Returning to the courtyard where he resided. He Yiming glanced at the two Xiantian Secret Manuals in his hand, hesitated for a long moment, finally put away the Fierce Fire Art, and opened the Withered Wood Technique.
Upon witnessing He Yiming’s action, Yuan Lixun, as if guided by telepathy, immediately closed the gate of the courtyard. Although He Yiming had given no explicit hint, simply by looking at the expression on his face, Yuan Lixun already guessed that he was about to dedicate himself entirely to some form of martial cultivation.
After opening the Withered Wood Technique manual, He Yiming did not immediately turn to the Xiantian cultivation methods in the middle, but instead began reciting the text word by word, starting from the very first character of the first line.
These contents were in no way unfamiliar to him. Since he had cultivated the Withered Wood Technique to the peak of the tenth layer, he had never consulted it again. But reading it once more now, he suddenly realized that he seemed to have gained a new understanding.
The wood-attribute technique he was cultivating was still the Withered Wood Technique, yet due to the peculiarity of his physique where the Five Elements circulated as one, the several Houtian techniques had undergone subtle new transformations.
The greatest changes were undoubtedly in the Primal Chaos Force and the Ripple Technique.
The arduous practice of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting, coupled with several moments of enlightenment during union, had given his two attribute techniques an unexpected boost, making them comparable even to genuine Xiantian techniques.
As for the other three attribute techniques, their application was somewhat inferior in comparison.
However, now that he possessed the Xiantian versions of both the Withered Wood Technique and the Fierce Fire Art, he was absolutely confident that he could bridge the gap caused by the deficiencies in those two techniques.
Page after page, after He Yiming finished reviewing all the Houtian contents of the Withered Wood Technique, he closed his eyes. The True Qi inside him circulated, actually mimicking the manner of internal energy flow, running along the pathways of the Houtian technique within his body.
Starting from the first layer, up to the tenth layer, and finally, easily surging out of his body to establish a certain connection with the external world’s power.
The moment the True Qi rushed out of his body, a sensation of intense comfort instantly flooded his entire frame.
He Yiming let out a long breath, his heart filled with myriad emotions.
In the past, in order to step into the Xiantian realm, He Yiming had exerted every ounce of his strength, only succeeding through a fortunate turn of events.
Now, it seemed as if he were reliving that past experience, except the technique he was breaking through with had shifted from the fire attribute to the wood attribute, and the feeling of exhilarating release had not diminished in the slightest.
The True Qi within him, resembling chaos, flowed in a circle and transformed into wood-attribute True Qi, connecting with the external energy.
For He Yiming, who was accustomed to shifting his True Qi attribute to the Metal element or the Winds, Clouds, Rain, and Mist, this feeling was quite unfamiliar.
If the True Qi were of the Metal attribute right now, he could practice the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting. If it were Water or Wind True Qi, he could transform into mountain mist and rain clouds, becoming the wind and rain drifting through the forests.
But when he converted his True Qi to the wood attribute, he felt a sense of helplessness.
After remaining stunned for a while, he finally discovered that while cultivating the Withered Wood Technique could indeed increase the chaotic True Qi within him, the speed was far inferior to cultivating the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting and the Winds, Clouds, Rain, and Mist.
He let out a soft sigh and finally turned past the page detailing the tenth layer of the Houtian Withered Wood Technique before him.
After this page lay the genuine Xiantian cultivation method.
The Withered Wood Technique, the incantations and diagrams for the Wood-Attribute Xiantian technique.
He Yiming’s eyes faintly gleamed, much like a child suddenly beholding their favorite toy; his entire focus was instantly captivated by the contents within.
Muttering each word silently, in He Yiming’s eyes at this moment, this secret manual was nothing short of pearls of wisdom, with almost every sentence striking a chord deep within him, giving him a feeling of sudden enlightenment.
Especially when he turned to the final annotations, his excitement grew even more pronounced.
After a long while, He Yiming finally withdrew his gaze. He closed his eyes in contemplation for a moment, then flipped the manual open again, reading from beginning to end.
After doing this three times, He Yiming set the book down and let out a long breath.
When he opened his eyes, there was a trace of unconcealed fatigue in them.
Despite his formidable strength as a Xiantian Grandmaster, he still showed such an expression, which showed the immense mental effort he had expended just now.
