Stepping into the rear garden, the wintersweet bloomed vibrantly. Almost the entire tree was covered in flowers. The blossoms were pale yellow, tinged with green, their petals lustrous and translucent, as if carved from amber or jade, possessing a distinct air of icy purity.

However, at this moment, Elder Yu Jinglei, whose seniority and power placed him at the pinnacle of the Hengshan lineage, suddenly widened his eyes in shock.

In the nearly two centuries since he had stepped into the Xiantian realm, this was perhaps the rarest of occasions where a mere sentence from a junior had nearly caused him to lose his composure.

His eyebrows twitched twice, settling back into calm in the span of a breath. He asked, "That He Yiming has actually stepped into the Xiantian realm?"

"Precisely so," replied the Medicine Daoist with evident pride. "He Yiming possesses unparalleled, innate genius in martial cultivation, a talent others can only dream of reaching. Furthermore..." He paused, a profoundly complex smile gracing his lips. "He Yiming is only seventeen years old this year."

If Yu Jinglei had managed to maintain a semblance of composure upon first hearing that He Yiming was a Xiantian master, now he could truly no longer conceal his astonishment and profound emotion.

"Seventeen... Are you certain?"

The Medicine Daoist nodded gravely. He knew this was not a matter for jokes. "Martial Virtue would never deceive me on such a point."

He deliberately withheld the terrifying speed at which he had witnessed He Yiming cultivating the Withered Wood Skill, and the fact that He Yiming's current strength was hardly inferior to his own hundred years of arduous practice. At this crucial juncture, he was safeguarding the future of Spirit Medicine Peak.

A peculiar light flickered in Yu Jinglei’s eyes. After a moment, he stated in a deep voice, "Is his grandfather, He Wude, a disciple of another sect?"

"No," the Medicine Daoist confirmed firmly. "Martial Virtue stated that what He Yiming cultivated were merely copies of the Houtian manuals he took with him when he left the sect."

Yu Jinglei paused slightly. "He was allowed to take copied manuals when he was expelled from the mountain?"

The Medicine Daoist’s expression immediately turned exceedingly awkward. He coughed twice. "Well, perhaps the inspection was neglected at the time."

Yu Jinglei gave him a meaningful glance. "Did He Wude bring his grandson to Hengshan with the intention of having him join the Hengshan lineage?"

The Medicine Daoist nodded repeatedly. "Master Uncle, your foresight is divine. Wude worked himself to the bone to cultivate his grandson into a Xiantian master precisely so that he could join our Hengshan lineage, thereby atoning for his past failures in alchemy." He sighed deeply. "Wude has been unfailingly loyal to Hengshan. To have expelled him from the inner circle in the past was indeed somewhat excessive."

Yu Jinglei glared at him good-naturedly. "Enough with your thinly veiled intentions. Since Wude managed to cultivate a Xiantian Elder for Hengshan, his past mistakes are naturally wiped clean."

The Medicine Daoist chuckled slyly. "Master Uncle, when Wude left the mountain, he also took the Great Broadsword from the armory to aid in cultivating He Yiming. It has now become He Yiming's favored weapon. This clearly shows his profound foresight."

Yu Jinglei felt a mix of amusement and annoyance. "Profound foresight? So when He Wude was expelled, you not only gave him sect manuals but also selected a weapon for him from the armory..." He thought for a moment, then realized, "I remember now. He Wude must possess natural divine strength; that Great Broadsword, unused by anyone else, was indeed suited to him."

The Medicine Daoist smiled without comment. As one of the three Grand Elders of Hengshan, if not for this matter of bringing a Xiantian Elder to the lineage, he wouldn't have faced any punishment regardless.

