The moment He Yiming emerged from the crimson mist, a strange chill prickled the spines of Bing Xiaotian and the others. Though the sensation vanished almost instantly, it was enough to leave them deeply unsettled.

"Brother He, congratulations," Bing Xiaotian offered with a practiced smile.

When He Yiming first disrupted the seven-colored radiance, Bing Xiaotian had desperately wished to strike the ignorant young man dead. But having successfully extracted him, Bing Xiaotian instantly reined in his turbulent emotions.

He Yiming inclined his head slightly toward him. "I achieved a sudden enlightenment, Brother. If I caused offense in any way, I ask for everyone’s forgiveness."

Bing Xiaotian let out a hearty laugh. "Brother He, no need for formalities." He paused, then abruptly inquired, "May I ask, Brother He, what fruits did this recent enlightenment yield?"

He Yiming hesitated. He had been utterly immersed in that state of sudden realization, observing everything that transpired, yet holding none of it in his immediate awareness. It was only after his five avatars were enveloped by the light of the Ice Mirror and shattered that he finally surfaced from that profound realm and fully grasped everything that had just occurred.

While he preferred not to reveal his true capabilities, it was a fool's errand to attempt to conceal everything now.

Noticing the expectant glint in everyone’s eyes, He Yiming offered a wry smile. "I grasped a little, perhaps, but it is merely some trivial trickery, unlikely to capture the attention of esteemed figures such as yourselves."

Liu Changju waved a broad hand dismissively, laughing. "Brother He, the Cloud and Mist Art you command is mysterious and unfathomable; we old fellows are truly full of sincere admiration."

He Yiming’s eyes narrowed slightly. "And this gentleman is..."

Liu Changju stated proudly, "I am Liu Changju, the Master of the Glazed Cave."

He Yiming gave a slight nod, cupping his hands in a respectful salute. Of the nine veteran peak Human Dao masters in the world, he had now met them all. A flicker of excitement stirred within him at the realization that he, too, had become one of their number.

The Qilin Sacred Master chuckled softly, exchanging a meaningful glance with the others. "Perhaps we should leave this place now and let Brother Bing send people to tidy up."

He Yiming’s gaze shifted, filled with suspicion. Although the area had certainly been chaotic moments before, the pervasive Divine Power had prevented any actual depressions or collapses, even under the bombardment of the top masters. Furthermore, after being washed by the lake’s mist, the area seemed almost cleaner than before—it hardly looked like it needed sweeping at all.

Yet, the Qilin Sacred Master's suggestion was swiftly agreed upon by Bing Xiaotian and the rest, and they filed out of the Seven-Colored Palace.

He Yiming shook his head, stepped forward, and took Yuan Lixun’s small hand. The two walked side by side, following the elderly masters back to the expansive main hall.

As for the interior of the Seven-Colored Palace, it was meticulously cleaned by the Venerables of the palace in conjunction with careful observation. This place was, after all, the most crucial location in the Ice Palace; not a sliver of negligence could be tolerated—a depth of concern that He Yiming could not yet fully appreciate.

Returning to the main hall, they took their seats around a table, where attendants swiftly served fragrant tea and stood by silently. The martial cultivation of these attendants was astonishing—all at the peak of the Tenth Layer of Inner Strength, just one step shy of reaching the Innate realm. Yet, in this hall, they willingly performed the tasks of humble servants. To the eyes of these Human Dao peak experts, however, this arrangement seemed utterly natural, and clearly, no one present paid them any real mind.

The Qilin Sacred Master picked up his teacup, ignoring the scalding heat, and downed the contents in one gulp, declaring with bold spirit, "Brother He, your Avatar technique is truly refreshing. Would you perhaps grace us with another demonstration?"

He Yiming pondered for a moment. He did not rise, but a strange, subtle wave of power began to emanate from his body.

The smile on the Qilin Sacred Master's face instantly stiffened, and even the other Human Dao peak masters showed shifts in their expressions. They knew the Qilin Sacred Master had made this request because he wanted to confirm whether He Yiming had truly mastered this miraculous cultivation method.

The Seven-Colored Palace was a highly specialized environment, saturated with the Divine Power of Water, and the Cloud and Mist Art was intrinsically linked to Water-based cultivation. If He Yiming possessed some unique technique, manifesting cloud and mist avatars within this environment might not have been impossible. However, if he could still perform the Cloud and Mist Avatar here, outside the Palace, it would signify that he had truly mastered this supreme technique, one typically reserved for the Divine Dao realm.

The peculiar power fluctuations gradually intensified. Everyone present was a top master among the Human Dao realm, and even Yuan Lixun was counted among the foremost experts in Water-based cultivation. Thus, they immediately sensed that what was rippling through the space was precisely the Divine Power of Water.

In mere moments, this Divine Power of Water coalesced into a mist, which then solidified, under the focused gaze of everyone present, into the likeness of He Yiming.

