During the Yueguang eruption, Han Yi had been sent flying by the shockwave, resulting in only superficial injuries rather than internal Dao damage.
The reason his aura was faint and his complexion pallid was primarily because, in an incredibly short span of time, he had drained the power from all three Dao systems: the Immortal Path, the Divine Path, and even the weakest Monster Dao, squeezing out its very last shred of strength.
This had provided the energy necessary to sustain the Yueguang eruption, making it nearly equivalent to a strike from a Heavenly Venerable.
On the outskirts of Dao God Mountain, atop one of the Divine Mountains, within the Side Hall of the Imperial Palace, Han Yi retrieved numerous Spirit Medicines and Spirit Pills. He also shattered several Dao Crystals, absorbing their Dao Power and Dao resonance to rapidly replenish his Immortal Path strength.
Simultaneously, his Divine Aperture World continuously generated divine power, though slowly and steadily, its inexhaustible flow like a spring.
The Divine Aperture's Creation could give birth to immeasurable divine power.
Having reached the Immeasurable Realm, a member of the Chaos Divine Race could fully recover their strength given enough time, without needing external assistance. Of course, unclaimed divine power or powerful divine treasures could accelerate the process.
As for the Monster Dao, the Nine Howl Heartstone within his Demon Sea had been completely drained, leaving nothing behind. Han Yi, however, paid it no mind. At his current cultivation realm, whether wielding one or three Dao systems, he could still unleash Yueguang. Unlike his earlier days in the low-tier Immortal Realm, where Three-System Fusion was necessary to activate Yueguang, he now possessed the power to do so with a single Dao system.
Time flowed like water. Seven years later, Han Yi emerged from the Side Hall and soared into the sky. Outside the Imperial Palace, Celestial Venerable Suizhu waved his hand, effortlessly absorbing the entire structure into his body.
Twenty-odd figures already hovered in the air nearby. Han Yi scanned the group, bowing slightly in respect. Among them were nine figures whose auras sent shivers down his spine—the nine Heavenly Venerables.
This group included Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun of Kunlun Mountain, as well as Eastern Emperor Taiyi and Celestial Venerable Taiyi, whom Han Yi recognized. There was also the Purgatory Heavenly Venerable, Lord of Purgatory Island, whose aura reeked of fiery purgatory, and the Void Demon Heavenly Venerable, Lord of the Void Demon Palace, a towering twelve-zhang figure shrouded in pitch-black darkness.
Han Yi didn't recognize the remaining five, but he had heard of them. Based on their distinctive features and aura attributes, he could roughly deduce their titles.
What surprised Han Yi was the presence of over a dozen figures behind the Heavenly Venerables. These were not Heavenly Venerables but cultivators in the Dao Realm, their subordinate status clearly evident.
"These Dao Realm cultivators were brought here by the Heavenly Venerables to broaden their horizons," Age Candle explained. "Unfortunately, the Immortal Court lacks Dao Realm cultivators. With so many formidable powers lurking, I couldn't bring any. It's a missed opportunity for them to expand their horizons."
"Your presence here, however, is a delightful surprise," he added.
"Follow me," Age Candle said.
Han Yi stepped behind Age Candle, aware of the numerous Dao Realm cultivators standing behind the Heavenly Venerables, their gazes fixed upon him. Most of these cultivators were at the Dao Fruit Realm or higher, with only one at the First Step of the Dao Realm.
The weight of so many Dao Realm experts' attention was considerable, but Han Yi, accustomed to grand spectacles and having faced numerous pursuits from far stronger adversaries, remained unfazed, his expression calm and composed.
Noticing Han Yi's composure, several Heavenly Venerables began to observe him closely, including Eastern Emperor Taiyi, Purgatory Heavenly Venerable, and Void Demon Heavenly Venerable. Though these Heavenly Venerables didn't exert their full Dao Might, their piercing gazes made Han Yi feel as if he were sitting on a bed of nails, his internal Dao Power nearly freezing in place.
Age Candle, standing before Han Yi, wore a slightly cold expression and was about to speak when another voice broke the tense silence.
"Now that everyone is assembled, let's return."
The speaker was an ancient Daoist, none other than Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun of Kunlun Mountain.
With a wave of his hand, he summoned a Dao Boat, roughly a hundred meters wide. He stepped aboard first, his figure vanishing into the vessel. The other Dao Realm cultivators followed suit, entering one by one.
The other Heavenly Venerables and Dao Realm cultivators followed closely behind. Age Candle didn't speak, simply leading Han Yi into the Dao Boat.
The authority of Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun carried immense weight among the assembled Heavenly Venerables, his words carrying the weight of nine tripods. This stemmed from his overwhelming power, which led many to secretly speculate that the Great Heavenly Venerable had already reached the Half-Step Transcendent-level.
As Han Yi stepped into the Dao Boat, his vision suddenly brightened.
Inside was a vast Cave Heaven World, so expansive that it transcended the typical scale of such realms, rivaling the size of a true world.
Even with ten Heavenly Venerables and over a dozen Dao Realm cultivators present, no one felt cramped.
