No one knew where they had gone except for Deng Yichen and Xue Lie. Meanwhile, Yu Xiaoyi, the other person aware of the truth, had already ridden hard toward the capital that very night to report to Yu Rupei, the Lord of the Tianluo Kingdom, who was ecstatic upon receiving the news. Yu Xiaoyi then began arranging for troops to prepare to enter the territory of the Kai'rong Kingdom.

Of course, all of this proceeded in silence; even the mobilized troops had no idea where their final destination would be.

Hejia Village was quite a distance from the Kai'rong Kingdom, but with the ability to fly, they managed to arrive smoothly in just half a day.

For this trip, He Yiming had brought along every force he could muster: White Horse Lightning, the Treasure Pig, Bai Lingba, and all the others were present.

After all, he intended to test whether that Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man still possessed memories from his lifetime. If there was any chance he could slip from his control, He Yiming would destroy him at any cost.

Although destroying someone of the Divine Dao realm was nearly an impossible task, this Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man only possessed one divine-like attack. Coupled with He Yiming's ability to control his will and the newly acquired Crown of Light, he felt somewhat confident.

Although the capital of the Kai'rong Kingdom was still as vast as ever, gazing down from the sky, He Yiming vaguely sensed a pervasive air of dejection within the huge city—much like the sun about to set, radiating a hint of decline.

Shifting his gaze, He Yiming remarked, "Brother Bai, it seems much quieter here than before."

Bai Lingba affirmed beside him, "The itinerant population and the number of shops are insufficient; overall, the vitality is lacking."

He Yiming paused, nodding slightly, realizing his feeling was correct. What he didn't know was that the decline exhibited by the Kai'rong Kingdom—one of the three great powers of the Northwest—over these past few years was inextricably linked to him.

Since He Yiming's rise, the prestige of the Tianluo Kingdom had continuously soared, especially after He Yiming accepted all the disciples from other nations last year, excluding only the royal descendants of the Kai'rong Kingdom.

This was a clear signal; anyone with a shred of intelligence could grasp its meaning. Of course, if He Yiming were just an individual, the other nations would at most stand by and observe, certainly not abandoning or offending the Kai'rong Kingdom while the two sides fought for supremacy.

However, the Divine Calculator had ordered the news of He Yiming becoming the Grand Elder of the Tianchi lineage to be widely publicized.

Throughout the entire Northwest, the Tianchi lineage was an existence of supreme authority; they were the true masters of the Northwest. The three great powers, however formidable, amounted to nothing when compared to the Tianchi lineage.

Precisely because of He Yiming's special status within the Tianchi lineage, the other nations decisively declared their stance, distancing themselves from the Kai'rong Kingdom as much as possible.

Zhan Tianfeng could clearly feel all of this, yet throughout the past year, he had not dared to initiate any wars.

Everyone knew the principle: when a wall is about to fall, everyone gives it a push. If the Kai'rong Kingdom were to use aggressive military tactics now, the smaller nations might truly unite to take up arms against them. Moreover, they all knew that within Hejia Village, even though He Yiming had left, there remained Chu Haozhou, an even more powerful Five Qi Grand Venerable. Once a conflict erupted, only an idiot would doubt which side this elder would assist. Therefore, even if Zhan Tianfeng had the heart of a bear and the gall of a leopard, he dared not make rash moves.

At this moment, the few of them hovered in the clouds above the capital of the Kai'rong Kingdom, their eyes carrying a subtle strangeness. Even He Yiming, fully aware that this nation would soon withdraw from the stage of history, felt an ineffable sense of emotion.

If it was the Kai'rong Kingdom's turn to recede now, would Hejia Village one day face the same fate?

Shaking his head, He Yiming cast aside this peculiar thought. He took out a piece of paper and handed it to the Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man, issuing a series of commands via will.

The Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man took the paper, and with a flicker of movement, he slipped away, stealthy as a ghost.

Chu Haozhou felt his vision blur momentarily, and then the Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man vanished before him. His expression changed slightly, and he exclaimed, "What incredible speed! Is he truly an unintelligent puppet?"

At that moment, Chu Haozhou finally understood what He Yiming was thinking. The performance of the Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man was too astonishing. With such speed and hidden intent, claiming he was a mindless puppet was truly hard to believe.

He Yiming gave a wry smile and said gravely, "He likely has no sentience, but his inherent combat ability is immense. Perhaps..." He paused, a flicker of envy in his eyes, "...this is the difference in how those of the Divine Dao understand combat compared to us."

Chu Haozhou nodded slightly, a strong yearning arising in his own heart.

