Xie Nuanyi caught the look in He Yiming's eyes, and a thought flashed through his mind. But upon carefully assessing He Yiming's age, he immediately dismissed that notion.

Because even he would not dare to believe that He Yiming’s internal energy had already reached the peak of the Tenth Level.

He threw his head back and laughed heartily, "Brother He, surely these two Long-armed Hares should satisfy you?"

He Yiming shrugged. To be honest, he was indeed not entirely satisfied, but he knew that finding two Long-armed Hares was already a difficult feat. As for spirit beasts over five hundred years old, the chance of encountering one was minuscule—it was essentially a matter of chance, not pursuit.

"Mr. Xie, since your family already knows the whereabouts of these two spirit beasts, why haven't you hunted them?" He Yiming asked sincerely.

With the strength of the He Family Manor, they could hunt a Golden-Crested Python. Considering the power within the opposing family, they were likely several times stronger than the He Family Manor; why then would they ignore those two Long-armed Hares?

Xie Nuanyi was slightly startled. Looking into He Yiming's eyes, which were as clear as water, he confirmed that the young man was not being deliberately sarcastic.

He let out a wry laugh, "Brother He, you must have never seen a spirit beast before."

He Yiming raised his eyebrows slightly and asked, "How do you know?"

"If you had seen a spirit beast, you absolutely wouldn't say that," Xie Nuanyi sighed bitterly. "Spirit beasts are not only immensely powerful, but their movements are swift, like flying. These two Long-armed Hares, moreover, possess bodies of bronze skin and iron bones—impervious to blades and spears. Even an internal energy expert at the Tenth Level wouldn't be able to genuinely harm them."

He Yiming recalled that when the elites of the He Family Manor were mobilized, they didn't confront the Golden-Crested Python head-on. Instead, they first used strategy to trick it into consuming the medicinal bait, only then moving to intercept, and even then, they nearly failed.

One spirit beast was already so difficult to handle; what about two?

He finally grasped the other party's thinking: even such a prominent family might not be able to deal with spirit beasts.

Seeing the thoughtful look on He Yiming’s face, Xie Nuanyi pressed on, "When facing a spirit beast, unless one is a powerhouse who has reached the Innate Realm, no one dares say they can certainly capture it successfully. Heh heh, in truth, if one actually encounters a spirit beast, whether man hunts beast or beast hunts man is an entirely different matter."

He Yiming frowned slightly, "A powerhouse of the Innate Realm? Have your esteemed family invited such a person?"

A flicker of stiffness finally appeared on Xie Nuanyi's face. He offered a faint, bitter smile, "Innate powerhouses are not so easily invited over."

He Yiming immediately understood from his words that even with the Xie family's foundation, they did not have an Innate Realm powerhouse presiding over them.

"Then what do you plan to do?" He Yiming asked curiously. "Are you just going to let this drag on?"

When he asked this, Xie Mingjin and the servants cast disapproving looks his way, but Xie Nuanyi showed only helplessness. "Our Xie family has three peak Post-Heaven Tenth Level masters, but we still aren't very confident about dealing with two Long-armed Hares. However, if we could have the assistance of one more Tenth Level expert, then we could attempt it."

He Yiming blinked twice, inwardly impressed. It turned out this man had seen through his depth. Yet, he truly couldn't fathom how the other party had managed to see it. His Tenth Level internal energy status was something even his grandfather, Xu Yinjie, and Lin Taoli had failed to discern.

Xie Nuanyi suddenly bowed slightly, "Brother He, although our Xie family is not the foremost noble house in the Huo Wu Kingdom, we are still one of the Four Great Families. The current patriarch is my elder brother, Xie Nanhang."

He Yiming instantly grasped the intention; this man, like Lin Taoli, intended to recruit him.

He waved his hand slightly, expressing confusion, "Mr. Xie, I truly don't understand why someone of your stature would pay such attention to a mere youngster like me. It couldn't be just because I treated you to a meal of bear meat, could it?"

He added internally, perhaps that meal was never clear about who was truly treating whom.

