A deep sense of bewilderment lingered in Han Yi's eyes.
"No anomalies... not a single one."
"Yet that vision was undeniably real. The black bead transformed into a half-black, half-white eyeball in an instant, only to revert back to its original form just as quickly."
Han Yi's mind stirred, several possibilities suddenly surfacing.
First, the black bead might be sealed. The Divine Soul-targeting Spirit Talisman unleashed by the Black God Tower assassin could have momentarily cracked a fraction of the seal, only for it to be forcibly resealed.
Second, the bead might not be sealed at all. Perhaps it required a certain level of Divine Soul power to activate. The talisman's attack, essentially a concentrated burst of Divine Soul energy, might have been absorbed by the bead, bringing it to the cusp of activation—but falling just short of the threshold.
Regardless of which theory held true, both suggested that the black bead was on the verge of undergoing a significant transformation in the near future. Judging by his recent encounters with it, Han Yi speculated that this transformation might ultimately benefit him.
But nothing is absolute, and Han Yi dared not gamble. He would have been overjoyed to remove the black pearl from his Sea of Consciousness, but his recent attempt to touch it with the power of his Soul Sword had been futile, the pearl shattering the connection and leaving him empty-handed.
Unable to subdue the black pearl, Han Yi refocused his attention inward, allowing his consciousness to settle into his Spirit Sea and Physical Body. After a thorough internal examination, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Next, he replayed the deadly battle in his mind.
It had been perilously close to disaster.
The moment Han Yi recognized the familiar short sword, his vigilance had skyrocketed. He had instantly sealed all his bodily apertures, held his breath, and temporarily isolated himself from the outside world.
The lingering effects of the Black Hell Powder poisoning had left a deep impression on him, even creating a lingering shadow of fear.
To prevent any unforeseen consequences, Han Yi had severed his respiratory exchange. When the vibrations from his Spirit Talisman shook the Formation Arts, revealing the jade bottle in the Profound-Robed Cultivator's hand, a wave of relief washed over him.
The jade bottle likely contained another poison, and he was grateful for having held his breath.
The Black God Tower was notorious for killing with toxins. Thanks to his precautions, he had avoided poisoning this time. Still, he meticulously checked his body again to ensure complete safety.
Having held his breath and confirmed his strategy, Han Yi committed himself fully to the battle, deploying every resource at his disposal.
He unleashed the Three Spirits Immortal Fall Talisman, the Six Spirits Immortal-Slaying Talisman, the Seven Stars Kunwu Sword, the Demon-Slaying Dagger, three other sword artifacts, and the Windfire Shield.
His decisiveness, combined with the black pearl's assistance, had given him a sliver of hope to overcome the Golden Core cultivator.
The assassins from the Black God Tower undoubtedly possessed more than one Spirit Talisman. Had they deployed a Mid-Grade Third-Tier Spirit Talisman like the Six Spirits Immortal-Slaying Talisman, or even a higher-grade one, Han Yi's Windfire Shield likely wouldn't have held. Even with his Body Refiner's physical resilience, he would have been left half-dead.
Though Han Yi emerged from the battle outwardly unscathed, only he truly understood the razor's edge he had walked.
Whether it was his opponent's excessive caution and probing attacks, or the final soul-targeting Spirit Talisman that was absorbed directly by the black pearl, the victory hinged on a series of coincidences and well-seized opportunities.
Han Yi knew his victory was a fluke.
"Walk by the river long enough, and your shoes are bound to get wet," he thought. "Battles against opponents of higher cultivation levels can't be repeated indefinitely. I should avoid such encounters whenever possible."
"For now, my primary mission must be to break through to the Golden Core stage," Han Yi thought. "Only after achieving Golden Core will a whole new world open up to me."
In the Cultivation World, Golden Core cultivators are considered true powerhouses. After all, breaking through to the Golden Core stage grants an additional four Sexagenary Cycles of lifespan, potentially allowing one to live up to five hundred years without illness or disaster.
Five hundred years is enough time to found a sect, establish a great clan, explore Immortal Kingdoms, and roam the Four Extremes of the world.
Many classic texts within the Profound Pill Sect were acquired by Supreme Elders during their travels to other Immortal Kingdoms and distant lands.
