Seeing He Yiming’s expression, Di Shitian could only shake his head helplessly. “Brother He, those of us here have lived for hundreds of years. If we cannot enter Ice Island this time, there will be no second chance. Perhaps in another century or two, we will naturally perish and vanish from the world. But you are different; you have just advanced to the pinnacle of the Human Dao and are not yet thirty. You still have a great life ahead of you, so you should consider carefully whether or not to accompany us into the island.”
He Yiming’s eyebrows lifted slightly. Ever since reaching the Human Dao pinnacle, this very question had been lingering in his mind, yet regrettably, he still hadn't found a satisfactory decision that covered all bases.
“Brother Di, does the Divine Dao still exist in this world?” He Yiming murmured, asking.
Di Shitian shook his head without hesitation. “In the past five thousand years, absolutely no new Divine Dao realm has ever materialized.”
He delivered this statement with absolute finality, not the slightest hint of doubt in his voice.
He Yiming broke into a wry smile. “Then does that mean if I don't enter Ice Island this time, my martial cultivation will never advance further in my lifetime?”
Di Shitian shot him a peculiar look, finally nodding slowly.
He Yiming’s progress in martial arts was nothing short of miraculous; in just a few short years, he had ascended from an Innate realm expert to the pinnacle of the Human Dao. Such a prodigy, if left in this world, would likely go utterly mad within a few years from the inability to break through further.
After all, with the Divine Dao having vanished, the only path left for any person or beast aspiring to reach it was certain death.
With this thought, Di Shitian suddenly felt that progressing too quickly was not necessarily a good thing. At least, in He Yiming’s current situation, it seemed to bring only deeper quandaries.
Walking a few paces across the sand, He Yiming suddenly looked up, his voice firm as he asked, “Brother Di, do you know of a place in the Outer Sea called the Island of the Gods?”
“Island of the Gods?” Di Shitian’s expression flickered, though he recovered swiftly. However, how could that escape He Yiming’s notice?
Nodding slowly, He Yiming repeated heavily, “The Island of the Gods.”
Di Shitian hesitated for a moment, finally letting out a long sigh. “Brother He, I have read legends of the Island of the Gods in ancient texts before. But, this legend is somewhat unreliable, so I cannot be certain.”
An overwhelming curiosity surged in He Yiming’s heart, and he quickly asked, “Please enlighten me, Brother Di.”
Di Shitian inclined his head slightly. “The ancient records state that the Island of the Gods and Ice Island are not products of the same era; they appear to have no relation to one another.”
He Yiming was momentarily stunned; this answer was far outside his expectations.
The migration of the Sacred Beasts from the Outer Sea to the Inner Sea was related to the Island of the Gods, and this period coincided precisely with the appearance of the thousand-year Ice Island. The idea that these two had no connection was hard to fathom.
“Ice Island appeared around five thousand years ago, but the Island of the Gods has existed for far longer,” Di Shitian said softly, as if reading He Yiming’s thoughts. “Traces of the Island of the Gods were already present in the Outer Sea ten thousand years ago.”
He Yiming gasped sharply. “Ten thousand years ago?”
That distant era was when the Divine Dao reigned supreme, and when the Five Elements Ancestor of the Five Elements Gate rose to prominence, shining brilliantly in the Eastern World. If the Island of the Gods truly existed ten millennia ago, then it truly could have no connection to Ice Island.
“Indeed, ten thousand years ago,” Di Shitian’s face held no trace of a smile. “This is not only recorded in the ancient texts collected by my sect, but descriptions of the Island of the Gods are also found in texts collected by other sects.”
He Yiming pondered for a moment, finally nodding slowly, completely convinced. Although only the Grotto Heavens and Blessed Lands, the Western Divine Temple, and the Dark Council had lineages stretching back more than ten thousand years on the continent, there were still many ancient texts that spanned that duration. If multiple sources contained records of the Island of the Gods, it meant the island had existed for ten thousand years.
Di Shitian’s expression suddenly tightened. “Brother He, why do you inquire about the Island of the Gods? Have you perhaps ventured into the Outer Sea and seen it?”
He Yiming shook his head repeatedly. “Who nowadays dares to wander casually into the Outer Sea?”
Di Shitian opened his mouth to speak, but ultimately closed it. Others might not possess such freedom, but with a puppet equivalent to a Divine Dao expert by his side, it was entirely possible that He Yiming might seek adventure by circling the Outer Sea for amusement. It was just that Di Shitian felt it impolite to voice such an assumption.
Shaking his head slightly, Di Shitian shifted the topic. “Brother He, I heard from Zi Luoli that you have already merged the powers of Light and Darkness into one?”
He Yiming nodded with a faint smile, though the smile held a touch of bitterness. While the union of Light and Darkness was devastatingly powerful—so much so that he had even successfully evoked the might of Heaven and Earth—with this new power, he could no longer unleash his Five Elements power, which felt profoundly unnatural.
