Within Purple Mountain, a surge of intense killing intent flashed through Celestial Venerable Suizhu's mind, directed squarely at the True Saint Palace.
He hadn't anticipated that Han Yi could ascend from the Dao Fruit stage to the External Dao realm in just four thousand years. Moreover, from the images he'd witnessed, Han Yi's Divine Race cultivation surpassed his Immortal Dao cultivation, reaching the pinnacle just below the God Sovereign level.
Having lived through the Primordial Era that followed the creation of the Primordial Great World—the age when Ancient Gods roamed freely across heaven and earth—Suizhu had witnessed the terrifying power of God Sovereigns firsthand. His deep understanding of their might allowed him to discern that Han Yi's Divine Race cultivation already marked him as the strongest cultivator beneath the God Sovereign realm.
With dual cultivation paths both reaching extraordinary heights, Suizhu concluded that Han Yi's overall combat prowess, as far as he knew, made him the foremost cultivator beneath the Heavenly Venerable realm.
Such a Heaven-Defying Cultivator had the potential to become the Immortal Court's second Heavenly Venerable, becoming his Fellow Daoist and greatly aiding his future cultivation. Yet, this prodigy with limitless prospects had nearly been killed by the True Saint Palace, a thought that filled Suizhu with burning fury and relentless killing intent.
Suddenly struck by a thought, he asked again, "Given the True Saint Palace's catastrophic loss, and knowing the three Palace Masters are no pushovers, might they directly intervene? Could they use their Heavenly Venerable power to annihilate this mysterious young man?"
The External Dao cultivators exchanged glances. This question seemed to exceed the scope of their understanding. One of them replied, "This matter has likely not yet occurred, and it's beyond the reach of our Dao Realm cultivators to investigate. Please forgive my ignorance, Celestial Venerable."
Celestial Venerable Suizhu nodded. Instead of pressing further, he walked toward a specific area of the Great Hall. There stood a Heavenly Venerable-level Purple Mountain steward, where he might find the answers he sought.
After he left, the External Dao cultivators exchanged glances. One of them whispered, "Could that mysterious young man have some connection to this Heavenly Venerable?"
"This Heavenly Venerable seems quite familiar. He must have joined Purple Mountain after the Dao Tomb Ripples erupted, which is why we don't recognize him," another remarked.
Another External Dao cultivator pondered aloud, "Before the great calamity, numerous powerful figures emerged from the Chaos. No matter where that mysterious young man comes from, his combat prowess is truly astonishing."
"Only by attaining the Heavenly Venerable level can one truly protect themselves. Even the Dao Harmonization Realm, including those who have achieved Harmonization with the Dao, remains too weak."
The External Dao cultivators nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, Celestial Venerable Suizhu strode into the Great Hall and approached a Heavenly Venerable steward. Though they had never met before, he felt a strange familiarity with this figure.
Though Purple Mountain had attracted a number of Heavenly Venerables, their numbers remained limited. Whenever a new Heavenly Venerable joined, all existing members received their basic information.
"Are you Fellow Daoist Yuanqi?" Age Candle asked, clasping his hands in greeting.
The Celestial Venerable Attendant before him smiled. "Indeed, Fellow Daoist Suizhu. What urgent matter brings you here? Please be direct."
Though this was their first meeting, both Heavenly Venerables were already familiar with each other's reputation.
Age Candle nodded and cut straight to the point. "I wish to investigate a Heretical Battle that occurred outside the Myriad Journeys Palace in the Vast Heng Dao Domain. During that battle, the Great True Saint Sword of the True Saint Palace appeared, but subsequently vanished. I seek any leads regarding this Holy Sword."
"Additionally, I understand that all three Palace Masters of the True Saint Palace are currently on the Dao God Continent. I would like to inquire if any of them have left the Dao God Sect, and if so, whether there are any clues or information about their whereabouts."
These two questions, posed by Celestial Venerable Suizhu, were the most pressing matters concerning the True Saint Palace that he had been contemplating.
Regarding the first question about the Great True Saint Sword, if he could ascertain its location, he would undoubtedly take action to intercept, seize, suppress, or destroy this Ancient Artifact of the True Saint Palace.
The second issue was the recent destruction of the True Saint Palace's Heretical Dao Soul by Han Yi. Once this news spread, the True Saint Palace would undoubtedly learn of it, and likely faster than he could. Facing Han Yi's formidable combat strength, their next move would undoubtedly involve not just Dao Realm cultivators, but a true Heavenly Venerable.
Therefore, his plan was to determine which of the three Palace Masters of the True Saint Palace had left the Dao God Sect, then track their movements or whereabouts. He would spare no expense to hire other Heavenly Venerables to intercept and slay them.
This was his strategy: proactive offense was always superior to passive defense.
As for Han Yi, he wasn't worried. Every few thousand years, he would encounter a new, rapidly advancing Han Yi. Perhaps in another few thousand years, when they met again, Han Yi might even have ascended to the Heavenly Venerable realm.
Such a possibility was negligible for ordinary cultivators, but he believed it couldn't be ruled out for Han Yi.
