It seemed the Divine Dragon could sense that He Yiming was tempted. The Dragon continued, "You have many enemies here. If none of us can leave, those people might hesitate to move against you. But if we all manage to depart, you should really consider how they will react."

He Yiming lowered his gaze slightly. "Thank you for the reminder, venerable one. However, I still have a few matters I wish to inquire about."

"Ask away," the Divine Dragon replied readily.

"I once heard that once reinforcements from the death creatures arrive, the lair will be completely filled with them—to the point of being overwhelming," He Yiming raised his head, his eyes fixed keenly on the Dragon. "How do you intend to infiltrate there?"

"Simple enough, we just burrow underground," the Divine Dragon stated casually.

He Yiming’s face visibly paled. He retorted with indignation, "Lord Divine Dragon, perhaps you haven't clashed with them directly in a long time, but I assure you, the ground beneath that place is absolutely riddled with even more death creatures."

The Divine Dragon glanced at him with interest. "Don't worry. I have dealt with them here for hundreds of years; I certainly know more than you do. As long as we tunnel deeper than they are, we will be fine."

He Yiming opened his mouth, half-believing, half-skeptical. Could dealing with those terrifying entities really be that simple?

"Rest assured, since I am accompanying you, I will not lead you to harm," the Divine Dragon comforted. "Within your Five Elements Space, you also possess the Divine Artifact of the Western Divine Path, the Eye of Light and Shadow. With that item, we should easily approach undetected."

He Yiming managed a wry smile. "Lord Divine Dragon, I have already tested the Eye of Light and Shadow. While this Divine Artifact can deceive most death creatures, it is useless against mutated monsters; we cannot hide from them at all."

The Divine Dragon paused noticeably. "The Eye of Light and Shadow cannot deceive the mutated monsters?"

"That is correct," He Yiming affirmed without hesitation. He dared not be careless on this crucial point.

The Divine Dragon pondered for a moment. "Very well. Leave those mutated monsters to me. I will handle them."

He Yiming’s brow furrowed slightly. Although he wasn't sure why the Dragon was so confident, after witnessing the Dragon's true power, He Yiming had considerable faith in it.

"Alright, I agree to your terms," He Yiming said after careful consideration. "But let me state clearly first: you must help me refine the Five Elements Ring into a Divine Artifact, and you must hand over the corresponding cultivation insights to me first."

The Divine Dragon lowered its massive head. "You don't trust me?"

Though the Dragon's words were utterly calm, carrying no apparent threat, He Yiming inexplicably felt an immense pressure, so powerful it seemed capable of crushing him flat.

Taking a deep breath, He Yiming forcibly suppressed the shock within him. He smiled faintly and shook his head. "You have misunderstood, Lord Divine Dragon. Of course, I would never doubt your promise. But as you know, I am merely a novice in the Void God Realm, virtually defenseless before you. And once we reach that place besieged by countless monsters, if we are discovered by accident, I might end up becoming a burden to you. That is why I wish to enhance my own strength as much as possible, striving not to weigh you down."

The Divine Dragon let out a soft chuckle. "Very well, seeing as you are so considerate, I shall agree to your terms."

Only then did He Yiming truly set his mind at ease. He had resolved beforehand that if the Divine Dragon refused, he would never agree to go, no matter the benefits. Since the Dragon had agreed, his own chances seemed significantly better.

The Divine Dragon extended a massive claw and swept lightly across the sky. The empty space instantly fractured, revealing a dark, gaping fissure, from which a Divine Dao Book tumbled down.

He Yiming’s eyelids twitched several times. He instinctively reached out and caught the book. However, the reverence in his gaze toward the Divine Dragon intensified.

The Divine Abilities this Dragon possessed were far beyond his comprehension.

He lowered his head, using the act of flipping through the Divine Dao Book to mask the shock in his heart. After a moment, his focus sharpened entirely onto the book.

It was indeed a text detailing cultivation insights. It contained no detailed manuals on techniques, but it described clearly how to cultivate, along with the sensations and signs that followed practice.

He Yiming kept his eyes half-closed, but the sliver of exposed eye grew brighter, and his excitement mounted.

"You may take it and study it slowly," the Divine Dragon's voice resonated directly in his mind. "But for now, you had best finish preparing your items. I will forge the Five Elements Ring for you tomorrow."

He Yiming immediately withdrew his consciousness from the Divine Dao Book and bowed respectfully to the Dragon. "Understood." He took a few steps back, then abruptly paused. "Lord Divine Dragon, does the Five Elements Sect know that this book exists in your possession?"

