Bu Rong was currently a picture of frantic distress, bellowing orders at the numerous attendants, telling them to maintain order here.

Upon hearing that furious roar, Bu Xingcong had immediately fled, but he found himself unable to do so.

Although he had already guessed that the person issuing the challenge was certainly connected to the carriage from earlier that day, he hadn't anticipated that the owner of that carriage would dare to be so audacious as to arrive right here.

One had to remember, there were a full eight Xiantian masters present. Even if Mu Jintian didn't intervene, surely the others couldn't just stand by and watch.

However, just as he felt his position was unassailable, he was suddenly struck by an icy chill that surged up his spine.

In that instant, he was jarringly reminded of the feeling he had experienced long ago during his training in the jungle, before his martial arts had reached fruition, when he was locked onto by a massive, ferocious beast.

It was an aura that heralded death, one that seemed poised to end his life right then and there.

And it was precisely because of that near-death experience that he had managed to breach the limits and become one of the absolute peak experts among Houtian practitioners—a master of the Tenth Level Inner Strength.

Now, he felt that sensation again, and what was terrifying was that this time the feeling was intensely magnified, far surpassing the dread he felt back then.

His body instantly went rigid. Though he struggled desperately to relax, for some inexplicable reason, he couldn't. Under that crushing pressure, his body was reacting instinctively; it was a primal choice, one that even he couldn't quickly adapt to.

Slowly, in a peculiar motion, he managed to twist his neck around, and his eyes immediately fell upon two conspicuous young men.

His eyes widened sharply. Once he clearly made out the faces of these two individuals, everything became devastatingly clear.

Not a trace of color remained on his face; his sole thought was: How could we have encountered this person's family?

As a guard closely trailing the Fourth Prince Bu Xingcong, he was by no means unfamiliar with He Yiming.

A prodigy who successfully advanced to the Xiantian realm at only fifteen years old—never mind that his current strength had already earned the recognition of Master Mu Jintian, even if he were just a newly advanced Xiantian master, he was someone no one could afford to ignore.

Given his age, heavens knew how formidable he might become in the future.

When the envoys from Tufan State traveled to Kairong State this time, all those in the know understood that even if they offended Zhan Tianfeng, the Guardian God of Kairong State, they absolutely must not offend this young Xiantian master.

Yet now, Bu Rong’s heart was filled with bitterness. He could already foresee the utterly tragic consequences.

If he had known that a Xiantian master was about to perish because of this, he probably would have contemplated suicide on the spot.

He Yiming took a single step forward. Everyone blocking his path, whether courtesan or attendant, was swept aside by a surge of immense force. Yet, even in his fury, He Yiming did not visit excessive wrath upon them. The True Qi used was incredibly precise; while it appeared to throw people far away, when their bodies landed, they would feel at most a slight sting, absolutely no real injury.

In an instant, he had traversed the distance and stood before Bu Rong.

Seeing the intense fear and bewilderment in the other man's eyes, a powerful surge of violence welled up in He Yiming’s gaze once more. A rare, sinister sneer touched his lips. At this moment, the young master, usually known for being affable, finally revealed his ferocious side, releasing all his murderous intent and pent-up negative emotions completely.

"Do you know why I have come?"

"I know." Bu Rong nodded instinctively. Under the oppressive aura of He Yiming, he had not the slightest capacity to resist; even his thoughts seemed to falter slightly.

"Where is Bu Xingcong?" He Yiming pressed on.

Bu Rong's gaze drifted towards a specific direction, where a conspicuously tall building stood. A mere glance in that direction was enough to confirm the target.

Although He Yiming's killing intent was sharp, much of his internal frustration had already dissipated after severely wounding two Xiantian masters.

After all, Yuan Lixun had only suffered disfigurement to her face, but the Kaishan Thirty-Six Forms he unleashed while desperately fighting off multiple Xiantian masters carried the potent force of ending a life.