This also meant that reaching the Golden Core stage significantly increased one's safety while navigating the Cultivation World.
As these basic facts about Golden Core cultivators surfaced in his mind, Han Yi shook his head. The step of Core Formation had trapped countless cultivators, and he couldn't afford to be careless.
Han Yi waved his hand.
Three items materialized before him: a Cosmic Ring, a pitch-black short sword, and a set of Formation Plates.
He first examined the Formation Plates.
This formation art could both trap enemies and conjure illusory clones, making it a comprehensive offense-defense tool. By Han Yi's assessment, its grade should be between Low-Grade and Mid-Grade Third-Tier.
However, all nine Formation Plates had faint cracks, clearly damaged in the previous battle. Yet, they were perfectly suitable for Han Yi's needs, as he lacked defensive formations and these plates could fill that gap.
After stowing away the Formation Plates, he turned his attention to the short sword.
The blade was pitch-black, its tip an even deeper shade, likely coated with poison. Last time, Han Yi had suffered a graze on his forehead from a similar sword, contracting Black Hell Powder. It had taken him years to completely purge the lingering toxins, a truly harrowing experience he still remembered vividly.
He couldn't be certain whether the poison on this sword was still Black Hell Powder or something even more terrifying.
Han Yi cautiously sheathed the short sword.
Though only a Low-Grade Magic Treasure, the poison on the blade made it a deadly threat to Golden Core cultivators. The Black God Tower assassin he had slain was at the mid-stage Golden Core realm, and Han Yi estimated that the poison could be effective even against late-stage Golden Core experts.
He decided to keep the sword as a trump card, potentially proving invaluable in a critical moment.
Next, Han Yi turned his attention to the Cosmic Ring.
In the Cultivation World, the most common storage equipment is the Storage Pouch. More convenient to carry is the Storage Ring. However, neither can store living creatures.
For higher-level cultivators, especially those at the Golden Core Stage or above, Storage Rings often prove insufficient. They require Cosmic Pouches, capable of holding living beings, or Cosmic Rings, which offer greater storage space and easier portability.
The primary reason Golden Core cultivators need Cosmic Pouches or Rings is that upon reaching this stage, their Magic Artifacts are replaced with Magic Treasures.
Magic Treasures, particularly High-Grade and Supreme-Grade ones, begin to develop rudimentary spirituality. This faint spark of spirituality would gradually fade if stored in a Storage Ring.
However, when placed in a Cosmic Pouch or Ring, the spirituality can be nurtured. This not only preserves the Magic Treasure's power but, with sufficient fortune, might even allow it to evolve into a Half-Step Spirit Treasure, fully awakening its sentience and becoming a unique form of life.
During his Qi Refining Stage, Han Yi had obtained a fortuitous encounter: a Blood Bone Spirit Flower, a three-petaled spirit flower that enhanced one's Root Bone. He had carefully stored it within his Cosmic Pouch.
However, the Cosmic Ring before him was far more valuable than his previous Cosmic Pouch, and the Golden Core Restriction sealing it was exceptionally robust.
Yet, having established his Foundation Establishment with a First-Class Divine Soul Immortal Foundation, Han Yi's Divine Soul strength surpassed that of ordinary early-stage Golden Core cultivators, and was only slightly inferior to that of mid-stage Golden Core experts like Yan Bu. He wasn't entirely helpless against the divine sense restriction Yan Bu had set.
Three days later, after forcefully shattering the Golden Core's divine sense restriction with his Divine Sense, Han Yi's eyes shone with unprecedented brilliance.
Upon probing with his Divine Sense, he discovered the Cosmic Ring's storage space spanned approximately ten thousand cubic meters, meticulously organized into distinct categories.
Spirit Stones of all grades were present:
Over 2,100 High-Grade Spirit Stones. More than 30,000 Mid-Grade Spirit Stones. Just over 10,000 Low-Grade Spirit Stones.
The medicinal pills, both the dan and yao, were stored in jade bottles, some labeled with their names. Han Yi quickly scanned them, noting that most of the medicines were poisons, and most of the pills were either toxic, antidotal, or toxin-dissolving.
There were about a dozen magic artifacts, ranging from low-grade to top-grade. These included sword artifacts, blade artifacts, long staves, umbrella-shaped artifacts, and shuttle-shaped artifacts. What caught Han Yi's eye even more was a low-grade magic treasure: a short knife.