Heavenly Venerable Yuanqi nodded in agreement. As the steward of Purple Mountain, he treated all cultivators seeking information equally, regardless of whether they were Heavenly Venerables or Dao Realm cultivators. As long as they could afford the price and the information was within Purple Mountain's purview, it could be obtained.
"Fellow Daoist Suizhu, please wait a moment."
A ripple like water spread across Heavenly Venerable Yuanqi's eyes, as if he were gazing into an boundless ocean so vast it could rival a Great World in size.
Celestial Venerable Suizhu understood that Heavenly Venerable Yuanqi had likely attained the Dao through the element of Water and cultivated it to perfection.
He had come to seek information because Purple Mountain boasted the most powerful intelligence network. After all, the cultivators of this Great Power were spirits of nature who had attained the Dao, and their innate ability to gather information far surpassed that of ordinary cultivators.
Everything that exists leaves a trace.
To spirits of nature, these traces are information, and recording them is an instinct ingrained from birth.
For example, if a Heavenly Venerable departed from the edge of the Dao God Continent without concealing their presence, the surrounding mountains, water marshes, and trees would all record their departure. A passing Dao Realm cultivator could later extract these recorded "traces."
This was why Purple Mountain's tentacles reached into every corner of the Nine Great Dao Domains.
Sure enough, after only three breaths, Heavenly Venerable Yuanqi's eyes returned to normal. He said, "I have the answers to both of Fellow Daoist's questions. However, since these pieces of information involve an Ancient Artifact and a Heavenly Venerable, the required Dao Crystals will be substantial. Please be aware of this, Fellow Daoist."
Upon hearing this, Celestial Venerable Suizhu's face lit up with delight. He had long prepared for the cost of answering these two questions.
After negotiating the price, he agreed and paid the required Dao Crystals. In return, he received a Jade Stone containing the answers to his inquiries.
Instead of leaving, he remained to absorb the information from the Jade Stone. His eyes then lit up with sudden understanding.
The first question concerned the Great True Saint Sword. After leaving the battlefield of the Myriad Journeys Palace, the sword unexpectedly encountered another Heavenly Venerable: Lu Jiuxiao, a Peak Heavenly Venerable.
Lu Jiuxiao then suppressed the Great True Saint Sword and claimed it for himself. Whether this was a whim or due to a pre-existing grudge remained unclear.
The second question pertained to the three Palace Masters of the True Saint Palace. Two remained within the Dao God Sect, but the third, Second Palace Master Yu Chang Heavenly Venerable, had departed the Dao God Continent over a decade ago, likely heading back to the Vast Heng Dao Domain.
However, the Jade Stone revealed that Yu Chang Heavenly Venerable never actually returned to the Vast Heng Dao Domain. Instead, she vanished without a trace at a place called Myriad Burials Origin in the Northern Realm of the Primordial Demon Dao Domain, her whereabouts now unknown.
"The Great True Saint Sword falling into Lu Jiuxiao's hands is certainly a significant reduction of threat. Unless a Half-Step Transcendent-level powerhouse like the Mountain Lord intervenes, no Heavenly Venerable can wrest it from his grasp."
"Meanwhile, Celestial Venerable Yu Chang departed the Central Dao Domain, passing through the Primordial Demon Dao Domain, and vanished at the Myriad Burials Origin. This is a promising lead."
Celestial Venerable Suizhu's eyes gleamed with determination as he resolved to investigate the Myriad Burials Origin. He had previously clashed briefly with Yu Chang during his time on the Dao God Continent, and their strengths had been evenly matched, neither able to gain the upper hand. This time, he had no intention of acting alone.
Though he had only recently ascended to the Heavenly Venerable realm, he had traversed the Chaos for countless ages, forging extensive connections across the cultivation realms. Many fellow cultivators who had reached the Heavenly Venerable realm before him remained within his network.
Having established bonds of friendship with these Heavenly Venerables, he was confident that by appealing to their shared causality, he could secure their assistance.
With a flicker in his eyes, Celestial Venerable Suizhu bid farewell to Heavenly Venerable Yuanqi, gathered his belongings, and departed Purple Mountain, entering the Chaos.
His current position was within the Ancestor God Dao Domain, where he happened to have two close friends on the Ancestor God Star. These two friends were God Sovereigns, and if he invited them to act, they would likely agree.
Moreover, within the Primordial Demon Dao Domain, he also had two Fellow Daoists with whom he shared a good relationship.
With the combined strength of five Heavenly Venerables, he was certain they could prevent Yu Chang from escaping.
As these plans swirled in his mind, Celestial Venerable Suizhu, having left Purple Mountain's domain, consulted the Star Chart to determine his course and headed toward the Ancestor God Star.
Meanwhile, Han Yi remained unaware that the Second Palace Master of the True Saint Palace on the Dao God Continent, Celestial Venerable Yu Chang, had personally taken action to ambush and kill him in the Vast Heng Dao Domain. He also had no knowledge that after Celestial Venerable Suizhu recovered from his injuries on Purple Mountain, he planned to gather several Heavenly Venerable friends to intercept and eliminate Yu Chang.
