In the boundless, deep mountains, there were countless breathtaking vistas, and equally numerous profound, shadowed gorges.

At this moment, within one such secluded valley, a figure flashed past with incredible speed, their movements as light and agile as a nimble wild creature, moving with extreme velocity.

Yet, this person was genuinely human. They arrived in the valley like a sudden gust of wind, stopping abruptly. Stretching their neck, a piercing, long howl erupted from their mouth.

This sound was like that of a vicious wolf howling at the moon on a clear night; even under the bright daylight, it sent an unnerving chill down the spine.

Before the echo of their cry could fully dissipate, several silhouettes flickered into view ahead.

The movement of each one was extraordinarily swift, and their evasion techniques were uniquely stylized, seemingly mirroring the giant wolves of the deep woods. Correspondingly, strange facial markings adorned their visages, completely obscuring their features under an unsettling layer of color.

"Yi Shibao, what is the meaning of this?" one person frowned, his voice laced with displeasure. "We came here to remain hidden, specifically to avoid attention. Are you so careless that you risk exposing our whereabouts and incurring the wrath of Ambassador Suoge?"

The one who had arrived the fastest from the distance was precisely Yi Shibao, who had suffered setbacks on Hengshan and rushed back at maximum speed.

He let out a bitter laugh. "Yi Maol, I was simply trying to locate Ambassador Suoge as quickly as possible. Is he not here?"

A faint, eerie voice suddenly rang out from behind him: "I am here."

Yi Shibao quickly turned. At his back, without him noticing, a man and a beast now stood.

The one with his arms crossed over his chest was naturally Suoge, the Totem Ambassador of the Wolf Totem Clan. Beside him stood a massive red wolf, even larger than the giant wolf mentioned earlier.

This colossal wolf was covered in thick, crimson fur, yet its four limbs were encircled by bands of earthy yellow markings. However, these peculiar colors did not detract from its overall magnificence; rather, they seemed to lend it an extraordinary majesty, making it appear even more commanding.

Yi Shibao's gaze flickered over the red wolf first, then he immediately bowed deeply.

His deference toward the red wolf was noticeably greater than his respect shown to Suoge.

The others regarded this scene as commonplace. In the Wolf Totem Clan, their deepest faith rested in the spirit beasts of the wolf lineage. This spiritual beast beside Suoge was none other than the Wolf King of the current generation. In terms of sheer status within the clan, it likely surpassed Suoge by a considerable margin.

"Yi Shibao, what exactly happened? And where is your accompanying Spirit Wolf? Why is there no trace of it?" Suoge demanded sharply. His expression darkened particularly after the red wolf emitted a peculiar sound. "The Wolf King senses the scent of death. Has something befallen the Spirit Wolf?"

Yi Shibao managed a wry smile. "Esteemed Red Wolf King, Ambassador Suoge, my expedition was indeed a failure. If my Spirit Wolf had not risked its life to save me, I might never have returned."

Suoge's face shifted slightly. "Impossible. With our wolf clan's movement techniques, if we only wished to flee, not even a master from the A-line Heaven realm outside the mountains could possibly catch you, let alone catch a Spirit Wolf."

Yi Shibao’s face immediately twisted into bitterness. "Ambassador Suoge, the Spirit Wolf is likely lost to us forever."

Sparks of intense light flared in Suoge’s eyes. Not even when their main Totem was lost had his gaze held such sharp intensity.

"How was the Spirit Wolf injured?" Suoge asked, seemingly nonchalantly, but everyone present knew this was merely a facade for the immense rage he was suppressing.

Yi Shibao recounted in detail the incident of infiltrating Hengshan and being discovered afterward. He concluded, "After I clashed with that He Yiming, he pursued the Spirit Wolf. I assumed the Spirit Wolf’s speed would easily shake him off. But to my surprise, after five full days, there is still no sign of the Spirit Wolf. Furthermore, out of our six disciples, only two returned safely, and one of them is gravely wounded."

A strange light flickered in Suoge’s eyes as he murmured, "With the Spirit Wolf’s speed, it shouldn't have been overtaken."

Yi Shibao could only offer a helpless, bitter smile. Of course, he hadn't anticipated that there would be a congenital master on Hengshan who had grasped the true essence of wind power. However, He Yiming had not displayed this capability in front of him, so Yi Shibao remained unaware that He Yiming, in addition to cultivating the five basic elements, was also proficient in both Ice and Wind Zhenqi.

After a long silence, Suoge let out a long cry, demanding fiercely, "You confronted and exchanged blows with He Yiming?"

Yi Shibao nodded repeatedly. "That He Yiming truly is excessively young, and he indeed possesses the power of three elements from the fundamental Five Elements."

