One head of the Two-Headed Spirit Beast exhaled a cyan wind's breath, which transformed into a formidable force striking Yuan Lixun, who had fallen into the water, while the other head never relaxed its vigilance toward He Yiming. The fireball spat from its mouth accelerated the very next instant.
But, at that very moment, it sensed an immense crisis. This sensation stemmed from the human before it; although this human had given it a similar feeling from the start, it had never been as intense as this moment.
Its four eyes finally displayed an expression of ultimate terror. With a lingering glance at the water pool where ripples spread in circles, it instantly decided to flee this place.
Though it was reluctant to part with that strange, massive stone, it understood even better that without the stone's augmented power, continuing to tangle with the human before it would lead to a most tragic fate.
However, just as it resolved to leave, that sense of crisis suddenly escalated to an unbelievable degree.
Within its four eyes, everything was now submerged—utterly drowned—by a sheet of light.
※※※※
The atmosphere in the air instantly underwent a baffling alteration. When the circulation of Zhenqi within He Yiming shifted to Hunyuan Jin, not only did the surrounding Heaven and Earth Force become distorted, but this power expanded within moments to cover nearly half the valley.
Brilliant, dazzling light erupted from the Great Saber, so intense it hurt the eyes. At this moment, the blade-head of the Great Saber seemed to have transformed into a sun—a sun radiating metallic hues.
There was no sound; it seemed as if even sound in this area was masked by this strange and potent metallic color. All the light instantly converged into a single massive saber-glare, its reflected brilliance fierce and sharp.
Suddenly, He Yiming’s body vanished from where he stood. Only then did a sharp, piercing whistle, akin to collapsing mountains and raging seas, echo around him.
The saber-glare upon the Great Saber was no longer like a serpentine flicker; it had become a vast, tangible metallic mass, appearing as if the very tip of the blade extended outward, exuding a chilling sternness.
The Two-Headed Spirit Beast’s great maw opened wide; it too sensed a dread akin to the end of the world. At this time, it exerted its utmost strength, daring not to hold back even a shred of reserve.
From its two mouths, an unprecedentedly powerful force instantly condensed, and spheres of wind and fire simultaneously spewed forth.
Its belly instantly shriveled, as if this single breath had expelled all its internal organs—heart, liver, lungs, stomach, and spleen—its abdomen nearly touching its spine, lending it an indescribably comical appearance.
These two distinct forces actually merged in mid-air.
This was its true hidden, life-saving ultimate move: fusing two energies simultaneously to unleash the most powerful might.
In an instant, the wind fueled the fire, and the fire borrowed the wind's momentum, forming a whirlwind crowned with infinite searing flames that surged upward before it.
Yet, at that precise moment, its eyes were struck by brightness once more. It clearly saw a huge, terrifying Great Saber appear between the wind and fire. With one downward sweep, it cleaved through the wind, cleaved through the fire, cleaved through everything before it, descending like lightning, giving it absolutely no chance to evade.
Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Cleaving, Sixteenth Form.
This was one of the most powerful martial skills He Yiming could currently command, and the only innate battle technique among his Metal Attribute cultivation methods.
This Two-Headed Spirit Beast possessed sinews and bones as tough as refined steel, comparable to the Long-Armed Badger. The first strike that injured it had already contained the power of clouds and rain.
That single strike, before the Xu Family Fort in Taicang County, had once sliced two hundred and one people into chunks of flesh.
However, that saber-force, like a mountain rainstorm, only managed to slice open the Spirit Beast's surface, drawing some blood.
After receiving treatment from the mysterious white stone, it had astonishingly recovered completely in a short time.
Such powerful physical bone structure could only be possessed by the mightiest of Spirit Beasts.
But when the Five Elements Zhenqi circulated within He Yiming, finally pushing the Metal Attribute power to its absolute extreme, and employing the Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Cleaving with the Great Saber, he managed to fully ignite every ounce of power within him.
This downward strike shattered the wind and fire, causing them to utterly dissipate.
This downward strike was one that killed gods who obstructed and buddhas who obstructed.
This downward strike was one that rent the heavens and split the earth, utterly unparalleled.
The light before it suddenly flared intensely, and the surging wind noise and imposing aura instantly spread into the distance. Even the water pool, which had been gradually calming, was once again swept by endless ripples, manifesting a small whirlpool even at its center.
Moments later, all these massive changes gradually subsided.
He Yiming collapsed to the ground, gasping heavily. Although he still tightly gripped the Great Saber, the weapon now lay flat before him, utterly impossible to raise again.
His gaze was locked intently upon the Two-Headed Spirit Beast not far ahead of the pool.
At this moment, this rare Two-Headed Spirit Beast was dead beyond question. Its body had been cleaved in two by that single strike, divided into exactly two halves, as if measured with a ruler—without the slightest deviation.
