"Han Yi, have you achieved the Dao?" Taiyuan asked, deeply shocked. It had been far less than ten thousand years, yet Han Yi had broken through to the Dao Realm—and not just any stage, but the second step, the Dao Fruit Realm.
His astonishment was understandable. He vividly remembered that before he fell into slumber, Han Yi was merely a Golden Immortal. To progress from Golden Immortal, through Grand Unity and Great Luo, to break through to the Dao Realm, and then cultivate to the Dao Fruit stage, required transcending four major cultivation realms. The chasm between Great Luo and the Dao Realm was especially unimaginably vast.
Han Yi's Avatar smiled faintly and nodded. "As you see, it is indeed so."
With a wave of his hand, he retrieved the Great Abyss Divine Blade from the Inner Dao within his body, causing it to materialize in the Chaos.
"Senior Taiyuan, this is the Eastern Realm of the Vast Heng Dao Domain. Ahead lies the Transcendent Dao Trace left by the Transcendent's actions," Han Yi explained.
The Great Abyss Divine Blade stood vertically, its hilt facing downward. A gray figure emerged from the blade, coalescing into a distinct form as it materialized in the Chaos.
Han Yi focused his gaze. This was the first time he had witnessed Taiyuan manifest his 'consciousness' True Form. Previously, this consciousness had remained confined within the Divine Blade, only manifesting as a voice.
The figure was an elderly man with gray eyes and robes, his face a complex mix of emotions as he gazed at the vast, boundless radiance in the distance.
"Transcendent! Truly Transcendent!"
After a half-minute of steady contemplation, he slowly turned his gaze to Han Yi, his expression solemn, as if having made a momentous decision. "I never expected you to reach the Dao Realm so quickly, and not just any realm—the Dao Fruit Realm. Moreover, something within you... it stirs unease in my heart. Your combat strength far surpasses that of a mere Dao Fruit."
"Such power is more than sufficient," he paused, then added, "Given your current strength, you must be able to see that I am not the true form of the Heavenly Venerable's blade."
Seeing Han Yi nod, the Great Abyss Divine Blade continued without surprise. "During this slumber, the consciousness hidden within this sword has fully awakened, ancient memories restored. Only now do I realize that while I am Taiyuan, Taiyuan is not me."
Han Yi understood what Taiyuan meant by "while I am Taiyuan, Taiyuan is not me."
The true Great Abyss Divine Blade should be a Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact. Such a powerful ancient artifact requires not only an Artifact Body—the physical form of the Divine Blade—but also a vast Heavenly Venerable-level Spirituality, along with a consciousness to control both the Blade Body and the Spirituality.
Han Yi could tell that although the blade before him was strong, its material quality marked it as only a mid-tier Dao Artifact, far inferior to a Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact. The Taiyuan residing within this Dao Artifact, as he had surmised, was the consciousness of the true Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact that had gone missing.
Therefore, the Taiyuan before him was merely a fragment of the complete Taiyuan.
"Long ago, before my Master departed, he extracted me from the Blade Body and sealed me within this Dao Artifact to protect me from a great calamity."
"Now, countless millennia have passed, and that calamity has long since ended."
"Through my senses, I discern that my Blade Body remains intact, lost in some distant realm."
"If you wish, I can guide you to find it."
"Within the true Taiyuan Blade Body lies my Master's Inheritance—the supreme blade techniques. Obtain the Blade Body, and you shall possess both the Inheritance and these techniques."
Taiyuan's voice wasn't loud, but its weight struck Han Yi's heart, stirring profound emotions within him.
A true Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact, complete with its accompanying Heavenly Venerable Inheritance and Blade Dao Techniques—it was impossible not to be tempted by such a treasure.
In truth, Han Yi possessed only a few items related to the Heavenly Venerable level. The Yueguang Divine Spear was a Divine Venerable Ancient Artifact, possessing both Spirituality and Artifact Body. However, its consciousness was not original but had been born later, which allowed Han Yi to easily refine it and brand it with his own Dao Intent Divine Sense.
This newly formed consciousness, however, had weakened the artifact's power.
Apart from Yueguang, he also possessed items associated with the Heavenly Venerable or higher levels, such as the Green Ripple Sword, the Ancient Guja's Secret Treasury, and the Profound Xuan Dao Stele.
Among these, although the Green Ripple Sword was also a Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact, he only had one Sub-Sword. He speculated that the other Sub-Swords might have fallen into the hands of other Heavenly Venerables in the Primordial World, and with his current strength, he couldn't obtain them anytime soon.
After advancing to the High-Tier Immeasurable Realm, he had tried to open the Ancient Guja's Secret Treasury again, but he still couldn't turn past the second page. As for the Profound Xuan Dao Stele, it was related to the ancient Dao Domain Overlord power, Ashen Mountain, and wasn't a weapon that could directly enhance his strength. His current strength was insufficient to explore it.
