With a flick of his wrist, Ao Minhang produced a splash of multicolored light. Only when this light somewhat subsided did the assembled crowd clearly see that an exquisitely crafted Five Elements Ring now rested in his hand.

He Yiming’s eyes brightened slightly. Having known Ao Minhang for several years, he had only ever seen him employ this divine weapon within the Land of Death.

Yet, it was clear that every time Ao Minhang used the Five Elements Ring, he held back, never unleashing its utmost power, meaning no one truly knew the extent of its formidable might. At this moment, the imposing aura surging from Ao Minhang had reached an intensely powerful level; even standing near him made one feel somewhat unsteady.

Ao Minhang’s voice was grave in the extreme: “Brother He, to open the Crystal Palace gates, only our inherent Five Elements divine power can be used; we cannot draw upon the external power of heaven and earth. When you lend your assistance shortly, please remember this.” He Yiming paused briefly, then nodded solemnly.

So there was such a requirement. He truly couldn't fathom the mindset of the ancient Ancestor of Five Elements.

The greatest distinction between a Divine Path expert and a Mortal Path expert lay in their command over the forces of heaven and earth. Without access to that power, while Divine Path experts were still vastly superior to Mortal Path masters, they would lose the arrogant might and inherent strength that made all beneath the Divine Path seem like mere ants.

Thus, he privately disapproved of this mandate from the Ancestor of Five Elements. Ao Minhang was naturally unaware of his internal critique of the sect’s patriarch.

He was now completely focused, pouring his divine power into the Five Elements Ring without reservation. “Buzz, buzz, buzz…” A rapid and crisp resonance erupted from the Five Elements Ring, and waves of massive aura permeated outward, filling the entire cavern with this overwhelming force of the Five Elements.

He Yiming and the others looked around, deeply astonished. Ao Minhang had not deliberately restrained his divine power release.

With the strength of his Pseudo-God Realm cultivation, even without gathering the power of heaven and earth, the resulting might was considerable. Going all out, the result would certainly not be inferior to the Heavenly Might unleashed by an ordinary expert.

However, this cavern was unimaginably solid. Even the impact of these powerful energy currents failed to make the cave shift in the slightest.

He Yiming secretly envied this. The mystery and fortitude of this undersea island likely surpassed even the Divine Tree of the Ten Thousand Tree Valley.

The Ancestor of Five Elements must have truly earned his renown for finding so many excellent locations and preserving them for his descendants. Ao Minhang moved to the exact center of the cavern floor.

He slowly raised his gaze, extended a finger, and the Five Elements Ring floated upward. Watching the ring, shimmering with mystical light as it ascended toward the ceiling, the expressions of the onlookers shifted.

Only then did they realize that the ceiling of the cavern was a single, massive slab of raw stone, smooth as a mirror. The sheer size of this monolithic stone filled them with awe.

Engraved upon this raw stone was an array diagram radiating an aura of infinite antiquity. This diagram was esoteric and complex, seeming far more intricate than a standard Divine Path teleportation array.

The study of Array Diagrams, even in the former age of the Divine Path, was an exceptionally profound discipline. It represented the ultimate technique in harnessing the power of heaven and earth; when deployed correctly, a completed array could manifest power comparable to that of a Divine Path expert.

This was, in fact, the only force in the world capable of opposing a Divine Path expert. However, to master this knowledge required not only extraordinary mathematical talent but also formidable martial cultivation.

This field relied heavily on the transmission of established knowledge systems; without decades or even centuries of dedicated study, achieving mastery was impossible. Furthermore, over the past five millennia, due to the extreme scarcity of heaven and earth power, the majority of arrays had lost their divine efficacy, or at best, were operating at drastically reduced efficiencies.

During these years, the art of array diagramming had declined to its lowest ebb, with almost no one bothering to dedicate effort to its study. Therefore, when He Yiming and the others looked up and saw the array diagram etched on the cavern roof, they were all blank, completely ignorant of what divine secret technique this might be.

He Yiming’s eyes flickered, and he focused his voice into a thin, direct line: “Brother Bai, have you ever seen this array diagram?” Bai Lingba shook his head without hesitation. He Yiming sighed internally, but considering Bai Lingba’s background, it seemed unlikely he would have encountered such esoteric knowledge.

The Five Elements Ring finally reached its apex, settling firmly into a depression at the very center. “Boom…” A faint sound seemed to emanate from deep within the mountain wall, and the entire structure appeared to tremble slightly.

He Yiming and the others exchanged glances, suspecting they might have misheard. Ao Minhang gave a sharp cry.

The hands he held aloft radiated a uniform, multicolored light, which poured out like a torrential waterfall, flowing ceaselessly into the Five Elements Ring. As vast quantities of Five Elements power poured in, the light on the ring grew brighter and more dazzling.

“Boom… Boom…” Successive, heavy concussions echoed faintly from within the cave, one wave following another, building in intensity. Suddenly, Ao Minhang shouted fiercely: “He Yiming, now!” He Yiming, who had been poised for action, dared not hesitate.