Yu Jinglei laughed heartily. "Good, Elder Yao, you have done well. If you hadn't gifted those Houtian manuals and the Great Broadsword to He Wude, he certainly couldn't have cultivated a Xiantian disciple. Even if he had cultivated one, he wouldn't have been able to bring him back into the fold." He spoke with deep feeling: "At this time when our Hengshan lineage is facing a gap between generations, gaining a Xiantian Elder is entirely due to your immense contributions."

A trace of satisfaction touched the corner of the Medicine Daoist's mouth. Knowing that the words had come from the Supreme Elder meant that He Yiming’s position as Elder was now certain.

In reality, any sect facing such an opportunity, unless all its elders had collectively lost their minds, would never refuse it. The Medicine Daoist’s anxiety was merely born of caring too much.

He bowed slightly. "Thank you, Master Uncle, for your praise. Your humble nephew was merely fortunate."

Yu Jinglei rubbed his hands together, then suddenly asked, "A Xiantian master at seventeen—how exactly did he cultivate?"

The Medicine Daoist managed a wry smile. "Your nephew does not know, but Wude once mentioned that Elder He has never consumed a single Golden Elixir."

Though he claimed ignorance, in his mind he thought: If you witnessed the speed of his Withered Wood Skill cultivation, you wouldn't find it strange. But if you did see it, I fear the next Peak Master of Spirit Medicine Peak would also be out of my reach.

Yu Jinglei murmured softly to himself: "Advancing to the Xiantian realm without consuming any Golden Elixirs, and at such a young age..."

The Medicine Daoist nodded in deep sympathy. If he hadn't witnessed it firsthand in recent days, and tested the power of He Yiming's Gold Water Skill, he would never have believed it himself.

He suddenly raised his eyebrows. "Master Uncle, on his journey to Hengshan this time, Elder He encountered a mutated two-headed Xiantian Spirit Beast and slew it, extracting two Xiantian Inner Cores."

Surprise and delight warred in Yu Jinglei's eyes. He opened his mouth but could not speak.

The elders of the Hengshan lineage and several disciples at the tenth level of Neijin had searched for the whereabouts of Xiantian Spirit Beasts for over a decade without success. But this young, genius Elder, newly arrived at Hengshan, had encountered a Xiantian Spirit Beast en route—and more valuable still, it was a mutated, two-headed variety possessing two Inner Cores. This news brought him immense joy, mingled with a faint sense of jealousy and loss.

After a moment, he sighed deeply. "How does Elder He plan to dispose of those two Xiantian Inner Cores?"

"Elder He gave the Inner Cores to He Wude, and Wude then presented them to this disciple," the Medicine Daoist raised his head. "Master Uncle, this disciple has promised that if both Inner Cores can be successfully refined into Xiantian Golden Elixirs, I will return one to Elder He."

Yu Jinglei nodded silently. "That is only right. If we truly gain two Xiantian Golden Elixirs, we must give him one regardless."

Although the auxiliary herbs for refining Golden Elixirs were equally precious, they were insignificant compared to Xiantian Inner Cores. If two were refined simultaneously and both remained within the sect, then should any future disciple luckily acquire a Xiantian Inner Core, they might hesitate to offer it to the sect.

Moreover, the one offering the Elixirs this time was the newly joined Xiantian Elder, He Yiming. Offending this young Elder, whose future was limitless, and causing him to harbor doubt would be a net loss.

A look of satisfaction finally surfaced on the Medicine Daoist's face. "Thank you, Master Uncle, for your agreement. This way, I can account for the matter to Elder He."

Yu Jinglei nodded slightly, then suddenly asked, "Elder Yao, does Elder He Yiming reside on Spirit Medicine Peak?"

"He does," the Medicine Daoist replied gleefully. "Master Uncle, Elder He is deeply devoted to the Dao of Alchemy. I have already bestowed upon him the Xiantian manuals for both the Blazing Fire Skill and the Withered Wood Skill, and I am willing to transfer the position of Peak Master of Spirit Medicine Peak to him."

Yu Jinglei paused, letting out a dissatisfied hum. "Elder Yao, we will discuss that matter later."

