My consciousness seemed to slowly surface from the abyss. The moment Edwin opened his eyes, he was met with a blinding golden radiance.

This was the light of the Isle of Gods—an boundless glow that enveloped the entire expanse, within which the infinite, encroaching fog surrounding the periphery could not penetrate even an iota.

Cracking his neck, Edwin knew he had arrived at the legendary Isle of Gods, yet a wave of bewilderment washed over him. He had come here solely in obedience to the final words of His Majesty Franklin, but he possessed no knowledge of the secrets concealed within this place.

In truth, it wasn't just him; even His Majesty Franklin had been unaware of what mysteries lay hidden here.

It was merely recorded in a single sentence within the highest divine canon of the Temple: When the Temple or the Western World faces its most dire peril, a Venerable may be dispatched into the Outer Sea, bearing the Six-Horned Divine Weapon as a guide, to seek out the Isle of Gods.

This was a record dating back to the very founding of the Ancient Temple.

Yet, across ten millennia, the Temple stood unyielding, an unshakeable pillar in the West, never once wavering or decaying.

Furthermore, throughout the ages, while battles with the Eastern World never yielded any significant advantage, neither did they result in absolute disadvantage. Consequently, the Temple had never once resorted to this ultimate measure.

But following the recent conflict with He Yiming, not only had two peak Human Dao experts from the West perished, but the Temple itself had suffered its gravest injury in history. Thus, they were forced to deploy this final trump card, passed down for ten thousand years.

Slowly rising from the **, Edwin was certain he had been brought here by someone. He distinctly remembered collapsing on the beach before losing consciousness, not waking upon this soft, luxurious bed.

Since someone else was present, it implied that the purpose of his journey might actually be achieved.

He stretched his limbs and was astonished to find that the exhaustion plaguing him had completely vanished after a single sleep. A flicker of joyous light danced in his eyes. Drifting on the ocean for months, particularly navigating the dense fog for the final month, had pushed him to the absolute limit of physical and spiritual fatigue.

Under normal circumstances, recovery would require months of dedicated recuperation.

This was because the drain was not merely physical, but predominantly mental weariness.

Yet now, after just one sleep, he was entirely restored. Not only did his body surge with immense power, vibrant and energetic, reaching his peak state, but even his spirit, which should have been utterly listless, felt refreshed and brimming with absolute confidence.

He even harbored the distinct feeling that if his most formidable rival in the West, Glinton, were to appear before him right now, he could achieve victory with one hundred percent certainty in this current condition.

Taking a deep breath, he approached the chamber door. After a moment's hesitation, he gently pulled it open.

Outside, it was still bathed in a golden radiance, though this light was incredibly soft, entirely lacking any harsh glare.

Suddenly, a figure emerged from the sea of golden light, moving as if draped in a magnificent, flowing golden cloak, pacing with steady steps directly toward him.

Edwin’s jaw dropped in astonishment. The person before him wore a golden mask, completely obscuring any view of their true features.

Sensing slightly, he was even more taken aback to realize that this individual exhibited absolutely no leakage of aura. Were it not for a faint, almost imperceptible trace of life force surrounding them, Edwin would have suspected he was facing a dead man.

He dared not show disrespect; any individual appearing here, regardless of their mastery of martial arts, was someone absolutely not to be offended.

"Honored Sir, greetings," Edwin performed the most sacred salutation of the Temple, bowing respectfully. "I am Edwin, a Paladin from the Western Temple."

A light, ethereal voice, seemingly emanating from some distant, nebulous space, resonated from behind the mask.

"I know you."

"You... know me?" Edwin asked, utterly bewildered.

Throughout the entire Western World, he and Glinton of the Dark Council were indeed famous, their renown comparable to that of the Twin Demons of Qilian in the East during the Golden Campaign.

But such fame was merely spread among the younger generation; even Grand Venerable level experts might not pay them much mind, let alone someone on the millennia-old Isle of Gods. Edwin, despite his self-regard, was not arrogant enough to believe this of himself.

"I know your name, Edwin, and I know your purpose for being here," the masked figure continued. "It is truly unimaginable that the Western World has fallen to this degree."

Edwin’s complexion immediately flushed slightly; his pride had suffered a severe blow. Yet, he knew the masked figure spoke the absolute truth; the overall strength of the West was indeed far inferior to the East at present.