He raised both hands, and a massive, solid pillar of multicolored radiance shot straight up, instantly merging into the Five Elements Ring on the stone wall. Only one Five Elements Ring could be slotted into the ceiling of this cavern, but under Ao Minhang’s manipulation, this single ring could accept the Five Elements power released by different individuals.

As the colossal power surged forth, He Yiming’s expression shifted slightly. He had to admit that Ao Minhang’s skill, as a veteran Pseudo-God Realm expert, was far superior to his own.

Neither the might of the Five Elements Ring nor Ao Minhang’s personal power was within his current reach. This primary nexus of the Five Elements Ring must have been condensed sometime after the Ancestor of Five Elements vanished.

With several millennia of cultivation and refinement, the power of the ring’s core was immense, and its absorption speed for peak Five Elements power was nothing short of frantic. Even with He Yiming giving his all without reservation, the peak power he could release per unit of time only satisfied one-quarter of the ring’s demand.

The remaining three-quarters came entirely from the Five Elements power flowing from Ao Minhang. It was only then that He Yiming understood why Ao Minhang had insisted on seeking his help, regardless of the cost.

While Wei Jinshun and Ao Borui were also Divine Path experts, they had not cultivated the Five Elements simultaneously. Within the entire Five Elements Sect, perhaps a few disciples cultivated four elements, and with time, they could be trained into acquired Five Elements bodies.

But tragically, none among them had reached the level of a Divine Path master. Mortal Path experts were utterly unqualified to even stand here, let alone assist Ao Minhang.

This was the domain of the Divine Path; Ao Minhang had no choice but to humble himself and request his aid. The sounds emanating from the mountain wall grew louder, eventually resembling rolling thunder.

Moreover, the group felt as if the sound was drawing steadily closer. With a roar, Ao Minhang bellowed, and the multicolored light on his body erupted violently.

Almost simultaneously, the same brilliant, dazzling multicolored light burst forth from He Yiming. At this moment, both men had pushed themselves to their absolute limits, holding nothing back whatsoever.

Ao Borui’s face was intensely solemn; his heart was churning with anxiety. Among everyone present, his excitement was arguably the most acute, surpassing even that of He Yiming and Ao Minhang.

Finally, a sharp, clear report echoed from the ceiling. The multicolored light flowing around the Five Elements Ring swiftly spread along the engravings, covering the entire stone wall.

In an instant, the entire wall began to emit a blinding radiance. Ao Minhang and He Yiming simultaneously let out a breath of relief, the multicolored light on their hands slowly dimming.

The Five Elements Ring on the ceiling, which resembled a black vortex, finally ceased absorbing divine power. He Yiming gasped for air, looking at Ao Minhang, who was not much better off.

A sudden thought struck him: “Brother Ao, is opening the Crystal Palace gates always this arduous for you?” Ao Minhang stared at him in astonishment, then let out a wry laugh. “Brother He mocks me.

While opening the Crystal Palace gates is difficult, typically, a single expert in the Void God Realm possessing a Five Elements Body, holding the Five Elements Ring, is enough to accomplish it.” He Yiming pointed upward, his expression laced with suspicion. Ao Minhang gave a bitter smile.

“Brother He, you are unaware. The array diagram set by the Old Ancestor was unparalleled in its subtlety.

If the Crystal Palace gate were opened every century, there would be little difficulty. But if it remains unopened, the difficulty of opening it increases with every century that passes.

After our group entered the Land of Death, no one knew of this place again. It has been a full five thousand years since it was last opened.” He sighed deeply.

“That we managed to open it successfully this time is purely due to sheer luck.” He Yiming finally understood. He shifted his gaze and tentatively inquired, “Brother Ao, as I recall, the Divine Dragon Lord also possesses a Five Elements Body.

Wouldn't seeking its assistance allow you to open it with ease?” Ao Minhang looked at him strangely for a long moment before finally stating, “Though Brother Divine Dragon is powerful, he is not the guardian beast of our sect.” He Yiming frowned, thinking to himself, Nor am I a member of the Five Elements Sect. However, looking at Ao Minhang’s expression, which seemed half-smile and half-cautious, he suddenly realized.

Ao Minhang was clearly wary of the Divine Dragon’s terrifying strength, fearing that if the Dragon learned of this place, it would forcibly seize the Divine Medicine Elixir. In contrast, He Yiming’s strength was far inferior to the Dragon’s, meaning Ao Minhang could easily manage him even if ill intentions arose.

Therefore, if there was even a slight possibility, Ao Minhang would absolutely not ask the Divine Dragon for help. He let out a soft scoff.

Though slightly displeased, He Yiming was not so arrogant as to believe he could actually contend with the Divine Dragon. Directly ahead, a rumbling sound suddenly erupted, and one of the stone walls slowly parted, revealing a dark, bottomless passage.