A tremor of apprehension filled Aige’s heart.

He dared not even lift his head too high, fearful of offending the great presence before him in some inadvertent way.

As the individual with the strongest martial cultivation within the tribe, he naturally possessed a measure of insight.

Though he had never traveled far in his life, nor stepped beyond the borders of the Northern Frontier, he had heard many tales of the Xiantian realm experts.

The moment this person appeared and instantly slew two powerful spirit beasts, he must surely be the most formidable Xiantian expert.

However, legends claimed these individuals possessed peculiar tempers, and a single misstep could provoke their wrath, potentially inviting utter ruin.

Thus, he cautiously approached, yet unexpectedly, the moment he shifted his footing a few times, he was spotted by the other party.

His gaze meeting He Yiming’s eyes, his resolve and courage instantly vanished, and he immediately threw himself to the ground in complete submission.

He Yiming inclined his head slightly and spoke, “Rise.” His words carried an irresistible force.

Aige hesitated for a moment before rising as commanded.

“What place is this, and where is the Northern Frontier Ice Palace?” He Yiming asked casually.

Aige’s body flinched.

He stole a glance at He Yiming—such immense martial power housed within someone so young.

He couldn't fathom how such cultivation was achieved.

Yet, upon hearing the other’s intent to seek the Ice Palace, the holy land of the Northern Frontier, this doubt instantly dissolved.

Only the powerful figures residing within the Ice Palace would likely associate with such a mighty person.

Lowering his head, Aige stammered, “My Lord, the Holy Land Ice Palace lies at the distant northernmost edge.

However…” He paused, visibly uneasy, “However, you might not be aware that we are currently experiencing a catastrophic beast tide that occurs only once in a thousand years.

Beyond the Holy Land, it is a gathering place for all manner of formidable monsters.

It is best not to approach that area.” A flicker of surprise crossed He Yiming’s face.

This man was merely an ordinary Xiantian expert, so how could he know the current state of the Ice Palace? Human society was an ordered structure, one where hierarchy was rigid and ascent difficult to achieve.

Just as He Yiming, in his former days at the He Family Village, had little exposure—never mind the Tianchi lineage, even Hengshan remained largely unknown to him.

The situation in this small village before him was far inferior to the former He Family Village, so how did this man know anything about the Sacred Hall? His eyes narrowed.

He Yiming said gravely, “From where did you obtain this information?” Aige dared not conceal anything.

He replied earnestly, “My Lord, these are the orders passed down by the emissaries of the Holy Land, instructing us to keep clear of the Holy Land for the next few years, and only return to the heart of the ice plain once this beast tide has passed.” He Yiming paused briefly, then immediately understood.

On the Northern Frontier ice plain, there was no unified nation, but a human world composed of countless tribes.

Because there was no concept of a royal family, everything here revolved around the Ice Palace.

This foremost sect of the Northern Frontier held an untouchable, supreme status in the hearts of all the plain dwellers.

They governed the entire ice expanse through a unique system.

Nodding slightly, He Yiming asked loudly, “If that is the case, why do you not relocate further away?” Aige offered a wry smile.

“My Lord, we are already far from the center of the Holy Land.

To move again would mean leaving the ice plain entirely.” He Yiming frowned, muttering a few words to himself.

Though Aige could not hear them, he dared not inquire further.

In reality, this location was still a considerable distance from the Great Eastern Shen and the Northwestern territories.

A large-scale human migration would likely take ten days or half a month just to complete.

The reason these people were unwilling to leave was not simply because this was the frontier of the ice plain, but rather because they could not bear to abandon their livelihoods here.

Shaking his head slightly, He Yiming could only sigh inwardly.

He could save them once, but he couldn't save them for a lifetime.

Since they refused to move, they could only pray that no more monsters of the Xiantian spirit beast level would arrive here.

“How far is the Ice Palace from here?” He Yiming inquired.

Aige’s head sank lower.

Clearly, the Northern Frontier Holy Land Ice Palace held an inviolable, supreme position in his mind; the moment the name was mentioned, his demeanor grew unconsciously more reverent.

“Replying to My Lord, the Holy Land is at the distant northern end.

Setting out from here, it would take at least a year to arrive.” “A year?” He Yiming’s voice rose an octave.

Was this a joke? Aige replied with utter deference, “My Lord, if I were to travel, it would take a year.

But you, I imagine, could be much faster.” He Yiming then understood and shot the man a look tinged with self-reproach.

How could the speed of a Houtian master compare to that of White Horse Lightning? This man would take a year on foot, but if He Yiming pushed himself to the limit, perhaps he could reach the Ice Palace in just a few days.

He gently patted the horse’s back.

White Horse Lightning lightly stamped its hooves, ready to depart at any moment.

