Yes, Great Yi had now reached a point of relative stability.
Though wars still raged on the frontier—the Bohai Realm in particular faced daily battles and relentless bloodshed—the frontline matters were now fully entrusted to Liu Bowen and Zhuge Liang. Unless it escalated into an all-out war of annihilation, there was no need for Yi Tianxing to personally intervene.
In the Caribbean Realm, Mao Sui and the disciples of the School of Diplomacy were engaged in relentless persuasion efforts. By all reports, their lobbying had borne tremendous fruit—numerous human factions aligned with Great Yi were now eager to join. The Ministry of Works had already begun dispatching covert construction teams to rebuild the immortal cities of these newly submissive factions, preparing for the final unification push.
In the Demon Sea Realm, Jia Xu and his strategists from the Heavenly Strategy Pavilion were treating the entire region like a chessboard, deploying plots and plans like a grand festival of scheming. After reviewing their comprehensive strategy, Yi Tianxing felt no need to interfere—their work was flawless.
The Dead Sea Realm was another matter. It required the establishment of a massive geomantic array, something that couldn't be rushed. Fortunately, with Green Emperor and his three troublemaking companions stirring chaos, peace in the Dead Sea would remain elusive for quite some time. Once the array was complete and activated, the balance of the entire realm would shift.
This is the value of true talent.
Thanks to the depth of talent in Great Yi, Yi Tianxing no longer needed to micromanage. He could simply remain in Xuanhuang Holy (Sacred) City and oversee the grand picture from his throne.
A true emperor is not one who controls everything, but one who knows how to delegate, recognize talent, and empower others while retaining core authority.
After the ascension to Holy Court status, the nation also required a period of internal development.
In Bohai Realm, new immortal cities were springing up daily, and more and more citizens were migrating to Great Yi. Some came from Bohai, others from neighboring realms, and even from within the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda. Together, they formed the population foundation of these freshly established cities.
The court officials of Great Yi had long become proficient in handling such matters. Everything was proceeding smoothly.
Still, Great Yi was accelerating the training and recruitment of new talent, aiming to deepen its national foundation.
But none of this needed Yi Tianxing's direct involvement. So long as he maintained strategic direction, the rest would follow.
Thus, the time for wandering had arrived.
This was the perfect moment—not rushed, not delayed.
Once I return from this journey, the campaigns across the four great realms will be in their final stages.
"Do you have a particular destination in mind, Master?"Fairy Ruyi asked with curiosity.
"I will use the Starry Sky Wandering Talisman to condense an avatar and traverse the void. Where I'll end up... even I don't know."
"The destination isn't the point. The real value lies in the experiences and insights gained along the journey—witnessing the myriad wonders of the Eternal World and expanding one's horizons."
He smiled calmly.
Great Yi remained the foundation of his empire—but even an emperor needed vision and enlightenment to avoid being blinded by his own power.
And yes, part of it was the desire to roam freely, to relax, and enjoy different landscapes.
"While I'm away, my real body will remain here in Xuanhuang City, within the Hall of Tranquility," Yi Tianxing continued."During this time, I'll claim to be in seclusion. Should any emergencies arise, you may awaken me. It will interrupt the journey, but won't harm me."
"Don't worry, Master. I'll watch over the home front,"Fairy Ruyi nodded earnestly.
Yi Tianxing smiled, not leaving right away. Instead, he spent a few more days traveling through the various immortal cities of Great Yi, disguised and among the people—sampling local cuisine, investigating the populace's well-being, and simply enjoying spring's beauty with his consorts and children.
He paid close attention to Zhao Ziyan, Nannan, and the other women, never neglecting any of them.
They had a wonderful time together, and what he saw of Great Yi did not disappoint.
Though he had feared the court might have grown corrupt, it was still well within acceptable bounds.
During this period, he informed them of his impending seclusion.
Ten days passed.
Eternal Year 50, Fourth Month, Thirteenth Day.
Yi Tianxing sat upright in the Hall of Tranquility—his chosen site for the coming seclusion. The area was already heavily guarded by imperial attendants, and the Kuíhua Ancestor was hidden nearby to react at the slightest disturbance.
He sat atop a cloud bed.
Whoosh—!
A flash of light appeared before him—a jade talisman materialized: the Starry Sky Wandering Talisman.
Now that it had become one of the foundational divine artifacts of the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Pagoda, it no longer required time to recharge between uses. So long as one paid the cost in primal essence, it could be used again.
Over the years, the Dream Butterfly World within the pagoda had harvested nightmare energy at an incredible rate. As Great Yi's population grew, so did its dream activity—and thus, the nightmare fuel used to refine the pagoda.
The pagoda's internal space now spanned 500,000 li, and it was still expanding daily.
Someday, it may even break through into a true Great Thousand World.
The talisman had already been fully restored. Starry light flowed across its surface, mirroring a boundless starry sky.
"Each journey through this talisman is a tremendous opportunity. Other destiny emperors rarely get to leave their nations—I'm the only one with a means of traversing realms freely."
"May I gain much from this journey—population, talent, rare treasures. Anything and everything is welcome."
His goal, as always, was to gather more people and resources. As Great Yi prepared to conquer the four great realms, the need for vast human resources grew ever more pressing.
Especially in Bohai Realm, where most inhabitants are demonic races. Human survival is rare. A great migration may be possible this time.
"Let's see what fate has prepared for me this time."
Yi Tianxing took a deep breath, then infused his true essence into the talisman.
The talisman rose and shone with dazzling starlight, engulfing him. A split-second later, he felt a thread of his spiritual will drawn into the talisman.
He didn't resist—it was all part of the process.
His consciousness entered a celestial space within the talisman—the Astral World.
In a blink, the star energy reconstructed a new physical form for him, identical to his original body. The cost was immense—even the astral lights seemed to dim slightly across the void.
"Let's see where I end up this time…"
He stepped into the starry path.
A formless force swept him away, and in the next instant, he vanished.
The transition was too fast to resist.
Even with his cultivation, Yi Tianxing could only watch the countless streams of starlight flashing by.
"Hmm? Where is this?"
When he could finally see clearly again, he was surprised.
He hadn't landed on land… but in a celestial city.
The city was bustling—shops, vendors, crowds talking and trading. But the moment Yi Tianxing arrived, all eyes turned to him.
They'd seen him descend from the sky in a beam of starlight—a spectacle impossible to ignore.
"Who are you, fellow cultivator? How did you appear here?"A fat, round-faced man with an air of wealth stepped forward, curiosity in his eyes.
He was clearly someone who knew that no one could enter the city without his permission—yet here this stranger was.
"Yi Tian of the human race, greetings," said Yi Tianxing, adjusting his appearance slightly—softening his features, masking his imperial aura, and appearing like a carefree vagabond cultivator."I was traveling through the void and encountered a spatial storm. I accidentally fell into this city."
"I'm Zhen Deqiong," the man replied with a big smile."This is my merchant city. I am a traveling merchant."