Moreover, Han Yi wasn't alone in concealing the aura of his inner Dao Realm using a Divine Aperture World.
Age Candle led Han Yi to a mountain range hundreds of meters high, where he established an Imperial Palace. He then instructed Han Yi to continue his cultivation in one of the Side Halls.
Although he could have absorbed Han Yi into his own body, Age Candle preferred that Han Yi remain outside, interacting with the other Heavenly Venerables. This would allow him to gain firsthand experience of their authority—a valuable learning opportunity.
If Han Yi were absorbed into the Heavenly Venerable's body, he would lose this opportunity to face numerous Heavenly Venerables directly. Merely sheltering him would deprive him of the experience he needed to grow stronger.
"This Dao Boat belongs to Hongjun," Celestial Venerable Suizhu explained. "With its speed, crossing three Dao Domains will take us only three years."
Thousands of years ago, Suizhu had followed Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun to the Dao God Continent, and the journey had also taken three years—a remarkably swift time.
Of course, without the Dao Boat, Celestial Venerable Suizhu could have used his full escape technique to travel even faster. But with the vessel to carry them, there was no need to expend personal energy.
Hearing this, Han Yi's understanding of the Heavenly Venerable's immense power deepened further.
When he had crossed three Dao Domains with Demon Witch Mountain, it had taken over forty years. Demon Witch Mountain's speed was comparable to that of an External Dao Realm expert, yet traveling on a Heavenly Venerable's Dao Boat was more than ten times faster. This difference was, of course, due to the disparity in scale.
Demon Witch Mountain was colossal, moving an entire Divine Mountain, which required billions upon billions more energy than a Dao Boat. Even the Sword Witch Heavenly Venerable, a Peak Heavenly Venerable, was still far slower.
Based on Han Yi's current cultivation level, even using his full escape technique, which could rival the Dao Fruit Realm, the journey would take dozens of times longer than traveling by Demon Witch Mountain—centuries, perhaps even millennia.
Inside the Side Hall, Han Yi suppressed his excitement about returning to the Immortal Court and resumed his cultivation. Though three years might seem short, every moment was precious to him. He carried a mining rig with him, ensuring that the progress gained from proficiency wouldn't diminish due to crossing Dao Domains.
But just six months later, a heaven-shaking, earth-shattering roar jolted him awake.
When he flew out of the Side Hall, he saw Celestial Venerable Suizhu already outside, looking up at the sky. Following his gaze, Han Yi saw streaks of fiery meteors plummeting from the heavens.
This small world, comparable to a Cave Heaven, was the interior space of the Dao Boat, which was controlled by Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun. The appearance of fiery meteors here meant something unexpected had occurred—an event even Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun couldn't completely prevent.
As soon as the thought finished forming, the Imperial Palace behind him was already being retracted by Celestial Venerable Suizhu. Turning to face Han Yi, his expression turned solemn:
"Dao Boat must have just entered the Chaotic Antiquity Dao Domain."
"If even the Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun can't stop them, Han Yi, you must escape on your own. You're only at the First Step of the Dao Realm. Even if they come after you, no Heavenly Venerable would personally pursue you, and even the External Dao might not be interested in you."
The Celestial Venerable Suizhu swiftly produced a purple Dao Talisman. The rune on the talisman depicted a majestic Divine Mountain, appearing three-dimensional and substantial, bearing a striking resemblance to Sui Zhu Mountain in the Primordial Great World.
"This Dao Talisman was imprinted directly from my True Form. If you encounter a Life and Death enemy, unleash it. Even a Heavenly Venerable, if caught off guard, will suffer injury."
Han Yi accepted the purple Dao Talisman, his expression shifting as he sensed imminent danger. He quickly said, "Wouldn't it be better for you to absorb me into your inner Dao Realm, Venerable?"
The Celestial Venerable Suizhu shook his head. "As a Heavenly Venerable, I naturally attract more Disordered Ones, making it more dangerous. Bringing you along would be like putting all our hopes on one tree."
As soon as he finished speaking, the surroundings underwent a violent transformation. The mountains and world vanished, dissolving into primordial Chaos and Void.
Ancient Daoist, also known as Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun, stood atop a Seven-Colored Auspicious Cloud, his back turned to the assembled Heavenly Venerables. His voice, carrying an unusual emotion, rang out:
"The returning enemy has invaded the Chaotic Ancient Immortal Mausoleum."
"The aura of the Lord of the Immortal Mausoleum is stirring. Even if he escapes, he won't get far. This Old Daoist will stall him. You all should flee while you can."
As his words faded, the faces of the numerous Heavenly Venerables and Dao Realm cultivators who had just emerged from the Dao Boat paled. Even Sui Zhu Dao Ancestor's expression turned grave.
"Indeed," Han Yi thought, equally shocked. "Only a Half-Step Transcendent could halt a Great Heavenly Venerable like Hongjun."
Hongjun's words struck Han Yi like thunder, sending a jolt of fear through his heart.
