Overhead in the azure sky, several sparrows flitted lightly. They traversed this courtyard without a care in the world.

However, as they flew over a patch of seemingly empty ground, they each shuddered violently before dropping down in unison.

Before long, a thin layer of white frost began to appear on their tiny bodies. This frost started to spread rapidly, soon covering the very ground beneath them in the same pale hue.

Cold…

A biting chill instantly permeated the entire space, as if the dead of winter had suddenly descended, as if one had been transported to the endless, snow-swept plains of the Northern Frontier, leaving everyone utterly disoriented.

Among everyone present, only Xie Mingjin and Bu Xingcong were merely masters of esoteric skills, innate experts capable of resonating with the Qi of heaven and earth. Yet, at this moment, even they felt an irresistible pressure.

Xie Mingjin and Bu Xingcong found their teeth chattering violently, their bodies shaking uncontrollably.

Ting Shiguang reached out and gently placed a hand on Xie Mingjin’s body. A surge of fiery energy immediately coursed through his meridians, spreading throughout him. Only then did Xie Mingjin heave a long, shuddering breath, seemingly snatched back from the very brink of being frozen stiff.

Still trembling, he looked up, meeting the gaze of Bu Xingcong, who had also just been revived. Their eyes burned with mutual loathing and hatred, yet there was also a faint, shared sense of pity for their shared plight.

Several figures rushed toward the area like flying arrows. They did not join the fray but stood quietly outside the training grounds, watching the duel between the two peerless masters, much like Shui Xuanjin and the others.

Shui Xuanjin and Su Jun glanced at them. Though displeased, none spoke. This was, after all, the opponent's territory, and their own strength had not yet reached the point where they could usurp the host’s position.

Among the newcomers, however, one innate expert grew visibly agitated upon seeing He Yiming and Mu Jintian. A powerful will to fight seemed to erupt from him. But this emergent aura was instantly suppressed and scattered into nothingness by the sheer pressure emanating from the two top-tier Baisantian powerhouses.

The disparity between the two sides was as vast as that between an adult and a small child; there was simply no basis for comparison.

While Shui Xuanjin deeply understood the reason for this, Ting Shiguang and Su Jun shot disdainful glances at the agitated man. Such reckless ambition was truly a rare sight.

Cheng Fu’s expression instantly dimmed. Only upon truly witnessing the might of these two did he finally comprehend the true extent of the gap between them.

He Yiming’s speed of progress had indeed far surpassed his own.

His eyes fixed tightly on the two figures in the training ground, Cheng Fu was suddenly overcome by a sense of utter despair. He vaguely felt that in this lifetime, he might never have a chance to catch up to He Yiming.

The moment He Yiming and his opponent officially clashed, he finally understood why Mu Jintian was hailed as the foremost Baisantian expert in the Tufan Kingdom. And why, even knowing He Yiming cultivated all five elements, Mu Jintian retained such powerful and unshakeable confidence.

Because what Mu Jintian cultivated was not one of the standard Five Element techniques. What he cultivated was an Ice Element technique.

That singular, extremely cold and chilling art capable of turning water to ice and freezing a thousand li.

The vast majority of innate experts specialized in one or two of the fundamental Five Element techniques, but some innate masters wielded skills that fell outside that scope.

Prior to this day, among the innate masters He Yiming had encountered, only Shui Xuanjin practiced a Wind Element technique. However, the power displayed by Shui Xuanjin’s wind cultivation could not compare to Mu Jintian’s might.

Now, emanating from Mu Jintian’s surroundings, waves of intensely powerful chill rolled outwards like ripples.

As the cold energy continually spread, the entire training ground seemed to shift in color.

Despite the presence of over twenty innate experts observing nearby, the silence that descended was so profound one could hear a pin drop.

Silence…

This was the only sound, the lullaby of the earth, and within this stillness, Mu Jintian moved. He seemed to transform into countless light, ethereal snowflakes, dancing gracefully to an unseen melody.

In the eyes of the onlookers, Mu Jintian appeared to become snow—as light as smoke, as white as silver, fluttering, swirling, and scattering down from the heavens.

In that instant, the spectators seemed to witness an impossible vision.

This was no longer the capital of the Kaixuan Kingdom; it had become the frozen wastes of the Northern Frontier.

That bitter, deep winter cold, sealing the earth with ice, the howling winds turning the entire world into a colossal refrigerator. Not only was human survival difficult, but even the mountains seemed to tremble from the cold, the great rivers were stiff with frost, and even the air felt on the verge of congealing.

The frost solidified the earth, coating everything in silver, leaving all creation withered and barren…

Only then did everyone grasp the sheer magnitude of Mu Jintian’s power.

Even those watching from the periphery felt an unending cold, and they understood deeply that they stood no chance against him.

Then, what of He Yiming, caught in the epicenter?

He Yiming’s expression was equally grave. The moment the frost-covered expanse arrived, he began converting the Zhenqi within his body to the Innate Blazing Fire technique.

This was an Innate Fire Element technique he had cultivated based on insights gained while observing Daoist Yaodao and the infinite subterranean fire during his alchemy practice.

