Han Yi arrived at the Heaven's Mandate Dao Domain because the Great Abyss Divine Blade sensed his True Form. Guided by this connection, the blade traversed the Dao Domain Channel and ultimately led him to the Heaven's Mandate Continent.
Upon learning that the Divine Blade's True Form was located within the Imperial Heaven Dao Palace, Han Yi realized that, given his current cultivation level, entering the palace would mean certain death. After a moment of hesitation, he changed course and headed for the Imperial Water Dao City.
His plan was simple: since he couldn't immediately obtain the Great Abyss Divine Blade, he would linger in the vicinity and wait for an opportunity.
This opportunity might be faint, or it might not exist at all.
But the thought of returning directly to the Vast Heng Dao Domain filled him with resentment.
Upon reaching the Imperial Water Dao Arena, his plans evolved. Having come all this way, he couldn't return empty-handed. Therefore, he decided to exchange unused treasures at the Imperial Heaven Pavilion for high-grade Dao Artifacts, inquire about Source Crystal sales, and make these actions part of his strategy.
After all, powerful merchant pavilions like the Jade Water Pavilion were rare even among the Nine Great Dao Domains.
Seeing Han Yi's question, Daoist Suyin produced a token emitting a gentle glow, about two fingers wide. She handed it to him and said:
"This is your entry token for the auction. Fellow Daoist Taiyi, please keep it safe."
"The Jade Water Pavilion holds an auction every ten years. The venue is located behind the pavilion, and each auction lasts for three days."
"The next auction will take place in three years."
"During the auction, treasures of all grades will be offered. Among them are Source Crystals, which are always highly contested by cultivators in the Dao Harmonization Realm. However, their prices are exorbitant, so Fellow Daoist, you must prepare accordingly."
Han Yi accepted the token, checked it with his Dao Thought, and found no issues. He then stored it in his Divine Aperture World. Based on Daoist Suyin's earlier words, he asked:
"Could a Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifact ever be auctioned at these events?"
He hadn't originally intended to ask this, but Daoist Suyin seemed to know more than Shopkeeper Wang, and there was no harm in inquiring.
Daoist Suyin shook her head. "Fellow Daoist, you jest. True Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifacts can only be controlled by Heavenly Venerables themselves. They would never be put up for auction."
"However, there have been a few auctions where Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifacts that had fallen in quality appeared. Even though their quality had diminished, they were still far more powerful than peak high-grade Dao Artifacts. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call them 'half-step Ancient Artifacts.' Treasures of this caliber are no longer priced in Dao Crystals, but require Source Crystals."
Han Yi's heart stirred slightly.
He knew how precious Heavenly Venerable Ancient Artifacts were, but he had never realized they were priced in Source Crystals. After all, despite his rapid advancement in combat strength and formidable power, his experience and understanding in areas beyond battle were still limited, which was understandable.
"If Fellow Daoist comes to the Imperial Heaven Pavilion again, please tell the shopkeeper to contact me directly," Daoist Suyin added before Han Yi left.
She didn't know Han Yi's concerns, but since he was concealing his cultivation realm, she respected his reasons and avoided exposing him to prevent hostility. Given that he was at the Dao Harmonization Realm, most of the items he traded would involve that level, making ordinary Dao Fruit or External Dao Realm shopkeepers unsuitable. This was why she gave this final instruction.
"Then I will leave it in your capable hands, Fellow Daoist."
Han Yi clasped his hands in a respectful salute, then stepped out of the private chamber and descended the stairs, leaving the Imperial Heaven Pavilion.
After he departed, Daoist Suyin pondered Han Yi's demeanor and actions. If she assumed he was at the Dao Fruit Realm, his behavior seemed incongruous. But if she considered him to be at the Dao Harmonization Realm, everything fell into place.
"I wonder where this Fellow Daoist Taiyi hails from?"
"Ah, but what does it matter? The Heaven's Mandate Continent, and even the Chaos itself, teem with formidable cultivators. His origins are irrelevant."
"As for these treasures..."
Daoist Suyin's gaze fell upon the Jade Box in her hand. Through its translucent walls, she could see the over ten thousand treasures within. Recalling the type of Dao Sword Han Yi had selected, a shiver of apprehension ran through her.
Suddenly, as if sensing something, she glanced outside the Imperial Heaven Pavilion. There, she spotted Han Yi's figure, along with several others who had emerged moments later. Her eyes narrowed.
"This Fellow Daoist is no ordinary individual."
Meanwhile, after leaving the Imperial Heaven Pavilion, Han Yi didn't head outside the city. Instead, he continued wandering the streets, planning to rent an Immortal's Cave for temporary cultivation and wait for the auction three years later.
But moments later, his gaze sharpened as he sensed a Dao Seal being placed on him by a Cultivator who brushed past him.