The greatest loss, undoubtedly, was the inability to utilize the supreme might of the Five Elements Ring. Although the power of Heaven and Earth currently far surpassed the Five Elements Ring, it was difficult for someone to abandon a weapon they had grown accustomed to wielding.
Di Shitian looked up, his gaze fixed on the sky as if deep in thought about something.
He Yiming felt a stirring in his heart, sensing that whatever Di Shitian was contemplating likely concerned him. After a brief moment, Di Shitian lowered his head. “Younger Brother He, in my long life, I have perused many ancient texts, and one of them recorded the phenomenon of Light and Darkness merging.” He paused. “It states that if someone manages to condense the powers of Light and Darkness into a single force, their being will henceforth be entirely filled by this power, making it impossible to accommodate any other type of energy.”
He Yiming’s expression shifted subtly. He inwardly admired the old man’s vast knowledge; even this detail he managed to deduce. Compared to him, Zi Luoli and Ao Borui, whom he had encountered that day, had failed to notice this crucial aspect.
“Brother Di is truly formidable; you hit the nail on the head immediately,” He Yiming said, giving a thumbs-up and forcing a smile.
Di Shitian nodded. He stated grimly, “In that case, it’s confirmed you can no longer mobilize the Five Elements power.”
He Yiming sighed mournfully, yet a flicker of hope ignited within him, as he was certain Di Shitian would not have mentioned this without reason.
As expected, Di Shitian continued, “In that ancient text, a method was mentioned that might allow one to escape this predicament.”
He Yiming’s eyes brightened instantly. “Please guide me, Brother Di.”
Di Shitian pondered. “This method was merely a conjecture offered by that ancient predecessor. Whether it can succeed remains unknown.”
He Yiming shook his head. “Brother Di, while the power of Light and Darkness combined is immense, my innate Divine Weapon, along with my two other divine artifacts, are all powered by the Five Elements. If I cannot use the Five Elements power, I cannot use these divine weapons to fight. So…” He smiled bitterly, “Do I truly have any choice?”
Di Shitian let out an amused chuckle. “You are clearly an Eastern cultivator, yet you insisted on cultivating Western martial arts. One might call this a form of retribution.”
He Yiming glared up at the sky, suppressing his irritation, yet remembering Di Shitian’s status as the Sect Master of the Tianchi lineage, he dared not show disrespect. However, upon reflection, his comprehension of the West’s supreme technique, the Light and Darkness Merger, was indeed rather baffling.
Bowing deeply to Di Shitian, He Yiming sincerely requested, “Please offer your guidance.”
Di Shitian dropped his polite demeanor. He spoke with gravity. “In truth, the account from that predecessor was quite simple: the power of the Light and Darkness Merger is one of the most potent forces in existence, and the power of Light possesses inherent exclusivity. Any power inferior to the Light and Darkness Merger will be intensely suppressed in its presence. Unless you completely abolish the Light and Darkness Merger, most other energy systems will never see advancement.”
He Yiming’s face cycled through various complex expressions. He had experienced this principle firsthand, but Di Shitian articulated it with far greater clarity.
“The power of the Light and Darkness Merger is an overwhelmingly mighty force. Anyone possessing it would never willingly discard it.”
He Yiming nodded repeatedly. The Light and Darkness Merger power in him was not only overwhelmingly strong but could also summon the might of Heaven and Earth; under no circumstances could he abandon it.
Di Shitian appeared to weigh his words carefully before saying, “In that case, the only recourse is to cultivate another power that can stand on equal footing with the Light and Darkness Merger, or one that can suppress it. As long as you can neutralize the exclusivity of the Light power, you can then utilize other elemental forces at will.”
A flash of realization crossed He Yiming’s eyes, and he nodded silently. Di Shitian’s statement was like opening a door, bringing him sudden clarity. The reason he could wield the might of Heaven and Earth was precisely because that force could suppress the Light and Darkness Merger. However, since he had not yet mastered that power, the concept of ‘suppression’ was premature. If, one day, he could advance to the Divine Dao and easily command the might of Heaven and Earth, then regaining control over the Five Elements power would not be difficult.
Di Shitian watched He Yiming’s face light up with joy and nodded slightly. This young man was quick-witted; merely being given a hint, he grasped the solution. Anyone capable of reaching the pinnacle of the Human Dao in such a short time was indeed an exceptionally perceptive individual.
“Brother He, your thoughts are correct,” he stated calmly.
He Yiming was momentarily startled. “You know what I’m thinking?” A sense of shock washed over him. How did this elder know he could unleash the might of Heaven and Earth?
Di Shitian threw his head back and laughed heartily. “Younger Brother He, you inherently possess the supreme talent of the Five Elements Physique, and the only Eastern power that can truly parallel the Western Light and Darkness Merger is the unification of the Five Elements. Therefore, are you contemplating achieving balance with the Light and Darkness Merger by gathering the divine might of the Five Elements?”