When He Yiming fought Yi Shibao, he had only used Earth and Metal element powers. Yet, during his final mutual exhalation with the Spirit Wolf, he undeniably employed Water element power. Moreover, the terrifying power nurtured within the half-formed Water Flower was the primary reason Yi Shibao chose to flee.

"Only three elements?" Suoge asked, surprised.

"He only displayed three elements. But..." Fierce light flashed in Yi Shibao's eyes, "...he admitted himself that he possesses the power of all five fundamental elements."

Upon hearing this, every Totem Emissary surrounding him displayed expressions of awe. Although they had prepared themselves mentally beforehand, they were acutely aware that in this world, news was often exaggerated and mythologized beyond recognition.

Rumors spreading inaccurately were hardly a first. But now, hearing confirmation from their comrade, their hearts were genuinely stirred.

It turned out that truly gifted individuals did exist in this world—people who could harness the power of all five fundamental elements simultaneously.

Suoge gently stroked the neck of the red wolf beside him. The wolf closed its eyes, savoring the touch. After a moment, he asked gravely, "Did you locate the Totem?"

"Before we were discovered, the Red Wolf confirmed that the Totem is on Hengshan," Yi Shibao stated without hesitation.

Anger flared across the faces of the numerous Totem Emissaries. At this point, everyone was certain: He Yiming was the individual who had entered the temple that night to steal the Totem.

Suoge nodded impassively. "We will wait here for a few days. Once the other emissaries scouting for news return, we will proceed to Hengshan together."

Most eyes shone with excitement. The Deep Mountain Totem Clan had not left the mountains for over a hundred years; if they did not make their presence known soon, they feared they would truly be forgotten by those outside.

However, not everyone shared this enthusiasm. A female Totem Emissary spoke in a serious tone, "Ambassador Suoge, if we simply charge in there, I fear it will incite irreconcilable enmity between the Wolf Totem Clan and Hengshan."

Yi Shibao snorted angrily. "Ambassador Halin, do you not wish to retrieve the Totem?"

Halin shook her head slightly. "The Totem is our clan’s sacred artifact; it must be retrieved, no matter what. We could first approach them with courtesy. If they are willing to return the Totem to its rightful owners..."

"Enough," Suoge cut her off abruptly. His voice was calm, yet the killing intent it harbored was unprecedentedly strong. "Our Totem Clan cannot tolerate insult. This He Yiming must die." He paused, sweeping his gaze across the faces of those present. "In fact, given his talent, once we are aware of it, whether he stole our Totem or not becomes irrelevant. Wouldn't you agree, Brother Snake..."

A strange hissing sound emerged from a shadowy corner, and a flicker of fear involuntarily crossed the eyes of the assembled group.

Halin sighed and held her peace. The others, however, displayed expressions of resigned understanding.

Although the Totem Clan resided deep in the mountains, they were not without ambition regarding the outside world.

The fact that He Yiming, at his age, had reached the A-line Heaven realm did not just provoke the hearts of all experts in the Northwest; even these emissaries of the Totem Clan, having received the news, felt a profound shock.

Such a master, destined to become an enemy in the future, absolutely had to be extinguished before he could fully mature.

Thus considered, whether He Yiming was the thief or not, in the end, ceased to be important...

Below the towering peaks lay a magnificent, colorful spectacle.

In a corner of Hengshan, beneath a giant peak, there was a vast sloping decline. Despite it being winter, a small waterfall could still be seen cascading down.

In front of the waterfall, He Yiming sat quietly.

He had been sitting there for seven days and seven nights, silently observing the cascade. His entire being seemed merged with this piece of heaven and earth.

A breeze stirred from some unknown direction, and as the wind swept over the waterfall, it lifted countless tiny droplets, which ascended slowly like rising smoke, enveloping the air like surging thin mist. This beautiful, white waterfall resembled a group of mischievous children—innocent and lively—bouncing down barefoot from the mountain summit, only to scatter and dart away upon reaching the pool, like clusters of white lotuses.

He Yiming, deep in meditation, suddenly raised his head, his gaze fixed in the distance, holding a subtle, unfriendly glint.

He had already given strict instructions that he was not to be disturbed as much as possible while cultivating enlightenment.

And he had prepared over a hundred Bigu Pills (Stomach-Filling Pills); with his current constitution, these were enough to sustain him for well over a year.

Although he hadn't actually planned to stay here for a year, having his cultivation interrupted after a mere seven days was certainly not a pleasing prospect.

A moment later, Lu Zhengyi arrived, moving swiftly like a large bird. He stopped a hundred meters away from He Yiming.

Gazing at the figure cross-legged before the waterfall, Lu Zhengyi was suddenly struck by an intense feeling of awe.