He pushed the door open and stepped out. The first person He Yiming saw was Yuan Lixun.
She had already closed the gate of the courtyard and brought a chair to sit just outside the door of his secluded cultivation room.
Although her internal energy had reached the sixth layer, compared to the many disciples on Spirit Medicine Peak, she was insignificant. However, as long as she sat there, even if Daoist Yaodao himself came, he would not dare to force his way in.
Hearing the sound of the door opening, Yuan Lixun turned and smiled brightly at him, her face blooming with a brightness akin to a clear sky after a rain, possessing a unique allure.
He Yiming froze slightly, his gaze concentrating for a moment before returning to normal.
“Young Master, have you succeeded?” Yuan Lixun asked softly.
Although He Yiming had not made any deliberate effort to convey anything, a look of exhaustion was visible on his face. This greatly surprised Yuan Lixun. She rarely saw He Yiming with such an expression; even after his battle with Cheng Fu, he had remained spirited.
She truly wondered what kind of technique required the Young Master to expend such immense concentration.
He Yiming chuckled softly. He knew Yuan Lixun had misunderstood, believing he was engrossed in studying a specific technique. After a moment’s thought, He Yiming sincerely replied, “Lixun, I was merely reviewing a secret manual just now; I wasn't cultivating any technique.”
Yuan Lixun glanced towards the room in surprise. A technique that required the Young Master’s such deep focus—could it be…?
A look of envy immediately surfaced on her face. If it were possible, she too would want to study a Xiantian technique. But alas, she was self-aware enough to know that in her lifetime, she probably wouldn't have any chance to step into the Xiantian realm.
“Young Master…” Yuan Lixun finally couldn't help but inquire, “Was this book helpful to you?”
He Yiming nodded honestly, “Yes, this book was undoubtedly an eye-opener for me, bringing immediate clarity.” Seeing Yuan Lixun’s eyes also gradually light up, He Yiming offered a wry smile, “Lixun, this is a wood-attribute technique, different from what you cultivate.”
A flicker of disappointment crossed Yuan Lixun’s eyes.
In truth, for any cultivator, having a Xiantian secret manual placed before them yet being unable to cultivate it would be a pain so profound it could drive one to suicide.
Although Yuan Lixun hadn’t focused her entire heart on the martial path, she was not immune to this sentiment.
He Yiming scrutinized her carefully, hesitated for a moment, and said, “Lixun, for us cultivators, the technique isn’t about being the strongest, but about being the most suitable!”
Yuan Lixun’s beautiful eyes snapped open. Meeting He Yiming’s clear gaze, as if understanding something, she nodded firmly, “Young Master, thank you.”
He Yiming waved his hands repeatedly, feeling genuinely pleased for her.
In this matter, even knowing the reality, when a Xiantian secret manual lay right before one’s eyes, how many people could control their desires and refrain from touching it?
That Yuan Lixun could grasp this point so quickly was already a source of immense, mingled surprise and joy for He Yiming.
※※※※
In the herb garden, He Yiming closed his eyes slightly. He calmly extended both hands and slowly stroked the trunk of an ancient, towering tree whose age was indeterminate.
At this moment, a gentle stream of airflow, imperceptible to ordinary people, was slowly moving over him.
Slowly, a smile originating from his heart emerged on his face.
After reading the Withered Wood Technique manual and the accompanying notes gifted by Daoist Yaodao, He Yiming truly understood: to achieve the optimal method for Xiantian True Qi cultivation, one must practice in the most suitable location.
For example, the Water-attribute Ripple Technique should be practiced near the ocean or a major waterway to achieve the best results. Although this effect could never match that of an enlightenment, it was significantly faster than He Yiming’s usual cultivation speed.
Therefore, after reviewing the Xiantian cultivation methods and (notes/precautions) for the Withered Wood Technique, He Yiming had felt that sense of sudden clarity, as if a fog had been lifted from his eyes.
To cultivate the Withered Wood Technique, one naturally needed to choose deep mountains and ancient forests. However, after more than a hundred years of experimentation, Daoist Yaodao discovered that cultivating in the herb garden behind Spirit Medicine Peak yielded even better results.
This was why He Yiming had come to the herb garden. Following the manual’s instructions, he selected the largest old tree and slowly infused it with his wood-attribute True Qi.
As the True Qi continuously extended, He Yiming could even perceive the internal vascular structure of this giant tree in his mind.
