The silvery gleam of the accumulated snow bathed the world in a brilliant white, making the entire forest resemble a bas-relief carved from white jade.

He Yiming stood silently on the snow-covered ground amidst the trees, gazing at the devastating power before him—a force that seemed utterly beyond human capacity—and felt a profound surge of emotion.

Since he began cultivating his internal energy, the most potent strike he had ever unleashed was undoubtedly that peerless, astonishing blade strike delivered when facing the Golden-Crowned Python. At that time, his potential had burst forth completely, exhausting every ounce of internal energy he possessed while still in the Houtian realm.

Yet, ever since that day, he had never managed to replicate such a formidable technique. Even after mastering his Five Elements cultivation method, he remained unable to execute that very move. Each attempt would see his power accumulate to more than half its potential, but he could never release the entirety of that strength in a single instant.

Unexpectedly, today, after finally completing the refinement of the Great Halberd and successfully fusing the essence of the Mian Palm into his swordsmanship amidst the snow, he had inexplicably unleashed that earth-shattering move.

The meridians within his body, at that precise moment, felt capable of enduring the immense shockwave of that strike. The cyclical, mutually nourishing potential of the Five Elements spun in succession, completely awakening.

The might of this single blade, in fact, seemed even more devastating than in the past. More importantly, after unleashing it, He Yiming hadn't collapsed from depletion. Although he felt extreme exhaustion, and his true qi was drained instantly, within a single breath, vast reserves of energy surged in from the outside, replenishing his core with abundant true qi.

Of course, the speed at which the true qi flooded back couldn't compare to the consumption of that singular attack. At this moment, the internal energy only allowed him to move freely; executing the same strike again in a short period was utterly impossible.

He calmed his mind and sat down beside the terrifying, straight line carved twenty meters long into the earth.

His brow suddenly furrowed; the memory returned.

The strike of yesteryear had unleashed his internal energy without reservation, exhausting it entirely, which explained the incredible power achieved in the Houtian realm that annihilated the Golden-Crowned Python.

Although this current strike held comparable destructive force, he was now in the Xiantian realm. The fact that a peak technique from his Houtian days yielded roughly the same power as his current execution seemed anomalous.

It appeared that truly recreating the full might of that past strike—expending every ounce of his true qi in an instant—was still a long journey ahead...

The Withered Wood Art within his body instantly spun to its limit, causing the external Qi of heaven and earth to rush inward at a vastly accelerated rate, far surpassing mere automatic absorption.

A full hour passed before He Yiming stood up again. With a light hop of his toes, the Great Halberd, weighing three hundred and sixty jin, flew into his hands. He then began wielding the large blade, executing the forms of his foundational technique with simple, practiced motions.

This time, he was not employing the Mian Palm methods, but rather the signature maneuvers of the Thirty-Six Mountain-Splitting Forms.

However, it was clear He Yiming was not using the Five Elements circulation for this display. Instead, he purely grounded the technique in the Metal Element Primordial Force, maximizing the potential of this Metal Element Xiantian battle technique under normal circumstances.

The Thirty-Six Mountain-Splitting Forms was a Metal Element Xiantian battle technique. All its movements were direct, sweeping, and bold. Its only distinction from ordinary techniques lay in its unique energy channeling routes, which allowed the internal true qi power to be expressed with utmost clarity.

As He Yiming smoothly executed the first sequence of moves, a faint golden luminescence actually rose around him. His Great Halberd whistled sharply, flashing with golden light, exuding a majestic aura akin to a divine being descending from heaven.

Among these sixteen forms, besides direct overhead chops resembling the 'Mount Tai Crushing Down,' there were also sweeping horizontal strikes like 'Sweeping a Thousand Armies.' Regardless of the maneuver, powerful physical strength was required as an aid. For every unit of strength added by the practitioner, the technique’s efficacy seemed to magnify by ten.

To amplify every fraction of strength to such a degree meant that this cultivation method was absolutely formidable, even among Xiantian battle techniques.

Half an hour later, He Yiming finally lowered his blade and stood still. He was extremely satisfied with his martial proficiency.

Glancing around, the surrounding forest was left in shambles, especially the thirty-meter stretch where the earth had been blasted away, revealing terrifying patches of blackened soil.

