In Taicang County, including He Family Village, everything seemed to have returned to peace. However, the prominence of He Family Village had already been imprinted in everyone's minds, especially the fireworks display that night, which was still a popular topic of conversation.

On this day, He Yiming, as usual, was in his study, seeking guidance on martial arts from Yu Jinglei.

After advancing to the Yixiantian (First Heaven) realm, he should have gone into secluded cultivation to fully integrate the meridians within his body, thereby truly stabilizing this level.

However, He Yiming's physique was extraordinary; the meridians inside him were already unobstructed. Once the innate true qi in his three hundred and sixty acupoints was full, he naturally advanced to Yixiantian. Given this, he could naturally skip the stage of consolidating his meridians.

This was why He Yiming directly sought Yu Jinglei’s instruction on how to refine formless true qi into tangible flowers.

Yet, the answer Yu Jinglei gave him was exceedingly simple: he needed continuous enlightenment and to constantly attempt to condense and compress the true qi he possessed until, at a certain point, everything would naturally materialize into a tangible form.

Hearing this answer, even He Yiming couldn't help but roll his eyes. Wasn't that equivalent to saying nothing at all?

According to Yu Jinglei, it meant diligently cultivating every day, and eventually, there would come a day when success would follow naturally.

He Yiming already understood this principle, and he diligently practiced every day without ever missing his lessons.

Although he couldn't glean any secret method for rapid advancement from Yu Jinglei, spending time with this veteran Yixiantian expert allowed He Yiming to gather some insights on cultivation. While these insights were largely based on Yu Jinglei's personal experience and couldn't be universally applied, cross-referencing them with He Yiming's own cultivation experience proved to be a worthwhile gain.

Of course, He Yiming’s gains were also attributable to Yu Jinglei’s tireless teaching; toward He Yiming, he held nothing back and showed not the slightest reservation.

As the two were conversing, suddenly, they both stopped speaking almost simultaneously and looked toward a certain direction.

That direction was the main gate of He Family Village, from which a powerful aura was currently emanating.

Although this aura had not yet reached the level of Yixiantian, it was undoubtedly among the very best within the Baisantian (Hundred Dispersed Heaven) realm.

He Yiming secretly compared this aura with his internal assessment, suddenly realizing that this person's cultivation was absolutely second only to Mu Jintian of the Tu Kingdom.

Not long after, this person entered He Family Village, and someone was rushing rapidly toward their room.

He Yiming exchanged a look with Yu Jinglei; they both knew this innate expert must have come to visit He Yiming.

Indeed, a moment later, Third Uncle He Quanyi strode in. His gaze swept over them, and he couldn't help but pause before quickly bowing, "This disciple pays respects to the Grand Elder."

Although he wasn't a true disciple of the Hengshan lineage, he was the son of He Wude and practiced techniques passed down from the Hengshan lineage. Paying respects to Yu Jinglei with the formality of a disciple was entirely appropriate.

Yu Jinglei waved his wide sleeve and said, "Enough. Who is that outside?"

He Quanyi startled, a look of admiration appearing on his face. This Grand Elder was indeed extraordinary, far surpassing ordinary people. He was clearly sitting in the room yet knew everything happening outside as if it were right before his eyes.

His gaze then fell upon Yiming, who stood before Yu Jinglei, emanating an aura that was in no way weaker, seemingly capable of standing on equal footing with him. He Quanyi mused inwardly, having a figure like He Yiming in the family was truly an anomaly!

"Grand Elder, the person outside claims to be a member of the Tianchishan sect. He wishes to see both you and Yiming," He Quanyi paused. "From his demeanor, the disciple judged him to be quite composed; he shouldn't be here to cause trouble."

He Yiming chuckled lightly, "Third Uncle, that person is an innate master; naturally, he wouldn't look for trouble without reason. You worry too much."

He Quanyi was immediately startled. Although he had faintly sensed upon seeing the man's bearing that he must come from a distinguished background—otherwise, he wouldn't have dared interrupt He Yiming so readily—he had never guessed that this person was an innate powerhouse.

