The clash of their inner energies separated instantly, and He Yiming’s feet seemed to leap backward as if sprung by powerful coils. But the moment his boots touched the ground, he sprang up again, charging toward Lin Taoli with the relentless tenacity of a great ape.

However, this time, forewarned, Lin Taoli was no longer foolish enough to stand still and serve as a target.

His feet moved with sudden, explosive speed, tracing an arcane pattern across the ten-meter diameter of the dueling stage.

Though He Yiming’s Metal-elemental cultivation technique was formidable, and he had grasped its profound essence, power that cannot connect with the enemy is ultimately useless.

Yet, He Yiming remained unhurried. He drew back his palms, controlling his inner energy to swirl around his body, which he then began to unleash in continuous waves.

Rolling Stone Fist—the technique he knew best—was now poured out with unrestrained fervor.

Below the stage, the He brothers exchanged glances, their eyes alight with an astonishment bordering on ecstasy.

Though they held He Yiming in extremely high regard, they had never imagined his talent would so vastly exceed their expectations.

The Metal-elemental essence displayed in that single palm strike was like a massive boulder hurled into the center of a lake, causing their hearts to surge and ebb uncontrollably.

They instinctively glanced around, taking in the gazes of shock, jealousy, and even a faint hint of danger from the surrounding onlookers. A resolution solidified in their minds: upon returning to the He family, they would report Yiming’s performance to the Old Master; surely, he would be even happier than they were.

Rumble…

As the power of He Yiming’s fists grew stronger on the stage, the movements of both combatants became increasingly perilous. Yet, inexplicably, even under such pressure, they gave the impression of being entirely at ease, as if they were not engaged in a fight for survival but merely strolling side-by-side in a peaceful garden.

The control these two held over their power had reached a terrifying level; up to this moment, not a single iota of energy had been wasted.

Suddenly, Old Master Xu Yinjie’s eyes snapped open, a flash of piercing light appearing and vanishing instantly. “Nephew Quanming.”

He Quanming started, quickly turning his head, bowing respectfully. “Senior Xu, what are your commands?”

So long as the He and Xu families did not openly break ties, their relationship had to remain cordial. Thus, when addressed by Old Master Xu, He Quanming meticulously maintained the appropriate deference.

“The He family truly possesses talent in abundance. Besides He Yitian, there is another dragon among men. Congratulations are in order.”

He Quanming quickly waved his hand in dismissal. “Thank you for your generous praise, Senior. But Yiming is merely achieving slight success.”

Xu Yinjie shook his head slightly. “I merely wish to know, exactly what level of Inner Strength has your son reached?”

At these words, every ear in the hall perked up, including even He Quanyi.

He Yiming had battled Lin Taoli for a significant time, showing no sign of defeat; rather, his offense was sharp and peerless, seeming to have seized the initiative and established a dominant advantage.

Though everyone knew Lin Taoli had not unleashed the full power of his ninth-level Inner Strength, reaching this stage was astonishing enough to surprise everyone, leading many to wonder if He Yiming’s cultivation had truly reached the peak of the seventh level, as rumored.

Of course, it was only speculation, as few could believe a fifteen-year-old youth could cultivate Inner Strength to the eighth level.

He Quanming hesitated for a moment, looking at the gradually escalating power displayed by the two on the stage. He realized then that even if he concealed the truth now, it would inevitably be revealed shortly.

Nodding firmly toward Old Master Xu, He Quanming stated proudly, “Senior Xu, Yiming indeed possesses some talent. Six months ago, he already broke through the bottleneck of the seventh level and advanced to the eighth level of Inner Strength.”

His voice was not loud, but for the discerning ears in the hall, this declaration struck like a thunderbolt, nearly shattering their confidence entirely.

Especially for the younger generation of the Xu family, every face turned ashen, their eyes clouded with bewilderment.

He Yitian’s seventh-level Inner Strength already lay like a massive mountain weighing heavily on their hearts, making it difficult for them to muster the will to resist or surpass him. But He Yiming, this mere fifteen-year-old, had supposedly possessed eighth-level Inner Strength six months prior. Those among them who aspired to surpass He Yiming suddenly felt their futures were dim, almost entirely devoid of light.

Old Master Cheng and Cheng Hui exchanged a glance, the shock in their eyes immeasurable. Their only consolation at this moment might be the betrothal alliance with the He family.

Everyone knew that the He family had gained an unparalleled genius; once this talent matured, he would absolutely be capable of altering the current tripartite balance of power among the three great families of Taicang County.

This importance was magnified tenfold when one considered this genius possessed the potential to advance to the Xiantian (Innate) Realm.