He frowned in deep thought for a moment, then raised the Great Halberd and brought it down several times on the Wenli Stone structure that resembled neither a furnace nor a bed.

With every strike, the stone fractured, and soon it was broken into more than ten pieces of varying sizes.

With a gentle flick of his wrist, these stone fragments soared into the air, carving distinct trails before landing on the dark earth of the gash.

Then, He Yiming moved like lightning, sprinting across the snow and scooping up the surrounding snow and soil onto this blade path.

After a while, the path was tidied up. While still looking messy, it was far less horrifying than moments before. Another heavy snowfall would likely cover everything again. The only conspicuous feature was that the path remained utterly barren, an unbelievable sight to behold.

However, deep within this forest, given a few years, lush vegetation would regenerate, concealing all traces of this disturbance.

Having finished his tasks, He Yiming disassembled the Great Halberd, dusted off his backside, and walked away from the mountain with an air of nonchalance.

This entire expedition, including hauling firewood, had consumed a full day and night, but the excitement within him far exceeded what his exterior suggested.

Yet, the moment he returned to the Yuan residence, he was immediately struck by an atmosphere of extreme solemnity.

However, this time, every servant and retainer who met his gaze showed not only terror but also intense joy and eager anticipation.

He Yiming was deeply puzzled. What was going on with these people? Had a single day apart convinced them he was a demon reincarnated?

A figure rushed forward to meet him—it was Yuan Lixuan, the man responsible for their reception. This man had previously clung faithfully to He Yitian’s side, but after He Yiming displayed his unimaginable strength, he realized that among the younger generation of the He family, the strongest was not He Yitian, but the seemingly ordinary youth, He Yiming.

Seeing He Yiming now, Yuan Lixuan’s eyes lit up, and he scrambled forward, bowing low, “Sixth Brother He, you are finally back.”

He Yiming immediately felt goosebumps rise. That term of address was far too familiar, and the man was clearly older than him; even with a thick skin, He Yiming couldn't bear it.

Forcing a smile, He Yiming asked, “Brother Yuan is too kind. Where are my Uncle and Elder Brother?”

Yuan Lixuan hurriedly replied, “Sixth Brother He, Great Uncle He and Elder Brother He are both in the main hall.” He paused to add, “Young Master Fan has arrived with two retainers to pay respects. Elder Uncle Cheng Zhi and they are all in the main hall.”

A sharp, intimidating glint flashed in He Yiming’s eyes. He hadn't expected visitors while he was out forging his blade.

Yuan Lixuan met He Yiming’s gaze, instantly chilling to the bone, feeling as if he had plunged into an ice cellar, his body beginning to tremble slightly. He thought to himself, Just how far has Sixth Brother He cultivated? His presence is so imposing; perhaps even Great Uncle He isn't this terrifying.

“How long have they been here?” He Yiming asked, his voice low.

“They just arrived, barely the time it takes to drink one cup of hot tea,” Yuan Lixuan responded swiftly.

He Yiming gave him a slight nod and strode towards the main hall. Although his time at the Yuan residence was brief, he had not forgotten the path to the main hall. Entering through the main gate, proceeding straight ahead guaranteed arrival at the main hall; this was a basic certainty almost anywhere.

Yuan Lixuan scurried nervously behind him. He was quite tense, sensing that the Fan family had finally lost patience and intended to make a move. He wondered if the Yuan family could survive this challenge.

When He Yiming reached the main hall, he found the atmosphere was not as confrontational as he had imagined; rather, it seemed quite harmonious. However, as he entered, the gazes of the several people inside immediately converged upon him.

Besides Yuan Cheng Zhi and He Quan Xin and his son, there were three strangers. One was a young man in his late twenties, while the other two were a pair of middle-aged men with similar features.

The young man was handsome, particularly his long, ink-dark sword-like eyebrows that slanted sharply towards his temples, resembling the feathers of migrating geese. His eyes sparkled with shrewd alertness, and his face always seemed to carry a slight smile, making him immediately likable.

As for the two middle-aged men, their complexions were tinged with a sallow, yellowish hue, suggesting poor nourishment.

