Boom!
The Golden Light Shuttle unleashed its final strike, then recoiled violently, skidding across the plaza before narrowly avoiding a plunge off the cliff.
Simultaneously, the sky-filling barrage of fist shadows vanished. The Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator was forced back over ten meters before finally stopping, his body radiating intense heat as if his internal mechanisms were overloading.
"Fourth trial failed. Remaining attempts: six."
Han Yi retrieved the Golden Light Shuttle, feeling uncharacteristically discouraged.
This Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator was practically an all-purpose machine.
Indeed, though he resembled a cultivator, he was merely a product of Heavenly Crafting—a machine in the truest sense.
"His body is forged from an unknown material comparable to that used in Top-Grade Magic Artifacts."
"He can exhale illusory images of Immortal Mountains, capable of blocking Yin Thunder Talismans."
"He can withstand the Golden Light Shuttle's attacks and even counterattack with equal force."
"Only a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator could likely secure a decisive victory."
Han Yi sighed, recalled all his Magic Artifacts, and sat on the edge of the plaza, staring fixedly at the motionless Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator in the distance.
"I've exhausted all my methods, yet I still can't defeat him."
"Six attempts remain. Without a clear path to victory, I can't afford to waste another one."
"Looks like I'll just have to endure," Han Yi muttered, turning to gaze at the sea of clouds beyond the plaza. From his vantage point, the nearest Immortal Mountain was at least three miles away, its peak adorned with an identical Immortal Manor.
"The voice said I'd inherit Immortal Manor number 10,009 upon passing the trial. If my guess is correct, there must be at least 10,009 such manors scattered across these Immortal Mountains."
"Whoa... just what kind of place is this?"
Pushing aside his bewilderment, Han Yi began to formulate his next plan.
Yes, he had no intention of giving up. He simply needed to persevere.
"To win, I need to reach the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement, or elevate my Sword Control Technique to the next level. Perhaps both my cultivation realm and skills need to improve."
"No, that's not right. I shouldn't overthink this. My strongest weapon isn't the Chengying Sword, the Wind Demon Dagger, or even the Sword Control Technique. It's the Top-Grade Magic Artifact, the Golden Light Shuttle."
"Judging by those three recent attempts, the Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator only started taking me seriously when I used the Golden Light Shuttle."
"Therefore, I'll refine the Golden Light Shuttle to its peak potential, then break through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement, pushing my cultivation realm to the next stage. Only then will I attempt to breach his defenses again."
"That's the fastest and most reliable path to victory."
With his strategy decided, Han Yi felt a surge of determination.
Without hesitation, Han Yi retrieved his spirit stones and began cultivating.
Fortunately, he had previously consumed the Blood Bone Spirit Flower, which had tripled his Root Bone aptitude. This enhancement allowed his cultivation speed to rival that of True Spiritual Root cultivators like Luo Yunzhou, who possessed Three Spirit Roots.
Being trapped in this place was far from his desire. Despite multiple attempts, exhausting every method and technique, he had been unable to defeat the Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator. His only remaining option was to break through to the next cultivation layer.
"At least this trial doesn't have a time limit," he thought. "I wonder what the sect is like now."
Suppressing these thoughts, Han Yi took a deep breath and focused solely on cultivation.
The sea of clouds shimmered, and the Immortal Mountain emerged from the mist. At the foot of a cliff before a secluded residence, a cultivator clad in plain Daoist robes sat cross-legged in meditation.
Eternal daylight reigned, undisturbed by night's darkness.
Time flowed like a river, leaving its mark on the world.
Han Yi opened his eyes.
The faint red, illusory panel before him had undergone a complete transformation:
Name: Han Yi
Lifespan: 37/135
Cultivation Realm: Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement (1/100)
Cultivation Technique: Fire Astral Profound Art (Subtle Insight 11/100)
Skills:
- Alchemy Technique (Perfected Purity 49/100)
- Spirit Void Finger (Perfected Purity 74/100)
- Sword Control Technique (Perfected Purity 71/100)
- Light Body Technique (Perfected Purity 99/100)
Fire Shield Technique (Perfected Purity 24/100)
Turtle Breath Technique (Perfected Purity 28/100)
Li Fire Sword Manual (Masterful 9/100)
Qi Observation Technique (Hall Entry 29/100)
Talisman Crafting Art (Initial Glimpse of the Dao 29/100)
"Two and a half years, nearly three years... Finally, finally, I've reached the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement!"
