The white horse's thunderous neigh instantly resonated throughout the entire city. After its lightning power shattered that terrifying union of intent, even this supreme sacred beast could not conceal its frantic elation. Of course, such an achievement was only possible because it possessed more than half of the Thunder Claps. Otherwise, it would never have been able to summon the upheaval of heaven and earth, much less gather such an impossibly powerful, supernal force.

At this moment, the white horse stood tall in the sky, beneath the thunderheads. Though lightning still flashed and rain poured down in torrents, all light coalesced upon the white horse.

The massive burst of lightning erupting from the ground illuminated the entire cloud-shrouded city as if it were daylight, and high above in this dazzling electric display soared the unparalleled, magnificent Dragon Horse.

He Yi Ming drew a deep breath, letting the air, tinged with a faint freshness, fill his chest and abdomen.

He had already discerned that the moment the surge of lightning broke through the blockade of intent and smashed into the ground, the collective will hanging over the city had significantly thinned. While still immensely powerful, it had lost its initial sharp edge.

When the intent of countless individuals was simultaneously spurred by some force and directed toward a single purpose, the resulting might could almost rival the power of heaven and earth itself.

Even the ultimate lightning condensed by the white horse’s personal exertion was locked in a deadlock with this unified mental force.

The two sides were like gladiators; whichever fell would mark a resounding victory for the other, for the loser could never again gather such immense power to challenge the victor.

Fortunately, the might of heaven and earth gathered by the white horse’s Thunder Claps finally prevailed. The cascading torrent of immense lightning revealed the profound efficacy of the divine artifact.

The Divine Path, indeed, was not something the Human Path could withstand. Even mobilizing the collective power of hundreds of thousands of ordinary people, channeling their potential through a specialized method, proved inadequate.

Now, the white horse’s lightning had achieved a flawless victory. It hovered high above like a deity, gazing down upon the city beneath its hooves. The power of the world it had invoked caused the city to tremble audibly, and the countless, winding, scattered tendrils of electricity reappeared in the sky, plunging downward in chaotic patterns.

Just as He Yi Ming had predicted, having suffered defeat in the initial clash, even these disparate bolts of electricity could now easily breach the aerial interception and attack the city at will.

And as the lightning continued to descend, countless strange forces rapidly manifested within the city.

Nearby, the Blood Condensation Human of the Divine Path abruptly rose. Manipulating the body of the Yu family patriarch, he ascended into the mid-air just as the white horse lightning had.

He Yi Ming watched with surprise. He had issued no command to the Blood Condensation Human, yet this action was taken spontaneously.

Using his mind, He Yi Ming projected his inquiry, but the response he received was exceptionally blunt.

It was a craving—an intense desire for power transmitted through the Blood Condensation Human’s consciousness into He Yi Ming’s mindscape.

This craving had become an instinct for the Blood Condensation Human, an imperative that must be fulfilled at any cost.

He Yi Ming’s body quivered slightly, startled by the intensity of the emotion. He had always believed the Blood Condensation Human was like a wooden automaton, moving only when prompted, otherwise paying no heed to anything unless its own life was threatened.

But now, it seemed he had misjudged. The Blood Condensation Human was far from simple.

Just then, hovering in the air, the Blood Condensation Human calmly extended both hands. From his palms, a wisp of crimson, blood-colored thread began to spread.

He Yi Ming’s expression shifted slightly, and he murmured, "Blood Thread?"

Shaking his head, He Yi Ming immediately dismissed the thought. This was absolutely not the famed Blood Thread, honed through countless trials by Hao Xue. This blood-like energy stemmed from the immense, unique power within the Blood Condensation Human. Compared to the tempered divine weapon, this thread-like force was far more fragile.

Yet, in the hands of the Blood Condensation Human now, these strands exhibited unbelievable power.

They emanated outward from the Blood Condensation Human, stretching toward the distant horizon. In mere moments, these threads wove themselves into a colossal net across the entire sky. Furthermore, the threads cautiously began to converge upon the potent forces of intent.

Suddenly, countless threads instantly gathered into one mass, transforming into a colossal serpent of blood, writhing and dancing in the air. It opened a massive maw, revealing venomous fangs, and fiercely lunged at the intent forces.

