The formidable fire power erupted from Liu Changju's grasp, twisting forth like a serpentine dragon of flame.

Where this fire dragon passed, the pervasive mist evaporated instantly, as if meeting its natural nemesis. Moreover, as the dragon neared the seven-colored effulgence, its brilliance flared, its might surging, effectively suppressing the colorful light entirely.

The eyes of the others lit up. Their greatest worry was that He Yiming could control the seven-colored radiance; if so, even five peak Human Path experts joining forces would have no choice but to flee in disarray. But now it seemed He Yiming was merely absorbing the Water Divine Power here, just as Bing Xiaotian had claimed, not actively manipulating the forces.

Though Liu Changju's strength was immense, he had not yet ascended to the Divine Path, meaning he could never truly contend head-on with the seven-colored radiance. The reason he could suppress it was that the radiance’s order had been disrupted and, crucially, it remained ungoverned. Had the light remained distinct and ordered as it was initially, Liu Changju would never have stood a chance.

The massive fire dragon advanced with unstoppable momentum, visibly closing in on He Yiming.

Liu Changju hesitated for the briefest moment; he hadn't expected such effortless success. At this instant, a flicker of doubt crossed his mind: if he severely injured He Yiming, it might not look good before Di Shitian later. Furthermore, as long as He Yiming survived and held a grudge, Liu Changju knew his own peace would be forfeit.

Yet, after that momentary pause, his expression immediately darkened.

In his perception, the fire dragon—fierce as a tiger, having already conquered many obstacles—suddenly halted. It wasn't blocked by anything; rather, it had inexplicably lost its bearing.

This sensation was utterly bizarre, something he had never encountered in his several hundred years of existence.

His eyes could clearly see He Yiming’s silhouette, but the released fire dragon and his own intent were utterly unable to lock onto He Yiming's presence. It was as if He Yiming had transformed into a wisp of smoke, now thoroughly diffused into the shimmering, seven-colored light. Even more startling to him was the thick, vision-obscuring haze that now permeated beneath the radiance.

Bing Xiaotian and the others quickly noted Liu Changju’s predicament, as their own senses simultaneously failed to locate He Yiming. The He Yiming standing before them, eyes closed in meditation, had become a mere mirage—visible but untouchable.

"What is happening?" murmured the Qilin Saint Lord, his face paling.

An inexplicable sense of crisis washed over them, sweeping away any lingering contempt they might have held.

Ao Borui’s gaze sharpened, and he barked sharply, "Brother Liu, do not hold back!"

Zi Duli and Bing Xiaotian exchanged a look, recognizing deep apprehension in each other's eyes. Without a second thought, they both called out, "Brother Liu, be careful."

Red light pulsed violently around Liu Changju, and the fire dragon, which had been suspended in mid-air, finally descended upon He Yiming with bared fangs and claws.

With a deafening roar, the fire dragon tore through He Yiming's body unimpeded, crashing into the ground below.

The valley floor, reinforced by millennia of divine power, was not something forces below the Divine Path could easily shatter. After a tremendously violent impact, the fire dragon finally dissipated into nothingness.

However, everyone’s face grew grim, for He Yiming remained standing exactly where he was, eyes closed, as if nothing had occurred. Yet, they had all witnessed the fire dragon pierce his body moments before.

"That wasn't him," Bing Xiaotian declared, sharp light flashing in his eyes. He scanned the surroundings within the seven-colored radiance and the mist, announcing loudly, "This is the Cloud Mist Technique; it creates illusions. He must be concealed within the Seven-Colored Palace. Everyone, be extremely cautious."

The peak Human Path experts cursed inwardly. Just what kind of freak was this He Yiming? Not only had he mastered the union of Light and Dark, but he possessed the Five Elements Physique, and now he had even mastered the legendary and exceedingly rare Cloud Mist Art. Tangling with such an individual was an absolute headache.

Liu Changju snorted in anger. He threw both hands high above his head, and a sphere of crimson light shot from his palms, exploding mid-air like a colossal firecracker. Innumerable sparks scattered in every direction, instantly engulfing more than half the valley.

The others brightened; Liu Changju’s method seemed promising. Such a wide-area dispersal attack surely could flush He Yiming out quickly. Once located, they could devise a way to stop He Yiming from continuing to absorb the Water Divine Power. After all, they had come here to leverage He Yiming's power, not to engage in mutual destruction.