However, the moment He Yiming’s gaze touched them, his brow furrowed slightly. Having reached the Xiantian realm, he could easily discern the true strength of Houtian experts when observing them. The young man was manageable; though a few years older than He Yitian, his internal energy only reached the seventh level.

But the two middle-aged men were different. Though not at the tenth level, their cultivation had reached the ninth level each. He could perceive from the frequency of their breathing that they practiced the exact same technique, and their subtle movements indicated that if they fought together, their coordination would be seamless.

In just a single glance, He Yiming had gleaned information that most people would overlook—this was the terror of a Xiantian realm master. They didn't just see with their eyes; they also perceived the ambient Qi connecting them to the world, allowing them to notice minute details invisible to others.

Yuan Cheng Zhi’s eyes brightened upon seeing He Yiming. At this moment, He Yiming’s standing in his heart was nearly equal to He Quan Xin’s, so his arrival brought significant reassurance.

“Nephew Yiming, come quickly,” Yuan Cheng Zhi said with a hearty laugh. “Let me introduce you. This is Young Master Fan Hao Ri of the Fan family, a renowned rising star among the younger generation in Zheng Tong County.”

Fan Hao Ri smiled with great decorum. “Uncle Yuan overpraises me. My humble techniques are hardly worthy of the notice of Elder Brother He and the other respected He brother.”

Yuan Cheng Zhi laughed heartily and continued, “Nephew Yiming, these two are the two retainers of the Fan manor, Mr. Xiao Yi Fan and Mr. Xiao Yi Lin.”

Upon hearing Yuan Cheng Zhi’s introduction, the two Xiao brothers remained lounging brazenly in their chairs, deliberately ignoring He Yiming. A flash of anger crossed Yuan Cheng Zhi’s face, but he quickly suppressed it.

He Yiming nodded slightly towards them and was about to walk to his uncle’s side when he noticed his Elder Brother Yitian subtly signal him. Following his uncle's line of sight, He Yiming saw that the arrogant gazes of the Xiao brothers contained a hint of provocation, but their focus was not on him—it was on his Uncle, He Quan Xin.

He Yiming immediately understood. His elder brother harbored resentment towards the two retainers but knew he was no match for them, hence the subtle plea for He Yiming to step in and teach them a lesson.

He Yiming gave a slight nod, pausing his steps. He then saw He Quan Xin frown slightly and say, “Yiming, sit next to me.”

He Yiming shrugged slightly toward his brother in apology and obediently walked to sit beside his uncle. Even carrying the Great Halberd weighing over three hundred jin on his back, when he sat down, it appeared weightless; the chair beneath him didn't even wobble.

Fan Hao Ri and his companions were unaware, but Yuan Cheng Zhi and the others knew the true weight of the cloth-wrapped weapon behind He Yiming. A shade more respect entered their eyes, including even He Quan Xin’s. He himself could nullify the halberd’s weight with internal energy, but achieving He Yiming’s effortless mastery, as if the object were nothing, was exceedingly difficult.

After a few more pleasantries, Fan Hao Ri abruptly changed the subject. “Uncle Yuan, this junior has come today representing Elder Master Ze Wei.”

The smile instantly faded from Yuan Cheng Zhi’s face. He asked calmly, “So it is Elder Master Ze Wei. Nephew Fan, perhaps you are unaware that Elder Master Ze Wei has been expelled from the main lineage of the Yuan family by my father and is no longer considered one of us. From this day forward, his actions have no bearing on our Yuan family.”

Fan Hao Ri’s expression remained unchanged. “Uncle Yuan’s statement is inaccurate. Elder Master Ze Wei was originally the legitimate eldest son of the Yuan family. Even if he did not inherit the position of Family Head, he is still the closest direct descendant. How could he be casually cast out?”

Yuan Cheng Zhi let out a cold laugh. “Nephew Fan, this appears to be a matter within our Yuan family, unrelated to your esteemed house.”

Fan Hao Ri maintained his pleasant smile. “Originally, it was indeed unrelated to our Fan family. However, I believe Uncle must know that this junior has married Elder Master Ze Wei’s granddaughter. My eyes also flashed with a keen light. How could I, as a grandson-in-law, stand by and watch my elder watch suffer injustice in his own home?”

