"Brother He," Zhan Tianfeng asked in a deep voice, "this must be someone from Mu Jintian's sect, right?"

Though he was reluctant to admit it, upon sensing that powerful, unrestrained ice aura suffusing the air, even Zhan Tianfeng, thick-skinned as he was, couldn't pretend ignorance any longer.

He let out a helpless, long sigh. "They must be people from the Northern Frontier." He snorted, his tone abruptly turning grim. "Brother He, rest assured, since they are from the Northern Frontier, once they arrive in the Kai Rong Kingdom, they definitely wouldn't dare provoke anyone wantonly."

He spoke this sentence with absolute confidence. This was not just his self-assurance; it was linked to an agreement made between two supreme masters hundreds of years ago.

However, just as he finished speaking, both of them simultaneously sensed that powerful aura suddenly surge upward.

Within the realm of a Hundred Dispersed Heavens master, there was indeed the ability to sense fluctuations in Innate Qi and deduce the opponent's strength, but compared to the current level of a Single Thread of Heaven master, the difference was vast.

Once one became a Single Thread of Heaven expert, the power within all three hundred and sixty acupoints was no longer scattered and directionless. Instead, it had unified into one. This state and advantage were not merely reflected in the high condensation of True Qi, gathered into a single line; more importantly, it allowed one to truly control their body and begin merging with the Qi of Heaven and Earth.

In truth, to a Single Thread of Heaven expert, the masters of the Hundred Dispersed Heavens realm were merely children who had just begun to touch the Qi of Heaven and Earth; they lacked the true ability to communicate with it. Only upon reaching the Single Thread of Heaven, where the power from all acupoints could be condensed into a single rope, allowing complete control over the body, did one possess the qualification to communicate with the Qi of Heaven and Earth.

It was precisely for this reason that a Single Thread of Heaven expert could sense the powerful fluctuations of Heaven and Earth Qi even from a hundred miles away, thus deducing that someone had broken through to the Single Thread of Heaven realm by relying on the power of frost.

Although He Yiming's shout, which resonated across the entire city, was loud, because it did not stir the Qi of Heaven and Earth, Zhuo Wanlian surprisingly did not hear it.

But now, when the chill radiating from Zhuo Wanlian erupted in this manner and fixed its direction toward them as he rushed over, not only did He Yiming find it amusing, but Zhan Tianfeng also felt genuine anger rising.

Whatever he said, someone immediately appeared—wasn't this more humiliating than being slapped in the face?

Seemingly catching the trace of a smile in He Yiming's eyes, Zhan Tianfeng half-closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, "Brother He, worry not. If this person is not here to provoke, so be it. If he comes to challenge you, then this old man will naturally step in and drive him away."

Receiving his promise, He Yiming felt a wave of relief. After all, he had only just advanced to the Single Thread of Heaven realm and could not yet compare with those veteran experts. If possible, he truly did not wish to clash immediately with someone of this caliber. At least let him have a few more epiphanies first, right?

If Zhan Tianfeng beside him knew what he was thinking, he would surely burst out laughing, showing all his teeth. Epiphanies? How could such a thing be so easy? That was simply wishful thinking.

While each nursed their own thoughts, Zhuo Wanlian was already rushing toward the temple outside like a flash of light.

He showed no pause in his movements, crossing the wall directly and arriving outside their residence.

Zhan Tianfeng muttered something cold under his breath, and He Yiming's ears twitched slightly before he managed to make out the words.

He was cursing: "Northern Frontier savage."

He Yiming’s mind turned. Considering this man was a Single Thread of Heaven expert, and aware that two other experts of the same rank were present, yet he barged in without even a greeting—he was indeed a reckless savage utterly lacking in grace and manners.

The room door suddenly swung open without any wind, and an intense chill, like that of an icy wasteland, flooded the entire chamber.

Zhuo Wanlian strode in carelessly, as if this place were his own home, without the slightest restraint.

Zhan Tianfeng snorted coldly. Although he inwardly cursed his bad luck for running into a brute, he was now in too deep to back down; no matter how great his headache, he had no choice but to step forward and intercept him.

