This was the power of the Immortal Sojourn Talisman, the power of the starry sky, omnipresent. Yi Tianxing instantly passed through the Gate of Stars and disappeared without a trace.
Back in the Underworld, within the Yellow Springs Inn, many cultivators fell silent. The waves in their hearts could not be calmed for a long time. Though the recent clash had been brief, it had been shocking enough. The result wasn't unexpected, but the process was astonishing.
"That was… the Mother-and-Child Annihilation Gold Needle."
"Terrifying indeed. It's said that this is one of the Ghost Mother's natal treasures—an innate spiritual treasure capable of endless transformations, incomparably lethal. As expected of an innate treasure, that attack was truly horrifying."
"Yi Tianxing is seriously strong. He even managed to withstand the first strike from the Ghost Mother's needle and nearly destroyed it. Unfortunately, as long as the mother needle remains, the child needles can be endlessly regenerated. Destroying a few changes nothing."
"The scene of billions of golden needles piercing his body was chilling. Yi Tianxing's strength has clearly surpassed the Nascent Soul realm—perhaps even the Yang Spirit realm—and still, he couldn't withstand it. The Ghost Mother truly lives up to her reputation."
In the inn, the cultivators were all drawing sharp breaths before launching into intense discussions, the room erupting with noise.
"I hope he can open the passage between Yin and Yang soon. Re-establishing contact with Great Yi would benefit our Yellow Springs Inn greatly."
Meng Qi didn't appear worried. After all, this was just an avatar. Its death wasn't a true loss. As long as her main body was unharmed, all was well. Still, she wasn't sure how long it would take to nurture the Bridge of Yin-Yang to the point of connecting both realms.
"Yi Daoyou has already left. What should we do now? Return to the Yang Realm, or stay here in the Underworld a while longer?"
The Paper Craftsman looked toward the Decomposer for advice.
The Underworld was perilous, but if fortune was found, it could lead to opportunities impossible to come by in the Yang Realm. Now that they had a method of returning and connections with the underworld officials, they could leave anytime via the Gates of Hell. Of course, for the living, staying in the Underworld too long could negatively affect their cultivation foundation.
"We should return. The Underworld is ultimately not our realm. Prolonged stay would affect our Dao foundation—definitely not ideal."
The Decomposer made his stance clear. He no longer intended to linger. As for the Paper Artisan, it didn't matter—he was merely a paper avatar. Loss meant nothing.
"Alright then, you return. I'll stay a bit longer."
The Paper Craftsman made his decision. After all, coming to the Underworld was a rare event, and he now had ties to the officials. Not leveraging this relationship for gain would be too wasteful. He intended to profit handsomely before leaving.
…
While thoughts churned in the hearts of the many cultivators in the Underworld, Yi Tianxing was hurtling through a prismatic tunnel—a space of light and shadow, filled with starlight and mysterious force.
This tunnel was suffused with a strong suction force that his destroyed physical body had no ability to resist. However, his consciousness remained clear.
He could see the multi-colored light flow around him, revealing flashes of various images.
"These are fragments of time and space—scenes pulled from surrounding voids as I traverse at high speed."
Focusing his spiritual awareness, Yi Tianxing tried to absorb as much information as possible. This kind of journey was itself a rare opportunity. With his current mental strength, far superior to before, he could perceive more clearly and deeply than ever.
In those flowing lights, all manner of strange and chaotic scenes emerged.
He saw foreign races assaulting villages, slaughtering humans, laughing wildly over corpses.He saw fierce beasts destroying towns, devouring humans as food.He saw fierce battles between humans and beasts, humans triumphing and slaying their foes.He saw intertribal warfare among foreign races, each seeking treasures and relics.
The Eternal World was still mired in endless strife. War, killing, and survival remained its eternal themes.
He had to focus intensely to extract anything meaningful.
"Hmm? That's a Human Imperial Dynasty?"
Yi Tianxing caught sight of something that surprised him—a human emperor establishing a fortune dynasty, battling furiously with foreign races to secure territory. Such scenes weren't uncommon. After all, the Eternal World was vast, and surely Great Yi wasn't the only human dynasty.
