He Yi-ming observed the members of the Xie family, who treated him with such deference and timidity, and sighed inwardly. Before his breakthrough to the Xiantian realm, although they were polite to him, their attitude was nowhere near this exaggerated; but after ascending to Xiantian and promising Xie Zhi-en that he would help him strive for the same realm within three years, their respect for him became absolute.

Especially Xie Zhi-en, an elder of a hundred years, who almost behaved as if receiving the rites of a disciple. A sudden thought struck him, and he asked, "Senior Xie, if a Xiantian realm expert were to act as a guardian during the breakthrough, could all Houtian experts at the tenth level of Inner Strength manage to pass this bottleneck?" Xie Zhi-en offered a wry smile.

"Mr. He, that is simply impossible." He shook his head slightly and sighed, "A Xiantian realm expert acting as a guardian can only enhance the capacity of the meridians, preventing the body from exploding during the breakthrough.

True advancement, however, relies entirely on one's own effort. Either one must be a peak Houtian tenth-level master possessing dual, mutually supportive elemental attributes, or one must possess an ultimate inner core refined from the inner cores of spirit beasts over five hundred years old.

Even with these conditions, it only means there is a chance to break the limit. As for whether one can actually succeed…" Seeing the elder hesitate mid-sentence, He Yi-ming immediately understood.

He sighed inwardly, realizing that although he himself had broken through, his plan to help the venerable elder of the manor was completely dashed. "So you mean, even if I am willing to act, you, venerable elder, might not necessarily advance smoothly?" Xie Zhi-en’s face darkened, then he replied, "Precisely so.

But this is the last chance of my lifetime. I implore Mr.

He to grant my request." Fearing He Yi-ming might go back on his word, after uttering these words, he immediately bowed deeply once more, bending all the way to the ground. His sincerity was enough to move anyone.

He Yi-ming quickly reached out to help him up. "Senior, please rest assured.

Since I have already promised, I will absolutely not go back on my word." His voice was steady and powerful, naturally carrying a convincing weight. The great stone weighing upon Xie Zhi-en and the others instantly lifted.

Even with He Yi-ming’s assistance, Xie Zhi-en might not succeed, but having this hope was infinitely better than having none at all. For this hope, the Xie family was willing to pay any price.

An old servant suddenly rushed in from outside, holding a slip sealed with gold foil, his face flushed with excitement. Before he even reached them, he exclaimed, "Great Master, Prince Ting Ming-he has come to pay his respects!" The complexions of Xie Nuan-hang and the others shifted slightly.

They exchanged glances, and Xie Nuan-yi respectfully said, "Mr. He, Prince Ting Ming-he has certainly come because of you.

May I ask if you have any intention of meeting him?" He Yi-ming asked in surprise, "Who is Ting Ming-he?" Xie Nuan-yi pondered for a moment. "The Huo Wu Kingdom has four great aristocratic families, the most prominent being the Ting family, who are the imperial lineage and the only great family possessing Xiantian realm experts.

Ting Ming-he is one of the Ting family's three great Houtian masters. While he may be insignificant in your eyes, he is already an extremely distinguished master within the Huo Wu Kingdom." He Yi-ming nodded slightly and pondered for a moment.

"He Yi-ming has just ascended to Xiantian and wishes to enter temporary seclusion for a few days. During this time, I will not receive outside guests.

I ask for Mr. Xie’s understanding." Xie Nuan-yi bowed deeply, a flicker of joy crossing his eyes.

He quickly responded, "Since this is Mr. He's wish, Xie will certainly convey it accurately." Xie Nuan-hang and the others also secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

From their perspective, they certainly did not wish for He Yi-ming to become entangled with any other great family in Huo Wu besides the Xie family. Glancing at the sky, He Yi-ming cupped his hands slightly.

"He Yi-ming wishes to step out for a while. I will return in no more than three days, and no less than one." With that, he nodded slightly toward Xie Ming-jin, and with a slight movement of his figure, he transformed into a wisp of light smoke and vanished in an instant.

The Xie family members looked at one another. A moment later, Xie Nuan-hang stepped forward and said softly, "Ming-jin, I see Mr.

He has developed a deep regard for you. You know what you must do, right?" Although He Yi-ming had not said much to Xie Ming-jin in front of them, the old foxes' ability to read expressions and gauge situations had reached the pinnacle of perfection.

