A few footsteps sounded from the courtyard not far away. They did not enter the courtyard directly but stopped outside the entrance, exchanging hushed words with the disciples of the Hengshan lineage guarding the gate.

Before the disciple could return with a report, Lu Zhengyi himself came out to meet them.

He arched his hands with a smile and said, "Senior Zhuo, now that you are here, please come straight in."

Zhuo Wanlian laughed heartily, "Wouldn't that be overly presumptuous? It is better to announce my arrival first."

Lu Zhengyi’s expression remained unchanged, but in his heart, he felt a pang of reflection. Before Grand Elder He Yiming arrived, this master from the First Heaven of the Northern Ice Plains had never bothered to announce himself when entering or leaving this courtyard.

However, given his status as a First Heaven master and the formidable sect behind him, even Yu Jinglei had shown no hint of displeasure, instead conversing with him in great spirits.

But now, with Grand Elder He Yiming returned and having demonstrated his incomparably powerful strength to everyone, Zhuo Wanlian had immediately become subdued. Even seeking entry now required announcing oneself.

This demonstrated clearly that this world, at its core, was still a world where strength reigns supreme.

As long as one possessed sufficient power, anything could be achieved. But without adequate strength, one could only keep one’s head down.

As Lu Zhengyi ushered Zhuo Wanlian into the courtyard, he glanced toward a certain direction within the grounds, his heart filled with emotion. What incredible honor it was for the Hengshan lineage to have the participation of Grand Elder He Yiming.

Shifting his gaze, Lu Zhengyi’s eyes settled on the middle-aged man closely following Zhuo Wanlian.

This was a middle-aged man whose demeanor appeared quite rigorous. His gaze was exceedingly steady, and his stride—a powerful, dignified walk—carried an imposing presence.

Seeing Lu Zhengyi’s look, the man bowed deeply. "This junior, Mu Zhanhao, pays his respects to the senior."

Lu Zhengyi’s expression shifted slightly. If anyone else had offered such a greeting, he would have accepted it without a second thought; surely no one would dare criticize him, a Xiantian realm master. But Mu Zhanhao was different. He quickly cupped his fists. "It is Brother Mu. I have long admired your name."

Mu Zhanhao smiled faintly. "The senior is already a master of the Xiantian realm; Brother Mu is the standard I strive to emulate."

Lu Zhengyi paused briefly, then spoke humbly, "Brother Mu, our sect's Grand Elder has already agreed to assist you in reinforcing your meridians. Once you successfully break through to the Xiantian realm, we shall be peers."

In terms of age alone, the two were not far apart, and with the other man clearly on the verge of entering the same Xiantian realm, Lu Zhengyi certainly would not treat him with the nonchalance reserved for ordinary Post-Heaven cultivators at the tenth layer of Inner Strength.

The three walked deeper into the compound, arriving at the main hall. Shortly after they were seated, He Yiming, Yu Jinglei, and Yuan Lixun emerged one after another.

This was also due to Zhuo Wanlian personally requesting an audience; for an ordinary person, meeting these three would have been extremely difficult.

Mu Zhanhao’s eyes lit up. Without waiting for Lu Zhengyi to introduce him, he stepped forward and said respectfully, "This junior, Mu Zhanhao, greets Senior Yu, Senior He, and Senior Yuan."

Yu Jinglei nodded slightly and ignored him.

He Yiming and Yuan Lixun exchanged a look, one tinged with something strange.

He Yiming, having already advanced to the First Heaven realm, felt nothing unusual, but Yuan Lixun, who had only just entered the Xiantian realm, was experiencing this kind of deference for the first time.

Seeing a man who appeared older than her own father addressing her as "Senior," a faint blush, like rouge, rose on her cheeks.

He Yiming chuckled inwardly. He had encountered a similar situation himself initially and felt awkward, but with a few more experiences, it would become second nature.

"No need for formalities. Please sit."

He Yiming waved his wide sleeve, and a gentle force emanated towards him. Mu Zhanhao involuntarily straightened his body, a flicker of envy in his eyes.