The collection also included over a dozen spirit talismans, ranging from first-tier to second-tier, and even one low-grade third-tier talisman: the Fire Radiance Extreme Flame Talisman.
Han Yi recognized this third-tier talisman from the third floor of the Profound Immortal Pavilion. It was a fire-attribute talisman with roughly the same power as the Profound Capital Yang Fire Talisman that Yuan Shun had once gifted him.
The formations ranged from first-tier to second-tier, with one third-tier formation as well. Han Yi could only roughly estimate its tier based on the complexity of the formation plate, as he wasn't a Formation Master. He couldn't determine its exact name or whether it was a low-grade or mid-grade third-tier formation.
To Han Yi's further surprise, the Cosmic Ring contained two immortal boats.
One was an Earth Immortal-grade Immortal Boat, a low-grade Magic Treasure, and the other was a Heavenly Immortal-grade Immortal Boat, a mid-grade Magic Treasure.
An Earth Immortal-grade Immortal Boat was standard for a cultivator in the early to mid-stage Golden Core realm, nothing unusual. However, the Heavenly Immortal-grade Immortal Boat in the hands of this assassin greatly surprised Han Yi. Spirit Stones, Medicinal Pills, Magic Artifacts, Spirit Talismans, Formations, and Immortal Boats occupied only a fraction—less than a tenth—of the massive Storage Space. The rest was filled with countless miscellaneous items, some familiar to Han Yi, others entirely new.
There were hundreds of robes, both male and female cultivator attire. Some appeared to be scrap metal salvaged from ruins by low-level Rogue Cultivators, while others were long banners emblazoned with the words "Calculating Heavenly Fate" in black ink on a white background.
The Cosmic Ring contained a strange mix: high-level cultivators' cultivation resources alongside the belongings of low-level cultivators, an incongruous assortment.
Yet Han Yi understood the reason in an instant.
This Black God Tower assassin had likely been in the business for a long time and was exceptionally skilled at disguising his identity and gathering intelligence—the fundamental work of his profession.
Han Yi had encountered this cultivator only twice: once in Jinyun Immortal City and once at the Qian-Shu border. Yet the man had managed to ambush him both times, meticulously crafting the most advantageous circumstances. This level of preparation indicated considerable prior planning.
Han Yi suddenly recalled the incident in Jinyun Immortal City, where the cultivator had precisely predicted when he would launch his Immortal Boat and had preemptively activated a Spirit-Trapping Talisman to immobilize it. This implied that the man had likely pursued him before, but had been unable to catch him when Han Yi was traveling aboard his Low-Grade Magic Treasure Earth Immortal-grade Immortal Boat.
Now, Han Yi possessed two Immortal Boats in his Cosmic Ring, one of which was a Mid-Grade Magic Treasure Heavenly Immortal-grade vessel. He surmised that this Heavenly Immortal-grade Immortal Boat had been specially acquired by his pursuer to overtake him.
In reality, Han Yi's guess was half-correct. The Heavenly Immortal-grade Immortal Boat had indeed been prepared specifically to hunt him down, but it hadn't been purchased—it had been rented.
Even Yan Bu himself couldn't afford a Mid-Grade Magic Treasure Heavenly Immortal-grade Immortal Boat. Immortal Boats were inherently far more expensive than Magic Artifacts of comparable grade. For example, the Emerald Immortal Boat from White Jade Tower, a Mid-Grade Magic Artifact, was priced at a staggering eight thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones—a sum that would leave most early- to mid-stage Golden Core cultivators gasping in despair.
Whether purchased or rented, Yan Bu's century-old fortune now belonged to Han Yi.
Han Yi first transferred the low-grade junk from his Cosmic Ring to his Storage Ring, then moved everything from his Storage Ring into the Cosmic Ring. Wearing the Cosmic Ring felt much the same as wearing his Storage Ring, but he knew it would be invaluable for his future cultivation, especially when he acquired High-Grade or even Supreme-Grade Magic Treasures that could be nurtured within its space.
It was a prudent preparation for the future.