Unbidden, a wave of powerful life force surged from his body.

Within this force, encompassing a robust life aura, it was as if the space within his residence had suddenly transformed into vibrant spring, instantly suppressing the severe winter atmosphere to its extreme limit.

He Yiming’s eyes brightened slightly. He knew Zhan Tianfeng practiced a Water-Wood cultivation technique, but to manifest the life force of the Wood element to this degree, creating a feeling of springtime warmth—that was a realm even he felt inferior to.

A hint of surprise finally flickered in Zhuo Wanlian's eyes, and his gaze toward Zhan Tianfeng carried a measure of respect.

Though it was merely a clash of auras, the cultivation techniques specialized by the two men were diametrically opposed.

One represented the deathly chill of severe cold, while the other represented the vital breath of nature's life.

Although Zhuo Wanlian was overwhelmingly powerful, in the collision of their auras, he was clearly at a disadvantage. This naturally made him cautious.

"Kai Rong's Zhan Tianfeng..."

"Indeed, it is this old man. I have yet to inquire of your honored name?"

Zhuo Wanlian tossed his head back proudly. "My name is Zhuo Wanlian. I wonder if Brother Zhan has heard of me?"

Zhan Tianfeng's brow furrowed slightly, and he nodded faintly. "The Tiger of the Northern Frontier. I hear you have dominated the Northern Frontier for twenty years. I never expected to have the chance to meet you here."

Zhuo Wanlian chuckled a few times. "Zhan Tianfeng, I am not here to cause trouble for your Kai Rong Kingdom this time. I hope you will not interfere."

Zhan Tianfeng maintained a placid expression, but inwardly, he was furious. In decades, this was the first time someone had spoken to him with such audacity.

"Zhuo Wanlian. Since you come from the Northern Frontier, have you forgotten the alliance pact between our two lands of the past?" he managed, forcefully suppressing the anger churning within him.

"Of course, I remember," Zhuo Wanlian retorted, rolling his eyes. "But I am not here to challenge you, Brother. I am here to avenge my junior disciple."

Zhan Tianfeng snorted in anger. "Pure sophistry! Since your junior disciple is the state-protecting master of the Tu Fan Kingdom, then if there is an issue, the people of Tu Fan Kingdom should stand up for him. When did it become your turn?"

A sharp gleam flashed in Zhuo Wanlian's eyes, and he suddenly turned his head. "You must be He Yiming. To advance to the Single Thread of Heaven realm so young—you are indeed extraordinary."

He Yiming smiled faintly. "You flatter me, esteemed guest. If you have any points to make, please state them directly, lest you suffer from bottling it up."

Zhuo Wanlian’s eyes lit up. "A man of frank speech! Then I won't beat around the bush. I heard you just instructed my junior disciple, so I, too, would like to exchange pointers."

Just as Zhan Tianfeng was about to speak, He Yiming spoke loudly, "Very well, since Brother Zhuo has such interest, I shall certainly accompany you."

Zhan Tianfeng was momentarily stunned. "Brother He, you..."

He Yiming laughed heartily. "I have long heard of the Northern Frontier's Ice Divine Skill. Since this opportunity has presented itself, how could I easily let it pass?"

Zhan Tianfeng hesitated for a moment, finally giving up on persuasion and falling silent. Zhuo Wanlian, naturally, was overjoyed, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. "Since Brother He is amenable, then please proceed."

With a slight shift in his figure, He Yiming left the room. He called out loudly, "Brother Zhuo, let's compete outside. It would be a shame to damage this place."

He had gained a profound understanding of the capabilities of Innate realm experts. He knew that if they unleashed their full power, the resulting environmental damage would reach terrifying levels, which is why he deliberately suggested moving away.

The two Single Thread of Heaven experts naturally could not comprehend He Yiming's thoughts at that moment. Having just ascended to the Single Thread of Heaven, he was full of high spirits. Deep down, he also yearned for an unrestrained battle against an expert of the same rank. Zhuo Wanlian’s proposal was naturally tempting, and with Zhan Tianfeng standing by as backup, if he didn't seize this chance, wouldn't he be a complete fool?