He Yiming hesitated, then said, “You are still too close to the Ice Palace.

If possible, you should relocate as soon as you can.” No sooner had his words fallen than White Horse Lightning transformed into a streak of white light and galloped into the distance.

Aige stood dumbfounded, staring in the direction He Yiming had vanished.

He felt his vision blur as the man and beast disappeared entirely, leaving only that single, swift white silhouette in his line of sight.

Such speed delivered a profound shock to him.

After pondering for a long time, Aige turned back.

The village was already a scene of devastation.

Although the two spirit beasts had not been inside for long, the destruction they wrought was incomparable.

“Chieftain, what shall we do?” Slowly, several of the village’s respected elders approached.

Grief was evident in their eyes, and some stared blankly, clearly utterly lost.

Aige looked at the two scorched, blackened monstrous corpses.

A fierce look suddenly flashed across his face, and he declared harshly, “Someone, strip their tendons and flay their hides! We will eat them tonight.” A cheer rose from the village; no one opposed this decision.

Aige’s expression gradually returned to calm.

He sighed deeply for a long while, finally saying, “Our village is ruined.

Perhaps this is the will of Heaven…” The next day, the villagers began to move, taking what little they could carry and heading south.

However, they did not enter the domains of Great Eastern Shen or the Northwest; instead, they set up camp before those borders to rest and wait for the millennium-long beast tide to recede.

Across the entire Northern Frontier ice plain, events like this were occurring every moment.

Some spirit beasts and monsters managed to wipe out human villages, while others met their end at the hands of humans.

This situation would persist until the Millennial Ice Island vanished.

The thousand-year cycle had, at this moment, truly begun… The white horse lightly lifted its hooves and soon returned to the original spot.

Just as He Yiming had predicted, the two Ninth Heaven experts, at the peak of the Ren Dao realm, had not departed but waited silently in place.

Before them, a wooden table and two chairs had been set up.

Someone had produced a tea set and a Go board, and they were enjoying tea while playing the game.

Not far from them, Bai Lingba and the Shen Dao Coagulation Blood man stood quietly, a visible, invisible line seemingly dividing the space between them.

He Yiming laughed heartily, “Gentlemen, you have such fine leisure.” Di Shitian looked up and raised his teacup toward him from afar.

“Have a cup.” He Yiming repeatedly waved his hands.

“I gratefully decline.” For him, neither fine tea nor fine wine held any allure.

Perhaps his view might change as he aged and gained more experience, but not at this moment.

Ji Mo Fanshu calmly glanced at him, not asking about the outcome.

They both knew that in this part of the Northern Frontier, close to the interior, few monsters appeared.

Even those that did were mostly ordinary beasts; spirit beasts were quite rare.

After all, this location was a vast distance from the true Northern Frontier Ice Palace.

If Saint Beast Kings could be encountered here, their power would surely allow them to sweep the entire world.

Di Shitian reached out, scattering the pieces on the Go board.

He stood up and announced, “It is time to go.” With that, he waved his hand lightly, and the chairs, tea set, and board instantly vanished.

Ji Mo Fanshu shot him an annoyed look but held back the words he seemed about to speak.

He Yiming looked at them suspiciously, wondering if some friction had arisen between the two powerful figures.

“He was about to lose,” Bai Lingba’s voice drifted softly into his ear.

He Yiming paused, asking, “What?” “They were playing Go just now; Di Shitian was moments from losing.” He Yiming finally understood, looking at Di Shitian with a wry smile.

It seemed even an expert of this stature could resort to cheating.

Di Shitian abruptly turned his head.

“Brother He, what did you discover on your trip?” He Yiming’s expression sobered, and he recounted his experiences from the expedition.

When they heard that the havoc wreaked in the village was caused not by ordinary spirit beasts but by Xiantian spirit beasts, the expressions of the two experts grew rather grim.

“Are Xiantian-level spirit beasts appearing even here?” Di Shitian asked slowly.

“The territory claimed by the Northern Sea monsters has expanded too widely this time.” Ji Mo Fanshu’s eyes shifted subtly.

He suddenly remarked, “Brother Di, in the previous few millennia, the monsters did not seem nearly this rampant.” Di Shitian nodded steadily.

“During the preceding beast tides, the threat was primarily directed toward the Ice Palace.

Small settlements far from there seldom saw any monsters; even if they did, they were minor beasts, nothing as terrifying as Xiantian spirit beasts.” He Yiming’s heart sank slightly.

“Are you two suggesting…” Di Shitian nodded slowly.

“The increasing ferocity of the monsters suggests a mutation has occurred upon the Millennial Ice Island.” He Yiming exchanged glances with the others; their hearts filled simultaneously with fighting spirit.

The Divine Way Legend… They were drawing close!