The Western world is indeed starkly different from the East, in everything from the geography and landscape to the outward appearance and demeanor of its inhabitants.

Had he arrived here with a relaxed state of mind, one could certainly open their heart and fully sense the peculiar atmosphere of a foreign land. But at this moment, He Yiming had absolutely no leisure for such sentiment.

Ever since setting foot on the mainland, He Yiming had been able to vaguely sense a potent aura emanating from Franklin.

This aura was not a deliberate display of provocation, but rather the manifestation of the man's unwavering resolve.

Even without any direct confrontation, when martial cultivation reaches their level, one can perceive the other's intentions through the very Qi they exude.

In the West, Franklin was absolutely a supreme figure whose word was law.

For centuries, he presided over the Temple; a single command caused the entire Western world to tremble perceptibly. And over the past month, he had been fleeing and hiding across the vast, boundless ocean, yet He Yiming and his companions clung to him like shadows that could not be shaken off.

This persistent pursuit finally enraged His Holiness the Pope of the Temple to the extreme. No one knew what the Pontiff was thinking, but he unleashed a fighting will that reached the absolute zenith.

However, this Pontiff was no fool; he did not recklessly choose to engage He Yiming and the others in a decisive battle upon the open sea.

After all, relying solely on his own strength against He Yiming and the others would undoubtedly lead to certain death. Therefore, he selected the most suitable ground for their duel.

※※※※

A line of white light sliced across the land, and in the sky, two figures resembling wooden mannequins—peak experts—followed the white horse forward. Their speed was not excessive. Finally, amid a sharp cry, He Yiming gently urged his legs, and the white horse, Leidian (Lightning), halted abruptly.

The two figures in the sky immediately descended, pausing quietly beside He Yiming.

This was a plain, but very little of the land had been truly developed. The phrase "vast land, sparse population" was perfectly applicable here. Thus, their arrival caused no disturbance or trouble.

Yet, gazing into the distance, He Yiming's expression was more solemn than ever before.

Among their party, excluding Bai Lingba, even the gaze of the Puppet Divine Dao Condensation Blood Man was fixed in one direction. They all sensed an immense, almost unbelievable pressure radiating from afar.

This pressure was not very obvious at first, but the closer they approached the front, the more profoundly they felt its sheer power.

Furthermore, He Yiming vaguely noticed that when facing this pressure, the Divine Dao Condensation Blood Man seemed to harbor a strong sense of dread.

A pressure capable of instilling fear in a puppet that surpassed the peak of the Human Dao...

Just considering this fact significantly diminished the abundant confidence He Yiming had previously held.

He let out a long breath and managed a wry smile, "What powerful might. Is this the true strength of the world of Light?"

No one answered him. Bao Zhu and the White Horse exchanged glances; a flicker of hesitation crossed the eyes of these two peak Sacred Beasts.

The White Horse suddenly neighed softly, its beautiful large eyes blinking as if communicating something to He Yiming.

After a pause, He Yiming shook his head slightly. "Our feud with the West is sealed. Now that Garfield is dead, the power of Light will surely dominate the power of Darkness completely—which is certainly not good news for our Eastern world." He paused. "Franklin is a man who stops at nothing. Even if I let him go today, he might not spare me in the future."

That last statement from He Yiming was his truest sentiment.

The Temple Pope not only possessed formidable strength at the peak of the Human Dao, but more importantly, when facing life and death, he unhesitatingly pushed his companion forward to take the brunt of the disaster.

Although he and Garfield had contended for centuries in the West, they had fought side-by-side against a common enemy back then. For someone inheriting the power of Light to commit such an act truly sent a chill down He Yiming's spine.

If such a person were allowed to live, He Yiming would surely suffer sleepless nights.

Therefore, even without any intelligence regarding Garfield, he would never let this man go easily.

The White Horse Leidian neighed softly, having already expressed its opinion. Since He Yiming had not accepted it, it pressed no further.

Although the pressure emanating from ahead was immense, Leidian possessed great self-assurance; even if it couldn't win, it was certain it could escape this place.

He Yiming gently stroked the horse's neck and stated in a deep voice, "Brother Jin once said that within every massive sect that has been passed down for thousands of years, there is a guardian force of some kind. If I am not mistaken, what lies ahead should be the location of the Western Temple."

