Lu Jie felt a jolt of alarm, not satisfaction. His strike had completely missed Han Yi's body.
The Silver Sword flashed through the air, leaving behind a lingering afterimage that slowly dissipated.
A figure materialized a hundred meters away, moving at more than double its previous speed.
"A secret art?" Lu Jie sneered. "These temporary bursts of speed come at a tremendous cost to both the Divine Soul and Mana. They can't last long."
Whoosh!
Lu Jie surged forward, the Silver Sword leaping into his hand.
They were at the border between the Eighth and Ninth Immortal Rings, hundreds of kilometers from the nearest settlement. No matter how far Han Yi fled, he wouldn't escape Lu Jie's grasp. Once his Mana was exhausted, killing him would be child's play.
Deep within the ancient Gu Mao mountain forest, two figures raced through the dense undergrowth, one pursuing the other.
Ahead, Han Yi wore a helpless expression. His Light Body Technique had broken through, doubling his speed.
Yet the Golden Core cultivator behind him was too fast. Even with his enhanced agility, Han Yi couldn't shake him off; at best, he could maintain the stalemate.
This reckless flight was no solution. Han Yi's mana reserves were no match for a Golden Core cultivator's, and his full-throttle Light Body Technique consumed far more mana than his pursuer's movement arts.
Once his mana dwindled to the point where it compromised his Light Body Technique, he would inevitably be overtaken, leaving him without the foundation for combat.
Han Yi faced a stark choice: turn and deliver a desperate strike at his pursuer, or continue fleeing and hope for some unpredictable twist of fate.
But this time, his pursuer was a Golden Core True Person. Even if Han Yi turned to fight, his chances of survival were slim to none.
Both he and his pursuer possessed Magic Treasures of comparable quality. However, Han Yi could only unleash a single strike, while his opponent could maintain a sustained assault. The disparity in power was painfully clear.
Behind him, Lu Jie grew increasingly alarmed as the chase progressed. He had already pushed his speed to its absolute limit, yet he could barely keep pace with Han Yi.
What did this mean?
It meant Han Yi's speed had already reached the level of a Golden Core cultivator.
A Mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator moving as fast as a Golden Core True Person? That would make him practically invincible among his peers in the Foundation Establishment Stage.
He must not be allowed to live.
Lu Jie's eyes burned with unwavering murderous intent.
In that instant, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he unleashed a secret art, instantly boosting his speed by thirty percent. He closed the distance to within three hundred meters of Han Yi, and his silver sword artifact, imbued with the power of a Magic Treasure, crashed down with a thunderous roar.
Bang!
Han Yi, who had been vigilantly watching his pursuer, burned through his Spirit Talisman the moment Lu Jie accelerated.
The silver sword struck, but only shattered an afterimage. Han Yi had already vanished, reappearing half a meter away.
He had used a High-Grade Second-Tier Spirit Talisman: the Shadow Split Void Escape Talisman.
Lu Jie's eyes widened. His body flickered as he surged through the billowing smoke from the explosion, the silver sword artifact hurtling after him, snapping back into his hand as he resumed the chase.
"Clever brat, you've got quite a few tricks up your sleeve. Let's see how long you can keep this up."
Moments later, Lu Jie repeated his tactic.
This time, Han Yi had no more Shadow Split Void Escape Talismans. Instead, he threw out a Golden Shield Talisman. An oval-shaped golden shield materialized above him.
The Magic Treasure silver sword struck the shield, its force momentarily halted. Han Yi seized the opportunity to dart three meters away, but the impact of the Magic Treasure still slammed into him, sending him flying. He channeled the momentum to widen the gap between them once more.
Despite this, the attack had still wounded Han Yi. He stubbornly suppressed the blood rising in his throat, a trickle of crimson seeping from the corner of his mouth. Though his eyes burned with fury, they were resolute, betraying no trace of panic.
"Hmph, ruthless enough. Bring it on!"