The speed of three Single Thread of Heaven experts was naturally extraordinary. In just a moment, they arrived outside the city, easily moving beyond the capital to a barren wilderness on the outskirts.

He Yiming finally stopped, glancing around. He was extremely satisfied with the surrounding environment.

Turning halfway, he announced loudly, "Brother Zhuo, please."

Zhuo Wanlian laughed heartily. At this point, he genuinely felt a degree of goodwill toward He Yiming. Initially, after hearing Zhan Tianfeng’s words, he thought today would end fruitlessly, but he hadn't expected He Yiming to accept the challenge. He himself was a rough fellow full of righteous spirit; seeing He Yiming so forthright now naturally earned his favor.

"Brother He, be careful," Zhuo Wanlian called out loudly. "I also cultivate an Ice technique, but its power far surpasses that of my junior brother."

He Yiming nodded slightly. If he didn't even know this basic fact, wouldn't he be an idiot?

As soon as Zhuo Wanlian finished speaking, his body shot forward.

There was still some distance between them, but as Zhuo Wanlian advanced, He Yiming’s ears seemed to suddenly hear a sound like a rolling snowball.

It was as if a tiny black dot had appeared on a towering mountain peak, slowly bearing down upon him.

He Yiming’s eyes lit up. He gazed intently at his opponent, yet his heart remained terrifyingly calm. He chose not to evade but instead drew up the True Qi within his body as much as possible.

His hands faintly emitted a metallic sheen. All three hundred and sixty acupoints in his body simultaneously erupted with vast amounts of True Qi, which stably merged together, becoming impenetrable.

Then, he charged actively toward the seemingly more imposing giant snowball.

With a thunderous crash, both men retreated slightly. He Yiming’s palms returned to normal. Although he had shattered the opponent’s strange technique, the force of his punch was completely expended, leaving him unable to press further.

However, his punch was not in vain; the large snowball that had formed was instantly pulverized and disintegrated by this immense punch force, making it impossible to sustain.

Although this initial exchange seemed to end in a draw, their facial expressions were markedly different.

What He Yiming used was one of his most powerful martial arts techniques, the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting. This technique displayed the sharp, piercing power of the Metal element to its extreme. Even when confronting a veteran Single Thread of Heaven expert under these conditions, it showed no inferiority. Thus, after one exchange, his confidence soared, and his aura grew ever stronger.

As for Zhuo Wanlian, after retreating, his expression turned quite grim.

Rolling Snowball was a special technique he cultivated. When fully unleashed, its power grew increasingly immense, like a small snowball rolling down from a mountain peak. After rolling from the summit to the base, even the smallest snowball would become a gigantic monster capable of crushing anyone alive.

Before executing this technique, he was absolutely certain he could make He Yiming suffer a heavy loss. Unexpectedly, He Yiming's gaze was like a divine probe, immediately seeing through the essence of his technique. He denied Zhuo Wanlian the chance to continuously build momentum; just this aspect alone was enough to earn his grudging admiration.

He Yiming let out a long roar. After his first punch succeeded, his confidence was boundless. His fists shifted, and he rushed forward like a flash of lightning. Against Zhuo Wanlian, he chose active offense.

Two figures quickly entangled, constantly producing ear-splitting sonic booms. At this moment, the two Single Thread of Heaven experts were fighting on even terms.

Zhan Tianfeng maintained a faint smile throughout, but inside his heart, a strong sense of jealousy and deep unease began to stir.

He Yiming was merely a newly advanced Single Thread of Heaven expert. Logically, the conduits between his three hundred and sixty acupoints had only recently fused, and they likely hadn't even stabilized completely.

Under these circumstances, although he could barely manage to fuse all his True Qi into one line, he certainly couldn't sustain it for long.

Unless he underwent several years, perhaps even a decade or more, of arduous cultivation would the fused meridians truly stabilize.

This was the universal consensus among all Single Thread of Heaven experts.

Yet, He Yiming's performance was too incredible.