Han Yi stood up, the ashes of spirit stones around him scattering in the wind.
An aura befitting the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement erupted skyward, stirring the sea of clouds before abruptly receding.
"No, the closer I get to a breakthrough, the more cautious I must be. Having just reached the Eighth Layer, I need to stabilize my cultivation realm."
"Still, this breakthrough came about a year faster than I anticipated."
Han Yi's gaze fell upon the Cultivation Technique section of his Proficiency Panel.
!
He had always believed that the proficiency of a cultivation technique had a negligible impact on one's cultivation realm.
This had been the case from the Second to the Sixth Layers of Qi Refinement. Even after switching to the Fire Astral Profound Art upon reaching the Seventh Layer, he hadn't noticed any significant change.
But a year and a half ago, when the Fire Astral Profound Art advanced from Masterful to Subtle Insight...
During his cultivation, Han Yi clearly noticed that his progress was about one-third faster than before. This was the first time he had truly perceived the significant impact of his Cultivation Technique on his advancement through the cultivation realms.
Originally, he had estimated that after consuming the Blood Bone Spirit Flower, six months of cultivation would increase his progress from 29/100 to 43/100—a gain of 14/100. At this rate, reaching 100/100 from 43/100 would require approximately five times that duration, or another two and a half years. Considering that cultivation becomes increasingly challenging in later stages, the actual time required would likely be over six times longer, stretching to over three years.
However, after the Fire Astral Profound Art advanced to the Subtle Insight stage, his cultivation speed drastically increased, allowing him to complete his breakthrough in less than three years.
"But this breakthrough... why didn't any Heavenly Demons descend? What kind of place is this? Could it be that even Heavenly Demons can't enter?"
A question surfaced in Han Yi's mind. Though he had taken a standard-grade Evil-Repelling Pill before his breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement, he hadn't sensed the usual seductive whispers of Heavenly Demons during the process.
He briefly considered this mystery before dismissing it from his thoughts.
Who cares? As long as I've successfully broken through, that's all that matters. It's better without a Heavenly Demon to avoid any unexpected complications.
Next, Han Yi spent three months stabilizing his Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement cultivation before beginning to refine the Golden Light Shuttle.
This time, he wasn't performing the basic, superficial refinement. Instead, he treated the Golden Light Shuttle as his core Magic Artifact, immersing it in his divine sense and channeling his mana into it.
Half a year passed before Han Yi finally refined this Top-Grade Magic Artifact to the limit of his current abilities.
By then, the Proficiency Panel showed that he was thirty-eight years old and had been in this mysterious Land for over three years.
After more than three years, Han Yi once again approached the motionless Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator outside the ancient bronze gate.
For all this time, this masterpiece of Heavenly Crafting had remained perfectly still, like a lifeless puppet. Only Han Yi knew that when activated, its power would be earth-shattering.
Han Yi quickened his pace. Reaching the halfway point, he abruptly leaped into the air. With a gentle toss, he sent the Golden Light Shuttle soaring skyward. The shuttle transformed into a streak of golden light before plummeting down like a thunderbolt.
Behind the Golden Light Shuttle, a ring of golden light shimmered, causing the very space to tremble. However, the shuttle's velocity was so immense that the sonic boom it generated couldn't keep pace.
The Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator, who had remained silent for three long years, suddenly raised his head. His aura, previously dormant, surged violently into existence, rapidly intensifying...
Boom!
He leaped into the air, his bronze-glowing arms forming a defensive posture as he braced against the Golden Light Shuttle's descent.
The scene mirrored almost exactly what had transpired three years prior.
But...
In the next moment...
Han Yi, suspended mid-air, his eyes blazing with ruthless determination, unleashed his divine sense with frenzied intensity. A thin trickle of blood unconsciously seeped from the corner of his mouth.
Simultaneously, at the moment before impact, the Golden Light Shuttle's speed doubled once more, rocketing upward.
Boom!!
Crack!
The sound of metal fracturing echoed through the air.
The terrifying golden streak, undiminished in velocity, continued its descent from the heavens.