He Yi Ming's steps halted abruptly. He stared intently at the swirling mass of black mist before him, his entire True Qi surging, yet his heart remained strangely composed.

Though relatively young among cultivators, his experience with bizarre incidents was far from limited. Even though the current phenomenon was perhaps the most uncanny and unpredictable he had ever witnessed, He Yi Ming felt no trace of panic.

This composure had only deepened since he had personally witnessed the might of the Divine Path. Observing closely, a flicker of surprise crossed He Yi Ming's eyes.

He certainly could not identify the substance, but a sweep of his intent informed him that this black mist was, in itself, a form of intent—reminiscent of the intent held by the Blood figure in his mind. The black mist writhed slowly, seemingly struggling against some unseen force.

He Yi Ming hesitated for a moment before making a decision: he released his own intent, proactively reaching out to engage with this strange consciousness. The instant the two intents connected, the writhing of the black mist ceased.

But this stillness was momentary. Following this, as if suddenly bolstered by some external power, the mist underwent a massive, world-altering transformation.

The next moment, the black fog coalesced into a head, bearing the exact likeness of Garfield as he was in life, right down to the gauntness of his features and those deep, unfathomable eyes. Simultaneously, Garfield's voice emanated from the almost magical visage: "Your Excellency, thank you for your aid." He Yi Ming let out a soft snort.

His suspicion was immense; this was indeed Garfield's intent, which had instantaneously solidified into his former appearance upon receiving the support of his own mental power. Yet, the fact that a human intent could achieve such a feat also left him profoundly astonished.

Moreover, within his own memory, he had never encountered any record of such a phenomenon; it seemed no ancient texts documented such an occurrence either. "Garfield, you are not dead." "No, I am dead," the head of Garfield glanced at the corpse lying nearby, his voice imbued with boundless emotion.

"However, I died with grievances, so I remain temporarily alive." He Yi Ming frowned deeply. "Can a human intent exist purely on its own?" As he posed the question, his heart gave a few powerful thumps.

An ordinary person, or even most common Innate experts encountering this sight, would surely assume they were hallucinating or encountering a ghost. But He Yi Ming, already possessing the power of intent, deeply understood its potency.

Only those possessing such intent could be honored as Five Qi Great Venerables, and only then could they soar across the world like birds by harnessing the light of Divine Weapons. Crucially, however, on the main peak of the Celestial Pool, He Yi Ming had once witnessed the transmission of legacy from the Saint Dragon Lord, who had been dead for hundreds of years, to Little Treasure Pig.

From that moment, a vague notion had taken root in him, and seeing Garfield's independent intent after death only intensified this nascent thought. Garfield's spectral face contorted into an expression of bitter amusement that was startlingly lifelike.

"Whether a human intent can survive independently, I do not know. But I know mine will dissipate soon." He Yi Ming paused, studying the intent closely, and gradually noticed something.

The black mist was slowly dissipating. Even with the supplement of his mental energy, there was no trend of reversal; it merely seemed to have delayed the process.

He sighed softly, and the fervent notion in his heart was instantly quelled. "You are unwilling to accept death, aren't you," He Yi Ming stated calmly.

"Whatever final wishes you hold, speak them quickly." Though they were enemies, Garfield was the first Peak Expert of the Human Path to fall before him. Merely for the sake of his own Nine Heavens status, this deserved respect from all.

If the final wish was a minor matter, He Yi Ming would not mind fulfilling it. Garfield's expression hardened.

"I thank you." He Yi Ming frowned slightly but remained silent. Garfield's gaze drifted toward a specific direction out over the sea.

"After today's battle, our Dark World will certainly not dare oppose you. Therefore, I request that you spare Grinton." He Yi Ming let out a dry laugh.

"I do not have the leisure to hunt them down." When Treasure Pig set the island ablaze, although the vast majority of the Westerners perished, those experts who had reached the Venerable level utilized their divine abilities, burrowing into the earth or diving into the sea. Of course, Treasure Pig's Nine Dragons Merging Explosion was no minor event either, claiming the lives of several negligent newly ascended Venerables.

Subsequently, the ancestor of the Yu family unleashed that world-shattering strike, cleaving the entire island in half and churning the ocean into a maelstrom of terror. The immense power of Heaven and Earth at that moment perfectly manifested the majesty of the Divine Path.

The experts hiding deep underground, though untouched by the physical cut of the sword, were violently killed by the shockwave of this immense force. The single swipe of the Divine Path’s power resonated through the island as if a great bronze bell had been struck, the potent energy permeating every inch of soil.