Zhuo Wanlian, known as the Tiger of the Northern Frontier, had successfully advanced to the Single Thread of Heaven realm fifteen years ago. Even so, he went into seclusion for over a decade to consolidate the fused meridians within his body and had only recently reappeared in the world.

It could be said that over these ten years, Zhuo Wanlian’s acupoint conduits had become completely stable, which is why his attacks could be so continuous, his power condensed and unscattered.

But He Yiming was showing the exact same capability now...

His confrontation with Zhuo Wanlian was not about subtle maneuvers but broad, sweeping exchanges; every move was clear and direct, plainly relying on the deep foundation of his True Qi to clash head-on with his opponent. What was even more astonishing was that he was holding his ground.

A thought suddenly surfaced in Zhan Tianfeng's mind: Could it be that all the acupoints in this fellow's body were already connected from the start?

Of course, as soon as this thought appeared, he cast it aside. Since ancient times, there had been no such records, so Zhan Tianfeng absolutely refused to believe such a heaven-defying event could actually happen to He Yiming.

As He Yiming and Zhuo Wanlian exchanged blows, they both coincidentally chose the method of clashing fist against palm for their attacks. In this deserted area, the fierce winds from their fists and palms layered upon one another, and their conflicting energies made the surrounding space a wreck.

Especially the chill emanating from Zhuo Wanlian showed a tendency to spread, coating the area within tens of meters with a shivering layer of frost, seemingly enough to freeze the blood in one's veins.

However, He Yiming seemed utterly unaware. His blood was boiling within him.

As he fought without disadvantage against a Single Thread of Heaven expert, his confidence grew stronger.

At this moment, his power was being displayed at one hundred and twenty percent. The sharp, cutting characteristic of the Metal element had been pushed to its extreme.

In his hands, the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting were unleashed without restraint. Every punch, every palm strike stirred up not only immense True Qi but also his overwhelming confidence.

This was the first time in He Yiming's life he had encountered such an outstanding figure who could match him head-on against the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting. Moreover, what was even more valuable was that the power Zhuo Wanlian displayed did not present an overwhelming advantage to him. Because they were facing each other squarely, yet equally matched, He Yiming felt such a refreshing sense of exhilaration.

Suddenly, a long roar erupted from He Yiming's mouth. Following this roar, his movement style shifted, and his fist techniques transformed.

Metal, Water, Wood, Fire, Earth...

The basic Five Elements cultivation techniques flowed through his hands like running water. He no longer forced the characteristic of one specific technique but employed them effortlessly as needed, yet every strike landed perfectly, slowly neutralizing Zhuo Wanlian's Ice technique.

The vast, pervasive chill in the air slowly receded. He Yiming's True Qi, circulating through the Five Elements, acted like a massive grindstone, slowly wearing away the cold and frost in the void.

When two individuals possessed equal strength and there were no external forces interfering, the natural flow of the Five Elements would ultimately surpass most peculiar techniques.

As He Yiming's manipulation of the Five Elements power grew more proficient, the pervasive chill in the air rapidly diminished.

Zhuo Wanlian clearly grew agitated. He finally shouted sternly, "He Yiming, watch out!"

He Yiming’s heart tightened. Since the opponent said that, a trump card must be coming; he dared not be careless.

Zhuo Wanlian retreated several steps, then suddenly slapped his back.

There was a large leather pouch on his back, which burst open as he struck it.

The next moment, an intensely concentrated aroma of wine rushed outward in all directions.

He Yiming narrowed his eyes slightly. He could not fathom what the opponent was doing. Did the wine in this wineskin hold some mysterious power?

Just as he was filled with suspicion, Zhuo Wanlian calmly extended one hand, and the wine floating in the air rushed toward his palm as if finding its way home.

Then, this wine rapidly condensed. In an instant, Zhuo Wanlian held a sword made of ice formed from the liquid.

Ps: During the Sanjiang interview, someone suddenly said Bai He was overtaken by the Seventy-Two. After coming down, Bai He glanced at the monthly ticket rankings and was startled. Quickly begging for monthly tickets, desperately begging for monthly tickets... Bai He went to Sanjiang, so why was he overtaken by Fatty? He was leading by several hundred votes yesterday. Sigh...