A fresh wave of realization washed over him: within the plants of the natural world, just like humans and animals, there existed specialized vascular pathways.
It was just that these pathways were hidden incredibly deep, not easily discernible by everyone.
Only a Wood-Attribute Xiantian Grandmaster like him could use Xiantian Wood True Qi to explore these profound mysteries.
The wood True Qi spread along the tree’s channels continuously. Slowly, He Yiming was struck by a peculiar sensation: that he himself had become this giant tree, or rather, this tree had become a part of his body, extending his spirit and consciousness outward.
This feeling was incredibly marvelous. Although it wasn't as exaggerated as the state of sudden enlightenment, it was an altogether different kind of profound experience.
The Xiantian True Qi dispersed outward through the great tree, constantly interacting with some strange energy permeating the external environment. Every leaf, every branch, indeed the entire tree, was absorbing that miraculous power from the space around them. Gradually, this power began to converge toward a single direction from the countless leaves and branches.
The tree’s vascular structure seemed to transform into the meridians of He Yiming’s body, continuously drawing this energy into himself.
This was the energy of life, representing the power of vitality.
Pine, cypress, locust, and elm—vigorous, upright, flourishing…
Suddenly, He Yiming understood: within the Five Elements, the power represented by the Wood element was actually this potent and incredible.
At this moment, a trace of crystalline desire (or perhaps 'yearning' given the context) surfaced in his eyes; his entire being was steeped in a feeling akin to being moved to tears.
He completely opened his heart, immersing himself wholeheartedly in sensing this marvelous feeling.
After an unknown amount of time, he finally emerged from this deep emotion.
Only then did he realize that he had successfully executed the Xiantian cultivation method recorded in the secret manual, and seemingly, he had done far better than expected.
Circulating his True Qi slightly, he immediately felt a surging, ocean-like sensation.
After this session of cultivation, his True Qi had advanced another great step, reaching a higher plateau. Although it wasn't as intense as the power gained from enlightenment, the magnitude of this progress far exceeded his initial estimations.
He looked up at the great tree, his mind deep in thought.
The volume of the entire tree was vastly larger than a single human, and the area of contact with the void surpassed that of an individual human countless times over. Although the tree’s vascular system devoured a significant amount of the life-force energy while absorbing external power, the total energy absorbed was still far greater than what a person could accumulate through solitary practice.
His gaze swept over the surroundings, and an immense surge of ambition filled He Yiming’s heart.
Having mastered this method, his confidence in his future martial cultivation grew a hundredfold.
※※※※
As He Yiming became completely engrossed in this novel path of cultivation, he failed to notice that Daoist Yaodao had also arrived in the herb garden and lingered there for a while before nodding in satisfaction and departing.
As he left, beyond sheer elation, there was also a trace of emotion and shock in his eyes.
Although he knew He Yiming’s talent in the Wood element was astonishing to a legendary degree, seeing that He Yiming had grasped the true essence of Withered Wood Technique cultivation in just one day still left him utterly amazed.
It must be remembered that Daoist Yaodao himself was a genius in martial arts; otherwise, he would not have managed to step into the Xiantian realm by utilizing the principle of fire nurturing wood.
After entering the Xiantian realm, he had spent over ten years painstakingly mastering the Xiantian cultivation methods for the Fierce Fire Art and the Withered Wood Technique. Before that, his cultivation progress had been extremely slow, nowhere near as swift as it was later.
According to his expectations, even with He Yiming's heaven-defying talent, it should have taken at least a year or more to fully master the Xiantian cultivation methods of the Fierce Fire Art and the Withered Wood Technique.
But the scene he just witnessed told him one undeniable fact.
True geniuses could not be judged by common standards.
The memory of what he had just witnessed filled his heart with deep emotion.
Having such a genius become a disciple of the Hengshan lineage was certainly a great blessing, but associating with this genius for too long might not necessarily be a good thing for him. At the very least, his confidence in his own martial cultivation would be severely tested in the coming period.
Daoist Yaodao did not stay in the herb garden for long, leaving before He Yiming concluded his practice.
As soon as he returned to the entrance of his cave dwelling, he saw He Wujin waiting there, his face beaming with joy. Upon seeing him, He Wujin immediately stepped forward and announced, “Master, a message came from the main peak just now; the Grand Martial Uncle has returned.”