Exerting force from a distance—that was a unique ability of Xiantian masters.

However, upon realizing that he was about to have the chance to advance to this very realm, the slight envy in his heart vanished entirely, leaving only an intensified yearning and firm confidence.

As He Yiming’s True Qi lifted him, it also subtly probed his meridians without him realizing it.

He Yiming’s brow lifted slightly. He suddenly discovered that the aura representing vitality within Mu Zhanhao’s body far surpassed that of ordinary Post-Heaven masters.

Although it could not compare to a Xiantian master, among the Post-Heaven cultivators, few could match him.

Glancing toward Lu Zhengyi, He Yiming recalled the situation when he had helped Lu Zhengyi advance to Xiantian in the past.

Compared to Lu Zhengyi at the Post-Heaven stage, the life force within Mu Zhanhao’s body differed by at least a factor of two. If this alone wasn't enough to draw He Yiming's attention, then the three powerful strands of True Qi flowing within him truly moved He Yiming.

Earth, Metal, Water…

Three distinct energies circulated slowly within his body, all having reached their respective Post-Heaven peak. Moreover, there was a subtle sense of connection between them, as if these three forces had already begun to exhibit preliminary characteristics of the Five Elements’ mutual generation and restraint.

He Yiming’s experience was now far superior to what it was before. A flash of astonishment crossed his face. After a moment of hesitation, he inquired, "Brother Mu…"

Mu Zhanhao bowed deeply. "Senior, you and my ancestor were peers in life; you may simply call this junior by his name."

He Yiming frowned slightly. "You will soon be a Xiantian master. Since the title change is inevitable, there is no need for such formality."

Hearing these words from He Yiming, both Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao showed expressions of relief.

After He Yiming and the others were seated, he casually remarked, "Brother Mu, although this is not my first time reinforcing someone's meridians, guiding a Post-Heaven cultivator who cultivates three elements simultaneously is a first for me." He paused, then said gravely, "What cultivation technique do you practice?"

Mu Zhanhao immediately replied respectfully, "What this junior studies are the Earth, Metal, and Water elemental Seals from the Five Elements Seal scripture."

Zhuo Wanlian added, "Brother He, this technique is handed down from the distant Five Elements Sect of Great Shen in the East. In terms of sheer power, it is certainly among the best. However, this technique is profound and vast; achieving further mastery upon this foundation is exceptionally difficult."

He Yiming nodded slightly. "If I am not mistaken, this set of Seals should be a supreme Xiantian art, correct?"

"Exactly." Mu Zhanhao bowed his head deeply, his eyes revealing undisguised admiration.

If one knew the origin of this technique, recognizing it as a supreme Xiantian art would be unsurprising. But judging by He Yiming’s tone, this was his first encounter with it, yet he discerned its nature in the brief time they had spoken. This level of insight was startling.

He Yiming pondered for a moment, his brow furrowing slightly.

Mu Zhanhao and Zhuo Wanlian exchanged a look; a chill ran through both of them simultaneously.

Zhuo Wanlian cleared his throat lightly. "Brother He, is there an issue?"

He Yiming shook his head slightly. "Cultivating three elements simultaneously, reinforcing the meridians for such a person is far more difficult than for those cultivating two mutually supporting elements."

Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao murmured inwardly, Isn't that obvious?

If it weren't so, why would Mu Jintian disregard past grudges to gift you those two supreme treasures? Did his mind get kicked by a donkey?

He Yiming looked directly at Mu Zhanhao. "If you were cultivating an ordinary Post-Heaven technique, I could disregard it. But your aptitude is excellent; you have managed to master certain secret Xiantian techniques even at the Post-Heaven stage. While this is a good thing, it becomes a detriment to me, the meridian-reinforcer, when you attempt to break through to the Xiantian realm. If it were dual elements, the variation wouldn't be significant, and I could barely control everything. But with three elements cultivated together, should an unforeseen accident occur, I can preserve your life, but I cannot guarantee your body's meridians will be entirely unharmed."

A look of gravity and hesitation flickered across the faces of Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao.