This question struck right at the hearts of Xie Mingjin and the others. They too wondered why Xie Nuanyi, a figure ranked among the top three in the Xie family, would place such importance on a young man he had just met.

Xie Nuanyi's expression turned solemn. "Since Brother He asks, I shall speak plainly."

He pointed to the Fox Bear on the ground, "This must be the young brother's masterpiece, yes?"

He Yiming nodded; the question was obvious, and concealment was useless.

"I examined the Fox Bear's corpse. It was a single fatal blow, and the wound was perfectly smooth—clearly a beheading in one strike, leaving no room for struggle or resistance," Xie Nuanyi sighed deeply. "Although the Fox Bear isn't an exceptionally powerful beast, they are as cunning as foxes in their agility. To sever its head in one clean stroke like that, even I might not accomplish it so neatly. Moreover, I see that the long saber in your hand is exceptionally broad and heavy, yet you wield it so lightly and sharply. You must have mastered the true essence of swordsmanship. Am I correct in this assessment?"

He Yiming smiled without answering. As for mastering the true essence of swordsmanship, perhaps he hadn't fully grasped it. But the Thirty-six Styles of Mountain Splitting could certainly be integrated into his blade work. Even in a casual strike, there was a shadow of the Seventh Style. To say he had grasped the true essence was perhaps a slight stretch, but arguable.

Xie Nuanyi continued, "Besides swordsmanship, I also cannot discern your internal energy cultivation level. If I'm not mistaken, your internal energy has reached at least the Eighth Level, or…" He paused, "the Ninth Level?"

This time, the complexions of Xie Mingjin and the others finally changed. They looked at He Yiming with identical expressions of disbelief.

This person actually possessed Eighth or Ninth Level internal energy? Had the Master mistaken something...

He Yiming smiled, impressed. "Even if it is Eighth or Ninth Level internal energy, what of it? The Xie family has three Tenth Level internal energy masters, right?"

Xie Nuanyi chuckled, surprised. "What moves me most about the young brother is not your current cultivation." His face abruptly straightened. "If I am not mistaken, the young brother is under eighteen years old. To achieve such success at the age of eighteen, your future potential is limitless. That is why I was so presumptuous. Please forgive my rudeness."

Xie Mingjin and the others finally understood why their master was being so courteous. If this young man was indeed under eighteen and possessed Eighth or Ninth Level internal energy, then even marrying off a family daughter would be worthwhile just to win him over.

He Yiming offered a wry smile. He hadn't expected that showing a bit too much skill would also be a disadvantage; everywhere he went, people harbored intentions of recruitment.

He shook his head, about to refuse, when he heard Xie Nuanyi say, "Young Brother, our Xie family has a thousand-year legacy, and our assets are quite substantial. I know what purpose you wish to achieve by hunting spirit beasts."

He Yiming froze slightly, his gaze turning sharp.

Xie Nuanyi quickly waved his hands. "Brother He, don't misunderstand. Families with centuries of heritage likely know that the inner core of a spirit beast can refine a Golden Elixir. To tell you the truth, our Xie family possesses several inherited Golden Elixirs. If Brother He were to join the Xie family, my elder brother would certainly not be stingy with a Golden Elixir in a few years' time."

Xie Mingjin's eye twitched, but he remained silent. His father making such a promise to a stranger he had just met was truly astonishing.

He Yiming was also greatly surprised. He naturally understood the true value of a Golden Elixir and was somewhat moved by the other party's sincerity. "Mr. Xie, I am also a cultivator. Everything I have learned is inherited from my family, so I can only appreciate your kind intentions."

Xie Nuanyi was not discouraged but laughed lightly. "Brother He, as far as I know, the He family is not among the Five Great Families of the Tianluo Kingdom, nor does the Tianluo Kingdom seem to boast any famous experts with the surname He. Though our Xie family is unremarkable, we are quite renowned among the Northwestern Kingdoms. If I could meet with an elder from your esteemed family, perhaps they would agree to my request."

He Yiming inwardly felt a surge of admiration. In such a short time, this man had deduced so much. This ability was not something everyone possessed. Furthermore, a Tenth Level internal energy master humbling himself to seek companionship was even more endearing.