Yu Jinglei stood up and said, "Elder He, let us go and see together." He too felt a sense of suspicion. Tianchishan was the foremost powerful sect among the Northwest Kingdoms, and the main branch of Hengshan. Sending someone here to find him and He Yiming must mean there was something important to discuss.

He Yiming naturally had no objections. They walked with He Quanyi towards the main hall.

Along the way, He Yiming and Yu Jinglei walked side-by-side, while He Quanyi intentionally or unintentionally lagged a step behind. Even though he was He Yiming's uncle, in this situation, he dared not truly walk abreast with the two of them.

Moments later, they arrived in the main hall. As they entered, the innate expert was already standing up.

This person appeared honest and simple, particularly his broad, solid shoulders, upon which two mounds of muscle bulged like steamed buns. His eyes shone brightly, looking from a distance like a pair of small incandescent bulbs.

His gaze swept over He Yiming first, containing a trace of assessment, but it withdrew instantly. He then bowed deeply to Yu Jinglei, "This junior, Xu Chengchang, pays respects to Martial Uncle."

A sharp glint flashed in Yu Jinglei's eyes as he looked at him, mixed with a hint of surprise, before nodding, "So it is Junior Martial Nephew Xu. I truly hadn't expected that Junior Martial Nephew Xu could break through to the innate realm so quickly, and progress so far; this is truly cause for celebration."

After receiving his praise, Xu Chengchang remained composed and steady. "Thank you, Martial Uncle, for your compliment. My advancement to the innate realm was due to a stroke of luck."

Yu Jinglei sighed softly, "Tianchishan truly is teeming with talent. For someone like Martial Nephew Xu to reach the innate realm in his forties, there are countless examples in history; far beyond what we, these branch lines, can compare with."

Xu Chengchang's gaze returned to He Yiming, and a wry smile finally broke through his calm facade. "Martial Uncle, you jest." With that, he cupped his hands toward He Yiming, "This junior, Xu Chengchang, pays respects to Martial Uncle He."

His address as "Martial Uncle" felt slightly forced, nowhere near as natural as when he addressed Yu Jinglei. Evidently, although he accepted the reality of He Yiming achieving the Yixiantian realm at such a young age, the sentiment it evoked in him was rather complex.

A hint of a smile flickered across Yu Jinglei's eyes, and the sense of satisfaction he felt was far beyond what an outsider could fathom.

Although the Hengshan lineage was also a branch of Tianchishan, the branches and the main line in the Northwest Kingdoms, while connected by the same root and certainly standing together against outsiders, engaged in subtle competition among themselves. Previously, seeing the main line produce talents frequently, with numerous innate experts in their forties and fifties, they would offer congratulations verbally but harbor considerable jealousy in their hearts.

Now, the situation was completely reversed, naturally making Yu Jinglei feel an unprecedented sense of triumph.

He Yiming naturally perceived his lingering resistance. He raised his hand slightly, and an invisible current surged out, accompanied by his voice: "Brother Xu need not be so formal. We belong to different branches; why be so meticulous about separation?"

Xu Chengchang’s half-bent body suddenly straightened. He took a deep breath, circulating his true qi, intending to suppress the invisible force from mid-air.

Although he had heard that He Yiming had broken through to the Yixiantian realm, according to rumors, his breakthrough had not been long ago, and he hadn't even undergone seclusion to condense and consolidate it.

Under such circumstances, even a master of Yixiantian might not be able to support a Baisantian expert mid-struggle from a distance without showing any strain.

This was driven by his curiosity, and this attempt concentrated over eighty percent of his internal true qi power.

However, just as his body began to bend slightly, he felt a weight as heavy as a mountain beneath him. Simultaneously, the blood and qi within his body surged back, seeming on the verge of boiling over.

Xu Chengchang's expression shifted subtly, and his heart filled with shock. Was this truly someone who had just entered the Yixiantian realm? Could it be a veteran Yixiantian expert who had consolidated his first heaven meridians for decades?

This time, he dared not defy. He obediently straightened his posture, and his expression turned respectful.

