Edwin slowly stepped into the temple, and within the familiar structure, he saw a tall, imposing old man. Surrounding the elder was an intense surge of life essence that even made Edwin pause in awe.

Both men felt the pressure emanating from the other, and after a brief silence, they silently acknowledged one another.

“Venerable Lord Leoport,” Edwin bowed deeply, “Welcome back to our fold.”

Leoport waved a hand dismissively. “You went to the Divine Island in the Outer Sea.”

“I did.”

“And it was there you achieved your Divine Dao Realm.”

“Yes.”

Leoport hesitated for a moment, then finally spoke, “What did you encounter there?”

The legacy and secrets of the Divine Island were the most closely guarded confidences within the entire temple. Yet, in ten thousand years, Edwin was the sole person to have entered, and even Leoport could not fathom the opportunities he might have seized there.

Still, the very fact that Edwin had ascended from a mere Venerable to the Divine Dao Realm spoke volumes.

“My Lord, I encountered a powerful expert wearing a golden mask…”

Edwin recounted everything without reservation, holding nothing back, even admitting that he had inherited the expert’s knowledge and experience.

Finally, he produced the hexagonal diamond artifact of the Divine Dao, presenting it respectfully to Leoport, and further explained how this divine weapon could establish contact with the divine beast, the White Whale.

Leoport nodded in satisfaction. “Why do you trust me so completely?”

“Because I have witnessed too many Divine Dao experts in the Eastern World,” Edwin replied, detailing his challenge against He Yiming in the East, pointedly adding that this was the masked man’s wish.

Leoport’s expression immediately grew grave. He was not unfamiliar with He Yiming; in fact, he knew the man better than Edwin did.

In his mind, no matter how powerful Edwin had become, challenging He Yiming was certainly no simple undertaking.

After a long period of deep contemplation, he slowly said, “Since this is a challenge you initiated, you must secure victory by any means necessary.”

Edwin’s eyebrows lifted slightly, his face alight with spirit. “Respected Lord, Edwin will exert every fiber of his being and will not bring shame upon the temple again.”

Leoport waved his hand again, suddenly asking, “You mentioned He Yiming has a symbiotic divine beast by his side?”

“Yes, a white unicorn with immense lightning power,” Edwin stated honestly.

Leoport pondered for a long moment, then smiled. “I understand. You may go and rest now.” He paused. “Perhaps, your battle with him might yet result in victory.”

Edwin was momentarily taken aback but withdrew respectfully.

Leoport’s smile faded. After a moment’s consideration, a chilling light flickered in his eyes.

He rose slowly and proceeded to the chambers of Pope Lede, discussing matters with the current pontiff for a considerable time. Though Pope Lede appeared hesitant, under the firm insistence of the elder Pope, he finally yielded a reluctant agreement.

Following this, the two Popes walked deep into the temple. After passing through several subterranean palaces, they finally arrived at the most mysterious location within the entire structure.

Throughout the history of the temple, only two individuals were ever permitted entry here: the sitting Pope and the designated successor.

Beyond these two, even the average Holy Knight had no knowledge of this hidden place beneath the temple grounds.

They entered a vast, strange space where everything seemed suspended in time. Beneath a covering of pure light lay several sealed entities. For them, the passage of time had ceased to matter; they remained perfectly preserved, exactly as they were the moment they were interred.

When they emerged, Leoport held in his hand a massive, round object stretching over ten feet long.

Gazing at the object that had been sealed for a full six thousand years, a grim smile touched his lips.

A divine beast, you say…

We have ours in the West as well.

The two-month deadline passed in a blink. During this time, although He Yiming resided in the blessed cavern, he had not severed ties with the outside world. Jin Zhanyi, representing the Lingxiao Palace, remained steadfastly by He Yiming’s side within the blessed grounds.

Upon learning of He Yiming’s current condition, Mou Zilong and Bao Yanzhu were greatly relieved.

Two months later, Ao Minhang and Ao Borui invited He Yiming and his company to travel with them, while Wei Jinshun remained behind to guard the sect’s vital grounds.

Although the divine tree within the blessed cavern had recovered its optimal state, even showing signs of breakthrough, given the status of the Five Elements Sect, it was prudent to have a Divine Dao expert stationed there.

In the divine tree valley of the blessed grounds, Ao Borui maintained a calm demeanor, yet He Yiming could detect a subtle, barely discernible excitement in his eyes. Even with his status and self-control, he struggled to fully conceal the surging emotion of the moment.

He Yiming felt a pang of quiet envy; he perfectly understood what preoccupied Ao Borui’s thoughts.