Fire and Ice—these were fundamentally opposing forces of the extreme. These two extremes found in nature clashed violently at this moment.

Around He Yiming, wisps of white smoke immediately rose from the already congealing cold air, and the temperature surrounding him increased by several degrees.

He Yiming raised both hands, his palms stained a brilliant, blood-red.

Then, he strode forward, charging directly toward his opponent, surging with an unstoppable, towering momentum.

Mu Jintian turned, but instead of meeting the charge head-on, he used his ethereal and elusive Ice and Snow movement technique to weave a series of natural barriers of profound cold around the periphery.

He Yiming suddenly realized that Mu Jintian’s communion with the surrounding Qi of heaven and earth seemed far superior to his own.

It was as if all three hundred and sixty of his acupoints had become Dantians, constantly drawing in external energy. Furthermore, as the Qi of this locale was absorbed, even more chilling terrestrial power flowed in from distant sources to replenish it.

This was a situation He Yiming had never encountered before; this man’s mastery over the power of heaven and earth was superior even to his own.

He Yiming vaguely sensed that the level of this opponent’s cultivation was but a single, thin barrier away from the Yixiantian realm.

If he wished, Mu Jintian could potentially strike for that final breakthrough at any moment.

However, the more powerful Mu Jintian proved to be, the more excited He Yiming became. The circulation of Zhenqi within him reached an astonishing peak. Even during his earlier engagement against the combined force of seven innate masters, he had never felt this level of fervor.

His palms danced, like a surging underground fire, dispelling all the surrounding cold. The layers of icy barriers erected by Mu Jintian were shattered before his blows like fragile reeds.

To the observers, He Yiming appeared as a great fireball, relentlessly closing in on the source of the cold.

In their battle, it seemed He Yiming held the upper hand, with Mu Jintian constantly retreating. But after a moment, everyone unconsciously frowned.

For despite He Yiming’s imposing display and fierce offensive, the surrounding environment remained utterly unchanged.

The white world persisted, still a frozen landscape of ice and snow. No matter how powerful He Yiming’s fire technique was, it exerted no discernible effect on the environment. On the contrary, due to the natural countering of their techniques, He Yiming’s expenditure of Zhenqi now far exceeded that of his opponent.

If this situation continued, the one to run out of Zhenqi first would certainly not be Mu Jintian, who currently appeared to be on the defensive.

He Yiming clearly recognized this shift. His expression flickered slightly, and as his palms crossed, the surging fire energy vanished entirely.

Then, a powerful life force erupted from his body.

This force was inherently antithetical to the power of ice, and He Yiming transformed instantly from a ball of fire into a towering, ancient tree. His feet spread wide in a firm stance, rooting him to the ground like an old growth.

His palms continued to move, and the mighty, vital energy of the Wood Element radiated outwards from him as the epicenter.

Yet, a trace of mockery flickered across Mu Jintian’s face. His footwork remained fluid, as if he were performing a boxing routine, utterly unconcerned with He Yiming’s transformation. He continued to press with icy assaults, slowly draining He Yiming’s Zhenqi.

This young master posed a significant threat; even with his current power, Mu Jintian dared not guarantee victory in a head-on contest.

Therefore, Mu Jintian chose the most prudent path: leveraging the power of heaven and earth to gradually exhaust He Yiming’s Zhenqi.

When he fully activated his Ice Element power, he could generate a localized area filled with intense cold.

This ability was not something a Baisantian expert could possess; even a Yixiantian master could not achieve this level of control.

However, Mu Jintian possessed a rare treasure, an artifact that allowed him to draw upon the ice energy within the ambient Qi of heaven and earth, greatly augmenting his ice power. It was due to this treasure that he could create such a terrifying field of ice power while still only at the Baisantian stage.

Engaging in combat within this field afforded him advantages beyond the imagination of others.

It was this artifact, combined with his near-Yixiantian strength, that gave him the profound confidence to defeat, and perhaps even slay, He Yiming on the spot.

Although the Wood Element power He Yiming currently displayed was potent, it gained no advantage within this world of ice and snow.

The power of ice subtly instilled a sense of 'death' within He Yiming, starkly contrasted with the 'life' inherent in the Wood Element, creating an absolute opposition.

Though less direct than the clash between fire and ice, the mutual confrontation and opposition were no less intense.

After a moment, He Yiming also felt that under the suppression of this deathly power, his life essence was being slowly eroded. More tragically, though he keenly sensed this erosion, he had no immediate solution.

He let out a cold snort, his body sinking suddenly, his knees bending slightly. The towering tree seemed to vanish immediately, replaced by a dense solidity, heavy as a mountain.

The power of Earth manifested, making him an unmoving crag, a mountain range that had stood for millennia, existing since eternity, unmoved even by the frozen expanse of the northern lands.

This was the power of the earth; the ultimate defense, enduring in all times.

Yet, after another moment, He Yiming’s brow furrowed again. He realized that while the immediate impact on him was lessened, he had completely lost the ability to attack. Under Mu Jintian’s ceaseless, snow-like palm strikes, he appeared utterly beleaguered.

