A radiance of five colors slowly bloomed from He Yiming’s body. Enveloped in this light, he hovered in mid-air, as dazzling and brilliant as a massive, rising sun.

His gaze fell below. In the recent impact, the power of heaven and earth he had drawn in had actually surpassed that of Wei Jinshun, a powerhouse at the Pseudo-God Realm. This was the very reason he could meet force with force, using sheer power to smash the man down into the sandy ground. It had been the most direct collision of strength, completely devoid of any unnecessary flourish.

In this pure clash of the might of heaven and earth, the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower he employed, in its absorption of this power, finally displayed the majesty it once held as the world’s foremost technique, even triumphing over a combatant in a higher realm.

The fierce wind continued to howl, and the yellow sand still filled the air. But in that moment, the way everyone looked at him had subtly shifted. This was true even for the gazes of the Pseudo-God Realm powerhouses.

A roar of fury erupted from beneath the earth, piercing and desolate like that of a wounded beast. The sandy ground abruptly tore open on both sides, as if some primeval behemoth was about to surge forth.

However, He Yiming merely waved his hands, and two enormous Five Elements Great Reincarnations instantly materialized. Without hesitation, he hurled them downward.

The Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower far surpassed ordinary Divine Path martial skills. Upon their formation, they became self-contained worlds, where the five elements mutually generated and restrained one another. They could not only draw in the power of heaven and earth at an accelerated rate but also integrate this might within themselves, unleashing an even more formidable destructive force.

This was the true reason the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower was once unbeatable across the realm.

Now, as He Yiming released them, the two colossal wheels expanded instantly to an immeasurable size. They drank in endless heaven and earth power, crashing down upon the ground in the blink of an eye.

The sand that had previously cracked and bulged collapsed once more. Wei Jinshun’s roaring cry sounded increasingly desolate and frustrated. Under the impact of equally potent heaven and earth power, he couldn't even manage to break free.

The ground continued to fissure. Wei Jinshun finally abandoned the plan of bursting out from one location, instead moving underground, searching for an opportunity to strike. Yet, He Yiming’s mental sensing ability was in no way inferior, and the speed at which he formed the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flowers in his hand was simply unbelievable—one after another was conjured and released, with the resulting might of heaven and earth growing stronger with each wave.

The surface became dotted with massive craters, each appearance causing tremendous disruption to the ground. However, this entire area was composed of slow-flowing quicksand; even if it were riddled with a thousand holes, given enough time, all those voids would eventually be filled.

In the cultivation techniques Wei Jinshun practiced, there was no Earth element discipline. Deep beneath the ground, he simply could not exert his ultimate power. But now, under He Yiming’s relentless suppression, he didn't even have a chance to surface. After enduring over a hundred violent impacts, his aura gradually weakened.

Ao Minxing sighed deeply. As an observer, he had grasped the entire sequence of events that had just transpired.

If Wei Jinshun had been cautious, treating He Yiming as an equal in power, it was impossible to say which of them would have claimed ultimate victory.

But Wei Jinshun had clearly been complacent. In his mind, although He Yiming was powerful and also a Divine Path practitioner, he was, after all, only a Divine Path practitioner who had just advanced to the Illusory God Realm. There was no way he could challenge opponents in a higher tier.

Thus, when He Yiming previously feigned weakness, Wei Jinshun unleashed his most potent heaven and earth power without actually inflicting any damage upon He Yiming. He Yiming, seizing the moment of his opponent's relaxation, struck with full force, securing a vital initial advantage in his strongest state. From there, he relentlessly accumulated that advantage, transforming it into an irreversible winning momentum.

This point was evident just by observing Wei Jinshun's constantly diminishing aura; the Pseudo-God Realm expert had lost his absolute conviction of victory.

With a casual wave of his hand, the same five-colored radiance lit up. The sky suddenly darkened, as if all ambient light had been absorbed. Then, an even more blinding brilliance shone forth, and around Ao Minxing, a ring of five-colored light appeared, even more dazzling than the one surrounding He Yiming.

Sensing the condensation of this tremendous power, He Yiming immediately and without hesitation ceased his attack. He looked up at the five-colored light behind Ao Minxing, his heart filled with envy and aspiration.

This aura was far more intense than the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flowers he himself controlled. However, He Yiming's perception was now vastly superior to what it once was. He could sense that while the power emanating from Ao Minxing was also the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower, it seemed to lack something—in the transition of its elemental attributes, there was a lack of smoothness, a noticeable rigidity.

Perhaps this was precisely the reason why the Five Elements Reincarnation Flower he commanded could only reign supreme among peers, but could not achieve victory across higher realms.

The moment He Yiming halted his assault, the sand abruptly ruptured, and a figure rocketed upwards—it was Wei Jinshun, who had been trapped beneath the ground.

The veteran Divine Path expert now lacked his former composure. A faint trace of blood marred his form, his face was twisted in a terrifying snarl, and a smear of blood still clung to the corner of his mouth.