Every gesture He Yi-ming made toward Xie Ming-jin before leaving had been meticulously observed. Xie Ming-jin started, then nodded silently.

"Yes, First Uncle." Infinite emotion welled up in his heart. Although he was certain that He Yi-ming would eventually advance to the Xiantian realm, he never imagined the day would arrive so swiftly.

Considering their similar ages yet vastly different strengths, even the naturally unrestrained Xie Ming-jin felt a pang of melancholy and loss. ※※※※ He Yi-ming departed the Xie manor like a flash of lightning.

The direction he headed was the main gate of the manor, but his speed was far beyond what ordinary people could match. Ascending to the Xiantian realm not only meant that all the Inner Strength had been refined and sublimated into Xiantian True Qi capable of communicating with external energies, but also that all aspects of his physical constitution had received an incredible boost.

His pace appeared like a leisurely stroll, yet it was swift enough to pass in the blink of an eye; even if someone saw him, they would only perceive a blur. In moments, he reached the main gate of the Xie manor.

The gate was already open, revealing over two hundred heavily armored, robust men standing outside. Their bodies were erect as mountains, exuding an aura that blended solemnity and fierce sharpness.

With just one glance, He Yi-ming recognized that every single one of them was a practitioner at the sixth level of Inner Strength or higher. It was obvious these men must be the personal guards of that Prince Ting Ming-he.

His heart tightened slightly. The difference between the fifth and sixth levels seemed small, just one layer, yet most practitioners stalled at this very barrier.

While a prince would certainly not lack close personal attendants and retainers at the seventh or eighth level of Inner Strength, having even the personal guard unit composed of sixth-level masters was truly excessive. He mused, slowing his pace slightly, and stopped right beside the formation.

The two personal guards directly in front of him stood rigidly straight. Abruptly, a figure appeared before them as if by spectral magic.

Even with their abilities, they hadn't detected how this person materialized. Years of rigorous training prompted an automatic reaction: their hands flickered, and the two guards drew their great sabers simultaneously, shouting, "Who goes there!" Their reaction instantly alerted the entire unit, and dozens of intensely sharp gazes focused on the spot.

He Yi-ming gave an arrogant smile and couldn't be bothered to respond. He waved his wide sleeve, turned, and began walking outward.

However, this time he did not depart quickly; instead, he walked out among them as if he were an ordinary person, under everyone's scrutiny. The faces of the guards changed.

While they might not have been entirely unchecked within Ying Feng City, few dared to treat them with such utter disregard. Yet, they remembered they were before the main gate of the Xie manor, so despite their anger, they dared not act rashly.

Amidst the assembled men stood a sixteen-bearer palanquin. Each bearer was immensely sturdy, like iron towers.

Even under the circumstances, they stood respectfully beside the sedan, their gaze fixed forward. Suddenly, the curtain of the sedan moved, and a middle-aged man clad in embroidered robes stepped out.

As this man emerged, the faces of several surrounding people showed extreme reverence. He asked in a calm voice, "What is the cause of this commotion?" The two guards who had spoken earlier immediately knelt on one knee.

"Reporting to Your Highness, a person suddenly appeared just now. We failed to investigate; please forgive us, Your Highness." The man looked up in the direction He Yi-ming had walked.

Although he was inside the sedan, he was fully aware of the situation outside. What shocked him was that even he hadn't perceived when He Yi-ming had moved outside the formation.

If not for that anomaly, such a minor incident would not have warranted his personal appearance. Though He Yi-ming hadn't used any cultivation technique, his strides were far greater than an ordinary person's, and he had already reached the street corner.

He turned, instantly moving out of the man's line of sight. He hesitated, then glanced back at the Xie manor's main gate, finally dismissing the notion of forcibly stopping the man.

For some unknown reason, when that thought arose, a distinct chill ran down his spine. Shaking his head slightly, he was already starting to mock himself when a burst of hearty laughter rang out.

"Xie Nuan-hang welcomes Your Highness Prince Ting Ming-he!" As the voice drew nearer, the current head of the Xie family appeared outside the main gate. Ting Ming-he shook his head and chuckled.

