"Brother He..." A call, seemingly from beyond the heavens, jolted He Yiming out of that profound state of enlightenment.

A shiver ran down his spine. He was instantly brought back to the reality of his surroundings. While the transformations within the Five Elements Ring deeply intrigued him, this moment was absolutely not the time for investigation.

Lifting his head, he met the gazes of the crowd and gave a slight nod. "Apologies. I was momentarily lost, having encountered a complex puzzle in my martial pursuits."

Di Shitian waved a dismissive hand. "Brother He's earnest heart for martial arts is truly admirable, but it is best to remain cautious at this juncture."

He Yiming responded with a soft acknowledgment and a grateful nod.

He held significant grudges against several individuals present; they would never have gathered together were it not for the necessity of uniting the collective strength of humanity's top experts.

Perhaps internal strife would not erupt immediately, but He Yiming was certain that should they successfully enter the Ice Island, this loose alliance would dissolve instantly.

Bing Xiaotian clapped his hands. "Let us continue."

"How much further?" Liu Changju voiced the question echoing in the hearts of most.

Bing Xiaotian gazed ahead, his voice soft. "We are almost there."

His words were steeped in yearning—this was the moment he had longed for across hundreds of years. With the legendary Ice Island about to appear before them, maintaining absolute composure was impossible for anyone.

The group resumed their journey. He Yiming lightly brushed his chest where a peculiar tracker rested. The subtle vibrations emanating from it alerted him that both Bai Lingba and the Divine Dao Blood-Coagulation Man were nearby, observing them. However, with the mysterious new power Bai Lingba had recently acquired, the two had rendered themselves invisible.

After circumventing the massive fissure and advancing a hundred li, Bing Xiaotian abruptly halted. He exchanged a look with Di Shitian, and both nodded silently at the same time.

All attention snapped to them the instant Bing Xiaotian stopped. Seeing this, everyone understood: after days of arduous travel, they had finally reached their destination.

The Qilin Sacred Master drew a deep, shuddering breath. With the absence of the other Sacred Beast Kings nearby, the Qilin Beast was no longer suppressed by the auras of Bing Xiaotian and the others. From its body erupted an intensely concentrated, overwhelming wave of malevolent Shaqi.

This aura, too, was a manifestation of a Sacred Beast King's power, and moreover, one of the most potent, possessing the bloodline of a Divine Beast.

As this Shaqi began to deliberately spread, the entire space became saturated with its potent presence.

He Yiming blinked twice, confusion clouding his thoughts.

Throughout the journey, Bing Xiaotian and the others had gone to great lengths to conceal the Qilin Beast's aura, precisely to prevent other Sacred Beast Kings from learning of its existence. Yet now, they were brazenly allowing the Qilin Beast to unleash its might. This action meant that even from a hundred li away, those powerful Sacred Beast Kings, or even slightly lesser Spirit Beasts, would clearly sense this colossal aura, shining like a beacon in the blackness.

"Brother Bing, what exactly are you doing?" He Yiming asked in a deep voice.

The shift from painstakingly evading notice to actively provoking was so drastic that He Yiming found it quite surprising.

However, He Yiming did not interject or criticize. He understood that he had little insight into the Sacred Beast Kings of the Northern Territory, whereas these elders were deeply invested in the matter of the Thousand-Year Ice Island. Their willingness to spare no cost in cultivating Yuan Lixun to increase their chances of entry was testament enough to their commitment.

Since this was the case, their actions must have a deeper purpose; they certainly wouldn't intentionally cause harm. It was simply that He Yiming, knowing nothing of the Northern Territory's Icy Sea, could not comprehend it.

"Brother He, we are allowing the Qilin Beast to release its aura to temporarily carve out the territory within a two- or three-hundred-li radius as our domain," Bing Xiaotian explained gravely.

He Yiming frowned deeply. "Brother Bing, I grasp your intent, but do you truly believe those Sacred Beast Kings will be deterred from entering this area by the presence of the Qilin Beast?"

Bing Xiaotian let out a short laugh. "That is impossible. When the Thousand-Year Ice Island manifests, the very heavens and earth change color. Legend holds that not only can humans reach the Divine Dao by entering the Ice Island, but even the top-tier Sacred Beast Kings will desperately seek entry regardless of the cost."

He Yiming's eyes brightened. "Why?"

"The Power of Heaven and Earth," Bing Xiaotian’s smile vanished, his expression turning solemn. "According to records left by our predecessors, whenever the Thousand-Year Ice Island appears, the Power of Heaven and Earth undergoes a peculiar transformation. Those who are within this transformation, be they Ninth Heaven Human Experts or Sacred Beast Kings, feel a distinct sense of summons."

"Origin Power?" He Yiming gasped, a cold breath catching in his throat. He was intimately familiar with such a sensation, experiences in the Realm of Life and Death that would remain unforgettable for eternity.

Bing Xiaotian hesitated. "I cannot say for certain, but the ancient texts do not describe these matters in detail. It seems this summoning force is different from Origin Power."