The layers of white snow descended like a deluge, threatening to turn him into a snow-covered peak, completely encased in ice, as if draped in white armor.

The crushing sensation grew heavier and heavier, threatening to suffocate him.

He Yiming’s heart jolted in alarm, a fierce light flashing in his eyes. It was better to risk everything in one desperate gamble than to be slowly ground down.

He suddenly let out a sharp roar, straightening his legs and raising one hand high above his head.

Thirty-Six Slashes of Mountain Splitting, the sixteenth move…

This technique, since its mastery, had always been his trump card, and invariably, its execution brought him unwavering success.

A sound like rolling thunder burst forth from his body. He was transformed into a blade, an unbreakable Great Broadsword.

The sharp, piercing essence of the Metal Element manifested fully through him at that moment.

His aura instantly peaked, imbued with a formidable killing intent that spoke of mutual destruction and no return, as he slashed toward Mu Jintian like a speeding projectile.

Successive cracking sounds echoed through the air. Mu Jintian’s face, for the first time, turned intensely solemn. His palms struck out like driving rain, each impact sending a surge of extreme cold into He Yiming. Simultaneously, his footwork accelerated severalfold, engaging He Yiming in a rapid circular dance within a tight space.

Since He Yiming had pioneered the Cloud Rain Soaring Art, this was the first time he had encountered someone whose mastery of movement techniques could rival his own. And under these current conditions of ice and snow, his opponent was clearly faster.

The fierce and incomparable Thirty-Six Slashes of Mountain Splitting, though immensely powerful, could never quite make contact with Mu Jintian.

With successive impacts of powerful Ice Element energy, He Yiming’s speed began to slow, and even his palms seemed to be overlaid with a layer of white frost.

His Mountain Splitting Slashes remained unstoppable, but against a power that could freeze the very earth, they ultimately lacked the sustained force.

He Yiming’s figure finally halted. He withdrew his hands, crouched low, and a new power began to well up from within him.

Waves of Water Element energy, like an overwhelming tsunami, surged from his body, sweeping over everything like a world-devouring flood.

This was the final attribute of the Five Elements, He Yiming’s ultimate outburst after being suppressed for so long.

This powerful force even exceeded the normal limits He Yiming could muster.

The might of the roaring flood seemed capable of washing the entire world away.

Mu Jintian’s movements became even swifter. Against He Yiming’s mad counterattack, he resembled a small wooden sailboat caught in a massive tidal surge, seemingly on the verge of capsizing at any second.

Yet, no matter how terrifying the colossal waves, this small boat seemed glued atop the crest by some adhesive, impossible to fully submerge.

Not only that, but the raging water surrounding this boat slowly began to change color. White ice reappeared, and this time it manifested with ferocious speed, as if in the span of a mere moment, the entire furious torrent had been completely frozen over.

Condensing water into ice—the transformation had reached this degree in an instant.

The intense confidence in He Yiming’s heart was shaken for the first time.

He had already deployed every technique from the basic Five Elements. This ability to seamlessly transition between different elemental arts had left every innate expert watching utterly dumbfounded. Even Mu Jintian, engaged in the fight, was deeply shaken by this bizarre capability.

He finally understood why He Yiming could defeat the combined forces of seven peers.

Because against ordinary innate masters, this ability was simply too Heaven-defying. Anyone fighting him would suffer elemental suppression, often unable to unleash even half of their full potential.

He secretly counted his blessings. If not for the artifact that could absorb the ice energy from the heaven and earth's Qi, significantly boosting his own ice power, he might not have been his opponent’s match in a fair fight.

But at this moment, as the freezing power surrounding him continuously intensified, he had subtly seized the initiative, gaining an absolute advantage.

Now, the onlookers could clearly see that He Yiming appeared to have exhausted his tricks.

Taking a deep breath, He Yiming finally made a crucial decision. The Zhenqi within him churned ceaselessly, and a wave of killing intent gradually permeated his form.

As this killing intent spread, even within this frozen world, it seemed incapable of causing him any hindrance.

Mu Jintian’s body hairs stood on end. He was utterly horrified. He Yiming seemed cornered, yet why did he now feel an even greater sense of mortal danger?

He Yiming’s expression was grim. The Water Element Zhenqi began to flow; at this point, he intended to hold nothing back.

Since single-element power was insufficient for victory, it was time for the Five Elements to unite.

This final blow, capable of wounding even Yixiantian experts, was absolutely unmatched among the Baisantian stage. However, after this one attack, it was likely that only one of the two would leave this place alive.

Yet, He Yiming was convinced that the survivor would undoubtedly be himself…

PS: Today is Thursday; I will be accompanying my daughter to calligraphy class this evening, but I will certainly keep my promise of five thousand-character updates. Another chapter will follow around ten o'clock tonight. Also, He Yiming has absorbed a large amount of monthly ticket energy and is just shy of breaking through to Yixiantian. Hehe… Don’t hold back at this crucial juncture! ^_^