Yu Jinglei scoffed inwardly—truly given an inch and taking a mile. But when he glanced at He Yiming, even he was deeply puzzled: how had Martial Brother He cultivated such world-shattering power?

"Martial Uncle Yu, Brother He, I came this time on behalf of my master to invite Martial Uncle to meet me before the Boundary of Life and Death."

Yu Jinglei sucked in a sharp breath. He paused, stunned for a moment, before asking, "Why at the Boundary of Life and Death? Is this related to that clan?"

Xu Chengchang hesitated for a moment, "My master said this matter is indeed related to the Deep Mountain Totem Clan."

Yu Jinglei's face immediately grew solemn, and his eyes even revealed a flicker of concealed fear.

He Yiming found this extremely strange. Yu Jinglei was an Yixiantian expert; why would he show such apprehension toward the Totem Clan?

"Junior Martial Nephew Xu, exactly what is going on? Explain it in detail."

Xu Chengchang smiled wryly, "Martial Uncle Yu, the specifics of the matter are likely known by few. But as you know, in the area leading to the Totem Clan territory, we have arranged personnel secretly. Just a few days ago, a message came through: the Wolf Totem Clan is sending people to inquire about Brother He's affairs, and they are subtly pointing the finger at the Hengshan lineage."

Yu Jinglei snorted in anger, his eyes flashing with fury. "How has our Hengshan lineage provoked the Wolf Totem Clan to take such notice of us?"

Upon hearing this news, Yu Jinglei felt not only fear but also an irrepressible rage. He Yiming was the hope for the future rise of the Hengshan lineage, and for the Wolf Totem Clan to be secretly investigating him was not a good sign from any perspective.

He Yiming's gaze shifted, and he asked, "Elder Yu, the Deep Mountain Totem Clan is..."

Yu Jinglei sighed softly, "Elder He is young; it's normal that he doesn't know this background story."

The corners of the mouths of He Yiming and Xu Chengchang twitched slightly. Hearing Yu Jinglei carelessly mention He Yiming's youth, they each held different thoughts.

"At the far end of the mountain range that spans the entire Northwest, it is rumored that powerful races live there, who worship various divine beasts," Yu Jinglei seemed immersed in his memories, his voice low and resonant. Not only He Yiming and He Quanyi grew tense for unknown reasons, but even Xu Chengchang, who already knew this background, unconsciously became solemn.

"Although these races worship different divine beasts, they all reside in those Ten Thousand Great Mountains. They live separated into tribes, and while they engage in internal strife, they unite when facing external matters," Yu Jinglei let out a breath. "In this aspect, they are quite similar to our entire Tianchishan lineage."

A look of embarrassment crossed Xu Chengchang’s face. Although this fact was widely known, only a minority dared to state it openly.

Yu Jinglei continued, "Although the people of those races have lived in the deep mountains for generations, they come out to wander every so often. Once they leave the mountains and enter the Northwest, the greatest catastrophe for every generation of the Northwest begins."

He Yiming was surprised. If those Totem Clans always remained in the deep mountains, they would naturally have nothing to do with them. After all, the mountain range spanning the Northwest extended for tens of thousands of miles; no one knew where its end lay. If the two sides never intersected, no matter how powerful the Totem Clan was, it wouldn't cause Yu Jinglei to show such fear.

However, since this race invaded the Northwest Kingdoms every period of time, it was clearly a major hidden danger for everyone.

"Elder Yu, what divine beasts do they worship?"

"Many," Yu Jinglei said with a bitter smile. "I only know that those who worship the Wolf God are the Wolf Totems, and those who worship the Tiger God are the Tiger Totems. Among them, those who can advance to the innate realm are all called Totem Envoys."

"Are their strengths truly that formidable?" He Yiming asked hesitantly.

"They are indeed very strong," Yu Jinglei’s face was extremely grave. "The last time the Totem Clan emerged from the deep mountains was one hundred and fifty years ago. At that time, when I had just stepped into the innate realm, I also participated in that interception battle, led by my master."

As he spoke, the muscles in his face twitched slightly. For this Yixiantian expert to lose his composure so much showed how profound an impression that experience had left on him.