It was one thing that Su Jun had managed to avoid vital points.

But the severity of the injury inflicted upon the elder, no one knew it better than he. Even if the Daoist of Medicine himself intervened, saving that life would be incredibly difficult.

A life, the existence of a living Xiantian master, was about to be extinguished just like that. Even He Yiming, as an enemy, couldn't help but feel a twinge of melancholy.

However, until he found the true culprit and obtained justice for Yuan Lixun, he swore he would not rest.

With a cold snort, He Yiming declared loudly, "Aiding tyranny is a capital offense, but death may be spared; punishment is unavoidable."

With that, he kicked out, landing squarely on Bu Rong’s Dantian.

Bu Rong let out a miserable cry and was sent flying backward. When he finally crashed heavily several meters away onto the ground, his heart was already dead.

Although He Yiming had not taken his life, this single kick had shattered his Dantian, causing decades of cultivation in Inner Strength to drain away completely. Worse still, from this moment on, he would become an ordinary person, with absolutely no chance of ever cultivating Inner Strength again.

His eyes were filled with confusion. When a martial artist is suddenly thrown down from the peak of the Houtian realm to a status lesser than even a common martial artist, the resulting mental upheaval is immense.

He looked around. The surrounding crowd had long since ceased their panicked movements. The gazes they directed at him seemed to hold a trace of complexity. He even detected slivers of excitement and joy in the eyes of two specific individuals. Though these emotions were deeply concealed, they could not escape his sight now.

Those two were both Ninth Level Inner Strength masters, normally the guards immediately below him in rank. Once his Inner Strength was abolished, the future belonged to them.

In a haze, Bu Rong seemed to see his future reflected in their eyes. He let out a bitter laugh, and faces of those he had injured or killed flashed through his mind.

From a mere ordinary cultivator, he had advanced to the Tenth Level Inner Strength through sheer effort. In that process, countless people had become his stepping stones. He had trodden upon countless others to ascend to his current position.

Now, he felt as though he, too, had become a stepping stone—or rather, a piece of gravel worse than that.

From this day forward, all glory, all prosperity, and all bright prospects were forever beyond his reach.

He suddenly burst into loud, unrestrained laughter, the sound bizarrely unpredictable. Then, to the stunned silence of the onlookers, he forced himself upright, leaped from the pavilion, and slammed his head against the rockery. His skull burst open; he died instantly.

A sudden chorus of screams erupted from the pavilion. The singing girls turned deathly pale, some even vomiting.

The two Ninth Level Inner Strength masters stared numbly at Bu Rong’s still twitching corpse. Their own hearts turned cold. The joy they felt when Bu Rong’s Inner Strength was crippled had completely evaporated.

Bu Rong today might well be them tomorrow...

He Yiming, naturally, was unaware of the events unfolding behind him. His entire focus was fixed on finding Bu Xingcong.

However, as he rushed forward with Xie Mingjin, nearing the tallest structure of the manor, he abruptly halted his steps.

He tilted his head up and gazed intently ahead, his face etched with a gravity he had never displayed before.

"Brother, what is it?" Xie Mingjin’s spirit remained in a state of extreme excitement. Having followed He Yiming into this place today, he had personally witnessed the overwhelming power of his companion. Not only were Peak Tenth Level Houtian masters as fragile as ants in his hands, but even genuine Xiantian masters proved utterly vulnerable, like clay figures and pottery dogs.

All of this made him ecstatic. In his heart, He Yiming was impossibly towering. If anyone could still oppose He Yiming, Xie Mingjin would be the first to disbelieve it.

He Yiming half-turned, glanced at him, and smiled faintly. "Nothing, just one more trial to pass ahead." His voice was filled with confidence. "Once we pass this trial, then everything between us will be settled."

With that, he strode forward, crossing the small bridge and flowing water, traversing the garden lawn, finally arriving before that imposing structure.

In front of this building was a training ground spanning several hundred square meters.