If he had been any other young man, he might indeed have been moved, and the scion of an ordinary minor family might even be willing to join a major lineage, thus increasing their chances of future success.

But unfortunately, He Yiming’s situation was unique. Unless it was an expert of the Innate Realm, no one else held his interest.

He raised his hand slightly, preparing a polite refusal, when suddenly his ears twitched. His expression remained unchanged, his gaze sharp as a blade, looking toward the right.

He Yiming's action immediately drew everyone's attention; all eyes turned in that direction.

The leaves in the jungle rustled, and then slowly, a pitch-black arm, two meters long and as thick as an adult's forearm, emerged.

Upon seeing this arm, the faces of Xie Nuanyi and the others changed drastically. Xie Mingjin blurted out, "Long-armed Hare."

His voice was filled with terror; he clearly knew the horror of this spirit beast.

The six attendants rushed forward almost without thinking, positioning themselves in front of Xie Nuanyi and his son. One of them shouted sternly, "Second Master, Young Master, hurry and leave!"

His voice was not loud, but it carried an aura of resolute determination. His five companions had already drawn the great sabers at their waists, forming a peculiar small formation. Not one considered abandoning their comrades to flee.

"Impossible, they shouldn't be out during this season." Xie Mingjin's voice still carried extreme panic, confusing He Yiming greatly. Were these two spirit beasts much stronger than the Golden-Crested Python?

Xie Nuanyi's expression shifted several times. Pulling his son back with one hand, he urged, "Brother He, you must come with us quickly!"

He Yiming gave him a suspicious look and asked, "Why should we leave?"

Xie Nuanyi replied swiftly, "Long-armed Hares always travel in pairs, never leaving one another. Since one has appeared, the other must be nearby. When two Long-armed Hares appear together, only three Tenth Level internal energy masters can contend with them. If we all stay here, it will only be a dead end."

His words clearly implied abandoning the attendants, and whether it was the father and son or the attendants themselves, they all seemed to accept this reality.

However, He Yiming shook his head slightly. "Mr. Xie, your Xie family is incapable of dealing with these two spirit beasts, correct?"

"Yes."

"Good. Then I will take one. That should be fine, right?" He Yiming asked with a smile.

"What did you say…" Xie Nuanyi's gaze suddenly sharpened, for he saw He Yiming's movement.

He picked up the long saber in his hand and opened the long sheath lying on the ground. Inside were two sections of an iron rod even longer than his saber. He Yiming flicked his toe, and the two sections flew into his hands, magically combining into a massive Guan Dao nearly four meters long.

Both Xie Nuanyi and his son stared for a moment, their eyes glazed over. The appearance of this great saber was too sudden; even they felt a sense of being caught in a dream.

Of course, what truly made them incredulous was that He Yiming did not use this opportunity to flee, but instead pulled out this terrifying heavy weapon, clearly intending to fight the two Long-armed Hares head-on.

When the others recovered, they couldn't help but exchange wry smiles. What an unsophisticated country bumpkin! If a heavy weapon alone could kill spirit beasts, then with the combined strength of the Xie family's three Tenth Level internal energy masters, those two beasts would have already been slain; there would be no need for such profound apprehension.

Xie Nuanyi sighed deeply. At this point, his desire to recruit He Yiming waned. Such a reckless fool, no matter how great his talent, would only end up being schemed against and killed in vain. Moreover, when facing imminent death, his own life and his son's life were paramount.

After all, he would never believe that He Yiming could kill two Long-armed Hares that required three peak Post-Heaven Tenth Level masters to contend with.

What a shame for such excellent cultivation talent to be wasted on an idiot like this.

"Brother He, since you intend to stay, we won't obstruct you. We shall meet another day," Xie Nuanyi bowed slightly and started to leave, pulling his son's hand. He added mentally, We'll meet in the next life.

However, just as his foot crossed the threshold, a massive steel rod appeared before him—it was the handle of the great Guan Dao extended from He Yiming’s hand.