With their martial arts attainments, they understood that He Yiming was not intentionally exaggerating or shirking responsibility; he was stating facts.

Cultivating a Xiantian technique at the Post-Heaven stage was indeed an act against heaven. Although the power was greatly increased, it introduced infinite variables when attempting the breakthrough to Xiantian.

They had considered this possibility, but not to the severe extent He Yiming envisioned.

After all, potential variables were just possibilities; until they manifested, no one knew if they would actually occur.

After a long pause, Mu Zhanhao sighed deeply. "Senior, this junior has already decided to break through to Xiantian at any cost this time. If an anomaly truly arises, this junior would never dare blame the Senior."

He Yiming frowned deeply. "Brother Mu gifted me two treasures in exchange for my guardianship during your breakthrough. If it fails, how could I face keeping the treasures as my own?"

Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao exchanged another glance, noticing the surprise and excitement in each other's eyes.

If any other Xiantian master encountered this situation, at most they would provide support during the breakthrough, caring little for the outcome of success or failure. Furthermore, once they took action, they would never relinquish the reward they received.

But He Yiming was different. This level of magnanimity greatly moved the two of them.

What a good person. Truly a rare sight among ten thousand across the world…

He Yiming lowered his head in silence. The hall became utterly quiet.

Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao dared not interrupt his thoughts. Yu Jinglei and Lu Zhengyi, though perhaps indifferent, only grumbled internally and also refrained from speaking.

After a long while, He Yiming looked up. "You make your move. Display what you have learned; use your full strength. If you hold back, you bear the consequences."

Mu Zhanhao was overjoyed. For the other party to be so painstakingly concerned about him, any hesitation on his part would be deeply ungrateful.

He responded with an affirmation, strode to the center of the hall, slightly bent his knees, adopted an attacking stance, and slowly formed a peculiar hand seal with both hands raised.

Hand Seal techniques were a unique form of combat skill, incredibly arcane and complex, but success guaranteed formidable power that would not disappoint.

Mu Zhanhao let out a soft cry, rushing toward He Yiming while unleashing everything he knew to the fullest extent.

In the face of a First Heaven expert like He Yiming, he didn't need to consider whether he could inflict damage. In fact, no matter how Mu Zhanhao attacked, even if the resulting surge of Inner Strength was earthshaking, He Yiming merely raised a hand and deflected all attacks lightly, not allowing his Inner Strength to damage a single item in the room.

Under He Yiming’s guidance, Mu Zhanhao grew more excited the longer he fought. He had never experienced anything like this—only defending, allowing full release without reservation.

This feeling of exhilarating release made him wish the exchange could continue forever.

After an indeterminate amount of time, he suddenly felt an unstoppable force sweep over him, causing him to flip involuntarily. When his feet touched the ground again, he realized he was standing exactly where he had started.

He Yiming nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Brother Zhuo, let us proceed tonight. If all goes smoothly, your lineage will gain a new Xiantian master by tomorrow."

Though his words were casual, they carried an inherent authority, and the powerful confidence emanating from him was impossible to ignore.

Zhuo Wanlian and Mu Zhanhao were overjoyed, agreeing immediately. Moreover, their confidence inexplicably increased.

Even though He Yiming had agreed to guard Mu Zhanhao's breakthrough, no one could be one hundred percent certain of success beforehand. Even the most optimistic person would hesitate to guarantee it.

However, He Yiming's statement held a tone of resolute certainty, almost magical, dispelling the last sliver of doubt in their hearts.

Though they didn't know why they felt this way, they inexplicably sensed that He Yiming’s words possessed a convincing power.

Mu Zhanhao might be excused, but Zhuo Wanlian was astonished beyond measure.

He had only felt this sensation from his own master before. Suddenly, a thought struck him: Did He Yiming truly possess the potential to become a master of that caliber?

That night, the manor was under stringent guard.

Not only were Zhuo Wanlian and the envoys and retainers from the Tu Fan Kingdom alert as if facing an invasion, but the disciples of the Hengshan lineage were equally unsettled.