What followed was a relentless chase. Han Yi exhausted every Spirit Talisman he had just purchased from the Myriad Immortals Pavilion: Annihilating Thunder Talismans, Golden Shield Talismans...
After depleting his talismans, Han Yi seized an opening. After unleashing a sword strike at Lu Jie, he defied retreat, charging forward instead and closing the distance. He then produced the Five Thunder Pearl, preparing to detonate this unique Top-Grade Magic Artifact.
This single Five Thunder Pearl had cost Han Yi a staggering eight thousand Mid-Grade Spirit Stones—nearly the price of a Magic Treasure. Moreover, it was a single-use artifact. According to the Myriad Immortals Pavilion, even a careless Golden Core cultivator could be severely injured, or even perish, if caught off guard by its power.
A savage, deep-seated killing intent flared in Han Yi's eyes.
As he closed within two hundred meters of Lu Jie, the Seven Stars Kunwu Sword materialized in his hand.
Given the chance, Han Yi wouldn't hesitate to slay a Golden Core True Person.
However...
Though consumed by fury, Lu Jie clearly saw through Han Yi's plan to seize this opportunity for a counterattack.
How dare he?
What gave him such audacity?
This was the primary source of Lu Jie's incandescent rage, yet beneath the fury, a trace of solemnity emerged.
Han Yi wasn't the only one with Spirit Talismans and treasures. With a flick of his wrist, Lu Jie retrieved a Third-Tier Spirit Talisman from his Cosmic Pouch: the Minor Celestial Aspect Talisman.
In the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, there existed a set of Fourth-Tier Spirit Talismans named after the Seven Stars of the Southern Dipper. The fifth star, the Celestial Aspect Star, lent its name to the Celestial Aspect Talisman. Below these Fourth-Tier talismans were the weaker Third-Tier versions, including the Minor Celestial Aspect Talisman, also known as the Minor Seal Star Talisman—a Third-Tier defensive Spirit Talisman.
Lu Jie held the Minor Celestial Aspect Talisman aloft.
With a flash, the talisman transformed into a horizontal Southern Dipper Star Chart, the Seal Star representing the fifth Dipper star faintly glowing.
The activated Five Thunder Pearl, hurtling towards them, shattered into five bolts of differently colored thunder, crashing into the Southern Dipper Star Chart.
In that instant—
BOOM!
A terrifying explosion erupted.
The two combatants, already within two hundred meters of each other, were instantly blown backward, one sent tumbling, the other sent flying.
Lu Jie had been blasted backward, his hair slightly disheveled and his once-pristine magic robe now marred with dark streaks. Ignoring his disheveled appearance, he roared in fury and charged toward Han Yi, his Magic Treasure, the Silver Sword, surging forward to strike.
Meanwhile, on the other side...
Han Yi, sent flying by the blast, flashed a look of regret as the purple glow on his Seven Stars Kunwu Sword dimmed instantly. Without hesitation, he turned and fled again. The Silver Sword slammed into his previous position, blasting him away once more. This time, he couldn't hold back and coughed up blood repeatedly.
In an instant, the two figures vanished into the distance, one chasing relentlessly, the other fleeing desperately. The lingering echoes of the explosion still reverberated behind them.
This time, Han Yi knew he had no room for luck. A sudden realization struck him, and he abruptly veered sideways, darting toward the flank. Behind him, Lu Jie sneered coldly. No matter how you run, death awaits you.
Ten breaths passed.
Lu Jie frowned deeply as he noticed the terrain ahead steadily rising. In other words, they were climbing higher. In an instant, he recognized their destination and Han Yi's desperate plan. Still, he sneered inwardly. Even if you manage to reach it, it won't save you.
They had reached the outskirts of Mirage Immortal Mountain. Though technically a single peak, the mountain's sprawling terrain extended for hundreds of kilometers.
