The gilded halberd radiated the same aura that permeated the Great Qian Immortal Court—the aura of Great Qian's national fortune.
This female cultivator was undoubtedly a member of the Great Qian. She might be a great-granddaughter of the Great Qian Emperor, a descendant of a Duke or Marquis, or a relative of one of the Six Ministers or Three Chief Ministers.
During their journey to the Great Qian Immortal Capital, Daoist Tianxin had briefed Han Yi on the Great Qian's political structure. Combined with Han Yi's prior research in the Scripture Pavilion, he was familiar with the publicly acknowledged True Monarchs and Transformation God experts within the Great Qian's hierarchy.
The undisputed strongest figure in the Great Qian was the Great Qian Emperor. Beneath him were the Three Great Dukes: the Duke Protector of the Kingdom, the Duke of Anguo, and Duke Dingguo—all Divine Transformation Great Powers.
Below the Dukes were the Three Chief Ministers, the Six Ministers, and the Seven Marquises. These sixteen figures were all Nascent Soul True Monarchs.
However, this didn't mean the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom only had sixteen True Monarchs. According to the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion's True Monarch Ranking, there were at least thirty-four True Monarchs publicly affiliated with the Great Qian, not to mention those operating in the shadows.
This was the absolute hegemon of the southwestern region of the Jade Balance Realm.
Numerous thoughts flashed through Han Yi's mind, but his expression remained unchanged. He quickly stowed the Spirit Jade Gui into his Storage Pouch, turned to face the approaching figure, and then, without acknowledging her, seized the opportunity to flee.
In the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, Han Yi considered himself second to none.
Outside this place, he had accepted being hunted and forcibly abducted, facing opponents who were either in the Mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, Peak Foundation Establishment Stage, or even Nascent Soul True Monarchs. For the sake of survival, a little cowardice was understandable.
But here, where cultivation realms were restricted to the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, he had nothing to fear. As long as others didn't provoke him, they could coexist peacefully. If they courted death, he would gladly oblige.
Of course.
The newcomer was an official cultivator from Great Qian. To avoid future complications, Han Yi decided to ignore her. What if she turned out to be a distant granddaughter of the Great Qian Emperor? Killing her would be suicidal.
People often mistakenly believed that entering the Cave Heaven meant equality for all. In reality, human nature always favored some over others.
However.
Han Yi's indifference was misinterpreted as fear.
A flicker of anger crossed the female cultivator's icy face. She leveled her halberd and charged forward with lethal intent.
Boom!
The halberd swept through the space Han Yi had occupied, piercing only a lingering afterimage before cleaving through over a dozen massive trees and crashing into the ground.
Suddenly, a dark cyan sword qi silently sliced through the violently churning dust.
Chi!
The sword qi grazed the female cultivator's forehead, severing a strand of her hair. It then arced back into the sword sheath of the retreating figure.
In that instant, the figure swayed slightly and vanished without a trace, leaving barely a trace of his aura.
"Chase me, and you die!"
A voice, chillingly cold and brimming with murderous intent, echoed from the departing figure.
The purple-robed female cultivator froze, horror blooming in her rapidly constricting pupils.
The blinding sword light that had brushed against her scalp was clearly a warning.
Her opponent was terrifyingly strong—absurdly so. Despite both being at the Early Foundation Establishment Stage, he had effortlessly held back, demonstrating a staggering gap in power that left her stunned.
That first strike was a warning. If she pursued him, he might not show mercy next time.
She took a deep breath, lightly beckoned her halberd back into her grasp, and tightened her grip on the weapon. The retreating cultivator's image flashed through her mind.
"This man is completely unfamiliar. I know all the cultivators from the Immortal Kingdom, and he's not one of them. The most likely explanation is that he's a disciple secretly nurtured by the Holy Land or the Three Great Sects."
"So... strong."
She steadied her resolve and continued forward, halberd in hand, but this time, her mindset had shifted.