"Brother Xie, don't mock me. Have I ever put on airs as a prince when I visit you?" Xie Nuan-hang smiled affably.

"Very well, if that is the case, Brother Ting, please come inside to talk." The two entered side by side into the Xie family’s main hall. As for the accompanying personal guards, someone would attend to them; it required no effort from the two principals.

Inside the main hall, after being seated and served tea, Ting Ming-he got straight to the point. "Brother Xie, you must have guessed my purpose." Xie Nuan-hang nodded slightly.

"I have guessed a few things. Please enlighten me, Brother Ting." "Very well.

My ancestor, Master Shi-guang, invites Master Xie Zhi-en to the Huo Wu Pagoda for a meeting." Ting Ming-he stood up and bowed slightly toward the direction of the imperial palace. Xie Nuan-hang dared not be remiss and stood up beside him, but his expression stiffened slightly.

"Brother Ting, perhaps you are mistaken. My ancestor has not advanced to the Xiantian realm; how could he merit the title of Master?" Ting Ming-he was stunned, his face filled with disbelief.

Only after a moment did he say, "Brother Xie, the one who just advanced clearly used a Fire Attribute cultivation method. Was the one who just reached Xiantian not your ancestor, Mr.

Zhi-en?" Xie Nuan-hang shook his head with a wry smile. "That is certainly not the case." Ting Ming-he hesitated.

"Since it wasn't Mr. Zhi-en, which esteemed master in your residence was it?" Xie Nuan-hang sighed softly.

"That master is a congenial friend my second brother encountered by chance while traveling. We invited him to stay temporarily, but we never expected him to advance to the Xiantian realm while under our roof." Ting Ming-he looked utterly dumbfounded.

If these words had not come from Xie Nuan-hang, the contemporary head of the Xie family, he would never have believed them. Meeting a congenial friend outside, inviting him home, and he breaks through to Xiantian.

Damn it, how could someone be this lucky… The muscles in his face twitched a few times. Why didn't he ever encounter such fortunate happenings?

He suddenly sensed two strong gazes fixed upon him. Ting Ming-he snapped back to reality, forcing an awkward smile.

"Brother Xie, is that Master He perhaps a retainer of the Xie family?" Xie Nuan-hang’s expression changed slightly, and he quickly stated, "Of course not. Mr.

He is the most honored guest of our Xie family. Even appointing him as an Elder of the clan would be an insult to his status." Ting Ming-he nodded secretly.

Although the Xie family was an ancient lineage spanning a thousand years and had produced Xiantian realm experts, not every generation produced such unparalleled prodigies. Currently, the most powerful figures in the Xie family were naturally those three core experts at the tenth level of Inner Strength, and the highest level among the numerous clan Elders was only the ninth level.

A Houtian expert at the ninth level of Inner Strength was considered a top contender across the entire Huo Wu Kingdom. The four great families spent immense sums of money and energy annually just to secure such masters as clan Elders.

However, masters of that caliber were nothing compared to a Xiantian realm individual. Unless the Xie family members had water in their brains, they would never suggest asking such a person to take up the position of a clan Elder.

A moment later, Ting Ming-he tentatively asked, "Brother Xie, might I request an audience with this Master He?" Seeing Xie Nuan-hang's expression suddenly turn rather unpleasant, he quickly explained, "Brother Xie, please do not misunderstand. I am merely following my ancestor's orders to invite Master He to the Imperial Palace for a meeting.

I have absolutely no other intentions." Xie Nuan-hang’s expression eased slightly, but then he let out a wry smile. "Brother Ting, unfortunately, you are a step too late." "What?" Ting Ming-he asked, puzzled.

Xie Nuan-hang sighed deeply. "Mr.

He departed just moments ago." Surprise and annoyance were instantly revealed on Ting Ming-he's face. He certainly didn't believe Xie Nuan-hang was trying to deceive him.

Xie Nuan-hang coughed lightly. "Brother Ting, before Mr.

He left, he mentioned that he would return in no more than three days, or at least one." Ting Ming-he's expression shifted again. He bowed deeply.

"In that case, I ask Brother Xie to permit me to reside temporarily in your manor and to arrange an introduction when the time comes." Xie Nuan-hang returned the courtesy. "That is a small matter.

However, Mr. He mentioned that since he just advanced to Xiantian, he requires seclusion.