Apart from the empty, clean earth, there were no other decorations.

But standing quietly upon that dirt ground were several figures. They seemed to have anticipated He Yiming's approach, choosing to wait here.

When He Yiming appeared, the first person his eyes locked onto was Mu Jintian, renowned within Tufan State as the strongest master beneath the 'Yixiantian' (First Heaven) level.

He stood with his hands clasped behind his back, his gaze fixed intently ahead, seemingly unaware that He Yiming had arrived.

Before him lay an elder with white hair, but alas, the elder’s breathing had completely ceased.

Behind Mu Jintian, Su Jun and another Xiantian master watched the striding He Yiming with complex expressions. Though their gazes held malice, they were dominated by fear and terror.

If they had to fight He Yiming again right now, they would absolutely flee in disarray, just like the other Xiantian masters.

He Yiming stepped onto the training ground, his steps finally pausing. His gaze fell upon the deceased Xiantian master.

Mu Jintian suddenly looked up and spoke slowly, "He was the Grand Master protecting our Tufan State. You should not have killed him."

He Yiming gave a short, dry laugh. "If I had held back, the one lying here right now would have been me."

Mu Jintian remained silent. He had already heard the details from Su Jun and the other man. To challenge and attack seven masters of the same rank single-handedly, within moments of an argument—such courage even made him feel inadequate.

However, no matter how much Mu Jintian admired He Yiming, there was now no turning back between them.

He raised his head and stated gravely, "You’ve come for Bu Xingcong? What offense did he give you?"

He Yiming’s eyes narrowed. As if a reverse scale had been touched, the killing intent around him suddenly surged violently. "He rode his horse recklessly, scarring my wife's face. What do you think should be done?"

Mu Jintian and the other two were instantly stunned into silence. To injure the face of a Xiantian master's wife—an act so humiliating it was practically a slap in the face—occurring to He Yiming explained why he flew into a rage and sought vengeance here without restraint.

With a long sigh, Mu Jintian called out, "Fourth Prince, you may come out now."

From the building behind him, Bu Xingcong walked out slowly. His face was now deathly pale, utterly lacking the arrogance he displayed on the street.

Seeing him, Xie Mingjin’s eyes flashed with hatred, and he shouted, "Brother, that’s him! Sister-in-law had already yielded the path, but he still whipped at her! He absolutely did it on purpose!"

As he spoke these words, Xie Mingjin gritted his teeth, his eyes glaring with uncontainable fury.

This was the first task He Yiming had entrusted him with, and because of this damned prince, he had failed. This feeling of frustration was unbearable to anyone.

Bu Xingcong’s facial muscles twitched; he was consumed by regret. Had he known this would happen, why bother with that whip? For the sake of that single whip lash, he had forged a deadly feud with such a powerful Xiantian master as He Yiming, and even caused the death of one of his own state's Grand Masters. The price was far too heavy.

Mu Jintian cast a cold glance at him, then suddenly sighed. "I brought him here to broaden his horizons, to lay the foundation for the future struggle for the throne. But I was wrong..." He lowered his head, glancing at the corpse of the elder on the ground. "For the sin of causing a Grand Master’s death, he can forget about ever laying claim to the throne of Tufan State in this lifetime."

Su Jun and the other elder Xiantian master shared similar sentiments in their eyes.

After today’s events, they harbored resentment towards Bu Xingcong. If this person truly inherited the throne in the future, these two Xiantian masters would likely leave Tufan State immediately.

Moreover, princes can be replaced; in Tufan State’s nearly thousand-year lineage, there were countless members of the royal family. But the number of Xiantian masters was extremely limited.

A prince causes trouble outside and leads to the death of a Xiantian master—regardless of the reason, this prince could no longer gain the recognition of the people and was forever severed from the throne.

For a prince as arrogant as Bu Xingcong, this outcome was as devastating as being stripped of his life.