Meanwhile, deep within the mountain forest, Han Yi soared into the air, rising to a height of thirty meters. A faint golden light emanated from his eyes as he surveyed the surroundings.
The Qi Observation Technique wasn't merely for perceiving people; it could also be used to locate objects. No spirit-imbued entity could escape its gaze.
Though initially a low-ranked Dao Technique, its adaptability was unparalleled. Under the influence of the Proficiency Panel, its capabilities had undergone a complete transformation, diverging sharply from the original principles of the spell.
Buzz!
Under the Qi Observation Technique, the world before Han Yi's eyes disintegrated into countless multicolored lines. Ordinary vegetation was represented by crude strokes, while spirit herbs that had attained a certain grade were depicted with more intricate patterns. Further ahead, passing cultivators appeared as glowing orbs of varying hues—crimson, blood-colored, gilded, or silver.
Han Yi surmised that these colors correlated with the cultivators' elemental affinities, cultivation techniques, and even their personal temperaments.
Suddenly, a dazzling cluster of dense light points materialized in his vision, each a pure violet hue, resembling miniature amethyst stars.
Spirit Jade Gui.
Han Yi's heart surged with delight as the faint golden glow faded from his eyes, restoring the world to its normal appearance. Moving with lightning speed, he descended into the mountain forest and raced toward the cluster of purple light points he had glimpsed through his Qi Observation Technique.
In less than ten breaths, the trees parted to reveal a hidden mountain valley.
The cliff walls were dotted with patches of purple, each spaced roughly a hundred meters apart, with a Spirit Jade Gui embedded within. Their soft violet auras created a mesmerizing illusion of ethereal beauty.
"So many!" Han Yi exclaimed softly as his feet touched the ground. Without hesitation, he soared into the air on his sword and pried a Spirit Jade Gui from the cliff face. Though slightly smaller than the one he had obtained earlier, there were at least dozens visible, collectively worth more than ten times his previous haul.
Jackpot!
With a sudden leap, Han Yi surged forward, simultaneously retrieving another sword artifact, Blacklight, from his Storage Pouch.
The Green Ripple Sword and Blacklight Sword danced before the cliff face like twin writhing dragons, tirelessly prying loose the Spirit Jade Gui, which Han Yi swiftly collected.
Suddenly, a figure hurtled toward him at incredible speed.
"Haha! Spirit Jade Gui! So much!"
"I'm rich!"
As the laughter faded, a figure emerged from the forest into the valley. Seeing the seven or eight Spirit Jade Gui still embedded in the cliff face, the newcomer's face lit up with glee, and he burst into wild laughter.
The man was a towering giant, his Daoist robe accentuating his resemblance to the Giant Spirit War God.
Han Yi merely glanced at him before gently beckoning the Black Light Broken Sword to his side. The Green Ripple Sword continued its work without pause.
With a dozen swift strokes, the Green Ripple Sword pried loose all the remaining Spirit Jade Gui from the cliff face. Han Yi swept them before him with his Divine Sense and stored them in his Storage Pouch.
"Hmph!"
A thunderous roar erupted from the Giant Spirit Strongman's throat. One moment he had been laughing maniacally, the next his eyes burned with murderous intent.
"Die!"
The Giant Spirit Strongman hurled a gilded mirror into the air. The small disc hovered five meters above the ground, emitting a beam of golden light that swept across the valley, only to shatter a lingering afterimage of Han Yi.
"Hmm?"
The Giant Spirit Strongman grunted in surprise. With a flick of his wrist, a silver mirror appeared in his other hand.
The second mirror rose into the air, unleashing a beam of silver light that intertwined with the golden ray. Their combined assault tore through the valley, churning the earth and obliterating dust and sand.
Han Yi's movements were deliberate and precise, each step imbued with a mystical rhythm that allowed him to evade the sweeping beams of light with uncanny precision.