If he cannot receive guests for a while, I ask for your understanding, Brother Ting." Ting Ming-he smiled. "That is only natural." At this point, a figure flashed across his mind.

Instantly, a bead of cold sweat trickled down his back. Thank goodness he hadn't acted impulsively earlier.

※※※※ Not long after, He Yi-ming had left Ying Feng City and arrived at a high mountain outside the city limits. The weather had turned cold, and even on the mountains outside Ying Feng City, tourists were rare.

He Yi-ming deliberately chose deserted side paths and finally found a secluded, unmanned small valley. Although the valley wasn't large, a small stream ran through it.

Arriving by the stream, He Yi-ming washed his face. The icy cold stream water on his face slowly cooled his feverish complexion.

After a long while, he finally stood up. Slowly closing his eyes, he quietly sensed everything around him.

He could perceive a mysterious connection between his body and the outside world, a link mediated by the True Qi. He sat down beside the stream, allowing the True Qi within his body to circulate slowly.

What he was using was the Blazing Fire Art, the very technique that had helped him shatter the barrier to the Xiantian realm. Threads of inexplicable energy flowed into his body from the outside.

He could clearly sense that every acupoint in his body seemed to grow stronger with the circulation of the external True Qi. Slowly, when the circulation route of the Blazing Fire Art concluded, and all the Inner Strength returned to his Dantian, he felt a faint sensation of heat.

However, this feeling was extremely subtle and vanished instantly, as if this Fire Attribute energy had undergone some strange transformation. But what kind of energy it had become, he could not yet comprehend.

After considering for a moment, He Yi-ming began to understand. The circulation path of the Blazing Fire Art did not pass through all acupoints.

Every acupoint it did pass through seemed capable of absorbing some of the external True Qi, thus gradually growing stronger. The acupoints untouched by the True Qi were not entirely unaffected during this process either.

All acupoints within the human body were interconnected through the meridians. Even those without True Qi flow seemed to be influenced slightly, causing them to strengthen somewhat.

But this rate was incomparable to those directly absorbing True Qi; it was like one was eating meat while the other was just drinking the broth. A moment later, the Blazing Fire Art in his body shifted, transforming into the circulation pattern of the Mighty Strength Art, followed by the Primordial Chaos Force, the Ripple Technique, and the Withered Wood Art.

However, he soon discovered that even cycling through the Five Elements cultivation methods, there were still many acupoints within his body that remained untouched. Furthermore, apart from the Blazing Fire Art, the absorption rate of external True Qi for the other techniques seemed far inferior.

A thought faintly surfaced in his mind: the Blazing Fire Art, after being enhanced by the Withered Wood Art, seemed to have undergone a subtle change. The cultivation effect of this technique appeared to have surpassed the Withered Wood Art of the same rank.

While the other four techniques, including the Withered Wood Art, were also showing gradual positive development as he cultivated them, the speed of this change was extremely slow, nowhere near that of the Blazing Fire Art. He sighed deeply, finally realizing why cultivation methods needed to be divided into Xiantian and Houtian categories.

A Xiantian cultivation method represented not only immense power but was also a dedicated technique for Xiantian realm experts. He was certain that among Xiantian cultivation methods, besides Xiantian Battle Skills, there must certainly be corresponding primary cultivation methods for Xiantian Inner Strength.

Although he currently possessed the powerful Xiantian Battle Skill, the Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitting, if he wished to maintain a rapid and powerful pace of progress, he needed to master more primary Xiantian Inner Strength cultivation methods. He sighed inwardly, deciding to temporarily rely on the mutated Blazing Fire Art for cultivation.

As for other elemental Xiantian Inner Strength techniques, he would have to leave it to fate. Or perhaps, he could achieve the same status as the Blazing Fire Art by continuously cultivating the Mighty Strength Art and the others until they too underwent corresponding mutations.

However, achieving that was likely not something that could be done in a short period… Ps: I'm here, an hour late. Please forgive me, everyone.

wipes sweat White Crane accepts the beating; just don't hit the wings or the face! ※※※※ Recommendation: Space Warrior by Bai Jun-huang Awakened after seven centuries of slumber, the mercenary faces not the old world confined to Earth, but an era of interstellar warfare.

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