Even after entering the mountain's borders, Lu Jie remained unconcerned. He suspected his opponent intended to exploit the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm's allure, hoping to lure cultivators into the fray and escape in the ensuing chaos.
But Lu Jie held another trump card: his position as an Elder of the Southern Dipper Divine Palace. By firmly declaring that this Heaven's Will Sect cultivator had been causing trouble at the Palace's outpost, and that Lu Jie had apprehended him on the spot and chased him here, he dared anyone to interfere.
The Heaven's Will Sect had a notorious reputation, while the Southern Dipper Divine Palace stood as one of the Three Great Sects of Great Qian. The truth of the matter would be self-evident.
As for encountering the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm within the mountain, Lu Jie refused to believe he could be so unlucky as to stumble upon it within the next few hours.
The Illusionary Realm only manifested once every century. Though it hadn't yet appeared this time, its centennial deadline was fast approaching, likely within the next two weeks.
Lu Jie wasn't planning to linger on Mirage Immortal Mountain indefinitely. In just fifteen more minutes, once Han Yi's stamina gave out and his Spirit Talismans were exhausted, a single sword strike would end him.
Han Yi's desperate flight ahead was born of necessity.
Han Yi suddenly recalled his current location within Shu Capital. He realized he was situated between the Ninth and Eighth Immortal Rings, but not yet within the Eighth. There were no settlements within several hundred kilometers, but a mountain stood nearby, marked with a conspicuous sign:
Mirage Immortal Mountain.
He instantly remembered the security checks during his three previous visits to Shu Capital, where guards had warned him about the city-wide lockdown due to the Mirage Immortal Mountain incident and cautioned him against causing trouble. He also recalled Zhou Su's words at the Profound Immortal Pill Shop about the mountain and the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm.
That was why he had changed direction and was now racing toward Mirage Immortal Mountain.
The mountain was undoubtedly teeming with cultivators of all levels—Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, and possibly even Nascent Soul.
Of course, Han Yi didn't believe the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm would manifest just as he arrived.
Such perfect timing was simply too improbable.
His sole purpose was to reach a densely populated area of cultivators. Where there were people, there would be variables, and potential opportunities for escape might arise. For instance, if any Great Qian officials were present, his Four Orders Patrol Envoy Token might prove useful.
The Mirage Immortal Mountain range was vast. As Han Yi entered its outer reaches, he encountered over a dozen scattered cultivators. The strongest among them were only at the Late Foundation Establishment stage. Sensing the overwhelming aura and speed of Han Yi and Lu Jie from afar, they swiftly avoided them.
Han Yi didn't attempt to shift the danger onto the other cultivators. They couldn't withstand a single strike from his sword, let alone pose any threat to the Golden Core cultivator pursuing him. They wouldn't even be able to stall him for the time it took to snap a finger.
If his attempt to redirect the danger failed and they managed to hinder him, even momentarily, he would be in even greater peril. Anxiety gnawed at Han Yi's heart. His mana had dwindled to less than half its original level, and his speed was steadily decreasing. Meanwhile, the Golden Core cultivator behind him maintained his pace, and the gap between them was inexorably shrinking.
Lu Jie, trailing behind, noticed the situation and grinned savagely. He no longer regarded Han Yi as an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. Instead, he saw him as someone who had transcended the limitations of the Foundation Establishment Stage without yet reaching the realm of a Golden Core True Person.
In the Cultivation World, Qi Refining cultivators who could briefly contend with Foundation Establishment experts and escape with their lives were hailed as "Legendary." Among Foundation Establishment cultivators, there were similar outliers, though they were referred to by a simpler term: "Half-Step Golden Core."
The term "Half-Step Golden Core" had two interpretations: one based on combat prowess and the other on Cultivation Realm. It referred to those whose combat prowess exceeded Foundation Establishment yet remained below Golden Core, and those whose Cultivation Realm had reached the cusp of Golden Core.
The concept of a "Half-Step Golden Core" can be understood in two ways: combat prowess and Cultivation Realm.
