He Yiming suddenly shot up and made his way into the backyard. Within this courtyard, which belonged entirely to the He family, he felt no great need for reserve.

The weather was deep in the scorching summer, the sun beating down fiercely from above. However, given He Yiming's current level of internal energy cultivation, he barely noticed the changing temperatures; as long as the ambient heat didn't reach extreme levels, he remained largely unaffected.

Dressed in a close-fitting short tunic, he traversed the empty courtyard in just a few swift movements.

His fists extended level with his shoulders, his entire body subtly oscillating, beginning to tremble in place like a massive boulder.

The Rolling Stone Fist, this metallic internal energy skill, unleashed from his hands, immediately summoned a fierce sound of cutting wind. Although he kept his internal energy restrained at the Seventh Layer, when the full force of the Seventh Layer Rolling Stone Fist was unleashed, it still wrought considerable havoc on the surroundings.

In the courtyard, the smaller flowers and saplings, crushed by the omnipresent pressure of the fist wind, all bent low, clinging tightly to the ground. As He Yiming's technique accelerated, these plants were actually pressed entirely into the soil.

He Yiming spread his stance and moved swiftly through the courtyard; wherever his feet trod, it seemed as if a great stone had rolled over, causing the very ground to sink slightly.

Moments later, He Yiming's internal energy steadily climbed, finally reaching the peak of this layer. At this instant, the most defining characteristic of the Rolling Stone Fist fully manifested.

That is, the longer the technique was executed, the greater its destructive power became.

When the peak internal energy of the Seventh Layer combined with the maximum might of the Rolling Stone Fist, a tremendous roar erupted around He Yiming, leaving nothing but bare earth in its wake.

Suddenly, he stopped before a colossal tree in the courtyard. Instead of moving around it, he let out a piercing cry, like the wail of a ghost, and then struck forward with both fists, slamming into the trunk with the heavy impact of cannonballs fired from their barrels.

A massive sound, little quieter than his own shriek, burst forth from the point of impact between his fists and the tree trunk.

The massive tree, requiring two men to embrace, shuddered twice and finally gave way, collapsing with a deafening crash.

"Yiming, what madness is this?" An angry and astonished voice traveled from the front of the courtyard.

He Yiming quickly halted his movements and stood straight. Turning, he saw his parents and siblings standing a distance away at the courtyard entrance. Not only the four of them, but even the household servants were craning their necks behind them. Yet, from the eyes of those servants, one could discern a mixture of terror and shock.

"Father, I was practicing a battle technique skill," He Yiming replied respectfully, hands held at his sides.

"A battle technique skill..." He Quanming looked at the devastated courtyard, and the pain in his heart was immense!

This was the courtyard his wife and he had meticulously arranged—a place of serene elegance, pleasant surroundings, a veritable haven of birdsong and fragrant blossoms, an idyllic paradise that brought peace to the soul.

But now, it looked as if it had survived a world-shattering battle; the flora upon the ground had suffered the greatest calamity in history, and beside He Yiming stood a felled giant of a tree.

If he hadn't been absolutely certain this was his courtyard, he would scarcely have recognized it.

Taking a deep breath and gazing upon the completely transformed grounds, He Quanming suppressed the fire of his anger and demanded, "It’s one thing to practice your techniques, but why must you turn this place into such a wreck?"

He Yiming raised his right hand, habitually rubbing his head, and offered, "Father, I always train like this, which is why I wanted to practice outside."

He Quanming froze, exchanging a look with Lin Wenyu. A single thought struck both of them simultaneously.

Could Yiming’s incredibly rapid progress in cultivation be linked to this unrestrained method of practice?

His expression softening, He Quanming asked, "Yiming, does every single practice session result in such widespread destruction?"

"Yes, Father," He Yiming confirmed firmly. "It's the same even when I practice within the family compound."

He Yixuan immediately recalled the commotion his sixth brother had caused before and quickly interjected, "Father, Mother, Sixth Brother truly trains like this in the residence. He nearly dismantled the underground secret chamber!"

The couple He Quanming and Lin Wenyu finally understood. No wonder Yiming wanted to go outside to practice at night; that was the true reason.

He Yiming stepped forward, approaching them. Looking up at his father, he appeared somewhat embarrassed. "Father, I haven't even practiced the Mountain Splitting technique yet. Should I continue here?"

He Quanming’s body jolted sharply, though the tremor was so minuscule that only He Yiming noticed; even Lin Wenyu missed it.

He was recalling the tremendous power He Yiming displayed earlier that year when executing the Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitting—a single palm strike had sent his third brother, whose internal energy was nearly equal to his own, flying backward.

If Yiming were allowed to unleash himself here, forget the flowers and trees in the courtyard; the entire compound might not be spared.

He Quanming suddenly recalled his own father's words to the three brothers earlier that year: allow Yiming complete freedom, impose no restraints upon him. In retrospect, his own father had seen the situation more clearly; his own judgment had fallen short of the elder man's insight.

