A single lamp suddenly ignited in the gloom of the underground chamber, its light rapidly spreading, driving the darkness beyond the reach of its rays.

This was a special kind of torch from the He Family Estate, one kept in every secret room. Once lit, while it couldn't exactly rival daylight, it was enough for any practitioner whose internal energy had reached at least thirty percent to see with considerable clarity.

He Yiming placed the lampshade down and walked to the center of the chamber.

Yesterday’s strike seemed to replay right before his eyes. At that moment, even he couldn't comprehend how he had suddenly unleashed such a breathtaking blade attack.

At that time, only one thought occupied his mind: to rescue his grandfather from the serpent's jaws of the Golden Crown Python.

It was because of this single thought that he cast aside all other concerns, merging the three different primary internal energy cultivation methods as if possessed, thereby executing a strike that surpassed all imagination.

However, now, when he tried to recall the situation of that attack, he was astonished to find that he couldn't recreate that moment in the slightest.

Although the internal energy within his body remained incredibly powerful and fully under his control, the problem was that he could only operate one primary internal energy cultivation method. Never mind all three running simultaneously; it was impossible to even run two at once.

He didn't know why this was happening, but without the three techniques running concurrently, there was absolutely no way for him to replicate that strike.

With a soft sigh, after numerous futile attempts, He Yiming reluctantly gave up.

He knew that for him to accidentally unleash such a heaven-shattering move was already remarkable enough. It would be sheer fantasy if it were something so easily mastered.

Precisely because of this, although his mood wasn't exactly cheerful, he certainly wasn't about to sink into dejection.

Sitting cross-legged, He Yiming practiced each of the three internal energy cultivation methods he had studied once through.

There is no comparison without contrast.

After the direct comparison, He Yiming had to admit that the Blazing Fire Art, which he obtained from the Xu family, was indeed a notch faster in terms of cultivation speed than the Primordial Unity Force and the Ripple Technique.

After every session, not only did his meridians feel pleasantly warm, but the increase in internal energy also seemed to be somewhat greater.

The designation of a top-tier cultivation method truly lived up to its reputation.

After a brief period of contemplation, despite the reluctance in his heart regarding the Primordial Unity Force, He Yiming decided that henceforth, he would focus on cultivating the Blazing Fire Art to rapidly elevate his strength.

The bell in the secret room suddenly rang. He Yiming glanced at it, a flicker of suspicion in his heart—who on earth would come looking for him now?

He left the chamber and stepped outside, only to find his father, He Quanming, waiting there.

He quickly invited his father inside and brewed a cup of tea using leaves that had likely been stored for an unknown duration.

He Quanming looked at the cup of lukewarm tea on the table, specifically at the small, dark clumps floating on the surface—looking disconcertingly like cockroach droppings—and finally lacked the courage to drink it, thus reluctantly failing to appreciate his son’s filial piety.

He coughed lightly and said, "Yiming, I've come to see you today to examine your studies."

"My studies?" He Yiming was momentarily surprised. "Father, is there still such a rule in the family?"

He Quanming shook his head. "No, it’s just that I’m a bit curious about your cultivation progress."

He Yiming instantly understood; this must be because of yesterday's dramatic sword strike.

"Yiming, tell me honestly, have you broken through the Seventh Layer barrier and advanced to the Eighth Layer?" He Quanming’s expression was intensely serious. He stared unblinkingly at his son, as if afraid of hearing a negative answer.

He Yiming hesitated, thinking to himself: not only have I reached the Eighth Layer, but I’ve reached the Ninth!

Of course, he couldn't say that out loud. He chuckled, forcing an expression of utter harmlessness, and nodded. "Esteemed Father, your sight is as sharp as lightning. Following yesterday’s excursion on the mountain, this humble son has indeed broken through the limit and advanced to the Eighth Layer."

What he meant by this was that he hadn't been at the Eighth Layer previously, but the fright from the strange serpent on the mountain had forced the breakthrough.

He Quanming’s eyes immediately flashed with sharp light, and his face shifted to an expression of overwhelming surprise and joy.

After the battle with the Spirit Beast yesterday, everyone had been somewhat dazed—not only frightened by the beast's immense power but also stunned by He Yiming's unbelievable strike.

So, after dispersing yesterday, no one, not even Old Master He, had considered whether He Yiming’s cultivation level had advanced following such a display.

While He Quanming’s visit was driven by his own curiosity, he was also gathering information on behalf of everyone else.

Now that he had received his son’s explicit confirmation, his heart was naturally overflowing with delight.

He extended a hand, forcibly suppressing the excitement surging within him. "Yiming, come, test it."

He Yiming could only shake his head with a wry smile. All the elders in his family were like this; whenever a descendant broke through a limiting barrier, they would come to test it by striking palms—it had become an unwritten rule in the family.