Speaking of which, this haul was by far his greatest yet, including not only Spirit Stones but also weapons, Spirit Talismans, Formation Arts, Medicinal Pills, Immortal Boats, and more—most reaching the Magic Treasure level or Third-Tier grade.
The spoils of war represented a significant step up from his previous acquisitions.
Upon reflection, he realized why. This was the first Golden Core cultivator he had personally slain in direct combat—and a mid-stage Golden Core expert at that.
Previously, when he had killed Que Chen of the Primal Beast Sect, it had been a sudden, almost ambush-like attack. After severely wounding Que Chen, Han Yi had pursued and finished him off. However, since the battle had occurred within the Ten Thousand Methods Sect's territory, he hadn't had time to retrieve Que Chen's Cosmic Ring, resulting in minimal gains.
After assessing his assets and scrutinizing his cultivation progress on the Proficiency Panel—examining his physical body, mana, Spirit Sea, Sea of Consciousness Space, and Divine Soul, as well as the black pearl coiled within his Sea of Consciousness—Han Yi adjusted his condition and left his meditation chamber, venturing deep into the Azure Dragon Palace toward the Supreme Tower.
Inside the tower, after four years, Han Yi once again met Zhuge Wuyou.
Their previous encounter had been shortly after Han Yi escaped the Mirage Immortal Illusionary Realm in Shu Capital, returning to the sect to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage. Now, four years later, Han Yi's cultivation realm had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment.
At first glance, such rapid progress seemed astonishing.
However, during those four years, Han Yi had participated in the Heavenly Secrets Grand Assembly hosted by the Heavenly Secrets Pavilion, survived Jiang Jiuge's assassination attempt from the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, endured two near-fatal poisonings in Jinyun Immortal City, and even defied the odds to slay a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator on the Qian-Shu border.
Beyond combat, he had also achieved significant breakthroughs in his skills. The Fire Shield Technique, Wind Wall Technique, Ninefold Soul Tower, and Li Fire Sword Manual had all reached the Return to Simplicity realm. He had even created a fusion spell, the Windfire Shield, and practiced the Ancient God Contemplation Technique, through which his Body Refinement fed back into his physical body and mana, dramatically accelerating his cultivation progress.
When Zhuge Wuyou saw Han Yi, his expression was a mixture of joy and concern.
"Han Yi, you've broken through to the peak of Foundation Establishment?"
"Too fast," Zhuge Wuyou said, shaking his head. "It's only been four years."
"Good, good, good," he added, a hint of concern still lingering in his voice.
"However, you must remain patient. Do not rashly attempt Core Formation. Although we haven't found an antidote for the Black Hell Powder yet, the Sect Leader has obtained the poison and is experimenting with it, striving to develop a Toxin Dissolving Pill."
Judging by Zhuge Wuyou's expression, Han Yi guessed that the pill's development wasn't going smoothly.
If creating such a pill were easy, the Black God Tower wouldn't be one of the most feared dark forces in the world.
Nevertheless, Han Yi appreciated the sentiment.
"Martial Uncle, there's no need to worry," he said. "I've completely purged the residual Black Hell Powder from my body, leaving no lingering threats."
Zhuge Wuyou frowned, his gaze shifting to Han Yi's Spirit Sea. Suddenly, his eyes widened in astonishment.
"It's true! Not a trace of residual poison remains! And your physical body... Have you also been cultivating Body Refinement techniques?"
"Body Refinement... Body Refinement! That explains it. The Black Hell Powder targets both the Spirit Sea and the physical body. Body Refiners are naturally resistant to this type of poison. But when did you begin cultivating in that path?"
"Very well," Zhuge Wuyou said, his curiosity vanishing as quickly as it had appeared. "That's your secret, and I won't pry further."
He didn't press the matter. Han Yi's status now rivaled that of the Supreme Elders, and once he achieved Core Formation, they would be equals. Zhuge Wuyou's attitude toward him had naturally shifted.
Still, he cautioned, "While Body Refiners are formidable, specializing in physical cultivation to the point where their bodies are said to be immortal—souls extinguished, bodies enduring—this path also has drawbacks. Dual-cultivating Body Refinement will slow your overall progress. Spiritual energy will be diverted into your physical body, effectively being split and slowing your advancement."
