Shui Xuanjin personally escorted them beyond the city gates. He Wude and his group were overwhelmed by Master Shui Xuanjin’s extreme courtesy, feeling deeply humbled and uneasy.

This was the natural reaction of a Houtian realm cultivator facing a Xiantian Grandmaster.

Even though He Wude and the others were He Yiming's grandfathers, in the presence of other Xiantian powerhouses, they dared not show the slightest disrespect or negligence.

After leaving the city, when Yuan Lixun mounted a fine steed, refusing to leave his side for even a moment, He Wude finally couldn't hold back and inquired, "Yiming, Lixun is coming with you too?"

Yuan Lixun immediately blushed deeply, but her small, delicate ears stood sharply erect. At the same time, she felt immensely anxious; what if the elder disapproved, thinking she would impede He Yiming’s martial progress?

He Yiming didn't even spare a glance in Yuan Lixun’s direction. He merely said slowly, "That's right. I have already decided."

His tone was decisive and unwavering, leaving seemingly no room for negotiation.

He Wude and He Laibao exchanged a look; a faint smile flickered in both their eyes. He Wude then nodded, "Very well. After all, you are a Xiantian realm master. Even in Hengshan, you rank among the top figures. Having one more person to attend to you should pose no problem."

Only then did He Yiming reveal a hint of happiness. He had expected to have to plead his case extensively, never imagining it would be settled so easily. He secretly marveled at the different treatment afforded to Xiantian experts.

Outside the city, He Laibao gazed back at the city walls, suddenly filled with emotion. "It has been so many years since we last visited. Leaving this time, I fear there won't be many opportunities to see Tianluo Capital again."

He Yiming was slightly surprised. Old Master Bao rarely spoke in such a tone; it seemed he held a special affection for Tianluo Capital.

He Wude reached out and patted his old companion's shoulder, then turned to He Yiming. "Yiming, do you know why your Grandpa Bao and I chose to come to the Tianluo Kingdom to develop our He Family Estate after leaving our martial sect?"

"This child does not know," He Yiming replied honestly.

"It's quite simple," He Wude chuckled. "Because the first time your Grandpa Bao and I met was right here in this bustling city."

Curiosity shone in He Yiming's eyes. There must be something between the two elders that he was unaware of.

"I was an orphan, adopted by my master, Daoist Yaodao, as an infant, becoming his fire-tending apprentice and starting my martial arts training. When I grew older and descended the mountain with my master, I encountered Laibao in Tianluo Capital. At that time, Laibao was just a young child in the city, also unaware of his origins, surviving by begging. We hit it off immediately and have been together ever since," He Wude recounted with feeling. "Neither Laibao nor I know where we came from, but since we met here, we might as well be considered people of the Tianluo Kingdom."

He Quanxin and He Yiming exchanged glances. No wonder there were no ancestral tablets enshrined in the estate—they were rootless wanderers. If it hadn't been for He Wude personally establishing this foundation for the He Family Estate, who knew where they would still be drifting.

He Laibao suddenly said, "Old Master, after all these years, our roots are deeply entrenched in Taicang County; they can never be pulled out now."

Indeed, forty years of hard work in Taicang County, carving out a territory with nothing more than a great broadsword—how arduous and difficult that must have been. The He Family was now inextricably linked with Taicang County; they prospered together and suffered together.

He Wude burst into laughter and gently pulled the reins; his mount began to move slowly. He Yiming and the others naturally spurred their horses to follow.

Behind them, bathed in the rising sun, Tianluo Capital exuded an aura of infinite antiquity. Upon the city walls, Shui Xuanjin watched the departing six riders, his heart surging with emotion, unable to calm himself.

※※※※

The lush green mountains layered upon one another, magnificent and spectacular like a sea in turbulent waves.

Led by the two elders, He Wude and He Laibao, He Yiming and Yuan Lixun journeyed together, finally entering the deep mountains more than ten days after leaving Tianluo Capital.

As for He Quanxin and his son, they led their horses back to the He Family Estate.

Under He Wude’s explicit instruction, they were to return to their base for the time being, rather than heading directly to the capital city.

After all, the foundation of the He Family was still shallow, and its population excessively sparse. While things were manageable in their stronghold in Taicang County, suddenly entering the capital would expose the fragility of their base without reserve. Thus, after He Yiming and the others entered the mountains, He Quanxin naturally had to return home to hold the fort.

However, given He Yiming's current prestige, everyone understood that the rise of the He Family was now unstoppable. Under the watchful eyes of various forces, the matter of bandits gathering to raid Taicang was unlikely to occur again.

This wasn't He Yiming’s first time entering the mountains, but Yuan Lixun had never experienced such harsh wilderness.

Fortunately, He Wude and the other elder were highly experienced and had made thorough preparations before entering the mountains. Especially the insect-repelling medicinal liquid, which, when applied to all exposed skin beforehand, not only chased away all insects but even caused mountain snakes to steer clear instinctively.

He Wude explained that this medicinal fluid was made by his teacher, Daoist Yaodao, and it possessed unbelievably miraculous effects in driving away pests.

