At the gateway leading back to their homelands, every single expert of the Divine Dao echelon had assembled. For those elders among the Divine Dao experts, this was the closest they had been to this location in several centuries.

Prior to this moment, a Divine Dragon had always been stationed here, having made a solemn pact with all the established Divine Dao experts: during the year this passage was open, no one, under any pretext, was permitted to approach this place. This agreement was voluntarily upheld by every expert of the Divine Dao, as they understood that if anyone were to break this vow and return to their homeland, regardless of whether that individual ever left again, a fundamental shift in their state of mind would occur—a shift that would certainly not bode well for any of them.

Although the Divine Dragon was mighty, it could not defy the will of all the Divine Dao experts combined. The reason this pact endured, even causing some experts nearing the end of their lifespan and facing imminent demise not to return home, was purely due to their dedicated adherence to this understanding.

They had all witnessed the terror of the death creatures and understood their unparalleled aggression; they knew that if this defensive line fell, utter annihilation would await their homelands. Just as it had been for this very world—destruction so complete.

No one wished to see this sight, regardless of where they were born or which faction they represented, yet at this moment, they all made the same choice. Atonement.

This was the self-redemption of the veteran powerhouses; they were atoning for opening this passage. Thus, at this time, whether it was the three powerhouses from the West, or Ao Minxing and Liu Mu and the others, although their gazes held a trace of anticipation and regret, not a single person dared to enter the passage while the Divine Dragon was absent.

In contrast, the minds of those newly advanced Divine Dao experts were far more complicated. Since their arrival, they had all been forcibly detained by the Divine Dragon, whether willingly or not.

Even though they had now successfully advanced to the Divine Dao, the thought that they would be eternally confined here filled them with an indescribable feeling. However, under the watchful eyes of so many, entering the passage became even more impossible.

Even Ji Mohan Shu, renowned for mastering movement techniques that allowed him to roam the heavens, dared not attempt it. After all, the experts in the Pseudo-God realm stationed here were not just for show; if he tried to enter the passage, these individuals certainly would not turn a blind eye and ignore the transgression.

A long, drawn-out sigh captured everyone’s attention. Ao Minxing withdrew his gaze from the passage and spoke, "Esteemed colleagues, Brother Divine Dragon has remained here steadfastly for hundreds of years, yet this time he has suddenly departed.

What are your thoughts on this?" The newly ascended Divine Dao experts all kept silent, understanding that Ao Minxing was addressing the veteran experts. The grievances and history between the Divine Dragon and the veterans were matters in which these newcomers could not possibly participate.

Leopold’s gaze shifted. "Sect Master Ao, perhaps this question should be directed to Mr.

He. He left alongside Brother Divine Dragon." Ao Minxing sneered inwardly, knowing that the Western Temple and He Yiming were already locked in mortal conflict, which was why Leopold would seize any opportunity to undermine and provoke.

Nevertheless, even recognizing this manipulation, his own animosity toward He Yiming deepened slightly. Liu Mu chuckled.

"Leopold, why don't you go ask him yourself?" Just as Leopold was about to retort, his eyebrows suddenly twitched, and he looked toward the distance. In that direction, the previously surging power of the Heaven and Earth suddenly weakened.

This was not a gradual decline, but an abrupt plummet from its peak. The speed of this change was enough to shock everyone present.

Just as a person slowly descending a mountain path goes unnoticed, a person jumping directly from the summit would immediately draw massive attention. At this moment, the rapid transition of the distant Heaven and Earth power from immense strength to rapid decline naturally filled them with profound surprise.

The group exchanged glances. Ao Minxing stated firmly, "Regardless of the change, we shall meet unexpected developments with steadfast constancy." His expression was grave, and Leopold and the others fell silent.

These veteran Divine Dao experts had endured countless terrifying experiences and knew that facing a near-infinite number of death creatures, only unified cooperation could truly eliminate them. Any internal strife at this juncture would lead only to a dead end.

The Pseudo-God realm experts began moving outward proactively. Ao Minxing, Ma Yu, Liu Mu, Leopold, and Luke implicitly divided the perimeter outside the passage into five sectors.

The four divine beasts, including the Two-Winged White Tiger, slowly moved to positions among them and crouched down. Although their demeanor appeared relaxed, not a single divine beast’s eyes betrayed any carelessness.

Di Shitian and the others exchanged glances; the positions taken by these veteran Divine Dao experts clearly showed they were prepared—evidently, they possessed extensive experience dealing with these death creatures and had devised the optimal countermeasures. Wei Jinshun hesitated for a moment before stepping between Ao Minxing and Liu Mu; this was the only section without a divine beast stationed.