He calmly extended his palm, and He Yiming’s hand met his father’s. Both simultaneously stimulated their internal energy, making contact only to immediately withdraw.

But in that single instant, He Quanming sensed the immense power contained within the internal energy in Yiming’s palm.

This was a power so potent that even he felt a sense of awe.

Eighth Layer. Undeniably Eighth Layer internal energy...

He Quanming could no longer contain his joy and burst into loud laughter.

Looking at his son before him, his heart swelled with pride. This fourteen-year-old youth had already reached a level of internal energy cultivation comparable to his own at this age.

He clearly remembered that a year and a half ago, He Yiming was still brooding over how to break through the Fifth Layer barrier. Yet, in the span of this short year and a half, he had now reached a point where he could stand shoulder-to-shoulder with his father.

His decades of arduous cultivation had been caught up in a mere year and a half by his son, yet he felt no gloom or jealousy whatsoever.

Because the one who achieved this feat was his son, He Quanming’s son.

With this thought, his laughter grew louder, his inner thoughts clearer, and his face was completely suffused with deep smiles.

He Yiming stared, dumbfounded, at his father who seemed on the verge of ecstatic delirium, truly unable to comprehend why he had suddenly become like this.

If one hasn't become a father, one can never truly understand the heartfelt hope for one's child to achieve greatness.

However, only a select few parents ever see this day arrive; the vast majority ultimately end up with only mediocre children.

Therefore, when He Quanming realized that his son, at fourteen, had achieved accomplishments no less than his own, the sheer ecstasy in his heart was considerable.

Suddenly, several figures appeared outside the doorway—the elders, led by He Wude, had all arrived.

He Quanming quickly suppressed his smile and nodded to the assembled group. "I've tested him. Yiming has advanced to the Eighth Layer of internal energy."

A look of pleasant surprise swept across everyone’s faces. Even though they had suspected as much, having the confirmation brought a completely different feeling.

Just as everyone was deep in emotion, a steward from the estate suddenly appeared and handed a letter to the Old Master.

He Wude opened it and immediately showed surprise, then his smile also faded.

A moment later, he stated gravely, "A letter from the Cheng family. They say they have traced the identity of the bandits who attacked the Cheng residence last time."

He Yiming’s heart stirred, and he quickly asked, "Who are they?"

Normally, a third-generation descendant would have no right to interject in the elders’ discussions; even He Yitian would not speak lightly. But when He Yiming spoke now, no one showed any displeasure, and even his own father tacitly accepted his right to speak.

Yesterday’s battle, coupled with the fact that he had advanced to the Eighth Layer of internal energy, was enough to elevate his status within the family to this height.

He Wude passed the letter to him casually. "Those people are a band of horse bandits from out of town. They learned about the Thousand-Year Blood Ginseng and decided on the spur of the moment to launch an attack to steal it. Strangely, however, these men failed in the end and did not manage to seize the ginseng. Because of this, they refused to leave, leading the Cheng family to capture one of them and torture the story out of him."

He Yiming read the letter and quietly passed it back to his elder uncle. In his mind, he thought: Of course they failed, because the Blood Ginseng is in my hands.

He Wude pondered for a moment. "The Cheng family plans to wipe out these bandits, but among them is a practitioner whose internal energy has reached the Ninth Layer. Even Cheng Ningsheng himself is not entirely confident he can secure this one. Therefore, he is requesting aid from us. What do you all think?"

He Quan Yi asked, "Father, they only requested aid from us. What about the Xu family?"

He Wude shook his head slightly. "I don't know; the letter made no mention. But the Xu family should also be involved, perhaps."

He Quanming read the letter and said slowly, "Father, those horse bandits were unrestrained in the county town. The Cheng residence suffered over a hundred casualties overnight—the old, the weak, women, and children—their corpses littered the ground. It was truly tragic." He paused, then added, "If we allow these horse bandits to rampage, today it is the Cheng residence, but tomorrow, it might be our He Family Estate’s turn."

As he said this, his gaze unintentionally swept towards the main courtyard of the He Family Estate.

Everyone instantly understood the implication: if news of the spiritual beast they hunted were to leak, there was no guarantee these bandits wouldn't come knocking on their door.

A sharp light flashed in He Wude's eyes. "You speak correctly, Quanxin, Quanming. You two take Yiming and Yitian and go. You must ensure these madmen are completely eliminated!"

Ps: It seems we're still a bit short of a hundred votes for second place in the weekly recommendations ^_^ I’m not aiming for first, but being second in the weekly recommendations is something I’m looking forward to a little. Brothers and sisters, please offer some encouragement, thank you... [bookid=1429437,bookname=《The Warring States Stratagem: Lü Buwei》]