He Yiming’s curiosity surged. He now intensely desired the moment the Ice Island would appear so he could experience this distinctly different form of calling.

Di Shitian stepped forward, positioning himself before them. "Brother He, by having the Qilin Beast release its Shaqi, we are suppressing all Spirit Beasts and wild beasts below the rank of Sacred Beast King." He sighed softly. "The North Sea is simply too vast. We might struggle to deal with the Sacred Beast Kings alone. If the Sacred Beast Kings command a massive horde of smaller creatures to attack, we will inevitably be ground down by the endless tide of North Sea life."

He Yiming slowly nodded. Bing Xiaotian and the others had clearly planned extensively for the Thousand-Year Ice Island, considering every possible contingency. The Qilin Beast, possessing Divine Beast bloodline, exerted a pressure far surpassing that of an ordinary Sacred Beast King. As long as its might remained undiminished, Spirit Beasts and wild beasts below the Sacred Beast King level would not dare approach within several li. This was the Qilin Beast's most crucial function.

"Our task now is simple," Bing Xiaotian stated grimly. "According to the Divine Calculator's predictions, the Ice Island will appear here within half a month to a month. Therefore, during this period, we must intercept all arriving Sacred Beast Kings and kill as many as possible."

He Yiming nodded firmly. Although these Sacred Beast Kings had not provoked him, in this situation, mercy for them was impossible.

"With the Qilin Beast anchoring the center, we can proceed without worry. The Sacred Beast Kings are unaware of human involvement, so they will surely fall into our trap one by one. Even if they come in groups, their numbers should not exceed two at a time. Thus, I propose we divide into shifts to take action?" Di Shitian looked toward He Yiming and Ji Mofan Shu.

He Yiming instantly understood this remark was directed specifically at him and Ji Mofan Shu. The others had likely finalized their arrangements during their previous meeting.

Without hesitation, He Yiming nodded. "Brother Di, I, along with White Horse Lightning and Li Xun, can form one group."

Though his voice was not loud, it was exceptionally resolute and unwavering.

Di Shitian glanced at him with surprise, then turned and conferred briefly with the others before deciding. "Very well. We will proceed with the grouping just arranged: three teams. Each team will engage whenever an enemy is detected. If two or more Sacred Beast Kings are encountered and we fail to detect them, we must immediately call for reinforcements. Under no circumstances is any Sacred Beast King to be allowed to leave this area alive."

Bing Xiaotian added, "For every Sacred Beast King we hunt, you may take turns collecting the Inner Elixirs. As for the corpses..." He looked at He Yiming and smiled, "If your Five Elements World is large enough, they can all be yours. But I fear you may not have the space."

The bodies of Sacred Beast Kings were typically monstrously large; even the smallest among them, the Giant Bear, exceeded three zhang in length. For anyone else, accommodating even a single Sacred Beast King carcass would be impossible, let alone the stream of them that might follow.

He Yiming chuckled dryly. "Brother Bing, rest assured. If my Five Elements World truly cannot hold them, I certainly won't force the issue."

Bing Xiaotian and the others finally nodded with satisfaction. They had worried that He Yiming, being so young, might lose his composure when faced with the corpses of Sacred Beast Kings, bringing untold trouble upon the group. But for now, he appeared remarkably calm.

The prior preparations made by Bing Xiaotian and the others proved sound. Ever since the Qilin Beast began broadcasting its dangerous and intense Shaqi, every living creature within a hundred-li radius fled as far as their legs could carry them.

The Shaqi carrying the Divine Beast bloodline acted like searing fire dragons, burning the nerves of all creatures. Even ordinary Sacred Beasts could not withstand such a powerful impact.

Yuan Lixun had already donned the Five-Colored Feathered Robe, a super-defensive divine weapon gifted by numerous Human Dao peak experts and painstakingly forged by the Glazed Cave Master. This robe possessed a unique field capable of resisting the immense power emanating from the Qilin Beast.

With the protection of the robe, even remaining close to the Qilin Beast would not affect Yuan Lixun in the slightest.

On the third day, a powerful and frantic roar echoed from the distance.

The Qilin Beast immediately reared up and responded with a challenging bellow.

Everyone’s spirits soared; they knew instantly that a Sacred Beast King had arrived.

Bing Xiaotian slowly stood up. "Everyone, we shall return shortly."

Ji Mofan Shu and the others exchanged glances, and together with Bing Xiaotian, they sped off toward the direction of the Sacred Beast King.

Almost simultaneously, a rumbling roar sounded from afar; the Sacred Beast King was charging toward the Qilin Beast at considerable speed. Stimulated by the Qilin Beast’s Shaqi, this Sacred Beast King was fully enraged, seeing only the Qilin Beast as its rival. In its fury, it charged forward with an overwhelming momentum.

However, its fate was grim. Before it could even reach the Qilin Beast, it suddenly collapsed. A vast fissure abruptly split the ice surface, large enough to swallow it whole.

The Sacred Beast King emitted uncertain, startled cries before it plunged in. All that remained was a churning expanse of waves, and the unfortunate beast never resurfaced.