He Yi-ming inwardly regretted the missed opportunity; his full-force attack earlier was precisely intended to crush the opponent before they could gauge his true capabilities. Yet, none of these Nine Heavens experts were easy to deal with. Although he had shattered Ao Bori’s divine weapon, Ao Bori still utilized the weapon’s explosive demise as cover to retreat.

The Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land sect was certainly not known for its movement techniques, yet the evasive skill Ao Bori displayed was astonishing—perhaps even the Yellow Spring Ancestor was no match for it.

This realization filled He Yi-ming with profound awe. These masters who had attained the pinnacle of the Human Dao centuries ago, after enduring hundreds of years of arduous cultivation, truly possessed no discernible weaknesses.

Seeing the undisguised horror dawning on Ao Bori’s face, He Yi-ming clasped his hands behind his back and declared loudly, "Indeed, it is the Convergence of Light and Darkness."

Ao Bori gazed deeply at He Yi-ming, slowly nodding. "A magnificent Convergence of Light and Darkness. To be defeated by such a power is not an injustice."

He Yi-ming paused slightly, then smiled. "Earlier, I merely broke one of Brother Ao’s divine weapons; the victor has not yet been decided. Why would Brother Ao speak thus?"

The extraordinary light in Ao Bori's eyes had settled back into calm. All trace of his prior agitation or initial fury was gone.

Looking at He Yi-ming, he said with cool composure, "Brother He, since you have achieved the Convergence of Light and Darkness, continuing this contest is meaningless. I concede."

A strange look crossed He Yi-ming’s eyes. He hadn't expected the ancestor of the Grotto-Heaven and Blessed Land sect to surrender so readily after just a single exchange. It felt almost like child’s play.

Given his hundreds of years at the pinnacle of the Human Dao, He Yi-ming simply refused to believe this old master lacked several ultimate trump cards.

Zi Du-li’s voice resonated at the opportune moment: "Brother Ao speaks truly. Since Brother He has merged the powers of Light and Darkness into one, this duel must conclude."

He Yi-ming’s brow furrowed, but the tension vanished in an instant.

"Gentlemen are too kind. My Convergence of Light and Darkness is not yet fully mastered. Should the battle continue, the outcome would truly be uncertain."

Ao Bori chuckled wryly, a deep, ineffable melancholy coloring his tone. "Long ago, our sect’s founder, the Five Elements Venerable, once stated that the power of the Light and Darkness Convergence from the Western World is unparalleled. In the entire Eastern World, only the Five Elements Convergence can stand against it. Though I am proud, I know I do not possess the Five Elements Body, nor can I condense the Five Elements into one. Therefore, I must yield."

He Yi-ming finally understood; there was such a hidden history behind this.

The Five Elements Venerable held an unrivaled status in the Eastern World. The words of this supreme master, who founded the ten-thousand-year legacy of the Five Elements Gate, still carried immense weight today.

Perhaps the Yellow Spring Ancestor’s prior retreat without a fight was also due to remembering this declaration.

Zi Du-li offered He Yi-ming a slight bow of his fists. "Brother He, to my knowledge, you cultivate the Eastern Five Elements Body. Why, then, have you cultivated the Convergence of Light and Darkness? Could it be related to Franklin and Garfield?"

He Yi-ming nodded without hesitation. "Indeed, it is connected to them."

Had he not witnessed the powerful manifestation of their Light and Darkness Convergence, He Yi-ming would never have conceived the sudden inspiration at Ghost Cry Ridge to fuse these two disparate powers.

Ao Bori’s expression stiffened. "You have already clashed with those two from the West?"

He Yi-ming smiled proudly but offered no answer. Zi Du-li, however, let out a wry sigh. "Brother Ao, His Holiness the Pope and the Dark Speaker of the West are both deceased."

This news struck Ao Bori’s heart like a thunderclap. Those two were true peers, masters on the same level as himself. Their deaths were a profound shock to the ancestor of the Grotto-Heaven sect.

"They are both dead?" Ao Bori asked hoarsely.

Zi Du-li nodded seriously. "It is likely that the deaths of those two were at Brother He's hands."

The muscles in Ao Bori’s face twitched uncontrollably. What had He Yi-ming done? Killed two masters at the Human Dao pinnacle?

What had he been doing? Challenging this blood-soaked executioner…

A chilling sensation unexpectedly surged upward in Ao Bori’s chest. The slight reluctance he had felt moments ago vanished entirely, replaced by a feeling he hadn't experienced in centuries.

Fear…

This sensation, which he thought he had utterly forgotten, suddenly surged into his mind.