After all, He Yiming was personally overseeing this breakthrough to the Xiantian realm. Since the Grand Elder was involved, Yu Jinglei and the others naturally could not stand idly by.

In an open courtyard, Mu Zhanhao sat with his eyes closed. He Yiming was behind him, one hand resting lightly on his back.

Although their exterior was calm, within Mu Zhanhao’s body, forces surged violently, the clash of Inner Strength far exceeding the level seen when Lu Zhengyi and Xie Zhien broke through.

However, under He Yiming's control, this Inner Strength did not harm his meridians in the slightest.

He Yiming’s attention was primarily focused on tracing the routes of Mu Zhanhao’s Inner Strength flow.

In truth, given his mastery over the Five Elements, guarding Mu Zhanhao required no such extreme caution. While the triple-element cultivation invited unknown variables, how could they escape his control?

The reason for his exaggerated warnings was simply that He Yiming sensed the Inner Strength flowing within Mu Zhanhao forming its own distinct lineage—a peculiar phenomenon he had never encountered, piquing his intense curiosity.

Although the Hengshan lineage possessed countless texts, this lineage-inheriting Five Elements technique was not recorded among them.

Mu Zhanhao’s full display during the day had given He Yiming a complete understanding of his martial arts. The Hand Seal techniques, in particular, brought him an unexpected delight.

At this moment, sensing the circulation pattern of Mu Zhanhao's Inner Strength, it resonated with He Yiming's own thoughts, giving him a feeling of sudden enlightenment.

A lineage-inheriting Five Elements technique was indeed different from individual Five Elements secret skills. Especially for someone like him who cultivated the Five Elements concurrently, this was priceless.

However, He Yiming acted with extreme subtlety. Not only was Mu Zhanhao completely unaware, but even Yu Jinglei and Zhuo Wanlian detected nothing amiss.

They presumed He Yiming was acting out of conscience, hence his meticulous efforts to ensure zero errors.

Of course, this did not imply that the two First Heaven masters were foolish; it was because the gap between He Yiming’s strength and Mu Zhanhao’s was so immense it could not be measured by ordinary standards.

Even if they were killed, they would never believe that He Yiming harbored the intention of learning from Mu Zhanhao in this manner.

Currently, observing the flow of the lineage-inheriting triple-element technique within Mu Zhanhao’s body, He Yiming remained outwardly impassive, yet inside, he was eager to let out a triumphant roar.

He had a faint, strange feeling: the method required for the 'Three Flowers Converge at the Peak'—the technique for solidifying the three True Qi strands from virtual to real—was slowly taking shape in his mind.

As long as he persevered, he would eventually reach that stage.

Yet, he never anticipated that the first step toward the Three Flowers Converge at the Peak realm would be taken under these circumstances…

Suddenly, Mu Zhanhao’s body trembled. A massive surge of Inner Strength erupted from him, instantly breaking through the physical constraints and establishing a subtle connection with the external Heaven and Earth Qi.

A torrent of refined Xiantian Qi surged into his body from all directions.

The fluctuation in Heaven and Earth Qi caused by a triple-element expert's advancement was significantly greater than that caused by the advancement of a dual-element expert. Immediately, all Xiantian masters in the city turned their attention toward this location.

They were filled with emotion, each reflecting on their own thoughts.

Zhuo Wanlian beamed, his heart overflowing with joy. Although Mu Zhanhao was not his grandson, he deeply understood the significance of a Xiantian master cultivating three elements simultaneously.

Such talent, nurtured carefully by his master, would surely have limitless prospects in the future; perhaps even reaching the level of his master was not impossible.

His gaze then fell upon another person, carrying a hint of unspoken hesitation.

That woman with incredibly formidable and mysterious Xiantian power—if she could study the Ultimate Cold True Qi under his master, to what heights might her achievements soar…?

P.S.: As always, requesting baseline monthly votes. Thank you…

Confucian God Book ID: 1521104. It is said this author is quite the poser, crowned the "King of Imitation." This book is currently the first recommendation in the Xianxia category. Brothers, please go verify if this claim of imitation is true or false!