The seal was incredibly subtle. Had Han Yi's Immeasurable Realm cultivation not reached a high stage, his perception far surpassing that of Outer Dao cultivators to match the Harmonious Dao Realm, he might not have detected it at all.
The seal hadn't been directly placed on his body. Instead, it had been layered through multiple spaces and inscribed onto his Daoist Robe using a special Dao Technique.
Interesting. I've only been in Imperial Water Dao City for a short time, and I've only visited the Imperial Heaven Pavilion, yet I've already been targeted.
There's only one possibility: someone was watching my activities at the Imperial Heaven Pavilion.
Was it Daoist Suyin, Shopkeeper Wang, another shopkeeper, or perhaps another cultivator on the same floor?
But whoever it was, it couldn't be a Heavenly Venerable.
"If it's not a Heavenly Venerable, then..."
Han Yi sneered inwardly.
If a Heavenly Venerable had taken an interest in him, he likely wouldn't have detected it. Moreover, the wealth he had displayed at the Imperial Heaven Pavilion wasn't sufficient to attract such attention.
Therefore, he concluded that it was most likely an Outer Dao or a Dao Harmonization Realm cultivator who had targeted him.
He had originally planned to find an Immortal's Cave, but now he abruptly changed his mind.
After strolling around for a while, he headed toward the outskirts of this core area of Dao City.
He ascended high into the sky, until he could no longer see the faint purple glow—the surveillance of a powerful Ancient Artifact belonging to Imperial Water Dao City. Only then did he begin his descent.
Below lay a vast Purple Garden, filled with ten-meter-tall purple fruit trees. Spirit Light shimmered around the trees, clearly indicating that this garden had an owner.
As Han Yi descended, he sensed a relatively weak Spirit Light barrier. This was an Immortal-grade Formation, its maximum power likely sufficient to deter only Golden Immortals. With a flicker of movement, he effortlessly bypassed the Formation without damaging it, slipping inside.
As he descended from the sky, three figures swiftly moved towards his landing spot.
"The Time-Space Serpent Ring Mark remains intact. They haven't detected us."
"Could this be a trap?"
"Hmph, even if it is, what does it matter? With the combined strength of our three Harmonizations with the Dao, even if they're hiding their true power, how could they possibly turn the tables?"
"Good. Let's set up a heaven-and-earth net and cut him down."
"Be careful. They likely acquired multiple high-grade Dao Swords and might use special methods to form a powerful sword formation. We can't take this lightly."
These three figures didn't conceal their identities, as this area lacked the Imperial Water Dao City's surveillance Ancient Artifacts. After killing the target and destroying the spatial information, they would leave. Unless someone reached the Heavenly Venerable level, no one could trace them.
The Imperial Water Dao City was vast, and cultivators died daily. The fall of a single Dao Realm cultivator would barely cause a ripple.
They had first noticed Han Yi in the seventh layer of the Imperial Heaven Pavilion, where two incidents involving over two hundred Dao Swords had drawn their attention to a particular compartment. Though they couldn't see through its mysteries, they observed that over thirty blades were missing when the cultivator emerged.
It's important to note that these thirty-odd Dao Swords were all high-grade. Even for Harmonization with the Dao cultivators, such swords are extraordinary artifacts, not ordinary weapons, and their prices are correspondingly high.
Therefore, as soon as Han Yi left the private chamber, they moved in.
Hunts like this were nothing new to them; they had carried out countless such operations over countless millennia, never once failing. Even if their target concealed their true strength, even if they were a peak Dao Harmonization Realm cultivator, the trio's combined power meant that even if they couldn't defeat their target outright, they could always escape after paying a certain price.
Just as three figures appeared above the Purple Garden, Han Yi had already swiftly removed the multi-space-marked seal from his body and placed it on one of the fruit trees. He then suppressed all traces of his aura and used the Escape Technique to move through the garden, leaving the Formation Arts and returning to the air above.
From his position, he appeared not far from the three figures, positioned behind them at the same altitude.
Sensing three faint yet unmistakably genuine Dao Harmonization Realm auras, Han Yi's expression turned grave.
"Three Dao Harmonization experts... targeting a mere Dao Fruit like me? I never would have imagined this."
"It seems my purchase of these Dao Realms has aroused the covetousness of these three."
"So there was a leak within the Imperial Heaven Pavilion after all."
Han Yi's thoughts raced, quickly piecing together the likely sequence of events.
He wasn't foolish enough to immediately draw the Taosi Divine Axe, or even the Yueguang Ancient Artifact, and engage in a full-scale battle with these three Dao Harmonization Realm experts.
The Yueguang Ancient Artifact aside, deploying a Divine Venerable Ancient Artifact would inevitably draw the attention of the Heavenly Venerable overseeing the Imperial Water Dao Arena. That was a confrontation he couldn't afford to lose.