The combat prowess interpretation is straightforward: it refers to a cultivator whose battle strength surpasses the Foundation Establishment Stage but falls short of the Golden Core Stage.
From a Cultivation Realm perspective, it describes a cultivator who has reached Foundation Establishment Perfection. Within their Spirit Sea, a semi-solid Golden Core—also known as a False Core—begins to coalesce. Cultivators who break through to the Half-Step Golden Core realm are therefore also called False Core cultivators.
Naturally, the first interpretation, based on combat prowess, represents a greater defiance of fate. A Foundation Establishment cultivator achieving such combat strength is truly extraordinary.
In Lu Jie's eyes, Han Yi belonged to this exceptional category.
!
This conviction only strengthened his resolve to eliminate Han Yi.
A dead Half-Step Golden Core is the only good cultivator.
As the distance between them closed, a flicker of despair flashed in Han Yi's eyes.
This was the first time he had ever felt such despair, even when facing Yuan Changtian or the Strange Entity possessing Li Yuanyi.
Yet...
Because of his extraordinary escape speed, he didn't notice that as they crossed a boundary on the outskirts of Mirage Immortal Mountain, an object on his person began to emit an extremely faint red glow.
It was a black token, one side inscribed with the character "Sui" (Year) and the other with "Zhu" (Candle).
As Han Yi continued his desperate flight, his hopes fading and despair creeping into his expression, he suddenly sensed something amiss.
With a flick of his wrist, he held the black token in his hand.
This was the token he had obtained from the Luo Clan of Daofu City, the key to a mysterious land.
Back then, trapped within that land, he had only managed to escape by breaking through to the Eighth Layer of Qi Refinement and defeating the Yellow Turban Immortal Cultivator with his Golden Light Shuttle.
Afterward, he had stored the token in the courtyard of Azure Dragon Peak. The mysterious land—and the 'Immortal Path' mentioned by that grand voice—seemed far too dangerous. Han Yi believed it was best to wait until his cultivation realm reached a higher level before venturing there again.
Later, during the Profound Pill Tribulation, he had retrieved the token and carried it with him ever since.
Now, as the token glowed with a crimson light, Han Yi's face lit up with elation.
Whatever this change meant, any variable offered a glimmer of hope.
The moment he produced the token, the red light radiating from it intensified dramatically.
Buzz!
Just then, Lu Jie, who had closed the distance to within a hundred meters, caught sight of the sudden red glow. Startled, he swore he wouldn't allow any further disruptions to his pursuit.
A medicinal pill suddenly appeared in Han Yi's hand. He swallowed it, and instantly his eyes snapped open as a terrifying force erupted within his body. In that split second, his speed doubled, closing the distance to nearly fifty meters.
For a Qi Refining cultivator, fifty meters was already a perilous distance, let alone for a Golden Core cultivator.
The Silver Sword streaked through the air, a flash of silver.
Just then, as the crimson light intensified, the entire Mirage Immortal Mountain seemed to freeze in time.
Looking up from below, Han Yi stood frozen in a posture of frenzied sorrow, his face half-contorted in despair, half-lit with manic joy.
In his hand, a token displayed the character "Sui" on its upward-facing side. A crimson beam of light shot skyward from the token.
Behind him, barely twenty meters away, the Silver Sword moved with such speed that it seemed invisible, leaving only a shimmering afterimage.
Beyond the sword, Lu Jie grinned savagely, holding a spirit talisman that was already half-consumed by flames. On the talisman, two ancient seal characters glowed: "Heavenly Pillar."
This was a Southern Dipper Divine Palace talisman from their Southern Dipper Series: the Minor Heavenly Pillar Talisman.
The perspective shifted upward.
Hundreds of zhang above, three figures sat meditating in the void.
While the world below was frozen in time, the void a hundred zhang above remained unaffected.
