As He Yiming scrutinized this pinnacle expert of the Human Dao, Franklin was returning the gaze in equal measure.

At that moment, even the haughty figures like Jin Zhanyi and Li Jiangfeng fell into a profound silence.

In the presence of a Human Dao peak expert, even a Five-Qi Grand Venerable dared not show the slightest defiance, let alone ordinary Venerables like them who had only advanced within the last decade.

The surrounding air grew oppressive, a colossal pressure that only an expert of this magnitude could exert upon these Venerables.

Franklin nodded subtly, his voice slow and measured. "You are quite impressive."

Though he spoke generally, everyone present understood precisely whom this assessment was directed toward.

The Venerables from the West revealed expressions of intense jealousy, even including Greenton of the Dark Alliance Council.

In the Western world, the number of individuals capable of earning such praise from this powerhouse could be counted on one's fingers, and to elicit it upon a first meeting was utterly unique.

For a moment, even Edwin muttered internally, thinking that even if He Yiming were a Five-Qi Grand Venerable, this compliment seemed excessive.

A wry smile touched He Yiming’s face. Although the other party's tone held undisguised admiration, the expert's intent had already locked him firmly in place.

No one enjoyed being targeted by the intent of a Human Dao peak expert.

"Respected Your Majesty Franklin, do you also believe I am an imposter?" He Yiming asked with a helpless, bitter smile.

A kindly smile played on Franklin's lips; he did not answer He Yiming’s question directly. He merely stated, "In the Central Capital City of the East, you slew three Western experts?"

The gazes of Edwin, Greenton, and the others instantly sharpened. They had indeed heard the rumor, but unlike the Easterners, they had only held a degree of doubt.

Those three experts held great renown in the West; in their estimation, unless one was a Human Dao peak expert, it was impossible for anyone to take down all three of them simultaneously.

He Yiming hesitated, frowning slightly, and spoke calmly, "Those who do not offend me, I do not offend."

Similarly, he did not answer the Temple Pope’s question head-on, but everyone instantly grasped the implication of his words.

Although Jin Zhanyi and the others were familiar with He Yiming, at this instant, they suddenly felt that this young prodigy, who had risen like a comet, had become a stranger.

Before Franklin appeared, Jin Zhanyi and the others had spoken freely, displaying the assertiveness and unyielding spirit of Venerables.

But the moment this seemingly ordinary old man appeared, silence descended upon both the Eastern powerhouses and the Western Venerables.

This individual possessed no suffocating aura of immense power, nor any intimidating majesty that forbade resistance. Instead, he was like a light, an omnipresent brightness illuminating the hearts of all present, extinguishing any thought of rebellion.

This ability to subdue an army without a fight seemed to transcend the Human Dao realm, verging infinitely close to the legendary, ethereal Divine Dao.

Of course, in the current world, even if one's intent reached this level of might, it could not facilitate a physical breakthrough.

While the gap between the Human Dao peak and the Divine Dao realm was but a single step, no one could cross that threshold.

Nevertheless, before this old man, everyone stood paralyzed, even harboring the distinct feeling that if he wished to take their lives, they would lack the courage to resist.

Yet, looking again at He Yiming before them, immense shock rippled through everyone’s minds.

In the face of a Human Dao peak expert, He Yiming remained neither subservient nor overbearing. Furthermore, the aura emanating from him was not one of decay or despair, but a powerful fighting spirit brimming with vitality.

Fighting spirit...

He Yiming, when confronting a Human Dao peak expert, still possessed the will to fight them!

Inexplicably, Venerables from both sides began to feel genuine reverence for this remarkably young-looking powerhouse.

However, they remained unaware that He Yiming had already clashed with Human Dao peak experts twice before, and with the help of Bai Ma, had actually managed to force one of them to retreat.

Thus, facing a powerhouse of this caliber for the third time, although he still maintained caution, his fear and dread had significantly diminished.

Franklin sighed lightly. "Since that is the case, you shall remain here."

The words flowed out effortlessly, and to the others, they carried an air of inevitability, as if this outcome was meant to be.

He Yiming’s heart tightened; even he felt this strange sense of destiny surrounding the old man’s decree.

Momentarily, as the old man spoke, he felt as if he were being encircled by some unseen force, making it difficult even to move his limbs freely.

His eyes flashed suddenly, and He Yiming circulated his true qi, unleashing it in a burst. A powerful aura surged wildly from him; although he hadn't drawn the Five Elements Ring, a swirling vortex of five-colored energy rotated ceaselessly around him.

Fixing his gaze upon the old man, He Yiming stated gravely, "What technique is this?"

