He Yi Ming’s smile instantly faded. He gave a slightly awkward chuckle. “Brother Zhuang, you jest. While I may have gained some small insights, I am still vastly far from the Ninth Heaven. How could I possibly ascend in a single leap?”

Zhuang Mu Nan paused, slightly startled. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, “Brother He, beneath the volcano, did you manage to perceive the Divine Power of Fire?”

He Yi Ming nodded without hesitation. There was no need to hide this fact, as the Five Qi Grand Elder should have sensed something faint when he was absorbing the Fire Divine Power in abundance.

Zhuang Mu Nan’s expression grew even stranger. He inquired, “Since Brother He has successfully perceived the Fire Divine Power, are you still unable to absorb it?”

He Yi Ming let out a self-deprecating laugh. “Though I am untalented, I have managed to absorb a meager amount.”

He added silently to himself, I have not only absorbed the Fire Divine Power here, but also the Earth Divine Power from the Lingxiao Palace and the Wood Divine Power from the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land.

However, he decided that such thoughts were best kept internal; revealing them might not lead to anything good.

Zhuang Mu Nan clapped his hands together. “If Brother He has already comprehended and absorbed the Fire Divine Power, how is it possible you have not yet reached the Ninth Heaven?”

He Yi Ming pondered this. His brow furrowed slightly. Since advancing to the Five Qi Grand Elder realm, he had consulted books detailing the Ninth Heaven.

Although none of the texts specified the exact method for cultivating the Ninth Heaven, they meticulously described the prerequisites for achieving that state.

Once one cultivated intent and successfully transmuted five of the divine weapons—excluding the Natal Divine Weapon—into their radiant form, the cultivation of a Five Qi Grand Elder would reach its peak.

At that juncture, if one could refine the radiance of all the divine weapons into a single entity, they could unleash a peak power several times stronger.

That specific force was the most potent power beneath the Divine Path.

One strand as foundation, three flowers gathered atop the head, five qi returning to the origin, nine-nine returning to one.

Only when all powers converged could one truly reach the pinnacle of the Human Path.

A powerhouse at this level, should they manage one further step, could knock upon the gates of the Divine Path and become a transcendent being possessing the might of a deity.

Though He Yi Ming’s martial cultivation was formidable, and he had successfully transmuted three divine weapons into light, this was the current limit of his capability.

Had he not studied the Secret Manual of the Five Elements Reincarnation and gained new insight into the power of the Five Elements, he likely wouldn't even have managed to transmute the second divine weapon, the Aurora Sword.

And successfully turning the Black Tortoise Shell into light had been a complete accident. Without the mysterious runic power within the Five Elements Ring, He Yi Ming would have been utterly helpless against that defensive divine artifact.

He Yi Ming hesitated for just a moment before stating clearly, “Brother Zhuang, to be frank, even counting my Natal Divine Weapon, I have only managed to transmute three divine weapons into light. I am still far short of the total of six divine weapons.”

Zhuang Mu Nan looked at him with a peculiar expression. After a moment, he let out a soft laugh. “Brother He, before the Divine Path vanished thousands of years ago, attaining the Human Path pinnacle indeed required transmuting six divine weapons and ultimately condensing the might of all divine weapons into one; otherwise, the Ninth Heaven, the peak of the Human Path, was unattainable. However, since the Divine Path disappeared, the power of Heaven and Earth has sharply diminished. If practitioners still follow the old method, while many might succeed in transmuting six divine weapons, those who can ultimately refine them into one are exceedingly rare—perhaps even extinct in this world.”

He Yi Ming’s eyebrows lifted slightly. His martial cultivation was already exceedingly close to the Human Path pinnacle, and upon hearing this, he instantly grasped the reason.

Although human cultivators gain longer lifespans as their martial cultivation increases, compared to the Sacred Beasts, this longevity is a vast gulf, an insignificant speck.

With the massive depletion of ambient Qi of Heaven and Earth, human cultivators are affected far more profoundly than those Sacred Beasts blessed with incredibly long lives. If they must still follow the step-by-step process—accumulating sufficient Heaven and Earth Qi within the body before fusing the radiance of six divine weapons—then the number of those reaching the absolute apex would likely be zero.

A thought flashed through his mind. He Yi Ming said gravely, “Brother Zhuang, how do they cultivate now?”

Zhuang Mu Nan’s face turned solemn. “The Sect Master once stated that in this current era, to reach the Human Path pinnacle, one must comprehend the Power of the Gods. Although this path is even more difficult than slowly accumulating power to transmute six divine weapons, success grants an instantaneous ascent, directly crossing over into the supreme realm of the Human Path pinnacle.”

He Yi Ming’s expression shifted. He already possessed three different types of Godly Power, yet his current strength remained stagnant. Although the sheer quantity and might of his True Qi were far superior to when he first entered the Five Qi Grand Elder realm, these three Divine Powers had never brought about a qualitative change.

When facing true Human Path pinnacles like Franklin, he was still severely constrained, left only with the option to flee in disarray.

“Brother Zhuang, as long as one comprehends the Power of the Gods, is it certain one can step into the Ninth Heaven?” He Yi Ming asked, emphasizing each word.

