Staring at the ice sword radiating potent chills, He Yiming couldn't help but be slightly taken aback.

When he first ascended to the Hundred Vapors Heaven realm, he had also attempted to condense weapons from his own vital energy externally. Yet, this effort proved to be nothing more than a mere gimmick. Weapons purely formed from vital energy might look imposing, but they were inherently fragile.

Never mind standing against the Great Halberd; they might not even surpass an ordinary sword or blade.

Thus, he discarded the notion entirely, never giving it a second thought again.

However, seeing the ice sword in Zhuo Lian's hand now, that idea stirred within him once more. In the Hundred Vapors Heaven realm, vital energy was diffused rather than condensed, naturally resulting in brittle energy swords. But now that he had advanced to the First Heaven realm, the acupoints within his body were fully connected, and his vital energy had consolidated into a single stream. Could he truly wield a sword of pure vital energy now?

Even if pure vital energy proved inadequate, what effect might be achieved by borrowing Zhuo Lian's method—condensing vital energy onto existing objects?

A chain of thoughts flashed through his mind instantly, causing a rare flush to rise on his face.

Zhan Tianfeng's heart sank further. He knew this was a unique manifestation occurring when a cultivator gained deep insight on the martial path. This young powerhouse of the First Heaven realm seemed to have grasped yet another layer of understanding immediately after breaking through.

Inexplicably, he made a decision. Such a terrifying young expert, and furthermore, the Grand Master protecting the Tianluo Kingdom—a figure like this absolutely could not be allowed to remain.

As the saying went: beside one's own couch, how could one allow others to sleep soundly? If He Yiming continued to grow unchecked, reaching a point where even he could not control him, would the Tianluo Kingdom then be replaced by the Kai Rong Kingdom? The history from several centuries ago, when the lord of Kai Rong forced the previous powerful nation's lord to abdicate, must never be repeated.

He Yiming shivered inexplicably. Yet, no matter how brilliant his mind, he could never guess the vicious intent hidden beneath Zhan Tianfeng's smiling facade. He assumed the chill originated from Zhuo Lian’s ice sword, increasing his wariness.

Zhuo Lian thrust his sword out. This strike was exceptionally fierce. Although he held an ice sword, judging by the sound of air being cleaved, it was no different from a genuine sharp blade. Seeing the sword cross the distance between them in an instant, aimed directly at him, He Yiming instinctively extended both hands.

His hands formed a mystical seal, and the muscle directly between his palms pulsed slightly. The sound of the membrane vibrating, though faint, was no less than the resounding boom of a great drum to the ears of Zhan Tianfeng and Zhuo Lian, two consummate First Heaven experts.

Indeed, as the drumming sound resonated, several needle-like streams of red vital energy shot out from between He Yiming’s hands. They carved bizarre angles through the air, targeting Zhuo Lian’s body.

Zhuo Lian let out a cold snort and swept his ice sword. An inexplicable suction force manifested, causing those needle-like vital energy streams to lose their target and fly toward the ice sword.

Under He Yiming’s disbelieving gaze, these vital energy needles dissipated the moment they touched the sword.

This was the first time He Yiming’s Hidden Needle Seal had failed. He vaguely sensed that to deal with a First Heaven expert, he needed far greater and more ferocious techniques.

Zhuo Lian shook his ice sword and pressed the attack. He Yiming raised his hand seal, a metallic sheen flashed across his skin, and he met the incoming attack head-on.

Clang...

A faint collision sound erupted suddenly. He Yiming cried out and leaped back as if shot from a cannon. The solidity of the opponent's ice sword far exceeded his imagination. It seemed that by utilizing the liquid substance, the ice sword in Zhuo Lian’s hand had truly become a peerless weapon, actually leaving a long gash on He Yiming’s hand.

Not only that, but the powerful frost energy transmitted from the ice sword nearly froze him solid. However, as soon as the freezing air entered his body, it was instantly absorbed by the mysterious power welling up in his Dantian. Thus, while suspended in mid-air, his body had returned to normal, though the layer of white frost covering his surface was still quite alarming.

In an instant, He Yiming understood the terrifying nature of this ice sword. This was definitely not something he could resist bare-handed.

He instinctively touched his back, and He Yiming inwardly cursed himself. He had been so flustered upon arriving that he had left his Great Halberd back in the embassy district and hadn't brought it along.

His gaze shifted, and he suddenly spotted the patch of dense forest not far away. A sudden realization brought him immense joy.

The moment his feet touched the ground, He Yiming leaped up again, charging forward like a ferocious demon.

Zhuo Lian had just scored a hit and was feeling quite pleased. His ice frost energy was immensely powerful; since it had penetrated He Yiming’s body, even if the opponent was a First Heaven expert, he must be suffering greatly.

But before he could continue his assault, he saw He Yiming rush back like a maddened tiger, his eyes blazing green, clearly adopting a posture ready for mutual destruction. Alarmed, Zhuo Lian changed tactics, shifting from offense to defense, spreading his feet wide in a stable stance, and waiting with focused attention.

