The strange shift on He Yiming's face was instantly noticed by the others. A deeper chill settled in everyone’s hearts.

Now that this young man’s strength was acknowledged by all, if anyone could truly discern something, it could only be him. Jin Zhanyi said in a deep voice, "Brother He, what is it?" He Yiming stretched out his hand, pointing straight ahead.

"There. A powerhouse." His words were simple and clear.

The crowd followed the direction of his finger, but their sight was blocked by a massive, high slope, revealing nothing. However, if He Yiming called someone a powerhouse—someone who made his expression change like that—one could only imagine the sheer might the opponent possessed.

A flash of anger crossed Jin Zhanyi’s face. "Edwin, every time the Heaven and Hell realm and the Life-Death Boundary open, the newly ascended Venerables from our East and West must engage in a decisive battle.

During this battle, no other Venerables may interfere. This rule has never changed for thousands of years.

Isn’t what you are doing today going too far?" Though he was arrogant, Jin Zhanyi was certainly no fool. An expert who could make even He Yiming so wary was definitely beyond their ability to resist.

But from another angle, such a person could never be a newly ascended Venerable. A fleeting shadow of awkwardness crossed Edwin’s face, but it vanished instantly, and he returned to normal composure.

"Lord Jin Zhanyi, we were not the first to break the rules," Edwin announced loudly. Jin Zhanyi sneered coldly, "Not you?

Was it us, perhaps?" "It was you." An icy, bone-chilling voice drifted from the rear of the Western contingent, belonging to Grinton of the Dark Alliance Council. He stepped forward slowly, and the Western Venerables instinctively shuffled back several paces, maintaining a significant distance, seemingly wary of him.

While this posture suggested a slight concession of weakness, it only served to highlight the man’s capabilities. Jin Zhanyi laughed in furious disbelief, "Nonsense!

When did we break the rules?" Grinton’s gaze shifted to He Yiming. "This man is clearly a Five Qi Grand Venerable, yet he mixes among you.

Is that not a violation of the rules?" The crowd exchanged bewildered glances, their expressions bordering on the comical. Jin Zhanyi snorted angrily, "Lord Grinton, though Brother He is a Five Qi Grand Venerable, his talent is extraordinary, and he truly ascended during this opening of the Ghost Cry Ridge." He spoke with firm conviction, yet held little hope of persuading the other side.

After all, a freak like He Yiming—if Jin Zhanyi hadn't known him since the Three Flowers realm, even he wouldn't have believed it. As expected, Grinton burst into unrestrained laughter.

"Lord Jin Zhanyi has quite the silver tongue, but what you say is simply not believable." Jin Zhanyi helplessly rolled his eyes and sighed weakly, "I, Jin, never resort to lies. Whether you believe it or not is beyond my ability to control." Deng Yichen’s face darkened.

He said coldly, "Lord Grinton, every word Brother Jin speaks is the absolute truth. Brother He isn't even thirty years old this year." A cascade of cold laughter erupted from the Western group, every sound laden with sarcasm and ridicule.

Edwin’s laugh was the most unrestrained, as if he had heard the funniest joke in existence, clearly enjoying himself. "Lord Deng Yichen, thank you for the joke," he said, bowing with a gentlemanly flourish.

"The truth you stated has indeed brought us great joy." The Eastern powerhouses’ faces grew grim, but they had no effective recourse against these Western ascendants who were clearly resolved not to believe them. In truth, if they hadn't met He Yiming several times and witnessed firsthand that he was only a common Venerable before entering the Life-Death Boundary, they too would refuse to believe it now.

He Yiming stared ahead expressionlessly, but most of his attention was fixed on what lay beyond the slope. The Temple War Eagle was recovering rapidly.

While this speed wasn't as heaven-defying as consuming white stone or the blood of a top-tier divine beast, the pace of recovery was still astonishingly rapid. He drew a deep breath and spoke coldly, "Edwin, you should ask your friend behind the slope to step out." The moment he spoke, all Western laughter ceased abruptly.

No matter how skeptical these Westerners were, they clearly understood the gulf in power between themselves and He Yiming. A newly promoted Venerable would never be foolish enough to confront a Five Qi Grand Venerable head-on.

They could use words to mock Deng Yichen and the others, but no one dared to act presumptuously in front of He Yiming. This included Edwin and Grinton, even with the backing of the Temple and the Dark Alliance.