This matter was supremely important to him. Even knowing it was unlikely the other party would lie to him, He Yi Ming needed to investigate thoroughly.

Zhuang Mu Nan’s face darkened slightly, but he immediately recalled that He Yi Ming was the great benefactor who helped defend Glazed Island. This immense debt of gratitude meant he absolutely could not afford to give the younger man a cold shoulder.

“Brother He, the Sect Master left behind a record of cultivation insights, which describes in detail how to perceive the Fire Divine Power. If you are interested, would you care to accompany this old man to view it?”

He Yi Ming was instantly overjoyed. He bowed deeply. “Thank you, Brother Zhuang. However, doing so might put you in a difficult position.”

Zhuang Mu Nan gave a wry smile. “Actually, this record of insights has been in my possession for quite some time, but regrettably, after over a hundred years, I have made not an inch of progress. This suggests I truly have no affinity for Divine Power.” He shook his head, then suddenly added, “Brother He, when the Sect Master gifted this book back then, he mentioned that attempting to impact the Ninth Heaven using this method is, in fact, a shortcut. If possible, it is still best to proceed steadily, step by step.”

He Yi Ming smiled gratefully. “Thank you for the guidance, Brother Zhuang. I understand.”

Zhuang Mu Nan nodded slightly, then turned and led He Yi Ming away.

Moments later, they returned to the Glazed Cave. All the formidable experts were waiting outside the cavern. Although Glazed Island had not formally invited these newly arrived Elders to intervene, they felt it inappropriate to stand idly by while the situation unfolded inside. Should Glazed Island face a crisis, they were prepared to offer aid.

Upon descending, Zhuang Mu Nan immediately announced the retreat of the outer sea monsters, causing an immediate stir. Everyone understood that the one capable of achieving this feat must be the quiet figure, He Yi Ming, who followed behind Zhuang Mu Nan. Thus, the looks they directed toward him were tinged with even greater reverence.

However, He Yi Ming’s entire focus was now consumed by the record of cultivation insights. After exchanging pleasantries with the crowd briefly, he promptly followed Zhuang Mu Nan back into the cave.

In a small, simply decorated yet remarkably comfortable chamber, Zhuang Mu Nan carefully presented a book.

When He Yi Ming opened the volume, he was momentarily stunned. This book was clearly a recent transcription; it looked nothing like a century-old text.

Seemingly sensing his doubt, Zhuang Mu Nan smiled. “Brother He, every year, I re-transcribe this book, hoping to glean some understanding from it. But regrettably, every time I begin with high hopes, I return disappointed, having made no progress whatsoever.”

He Yi Ming was then relieved. He nodded at Zhuang Mu Nan and proceeded to open the book, beginning his slow perusal.

This was a true record of insights left by a master of the Ninth Heaven. For He Yi Ming at this moment, it was an invaluable treasure.

Zhuang Mu Nan slowly rose and quietly backed out of the room, ensuring no further disruption to He Yi Ming’s reading.

Gradually, subtle changes began to appear on He Yi Ming’s face. A flash of sudden realization would cross his features, quickly followed by a flicker of confusion. These two contrasting expressions shifted constantly, lending his demeanor an air of unpredictable depth.

After a long while, He Yi Ming finally closed the book. He let out a long breath, feeling a mixture of amusement and frustration.

The book did indeed record a method similar to what he had considered: once the Power of the Gods was comprehended, one could fuse the radiance of all divine weapons. Utilizing the potent characteristics of Godly Power, one could vault directly onto the throne of the Ninth Heaven, the pinnacle of the Human Path.

However, the success rate for absorbing Godly Power was extremely low. Furthermore, according to the book, attempting to comprehend and absorb Godly Power before transmuting all six divine weapons into light was essentially impossible.

At this point, He Yi Ming finally understood why the Diviner and Hao Tong had not alerted him to this possibility.

He surmised that before he succeeded in transmuting all six divine weapons, they must have kept the matter under tight wraps, denying him any opportunity to learn of it.

Indeed, upon learning of this shortcut, even with his current composure, He Yi Ming felt an irresistible urge to act, making it impossible to calm his mind completely.

As for Zhuang Mu Nan, he had told the truth only because of the terrifying scene he witnessed on the shore. He assumed He Yi Ming had automatically comprehended Godly Power and reached the Ninth Heaven as a result of collaborating with White Horse Lightning.

Moreover, from He Yi Ming’s own words, Zhuang Mu Nan had confirmed his success in absorbing the Fire Divine Power. This is why he spoke so freely about the details. Had these conditions not been met, this Grand Elder would certainly not have revealed the truth before He Yi Ming had transmuted six divine weapons.

Gently closing the record of insights, He Yi Ming’s eyes flashed brilliantly. He mentally reviewed every single sentence recorded within, while simultaneously, a faint wisp of Fire Divine Power began to rise from his body.

Ps: Five chapters today, requesting monthly and recommendation tickets, thank you… The Divine Powers come in several varieties, and the requirements for the Human Path pinnacle seem to be met. Hmm, should I advance now?