He Yiming took a deep breath, only then feeling the external Heaven and Earth Force slowly flowing back into his body. His almost paralyzed limbs finally possessed a trace of his own strength.
That last strike was comparable to the strike he delivered when he first faced the Golden-Crowned Python, draining his Zhenqi completely dry.
Under that blow, every bit of his potential had been utterly squeezed out.
If the enemy before him had managed to withstand that move, then after that strike, He Yiming would have possessed no ability to resist for several breaths of time.
Fortunately, the might of that strike far exceeded his imagination. With one swing, the equally powerful Two-Headed Spirit Beast, without any means of resistance, was sliced in half from between its two heads, split cleanly from neck to tail.
Looking at the Spirit Beast, He Yiming felt no joy. His gaze only lingered on the creature for a few moments until he confirmed it was utterly dead. Then, his attention shifted to the still-rippling pool.
At this instant, the muscles in his face twitched incessantly, a poison named regret furiously devouring his heart.
When he first discovered this Spirit Beast, He Yiming’s only thought was to kill it and take its inner core to refine his Golden Core.
But no matter what, he never anticipated the final outcome would be so unbelievable.
That Yuan Lixun could somehow sneak into this strange inner valley, concealed from both him and the Spirit Beast, seemed impossible by any measure.
His ears twitched slightly, and suddenly, he realized that the miraculous skill of Shunfeng Er (Wind-Following Ear) had recovered its original function; it seemed that strange, interfering power had vanished.
He immediately knew that this power must have been related to the mysterious large stone that had been suspended over the pool. Now that Yuan Lixun had pulled the stone into her possession, that strange power naturally disappeared.
Taking deep breaths, strength slowly returned to his body. Gritting his teeth, he shakily managed to stand up.
He Yiming once again laid down the Great Saber. His grandfather was right; in moments of life and death, only this Great Saber could bring him true fortune and aid.
If he had come empty-handed today instead of holding the Great Saber, even with his sudden burst of power, he might not have managed to kill the Two-Headed Spirit Beast on the spot.
However, at this moment, He Yiming unhesitatingly set down the Great Saber and walked toward the water pool.
His first few steps were still unsteady, but he walked more firmly and faster with each stride.
Just as he reached the edge of the pool, he slightly tensed his legs, about to leap into the water.
But at that instant, his eyes suddenly narrowed, for he saw a dark silhouette darting up from the pool like a fish.
His eyes instantly widened, and he stared dumbfounded as the shadow broke the surface waves, revealing a dripping wet head.
Yuan Lixun—it was Yuan Lixun!
And what was even more unbelievable was that from her series of movements just now, he could tell that she suffered absolutely no injuries.
Immediately, He Yiming’s chest was filled with a joy so fierce it felt like an explosion.
He didn't even have time to consider how Yuan Lixun, who had clearly endured the Spirit Beast's breath attack, could be completely unharmed.
Subconsciously, he roared out, a sound like a clap of thunder in a clear sky.
Yuan Lixun, who had just surfaced, flinched violently, completely stunned by the sharp shout.
But she quickly sobered up. Such a hoarse cry could probably only come from that terrifying Spirit Beast. Although it differed from her initial impression, a non-human sound was certainly correct.
She immediately pulled hard with both hands, intending to dive back beneath the water. She knew that with her limited strength, revealing herself here wouldn't be helping; it would just be a burden.
But just then, her vision blurred. A figure descended from the sky, plunging into the water with a splash, and tightly embraced her.
A chill ran through Yuan Lixun’s heart, followed immediately by a wave of warmth.
In the cold pool water, she suddenly felt an indescribable sense of tenderness.
This feeling flowed like water, slowly seeping into her heart, making her recall once again the embrace of her long-departed mother.
“Lixun, it really is you! Are you alright?” He Yiming’s voice, tinged with fear, guilt, joy, and disbelief, echoed softly in her ear.
Yuan Lixun’s face flushed slightly. She struggled gently, but how could she shake off He Yiming’s embrace? She could only say, “Young Master, I am fine; you need not worry.”
The strength in He Yiming’s body slowly recovered as the Heaven and Earth Force continued to flood in.
A true Innate expert and a Post-Heaven expert were indeed on different levels.
The last time He Yiming unleashed a full-force attack, he immediately fell unconscious, taking several hours to slowly recover. But this time, he only felt a weary weakness throughout his body, and the power generated by the influx of Heaven and Earth Force was much faster than recovering through his own internal energy.
By now, although he hadn't fully recovered, his movement was unimpaired.
Stepping quickly across the water with linked footwork, He Yiming carried Yuan Lixun, traveling swiftly across the pool surface.
He released Yuan Lixun, glancing over her body quickly. His expression flushed slightly, and he coughed lightly, saying, “It’s good that you’re alright.”