Bing Xiaotian and the others, having witnessed something similar in the Seven-Colored Palace, managed to remain composed, but the attending disciples’ eyes widened in disbelief at what they saw.

The Cloud and Mist figure He Yiming created was different from the Blood Condensing avatars. This being, conjured from the Divine Power of Water using the Cloud and Mist Mind Art, possessed the exact appearance and aura of He Yiming. In terms of countenance, attire, and the emanating presence, it was identical. Even though everyone knew this misty figure was merely an accumulation of Water Divine Power, a strange feeling settled in their hearts: Could they be twin brothers?

"Brother He is truly remarkable," the Qilin Sacred Master sighed deeply, his admiration sincere.

The others offered congratulations in unison, but the true thoughts dwelling in their hearts remained unknown.

A placid smile graced He Yiming's face. Although he had revealed his Cloud and Mist Avatar technique, only he knew that he was capable of manifesting more than just one. If he pushed himself to the limit, he should be able to manifest two Cloud and Mist Avatars simultaneously. Of course, in a special environment like the Seven-Colored Palace, with an inexhaustible supply of Water Divine Power to draw upon and anchor to, manifesting as many as five would not be difficult.

Bing Xiaotian pondered for a long time before finally speaking. "Brother He, when you entered that state of enlightenment this time, we should not have disturbed you. But since you were within the Seven-Colored Palace, my companions and I had no choice but to forcibly pull you out."

His wording was exceedingly delicate, clearly conveying their unavoidable predicament. Interrupting someone during a breakthrough moment of enlightenment was an offense bordering on mortal enmity, something even Bing Xiaotian would hesitate to risk inciting misunderstanding over.

A sharp light flashed in He Yiming's eyes. He held no grievance towards the actions of Bing Xiaotian and the others. This was because when they entered the Seven-Colored Palace, He Yiming was encountering a bottleneck in his comprehension of the Cloud and Mist Flower. He could sense the Water Divine Power and had condensed the Flower, but the technique of Avatar Manifestation described in the Book of the Divine Dao remained beyond his grasp.

It was at that precise moment that Bing Xiaotian and the others arrived and initiated an attack. He Yiming, acting purely on instinct, had employed the illusionary technique born from the Cloud and Mist Art to deceive them, simply because he did not wish to be disturbed at such a crucial juncture.

However, Liu Changju's Fire-based technique sparked an inspiration in He Yiming: combining the Cloud and Mist Art with the Glamour Veil technique of the Yellow Springs Sect. This synergistic fusion proved far more potent than either technique used in isolation, masking his true position even from the divine senses of these Human Dao peak masters.

Subsequently, the combined assault of the five great masters forced He Yiming's true body back, but it was precisely that immense force that, inexplicably, allowed his spiritual will to comprehend the Dao of Avatar Manifestation at the final moment. His true body had seemingly vanished into the mist, but it had already concealed itself, rapidly manifesting five Cloud and Mist Avatars by exploiting the unique environment. Finally, Yuan Lixun intervened, and under the effect of the imitation artifact, the Ice Mirror, she shattered the five avatars, causing his spiritual consciousness to simultaneously withdraw from the Book of the Divine Dao.

Every change unfolded sequentially; when He Yiming first began studying the Book of the Divine Dao, he could never have anticipated such an extraordinary turn of events. Therefore, he held no resentment towards their arrival; without their intervention, he likely would not have comprehended the Art of Avatar Manifestation even now.

Seeing He Yiming fall silent in thought, the others exchanged glances, a faint thread of anxiety weaving through their expressions. The moment He Yiming successfully conjured the Cloud and Mist Avatar in the hall, even Liu Changju, whom he met for the first time that day, began to regard him as an equal, or perhaps even a superior, master. Coupled with He Yiming's youth, this fueled their growing unease. If He Yiming harbored resentment, how could they possibly coexist in the future?

The Qilin Sacred Master cleared his throat lightly. "Brother He, I know you are displeased with the actions of us old codgers, but we did what we did to save you."

He Yiming was greatly surprised, blinking his eyes rapidly, his mind filled with bafflement.

Liu Changju's voice boomed like a great bell. "Brother He, are you aware of the upheaval that afflicted the Northern Border Ice Palace three thousand years ago?"

He Yiming shook his head blankly. While his martial cultivation was second to none among them, his experience in the martial world lagged far behind. He might know a thing or two about the lore of the Northwest, but the Northern Border...

Liu Changju smiled with rustic sincerity. "If my memory serves me correctly, Brother He has already journeyed to every location containing the Five Elements Divine Power, has he not?"

He Yiming hesitated, then slowly nodded. This action implicitly acknowledged that he had already gathered all the Five Elements Divine Powers. The Human Dao peak masters present all let out a profound sigh of emotion. After a long silence, Liu Changju continued, "Brother He, each of our five sects possesses one of the Five Elements Divine Powers. Yet, for millennia, there have been very few instances where this power was truly utilized. Do you know why?"