the Central Dao Domain—a colossal undertaking.
It's important to note that while Demon Witch Mountain's size couldn't compare to an entire Primordial Great World, its mass was solid and tangible, unlike the boundless void of a Primordial Great World.
Therefore, the resources required to move Demon Witch Mountain would be exponentially greater than those needed to relocate an entire Primordial Great World.
Even the Holy Flame Heavenly Venerable, who had recently broken through to a higher realm, was visibly shocked, having never anticipated the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's resolve.
"You don't yet understand," the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable continued. "As the Dao Tomb Ripples grow stronger, many old hands are emerging. This calamity will befall all living beings in the realm, with no escape."
"Moreover, this time it's not just the Demon Witch Mountain in the Vast Heng Dao Domain moving to the Dao God Sect. All twelve Demon Witch Mountains across the Nine Great Dao Domains, including the true headquarters, will converge upon the Dao God Sect."
"When they arrive, the twelve mountains will merge into one, led by the World Sovereign, to collectively endure the Tribulation of the Dao Tomb."
Each of the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's words sent shockwaves through the hearts of the assembled Mountain Lords, leaving them speechless.
Han Yi was no different.
He recalled that when Celestial Venerable Suizhu returned from Chaos to the Primordial Era, he mentioned joining a Great Power called Purple Mountain. The Master of this formidable organization was a Half-Step Transcendent-level powerhouse.
At the time, Suizhu also explained that Purple Mountain had originally been in seclusion, avoiding contact with Chaos cultivators. However, to confront the Tribulation of the Dao Tomb, they emerged from seclusion and transformed their structure.
Han Yi hadn't fully grasped the significance of this at the time, as he hadn't even reached the Immortal Sovereign stage, let alone the Dao Realm. But now, with his Dao Realm cultivation, he could see that even Heavenly Venerables held the Dao Tomb in the utmost reverence.
Combining this with the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's recent revelations, Han Yi realized that numerous Great Powers and formidable figures within Chaos had reached a startlingly unanimous decision regarding the Dao Tomb.
As for the Sword Witch and the impending unification of Demon Witch Mountain, Han Yi had reviewed relevant materials during his decades on Demon Witch Mountain.
Legend had it that after the Twelve Demon Witches emerged, they forged a Chaos Supreme Treasure called Demon Witch Mountain. Using this Supreme Treasure's name, they established a Chaos-Grade Great Power.
However, for reasons unknown, the Supreme Treasure Demon Witch Mountain later split into twelve parts. Nine of these parts chose individual Dao Domains, while the remaining three were hidden away somewhere.
Now, to confront the Dao Grave, the Supreme Treasure, Demon Witch Mountain, will once again emerge.
"Alright, there's no need for excessive worry. I grant you ten years. After ten years, Demon Witch Mountain will activate and proceed to the Central Dao Domain."
"Dismissed."
Han Yi left the Great Hall with a heavy heart. Alongside him emerged other cultivators at the First Step of the Dao Realm, Dao Fruit, and External Dao stages. Only the few at the Dao Harmonization Realm remained inside. These elite cultivators, considered the high-ranking members of Demon Witch Mountain, had likely been retained for a private discussion with the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable.
Returning to his cultivation cave, Han Yi settled into meditation, pondering the implications of the First Mountain Lord's, Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's, words. Though few, each sentence contained secrets of the highest caliber within the Dao Domain.
Thus, Han Yi committed every word to memory.
After a moment, his thoughts turned inward as he glanced at the information on his panel:
Myriad Transformations Profound Truth Dao Scripture (47/100)
This Dao Scripture's progress had only reached 40/100. However, during the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable's recent descent to impart teachings across the void, Han Yi's foundational strength had surged wildly. His Dao Fruit rapidly condensed, advancing the scripture's progress to 47/100.
"Not enough. My cultivation realm is far too low."
"I need to advance faster—faster to the Dao Fruit, faster to the External Dao, Harmonization with the Dao, and beyond..."