Simultaneously, upon witnessing He Yiming’s lightning-fast movement, seemingly unaffected by the frost energy, Zhuo Lian finally understood why his junior brother had once said this man, though not practicing ice-element cultivation, showed no fear of ice techniques. However, exactly how He Yiming achieved this remained an absolute mystery to him.

He Yiming lunged forward like a flash of lightning. He could even see the intensely serious look in Zhuo Lian’s eyes, and the subtle trembling of the sword tip, conveying an arcane sensation that it might suddenly strike from any direction.

But at that very moment, a flicker of triumphant satisfaction crossed He Yiming’s face.

Zhuo Lian paused, then saw He Yiming's figure not advance, but retreat instead, leaping far backward instead of pressing the attack. Confused, Zhuo Lian felt a mix of frustration and amusement. This young fellow’s mastery over momentum had reached a sublime level; even he couldn't help but be fooled by that charge.

But why was He Yiming retreating now? This he could not fathom.

However, in the next moment, he understood.

He Yiming soared into a woodland area filled with numerous tall trees, the highest reaching seven or eight meters. Arriving beneath a certain large tree, he let out a sudden roar and unleashed a punch. The immense force erupted like a tidal wave, instantly snapping a tree approximately four meters tall clean off at the base.

To the eyes of an ordinary person, the power of this punch was astonishing. But to the eyes of a First Heaven expert, it was merely adequate. Both Zhan Tianfeng and Zhuo Lian were baffled by what He Yiming was trying to achieve.

Yet, He Yiming’s subsequent action startled them both.

With a flick of his foot, he tossed the massive tree up, then supported it with both hands, embracing it entirely.

A potent wood-element innate vital energy surged from He Yiming. In mere breaths, the entire tree seemed saturated with the powerful life energy of the wood element, and He Yiming holding the tree gave the two of them an exceedingly strange feeling. It was as if He Yiming and the entire tree had merged into a single, indivisible entity—much like the ice sword in Zhuo Lian’s hand.

A sharp light flashed in his eyes, and He Yiming charged toward Zhuo Lian again. This time, his steps were steady, his speed gradually increasing. When he reached Zhuo Lian, he raised the massive tree high above his head and brought it down like a colossal chopping blade.

For a moment, both Zhan Tianfeng and Zhuo Lian were momentarily stunned. They were both worldly men, having dealt with countless innate experts throughout their lives. But to use such an object as a weapon—they had never even heard of it, let alone witnessed it firsthand.

However, they were unaware that the weapon He Yiming originally used was a Great Halberd nearly four meters long. Although the tree he was using now was a bit too thick, its length was comparable to the Great Halberd, and the difference wasn't substantial; He Yiming handled it quite naturally.

Zhuo Lian merely paused briefly before instantly regaining his composure. He darted his sword out, tracing a subtle circle, lightly touching the tree, thereby evading the blow.

But then he abruptly discovered that the massive tree was indeed filled with powerful wood-element energy, just as his ice sword was saturated with frost energy. Not only was the tree as hard as iron and stone, but the tendrils of life force surging back through the ice sword made him deeply uncomfortable.

This discovery nearly stunned Zhuo Lian. He had only managed to condense his vital energy into such a long ice sword, achieving a hardness comparable to a divine weapon, after ascending to the First Heaven realm and cultivating for ten full years. Yet, He Yiming, having only just achieved the First Heaven realm, could effortlessly imbue a massive tree with wood-element vital energy. Such an immense object was far beyond even his own reach.

In that instant, a thought flashed through his mind: even his Master might not be able to condense such a gigantic ice sword... He truly could not understand how, with his recently achieved First Heaven strength, He Yiming could accomplish this. Could his vital energy resonate with the heavens and all creation without the slightest impediment?

Of course, this notion was mere wild speculation; he would never believe such a heaven-defying powerhouse existed. If such a person truly existed, what future was there for anyone else?

He Yiming wielded the tree with remarkable lightness. In his hands, the giant timber seemed to come alive. Not only did the trunk sweep and chop with incomparably powerful force, but even the branches and leaves danced freely, leaving trails in the void like countless whips.

Zhan Tianfeng, watching from the sidelines, was dumbfounded. He mentally substituted himself for Zhuo Lian but sadly realized that even he might not be able to secure a decisive victory against He Yiming in this state. The destructive power of this makeshift weapon was utterly unbelievable.

Zhuo Lian grew increasingly frustrated the longer the fight went on. No matter how fast his footwork, no matter how exquisitely subtle his ice sword techniques—even if his sword forms were a labyrinth of illusion and reality, confusing even himself—the moment the opponent shifted the angle of the massive tree slightly, all his painstakingly executed swordplay became utterly useless. The tree was simply too large; it was too massive for him to contend with effectively.

Suddenly, a flush rose on his face. He primarily cultivated ice-element techniques and had reached the pinnacle, but due to unleashing his entire reserve of vital energy at this moment, this bizarre, unnatural coloration appeared on his face. Then, he let out a sharp cry, thrusting his ice sword forward toward the... tree.