The Chaotic Antiquity Dao Domain was home to eight Great Powers, four of which were considered peak. These four supreme factions each housed beings surpassing the Heavenly Venerable realm—Half-Step Transcendents.
Among them was the Blazing Flame Holy Land, which Han Yi had glimpsed decades ago. Now, Hongjun had revealed the Chaotic Ancient Immortal Mausoleum as another such entity.
Of course.
The Blazing Flame Holy Land and the Chaotic Ancient Immortal Mausoleum were guarded by Half-Step Transcendents. However, due to the Cause of Disorder, these beings were suppressed by the Chaos, rendering their power significantly weaker than that of other Dao Domain Overlord-level Transcendents. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them "weakened versions" of Half-Step Transcendents.
Even so, they could still crush a Heavenly Venerable with ease.
Moreover, these powerful beings typically remained dormant year-round. It was unexpected that the passage of the Dao Boat would awaken one of them.
Han Yi instinctively scanned his surroundings, only to see countless towering figures encircling them within the Chaos Void. Among these figures, over twenty auras surpassed the Dao Realm, reaching the level of Heavenly Venerable.
Three of these auras were locked in confrontation with the Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun, only slightly at a disadvantage. Han Yi surmised that these three must be Peak Heavenly Venerables.
Beyond these twenty-plus Heavenly Venerable auras, there were thousands of Dao Realm cultivators. Their overwhelming presence seemed to solidify the very Chaos Void itself.
The auras emanating from these figures were far from normal, overflowing with extreme destructive energy. The moment Han Yi sensed them, he knew these beings were Path Extinguishers.
The Path Extinguisher of the Six Paths of Disorder refers to those who drag their originally cultivated Great Dao into the Abyss of Destruction. To such cultivators, only destruction remains.
Normally, practitioners of the Path of Annihilation, driven by intense desires for slaughter, would rarely form cohesive factions. Yet in the Chaotic Antiquity Dao Domain, anything is possible.
Through a stroke of fortune, one Path Extinguisher broke through the limits of the Heavenly Venerable realm, reaching the wondrous Half-Step Transcendent realm. He then gathered countless other Path Extinguishers through a unique method, suppressing their mutual destructive impulses and channeling their destructive desires outward against common enemies.
This led to the creation of one of the peak great powers of the Chaotic Antiquity: the Immortal Mausoleum.
In essence, the Immortal Mausoleum is the personal domain of a single individual—the Lord of the Immortal Mausoleum, who is now awakening from his slumber.
Within the Chaos Void,
The aura hesitated for a moment. Then, the Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun, seated atop the Seven-Colored Auspicious Cloud, vanished from his original position and reappeared before the three Peak Heavenly Venerables, who were also Path Extinguishers. The Seven-Colored Auspicious Cloud expanded instantly, suppressing the trio in an instant.
A horsetail whisk materialized in the hand of Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun. With a single flick, a force erupted, striking countless Heavenly Venerate-level Path Extinguishers surrounding the Chaos, sending them flying backward. In an instant, a breach appeared in the impenetrable encirclement.
Han Yi's pupils constricted as he witnessed this fleeting moment. He had often heard Celestial Venerable Suizhu speak of Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun with reverence, and he had already anticipated the Grand Heavenly Venerable's immense power.
But now, seeing Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun suppress multiple Path Extinguisher Heavenly Venerables, including three Peak Heavenly Venerables, with his own strength, Han Yi was deeply shocked by the sheer magnitude of his power.
"Go!"
The nine other Heavenly Venerables from the Primordial Great World and numerous Dao Realm cultivators immediately fled through the breach blasted open by Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun.
In that fleeting glimpse, Han Yi was surprised to find that only one fellow cultivator at the First Step of the Dao Realm had vanished, likely devoured by a Heavenly Venerable. The remaining Dao Fruits, External Dao practitioners, and even those in the Dao Harmonization Realm had all escaped individually.
These experienced Heavenly Venerables, seasoned by countless trials, had all reached the same conclusion.
Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun brandished his horsetail whisk and, without looking back, gazed forward. Behind the multitude of Path Extinguishers lay a vast, strangely shaped land, like a miniature version of itself, resembling a colossal mausoleum.
This was the location of the Chaotic Ancient Immortal Mausoleum.
Deep within this immense mausoleum, an aura capable of making even Chaos surge unceasingly began to emerge. An ancient existence, dormant for countless ages, was awakening.
Grand Heavenly Venerable Hongjun showed no fear. With a thought, he commanded the Seven-Colored Auspicious Cloud beneath him, which suppressed three Peak Heavenly Venerables. Instead of retreating, he advanced toward the Immortal Mausoleum.
"Let this Old Daoist see how far I still fall short of a Great Realm Lord."
Hongjun's aura began to rise, soaring endlessly upward. The aura emanating from the Seven-Colored Auspicious Cloud caused the faces of the three suppressed Peak Heavenly Venerables to undergo dramatic changes.
Meanwhile, on another front, the numerous Heavenly Venerables who had broken through the breach began clashing fiercely with the pursuing Path Extinguisher Heavenly Venerables. The battlefield expanded and spread outward.