Chapter 545: Mystic Bird Devours Heavenly Fortune

During his imprisonment, Han Yi also attempted to escape. However, the monsters seemed to value him greatly, guarding him continuously without a break. They gave Han Yi no opportunity at all. Facing the constantly watchful and fiercely glaring monster guards, Han Yi could only swallow hard and abandon his escape plan. Fortunately, the conditions in this cage were tolerable; the monsters also delivered food and drink punctually every day. It wasn't too unbearable.

Thus, after more than ten days, the monsters once again bound Han Yi tightly and brought him to the roasting stake. Han Yi thought to himself, "This is the end for me! If only I had died by the hands of that cultivator earlier; that would have been a quicker end!" Just as Han Yi was thinking this, another anomaly occurred. Above the sky, a rumbling thunder sounded. Soon, a torrential downpour suddenly arrived, instantly extinguishing the bonfire, which had only just gotten going. Not only were the monsters utterly terrified, but Han Yi himself was also stunned. He seemed to have realized something, staring blankly, unaware of when he had been carried back to his cell.

The third sacrifice was exceptionally long in coming. It seemed that some internal conflict had arisen among the monsters. Even from his cell, Han Yi could vaguely hear the quite intense arguments periodically coming from outside. It was more than thirty days later that Han Yi was brought out again. This time, the day seemed to have been carefully chosen, exceptionally clear and bright. And the expression on every monster's face was extremely solemn and serious. The noisy scenes of the previous two times did not reappear. Yet, Han Yi's heart was utterly calm. Not only was he not afraid, but he was also anticipating something.

The monsters collectively hummed mysterious songs and danced with abandon. Amidst the singing and dancing, Han Yi moved closer and closer to the great fire. Just then, a sudden demonic wind swept across the world. It not only blew the previously orderly and dancing monsters off balance but also scattered the neatly piled firewood in the center. Flames spread uncontrollably, setting the monster village ablaze. Han Yi, who was nearby, was miraculously unharmed. Seeing this, Han Yi couldn't help but laugh uproariously. The chaotic monsters, meanwhile, all secretly eyed the figure in the firelight with fearful gazes.

From then on, Han Yi's status in the monster village was completely different. Not only was he no longer imprisoned, but he was also given the most comfortable house in the village. His daily food was also the best in the entire village. When the monsters saw Han Yi, they no longer looked fierce and menacing as before. Instead, they bowed their heads, not daring to look him directly in the eye.

Although the treatment was excellent, Han Yi was, after all, a dignified Qi Condensation cultivator. This nearly barbaric lifestyle was, of course, unacceptable to him. He had once again considered escaping, but after thinking it over, he still gave up. This world was vastly different from the cultivation world, and there was no spiritual energy present. Here, he was no different from a mortal with no power. For now, he was relatively safe in this monster village. If he rashly ran out, he might encounter other dangers and foolishly lose his life. So Han Yi decided to settle down in this village for the time being. He began to learn the monsters' language, attempting to communicate with them.

As time passed, Han Yi gradually understood his situation. The village was named "Zhu," located in an endless wilderness. The wilderness was filled with creatures like them, resembling both humans and beasts. The fewer human characteristics a monster possessed, the more powerful it was. A village like Zhu, with human bodies and beast faces, was considered one of the weakest. It was said that deep in the wilderness, the fully beast-like supremes possessed power capable of splitting mountains and diverting rivers. A completely human body like Han Yi's, however, was considered an "abomination." It was an existence that angered the gods in heaven. It needed to be burned alive during a sacrifice to appease the gods' wrath. But three times in a row, the sacrifices were interrupted by celestial phenomena. The monsters of Zhu village realized the extraordinary nature of Han Yi, this abomination. They thus had to abandon their plan to burn him.

In the central altar of Zhu village, Han Yi saw what the monsters referred to as the statue of their god. It was an incredibly majestic and divine exotic bird, standing proudly with its head held high. The monsters of Zhu village knelt on the ground before the statue, and Han Yi was deeply moved. This also confirmed his previous suspicions. This deity was remarkably similar to the Fated Black Bird recorded in the *Heaven's Fate Sutra*, which he cultivated. Han Yi thought, "Although there is no spiritual energy here, preventing cultivation, the Black Bird feather in my dantian, prepared for Foundation Establishment, feels as if it has returned home. It seems to be continuously absorbing an inexplicable energy that permeates the air, causing itself to transform."

A strange gleam flashed in Han Yi's eyes. According to the *Heaven's Fate Sutra*, theoretically, if the divine abilities of the Black Bird clan were cultivated to their peak, it would mean "Heaven's fate is my fate, and my destiny is Heaven's will." Heaven and I would be one, indistinguishable. In the Xuanhuang Realm, achieving such a state was naturally extremely difficult. Even the lord of demon beasts, let alone a small Black Bird, would likely be unable to do so. Thus, a compromise was sought, a secondary alternative: to find a small world and make it one's spiritual cultivation ground. Merging with the minor Heaven's fate of a small world would naturally be much easier. After successful cultivation, within that small world, the Black Bird would become an existence akin to Heaven's Dao itself. Changing mountains and rivers with a single thought would be an easy feat.

The Black Bird feather must be absorbing the fragmented and wandering Heaven's fate of this world, Han Yi mused. Heaven's fate originally belonged to the Black Bird that refined this world, and it shouldn't be absorbed by an outsider like me, not even if I cultivate the *Heaven's Fate Sutra* and possess the Black Bird feather. The fact that this situation is occurring now means there's only one possibility: the Black Bird that originally merged with this world's Heaven's fate has perished! And it seems not much time has passed since its demise. The original World Dao has not yet recovered, and Heaven's fate is fragmented, scattered everywhere like unclaimed treasure! The Way of Fate is profound and mysterious. Ordinary cultivators cannot perceive it at all; even if they could faintly sense it, it would be useless to them. But I am different! This place, for me, is nothing short of a complete treasure trove! My subconscious acts of self-preservation, by attracting the wandering Heaven's fate, can summon wind and rain. If I could absorb all of this world's Heaven's fate... A hint of greed and ambition instantly appeared in Han Yi's eyes.

He thought, "Indeed, surviving a great disaster often brings future blessings!" He looked at this vast, unknown world, and an immense sense of pride swelled in his chest. "Once I integrate this world's Heaven's fate," he thought, "and return to the Xuanhuang Realm, I will be like a soaring dragon, unstoppable!" Imagining the future, an uncontrollable smile appeared at the corners of Han Yi's mouth.