"Wait… what is that? A mausoleum?"
Suddenly, a new image flickered into view: a grand, boundless underground palace.
Just one glance left an indelible impression. That mausoleum stretched as far as the eye could see. Rivers flowed within, mountains towered skyward. Countless soldier-statues stood in formation, radiating killing intent. Looking at them made his eyes sting.
Palaces rose like mountains, obscuring sun and moon. The grandeur was beyond imagination—almost like the reconstruction of heaven and earth, stars and rivers. Its scale was majestic, yet carried a crushing dignity.
In a flash, he seemed to see a massive, resplendent coffin—the aura of nobility overwhelming.
Something terrifying slumbered within.
That image vanished almost instantly, but it etched itself deep into Yi Tianxing's heart. He could not forget it. It was simply too astonishing, beyond description.
"Where is that mausoleum? Who built it? What lies within?"
The questions swirled through his mind, but the tunnel's speed gave him no time to dwell.
Brush!
In the imperial palace of Xuanhuang City, within a quiet cultivation chamber, Yi Tianxing's true body still sat cross-legged on a cushion, instinctively absorbing the world's essence. The Heavenly Emperor Dragon Scripture continued to operate silently. A starlit jade talisman floated before him, radiating ancient might.
In that instant, the talisman's starlight surged dramatically—like a gate to the stars opening.
A streak of blood-red light burst through the gate and streaked into the chamber.
"I'm back."
A sigh followed as the red light turned into a stream and merged into his body.
Boom!
Clone and true body merged. Unity was restored.
In that moment, a powerful energy surged from within. The clone's accumulations flowed into the main body—cultivation, comprehension, battle experience—everything fused. His physical cultivation rose explosively.
With the sound of cauldrons ringing in his body, he instantly advanced to Refined Body Fourth Transformation – Yellow Cauldron, Two Chimes.
One immortal journey, and his power had skyrocketed.
"That mausoleum... What was it?"
Yi Tianxing's mind still echoed with images of the palace. The more he thought of it, the more shaken he felt.
"Too bad I couldn't bring back Nannan… Ghost Mother, one day, we'll meet again. And next time, I won't fall so easily."
He reflected on the final moments before his defeat. The golden needle had been too vicious—its sharpness terrifyingly absolute. The Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda was formidable, but it still wasn't an innate treasure. If it were, the outcome might've been different.
"Cao Zhengchun!"
Yi Tianxing turned his gaze outside. It was already dawn. With no intention to linger, he called out.
"This old servant is here!"
Cao Zhengchun's voice came promptly from beyond the door—he had clearly been waiting.
"Have the imperial kitchen prepare breakfast and deliver it to the Imperial Garden. Notify the Empress and the consorts to bring Anning and join us. It's time for a proper family meal to celebrate my return."
Yi Tianxing smiled as he walked out of the chamber, finding Cao Zhengchun respectfully waiting.
Over the years, Cao Zhengchun's cultivation had grown impressive, his concealment skills sharp. In the palace, he was now a key figure. His loyalty was beyond question—both Cai Yan and Yao Yue had no complaints.
"Yes, this old servant will see to it right away."
Cao Zhengchun bowed deeply and rushed off.
As he departed, Yi Tianxing activated a thought, and in a flash of light, Cao Jie appeared before him.
Moments ago, she had still been in the tower space, and now everything had changed. She was briefly startled, but upon seeing Yi Tianxing, her heart calmed.
"Husband, where are we? I've never seen this place."
She looked around curiously.
"This is the Great Yi Dynasty I told you about—my own empire. We're in the imperial palace, inside Xuanhuang City, high above the land. We've returned from Weizhou."
Yi Tianxing's voice was gentle.
"This is Great Yi? The palace is far grander than Great Wei's... and this is… in the sky?"
Cao Jie looked around in wonder, her mouth slightly agape.
At the same time, unease welled up in her heart.
She was in Great Yi now. That meant she would soon meet Yi Tianxing's other women. Naturally, her heart was far from calm.