"One thousand li," Bai Lingba interjected suddenly, having remained silent until then.

He Yiming was slightly startled, questioning, "What did you say?"

"One thousand li away, there is a city. If my calculations are correct, this energy is being released from that city," Bai Lingba stated calmly.

He Yiming’s expression shifted; this time, he was genuinely shocked.

In truth, he had seen quite a few Super Sects—the main peak of Tianchi, the Lingxiao Palace, the Grotto-Heavens and Blessed Lands, and the Glazed Island in the Southern Border.

Each of these sects possessed the pinnacle of guarding power.

However, no matter the sect, the ultimate power they possessed, though boundlessly strong, always maintained a low profile, never releasing their full might.

Let alone from a thousand li away, even upon reaching the Tongtian Pagoda or the Myriad Tree Valley, no one had ever felt such an intensely oppressive feeling.

The Western Temple was entirely different. From a thousand li away, one could clearly perceive the tremendous power radiating from it.

Indeed, the East and West were two different worlds. One emphasized restraint, where the finest treasures, even when placed before the eyes, remained inscrutable without adequate experience. But the people of the West laid their strongest assets in plain sight, like roaring, bared-toothed lions, showcasing their might without reservation.

Of course, in terms of sheer strength, the power of the East was not inferior to the pinnacle powers of the West.

Be it the thousand-year-old tree of the Grotto-Heavens or the ten-thousand-foot volcanic crater of Glazed Island, they governed hundreds of li underground. If their power were unleashed, it likely wouldn't be inferior to that of the Temple.

But He Yiming could only offer a wry smile. Since the Western Temple was protected by such a formidable force, how could he possibly hope to shatter it?

He gently patted the horse's back and spoke loudly, "The boat will straighten itself when it reaches the bridge. Let us go and see. If we truly cannot overcome it, at least we will have gained experience."

He glanced sideways at the Condensation Blood Man. Although he had an expert comparable to a Divine Dao strike by his side, defeating something akin to a ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree was still a task beyond their immediate capability.

If boundless Heaven and Earth energy were available in this world, the Condensation Blood Man might attempt it, but clearly, that was not the case now.

The White Horse’s speed remained rapid; a thousand li was nothing they would dwell upon.

But the further they advanced, the more solemn their expressions became. The power from afar was overwhelmingly potent, and the stronger the cultivators, the more they could perceive the might contained within that force.

Eventually, even He Yiming felt a fleeting desire to give up.

Only then did he understand the intention behind the Westerners' methods. They displayed such immense power openly, ensuring that any challenger who dared to approach would surely reconsider their decision after feeling that pressure.

It could be said that with this power in existence, nine out of ten of their potential troubles would dissolve into nothingness.

However, displaying power openly, while providing strong deterrence, also offered an opportunity for countermeasures.

Although the power of Light was immense, this world still held other elemental forces capable of opposing it. Just like He Yiming and his group now, while enduring the oppression of that force, they were simultaneously considering how to cope and neutralize it.

The differing approaches to matters between the East and West resulted in vastly different influences and outcomes. As for which approach was ultimately superior, that remained a matter of subjective judgment.

※※※※

Before them, the colossal city finally appeared on the horizon.

It was a magnificent city, one that could be counted among the greatest on the continent, both in terms of scale and the density of its architectural layout.

In He Yiming’s memory, only Lingxiao Palace and the Central Capital City at the heart of the continent could compare to it.

From a distance, He Yiming sensed that a strong atmosphere of unease enveloped the sky above the city. It was hostility, so intense it felt almost tangible, capable of striking out physically.

In his perception, the city felt like one giant entity, and this entity was delivering its gravest warning to them.

This city did not welcome their arrival.

As his gaze fixed forward, growing heavier, He Yiming realized this was the first time he had encountered such a bizarre sensation.

The hostility of an entire city—a feeling he had never experienced, even in sectarian cities like Lingxiao Palace.

For a moment, a profound chill spread through He Yiming’s heart. In his eyes, the city resembled a massive, crouching beast, its cavernous maw wide open, waiting for its enemies to enter!

Ps: The true power of He Yiming's Chaos Dantian is about to arrive^_^ Fifth update seeking monthly votes...