Even though there was a master among them at the peak of the Houtian realm, ten layers of Inner Strength, He Yiming remained completely unmoved, feeling neither joy nor sorrow.

Relying solely on the two Xiantian-level combat techniques he possessed, he was absolutely confident that if things turned hostile, he would certainly not be at a disadvantage.

A strange glint shot from the middle-aged man's eyes. After sweeping over He Yiming once, the man was first taken aback, then bewildered, and finally settled into a calm expression, chuckling, "Thank you, young sir."

With that, he flicked his sleeve and, shamelessly imitating He Yiming’s earlier gesture, sat down directly on his backside opposite him.

The young man beside him and the attendants stared at him in disbelief. Having followed him for so many years, this was the first time they had ever witnessed him acting so whimsically and unrestrainedly.

"I am Xie Nuanyi, and this is my son, Xie Mingjin. May I ask what you go by, young sir?" the middle-aged man asked with a smile.

The young man and the attendants gasped internally. If their previous reaction was mere surprise, this was now sheer horror.

They knew exactly what kind of person this man before them truly was. Seeing him show such respect to this youth, even addressing him as an equal, caused a shockwave through them that was indescribable.

He Yiming smiled faintly and stated without hesitation, "He Yiming."

He had been running through the jungle for three full months; heaven knew how far his legs had carried him. But he was certainly no longer within Taicang County, so he felt utterly unconcerned.

Xie Nuanyi’s smile did not falter, but his mind raced a thousand times, trying desperately to recall ever hearing of such a skilled young master.

He Yiming pointed at the Fox Bear lying on the ground. "Gentlemen, please help yourselves. Don't be polite."

Xie Nuanyi let out a hearty laugh. "Thank you for your generosity, young sir. Let's all dig in."

His words seemed to act as a command. Two men immediately stepped forward. Their movements were a hundred times more practiced than He Yiming’s. Wielding sharp little knives, they stripped the entire hide off in a few quick motions. Then they prepared the meat, sprinkled it with seasoning, and slowly simmered it over the volcanic heat. In moments, a thick, tempting fragrance filled the air.

He Yiming's nose twitched, and a deep sense of shame washed over him.

Look at their work—that was professionalism. Then look at the half-cooked chunk of meat in his own hand, which now seemed as hard as stone and utterly unappetizing.

Xie Nuanyi smiled and produced a large gourd. "Young sir, I am profoundly grateful for your hospitality. I have some fine wine here. If you don't mind, perhaps you might sample it."

He Yiming’s eyes lit up. To his shame, he had heard of fine wine before, but the rules at his estate were extremely strict; even he was forbidden to drink before turning eighteen. Generally speaking, he was a well-behaved child and had indeed never tasted the flavor of true wine.

Hesitating for a moment, He Yiming took the gourd from Xie Nuanyi, uncapped it, and immediately a rich aroma filled the air. He twitched his nostrils twice and feigned sophistication, "Good wine."

Saying that, he tilted his head back and took a huge swig.

The moment the liquid hit his mouth, he felt a searing, blade-like burn. After swallowing, his chest and abdomen felt as if they were on fire.

He Yiming blinked twice, feeling a rush of heat surging upward, nearly forcing him to vomit on the spot.

Fortunately, his Inner Strength was profound. A single circulation within his body instantly dispelled much of the discomfort.

He let out a long breath. The reason He Yiming had dared to drink was that with his level of Inner Strength, no poison could affect him without his knowledge; any poison taken could certainly be expelled instantly if he was prepared.

However, this sensation in his body, though unfamiliar, held no strange feeling of poisoning. In fact, it was quite similar to what his elder brothers had described about their first time drinking, so he relaxed somewhat.

Still, this mouthful of wine was far too potent, so fierce he could barely endure it.

Xie Nuanyi watched in surprise as He Yiming downed the drink in large gulps, forcing it down, then revealed a grimace, his face flushing a deeper red.

He couldn't help but ask in astonishment, "Young Brother He, have you perhaps never drunk wine before?"

He Yiming’s face flushed slightly. "Heh heh, I take an occasional sip, but this wine truly doesn't taste that great. You should enjoy it yourself, Mr. Xie."

Xie Nuanyi laughed several times and took back the gourd from He Yiming.

Meanwhile, Xie Mingjin and the attendants all showed subtle looks of disdain.

This gourd of wine was extremely precious in the Huo Wu Kingdom, practically worth its weight in gold. Judging by He Yiming's reaction, it was clear he couldn't recognize its quality, likely meaning he wasn't someone from a prominent noble house.

However, given Xie Nuanyi's friendly demeanor toward him, these subordinates naturally dared not act presumptuously.

Moments later, two attendants had finished roasting the first batch of meat and respectfully presented it. Xie Nuanyi picked up one skewer for himself and offered another to He Yiming. "Young sir, this is the Fox Bear you hunted. Please allow me to present this small favor; would you grant me the face to accept?"

He Yiming secretly praised him. This man had obviously noticed that the flavorless roasted meat in his own hand was utterly unappealing, which was why he said that. Conversing with this man was truly comforting.