The masked figure lowered their head and spoke softly, "The Five Elements power of the Eastern World is indeed not to be underestimated, but the strength of our Western World is not theirs to lightly insult." After a pause, they inquired quietly, "Do you wish for revenge? Do you wish to reclaim the honor you have lost?"

Their voice was gentle yet possessed a peculiar charisma that instantly stirred Edwin’s emotions.

The young Venerable lifted his head, his chest puffed out, swearing with the loudest voice he could muster: "Honored Excellency, I desire vengeance; I seek justice for the Temple."

Edwin did not understand why he became so agitated; he only felt that upon hearing the other's words, if he didn't roar out the deepest truth of his heart, he would suffer such distress that he’d wish to self-mutilate.

The masked person's voice seemed not to resonate in his ears, but directly within his mind, within his very soul.

"If you seek vengeance, you must increase your power," the masked figure stated. "I can grant you strength, but the process will be excruciatingly painful. Whether you can endure it depends entirely on your own fortitude."

Joy erupted in Edwin’s heart. He immediately bent over deeply, bowing low. "Thank you, Excellency. Edwin will not fail your expectations."

The masked figure chuckled darkly. "You do not need to thank me. I can tell you this: if you fail to withstand the power I bestow, the consequence awaiting you will not merely be physical death; even your soul will dissipate. Are you still so certain now?"

Edwin’s expression shifted subtly. In the Western World, especially within the Temple and the Dark Council, they held a pious reverence for the human soul. Countless believed that while the mortal body must succumb to inevitable aging and death, the soul would not; upon death, souls would ascend to Heaven or descend to Hell, surviving for eons. However, if a soul were to dissipate, it would vanish into nothingness, ceasing to exist entirely. Edwin was undoubtedly a firm believer in this doctrine.

After a moment of contemplation, he abruptly asked, "Esteemed Excellency, how... how do you know my name and my purpose?"

"You told me."

"I? When did I tell you?" Even racking his brain until it ached, Edwin could not recall ever uttering such a thing.

"Your soul told me."

The masked figure laughed softly, a sound possessing a quality that seemed capable of directly touching another's soul.

Edwin’s eyes widened, filled with incredulous horror.

However, shortly thereafter, under the masked figure’s steady gaze, Edwin drew a deep breath, and his wildly beating heart finally settled.

"Esteemed Excellency, I am willing to accept your power. Please..." He slowly knelt down, his forehead touching the ground in utmost piety. "Grant me your strength."

The masked figure nodded in satisfaction. They extended a hand, and suddenly, a brilliant golden human shape coalesced within it.

It was a phantom figure, an entity of consciousness condensed from divine thought.

The masked figure flicked their wrist, and the phantom image immediately merged into Edwin’s forehead.

The next instant, Edwin's body began to tremble violently; his muscles spasmed uncontrollably. Suddenly, he leaped up, letting out a scream of such agonizing torment that it was heart-rending.

The sound carried far and wide, chilling anyone who heard it to the bone.

Yet, the masked figure seemed utterly unconcerned. They slowly turned their head, murmuring to themselves, "The power of Heaven and Earth is beginning to recover. What is happening? This brat has truly good fortune; with this dense Heaven and Earth energy, provided he can withstand my mental inheritance, he can step onto the Divine Path."

A chilling laugh echoed amidst Edwin’s screams, weaving together into a profoundly bizarre symphony.

"The Eastern World? Heh heh, only the power of the West is true eternity..."

The power of Heaven and Earth slowly began to restore itself across the world. Starting from the Northern Sea, it took only a month to spread throughout the entire globe, and this energy continued to grow unchecked.

The entire world underwent incredible transformations due to this sudden shift.

In the human realms, countless individuals experienced advancements in their cultivation levels within a single year. Everyone felt that the path of cultivation had become remarkably easier.

However, the vast majority of humanity remained oblivious to the fact that within the Eastern and Western Worlds, in the Inner and Outer Seas, and in places untouched by civilization, several colossal auras were piercing toward the heavens.

These few, yet numerous, auras stirred massive fluctuations in the Heaven and Earth energy, which, having just recovered, now surged like a tide toward these locations.

Most of these hidden presences were entirely unknown; were it not for the upheaval in the world’s energy, perhaps no one would ever have known