"I refuse to believe this!" the Giant Spirit Strongman roared, retrieving a third mirror from his Storage Pouch. This one glowed crimson, unleashing a blinding red radiance that joined the golden and silver beams in a dazzling crossfire.
The triple threat of golden, silver, and crimson light exerted immense pressure, even on Han Yi. He estimated that his Light Body Technique could barely withstand a fourth mirror, but he had no intention of foolishly standing still as a target.
Han Yi's brow arched as he launched into Sword Flight. With a flash of black light, he struck the nearest gilded mirror.
Clang!!
The metallic clang of clashing steel echoed through the valley. Han Yi's brow furrowed deeper as he watched the mirror tumble hundreds of meters into the forest, only to rise unscathed into the air once more. His expression turned grave.
His sword strike had been delivered with his full strength, yet it hadn't even shattered a single mirror. The mirror's quality was no lower than his own Black Light Severed. If it wasn't a true Magic Treasure, it must be a top-grade Magic Artifact of the highest caliber.
Moreover, observing these identical mirrors with different colors and similar functions, Han Yi began to suspect something else entirely.
These mirrors appeared to be a set of Magic Treasures, but when used individually, they lacked the full power of such artifacts, making them only Half-Step Magic Treasures.
If that were the case, who exactly was this man?
Even a complete set of Magic Treasures depended on the user's strength. By the Foundation Establishment Stage, contests of Instrument Flight primarily relied on Divine Sense.
Han Yi possessed a First-Class Divine Soul Immortal Foundation.
In this domain, he had never feared anyone of comparable cultivation.
Now...
His Divine Sense surged forth, guiding the returning Black Light Broken Sword. It smashed the remaining two mirrors aside, then soared skyward, streaking through the Void toward the Giant Spirit Strongman.
Across from him, the Giant Spirit Strongman's eyes bulged as Han Yi's Sword Flight shattered the gilded mirror. His face twisted in shock, and the impact on his Divine Sense sent tremors through his soul, causing his head to throb violently.
Fast.
Too fast.
So fast he could barely react.
This extreme speed generated immense power.
If that sword had targeted me first, I might not have even managed to retrieve my fourth mirror. Cold sweat slicked his back as terror bloomed in his heart.
The Giant Spirit Strongman hastily retrieved his fourth mirror, a pure white one. This time, he faced its reflective surface toward himself.
A beam of white light enveloped him, and with a whoosh, his body vanished.
The pure white mirror leaped lightly into the Void and vanished in an instant.
A black light flashed and returned.
Han Yi's surprise deepened.
This mirror wasn't just an offensive tool; it could also teleport.
A hundred meters away, the Giant Spirit Strongman suddenly reappeared, the white mirror leaping out beside him.
His face contorted in shock as he reached out, his hand passing through the mirror as if entering another dimension. Mana surged forth, causing the gold, silver, and red mirrors scattered around to vanish abruptly. When he withdrew his arm, three more mirrors lay in his palm.
The next moment, another white light from the white mirror enveloped him, and the mirror leaped away.
!
When it reappeared, it was three hundred meters away.
After less than three breaths of combat, the Giant Spirit Strongman fled without a word.
He had arrived with bravado, but retreated with haste.
Indeed, the world is full of cultivators, Han Yi thought. Even though I'm confident in my Early Foundation Establishment Stage strength, others surely possess extraordinary methods. I mustn't underestimate them.
The gold, silver, red, and white mirrors—this set of Magic Treasures must consist of more than just these four. This man is definitely not an ordinary Sect disciple; he must have a powerful background. Never mind.
Han Yi sheathed his sword, glanced back at the mountain forest, and with a flicker in his eyes, swiftly crossed the valley and entered another ancient, verdant forest.
Three breaths after his departure, five figures descended into the valley, taking up positions at five distinct points.
"Such powerful Sword Control Technique," Pang Quan, a young man adorned in a regal purple brocade robe, said, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "Ding Jiansheng, is this person from your Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect?"