Edwin gave a slight nod toward He Yiming, then stated gravely, "My Lord, I regret to say I cannot grant your request." His expression remained neither subservient nor arrogant. "When His Majesty wishes to summon you, he will allow you to see his glory." Jin Zhanyi and the others’ faces truly changed this time.

Before Edwin uttered that phrase, they had clung to a sliver of hope. Although the Temple War Eagle was the current Pope’s pet, their clash was supposed to be merely a contest among newly ascended Venerables.

Why would the dignified Pope of the Western Temple lower himself to appear here? But upon hearing the title 'His Majesty,' all hope vanished.

In the entire Western world, only one legendary man could be addressed as 'His Majesty' by the Temple Venerables. Li Jiangfeng chuckled darkly, "To trouble the esteemed His Majesty Franklin to travel all the way to the Southern Border for our sake—we, Li and the others, are truly blessed beyond measure in three lifetimes." Silence fell over everyone.

Even Jin Zhanyi exuded a deathly stillness. Edwin’s gaze remained fixed, but uncertainty churned within him.

When the Pope appeared before them and made such arrangements, the Western Venerables were equally perplexed. For the Pope of the Temple to intervene in this matter defied any logical explanation.

Li Jiangfeng sighed heavily, "My friends, this is all my fault. Bringing you here was leading ourselves toward certain death." They were all Venerable-level experts.

Had they not entered this Star Island, surrounded by powerful whirlpools and undercurrents, they could have simply scattered and fled. Even if the opponent had supernatural powers, catching them all would have been impossible.

But having entered this place, they had indeed walked into a desperate situation, exactly as Li Jiangfeng stated—a path of self-destruction. He Yiming’s gaze shifted.

"Since you do not believe me, I will withdraw from this competition. Would that be fair, Lord Edwin?" Though Jin Zhanyi and the others felt deeply resentful, they were powerless.

Circumstances dictated their choice. To prevent the peak Human Dao expert from taking direct action, they seemed to have no better option.

Besides, even if He Yiming did not participate, with the combined strength of Jin Zhanyi, the Li father and daughter, the Qilian Twin Devils, and the others, they might not necessarily lose. Edwin clearly hesitated for a moment.

"Great Venerable He, since His Majesty is already present, everything shall be decided by him. With his wisdom, he should offer you a fair choice." He Yiming’s eyes slowly turned icy.

He reached to his chest, seemingly deep in thought. After a brief pause, he finally made a decision, muttering a few inaudible words to himself.

No one knew what he was saying, nor did they understand the purpose of his actions. He Yiming lowered his hand, raised his head, and spoke coldly, "Honorable His Majesty Franklin, your War Eagle should have recovered by now.

Please step forward." A subtle shift occurred on Jin Zhanyi’s face as he realized the hidden powerhouse had merely been tending to the sacred beast’s injuries. Footsteps sounded from behind the slope, and all eyes turned in unison toward the source.

A flash of light darted from the shadows. The moment the figure appeared, it was as if a sudden light illuminated the darkness, brightening the shadow of the entire slope.

Everyone’s eyes experienced a moment of disorientation, but in an instant, they saw clearly. Emerging from behind the slope was an old man.

He wore a bizarre robe that seemed imbued with some mysterious power, sporadically emitting faint, shimmering sparks of light. The crowd’s vision had initially been dazzled precisely by this strange, flickering luminescence.

He Yiming’s gaze sharpened. He was the first to recover from the dazzling effect.

This was not only due to his superior strength but also intimately connected to the cultivation method he practiced. Glancing at the robe, he immediately knew it was at least an Extra-Tier defensive Divine Armament, likely possessing magical abilities similar to Distortion Arts.

However, such a treasure adorning a peak Human Dao expert was hardly surprising. The old man was of moderate build, his face placid and devoid of expression.

If not for his attention-grabbing robe advertising his extraordinary status, most people would have dismissed him as an ordinary elder at first glance. The moment he walked out, all the Western Venerables bowed deeply and respectfully; even Grinton of the Dark Alliance showed due deference.

He Yiming’s eyes slowly brightened. Human Dao Peak...

The moment he saw the old man, he confirmed it. This was the third peak Human Dao master he had encountered.

In less than a year, he had met three experts of this level in succession, yet this was certainly no cause for celebration. Because all three peak Human Dao masters were his enemies.

Such luck, perhaps, was unique in the world.