Therefore, upon hearing Mu Jintian’s words, Bu Xingcong could no longer stand steady and collapsed onto the cold ground.

At this moment, he clearly tasted the pain of falling from the clouds to the earth. However, unlike Bu Rong, he lacked the courage to take his own life right there.

Yet, He Yiming's voice, even colder, rang out.

"Brother Mu, are you intending to protect him?"

Bu Xingcong shuddered, suddenly scrambling to his feet and looking up at He Yiming in horror. Did this man plan to take his life after stripping him of his inheritance?

He was so focused on his own indignation that he failed to consider that if he hadn't ridden his horse wildly and injured people in the street, none of this would have happened.

Mu Jintian's gaze returned to the corpse on the ground. He said coldly, "Brother He, whether I shield him or not, a battle between us is unavoidable. If I lose, never mind the Fourth Prince; you may deal with the entire delegation as you wish."

He Yiming laughed aloud. "Well said. If I lose..." His face suddenly contorted fiercely, "Then I will flee back, train relentlessly until I can defeat you, defeat everyone who stands in my way, and then I will take his life."

His words were viciously stated, carrying the unmistakable tone of a fight to the death.

Bu Xingcong finally collapsed again, his lips trembling slightly. His eyes were filled with a dull, ashen color; all his courage vanished, leaving no trace of masculinity.

Su Jun and the other master exchanged a look. They finally understood the profound importance of that woman in He Yiming’s heart. Simultaneously, their resentment towards the trouble-making Bu Xingcong intensified.

Mu Jintian’s expression also shifted slightly. He Yiming’s response was entirely beyond his expectation.

His face darkened. "Brother He, acting so shamelessly, are you truly not afraid of the masters of my Tufan State coming for you?"

He Yiming mocked with a smile. "Tufan State? Brother Mu, I know your state is certainly guarded by a Yixiantian master. But I am not only the Grand Master protecting Tianluo State; I am also a disciple of the Hengshan lineage. My Hengshan lineage also has a Grand Elder at the Yixiantian level."

Mu Jintian’s face became extremely gloomy, but he uttered no further threats.

Among the three great powers of the Northwest, all were guarded by Yixiantian masters. If He Yiming lacked the backing of the Hengshan lineage, then if Tufan State's Yixiantian master made a move, killing He Yiming would be that.

But since he had support from a peer-level powerhouse behind him, the Yixiantian masters of the three great states would absolutely not act rashly. If it provoked retaliation from a Yixiantian master, the consequences would be a hundred times more severe.

Taking a deep breath, Mu Jintian finally unleashed an equally powerful aura and sharp killing intent.

Since the enmity between them had reached the point of an irreconcilable feud, further words were useless.

At this moment, perhaps the only way to secure future peace was to eradicate this young genius right here. As long as He Yiming did not die at the hands of a Yixiantian master, but in a fair duel, then the Grand Elder of the Hengshan lineage would presumably not travel a thousand miles to Tufan State for revenge.

Mu Jintian thought this, but suddenly looked up, gazing into the distance, his eyes revealing extreme astonishment.

From afar, eight powerful auras were approaching—eight Xiantian masters. They were unleashing their immense power freely, and the combined hostility of the eight enveloped everything, making one feel as if plunged into an ice cellar.

P.S.: Monthly tickets, monthly tickets, give me monthly tickets, recommendation tickets, tomorrow I break through to Yixiantian. If you don't give monthly tickets, I'll drop back to Xiantian tomorrow...

Also, a new web game called Ragnarok 2 just launched on Qidian. It has great interactivity, allowing one person to command eight fleets in real-time combat simultaneously, completely unlike other web games—it’s truly fun.

Unfortunately, I started too late in the previous servers and couldn't develop much, but I heard Qidian is opening a third new server tomorrow at 2 PM. If you have time, brothers, come and play! If you do well, Qidian offers Qidian Coin rewards!

Hoho... Those who want to play can find it in the game channel on Qidian.