Han Yi deactivated the formation art sealing the tree hollow and stepped outside.
The dim, dense forest remained unchanged from a year and a half ago. With the Demon Slaying Assembly nearing its end, it was time to prepare for his return.
He walked back to the spot where he had been dropped off a year and a half earlier, soon reaching the island's edge. Standing beneath a colossal tree, the dark forest loomed behind him while a sun-drenched beach stretched out before him.
He channeled mana into his Jade Ring, which flickered softly, activating its homing function. The Chaos Peng Immortal Boat, scheduled to pick him up, would hover overhead, signaling his departure.
Han Yi sat cross-legged and resumed his cultivation. The wait for retrieval could be long or short—perhaps another year and a half, or as little as half a year.
Seven days later, Han Yi's eyes snapped open, his gaze fixed on the sea beyond the island.
A female cultivator in a celestial-blue robe strode across the waves as if walking on solid ground, her feet barely touching the water. In the blink of an eye, she transformed from a distant blur into a tangible presence on the shore.
"Su Wanqing of the Myriad Stars Sea," Han Yi murmured, his eyebrow twitching. He remained seated, offering no greeting, and quickly averted his gaze, disinterested. Whatever business brought this legendary cultivator of the Myriad Stars Sea to the island, it was none of his concern—as long as she didn't interfere with him.
Walking on water is a basic skill for cultivators at the Mid-Stage Qi Refining realm. For greater speed, they can use Magic Artifacts, leveraging buoyancy and the artifact's power to propel themselves swiftly across the surface. After all, water isn't air.
Flying through the air, however, remains a rare feat during the Qi Refining Stage, attainable only by exceptionally gifted cultivators.
At this Demon Slaying Assembly, the Kunpeng Immortal Boat deposited participants individually or in small groups on various sea islands. Some islands housed a single cultivator, while others hosted two or three. The largest islands held over a dozen.
Once cultivators had eradicated the demon beasts on their assigned islands, they were free to move to other islands for further demon-slaying—a practice akin to "monster poaching."
In Han Yi's view, Su Wanqing had clearly come to steal his monsters.
But why would a legendary Qi Refining cultivator from the Myriad Stars Sea need to resort to such tactics?
The question flickered briefly through his mind, but he dismissed it without further consideration. After all, none of this concerned him.
As Su Wanqing stepped onto Island No. 19, her delicate brows furrowed slightly. She had immediately noticed Han Yi, who was concealed beneath a towering tree.
A gentle, sapphire light shimmered in her eyes—a detection spell far more sophisticated than the Qi Observation Technique.
"That person should be a cultivator from the Profound Pill Sect named Han Yi."
"Just a year and a half ago, he had barely entered the Ninth Layer of Qi Refinement. Now, he's already an advanced practitioner at that level. His aptitude must be exceptional."
As the host of the Demon-Slaying Grand Assembly, Su Wanqing possessed a basic understanding of all the Qi Refining Stage cultivators participating.
Instead of approaching Han Yi, she headed straight into the island's interior. Her purpose here was demon-slaying—specifically, to eliminate a true Demon Cultivator.
This Demon Cultivator's true form was that of a Fire Phoenix Demon.
According to her intelligence, the Fire Phoenix Demon had appeared on Island No. 19 a year and a half ago. After clashing with several Legendary Cultivators on the island, it killed numerous Peak Qi Refining cultivators and one Legendary before narrowly escaping with severe injuries despite being surrounded by at least three Legendaries.
Since then, Legendary Cultivators had been relentlessly pursuing the wounded Fire Phoenix Demon like sharks drawn to blood.
Its combat record served as the best proof of its power.
Undeterred by death, the Fire Phoenix Demon hadn't fled into the deep sea. Instead, as if seeking revenge, it had scoured every island within a ten-thousand-mile radius.
Kill, flee, kill again, flee again.
Furthermore, the Nascent Soul True Monarch overseeing this region had somehow learned of the Fire Phoenix Demon Queen's presence. He secretly pursued her but refrained from intervening, allowing her to escape, seemingly intending to use this demon cultivator to test the Qi Refining cultivators in the area.
After circling back, the Fire Phoenix Demon returned to Island No. 19.