If Han Yi had been present, he would have recognized Pang Quan as the ninth-generation descendant of the Great Qian Emperor Monarch, who had competed at the Myriad Stars Sea Dharma Assembly.
Pang Quan turned his gaze toward the edge of the forest, where an aloof Sword Cultivator stood. This cultivator was Ding Jiansheng, from the Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect, one of the Three Great Sects of Great Qian.
Across the valley, Ding Jiansheng's gaze swept across the ancient forest opposite, a hint of confusion flickering in his eyes.
Then, he glanced briefly at Pang Quan, his haughty demeanor unchanged. Without a word, he mounted his sword and soared across the valley into the ancient forest.
He hadn't even deigned to acknowledge Pang Quan, his eyes as calm as a deep pool.
Without a doubt, this was utter contempt.
Pang Quan's face darkened, his body trembling slightly beneath his brocade robes before he swiftly regained his composure. With a flick of his embroidered sleeves, he strode away.
The other three cultivators wore varied expressions, their attention fixed on Han Yi's retreating figure. Even if they noticed Pang Quan's displeasure, they paid it no heed.
In an instant, the group dispersed, some heading in different directions, others following Han Yi across the valley.
Meanwhile, as Han Yi crossed the valley and entered the ancient, dense forest, he sensed five Foundation Establishment auras pursuing him. However, he ignored them.
Within the Jade Pavilion Precious Jade Grotto-Heaven, conflict was merely a means to an end: obtaining Spirit Jade Gui. Moreover, all those who entered this realm were influential figures; killing them was simple, but dealing with the aftermath would be troublesome.
Until he mastered spells to disrupt the causality of Heavenly Secrets, Han Yi resolved to minimize bloodshed. Any Magic Artifacts or Treasures acquired through violence would be swiftly exchanged for other items.
The lesson of Yuan Changtian's downfall had been deeply ingrained.
Especially since the cultivators who entered the Jade Pavilion Precious Jade Grotto-Heaven hailed from Golden Core-level sects, including descendants of the Great Qian Emperor Monarch and scions of major figures from the Holy Lands and the Three Great Sects.
They were not worth antagonizing.
Having entered the ancient, dense forest...
Han Yi continued to scavenge, piecing together a few more Spirit Jade Gui fragments. He now had over fifty pieces—a considerable fortune.
These Spirit Jade Guis could be consumed directly to advance one's cultivation by a minor realm. Considered rare treasures, they were second only to the Immortal Opportunity he had encountered in the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven.
Naturally, Han Yi wouldn't let such a chance slip by.
Suddenly, a deafening explosion erupted from a distant direction. Han Yi froze mid-stride, then whirled around and dashed toward the sound without hesitation.
Where there was conflict, there was competition, and in this place, the prize was undoubtedly Spirit Jade Gui. Han Yi had no intention of letting this opportunity pass him by; he would rely solely on his own skills.
Whoosh!
A Phantom Shadow flashed across the landscape. In less than ten breaths, Han Yi had traversed several kilometers, bursting from the forest's edge. His eyes widened in shock.
Before him, a mountain peak nearly a hundred meters tall had abruptly risen from the earth, standing at the edge of the forest.
What truly stunned Han Yi was the violet radiance blazing atop the peak, as bright as the brightest star in the night sky, drawing his gaze irresistibly.
A Spirit Jade Gui.
And not just any piece—a colossal fragment taller than a grown man.
All the Spirit Jade Gui Han Yi had collected thus far combined wouldn't amount to even a tenth of this single behemoth.
Outside the forest, surrounding the mountain peak, over a dozen figures stood poised in the void.
On the ground lay a mangled corpse, its features unrecognizable, a shattered Magic Artifact beside it.
Han Yi's pupils constricted, a flicker of hesitation crossing his face. This situation was perilous. Anyone who made the first move would become the target of a concentrated barrage, making survival unlikely.