He Yi Ming gasped. He had witnessed firsthand the formidable nature of those intent forces; even the lightning embodying the might of heaven and earth summoned by the white horse could barely contend with them. Now, the Blood Condensation Human was attacking using only his inherent blood power, without summoning the might of the world—it seemed utterly reckless.

An individual’s strength is always limited. Even the most powerful master of the Divine Path, without invoking the power of heaven and earth, how could he possibly confront the enormous, unified intent forged by hundreds of thousands of people head-on?

At this moment, He Yi Ming even wondered if the Blood Condensation Human had gone mad.

However, the outcome was revealed in the next instant, stunning He Yi Ming.

The blood-colored energy, transformed into a giant serpent, was not crushed by the mighty intent force; instead, it bit off a segment from that vast sea of will.

Watching the thin wisp of mist in the mouth of the blood serpent, He Yi Ming’s eyes nearly bulged out.

Then, the blood serpent craned its neck and swallowed the piece of intent energy.

Turning to look at the Blood Condensation Human, his eyes were entirely scarlet, flashing like crimson glass. As his blood serpent consumed the intent power, a strong plume of black mist rose from his body.

In He Yi Ming's mindscape, countless strange and bizarre images flooded in.

He seemed to see numerous people seated in a vast hall, facing the city center, heads bowed, kneeling, drawing strange symbols with their hands, and chanting loudly.

Outside the hall, though lightning lashed and clouds gathered, and rain poured down as if the world were ending, there was no panic within this chamber. Everyone radiated an intensity of fanaticism taken to its absolute extreme.

This fervor seemed contagious; everyone immersed themselves wholeheartedly in this atmosphere.

Vaguely, He Yi Ming began to understand: it must be this near-manic atmosphere that allowed these people, under these specific conditions, to successfully ignite their intent and form a unified whole. Yet, He Yi Ming could only grasp this point; how they achieved it remained a mystery.

The scene before him flickered, and the vision shattered completely. Subsequently, countless similar scenes poured from the Blood Condensation Human’s consciousness. In these images, the number of devout chanters varied, but the general fervor remained consistent. Regardless of the cataclysm outside, the interior seemed like a self-contained world, barely disturbed. What astonished He Yi Ming further was that this manic atmosphere intensified as the lightning raged and the blood-red serpent continuously consumed the intent.

It was like a massive spring being subjected to immense pressure. When that pressure reached a certain limit, the spring would rebound, releasing a power several times greater than the initial crushing force.

“Rumble…”

The lightning continued to strike from the sky. Wherever the thunder and flashes passed, every dwelling collapsed, its residents buried within.

The expansive blood-colored net covering the sky continuously swept before the collapsing structures, seemingly containing and absorbing some mysterious power. As this power grew, the black mist surrounding the Blood Condensation Human grew denser.

Though there was no explicit communication, the White Horse Lightning and the Blood Condensation Human coordinated with surprising synchronicity. The lightning and the blood-red net moved as if guided by a single mind, never colliding.

He Yi Ming drew a deep breath, and a geographical name surfaced in his mind.

Wailing Ridge…

Wailing Ridge, holding paramount significance in both the Eastern and Western Great Plains, and across both worlds, had materialized above the Western Temple.

He had a premonition: if this situation was not altered, and the White Horse Lightning and the Blood Condensation Human were allowed to devour this city like slow erosion, the Western Temple would vanish permanently, replaced by another Wailing Ridge, one devoid of dragons or serpents.

Another Wailing Ridge forged by the lives of the city’s millions of humans and countless other creatures.

His mind felt slightly disoriented, and a profound chill crept over him. Although He Yi Ming had not moved to intervene, his heart surged with turmoil.

He had only sought the life of Franklin, but His Holiness the Pope had bound Franklin’s life to the fate of the entire city.

Everyone in this city was so fanatically devoted, seemingly slaves to Franklin’s spirit, slaves utterly devoid of independent thought, much like the Blood Condensation Human.

So, was it truly appropriate to let the entire city perish as a sacrifice for Franklin?

He Yi Ming lowered his head, silently gazing at his own hands.

Though he had not personally struck a blow, he felt as if a faint redness was appearing on his own palms.

It was the power of blood. In this hellish, Asura-like scene, his own heart seemed to lean infinitely toward the power of blood.

However, at that very instant, he heard it—a voice from the deepest darkness, seemingly emanating from beyond the Nine Hells:

“And God said, Let there be light…”