The Divine Elixir Sap held no benefit for Pseudo-God Realm experts, meaning that if there were any spoils to be had this time, Ao Borui, as the only Void God Realm expert in the Five Elements Sect, would certainly be the greatest beneficiary.

Were he in Ao Borui’s position, He Yiming suspected he would already be impatient beyond measure, incapable of maintaining such mountain-like composure.

“Brother He, let us depart,” Ao Minhang nodded to them and swept his sleeve, ascending into the sky with Ao Borui.

Bao Zhu squealed twice, and its body suddenly swelled to over sixteen feet long.

In the nearly two years since ascending to the Divine Dao, although Bao Zhu remained lazy, its strength continued to grow rapidly. As its power increased, its physical size had also stretched by about one foot.

This was the inherent advantage of certain divine beasts—even spending their days sleeping yielded better results than others toiling day and night. Bao Zhu was undoubtedly one such creature.

He Yiming, White Horse Lightning, and One Hundred and Eight jumped onto Bao Zhu’s back. With a roar, it launched itself into the air, chasing after the two figures ahead.

Within the blessed cavern, countless witnesses watched this scene, their hearts filled with shock that lingered long after. In terms of sheer power, Bao Zhu might not surpass Pseudo-God experts like Wei Jinshun, but the sensation caused by the mere sight of a divine beast far exceeded that evoked by seeing a human Divine Dao expert.

This was precisely why every sect strove desperately to possess a guardian divine beast; even settling for a Holy Beast to adorn their facade was considered marginally acceptable.

After transforming into a Pig Dragon, Bao Zhu’s flying speed was actually far superior to that of human Divine Dao experts. In the sky, even White Horse Lightning could not match it.

In mere moments, Bao Zhu caught up to Ao Minhang and Ao Borui. Seeing the massive, majestic Pig Dragon, unconcealed envy and yearning flashed in the eyes of both Ao Minhang and Ao Borui.

He Yiming estimated that if he offered to trade Bao Zhu for the Divine Elixir Sap, Ao Minhang likely wouldn't refuse. Of course, to He Yiming, Bao Zhu held a status akin to family, and no terms could warrant an exchange.

“Brother Ao, come join us,” He Yiming invited cheerfully.

Ao Minhang hesitated slightly. “Would Brother Bao Zhu permit it?”

Bao Zhu lifted its head, opening a mouth large enough to swallow Ao Minhang whole, and let out a voice like thunder: “Just give me a Divine Fruit. Your speed is too slow.” It flicked its tail in dismissal.

Ao Minhang’s aged face reddened slightly, but he could do nothing about it. While human Divine Dao experts could fly, their speed simply could not compare to that of these divine beasts.

After agreeing to Bao Zhu’s terms, the two men climbed onto the giant beast’s body, marveling at the unparalleled velocity.

Under Ao Minhang’s direction, Bao Zhu’s speed increased even further. In just two hours, they had flown out of the continent and arrived over the vast, boundless ocean.

Once they reached the sea, even Ao Minhang’s guidance on direction became noticeably slower.

After another two hours of slow progress, just as they reached the Outer Sea, Ao Minhang’s eyes suddenly lit up, and he called for them to stop.

He Yiming looked closely; beneath them was a rugged island. It wasn't particularly large; even the entire landmass wouldn't exceed several dozen acres.

Under He Yiming’s gaze, a mixture of anticipation and suspicion, they landed on the island.

Ao Minhang nodded slightly, finding a relatively flat spot in the island's center, and took out several items from his person.

Ao Borui waved his hands, manipulating the power of Heaven and Earth into a large broom that swept the ground clean of all debris.

Moments later, the area was perfectly level. Then, Ao Minhang and Ao Borui laid out the items they had brought. Their movements were practiced and fluid, clearly honed through countless rehearsals.

A full hour later, Ao Minhang completed the final step.

As they stepped away, an esoteric array diagram materialized above the island. He Yiming’s eyes widened; he stared intensely at the formation, as if trying to etch every line into his memory. Yet, he knew that without the corresponding Divine Dao scripture, memorizing every step would never unlock its true mystery.

Taking a deep breath, He Yiming finally spoke: “Brother Ao, is this the legendary Divine Dao Teleportation Array Diagram?”

Ao Minhang laughed heartily, his gaze holding an ineffable air of pride. Even in the era of the Divine Dao, those who understood how to set up such an array were rare exceptions. Now, five millennia later, in this age of dwindling Divine Dao power, perhaps only he could construct such an advanced formation.

“Brother He has keen eyes. It is indeed the Divine Dao Teleportation Array Diagram.”