The hearts of the onlookers hammered like drums. He Yiming being able to completely suppress a Pseudo-God Realm expert was already remarkable, but managing to actually injure the man was what truly commanded awe.

“Elder Wei, we lost,” Ao Minxing said in a deep voice, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

Wei Jinshun paused mid-air and slowly lowered his head. “Yes, Sect Master.”

“You should retreat and recuperate now,” Ao Minxing commanded calmly. “Those death creatures could arrive at any moment; we must all maintain our peak condition.”

Wei Jinshun hesitated for a moment, looking up at He Yiming. The cold malice in his gaze made everyone’s heart turn icy. Then, he turned and vanished instantly into the distance.

He Yiming inwardly sighed at the missed opportunity. However, he knew that defeating his opponent this time had involved a degree of cunning, and once he gained the upper hand, he had been merciless in his suppression. Otherwise, even with the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower allowing him to contest the power of a Pseudo-God Realm expert, he would inevitably fall short in the accumulation of divine power.

Therefore, expecting to slay him on the spot was an absolute impossibility.

With a flicker of thought, He Yiming suddenly wondered: if he himself advanced to the Pseudo-God Realm, could he then manage to kill this man?

He retracted his gaze and smiled. “Brother Ao, I believe that with the Five Elements Ring in my hands, it can unleash power no less formidable than Brother Wei’s. Dealing with those bothersome death creatures should be more than sufficient.”

Ao Minxing’s cold gaze swept over him. “You indeed possess that qualification.” After a pause, he stated coolly, “I believe that perhaps in a few years, you will reach the Pseudo-God Realm. Once you ascend to the Pseudo-God Realm and wield the Five Elements Great Reincarnation Flower, no one in this world will ever be able to defeat you again.”

The expressions of the three powerful figures from the West shifted slightly, and they exchanged a subtle, tacit glance.

He Yiming’s expression flickered. He sensed a hidden, sinister intention behind those words, but for a moment, he couldn't determine the precise consequence they foreshadowed.

Ma Yu suddenly stepped forward, laughing heartily. “Brother Ao, what Divine Dragon said earlier was that he would welcome anything that increases our strength. Elder He has now displayed power comparable to Brother Wei’s, and possesses even greater potential. In that case…” He paused, his tone laced with mockery, “To enhance our collective strength, why not have Brother Ao impart the method for upgrading the Five Elements Ring to a divine artifact to Elder He?”

He Yiming’s eyes brightened. Had he not overheard their conversation in the cave, he would certainly be deeply grateful now. But having already understood Ma Yu’s true objective—securing the Nine Dragon Furnace in the end—he realized Ma Yu was willing to risk offending Ao Minxing just to interject on this matter.

Ao Minxing let out a cold snort. “I have said it long ago: the primary condition for elevating a coarse material to a divine artifact requires me to expend immense effort, which would cause the divine artifact Five Elements Ring to suffer a significant, albeit temporary, decline in power while it recovers. Thus, Elder He cannot be helped with this matter right now.”

Upon his outright refusal, He Yiming and the others felt no surprise. If he had agreed, they would have been foolish indeed.

Ma Yu was about to say more, but He Yiming quickly interjected, “Brother Ma, there is no need to trouble Brother Ao with this matter.”

Ao Minxing gave He Yiming a profound look, then turned and departed, vanishing within moments.

Ma Yu looked at He Yiming in astonishment. “Elder He, the right and wrong of today’s events are clear to everyone. Since you possess the strength to defeat Wei Jinshun, even if you couldn't extract the method for forging divine artifacts, you should at least have managed to extort a few powerful divine weapons from him.”

He Yiming paused, then made some inquiries, finally confirming a fact: the Five Elements Sect, once the foremost sect in the world, was incredibly wealthy. The treasures carried by Ao Minxing and Wei Jinshun were so numerous that even Ma Yu and the others felt a pang of envy.

Moments later, a smile touched He Yiming’s lips. “Thank you for your kind concern, Brother Ma, but since the Five Elements Ring is my life-bound divine weapon, any number of other divine artifacts would be useless to me.”

Ma Yu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded repeatedly. “Elder He speaks wisely. Martial cultivation values refinement over quantity; it is better to master one path than be mediocre in all. As long as Elder He can slowly temper the Five Elements Ring into a divine artifact, he will be able to traverse the world unchallenged.”

He Yiming maintained his smile, though his heart was churning with silent commentary.

A divine artifact like the Nine Dragon Furnace—even if it remained uselessly in his hands—he would never hand it over to another. Ma Yu’s efforts in this regard were clearly wasted.

He swept his gaze around, sensing the subtle shift in everyone’s attitude towards him. Even the hostility from the three Divine Path experts from the West had lessened considerably. He couldn't help but reflect deeply: this was a world where strength spoke loudest. Only by displaying absolute, overwhelming power could one earn genuine respect…

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