"Martial Uncle Yu, if I recall correctly, we won that interception battle," Xu Chengchang interjected suddenly.

Yu Jinglei shot him a reproachful look but then sighed and shook his head. Those who hadn't experienced that battle could never truly imagine the brutality of the fighting.

"Junior Martial Nephew Xu, we did win that great war, and it was precisely because we won that battle that the entire Northwest has enjoyed this hundred and fifty years of peace. But now it seems..." He shook his head. "This period of peace seems about to be broken again."

Xu Chengchang's eyes sharpened, and he declared loudly, "Martial Uncle Yu, throughout history, the Totem Clan sends people out every hundred or two to three hundred years to fight us at the Boundary of Life and Death. Since we have always won, this time should be the same."

Yu Jinglei snorted coldly, "Junior Martial Nephew Xu, your master must not have told you that the Totem Clan was never repelled by us Northwest Kingdoms throughout history."

Xu Chengchang was immediately surprised, looking at Yu Jinglei with suspicion, clearly not understanding the meaning of those words.

Yu Jinglei explained slowly, "In every era, whenever the Totem Clan showed signs of a major emergence, experts from the Northern Border Ice Fields and powerhouses from the Great Shen Kingdom in the East would travel thousands of miles to join the fight. If it weren't for that, with just the power of the Northwest, we would have been wiped out hundreds of times over."

He Yiming and Xu Chengchang both changed color. If Yu Jinglei was not exaggerating their power, then the Totem Clan was far stronger than the Northwest. Only then did they vaguely begin to understand why Yu Jinglei had become so agitated upon hearing the news that the Totem Clan was investigating He Yiming.

"Elder Yu, is the strength of the Totem Clan truly that formidable?"

Yu Jinglei nodded solemnly. "If it were just the strength of the Totem Clan itself, it wouldn't be so powerful. But the spirit beasts they worship are truly existences that far surpass human masters of the same rank. And the most terrifying aspect is that when innate experts coordinate with spirit beasts, they can unleash even greater combined power." He paused, still feeling residual dread. "Those who have gained the recognition of a spirit beast, accompanying a Totem Envoy, are absolutely nightmarish existences."

He Yiming nodded slightly. Just looking at his senior brother's expression, he knew he must have suffered heavy losses under such combinations, which is why, even after so many years, the memory remained vivid when mentioned.

"Senior Brother, are their spirit beasts the same spirit beasts we hunt for elixirs?" He Yiming asked softly.

"That's right, they are spirit beasts. However, any spirit beast capable of being revered by them must have a lifespan of at least a thousand years, making them super-strong existences far exceeding ordinary innate spirit beasts," Yu Jinglei said with a wry smile. "We try every means to hunt spirit beasts over five hundred years old, but if we encounter a spirit beast over a thousand years old, even I must politely detour."

He Yiming was astonished. "Senior Brother, even you cannot defeat them?"

Yu Jinglei said seriously, "A thousand-year-old ordinary spirit beast is one thing, but if it accompanies a Totem Envoy and, through some method, has its potential stimulated to become a thousand-year-old mutated spirit beast, then it is absolutely invincible among its peers. If I encountered such a spirit beast, even I couldn't guarantee victory." He paused, hesitating, "Perhaps only a true Three Flowers Gathered at the Crown expert could eliminate them."

He Yiming and Xu Chengchang exchanged wry smiles. Among peers, it was likely no one dared provoke these terrifying entities.

Yu Jinglei took a deep breath. "Junior Martial Brother He, I will immediately travel to the Boundary of Life and Death to investigate what exactly has happened to cause such a drastic change. As for you..." He paused, "You had best return to Hengshan. With the protection of the elders on the mountain, you should be safe enough to protect yourself."

He Yiming was momentarily stunned. "But what about He Family Village?"

"Rest assured, Martial Brother. We have a centuries-old covenant with the Totem Clan. Unless they can defeat us before the Boundary of Life and Death, they absolutely will not launch a full-scale invasion into areas where humans gather."

He Yiming was finally relieved. "Since that is the case, I will abide by Senior Brother's arrangements."