The fate of those Venerable experts who had cleverly concealed themselves within the island was predictable. In contrast, the Venerables who had fled into the sea were left dizzy by the towering waves, yet the yielding nature of seawater offered some protection, ultimately preserving their lives.

These survivors immediately fled with desperate speed, daring not to linger near the devastation. Naturally, Franklin's act of using Garfield as a shield had not escaped the notice of these escapees.

However, upon witnessing that spectacle, they did nothing more than flee faster, with no one daring to glance back. In He Yi Ming's perception, four individuals successfully escaped this encounter, among them Grinton, the most brilliant newly ascended Venerable of the Dark Alliance Council.

Garfield lowered his gaze. "I thank you, Your Excellency." He Yi Ming smiled slightly.

Once these people returned, they were sure to spread the true cause of Garfield's demise, throwing the forces of Light and Darkness in the entire Western world into utter chaos. The Dark Speaker raised his head again, shifting upward like an irregular ball, an image that subtly unsettled the observer.

"Your Excellency, to repay your kindness, I have a few small gifts to offer you." He Yi Ming coldly smiled. "Lord Garfield, these gifts should be upon your person.

Do you truly believe I still require your offerings?" Garfield was not offended, but smiled instead. "Your Excellency, a portion of the gifts certainly resides with me.

However, beyond that, I can also provide some intelligence that may interest you." He Yi Ming's eyes brightened. Given the other's status, and the imminent dissipation of his intent, he was unlikely to resort to falsehoods.

"Speak." Garfield’s gaze shifted toward the White Horse Lightning. "This Saint Beast Lord must be a top-tier Saint Beast possessing a rare Lightning attribute, yes?" He Yi Ming nodded silently.

Any discerning eye could recognize that much. Since Garfield brought it up, whatever he was about to say must be related to White Horse Lightning.

Indeed, Garfield continued, "Your Lightning Saint Beast possesses the rare ability to manifest Divine Weapon Light, yet you have not had it perform this feat. Is it because you cannot find a complementary Divine Weapon?" He Yi Ming's eyes suddenly widened in surprise.

"Lightning Horse can manifest Divine Weapon Light?" Garfield paused, realizing He Yi Ming was completely unaware of this. He affirmed, "I would not be mistaken.

If you doubt me, try it later." He Yi Ming turned to look at the White Horse, seeing a glimmer of excitement in its eyes as well. For the White Horse, its greatest regret was its inability to fly, which often put it at a disadvantage against Peak Human Path experts.

If it could also manifest Divine Weapon Light like Treasure Pig, and thus fly using that light, it would be completely content. He Yi Ming pondered for a moment before a realization dawned.

The White Horse Lightning certainly could not manifest Divine Weapon Light before, but after absorbing the Silver Eel King's inner core and undergoing metamorphosis, it must have spontaneously developed this ability. It was only due to his own limited experience, and having always stayed close to the horse, that he had failed to notice it.

It was actually his enemy who had glimpsed some clue—a fact that brought him a touch of mortification. Garfield's head seemed to dim slightly.

He hurried on, "Your Excellency, within my corpse, there is a spatial ring containing some rare items. One of them is particularly suited to be a companion for your Saint Beast." He Yi Ming spoke in a deep voice.

"What is it?" "The Thunderclap Bolt (Lei Zhen Zi)." He Yi Ming took a deep breath, silently cursing his own foolishness for not considering the Thunderclap Bolt. Then, his expression turned grave.

"Lord Garfield, Lightning is merely a top-tier Saint Beast, while the Thunderclap Bolt is a Divine Artifact. Do you truly think it can control that?" Garfield smiled.

"The constitutions of humans and Saint Beasts differ. Your Saint Beast should still possess the bloodline of a Divine Beast within it.

As long as it does not attempt to manifest all twenty-four Thunderclap Bolts simultaneously, it will certainly be able to withstand and control them." He Yi Ming hesitated, but he had to admit that Garfield's reasoning was sound. Given the White Horse Lightning's physique, unless it was the complete set of the artifact, it should not place an overwhelming burden upon it.

Garfield's head grew dimmer, his voice accelerating. "Your Excellency, there are two Thunderclap Bolts on my body, but Franklin possesses a full six.

If you can secure all of them, eight bolts will surely unleash the most formidable power." A sudden thought struck He Yi Ming. Seeing the head about to vanish, he quickly asked, "What is the spatial power that Franklin released?" "That is the protective force of the Temple's foremost Divine Artifact, the Crown of Light.

With Franklin's ability, he can only release it once per day." Garfield's intent-head grew increasingly blurred until it vanished completely. Yet, his lingering voice echoed across the vacant ground, like a testament to his fierce unwillingness to yield, lingering long after silence returned.