His strike was incomparably sharp, swift as lightning, and possessed unstoppable momentum. The part of the tree making contact immediately cracked. Even with the aid of He Yiming’s Innate Withered Wood Art, the giant tree could not withstand Zhuo Lian’s desperate, full-power blow.

However, moments later, the smile that had just begun to form on Zhuo Lian’s face froze again. This strike had condensed all his vital energy; it was indeed irresistible. But he had overlooked one critical factor: this tree was still too enormous. Furthermore, the wood-element energy He Yiming had infused was too profound and vast, instilling in him a deep sense of helplessness.

Although his ice sword had instantly cleaved more than a meter into the tree, this was only about a quarter of its total mass. At this point, his vital energy was nearly depleted, and the speed of his advance slowed to a snail's pace. The ice sword was now enveloped by layers of wood-element energy; not only could he not penetrate further, but even retreating safely seemed like an unattainable dream.

He instantly understood: if he persisted, not only would he fail to cleave the tree and harm He Yiming, but the moment his vital energy completely dried up, his own life would be forfeit.

A look of resignation flashed in his eyes, and he retreated like a shooting star. As for the ice sword in his hand, it was deeply embedded in the tree, impossible to retrieve. And lacking Zhuo Lian’s vital energy support, under the impact of the tree’s surging 'life' force, the ice sword instantly dissolved, reverting to a puddle of liquid and evaporating into the air.

He Yiming stared at the quarter of the tree that had been split open, his heart filled with lingering apprehension. He knew that compared to Zhuo Lian, he still lacked that final edge. But he also sensed the opponent's current plight, and immediately hoisted the tree with the might of a hegemon bearing the world, continuing his charge.

Between advancing and retreating, the momentum between the two had completely flipped. This was the first time He Yiming held absolute initiative in their exchange. His spirit soared, and the slightly cracked tree let out ear-piercing shrieks, sweeping out like a tide of wailing ghosts and howling demons.

Zhuo Lian was forced to fall back. He had no choice; he could no longer withstand such an inhuman method of attack.

Finally, he roared out, "Stop! I’m not fighting anymore!"

Although He Yiming felt reluctant, he hesitated before withdrawing his attack. He knew that his current advantage stemmed largely from the overwhelming superiority of the weapon in his hand. Moreover, holding the upper hand was one thing; killing the opponent was entirely another. Under the current circumstances, attempting to kill Zhuo Lian was undoubtedly a fool's errand.

With a flick of his wrist, the tree settled onto his shoulder. He Yiming asked, "Why stop fighting?"

Zhuo Lian replied irritably, "Your technique is too bizarre, and my frost energy can't touch you—what’s the point of continuing?"

He Yiming let out a wry laugh, but he now understood. Because he naturally possessed an even stronger frost energy than his opponent, Zhuo Lian's greatest asset posed no threat to him. Under these conditions, he could never truly threaten He Yiming. Having realized this, Zhuo Lian naturally chose to retreat; continuing would only bring him further embarrassment.

Zhan Tianfeng laughed heartily and stepped forward. "Marvellous skills from both of you! This old man has truly broadened his horizons."

He Yiming and Zhuo Lian certainly didn't believe this elder, who had reached the First Heaven realm for sixty years, possessed strength they could match. Zhan Tianfeng’s gaze fell upon the tree resting on He Yiming’s shoulder. Suddenly, he asked, "Brother He, might I try it out?"

He Yiming didn't hesitate and tossed the tree over. Although this object was four meters long and exceptionally thick, to a First Heaven expert, it was merely a slightly large piece of wood. Zhan Tianfeng caught it with ease.

He Yiming secretly admired the action; the way the elder held it, like merely handling a slender branch—such grace was beyond him.

Zhan Tianfeng poured his vital energy into the tree, but he soon discovered that although his vital energy was far richer than He Yiming’s at this time, only about a tenth of the tree’s volume could integrate properly once it entered. Once he exceeded that limit, his wood-element vital energy could no longer maintain full control.

While the external appearance showed nothing unusual, he knew that if he used this tree against Zhuo Lian, the latter would easily slice away the majority of it, rendering it clumsy and ineffective—a far cry from the immense power it held in He Yiming’s hands.

His expression shifted slightly, and endless doubts surfaced in his mind: How exactly did He Yiming manage to fill such a vast expanse of wood with his wood-element vital energy?

Moments later, he set the tree down and chuckled, "Gentlemen, I hear the masters from the Tufan Kingdom have brought many rare treasures to this exchange. Are you two interested?"

He Yiming nodded, hiding nothing. "That is precisely why I came. Naturally, I will attend."

Zhuo Lian’s attitude toward He Yiming had changed considerably. Deep down, though he still categorized He Yiming as a freak, his overwhelming strength had earned his respect. After a pause, he also agreed.

Zhan Tianfeng laughed broadly, ushering the two back into the temple for generous hospitality. Yet, no one could have guessed the utterly perverse thoughts hidden beneath his warm exterior.

Ps: Ten minutes. My daughter is home today, so Bai He is typing slowly, and I’ve been interrupted several times. I have one more chapter to revise; please give me ten minutes, and I will definitely post it then. Thank you...