Yuan Cheng Zhi grinned, but the expression was laced with chilling sternness. “Then, how does Nephew Fan intend to intervene?”

Fan Hao Ri smiled faintly. “Elder Master Ze Wei has tasked this junior with relaying his message: according to the succession law for the legitimate eldest son, the Yuan family should belong to him. Therefore, I request that Second Uncle Ze Yu and you, Uncle, vacate the Yuan ancestral home within ten days.” His smile grew wider. “If so, everyone can retreat gracefully, leaving room for future amicable meetings.”

Yuan Cheng Zhi burst into a rage-fueled laugh. “And if we refuse?”

Fan Hao Ri offered a wry smile. “If you refuse, it will be troublesome. I fear Elder Master Ze Wei will personally come to claim what is rightfully his.”

He Yiming’s heart stirred slightly. The Fan family had been silent these past few days, but upon showing themselves, they were immediately aggressive, leaving no room for maneuver or retreat. Did they not know that his uncle was also a tenth-level internal energy master? Why did they present themselves as having completely cornered the Yuan family?

Before Yuan Cheng Zhi could reply, He Quan Xin let out a long laugh. “Young Master Fan speaks with great authority. If that is the case, then please bring your men and come take it!”

Yuan Cheng Zhi secretly breathed a sigh of relief and cast a grateful look towards He Quan Xin. Facing Fan Hao Ri, he couldn't possess the same confidence as He Quan Xin, especially considering the Fan family boasted a terrifying top master at the tenth level.

“Young Master, we brothers have long said that we should just take what is ours and not waste time with them. If they refuse to let go, then we should send them on their way,” came a sinister voice—one of the retainers, Xiao Yi Fan.

The moment this man spoke, He Yiming paid close attention. Although he addressed Fan Hao Ri as ‘Young Master,’ his tone held no hint of respect. Fan Hao Ri immediately shifted halfway in his seat and smiled, “Uncle Xiao is absolutely right; this junior has learned a valuable lesson.”

He Quan Xin’s expression darkened slightly. Even with his composure, a flicker of resentment arose. He slowly stood up, his gaze sharp as a blade. “Young Master Fan, this is a Yuan family affair, and in principle, neither of us should interfere. However, since Young Master Fan is being so aggressive, this old man will not stand idly by. I only ask that Young Master Fan be extremely cautious; some matters should not be meddled with. Otherwise, you stand to gain nothing and might lose your own foundation, leading to regret you cannot undo.”

Fan Hao Ri’s face shifted slightly. He could face Yuan Cheng Zhi with equanimity, but when confronted by a threat from a tenth-level internal energy master, he dared not ignore it.

Xiao Yi Fan and Xiao Yi Lin exchanged a look. With unspoken understanding, they both stood up simultaneously and offered a slight bow to He Quan Xin. “Thank you for your guidance, Brother He.”

Before the words faded, they both took a step forward. Within that single stride, their bodies had traversed the distance separating them, bringing them directly in front of He Quan Xin.

Four arms twisted inwards at an extremely bizarre angle, as if lacking joints entirely, resembling four steel whips whistling through the air as they lashed out at He Quan Xin.

He Yiming’s eyes narrowed. Their movements were utterly unexpected by everyone present. Two ninth-level internal energy practitioners dared to openly challenge a tenth-level master. This exceeded the scope of comprehension for most observers.

The difference between the ninth and tenth levels, though only one layer, was still the difference between heaven and earth; a single extra level could not possibly bridge that chasm.

A sense of bewildered confusion arose in everyone’s mind. Were these two men insane?

P.S.: I was unable to log in today due to computer network issues, resulting in a three-minute delay. My apologies. The New Year is approaching. From today until the twenty-first of this month, ten days in total—please allow Bai He to update two chapters daily. Ten thousand characters a day is no small feat. Bai He manages the children during the day and only has this short period at night for writing, sigh...

Recommend a friend's book: "The Spirit Seeker" by Tian Tang Xun Xing Zhe (Heavenly Spirit Seeker) The journey of an Earth spy to another world, creating a happy, people-centric life in a realm dominated by savage beasts. Quite unconventional^_^