He was strong; in a one-on-one fight against opponents of his level, he feared no one. But facing over a dozen Early Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators simultaneously, armed with Top-Grade Magic Artifacts and Magic Treasures, would mean certain death.
"This is tricky," Han Yi muttered.
His gaze darted around, and an idea formed in an instant. Since he couldn't consume the entire Spirit Jade Gui himself, he would shatter it, sowing chaos and breaking the stalemate. Only then would he have a chance to seize the lion's share.
As Han Yi emerged from the forest's edge, several more cultivators gradually appeared. Among them were a few familiar faces.
A hundred meters to his left stood Pang Quan, the ninth-generation descendant of the Great Qian Dynasty—a man best avoided.
Three hundred meters to his right was Shen Yuan, a young cultivator wielding a massive three-meter-long black blade, its dark surface gleaming with a chilling light.
Both were members of the Grand Void Sect.
Han Yi shifted his attention to the dozen figures confronting each other in mid-air. He recognized two of them.
One was Fu You, a youth in profound robes from the Southern Dipper Divine Palace.
Another figure stood out, clad in white robes and bearing three battle banners on his back. The banners snapped fiercely in the wind, their fluttering causing the very space around them to distort and shimmer.
Xie Jingshan of the Spirit Battle Sect.
Han Yi realized with a start.
Fourteen years had passed since the Profound Pill Sect last organized a sect-wide expedition to Jade Capital Mountain for the Cave Heaven Trial.
During those fourteen years, he had broken through and grown stronger.
Meanwhile, other cultivators from the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven—those from the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, the Grand Void Sect, and similar organizations—possessed far greater resources and faced far more oppressive training environments. Naturally, they too had grown stronger at an accelerated pace.
Breaking through to become a Legendary Qi Refining Cultivator required nearly every essential quality: innate talent, fortune, root bone, and comprehension. Once they reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, these attributes would naturally carry over, allowing them to advance rapidly through the early stages.
However, before Han Yi, even those stronger than Han Xuxiao of the Blood God Sect held only a marginal advantage. He felt no fear of them whatsoever.
Having finalized his strategy, Han Yi acted without hesitation. The Black Light Broken Sword hovered before him. With two fingers, he gently flicked the blade upward, sending it soaring like a bolt of lightning.
Every cultivator—the dozen meditating in the void and the seven or eight emerging from the mountain forest—turned their gazes toward Han Yi.
"Hmph!"
Mid-air, a cultivator with an icy expression scoffed lightly. With a flick of his wrist, he hurled a five-colored fan forward. In an instant, the fan transformed into a colossal, ten-meter-wide weapon. A gentle wave threatened to sweep Han Yi's Broken Sword away.
But...
Thud.
The sharp sound of a bullet piercing hardwood rang out. The Black Light Broken Sword instantly pierced through the colorful fan, its momentum undiminished. Instead, it surged upward with renewed force.
"My Peacock Fan! Damn it!"
The Lengli Cultivator, who had been meditating in the void, glared fiercely at Han Yi. A second Top-Grade Magic Artifact materialized in his hand—a short arrow barely wider than his palm.
The arrow's shaft was white, while its tip glowed with dark light.
His eyes flashing with lethal intent, the Lengli Cultivator lightly flicked the arrow forward. It hovered in the air, wreathed in swirling black-and-white energy. Then, with the speed of thunder, the silent, deadly projectile shot forth, an arrow of death itself, aimed directly at Han Yi.
Everyone present, including Han Yi, felt an undeniable certainty: this spell would strike its mark.
Whether they stood at the forest's edge or floated in mid-air, none of the cultivators moved. All eyes were fixed on Han Yi.
Shen Yuan of the Grand Void Sect, Fu You of the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, Xie Jingshan of the Spirit Battle Sect, Pang Quan of the Great Qian Immortal Kingdom, and Ding Jiansheng of the Scarlet Cloud Sword Sect—each observed Han Yi with varying expressions: some with detached amusement, others with simmering jealousy, and still others with cold indifference.