However, even though Wei Jinshun had advanced to the Pseudo-God realm, he had not yet consolidated his cultivation, meaning he could not truly compare with those divine beasts yet. "Bo Rui, you newcomers will join Elder Wei to handle the monsters on this side," Ao Minxing commanded, turning back seriously.

Ao Borui and the few other newcomers dared not delay, lining up neatly behind Wei Jinshun. Despite the large number of people present, the newcomers felt the most uneasy.

In contrast, they knew that even if they worked together, they might not necessarily be able to overcome the other Pseudo-God realm experts and those few divine beasts. Mou Zilong, Yuan Juan, Bao Yanzhu, and Sydney did not approach the central group but instead took positions at four distinct corners.

With a sweep of their wrists, hundreds of mutated Thunderstrike Spears immediately materialized on the ground. Seeing how gravely serious they were, the anxiety among Ao Borui and the others intensified.

However, once everyone had settled into their positions, they calmly sat down. In the next moment, they sat as if in deep meditation, some even closing their eyes to conserve energy.

Ao Borui and Di Shitian exchanged looks, a trace of bitterness showing on their faces. But moments later, they too calmed themselves, sitting silently in place, quietly awaiting the imminent battle.

Time slowly passed. The area grew increasingly still.

Apart from the ceaseless sound of the wind, there was barely even the sound of breathing. Although these Divine Dao experts had not deliberately concealed or controlled their breathing, when they sat in quiet focus, such sounds were virtually imperceptible.

Suddenly, a streak of crimson light flashed across the distant sky, and an overwhelming wave of fire element power surged toward them. Ma Yu and Yuan Juan’s expressions shifted slightly.

They both practiced fire-element cultivation techniques, and at this moment, they could keenly sense the profound strength of the fire power emanating from this individual. The couple exchanged a glance, having already guessed the reason for such immense fire energy possessed by the approaching person.

Yet, the stronger this power seemed, the more intense their longing for the Nine Dragon Furnace became. If someone cultivating only five elements could unleash the fire element power of the Nine Dragon Furnace to this extent, how much more formidable would it be for those of them who specialized solely in fire techniques?

He Yiming’s figure seemed to pause momentarily in mid-air before descending. Although the blazing domain surrounding him had largely dissipated, after several days enveloped in fierce flames, it was not easy to disperse the heat completely in a short time.

After all, this power was not something he had cultivated himself, but immense energy derived from a divine artifact, so he could not wield it with perfect fluidity. "Everyone, has Lord Divine Dragon not yet returned?" He Yiming asked, though he already knew the answer.

He had waited there for three days and three nights, even managing to burn down the lair of that massive monster, yet the Divine Dragon had still not returned. Without the monster's nest, the might of the Nine Dragon Furnace could not be sustained for long.

Though he had slain countless death creatures besieging it, the remainder were still capable of devouring him until not a trace was left. Thus, he had to hastily retrieve the core and flee.

If those death creatures had reacted fully, escape would have likely been difficult. "Brother He, Brother Divine Dragon has not returned," Ma Yu stated gravely.

His gaze swept over He Yiming, a flicker of envy passing through before he soberly continued, "Brother Divine Dragon has guarded this place for hundreds of years without leaving. Why did he choose to take the risk of incinerating the monster's nest this time?" The whereabouts of the Divine Dragon and He Yiming were not secrets, but the issue was that no one could comprehend why the Divine Dragon had chosen to act in such a manner.

He Yiming shook his head, feigning ignorance. "I don't know either, but this was Lord Divine Dragon's decision, and I dared not disobey." Liu Mu sighed lightly.

"I also don't know what Brother Divine Dragon was thinking. But wherever they went, they must have killed many monsters.

Look, not a single creature has come here to sacrifice itself yet." Those with rich experience slowly nodded. In the past, there were never such calm interludes.

Gazing into the distance, a sudden speck of red seemed to shimmer there. For a trace of red to be faintly visible amidst this expanse of yellow terrain indicated a disturbance of no small magnitude.

It seemed the fire unleashed by the Divine Dragon and He Yiming was truly extraordinary. "Brother Divine Dragon separated from you," Ao Minxing suddenly inquired.

He Yiming nodded calmly. "Lord Divine Dragon encountered a floating object.

I don't know what means it employed, but he vanished together with that thing." "A floating object?" Ao Minxing questioned, baffled. "What is that?" "It is an unimaginably colossal monster," He Yiming said, his expression tightening as he elaborated.

"This monster hovered overhead, and countless smaller monsters flew down from it. It blotted out the sky; it was vast beyond measure." The faces of Ao Minxing and the other veteran Divine Dao experts changed, and an aura of danger began to emanate from them.

Ps: Last week of the month, seeking monthly tickets and tomorrow's recommendation votes...