The New Year had passed, and the eldest young master of the He Family Village had finally married the daughter of the Cheng family into the household.
However, the most astonishing event during this New Year was undoubtedly the performance of the Sixth Young Master of the He family. After the holiday, all the servants in the He household noticed that the Sixth Young Master’s standing in the manor was now comparable to that of the Great Master He Quanxin. Even the Ancestor, He Wude, would greet He Yiming with a beaming face every time they met, agreeing to any request without hesitation, never even uttering a harsh word anymore.
The other two generations of disciples in the village seemed to have gradually accepted this shift, appearing noticeably more reserved in the presence of the Sixth Young Master.
The reason for all this was those few words spoken by Lin Taoli: "Unrivaled genius."
It was these words, coupled with the demonstration of his Ninth Layer Inner Strength, that propelled He Yiming’s prestige to a new height, second only to He Wude within the He family estate.
Yet, no one imagined that the seemingly omnipotent, greatest genius in their eyes was currently frowning deeply, pondering issues concerning his palm-seal cultivation techniques.
Based on the Fudi Seal, he had successfully created an improved version, the Zangzhen Seal. Although it hadn't been tested in actual combat, it was, at least, a creation.
But when it came to the other, more enigmatic technique, the Yunyu Seal, he felt utterly stumped.
Although the Yunyu Seal had left the deepest impression on him during his spar with Lin Taoli, unlike his repeated encounters with the Fudi Seal, He Yiming had only experienced formal engagement with the Yunyu Seal once. On other occasions, though he had endured numerous attacks using the Yunyu Seal, the experience gained was negligible.
Upon returning to the main He family estate, he even entertained the fleeting thought of returning to the county seat to engage Lin Taoli in another all-out confrontation.
Of course, this notion merely flickered through his mind and never materialized into action.
While he strongly desired another match, he was acutely aware that if he acted on it, he would face a tempest of resentment from his family.
Sighing softly, He Yiming retreated into the underground secret chamber. His hands unconsciously practiced the Zangzhen Seal he had created while deep in thought about the mystical Yunyu Seal.
Suddenly, the sound of a crisp bell chime reached his ears.
He Yiming looked up in surprise. He was no longer the same Sixth Young Master of before.
Once he entered the secret chamber to cultivate, even He Wude himself would not dare to pull the rope to summon him.
His brow furrowed slightly. Could something of mortal danger have befallen the estate? Otherwise, why would anyone risk disturbing his practice by pulling the summoning rope?
His figure flickered briefly, and in the next moment, he had already left the chamber.
After all, he was a descendant of the He family. If the family truly faced an insurmountable problem, he certainly would not hesitate to lend a hand.
As soon as he arrived in the courtyard, he spotted his Fifth Brother, He Yizhang.
Before He Yizhang had advanced to the Sixth Layer Inner Strength, his relationship with He Yiming had been utterly hostile. Yet, strangely enough, as his strength skyrocketed, their relationship settled into an odd harmony.
As the gap between them widened, the mutual feeling of animosity had long since dissipated.
For He Yiming, that antagonism was now a rare memory, a mere seasoning to his childhood.
In He Yizhang's eyes, the current He Yiming was an existence far beyond his reach; he no longer even possessed the courage to feel jealousy. It was like having friends: if a friend earned twice your income, you might feel envious, but if that friend became a high-ranking mayor, or even a provincial governor, most people would cease to feel envy. Even past grievances would naturally vanish without conscious effort.
“Fifth Brother, is something the matter?” He Yiming asked with a smile.
He Yizhang nodded heavily. “Sixth Brother, Grandfather asks you to come. He says someone from the Cheng manor has arrived—a young master named Lin Taoli.”
“Lin Taoli?” A trace of pleasant surprise flashed in He Yiming’s eyes. His body swayed, and he instantly vanished from his spot. “Fifth Brother, I’ll head over now.”
He had been contemplating whether to find an opportunity to spar with Lin Taoli again, and here the man was, arriving first. This naturally filled He Yiming with unexpected joy.
Watching He Yiming disappear with ghost-like swiftness, He Yizhang took a sharp breath, his heart filling with further resignation. At this point, he had completely abandoned any ambition to compete with his Sixth Brother.
Having grown up in this very manor, He Yiming could navigate the grounds even with his eyes closed.
With a few quick movements, he arrived in the main hall. He knew that when receiving important figures, Grandfather always came here to show respect.
The status of the eldest young master of the Linlang Lin family was certainly enough to warrant his grandfather personally greeting him.