Therefore.
If he could obtain a true Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact—one imbued with both spirituality and consciousness—his relationship with Senior Taiyuan would undoubtedly allow him to control it effortlessly.
Once he advanced to the External Dao or even Harmonization with the Dao, wielding the Great Abyss Divine Blade, he might even be able to challenge a Heavenly Venerable.
This would be another path for him to possess Heavenly Venerable-level combat power as a Dao Realm cultivator, just as important as trying to attain God Sovereign-level combat power through peak Limitless Realm cultivation and the Yueguang Ancient Artifact.
"Senior, a true Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact is an unparalleled opportunity. I am naturally willing," Han Yi replied.
Taiyuan nodded. "Then let's not delay. We'll depart immediately."
Han Yi didn't hesitate. Although he was in the midst of comprehending the Transcendent Dao Trace, he had already used its power to condense the Dao Fruit Chapter of the Myriad Transformations Profound Truth Dao Scripture, thus achieving his purpose for reaching the Transcendent Dao Trace.
Other skills, such as Sword Flight and the Void Sword Realm, couldn't be improved overnight and weren't solely dependent on Dao Traces. More crucially, they required the Proficiency Panel, driven by the Myriad Nether Incarnation, to increase proficiency and ultimately enhance the skills.
Han Yi recalled Li San, who was nearby, into his Dao Realm. Then, respectfully, he said, "Please show the way, Senior!"
The gray-robed elder was pleased with Han Yi's attitude. His form dissipated into the Great Abyss Divine Blade, and a thought resonated within Han Yi:
"Hold the Divine Blade, and through my guidance, you will perceive the location of the true Heavenly Venerable Divine Blade's Blade Body."
"Additionally, this journey may be dangerous. If circumstances become unfavorable, we should retreat temporarily. We can return to claim the blade once our strength has advanced further. Do not stubbornly persist against impossible odds."
Han Yi nodded in agreement. He extended his hand and grasped the Great Abyss Divine Blade.
In that instant, his consciousness, aided by the Great Abyss Divine Blade, connected through a peculiar resonance to a colossal entity in a distant realm.
In a fleeting glimpse, an overwhelming wave of spirituality washed over him, causing his heart to tremble.
This spirituality was even more grandiose than the boundless divinity he had witnessed when first encountering the Yueguang Divine Spear in the Divine Power World.
As the resonance faded, Han Yi already knew its direction.
Holding the Great Abyss Blade, he gazed westward. His eyes narrowed, for the sensed location was extremely distant, far beyond the western border of the Vast Heng Dao Domain, even beyond Volant Heng itself.
That place was...
The Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain was one of the Nine Great Dao Domains.
Han Yi was no longer a novice cultivator. He had visited the Central Dao Domain and traversed the Chaotic Antiquity, Primordial Demon, and Ancestor God Dao Domains, transforming nearly two hundred Ten Thousand Nether Incarnations before returning to Volant Heng. Having ventured into five of the Nine Great Dao Domains—more than half—he could certainly be considered a seasoned cultivator.
Among the four domains he had yet to explore was the Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain.
This domain was named Heaven's Mandate because it housed two Overlord-level Great Powers: the Fate Dao Palace and the Imperial Heaven Dao Palace.
Han Yi recalled that Dao Ancestor Houtu had mentioned joining the Fate Dao Palace.
"The location I sense is to the west, but it's incredibly distant," Han Yi murmured. "It's likely not within the Vast Constant Western Realm, but beyond the Vast Heng Dao Domain, possibly in an adjacent domain."
The pitch-black Taiyuan Blade in his hand resonated with Taiyuan's voice: "Go and investigate. Whether it's within Volant Heng or an adjacent domain—even several domains away—is all possible."
Han Yi nodded, slung the Autumn Water Sword over his back, gripped the Taiyuan Blade in his hand, and slowly headed west. As he left the Transcendent Dao Trace's range, he drew the attention of Dao Realm cultivators, but none attempted to stop him, nor did any Robber Cultivators attack him.
In the Chaos, Dao Fruit Realm cultivators were considered local experts. Their numbers were limited, and most belonged to established factions rather than being rogue. Consequently, normal factions wouldn't casually target a Dao Fruit Realm cultivator.
After leaving the Transcendent Dao Trace's range, Han Yi didn't rely solely on his own escape techniques. Instead, he summoned a Dao Boat, which carried him forward at greater speed.
Within the Dao Boat, he remained busy. While guiding it toward the location he had sensed earlier, he also cultivated a new Dao Scripture.
Initially, he had considered advancing his Immortal Path and Dao Techniques simultaneously. However, he later changed his approach: first, he would elevate his cultivation realm, merging his Dao Fruit with his Dao Realm to achieve the External Dao. Then, he would gradually cultivate advanced techniques like Sword Flight and the Void Sword Realm.