Han Yi was well aware of this limitation, which was precisely why he hadn't pursued Body Refinement before being poisoned. However, after ingesting the Black Hell Powder, this path had become his only viable option.
"Disciple understands," Han Yi replied, cupping his fists in a respectful gesture.
He then proceeded to inquire about the two main reasons he had sought Zhuge Wuyou's guidance.
Han Yi had two main matters to discuss with Zhuge Wuyou. The first concerned his impending Core Formation, while the second pertained to the current state of the Sect, specifically the affairs of the Southern Dipper Divine Palace, Blood River True Person, the Ten Thousand Methods Sect, and the Primal Beast Sect.
The first matter, directly affecting his cultivation, took precedence.
Although Han Yi wasn't involved in the Sect's administration, its overall situation was still vitally important to him. Understanding the current state of affairs beforehand would undoubtedly be advantageous.
Zhuge Wuyou nodded. "Your Core Formation is paramount. However, the process varies for each individual. If I were to explain it to you, it might instill preconceived notions. A few years ago, the Sect compiled comprehensive materials on Core Formation. I happened to bring a copy with me—take this Jade Slip and study it thoroughly upon your return."
"Once you're confident in your preparations and ready for the breakthrough, I will personally safeguard your progress."
Zhuge Wuyou produced a Jade Slip and handed it to Han Yi, who respectfully accepted it and stored it in his Cosmic Ring. Zhuge Wuyou's eyes flickered momentarily as he noticed Han Yi's Cosmic Ring, but he said nothing further.
"Now, as for the second matter..."
Zhuge Wuyou's eyes blazed with murderous intent, yet a faint smile played on his lips.
"A year ago, Junior Brother Qin devised a plan to lure out the Sect Leader, a Vice Sect Leader, and a Supreme Elder of the Primal Beast Sect. Our Sect Leader personally wielded the Supreme Profound Primordial Eight Trigrams Furnace and, together with Junior Brother Qin, Junior Brother Huo Ming, and Junior Sister Si Hong, deployed a Fourth-Tier Formation—the Hundred Tribulations Soul-Severing Formation—to decisively eliminate the three Primal Beast Sect Golden Core cultivators in one fell swoop."
"Although Jiang Angyi, the Sect Leader of the Primal Beast Sect, self-detonated in his final moments, our Sect Leader shielded the others with the Supreme Profound Primordial Eight Trigrams Palm. He suffered only minor injuries from the backlash and was otherwise unharmed."
"The Primal Beast Sect originally had eleven Golden Core cultivators. However, after that battle, three perished, including their Sect Leader and a Vice Sect Leader. Combined with Que Chen, whom you defeated despite being at a lower cultivation stage, the Primal Beast Sect now has only seven Golden Core cultivators."
"Of course, the primary objective of this operation was to decapitate the Primal Beast Sect's leadership, throwing them into disarray."
"When the time is ripe, we can completely annihilate the Primal Beast Sect and bring their territory under the Profound Pill Sect's control."
"However, this requires patience. It will take at least another decade, perhaps even twenty or thirty years."
Han Yi's heart leaped with joy at the news.
The disappearance of Zhuo Qun from Jinyun Immortal City, followed by the discovery of his shattered Soul Tablet within the sect, had confirmed his death. Que Chen was directly responsible for this tragedy. After this incident, the relationship between the two sects transformed from one of suspicion and distrust into outright hatred.
In truth, the Primal Beast Sect couldn't be simply labeled as "right" or "wrong." Yuan Shun's breakthrough had disrupted the balance between the two sects, and now the Dark Forest Law applied.
The Profound Pill Sect, having risen to become a Nascent Soul Great Sect, needed to expand. They also feared that if the neighboring Primal Beast Sect produced a True Monarch, they would inevitably suppress or even annihilate their rival.
Realizing the Profound Pill Sect's growing power, the Primal Beast Sect naturally sought every means to hinder their rise, desperately fighting for survival.
This was an age-old law of the Cultivation World: when a sect rises to prominence, surrounding powers of equal standing must either perish, merge, or relocate.
After his initial delight, Han Yi's thoughts turned to broader concerns.
"What about the Ten Thousand Methods Sect and the Southern Dipper Divine Palace? Have they made any further moves?"
Zhuge Wuyou's expression darkened slightly at the mention of these two sects.