With a long sigh, he conceded, "Yiming, I will not stop you. If you wish to go out and practice at night, do as you please."

He Yiming’s eyes brightened immediately. "Yes, Father."

His main reason for conducting such a destructive practice that morning was precisely to secure this permission. For him, any form of restriction on his practice was intolerable.

A manor guard suddenly rushed in hurriedly from outside. "Second Master, the Master of the Cheng family has come to pay his respects."

"Cheng Jiahui?" He Quanming’s eyes flashed with sharpness.

The Cheng residence had just suffered a calamity; they must have a mountain of urgent matters to handle. Why would they have the leisure to visit him?

After a brief moment of thought, he subtly signaled Lin Wenyu, who nodded slightly and led the reluctant He Yilong away.

He Quanming turned back. "Yixuan, Yiming, follow me."

They acknowledged him. A sly glimmer crossed He Yiming's eyes as he asked, "Father, what about this place?"

He Quanming shot him a glare and ordered the servants to begin clearing the mess. However, deep down, he held no true anger toward Yiming. Having witnessed the sheer power of the Rolling Stone Fist just now, he was secretly delighted. To achieve such skill at such a young age promised an immeasurable future.

What was a mere garden compared to Yiming's potential?

The three soon arrived at the main gate. He Quanming’s face was already wreathed in smiles, his voice booming loud enough to be heard two streets away: "Brother Cheng visits from afar; I regret not being here to welcome you sooner. Please forgive my tardiness!"

Cheng Jiahui also let out a hearty laugh, stepped forward a few paces, and clasped hands with He Quanming.

Anyone unaware of the clandestine struggles between the Three Great Families would assume the two men were as close as brothers. But both parties knew that the He and Cheng families were engaged in a subtle rivalry within Taicang County. Whenever an opportunity arose, neither hesitated to undermine the other or strike at their foundations.

Amidst their mutual courtesies, He Yiming and his brother stepped forward to pay their respects and ushered the guest into the main hall.

After a few exchanges of pleasantries, Cheng Jiahui finally stated his purpose.

"Brother He, I have come today to inquire about a matter," Cheng Jiahui said, his smile unwavering.

He Quanming’s heart tightened. Could this relate to the tragic incident the other night? Though he had ordered secret investigations, the He family had been established here for too short a time; they lacked the deep-rooted foundation of the Cheng family. If even the Cheng family couldn't uncover their origins, the He family certainly wouldn't succeed.

Putting away his smile, He Quanming grew serious. "Brother Cheng, please speak plainly."

Cheng Jiahui nodded, maintaining his cheerful expression, and asked slowly, "I wish to inquire, has Young Master He Yitian already taken a wife?"

He Quanming’s expression instantly stiffened. No matter how he had guessed, he never anticipated such a question. If this question was being asked, it almost certainly signaled an intention to arrange a marriage alliance with Yitian. But the Cheng estate had just been attacked; could they really still have such thoughts? It seemed utterly unbelievable.

Clearing his throat, He Quanming managed a smile. "Brother Cheng, Yitian’s mind is wholly focused on cultivating the martial way. He has never considered matters on that front."

Cheng Jiahui laughed heartily. "If my memory serves me correctly, Young Master Yitian is already twenty-three this year? While that age is not particularly old for us cultivators, it is certainly not young for an ordinary person. Moreover, Young Master Yitian is the eldest son and grandson of the He family. Should he not consider these matters sooner?"

He Quanming hesitated. For a cultivator, marrying at twenty-three was indeed early. But as the eldest son and grandson of the He family, the situation was different.

Sensing He Quanming was wavering, Cheng Jiahui smiled even more broadly. "Brother He, I have a daughter, Ming Yanli, who is seventeen this year. In terms of family background, appearance, and her own learning, I am confident she is a worthy match for Young Master Yitian. Furthermore, my own esteemed Elder actively desires an alliance between our families. What are your thoughts, Brother He?"

He Quanming’s eyebrows lifted slightly. Hearing the name startled him genuinely. After a moment of consideration, he stated solemnly, "Brother Cheng, as you say, Yitian is the eldest son and grandson of the He family. I cannot make the decision regarding his marriage. If Brother Cheng permits, I will immediately return to report to my father and request his final judgment."

Cheng Jiahui nodded without hesitation. "That is only right. I shall await good news at home then."

As the eldest son and grandson of a noble house, the choice of a marriage partner was immensely significant and could not be decided so lightly.

As Cheng Jiahui took his leave, his eyes deliberately glanced toward He Yiming. He sighed inwardly: a fourteen-year-old cultivator at the Seventh Layer—a pity that Miss Li was three years his senior.

He Yiming felt a chill run down his spine from that glance. He made a firm resolution: he would decide his own marriage matters, absolutely.