Xie Nuanyi's eyes suddenly turned sharp. Lingering at this moment was simply asking for death. A killing intent even surfaced in his heart.

"Brother He, what is the meaning of this?"

"Mr. Xie, didn't you say there were two Long-armed Hares?" He Yiming didn't look back. "There is only one in front of us."

Xie Nuanyi reacted swiftly; his heart tightened, and he immediately understood he had misunderstood He Yiming.

Composing himself, Xie Nuanyi looked behind them.

The jungle was dense with towering trees and overgrown weeds; no one could discern any movement. But beyond his line of sight, it was pitch black. As a peak Post-Heaven Tenth Level master, his vision was keen, and he could vaguely make out a faint trace.

Xie Mingjin waved his hand, drawing a long steel sword, and asked, "Mr... Sir, are you saying there is another Long-armed Hare right behind us?"

He had intended to call him Brother He, but then he thought that his own father was addressing the young man as a brother. However, to call him Uncle He, looking at the slightly tender face opposite him, the word 'uncle' simply wouldn't come out. So, he changed his address to 'Sir'.

He Yiming nodded slightly, retracting the saber handle. He lightly flicked a large stone on the ground with the steel rod.

This stone had been used by He Yiming as a stool to sit on. Now, flicked by the saber handle, it shot toward the sky like lightning, flying backward like a projectile.

A flash of surprise and envy crossed Xie Nuanyi's eyes.

The large stone probably weighed around forty to fifty jin. For an internal energy expert like him, it wasn't much, but to flick it away so effortlessly, and with such speed as if it were a hidden projectile, using only the saber handle, was not easy to achieve.

This required not only powerful internal energy but also an extremely formidable physical strength.

He hadn't expected this young man also possessed innate divine strength.

The large stone pierced through the dense foliage, shooting rapidly through the leaves. However, when it reached the canopy of a towering tree, a piercing shriek suddenly rang out, followed by a violent collision. Countless fragments of stone rained down from the tree.

The faces of Xie Nuanyi and his son instantly paled. He glanced at He Yiming, suddenly realizing he understood the young man's strength even less. Had he truly misjudged?

Perhaps because their position was exposed, two unpleasant, echoing calls sounded from the front and back. Then, two almost identical strange beasts leaped nimbly down from the trees.

Upon seeing their appearance, He Yiming also paused slightly.

These were clearly two animals resembling large monkeys, but their arms were extraordinarily long, exceeding two meters, which was indeed astonishing. He just couldn't understand why they were named 'Hares' (He).

Their arms were extremely long, making them exceptionally agile when moving through the jungle. With a slight reach of their arms, they could easily grasp tree trunks, scrambling up and down with such speed that even internal energy experts might struggle to track them.

He Yiming held his great saber and called out loudly, "Mr. Xie, how about we each deal with one of these two fellows?"

Xie Nuanyi's heart stirred. "Good, but Brother He, you must be extremely careful."

At this moment, he dared not look down upon He Yiming any longer. Furthermore, in his heart, he was genuinely hoping He Yiming could kill one Long-armed Hare. Otherwise, under the pincer attack of two Long-armed Hares today, even if he could escape, Xie Mingjin and the seven attendants would have absolutely no chance of survival.

He Yiming smiled and nodded, his hand flashing. The great Guan Dao emitted a low humming sound—the sound produced when internal energy flowed into the blade and agitated it, instantly invigorating the spirit.

His figure moved, and he vanished from his original spot.

Ps: Three chapters updated today, five thousand characters per chapter, totaling fifteen thousand characters updated. Two more chapters are being revised and should be ready in ten minutes for the second chapter^_^ Also, many thanks to Brother Liu Yifan for the reminder; I apologize for not specifying the update time in the book, causing everyone to wait fruitlessly until dawn today. Future updates will be fixed: every Monday and the first of every month, Bai He will add an extra five thousand characters in the early morning. Other updates will be around seven to eight in the evening. If there are any changes, I will notify you. Thank you, Brother Yifan... Furthermore, thanks to Baihe※Miracle, the first Alliance Leader of this book. Thank you. Bai He will certainly strive to repay you with better work!