He heartily accepted the skewer, offered a casual thank you, and began eating without ceremony.

The moment he bit down, he nearly swallowed his tongue. He had been out in the wild for three months; while he hadn't starved, he had been living a life akin to an ascetic monk. Suddenly encountering such deliciousness, he struggled to restrain himself.

Xie Nuanyi’s smile never wavered. After He Yiming finished, he naturally offered another skewer.

All six servants had been dispatched: some gathering firewood, some slicing meat, some threading skewers, and others handling the roasting. Everyone had a designated role, functioning like an assembly line, continuously supplying roasted skewers.

Xie Nuanyi, his son, and He Yiming feasted heartily, consuming a full two-tenths of the enormous Fox Bear between them. Only when He Yiming was completely satisfied did the Xie father and son appropriately stop.

At Xie Nuanyi’s signal, the six servants began to eat, though two were still posted to keep watch, diligently performing their duties so flawlessly that one could find no fault.

"Brother He, this wilderness is remote. May I ask what brings you here?" Xie Nuanyi asked casually.

He Yiming did not conceal his purpose. "I heard that spirit beasts roam the forest, so I intended to hunt one."

"Hunt a spirit beast?" Xie Nuanyi looked utterly surprised, but Xie Mingjin became impatient; a sharp glint flashed in his eyes, showing a hint of hostility toward He Yiming.

He Yiming didn't spare even a glance in his direction, continuing impassively, "That’s right, but after wandering the forest for several months, I haven't even seen the shadow of a spirit beast."

Xie Nuanyi shook his head slightly. "Brother He, entering the dense forest just like that—isn't that a bit too reckless?"

He Yiming laughed indifferently. "Perhaps a bit reckless, but even if I don't find a spirit beast, it serves as a form of tempering. At the very least, traveling alone for these past few months has been quite rewarding for me."

Xie Nuanyi paused, considered for a moment, glanced at Xie Mingjin beside him, and then nodded as if grasping something.

He looked intently at He Yiming and stated, "Brother He, you are not from our Huo Wu Kingdom, are you?"

"Huo Wu Kingdom?" He Yiming exclaimed in surprise. "Is this no longer the territory of the Tianluo Kingdom?"

He thought to himself that it explained why their attire was so strange; they were people of the Huo Wu Kingdom. But where was the Huo Wu Kingdom located?

Xie Nuanyi smiled slightly. "So you truly hail from the Tianluo Kingdom. That’s right, this is indeed the domain of the Huo Wu Kingdom now."

There was no surprise in his voice; he had clearly discerned He Yiming’s origin from his clothing some time ago.

He Yiming forced an awkward smile. "Mr. Xie, I entered the mountain range from the Tianluo Kingdom. I’ve been traversing the mountains and forests these past few months and unknowingly arrived here. May I ask how far this place is from Tianluo?"

Xie Nuanyi pondered for a moment. "For the Huo Wu Kingdom to reach Tianluo, it is a distance of over a thousand li if traveling the official roads. Even walking thirty li a day would take one to two months to arrive. Moreover, there is the Jinlin Kingdom situated between us. However, there are no roads through the mountain forests. Brother He managing to reach here was likely by wandering freely; arriving here in three months suggests you must have circled the wilderness quite extensively."

He Yiming nodded heavily. He hadn't set a fixed course when entering the mountains; he walked at leisure, so arriving here felt like destiny.

His gaze swept over Xie Nuanyi and the others, and He Yiming asked directly, "Mr. Xie, I assume your Xie family is considered a major household in the Huo Wu Kingdom?"

Before Xie Nuanyi could respond, Xie Mingjin and the attendants showed expressions of subtle pride.

"We aren't exactly a major household, but we have some renown," Xie Nuanyi said slowly.

He Yiming spoke loudly, "Mr. Xie is too modest. Then may I ask what brings your esteemed self to this wilderness?"

Xie Nuanyi paused briefly, then immediately replied, "My purpose is the same as yours, Brother He—I am here for spirit beasts."

Xie Mingjin and the servants all looked at Xie Nuanyi with suspicion, some even gripping the hilts of their knives, as if ready to draw steel at a mere signal from him.

He Yiming acted as if he saw none of this, simply waiting for the next words.

As expected, Xie Nuanyi continued, "Our Xie family has explored this dense forest dozens of times and we have indeed spotted two spirit beasts: Long-Armed Raccoons."

He Yiming’s heart stirred slightly, and he asked, "How many years old are these two spirit beasts?"

Xie Nuanyi gave a wry smile. "Their exact age cannot be determined, but judging by their movements, they should be around two hundred years old."

A look of disappointment immediately crossed He Yiming's face. Spirit beasts with around two centuries of lifespan were entirely useless to him.

Ps: Sweat... Today we are number one on both the recommendation and collection charts. I truly didn't expect these results for White Crane, which has less than ninety thousand collections, after going premium. Thank you all so much. Please continue to support White Crane with subscriptions, recommendation tickets, and guaranteed monthly votes. Thank you! This week, White Crane plans to update 15,000 characters on three days within seven days. The next two days plus Thursday will bring the total update to 85,000 within seven days—that's the absolute limit ^_^