Cheng Hui’s eyes darted around as he calculated which of the Cheng family’s younger generation girls might be of suitable age. If they could form a matrimonial bond with He Yiming, the Cheng family would truly be as immovable as a sacred mountain in the future. However, his brow immediately furrowed; there were, in fact, no daughters of marrying age in the Cheng family. More critically, given He Yiming’s age and cultivation level, Cheng Hui didn't truly believe He Quanming would agree to such a marriage proposal so easily.

Below the stage, while the minds of the crowd churned with countless schemes, it had absolutely no effect on the two figures locked in combat above.

He Yiming delivered his kicks and punches, gradually releasing the might of the Rolling Stone Fist. The greatest characteristic of this technique was its capacity for continuous accumulation; as long as the inner energy could sustain it, the accumulated power was sufficient to grind any opponent down into dust.

Furthermore, during the fight, He Yiming exhibited an almost innate sensitivity to the shifts in the arena. Whenever Lin Taoli’s technique showed a moment of hesitation, he would meet it with a fierce assault, repeatedly forcing his opponent to deploy his signature move, the Prone Seal.

Through continuous engagement with the Prone Seal, He Yiming gained a general understanding of how this technique operated.

He became increasingly certain that this technique was not limited to just this single stance, yet for some unknown reason, Lin Taoli kept reverting to only this one move.

Whether he only knew this single form or disdained using the rest of the repertoire, this single, mysterious stance was enough to completely nullify the accumulated momentum of He Yiming’s Rolling Stone Fist.

However, with every clash against the Prone Seal, He Yiming’s perception of this technique deepened. It was like a chef who had dedicated decades to the culinary arts tasting a supremely delicious dish; he would silently begin to deconstruct how it was prepared. The more times he tasted it, the clearer the method became in his mind.

Although He Yiming fought with increasing urgency, his spirit felt increasingly exhilarated. He knew better than anyone that such a straightforward opportunity to dissect the Prone Seal might only occur this once. Therefore, his punches grew tighter, deliberately denying his opponent any chance to disengage.

Lin Taoli grew more frustrated the longer they fought. Throughout their exchange so far, he had failed to seize the initiative even once.

When fighting Xu Xiangqian, even though the latter's Blazing Fire technique was magnificent, like a demon god descending, Lin Taoli, using his Water-elemental cultivation, had been able to maintain an even balance, moving offensively and defensively with ease.

But now, against the Rolling Stone Fist, a technique far inferior to the Blazing Fire Gong, he felt the helpless frustration of being desperately engaged but unable to break free.

At this point, he finally understood that at this level of seventh-layer Inner Strength, there was no way for him to escape entanglement.

His face flushed slightly. Though he disliked forcing the issue with brute strength, continuing this stalemate would only bring greater humiliation.

He suddenly roared, and his aura erupted with mad intensity.

In that instant, he finally elevated his Inner Strength to the eighth level.

The increase in Inner Strength brought with it a multiplication of attack power. Simply put: his strength increased, his speed accelerated, his reactions sharpened, and his body hardened, losing its purely human frailty.

Immediately, supported by the eighth-level Inner Strength, even a Water-elemental combat technique, when wielded by Lin Taoli, became formidable and imposing. Lin Taoli, who had been suppressed for too long, suddenly felt vigorous and full of lively energy.

However, this feeling lasted only a few breaths before it completely dissipated.

Because he suddenly realized that just as the power of his combat technique had surged, the might of He Yiming’s technique seemed to have risen in corresponding measure.

The power boost of the Rolling Stone Fist was like water slowly boiling a frog—there was no earth-shattering change, but in this mild, steady manner, its power had risen just enough to gain a slight edge over him.

Eighth level. He suddenly understood. This was unequivocally the power of the eighth level.

His gaze sharpened instantly. This fifteen-year-old was not merely at the peak of the seventh level, but a true master who had reached the eighth level of cultivation.

In a daze, he felt as if a massive, iron boulder was perpetually circling and rolling around him, giving him the sensation that it could neither be shattered nor kicked away, nor shaken off.

This feeling of being permanently stuck, like being affixed with strong adhesive—a sensation he always associated with Water-elemental techniques—was being perfectly demonstrated today by a Metal-elemental genius.

A bitter realization settled in his heart. He was hailed as a genius in the Lin family, yet today he learned that even within the small Taicang County, there existed a genius absolutely his equal!

Ps: Second day of strong recommendations, asking for recommendation tickets, thank you... Also, Bai He happened to see that Hama has started a new book today. Immortal Gourd by Wandering Hama. Among the few authors on Qidian that Bai He likes the most, Bai He was drawn in by Heavenly Peng’s Soaring Across the Ages back then. Hama’s foundational skill is absolutely unquestionable; the book is fantastic. Brothers, go read it. If you are disappointed, come back and curse Bai He. Link below: [bookid=1475169,bookname=《》]