He was completely oblivious to the events unfolding in the Ancestor God Dao Domain, the Primordial Demon Dao Domain, and the Central Dao Domain.
At that moment, he was traveling on a Dao Boat, departing from the Void Profound Great World and heading straight for the Primordial in the Eastern Realm.
This return journey passed without incident.
Upon reaching the Primordial, he did not use the Chaos Channel but instead employed an Escape Technique to traverse the World Barrier, crossing the vast Void before landing in the Eastern Sovereign Territory of Great Luo.
Landing in the Eastern Sovereign Territory was part of his plan. This time, he intended to enter the Eastern Sovereign Ancestral Court for reconnaissance.
Although he had been injured, the primary damage had been to his Dao Fruit, with minimal impact on his Divine Aperture World. During the ten years it took to return to the Primordial, his Divine Aperture World had fully recovered under the influence of Creation and Immeasurable Power.
As for his Dao Fruit, it had only been repaired by about ten percent, leaving a long way to go before complete restoration.
Of course, with Taosi in his possession, he feared no existence below the Heavenly Venerable level, thanks to his mastery of High-Rank Immeasurable techniques.
Additionally, the Yueguang Ancient Artifact had been damaged, reducing the number of trump cards in his hand. This was why he was preparing to enter the Eastern Sovereign Ancestral Court, hoping for some gain, though the chances were slim, he still harbored some expectations.
After landing on the Great Primordial Continent, Han Yi transformed into a Demon Race Immortal Sovereign. Then, concealing his presence, he headed toward the Eastern Sovereign Ancestral Court.
The Eastern Sovereign Ancestral Court was located in the central-eastern region of the Eastern Sovereign Demon Court, only two Immortal Domains away from his landing spot.
Han Yi effortlessly traversed the distance and arrived at the Ancestral Court. From the outside, the court was enveloped by an enormous Dao Formation. This formation's power was terrifying; even a Dao Realm cultivator struck by it would either die or suffer severe injuries.
Han Yi's golden eyes blazed as he activated his Limitless Divine Pupil to its maximum. After a moment, the golden light subsided, and he had assessed the Dao Formation. It was indeed set up by a Heavenly Venerate-level expert—the Celestial Venerable Taiyi himself.
However, the Chaos Power contained within the formation was surprisingly limited. Han Yi had two theories about this: first, that the Celestial Venerable Taiyi's attainment of Venerable status was incomplete, leaving his control over Chaos Power imperfect. Second, that after the Great One's demise, the formation, having lost its guiding force, had gradually deteriorated.
In short, this Dao Formation was capable of intimidating even cultivators at the Dao Harmonization Realm. No wonder neither Purgatory Island nor Void Demon Palace would dare tangle with Donghuang without the intervention of a Heavenly Venerable.
But for Han Yi, the formation posed no real challenge. Even if discovered and activated to its full potential, it couldn't harm him.
He couldn't help but wonder if Eastern Emperor Taiyi's attainment of the Heavenly Venerable realm was flawed, making him less than a truly perfect Heavenly Venerable. If that were the case, would he, wielding the Yueguang Ancient Artifact, stand a chance against him in battle?
The thought flashed through his mind before he dismissed it.
Even without considering other factors, Taiyi's Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact alone was formidable. As an ancient god-spirit who had attained the Dao and survived from the Primordial Era, his artifact would be immensely powerful and perfectly attuned to him—something neither Han Yi nor Yueguang could hope to match.
Suppressing his thoughts, Han Yi began to alter his aura, harmonizing it with the source of the Dao Formation. With a flash, he vanished into the formation.
Had a Heavenly Venerable been overseeing the formation, he wouldn't have dared attempt this. But he knew that after the Great One's fall, Demon Emperor Jun had fled the Primordial Era, leaving Kunpeng Dao Ancestor as the strongest presence in the Demon Ancestral Court. Even if Kunpeng controlled the formation, his strength was insufficient to detect Han Yi.
As expected.
The Dao Light flickered, pausing for a fraction of a kshana at the point where Han Yi crossed. This pause was imperceptible to all but a Heavenly Venerable, causing barely a ripple in the entire Dao Formation.
Upon entering the Ancestral Court, Han Yi sensed three Dao Realm auras, immediately recognizing them as Kunpeng, Candle Dragon, and Lingming.
Strictly speaking, only Kunpeng had ascended to the Dao Ancestor realm before the Dao Tomb Ripples. The other two had achieved this status afterward.
Among them, Lingming Dao Ancestor had advanced the most rapidly. When Han Yi first arrived in the Great Luo Immortal Realm, Lingming was merely a Grand Unity Demon Monarch—the strongest among the Demon Race, yet still far from the Dao Realm.
To have bridged the gap from Demon Monarch to Dao Realm within ten thousand years was a feat reserved for the most extraordinarily fortunate among the Demon Race.
Of course, compared to Han Yi, even this achievement paled in significance.
As Han Yi strolled through the Demon Ancestral Court, he detached a sliver of his consciousness and focused it on a particular Divine Aperture World. Within this world, a massive golden egg trembled incessantly, emitting a directional impulse toward Han Yi's consciousness. It seemed that in that direction lay something the golden egg desperately needed.