Su Wanqing's expression turned grave, yet a fiery battle intent flickered in her eyes.
Water, the softest substance, can also be the most unyielding.
Previously, she had attempted to corner the Eastern Phoenix Demon on Island No. 27, but the demon's speed had been too great. Just as she closed in, it would slip away again, leaving her deeply frustrated.
But this time, Su Wanqing was confident she could intercept and kill the demon cultivator. Slaying a demon cultivator while still in the Qi Refining stage would undoubtedly earn her first-class merit and numerous rewards from the Holy Land.
Despite her status as a Legendary Qi Refining cultivator, such prodigies were plentiful in the Myriad Stars Sea. Moreover, since Qi Refining cultivators had yet to establish their Immortal Foundation, the Holy Land's resources, though far greater than those of other sects, still fell short of what someone like her, a chosen one of heaven, required.
She needed to personally solidify her Immortal Path through action, forging a First-Grade Immortal Foundation before entering the Foundation Establishment Stage to pave the way for greater heights.
With unwavering resolve, Su Wanqing strode into the dense forest, her heart set on slaughter.
Fifteen minutes later, Han Yi, who had been sitting cross-legged beneath a towering tree, suddenly opened his eyes. He turned toward the sea, his brow furrowing in surprise.
"Another Legendary," he murmured. "And this one's a Sword Immortal."
In the distance, a Legendary Cultivator approached, riding a sword that whistled through the air with a thunderous roar. About three hundred meters from Han Yi, the cultivator plunged into the forest and vanished.
Fifteen minutes later, Han Yi silently surveyed the sea beyond the island. His earlier confusion had given way to certainty: something significant was about to happen, or perhaps had already happened, on this island.
"The third one now," he muttered.
A young man stood on a black metal plate, gliding across the waves. As he neared the shore, about twenty meters from the island, he leaped lightly onto the sand. The metal plate followed, embedding itself upright beside him.
Han Yi squinted. It wasn't a metal plate at all, but an extraordinarily broad black greatsword. The blade measured half a meter in width and over three meters in length, giving it the appearance of a solid sheet of metal.
Han Yi had only ever seen such a weapon once before, wielded by the Holy Maiden of Jade Capital Mountain in the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven. However, her massive blade was only about two meters long, while the greatsword currently embedded in the sand stood a staggering three meters tall, an awe-inspiring sight.
The young man noticed Han Yi and approached. He stopped a few meters away and extended his hand. With a whoosh, the hilt of the greatsword behind him flew into his grasp.
Without any apparent effort, the youth casually hoisted the enormous black blade onto his shoulder, creating a jarring contrast between his slender frame and the weapon's formidable size.
Han Yi's eyelids twitched. This guy must possess innate divine strength or be a Spirit-Body Dual Cultivator, he thought. Only that could explain how he lifts and carries such a massive blade so effortlessly.
"Fellow Daoist, is this Island No. 19?" The young man stopped thirty meters away and called out.
Han Yi, who had already risen, nodded. "Indeed, this is Island No. 19."
"Fellow Daoist, has anything happened on Island No. 19?"
Su Wanqing's arrival could be dismissed as an isolated incident, but the appearance of a Sword Immortal shattered that notion. With three Legendary cultivators now present, it was clear that something extraordinary was unfolding.
"The Fire Phoenix Demon is critically wounded and has fled to this island. The creature is incredibly cunning, and I absolutely must not let it escape this time."
The Legendary Cultivator explained the situation briefly, cupped his fist towards Han Yi, and strode into the dense forest.
Han Yi stood rooted to the spot, his expression thoughtful.
During their brief exchange, neither had revealed their names. The young man carrying the greatsword didn't recognize Han Yi, but Han Yi knew him well.
This was Shen Yuan, a Legendary Qi Refining cultivator from the Grand Void Sect. Before this encounter, Han Yi had never seen Shen Yuan's Magic Artifact—a terrifying greatsword of colossal proportions.
"The Fire Phoenix Demon... A year and a half... Wandering tens of thousands of miles only to return to Island No. 19."
Han Yi's pupils constricted sharply.
He suddenly recalled the earth-shattering roar from a year and a half ago, the one that had shaken even the ancient trees. At the time, Han Yi had speculated that the source of that roar was likely a Demon Cultivator.