He Yi-ming met Zi Du-li’s questioning gaze with a gentle smile. "Yes, they both died by my hand." With a slight flick of his wrist, the Five Elements Ring appeared in his hand. A flash of light revealed the replica divine artifacts—the Staff of Light and the Chain of Darkness—lying clearly in his grasp.

Although He Yi-ming could not utilize the Five Elements power currently, the Five Elements Ring had been 'lightened' by him, allowing him control over the spatial world within it.

However, after displaying the items, he uttered only that single sentence and refused to speak further.

While the two Western masters had died by his hand, his companions had not stood idly by beforehand. The successful slaying of those two was due not only to his individual strength but also to the considerable efforts of White Horse Lightning and the Divine Dao Blood Condensation Man. Otherwise, with his power before achieving the Convergence of Light and Darkness, He Yi-ming might not have been able to kill them both.

Zi Du-li and Ao Bori exchanged glances. Upon seeing these two familiar divine weapons, all suspicion vanished from their eyes, replaced by a deep, intrinsic coldness.

The two great powers of the West were indeed annihilated, and the perpetrator stood before them—this young man.

A bitter smile touched Ao Bori’s lips. "Brother Zi, how did you come to know of this? Why did you not speak sooner?" There was a faint note of reproach in his words. Had he known earlier of He Yi-ming’s achievements in the West, no matter how enraged he was, he would never have dared issue a challenge.

The number of masters at the Ninth Heaven of the Human Dao pinnacle in the world was limited, countable on one’s fingers. They were all old acquaintances who had crossed swords before, and none had ever been certain of killing another on the spot.

But He Yi-ming, when he acted, killed two of them in one fell swoop—an almost unimaginable feat.

In that moment, He Yi-ming’s status in their eyes soared limitlessly.

Zi Du-li sighed deeply and reached out, taking the Staff of Light into his hand.

He Yi-ming watched with a gentle smile, making no move to stop him. Under these circumstances, Zi Du-li would certainly not covet these two replica divine artifacts, so He Yi-ming felt completely at ease.

"Franklin…" A complex sense of wistfulness laced Zi Du-li’s tone. "I once encountered him at Ghost Cry Ridge. We fought for supremacy in the Southern Frontier, followed by no fewer than ten significant battles over the next few centuries. To think…"

He shook his head, truly feeling a sense of looking at a relic when gazing at the Staff of Light in his hand. Although Franklin had been his adversary, and remembering him was far from pleasant, knowing such an opponent was dead brought a wave of conflicting emotions.

Ao Bori moved toward the Chain of Darkness. He did not pick up the replica divine weapon, merely shaking his head slightly, his expression no better than Zi Du-li’s.

He Yi-ming understood immediately; these men must have met many times. Even if they secretly wished for the other’s demise, years of struggle inevitably forged a certain camaraderie.

"Brother He, with the deaths of both Western Nine Heavens experts, has their realm fallen into internal strife?" Ao Bori suddenly asked after a long pause of reflection.

The old man’s tone had returned to complete composure, and he displayed no awkwardness in front of He Yi-ming, as if he hadn't been the one who fought and then conceded moments earlier.

This steadfast composure caused He Yi-ming to remain inwardly vigilant.

He subtly glanced at Zi Du-li, who showed no surprise at Ao Bori’s demeanor, as if it were entirely expected.

He Yi-ming sighed internally. Although his own martial cultivation had reached an admirable level, compared to these ancient monsters who had lived for centuries, he was far outmatched in the art of shamelessness.

Facing Ao Bori’s inquiry, He Yi-ming offered a tight, artificial smile. "After slaying Franklin at the Divine Temple, I immediately departed the West. As for whether chaos has ensued there, I truly do not know."

Ao Bori’s expression shifted again. "Brother He slew Franklin right before the Western Divine Temple?"

Zi Du-li’s eyes glittered with sharp interest as well. Both knew well that the difficulty of killing Franklin before the Temple doors was astronomically different. If He Yi-ming truly managed to slay the Pope before the Temple, his power would be terrifyingly profound.

He Yi-ming nodded solemnly. "Franklin did employ the power of Light, but unfortunately, that power is ineffective against me."

Ao Bori and Zi Du-li exchanged glances. Their eyes conveyed a sense of dread that words could not describe.

Franklin had indeed activated the final protective measures of the Divine Temple, yet he could not harm He Yi-ming, ultimately losing his life instead. If they were in the same situation, would their respective sect’s ultimate defenses also prove useless against He Yi-ming?

The thought sent a simultaneous chill down their spines. If He Yi-ming wished it, could he not slay any master of their level at will, rendering the ultimate defensive mechanisms of the great sects useless…?