The Medicine Daoist sighed inwardly but dared not defy his Master Uncle’s wishes, replying respectfully. However, he was deeply worried; if the Supreme Elder witnessed He Yiming's strength and cultivation speed, the hope of He Yiming inheriting Spirit Medicine Peak would become even slimmer.

Yu Jinglei pondered for a moment and inquired, "What cultivation method did He Yiming originally practice?"

"Elder He originally practiced the synergy method of the Gold and Water elements."

"The Gold-Water Synergy?" Yu Jinglei asked incredulously. "Since he cultivated the Gold-Water method, why did you teach him the Wood-Fire method?"

The Medicine Daoist chuckled lightly. "Master Uncle, Elder He not only possesses talent in Gold and Water but also an even more exceptional talent in Fire and Wood. This nephew can guarantee that once he switches to these two methods, his future achievements will surpass those of the Water-Fire paths."

Brilliance suddenly flashed in Yu Jinglei's eyes. He asked in a deep voice, "Elder He actually cultivates four out of the five foundational elements simultaneously?" His figure flickered, and he instantly vanished from the courtyard, leaving only his voice echoing from afar: "I shall pay a visit to Spirit Medicine Peak..."

The Medicine Daoist shook his head and sighed silently. Upon learning of He Yiming's cultivation aptitude, the Supreme Elder was truly moved. Otherwise, he would not have disregarded his status to condescend to visit Spirit Medicine Peak to meet He Yiming.

While this was undoubtedly a great boon for the entire Hengshan Sect, it might not be so for Spirit Medicine Peak. A look of worry crossed the Medicine Daoist's remarkably young face. With a helpless sigh, he too headed in the direction of Spirit Medicine Peak.

He Yiming exhaled deeply, drawing the newly absorbed True Qi into his Dantian.

As He Yiming's True Qi continuously refined, his internal sight ability also improved constantly. Currently, he was utilizing the Wood element's Xiantian Withered Wood Skill. As the external power transferred from the tree’s meridians into his body, what he perceived was a vast expanse of green.

This green energy slowly transformed into Xiantian True Qi, converging towards his Dantian.

However, once this life force, derived from nature, entered his Dantian, it immediately became a swirling chaos.

When he focused his attention on his Dantian, what he could "see" and feel was an absolute darkness.

Within his Dantian, there was no color, resembling a gigantic, bottomless black hole capable of containing all energy and power in the world.

He knew that due to cultivating multiple disparate methods, the external energy he absorbed was also immensely mixed. Yet, no matter what energy entered his Dantian, it transformed into a part of this chaos, losing all distinction.

Although He Yiming did not know what others' Dantians looked like, he was confident that no one else possessed such a miraculous effect.

After absorbing all the energy from the tree, He Yiming hesitated before unfurling the Water element Ripple Skill. With him as the center point, the surrounding airflow seemed to exhibit a magical undulation. This was the unique nature of the Ripple Skill; having comprehended the Dao of Wind, Cloud, Rain, and Mist, the power it could exert was in no way inferior to any other skill.

Suddenly, He Yiming's expression shifted. His two ears twitched strangely and rapidly within a small area. Although the movement was minimal, it sent ripples of feeling through his mind like surging tidal waves.

The first time he used the Xiantian Withered Wood Skill to absorb external energy, his entire focus was concentrated there, so he failed to notice the Medicine Daoist's approach. But now, as he concluded his practice, his Wind-Listening Ear subconsciously activated, immediately revealing a terrifying discovery.

From a distance, a person was approaching at high speed. He had only caught a faint sound on the wind yet judged that this person's speed was likely not much slower than his own at full effort.

Since mastering the power of wind, He Yiming had possessed great confidence in his speed, but now, he dared not claim he could certainly outpace this individual.