Daoist Yaodao’s eyebrows shot up, and he joyfully exclaimed, “Martial Uncle has returned?”
“Yes.”
“Good.” Daoist Yaodao waved his large sleeves, let out a loud laugh, and turned to leave.
Upon hearing the news of the return of the Grand Elder of the Hengshan lineage, the slight jealousy that had begun to surface in Daoist Yaodao’s heart vanished without a trace.
As long as he could secure the recognition of this Grand Martial Uncle, He Yiming could immediately become the fourth official Elder of Hengshan, and more importantly, his Spirit Medicine Peak would finally have a successor.
Daoist Yaodao moved with lightning speed. Despite the distance between the two peaks, within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, he had arrived at the main peak.
Within the jurisdiction of Hengshan, the main peak was undoubtedly the highest mountain, the very peak where He Wude had first brought He Yiming and the others.
As one of the three great Elders, Daoist Yaodao’s very appearance served as the best form of accreditation. All Hengshan disciples who saw him along the way bowed respectfully in greeting. Moments later, he arrived at a solitary courtyard behind the main peak.
Just as he reached the courtyard gate, he heard an extremely familiar, powerful voice from within say, “Elder Yao, please come in.”
Daoist Yaodao pushed the door open without hesitation and stepped inside. Looking up, he saw an old man who, although slender, possessed the steadfastness of a mountain.
This old man had a pair of large eyes, and his deep, dark pupils seemed to exude infinite wisdom and alertness. This was Yu Jinglei, the only remaining senior powerhouse of the Hengshan lineage.
After seeing Daoist Yaodao enter, Yu Jinglei smiled faintly and said, “Elder Yao never visits the Three Treasures Hall without a reason. Why such haste today? Is there something important?”
Daoist Yaodao managed a slightly awkward smile. This elder surpassed him greatly in terms of strength, seniority, and age.
Even Daoist Yaodao, possessing high-level cultivation within the Hundred Scattering Heavens, dared not show the slightest disrespect in his presence.
Bowing slightly, Daoist Yaodao first inquired, “Martial Uncle, did you gain anything from your journey this time?”
Yu Jinglei sighed deeply, his eyes openly revealing a trace of regret, “Finding a Xiantian Spirit Beast, how difficult that is. This trip, this old man still returned empty-handed.”
Daoist Yaodao was not surprised by this; as the elder said, if Xiantian Spirit Beasts were so easily discovered, wouldn’t the world be teeming with Xiantian experts?
Yu Jinglei seemed to hesitate for a moment, saying, “There is one month until the New Year. After the festival, I plan to go to that place.”
Daoist Yaodao was instantly startled, “Martial Uncle, absolutely not! That is not a place where we humans can set foot.”
Yu Jinglei gave a bitter smile, “I know, but my years are advancing. If I don't take the risk to venture there soon, in a few decades, I might not even have the ability to risk it.”
Daoist Yaodao slapped his forehead, “Martial Uncle, there is something I forgot to report to you.”
“What is it?”
“The disciple who was previously expelled from the sect, He Wude, has returned to the mountain and rejoined our Hengshan discipleship,” Daoist Yaodao stated solemnly.
Yu Jinglei replied nonchalantly, “You finally found him; that must have been quite an effort.”
Daoist Yaodao’s expression remained grave, “Martial Uncle, He Wude did not return alone; his grandson, He Yiming, also came.”
Yu Jinglei was momentarily stunned, then laughed, “He Wude is your disciple. If his grandson wants to join Hengshan, you decide yourself; just assign him a master casually.”
Daoist Yaodao immediately looked embarrassed, “Martial Uncle, throughout Hengshan, I fear there is no one capable of being his master except you.”
Yu Jinglei asked in surprise, “Why?”
Daoist Yaodao puffed out his chest proudly, “Because He Yiming is a Xiantian Grandmaster.”
Ps: Three chapters and fifteen thousand characters today. Starting tomorrow, I will prepare to travel to the annual meeting, but even during the meeting, I, Bai He, guarantee a daily update of ten thousand characters. So, to all the Crane Friends who still have monthly tickets, please grant them to me, Bai He, so I can crush the rival army's little daisy! ^_^
※※※※※ Recommendation for Qi Fengchen's new work, Power Over the Great Ming, Book Number: 1501252 Pillar of the Nation, Madman of Disorder.