However, as the myriad sparks began to spread, they were abruptly extinguished in an instant.

The red mist in the valley had somehow thickened continuously, seemingly propelled by some mysterious force within its expanded range. Just at that moment, any spark that touched the mist vanished instantly, as if tossed into a vast ocean.

Liu Changju’s face stiffened slightly. He raised his hands again, gathering a massive surge of fire power. This time, the power he amassed clearly surpassed the previous attempt. When the crimson orb of light exploded, the very fabric of the surrounding energy in the valley seemed violently affected.

Sharp whistling sounds cut through the air, the fire light displaying an incredible magnitude of force in that instant.

Blazing firelight plunged into the sea of mist, seemingly intent on incinerating everything. Instantly, the entire valley illuminated, the seven distinct colors appearing vividly saturated and dazzling amidst the blaze. Yet, even in this intense light, they still could not sense He Yiming’s presence. It was as if the living man had truly become part of the mist.

The experts exchanged glances, a hint of horror in their eyes. Liu Changju’s final burst was clearly Fire Divine Power. They knew themselves well enough: in a different location, while they might not fear this fire power, the idea of concealing one’s tracks would be pure fantasy. Facing Fire Divine Power, the only recourse was to counter it with Divine Power of the same magnitude; no clever trickery would suffice.

When Liu Changju’s search failed to locate He Yiming, a sudden thought struck them all: could this fellow have already fled the valley? But looking at the thick, swirling seven-colored fog permeating the area, they immediately dismissed the notion.

"The Cloud Mist Technique truly lives up to its reputation," Zi Duli sighed softly. "This ability to conceal one's whereabouts is in no way inferior to Sect Master Ji Mo."

Bing Xiaotian nodded slightly. "Let’s all strike together."

He led the way, waving his hand, and vast swathes of black light spilled outward, immediately enveloping a large area. However, unlike Liu Changju’s indiscriminate spread, he directed his Water Divine Power toward a specific direction. The remaining experts glanced at each other. Despite their status, engaging in a group attack against a single target felt undignified. But the thought of being unable to find He Yiming after such a large gathering was even more humiliating.

Several powerful Divine Forces swept through the valley instantly. They acted with clear restraint, not recklessly attacking, but each expert taking responsibility for a specific quadrant. There was no prior discussion or communication between them, yet their coordination was flawlessly seamless.

When the five top-tier masters unleashed their divine abilities simultaneously, remarkable results appeared within moments. No matter how He Yiming doubled the strength of his cloud mist concealment, it could not withstand the overwhelming power constantly enveloping the entire valley.

The Qilin Saint Lord roared with laughter, shouting, "Come out!" The battle he fought against He Yiming on the ice plains, though secret, had cost him considerable face; now, upon sensing the presence of He Yiming’s true body, he sought to reclaim that lost dignity.

A section of mist within the valley began to churn violently, and a figure vaguely shimmered within it. However, when the Qilin Saint Lord’s fierce, hostile power struck that area, the figure abruptly dispersed. It scattered like a cloud of vapor, only to reform an instant later in a spot not far away.

The expressions of the others changed drastically, their gazes growing heavy.

What kind of technique was this? Surely, even those in the Divine Path couldn't achieve this?

"A decoy technique..." Liu Changju growled. "This is the combination of the Old Assassin's Decoy Art and the Cloud Mist Technique. Didn't he have a feud with the Old Assassin? How could he have learned the Decoy Art?"

Bing Xiaotian and the others could only offer bitter smiles inwardly. The combination of these two arts, especially within the unique environment of the Seven-Colored Palace, could indeed manifest utterly unexpected power.

"Let's move," Bing Xiaotian sighed deeply, stepping forward directly into the cloud mist. Instantly, fierce sounds like cracking firecrackers erupted. This was his Ice Palace domain after all; since He Yiming's location was pinpointed, it was only right that he struck first.

The others listened intently. Under the effect of the Decoy Art, they dared not trust their eyes. Yet, moments later, their faces were filled with shock. In the exchange with the opponent, Bing Xiaotian was immediately at a disadvantage.

Ao Borui, Zi Duli, and the Qilin Saint Lord were astonished. This He Yiming seemed to have made substantial progress in the short time they had been apart.