"Of course not," the Divine Dragon stated as a matter of course. "I cannot pass this book down until a divine being with the Five Elements Body appears among their disciples."

He Yiming nodded slowly, a flicker of unease rising in his heart. If the Five Elements Sect learned that he possessed this item, they would likely become even more frenzied in their attempts to seize it.

Bowing slightly to the Divine Dragon, He Yiming flew into the distance. After traveling a few miles, he spotted Liu Mu, Mou Zilong, Di Shitian, and the others waiting for him.

When they saw He Yiming, a look of relief flashed in their eyes. He Yiming nodded slightly to them and selectively recounted his conversation with the Divine Dragon. Naturally, the parts he emphasized the most were the Dragon's promise to help forge the Divine Artifact Five Elements Ring and the imminent, perilous journey to the death creatures' stronghold.

As for the possibility of the passage closing, He Yiming mentioned nothing.

Whether this endeavor succeeded or failed, it was not a secret to be revealed at this moment. If everyone knew they weren't truly without a way out, the likely result would be a total collapse of morale.

After consulting with the group, Liu Mu, Bao Yanzhu, and Mou Zilong all wore grim expressions. Although He Yiming had confidently stated that the Divine Dragon would accompany him, the three remained deeply worried.

Seeing their expressions, He Yiming felt even more apprehensive about the power of the death creatures.

However, since He Yiming had agreed, he naturally possessed a degree of confidence. Otherwise, no matter how great the benefits offered by the Divine Dragon, he would not have accepted.

※※※※

Sitting alone on the sandy ground, He Yiming watched five-colored light flicker like fireflies in his hand.

Others assumed he was practicing his Five Elements Divine Power, but what they didn't know was that He Yiming had poured his entire spiritual focus into the Nine Dragon Furnace.

The nine colossal fire dragons inside the furnace were no longer as arrogant as before. Upon sensing He Yiming's spiritual intent, they simultaneously projected their own wills.

Nine distinct wills, yet each one was equally formidable, with no single will inferior to his own.

At this point, He Yiming was certain that if he fought in an area rich with heavenly power, the Nine Dragons emerging from the furnace could force even Pseudo-God Realm experts to retreat in fear.

Ma Yu had once claimed that if he wielded the Nine Dragon Furnace, he could contend against Ao Minxing, who possessed the Divine Artifact Five Elements Ring. While this statement might have been slightly exaggerated, it spoke volumes about the furnace's might.

If a Pseudo-God Realm expert used the Nine Dragon Furnace, the flame power they could unleash would increase by more than double from nothing. Although this couldn't compare to the five-fold divine power amplification of the Five Elements Ring, it was still extremely rare among Divine Artifacts.

After all, once a human advanced to the Divine Path, they wielded the true might of heaven and earth. To obtain several multiples of amplification for such power was rare, even among Divine Artifacts.

The nine massive wills and nine wisps of smaller power intertwined around him.

He Yiming dared not be slack. He first greeted the nine massive wills, then gently soothed the nine smaller fire dragons one by one. Although, deep down, the relationship between these nine small dragons and him was even more intimate, their strength was too weak; they needed to be slowly nurtured within the furnace.

Transmitting his intent again, he slowly engaged in direct communication with the nine fire dragons.

In He Yiming's perception, his intent seemed to divide into nine portions, yet simultaneously remain whole—a sensation so bizarre it nearly caused him dizziness.

However, his spiritual intent was ultimately honed to the extreme, and after a period of adaptation, it settled back into complete calm.

He first conveyed his intention, using the power of his will to inquire if they were willing to venture out for a flight.

To He Yiming's delight, the nine fire dragons, which he had been utterly unable to mobilize in the Human Dao Realm, exhibited a fiercely eager spirit. Having acknowledged He Yiming’s status, they all transmitted an impulse of impatience to break free from the furnace.

From disdain to eagerness—this was the difference between the Human Dao and the Divine Dao, a difference that struck him profoundly.

Having understood the desires of the nine fire dragons within the Nine Dragon Furnace, He Yiming let go of half his worries. He hesitated for a moment, then transmitted his specific plan into the furnace.

This time, the nine massive fire dragons stirred within the furnace space with decisive enthusiasm; they actually seemed to be rolling happily in the flames.

He Yiming's eyes shone faintly. His intent body withdrew from the Nine Dragon Furnace.

Gazing into the distance, the Divine Dragon still guarded the entrance to the passage, yet He Yiming’s heart was filled with both excitement and apprehension.

Tomorrow, he hoped everything would go smoothly...