Given his current High-Tier Immeasurable Realm cultivation, even advancing his Dao Techniques to mid-tier would have a relatively limited impact on his overall combat strength. Elevating his cultivation realm would prove far more effective.
The Dao Boat's speed ultimately couldn't match Han Yi's own, so it took him a full three years to reach the World Barrier of the Western Realm. However, this position was still far from where he sensed the true location.
He had no choice but to retract the Dao Boat and cross the Dao Domain Channel.
This channel was simpler than the one between the Primordial Demon Dao Domain and the Ancestor God Dao Domain. Because the World Barrier was vast, the entire area beyond it served as a channel, not confined to a single point. As a result, no Great Power had set up a blockade to charge for passage.
After crossing the Dao Domain Channel, Han Yi entered the Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain from the Vast Heng Dao Domain.
To be certain, he had Taiyuan activate the connection between them once more. That mystical sense surged again, the overwhelming spirituality reaching him across infinite distances. Even the mere sensation of it left him breathless.
After severing the connection, Han Yi assessed the situation. This time, the distance was much shorter, and the direction pointed towards the central region of the Dao Domain.
He continued to use the Dao Boat for travel.
A year later, the Dao Boat slowly came to a stop. Han Yi stepped out, retracted the vessel, and gazed forward. His pupils constricted sharply, and a look of astonishment spread across his face.
Before him stretched a cluster of unfolded worlds.
Even before Han Yi ascended to True Immortal, he had witnessed a partially unfolded Cave Heaven on the battlefield against the Dark Moon Race, a subordinate race of the Wisdom Clan.
To "unfold" a world meant to breach the barriers of a Cave Heaven, Boundary Heaven, or world, connecting it to the external realm. A "partially unfolded" state meant only partial connection, such as one-way passage.
Unfolding a Cave Heaven or Boundary Heaven was relatively straightforward. A Grand Unity or Golden Immortal could unfold a Cave Heaven, while even a Great Luo Immortal Venerable could unfold a Boundary Heaven.
However, breaking through the World Barrier of a true world—no matter how small—to fully unfold it was no simple task. This was because the Great Dao carried by a world differed from that of the Chaos. When attempting to unfold a world, the practitioner had to withstand the dual pressure of the clashing Great Daos. Those too weak would be crushed to death before even managing to open the world.
This situation was akin to the pressure difference between a world's interior and the Chaos. To unfold a world and equalize its pressure with that of the Chaos Space required enduring the backlash from this pressure difference during the process.
With Han Yi's strength, he could attempt to open a very small world, but larger ones would be beyond his capabilities. As for colossal worlds like the Primordial World and the Wisdom Realm, he didn't even qualify to try; no matter how much force he exerted, such worlds would remain immovable.
But now...
The cluster of worlds unfolding before Han Yi shattered his previous understanding. At first glance, it resembled a single vast continent, boundless and endless, its limits invisible even to him—a supercontinent rivaling the Dao God Continent in size.
Yet, with his keen perception, Han Yi discerned the truth: this colossal landmass was pieced together from individual worlds. Within his line of sight alone, he could clearly see six distinct world-lands, each with its own distinct geography.
These six world-lands, if placed within the Primordial World, would be equivalent to ten to twenty Immortal Domains—not particularly large by that standard.
But these six lands were merely a corner of the immense supercontinent before him. This realization struck Han Yi with awe.
Furthermore...
After beholding this vast landmass, Han Yi immediately deduced its true nature.
This was none other than the central Holy Land of the Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain: the Heaven's Mandate Continent.
"Legend has it that the Dao God Continent was forged by the Dao God himself, using his supreme power to extract half of the Central Dao Domain's chaotic floating land. In terms of size, it rivals none among the Nine Great Dao Domains."
"The continent before us must be the legendary Heaven's Mandate Continent, jointly ruled by the Fate Dao Palace and the Imperial Heaven Dao Palace."
"In terms of size, it ranks third among the Nine Great Dao Domains, surpassed only by the Dao God Continent and the Ancestor God Star," Han Yi explained quietly, holding the Great Abyss Divine Blade.
He was well-versed in the Nine Great Dao Domains, having personally experienced some and gained knowledge of others through various channels.
News of the Heaven's Mandate Continent naturally spread throughout the Dao Domains. For those who sought it, the information was not difficult to obtain.
The Great Abyss Divine Blade trembled slightly, its mental state clearly agitated.
"Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain, Fate Dao Palace, Imperial Heaven Dao Palace, Heaven's Mandate Continent..."
"I never imagined the Blade Body would be here."
Han Yi nodded. "Indeed, it is here."
He had sensed that the True Form of Taiyuan was located on this vast continent, though the exact location remained unknown.