Yuan Lixun seemed to recall something and glanced at her own body, involuntarily parting her small mouth. However, the shy shriek that was forming on her lips was swallowed back down.
Her clothes, soaked through by the water, clung tightly to her body, revealing her tall, well-proportioned, graceful yet slender figure completely. Looking at this body brimming with youthful vitality, even she felt a stir of admiration.
If there was any regret, it was simply that she was still young, and certain parts of her had not fully developed yet.
A strange feeling suddenly arose within her.
He had seen it—but surely it wouldn't matter...
With this thought came a shy sensation, and her cheeks burned as if dyed with fresh blood.
He Yiming said softly, “I’ll go gather some dry branches for a fire.” With a slight shift of his body, he was gone like the wind.
With his power, a short trip into the outside jungle was enough. Soon, he returned to this secluded gorge carrying an armload of kindling and firewood.
From beginning to end, He Yiming never spared another glance at the corpse of the dead Two-Headed Spirit Beast.
He finally understood that in his heart, the importance of the Two-Headed Spirit Beast was far less than that of a certain lady.
※※※※
The campfire flared to life, emitting warmth that banished the faint chill clinging to Yuan Lixun.
An hour later, He Yiming finally managed, albeit clumsily, to dry their clothes. Although the garments were wrinkled, the difference compared to before was like night and day.
Only then did He Yiming speak to inquire, “Lixun, how did you hold out?”
Yuan Lixun happily took the few dried articles of clothing He Yiming handed her and began dressing.
What made her most shy was that among the clothes He Yiming offered, there was an extra pair of underpants. Judging by the material, this pair was identical to the undergarment he had forced her to wear earlier.
She immediately knew these must have come from He Yiming’s own person.
Although she didn’t know what material this set of clothing was sewn from, she was born into a noble family nonetheless. With a slight tug, she instantly realized this material was virtually impervious to blades or spears. Thinking of He Yiming’s thoughtfulness, her heart naturally turned sweet, as if she had drunk nectar deep into her core.
Hearing He Yiming’s question, she answered without hesitation, “Young Master, I was not attacked.”
He Yiming was greatly surprised. “Impossible! I saw it with my own eyes.”
Yuan Lixun pursed her lips in a smile. Seeing He Yiming’s attitude toward her, her inner delight was immeasurable. “That Spirit Beast’s breath attack was very strange; it looked formidable, but when it touched me, it instantly dissipated. It was nothing more than a spent force.”
As she spoke those last five words, her face suddenly reddened. She stole a glance at He Yiming; seeing he hadn't noticed anything, she felt a measure of relief.
He Yiming scratched his scalp, his brow furrowed. He himself had fought the Two-Headed Spirit Beast for a long time and knew how terrifying it was, especially the two different elemental breaths, which were supremely powerful—the Spirit Beast's greatest trump cards.
But for Yuan Lixun, it received a mere evaluation of ‘nothing special,’ which sent shockwaves through his mind.
After a long pause, He Yiming asked in a deep voice, “Lixun, were you holding the white massive stone at that time?”
“Yes.” Yuan Lixun tilted her eyes up slightly. “Young Master, that stone is truly interesting. It looks huge, but it has no weight at all. When I pulled it, it sank to the bottom of the pool.”
He Yiming’s gaze swept over the pool. “Where is that stone now?”
“I placed it at the bottom of the pool, and after pressing a few other stones on top of it, that massive stone couldn't float up anymore,” Yuan Lixun said with a hint of pride.
He Yiming nodded slightly. He had his suspicions; the failure of the Two-Headed Spirit Beast’s breath attack must be related to that stone.
But this stone was inexplicably bizarre. Not only could it block the miraculous effect of his Shunfeng Er, but it could also restore the Spirit Beast’s wounds and energy. Now, a new function had been discovered—rendering the Spirit Beast’s breath attacks ineffective.
These various miraculous abilities gathered in one stone made it clear, even to the dullest person, that this thing must be an unimaginably precious treasure.
After pondering for a moment, He Yiming stripped off his own outer clothing and dove into the water pool.
The pool was not very deep; the water was just quite cold, but still within a range tolerable for humans.
He Yiming hadn't searched long before he saw the expanse of white light before him. He kicked his feet slightly and swam toward the massive stone.
At that moment, several ordinary, not-too-large rocks were resting atop the giant stone. These smaller stones were covered in some algae and mud, clearly things Yuan Lixun had casually picked up from the bottom of the pool.
He Yiming hesitated for a moment, then sank down and walked into the embrace of the white light.
Suddenly, his eyes brightened, because he discovered that within this white light, his spirit was invigorated. He even felt that if he remained standing in the white light forever, he could maintain ceaseless vigor.
He contemplated in the water for a long time, finally sweeping away all the stones on top with his hand.
Instantly, the white massive stone began to slowly float upward.