Moreover, the voice had sounded eerily similar to that of the Giant Cat Aberrant Beast he had slain. He had even wondered then if the parent would come seeking revenge for its cub.
Now, it seemed his suspicions had been correct.
"I can't stay here any longer."
If Han Yi were merely being targeted by a single, heavily wounded Demon Cultivator, he wouldn't consider the situation particularly dire. With his current strength, he had a good chance of killing a newly transformed, heavily injured Demon Cultivator.
The real problem was the convergence of numerous Legendary figures. Any display of his power would inevitably draw unwanted attention. Given the precarious state of the Profound Pill Sect, the consequences of such exposure were unpredictable. He might earn the favor of powerful figures, or worse, trigger a relentless assassination attempt by the Blood God Sect, regardless of the cost.
Han Yi couldn't afford to take that risk.
It was better to distance himself from this whirlpool as soon as possible and extricate himself from the situation entirely. Han Yi glanced back at the dense forest behind him, where ancient trees soared into the sky, creating an unnervingly still atmosphere—the eerie calm before a storm.
Then, he turned toward the beach. The Green Ripple Sword rose into the air behind him, poised to plunge into the sea and carry him to another island.
But just as the Green Ripple Sword lifted off, Han Yi abruptly snapped his gaze forward, his expression darkening.
A figure streaked across the sea's surface, a Blood Sword concealed beneath the waves radiating an overwhelming aura of slaughter.
This was a blade forged for pure carnage.
"Xue He of the Blood God Sect," Han Yi muttered, his face flickering with dangerous resolve.
Xue He, arriving on his sword, had already taken in Han Yi's features. His expression remained impassive, the murderous intent emanating from him and his Blood Sword merging into a thick, surging tide.
In an instant, the distance between them shrank to a mere hundred meters. Xue He leaped from the sea, the Blood Sword darting ahead like a crimson bolt. A sonic boom erupted as the blade closed the gap, reaching Han Yi's face before the echo even faded.
In Xue He's eyes, the Profound Pill Sect cultivator before him was as good as dead.
Hmph!
Killing him would be as trivial as crushing an insignificant insect underfoot—a task he had performed countless times, most recently just moments ago.
Mid-leap, Xue He stabilized his posture. Without glancing down, he fixed his gaze forward, toward the towering ancient trees of the dense forest ahead—his true battlefield.
Boom!!
A terrifying explosion erupted from below, causing Xue He's gaze to snap downward. His eyes widened in shock.
His Blood Sword, his companion for years, was rebounding even faster than before, hurtling back toward the water.
"Hmm? A Top-Grade Magic Artifact?"
Before he could fully process his astonishment, a cyan-black sword light streaked diagonally toward him. Though silent, the murderous intent radiating from it far surpassed that of his own Blood Sword.
"Damn it! This guy's not normal."
Xue He's expression finally changed to one of panic. Every hair on his body stood on end as a red Spirit Light flashed in his palm, instantly teleporting him ten meters away.
A scrap of his robe drifted down from his former position. The sword light, moving faster than his Blood Sword, barely grazed him. Had he activated the Spirit Light a fraction of a second later, his head would have been severed.
The realization turned his horror into sheer terror.
How many years had it been since he had faced such mortal danger?
In that single Kshana, death had brushed against him. Since attaining Legendary status, even when facing ordinary Foundation Establishment Stage Cultivators, though he occasionally found himself in precarious situations, he had never been in such mortal peril.
After the initial shock came fury.
Though momentarily suspended in mid-air, Xue He seized the fleeting moment to unleash a lethal strike.
"Die."
A spirit talisman materialized in his hand as the Crimson Longsword, which had been blasted away, surged back into the air. Tearing through space, it returned with a monstrous wave of blood, bearing down with even greater force.
Earlier, Xue He had mistaken Han Yi for an Advanced Ninth Layer cultivator. The Blood Sword's initial strike, though fully empowered—enough to instantly kill even a Peak Qi Refining cultivator—had only drawn out less than half of his true strength.
But now, his Blood Sword had been deflected in an instant, nearly slicing him in two. This shock ignited both fury and profound caution. His next move would be an all-out attack, amplified by the spirit talisman.