In fact, He Yiming possessed a medical text that also detailed methods for refining similar liquids. However, currently engrossed in cultivating his martial arts, he hadn't had time to study it closely.

Along the way, He Yiming insisted on packing and carrying everything. He Wude and the others entered the mountains unburdened, at most carrying a snake-beating stick.

While traveling, He Yiming’s ears constantly twitched. He suddenly realized that while this particular skill might not be highly effective in a duel between two masters of the same rank, it proved unimaginably useful in this environment.

Every rustle within tens of meters of him could not escape his hearing, even the slightest insect.

Traveling through the deep mountains seemed to elevate his control over the power of Wind to a new level.

Upon discovering this, even He Yiming couldn't help but break into a delighted smile.

After walking like this for another ten days, He Wude and He Laibao suddenly stopped. Hesitation clouded their faces, and they argued for the first time.

He Yiming and Yuan Lixun listened for a while, both speechless with suppressed amusement.

It turned out the two old men were lost...

They had been banished from their sect for too long—a full forty years had passed since they returned. Furthermore, the Hengshan lineage lived deep in the mountains, far from human habitation, much like spirit beasts.

Although they had essentially grown up in Hengshan, forty years away had caused significant changes in the topography of this region of the deep wilderness. When they followed their memories to this spot, they were utterly bewildered.

At this moment, He Wude adamantly insisted they should head left, while He Laibao stubbornly maintained they should proceed to the right.

In his sixteen years of life, this was the first time He Yiming had witnessed He Laibao dispute with his grandfather. He also realized that when the elders became obstinate, their competitive spirit was not much less than his grandfather's.

No matter how fiercely He Wude glared, He Laibao kept shaking his head and insisting on his own path.

These two, nominally master and servant but in reality closer than blood brothers, argued for a long time, neither convincing the other. He Yiming and Yuan Lixun certainly had no place to interject.

Yuan Lixun took the water flask from He Yiming's backpack, poured two cups, and offered one to each elder. "Two grandfathers, since you each hold a different opinion, why not explore according to your respective memories? Surely one of you will find the correct path."

Their eyes lit up simultaneously, and a look of appreciation deepened as they regarded Yuan Lixun. He Yiming looked at her with a mixture of awe and strangeness, almost failing to recognize the girl before him.

In the He Family Estate, the status of the two elders was incredibly high. When He Wude started to get angry, the younger generations kept a wide berth. Even He Yiming had considered retreating temporarily under the elder's stern presence just moments ago.

Yet, Yuan Lixun chose this moment to step forward and mediate—this level of courage was drastically different from the shy girl He Yiming had imagined. He realized now that Yuan Lixun possessed another facet to her character.

Yuan Lixun’s face turned slightly red, as if the person who had just spoken was someone else entirely.

He Wude drained his cup and laughed, "Laibao, it seems we are both getting old; even a young girl sees things more clearly than we do."

He Laibao also finished his water. "Yes, Old Master. The world now belongs to the young. Sixth Young Mistress is worthy of Sixth Young Master."

Yuan Lixun’s delicate face flushed even deeper, but a hint of happiness danced in the corners of her eyes.

She was well aware of He Laibao's true standing within the He Family. Anyone who mistook him for a mere servant would be gravely mistaken. Earning his acknowledgment was no less significant than receiving personal confirmation from He Wude.

He Wude glared. "You keep calling me Old Master, yet you clearly don't truly take me to heart. Forget this argument just now. When Quanming was little, he was so naughty; every time he caused trouble, he’d run to you for sanctuary. If I tried to discipline him, you’d fight me—this is..."

He stopped abruptly, glanced at the suddenly awkward He Yiming, and lightly coughed. "Forget about old matters. Laibao, I will go this way, and you go that way. In three hours, we should be able to map out the area."

He Laibao’s face returned to that innocent, harmless smile. "As Old Master commands."

He Wude snorted, turned, and departed in the direction he believed was correct.

He Yiming gently tugged at He Laibao’s sleeve and asked in a low voice, "Grandpa Bao, was my father really that naughty as a child?"

He Laibao hesitated for a moment. "He wasn't excessively naughty, but he often made Old Master lose sleep."

He Yiming was instantly dumbfounded and utterly defeated.

Watching He Laibao also leave in the direction he had chosen, He Yiming decided he would forget everything he had heard today. Yet, his heart was filled with amazement; his usually measured and mature father had unknown mischievous tendencies in his youth.

Turning around, he caught sight of Yuan Lixun suppressing a smile. He Yiming tried to put on a stern face, but before he could glare, he himself couldn't help but laugh.

For a moment, only their clear laughter echoed far into the distance.

He Wude, forging ahead, heard the familiar laughter and shook his head repeatedly, thinking to himself: Old Second, I'm not gossiping about you in front of the juniors just to spite you; you really were too mischievous.

In the distant Taicang County, He Quanming, who was discussing business in a shop, suddenly sneezed loudly. He rubbed his nose inexplicably. With his peak Inner Force of the Eighth Layer, how could he possibly catch a cold?