As He Yiming stepped into the main hall, he immediately saw Lin Taoli seated in the guest position. His eyes lit up. “Brother Lin, you’ve arrived at the perfect time. Are you here to challenge me to another contest?”
Lin Taoli, seated as still as a mountain in the hall, paused, then showed a wry smile. “Brother He jokes.”
He sighed internally. If someone had told him in the past that he would willingly call a fifteen-year-old youth 'Brother,' he would never have believed it. But looking at He Yiming now, he suddenly began to understand why this young man possessed such formidable strength.
Perhaps, in his world, everything was simpler; the pursuit of the martial path had completely consumed his existence, allowing him to cast aside everything else to achieve his current realm.
In that instant, he felt a flicker of envy for He Yiming.
Being born into a minor aristocratic family meant he couldn't enjoy the cultivation advantages or superior techniques of the great clans. However, within such a family, one could dedicate all their focus to cultivation, unburdened by family affairs or distracted by internal strife—perhaps this was a form of happiness too.
He Wude cleared his throat, a hint of exasperation mixed with amusement in his voice. “Yiming, mind your manners. Young Master Lin has come specifically to see you.”
He Yiming paused slightly, then asked instinctively, “Brother Lin, are you returning home?”
“Yes.” Lin Taoli sighed deeply. “I had intended to stay here longer, but some matters have arisen in my family that require my immediate attention.”
He Yiming’s face was filled with regret, an expression entirely genuine and without artifice. This sincerity deeply moved Lin Taoli, who mistook it for the young man considering him a close friend.
If Lin Taoli knew that He Yiming’s disappointment stemmed only from the fact that Lin’s departure meant he could no longer attempt to study the Yunyu Seal, he would surely sever ties on the spot and refuse to associate with him ever again.
“Brother He, we hit it off immediately. If you do not mind, why not come stay in Linlang County City for a time?” Lin Taoli offered a sincere invitation.
Old Master He Wude, seated at the head, had his expression shift sharply before immediately returning to normal.
His decades of experience were not lived in vain; he instantly understood Lin Taoli’s intention—to recruit the rising star of the He family.
However, it was clear the old master would absolutely not agree to this.
Before the elder could speak, He Yiming unhesitatingly replied, “Brother Lin, my entire focus right now is on cultivation, and I do not wish for any delays caused by traveling.”
Lin Taoli smiled gently. “Brother He, traveling with me absolutely would not cause a delay. Furthermore, I promise you: if you are willing to become an Elder Guardian of the Lin family, the Lin family’s martial arts vault will be unconditionally open to you.”
He had firmly concluded that He Yiming was a martial fanatic, and thus presented his highest sincerity immediately.
The Lin family was an ancient lineage spanning a thousand years; the expanse of their martial arts vault was vast enough to tempt any practitioner consumed by the martial way.
Indeed, He Yiming’s eyes brightened further. He asked, “Does the Lin family martial arts vault contain your Fudi Seal and Yunyu Seal?”
“That is correct, and there are more than just those two seal techniques,” Lin Taoli stated calmly. “The palm-seal techniques are originally a complete set of Innate Battle Skills. However, every person’s physique differs; those who can cultivate Innate Battle Skills are already exceedingly rare. To master that entire set of techniques in the Acquired Realm is impossible. I have practiced palm-seal techniques for nearly ten years and have only grasped two forms. I wonder how many forms Brother He can master.”
He Yiming opened his mouth, intensely wanting to tell the man that he guaranteed he could learn them all.
But the words caught in his throat, and he swallowed them back down. Turning around, He Yiming’s gaze fixed upon his grandfather; he was moved, and now it depended entirely on the old man’s stance.
He Wude let out a long sigh and abruptly said, “Young Master Lin, we appreciate your kindness.”
Lin Taoli’s expression shifted slightly. “Old Master, I know my proposal was rash; please forgive me. We do not intend to poach Brother He, and even if he becomes an Elder Guardian of the Lin family, he can still inherit the He family legacy.”
He Wude shook his head. “Young Master Lin, you have misunderstood.” He gave a wry smile. “To be frank, you should know that the foundation of He Family Village was established by this old man forty years ago with nothing but a Great Guan Dao. But do you know where I was before I came here?”
Lin Taoli’s expression grew grave. “I was hoping to inquire.”
He Wude stood up, cupped his hands towards the distance, and said, “Before I came here, I was a registered disciple of Hengshan.”
Ps: It’s Friday, we’re almost at 100,000 recommendation votes, let’s push a bit harder! ^_^ [bookid=1429437,bookname=《The Strategist Lü Buwei of the Warring States》]