The Divine Dao realm—even for a Divine Dao expert dead for thousands of years—their execution was drastically different from that of an expert in the Human Dao.

※※※※

Within the vast manor, Zhan Tianfeng gazed forward silently. Around him were trees transplanted from the farthest reaches of the south and north, which he had acquired at immense cost.

Whenever he felt irritable, he would come to this grove, and that vexation would slowly dissipate.

But this time was clearly different. Ever since he received news two days prior that He Yiming had returned, his heart had been in utter turmoil.

For some unknown reason, he harbored a vague, inexplicable feeling that the entire Kai'rong Kingdom was about to fall into decay.

This outcome had actually been predetermined since He Yiming's rise. As the saying went, one mountain cannot hold two tigers; how could one allow another to snore soundly beside their bed? Since Hejia Village and the Kai'rong Kingdom lay adjacent to each other, the inevitable result of a life-and-death struggle seemed unavoidable.

However, he never imagined this result would arrive so quickly, so unexpectedly.

He let out a long sigh, withdrawing his gaze from a large tree and slowly turning his somewhat stiff body.

Yet, just as he was halfway through turning, his eyes suddenly fixed, and the hairs all over his body instantly stood on end.

In the corner of his eye, he vaguely caught sight of a black silhouette.

This figure did not appear suddenly but stood like a statue, as if it had been erected there a thousand or ten thousand years ago. Even with his strength as a First Heaven expert, he had detected nothing.

His body stiffened momentarily before slowly relaxing.

He scrutinized the person with uncertain eyes, yet he was certain he had never seen this individual before.

Letting out a long breath of relief, Zhan Tianfeng felt half at ease—as long as this person was not the one he feared most in his heart.

Clasping his hands into a fist, Zhan Tianfeng offered a respectful bow. "May I ask your name, esteemed guest? Please, come inside for a seat."

Although Zhan Tianfeng could not fathom this person's identity or martial cultivation, the mere ability to infiltrate his immediate vicinity silently without being detected, and then wait to be discovered, indicated a martial cultivation far beyond his own reach.

However, what filled him with deep suspicion was that the person showed no inclination to converse. Instead, he pulled out a sheet of paper from his robes and flicked it gently toward Zhan Tianfeng.

Zhan Tianfeng’s heart clenched as he caught it. A quick glance confirmed whose handwriting adorned the paper. His body trembled slightly as he read the contents word by word.

His face grew paler, and the trembling of his body increased. He stared intently at the bright red signature at the bottom, his eyes filled with undisguised anguish.

After a long while, he looked up and asked softly, "Sir, where did this will originate from?"

The person regarded him expressionlessly. What terrified Zhan Tianfeng most was that the person's eyes held no trace of human emotion, appearing as lifeless as wood, which inspired awe and dread.

Looking at this person, Zhan Tianfeng couldn't help but recall someone: Bai Lingba, who was famous throughout the world and served by He Yiming's side. Compared to Bai Lingba, this figure, though possessing more vital energy, felt even more bloodthirsty and terrifying.

For some inexplicable reason, when confronting this individual, Zhan Tianfeng could not muster the slightest thought of resistance. This realization shocked him, yet he could not recall which personage could possess such profound might.

"Agree... or... die!"

These four words were stammered out from the person’s mouth, like a toddler babbling, yet Zhan Tianfeng had absolutely no inclination to mock him.

Gripping the paper tightly, the expressions in Zhan Tianfeng's eyes shifted unpredictably.

In the distance, He Yiming and Chu Haozhou exchanged glances, their eyes mirroring profound disbelief.

The Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man suddenly ascended. This time, his flight was not swift but slow, rising gradually, inch by inch.

Zhan Tianfeng’s expression was already grim, and now it carried a tinge of despair. He knew that this mysterious figure before him was, at the very least, a Five Qi Grand Venerable.

The Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man flew higher and higher, attracting more and more gazes. Countless people in the city spotted this figure abruptly rising from the ground into the sky. They called out to friends and family, shouting loudly, and amidst their terror, excitement was unavoidable.

"Brother, what is he trying to do?" Chu Haozhou inquired.

"I don't know," He Yiming admitted truthfully. "I gave him the initiative, merely intending for him to issue a threat... Wait, no!"

As He Yiming uttered those last two words, the Divine Dao Coagulated Blood Man high in the air had already raised his hand. Wind and clouds immediately gathered around it—the heavens and earth changed color...

Ps: Ugh... I have family matters to attend to tonight and have to go out; Bai He won't be online. My apologies! Also, asking for monthly tickets and recommendation votes.