A moment later, He Yiming stifled his laughter. "Lixun, rushing these past few days has put a halt to our practice time. Now that we finally have a moment, you should start cultivating quickly."

Yuan Lixun responded with slight excitement, her face still marked by a lingering smile. However, under He Yiming’s instruction, she composed her mind and began to cultivate.

He Yiming sat cross-legged, instantly releasing his true qi. The Rippling Technique circulated incessantly within his body, forming a mysterious and indescribable grand cycle with the external Water elemental forces.

When cultivating with Yuan Lixun, He Yiming always employed the Water elemental technique, the Rippling Technique.

However, the Rippling Technique had now undergone a transformative change, akin to shedding old skin. Especially after He Yiming integrated Wind, Cloud, Rain, and Mist into it, the power of the Rippling Technique was decidedly no less than any Xiantian cultivation method.

It was regrettable, however, that aside from the Rippling Technique, the changes in his other techniques were not very significant.

As for Yuan Lixun, although she hadn't broken through the Fifth Layer yet, she was at the peak of that layer. With He Yiming by her side, even if she encountered the ceiling barrier, her chances of breaking through were significantly higher.

This was because when a Xiantian master cultivated, their internal true qi automatically communicated and exchanged with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Qi. During this process, a peculiar field of force formed around them.

If it were a Fire elemental master, the Fire energy around him would become overwhelmingly powerful. If a Houtian Fire elemental cultivator reached the peak of a certain stage and hit a barrier, cultivating within this field would make it easier to break through that stage's limit.

Although this method was inferior to using Essence Gold Pills or Limit Gold Pills, it relied on one's own power for the breakthrough, offering greater long-term growth potential.

This was precisely Yuan Lixun's situation. Her Water elemental inner force had reached the peak of the Fifth Layer, yet she could not cross this final hurdle. He Yiming circulating the Rippling Technique near her was intended solely to create a better cultivation environment for her.

For He Yiming, regardless of which technique he circulated, it would increase the intensity of his true qi. In a matter of (benefiting others and oneself), why wouldn't he do it?

Three hours passed quickly. When Yuan Lixun concluded her practice, a layer of worry settled between her brows.

He Yiming quickly tried to comfort her. "Lixun, it's completely normal that you didn't break through this time. I myself was stuck at the Fifth Layer for a full four years."

Yuan Lixun gently shook her head. "Young Master, I am not worried about that."

He Yiming felt a wave of relief. When facing the peak of a certain layer, the greatest danger was an unsettled mind constantly dwelling on it. This only made crossing the barrier harder. But Yuan Lixun’s mental state remained excellent, perpetually calm, as if she hadn't taken it to heart.

As long as she maintained this mindset, He Yiming was certain that cultivating by his side, it would take at most a year or so before she successfully advanced.

Smiling faintly, He Yiming asked casually, "Then what are you worried about?"

Yuan Lixun replied soberly, "When Grandpa left earlier, he said he would return in three hours, but that time has passed, and neither elder has returned. Could they have encountered trouble?"

He Yiming let out a wry chuckle. "Lixun, the three hours the grandfathers speak of is one way. If it's round trip, it will take at least that much longer. As for trouble? Hehe, they are both masters of the Tenth Layer Inner Force. Here, unless they run into a Spirit Beast, they are the ones causing trouble, not encountering it."

Yuan Lixun understood then, and the heavy stone weighing on her heart finally lifted.

Having accompanied He Yiming for some time, she had come to understand what Spirit Beasts were. The possibility of encountering one was practically infinitesimal, almost negligible.

However, seeing the slight smile of indulgence and teasing on He Yiming's face, her delicate features blushed, and she argued subtly, "What if a Spirit Beast truly appeared here?"

He Yiming raised his eyebrows, slapped his chest, and declared confidently, "That is absolutely impossible. If we really encountered a Spirit Beast, then I will..."

He stopped abruptly, his expression suddenly becoming extremely strange.

Yuan Lixun hadn't noticed the abnormality and smiled gracefully. "What will you do?"

He Yiming's ears kept twitching, and his expression grew even more bizarre.

Yuan Lixun finally detected the oddity and asked with concern, "Young Master, what's wrong?"

He Yiming stared at her blankly for a moment before saying with a bitter smile, "Lixun, you might have spoken the truth."

"Spoken the truth about what?"

"Lixun, I love you too much!" He Yiming’s eyes shone brightly, filled with excitement. "You truly are my lucky star! There might actually be a Spirit Beast here!"

Yuan Lixun immediately turned scarlet, feeling blood surge through her like a fountain, her head buzzing so loudly that she couldn't hear another word He Yiming said.

Ps: It seems that fat man who is lewd and charming is catching up. I must call and harass him tonight. And to the brothers and sisters with monthly tickets, vote them up! Knock that lewd fat man off the list...

※※※※ Recommending a historical book that is climbing the new book charts. Quan Qing Da Ming by Qi Feng Chen, Book ID: 1501252 Pillar of the nation, madman of disorder.