Beneath the sandy beach, Han Yi remained calm, yet his senses were honed to their sharpest. Every Legendary cultivator was exceptional, and the title of "Legendary" was earned through extraordinary power.
The moment Xue He produced the spirit talisman, Han Yi had already conjured four Wind Wall Techniques and two Fire Shield Techniques.
Then...
His divine sense erupted forth. The Green Ripple Sword, flashing into the sky, vanished without a trace.
As Xue He activated the Spirit Talisman, a cyan-black sword light, as swift as lightning, crashed down from above.
Time seemed to freeze in that instant.
The sword, like a bolt of lightning, pierced through Xue He's skull.
Fast, fast, fast! Xue He never anticipated that the sword artifact, which had just narrowly missed him, bringing him to the brink of death, could return so swiftly.
Even as the sword light pierced through him, Xue He's eyes remained fixed on Han Yi, showing no premonition of his impending death.
Simultaneously, the Five Thunder Divine Talisman in Xue He's hand burned to ash. A thunderous boom shook the air as a genuine bolt of lightning descended from the heavens.
This was no mere sword light mimicking lightning; it was true thunder.
The lightning struck Han Yi's position with a deafening crackle, its surging energy shattering the layered Wind Wall Techniques and obliterating the Peak Perfection Fire Shield Technique. Yet its power was already diminished to a mere tenth of its original force.
The remaining energy dissipated completely as Han Yi's Spirit Void Finger collided with it.
Having anticipated this, Han Yi had already erected multiple defensive layers. In a flash, he sidestepped about a meter to the side, narrowly avoiding the lightning's full impact.
When the electrical glow faded, a faint smoky aroma clung to his clothes.
Han Yi casually dodged the Blood Sword, its initial speed formidable but its momentum already waning. With a quick shake of his body, he extinguished the wisp of residual fiery energy clinging to his clothes.
Looking back, the entire sequence—from Xue He's leap into the air and the Crimson Longsword's lightning strike to Xue He's demise—unfolded in thirty kshanas. This was just over a moment, but less than two, totaling under a second at most.
The victor had been decided, and life and death irrevocably determined.
Was Xue He careless?
Undeniably.
Yet Han Yi believed he could have severed Xue He's head even in a direct confrontation. Xue He's negligence merely expedited the battle, leaving Han Yi completely unscathed.
For the first time, Han Yi experienced the true power of Spirit Talismans.
Judging by the earlier events, the talisman Xue He wielded was likely a First-Tier High-Grade Five Thunder Divine Talisman, comparable in strength to the Yin Thunder Talisman.
Fortunately, Han Yi's preemptive strike allowed him to withstand even such a formidable talisman.
After mentally retracing this brief yet perilous encounter, Han Yi swiftly approached Xue He's corpse, which had fallen from mid-air.
A blood-soaked hole pierced through Xue He's skull, coursing through his entire body and exiting through his lower abdomen.
A chill ran down Han Yi's spine as he resolved never to carelessly take to the skies again. Against weaker opponents, it might be manageable, but against stronger foes, he'd be a sitting duck.
He retrieved Xue He's Storage Pouch and the Crimson Longsword, which had been plunged a meter deep into the sand, storing them away. After a moment's thought, he tossed an Exploding Talisman to obliterate the corpse.
Then, he prepared to cross the sea and leave.
But just then, a ferocious roar echoed from the dense forest behind him.
A colossal Giant Demon, towering four meters tall and stretching seven meters long, burst from the trees. Its berserk aura shook the very air around it.
Han Yi whirled around, his pupils constricting.
The Giant Demon's massive frame resembled the Giant Cat Aberrant Beast he had slain a year and a half prior, only significantly larger.
"As I suspected," Han Yi muttered. "This Demon Cultivator was connected to the Strange Beast I killed."
Fortunately, the Giant Demon wasn't charging toward him. Instead, it crashed through ancient trees under the relentless assault of numerous Magic Artifacts, fleeing the forest.
Moments after the Giant Demon's emergence, seven or eight figures emerged in pursuit, unleashing a barrage of lethal techniques aimed at the fleeing creature.