Even with the Taosi Divine Axe, despite possessing Dao Harmonization Realm combat prowess, escaping unscathed from three unfamiliar opponents of unknown depth and tactics would be no easy feat.
As for the Void Sword Realm, this Dao Technique was still at a basic level. By forcibly combining high-grade Dao Swords, he could at most integrate three, limiting its overall power. It might suffice against External Dao practitioners, but it fell short against those who had Harmonized with the Dao.
After a moment's deliberation, Han Yi decisively chose a strategic retreat. Using an Escape Technique, he returned to the core area of Dao City and settled into an Immortal's Cave to meditate and cultivate.
These Robber Cultivators weren't worth risking everything to eliminate.
Since there was risk, and the risk was uncontrollable, he decided to hold back for the time being.
Moments after he left, a massive tremor shook the Purple Garden as a destructive storm obliterated the entire landscape. Three figures searched the garden thoroughly, digging deep into the earth, but found no trace of Han Yi. Eventually, they departed in frustration.
Two full hours later, a Golden Immortal arrived belatedly at the garden's edge. Gazing at the devastated landscape, the Golden Immortal seemed on the verge of tears. He didn't dare enter, the overwhelming aura of destruction suffocating even at a distance.
Han Yi, who had rented an Immortal's Cave, continued to cultivate the Dao Scripture.
Three years later, he emerged from the cave and returned to the Imperial Heaven Pavilion. This time, his appearance and aura had been subtly altered using a Formless Dao Technique. He was confident that none but a Heavenly Venerable could discern the transformation.
This disguise served as a precaution; he hadn't forgotten his ordeal from three years prior.
Upon entering the Imperial Heaven Pavilion, Han Yi didn't ascend the tower. Instead, clutching his engraved token, he followed the guidance of a Dao Fruit Realm shopkeeper to the rear, where he entered a vast auction hall.
This auction format differed from the traditional setup where all participants gathered in one hall. Instead, each cultivator was assigned a numbered room, with a luminous screen on the wall displaying a live feed of the auction stage.
This arrangement, keeping the cultivators separated, was implemented for security purposes.
Han Yi's room was numbered 117. He waited there for two hours before the screen flickered to life. A smiling female cultivator stepped onto the stage and began explaining the auction rules.
Han Yi had already familiarized himself with the rules beforehand; they were largely similar to those he'd encountered in the Great Luo Immortal Realm or the Jade Balance Realm.
One notable difference was that at the Imperial Heaven Pavilion auctions, if a bidder lacked sufficient Dao Crystals, they could substitute other treasures, Dao Artifacts, or Talismans. However, such last-minute substitutions would inevitably result in a reduced valuation—a standard practice of the Imperial Heaven Pavilion.
After the rules were explained, a Black-Robed Cultivator approached the stage carrying a box. Placing it on the auction stage, the female cultivator swept her hand over the box, releasing a strand of Spirit Light that coiled out.
"This is the first item of the auction."
"The Demonic Cloud Flower from the Nine Nether."
"Starting bid: one hundred million Dao Crystals. Minimum bid increment: ten million Dao Crystals."
Within the Spirit Light, a nine-petaled blood-colored flower emitted an eerie, dark glow.
In Room 117, Han Yi didn't recognize the blood-colored flower, but the token in his hand suddenly displayed information about the Demonic Cloud Flower.
The Demonic Cloud Flower matures after reaching seven petals, reaching its peak maturity at nine petals. Beyond this, there is the legendary ten-petaled form, a treasure comparable to the peak of the Dao-grade realm, rarely found outside the Nine Nether.
The flower's use is relatively singular: it is the primary ingredient for the Demonic Cloud Transformation Pill. This medicinal pill is said to instantly heal even the most severe injuries suffered by cultivators in the Dao Realm.
As for the Nine Nether, Han Yi was no stranger to it. It was a collective term for a strange land, and he had once slain the physical body of an Outer Dao Cultivator from that realm.
"Demonic Cloud Transformation, Demonic Cloud Transformation Pill," Han Yi murmured.
Though he had initially entered the Cultivation World as an Alchemist, he had abandoned the path of a pure Alchemist long after his Immortal Ascension. He knew that relying solely on Alchemy wouldn't allow him to rapidly enhance his strength.
After his Immortal Ascension, he had faced countless crises, each one forging his path of "strengthening through battle," a frenzied trajectory that had brought him to this very moment.
Within the glowing screen, notifications continuously popped up, displaying bids from cultivators in other chambers. However, Han Yi had no need for this rare flower and didn't place a bid.
Moments later, the flower was sold for 230 million Dao Crystals.
The jade box containing the flower was removed, and a second jade box was placed on the auction platform.
The auction lasted three days, featuring an abundance of items. Han Yi remained patient, content to wait.
But when the female cultivator swept her hand across the second jade box, releasing a Spirit Light and beginning to introduce the second item for auction...