"Hmm, the Ancient Mirage Aura is leaking out. This fragment is about to open sooner than expected," mused a young man meditating in the void, his azure robes billowing in the non-existent wind.
"The last time I entered was two centuries ago, before I reached the Transformation God realm. I was utterly ignorant then."
"This time, I must delve deeper into the Void Domain and strive to reach the fourth layer. I'll study it thoroughly to further enhance my Chaozhen Grotto-Heaven."
Had Han Yi been present, he would have recognized this azure-robed youth as Li Changsheng, the Divine Transformation Great Power from Jade Capital Mountain who had slain the hidden powerhouse of the Imperial Demon Race with a single sword in the True Dawn Grand Void Heaven.
In the void above, the other two figures had already risen, casting wary glances at Li Changsheng.
Then, one by one, they descended.
Just as they landed, a dense mist suddenly enveloped Mirage Immortal Mountain, its perimeter coinciding with the faint red glow that had just emanated from the token on Han Yi's body.
The mist swirled inward.
All cultivators within the mountain's radius, including the three Divine Transformation Great Powers who had just landed, vanished without a trace.
Three breaths later, the mist dissipated. Some returned, while others perished.
However, within those fleeting three breaths, the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm manifested differently for each cultivator. Some found themselves trapped for a year before inexplicably reappearing; others were slain the moment they entered the illusion; still others discovered Magic Artifacts, or even Magic Treasures.
Each cultivator's Immortal Opportunity was unique, their fate determined by their own fortune.
The spatial distortion caused the Magic Treasure aimed at Han Yi to miss its mark.
Two hundred meters away, a Silver Sword crashed down with earth-shattering force, pulverizing towers, gouging the ground into a massive crater ten meters deep, and blasting shards of stone outward like bullets.
Han Yi's face paled instantly. Without time to think, he swung his sword, channeling mana to conjure a Fire Shield Technique. He focused on forming the shield from above downward, prioritizing protection against a headshot.
Pfft! Pfft! Pfft!
The flying debris struck the Fire Shield Technique and was deflected.
However, three fragments had already pierced his defenses. One tore through his right shoulder, another lodged in his left thigh, wedged against the bone, and the third grazed his cheek, leaving a trail of blood.
Han Yi staggered, his brow furrowed in pain, but he had no time to dwell on his physical injuries.
In one hand, he held the black Token, its red glow extinguished as it reverted to its normal appearance. In the other, he gripped the Seven Stars Kunwu Sword.
He swiftly scanned his surroundings, keeping his mana primed for defensive or offensive spells. The more he saw, the deeper his frown grew.
He was on an abandoned street.
Han Yi stood before a half-collapsed tower on the desolate street. A hundred meters away, another tower had been completely obliterated by the Silver Sword Magic Treasure, leaving behind a colossal crater ten meters deep and two hundred meters in diameter.
He found himself precisely at the edge of this massive pit.
The Silver Sword's strike had filled him with dread. Had he been caught in its path, not a trace of his bones would have remained.
Collapsed walls and crumbling ruins lined both sides of the street, faint remnants of its former glory. It was clear this place had once been a bustling thoroughfare before falling into ruin.
The street stretched endlessly into the distance. For safety's sake, Han Yi dared not recklessly extend his Divine Sense.
After confirming there were no immediate threats, he crouched down. With two fingers, he dug into his right thigh, carefully removing the shard of rock wedged in his leg bone. Despite the searing pain, not a flicker crossed his brow.
Next, he retrieved a Heavenly Net Pill from his Storage Ring and swallowed it. Then, he descended into the crater via Sword Flight, extracting the silver sword artifact that was buried hilt-deep in the earth.
This was a Magic Treasure, after all. Even if he couldn't use it himself, he could sell it for a fortune. There was no way he would leave it behind.
Slowly and cautiously, Han Yi resumed Sword Flight, rising steadily into the air as he scanned beyond the confines of the street.
As he gained altitude, the shock in his eyes grew increasingly intense.