He opened his eyes, a sharp glint flashing within them, and the True Qi on his body surged once more. This time, however, he was not experimenting with techniques, but focusing his entire attention, poised and watchful.

His gaze locked onto a specific direction. A moment later, a black shadow materialized before him as if summoned by a ghost.

Yu Jinglei watched He Yiming in astonishment. Upon arriving at Spirit Medicine Peak, he had sensed the anomaly in the herb garden and proceeded with extreme caution. He had originally planned to observe secretly, but he hadn't expected that the moment he spotted He Yiming, a powerful aura would permeate the air of the herb garden—clearly indicating that He Yiming had detected his presence and was reacting with vigilance.

His brows knitted slightly. How could a Xiantian master of the Baisantian level detect the approach of a powerhouse from the Yixiantian realm? Did He Yiming cultivate some secret, wondrous technique?

In a few quick movements, Yu Jinglei reached the herb garden. Seeing He Yiming in person and sensing the formidable aura emanating from the youth, his heart was filled with shock.

Such a powerful aura—how could it be compared to a master who had just entered the Xiantian realm?

With just a single glance, he realized that He Yiming's true cultivation level was certainly no less than that of Hengshan’s three Grand Elders.

He Yiming took a deep breath. When this person suddenly appeared, he felt a slight relaxation, as he detected no malice from him.

However, he noticed that this person's aura was exceedingly faint. If not for his Wind-Listening Ear catching the sound on the wind, he might not have sensed the man's arrival through aura alone. Even Shui Xuanjin had not exhibited such a degree of unity between man and nature. In front of this individual, He Yiming felt, for the first time, a profound sense of suppression.

His mind raced, and he spoke in a deep voice, "Are you one of the three Elders of Hengshan?"

Yu Jinglei smiled faintly. "This old man is Yu Jinglei, the Supreme Elder of Hengshan."

He Yiming’s heart tightened, his eyes contracting sharply. He immediately calmed himself, bowed deeply, and said, "He Yiming pays his respects to the Supreme Elder."

Yu Jinglei laughed heartily and waved a hand. "So you are Wude's grandson, He Yiming."

"Yes, my late grandfather was He Wude."

Yu Jinglei's gaze felt substantial as he scrutinized He Yiming. After a long silence, he spoke loudly, "He Yiming, are you willing to join the Hengshan lineage?" As he spoke these words, his eyes betrayed a degree of solemnity.

He Yiming replied with equal seriousness, "I am willing."

"Good, good, good..."

Light faintly shone from Yu Jinglei's eyes. Before meeting He Yiming, his expectations had been high, but upon meeting him in person, the Supreme Elder of Hengshan realized he had severely underestimated the young man.

At a time when the sect faced a gap between generations, the sudden appearance of such an outstanding Xiantian master falling from the sky made him overwhelmingly excited.

"Elder He, since you are willing to join our Hengshan lineage, from this day forward, you are one of the Elders of this sect." He casually drew a circle with his hand and smiled. "Within a hundred li radius of Hengshan’s main peak, you may choose any summit to reside upon. Of course, if you trust this old man, listen to a few words of advice."

"Please instruct me, Supreme Elder," He Yiming replied respectfully.

Yu Jinglei nodded slightly. "When Xiantian Elders cultivate, the emphasis is on the unity of Heaven and Man. Only by residing in a blessed location that best aligns with the attribute of one's cultivation method can one achieve optimal results, perhaps even reaching enlightenment. Therefore, one must be cautious when selecting a long-term residence."

He Yiming felt great curiosity. After pondering for a moment, he asked, "Supreme Elder, how should one choose?"

Yu Jinglei smiled. "Wind requires height, Water requires depth, Fire requires heat, and Ice requires cold."

A flash of realization crossed He Yiming's eyes. It seemed the selection of a dwelling place was intrinsically linked to the cultivation method practiced.

Yu Jinglei suddenly dropped the smile and grew serious. "Yiming, exert your full strength and attack me."