The old man chuckled dryly. "This is the power of sound. Is your pet not also capable of wielding this strength?"

He Yiming glanced toward Bao Zhu. The little creature’s eyes were also fixed on the elder, faintly betraying a trace of fear.

He Yiming was familiar with this expression; Bao Zhu had shown similar signs when facing the giant sea monsters from the Outer Seas, or the Yellow Springs Patriarch in the past.

This demonstrated that in the little creature’s mind, it was certain that he was no match for this elder.

He Yiming took a deep breath and pointed toward Jin Zhanyi and the others. "If you wish for me to stay, fine, but can they be allowed to leave?"

Franklin maintained his smile. "They came to participate in the East-West Martial Arts Exchange; it has not yet begun. Naturally, they cannot depart."

He Yiming raised his eyebrows slightly. "Respected Your Majesty, do you intend to keep all of them here?"

His voice carried a hint of disbelief. Jin Zhanyi and the others hailed from various sects, including the Lingxiao Palace, the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands of the Eastern Continent, the Northwest Heavenly Lake lineage, and the Southern Border’s Glazed Island.

Undeniably, Franklin was the preeminent Human Dao peak expert of this era, but detaining the core Venerables of several major sects simultaneously would be exceedingly unwise.

Franklin seemed to read his thoughts and leisurely responded, "Allow one person to go out and send a message. Let the elders of their respective sects come personally to collect them."

The faces of the Eastern and Western Venerables changed slightly. Only then did they realize that the arrival of the Temple Pope was not to ensure fairness in the upcoming competition, but rather to detain all these newly ascended Venerables from the East.

The objective, it appeared, was to lure their peers—the experts of equal standing—to this location.

This realization was unexpected not only for the Eastern Venerables but also for the Venerables from the West.

He Yiming’s face darkened like water. "Respected Your Holiness the Pope, are you intending to stand against the entire Eastern world single-handedly?"

Franklin allowed a faint, serene smile to surface. "This is a game, and at present, you are not qualified to participate."

The crowd inwardly puzzled: if even Five-Qi Grand Venerables were unqualified, did that not imply only Human Dao peak experts could take part?

He Yiming’s true qi surged with increasing intensity.

In the presence of this old man, he was the only one who dared to fully release his true qi, creating a situation where he could seemingly contend on equal footing.

Of course, this equilibrium was predicated entirely on Franklin offering no reaction whatsoever.

"Your Holiness the Pope, are you intending to shatter the rules established over thousands of years?" He Yiming demanded sharply.

Franklin sighed softly. "The one who broke the rules was not I, but Bing Xiaotian."

He Yiming was momentarily startled. He had expected the elder to direct his words toward him, but instead, the conversation abruptly shifted to the Bing Palace in the Northern Border.

A sudden realization struck him, and He Yiming’s eyes lit up brilliantly. "Ice Island... the Thousand-Year Ice Island! You have come for the Thousand-Year Ice Island!"

Appreciation shone in Franklin's eyes. He moved slowly, like an elderly man. "You guessed correctly. Ice Island is the shared property of all Human Dao peak experts from the Eastern and Western continents and all other regions. It is the sole key left by the Divine Dao predecessors thousands of years ago that can open the gate to the Divine Dao. However, Bing Xiaotian now intends to shut the West out and monopolize Ice Island." The old man paused. His gaze was calm and steady, and his tone lacked any significant fluctuation, as if he were recounting trivial domestic matters rather than discussing the affairs of Human Dao peak experts. "The rules of thousands of years cannot be broken; this applies to everyone."

Jin Zhanyi and the others exchanged glances. As the old man stated, this matter was indeed beyond their scope of involvement.

However, they now understood that across the realm, perhaps only the matter of the Thousand-Year Ice Island could compel this elder to leave the Western world.

He Yiming nodded slightly, inwardly cursing the old nuisances like Bing Xiaotian for causing trouble that they, the younger generation, would have to clean up.

Franklin’s presence here in the Southern Border and his decision to detain them was a necessary, albeit desperate, measure. He did not travel directly to the Northern Border Bing Palace; making his stand here was a way to leave room for a negotiated solution between the two sides. Unfortunately, He Yiming had become entangled in it.

With a deep sigh, the expression in He Yiming’s eyes gradually hardened.

"Respected Your Holiness the Pope, I apologize, but He Yiming refuses to remain."

His voice grew louder, booming like thunder across the heart of the island.

Ps: Heading to the hospital shortly, so posting early ^_^ Requesting monthly votes for the last six days.