In his perception, it felt as if He Yiming had vanished.

Within this picturesque scene, there seemed to be no trace of He Yiming; he appeared to have become mere air, devoid of any discernible aura.

At that moment, Lu Zhengyi even questioned his own eyes. Although his vision confirmed that He Yiming was sitting undisturbed not far away, he experienced a strange sensation, as if what he saw was a hallucination.

"Elder Lu, have the people from the Wolf Totem arrived?"

He Yiming’s voice drifted over, low and clear. Even amidst the deafening roar of the waterfall, it reached his ears distinctly, seemingly unaffected by the environment.

Lu Zhengyi shook his head as if waking from a dream. "The Supreme Elder, the Wolf Clan has not yet arrived, but the congenital masters from Kaifeng Nation, Tianluo Nation, and Huowu Nation are already here."

He Yiming finally turned his head, asking in surprise, "Among the minor nations, are there only two representatives?"

According to his prior estimations, Kaifeng Nation certainly couldn't escape this confrontation. And since his relationship with Tianluo and Huowu Nations was close, it was practically a certainty that their national guardian masters would come personally. The absence of the other masters from the Minor Nations Alliance was quite unexpected for him.

Lu Zhengyi nodded slightly. "Kaifeng Nation, being one of the three major powers, must send representatives both by propriety and reason. However, the other nations are somewhat different."

He Yiming frowned slightly. Lu Zhengyi was unaware of the intricacies of the Minor Nations Alliance, so his assessment naturally differed from He Yiming’s own understanding.

Lu Zhengyi suddenly seemed to recall something. "Supreme Elder, the representatives from Kaifeng Nation this time are quite thought-provoking."

He Yiming was greatly curious. "Who have they sent?"

"Mao Lieguang, who ranks just below Senior Zhan Tianfeng in the Master Hall, and his disciple, Cheng Fu," Lu Zhengyi’s voice carried a trace of surprise. "I originally thought they would only send two ordinary congenital masters to offer a perfunctory gesture, but since these two are coming, it clearly isn't just going through the motions."

He Yiming was also suspicious. The delegation from Kaifeng Nation was indeed far beyond his expectations.

The personal arrival of these two congenital experts, second only to Zhan Tianfeng in Kaifeng Nation, left no ambiguity regarding Kaifeng Nation's stance in supporting Hengshan. Even those most dissatisfied with Kaifeng Nation could not find fault with this gesture.

With a slight shift of thought, He Yiming rose. "Let's go together to meet them." Having said that, he lightly lifted his feet and moved away with the fluidity of flowing water.

Lu Zhengyi followed closely behind, and the two quickly left that spot.

Moments later, they arrived at the main hall of Hengshan's primary peak. Before even entering, they could hear hearty laughter emanating from within the hall.

A smile also touched He Yiming’s lips. Most people, upon learning of the opponents they were about to face, were filled with worry; only Brother Shui could emit such genuine laughter, free of any apprehension.

This was because he had already seen through the veil of life and death, therefore holding his own life and death lightly. And apart from him, no one else had achieved such a state.

As He Yiming flashed into the hall, everyone stood up simultaneously.

This included both the hosts, like the Daoist Apothecary, and the guests, like Mao Lieguang and his party, without any hesitation.

He Yiming offered a slight smile. "I apologize for not greeting you all personally upon your arrival. I hope you will forgive my neglect."

Naturally, the others quickly replied that it was not worth mentioning. He Yiming’s gaze swept over the four faces, yet a hint of dissatisfaction surfaced in his heart. The attitudes displayed by Kaifeng Nation and the Minor Nations Alliance evoked a distinct feeling within him.

That evening, a grand banquet was held on Hengshan to entertain the four visiting congenital experts.

The Daoist Apothecary recounted the events that had transpired previously. Although the letters sent to everyone contained no omissions, they could not compare to the Daoist Apothecary’s personal explanation.

More importantly, the letters had omitted the detail about the Spirit Wolf eating humans and He Yiming’s decision to kill the Spirit Wolf and divide the meat.

Thus, when this piece of news was revealed, everyone immediately understood that the conflict between Hengshan and the Wolf Totem Clan had become irreconcilable.

Of course, the reactions to He Yiming’s decision varied among the attendees.

Though Mao Lieguang said nothing, he inwardly disapproved. A few ordinary disciples could hardly be compared to the Spirit Wolf of the Wolf Totem Clan. He Yiming's action truly severed the last possible avenue for reconciliation with the Wolf Totem Clan.

However, Cheng Fu strongly approved of He Yiming’s approach. This much was evident from the radiant expression on his face.

As for Shui Xuanjin and Ting Shiguang, they were filled with deep emotion. If they had been in the same position, they might not have dared to make such a drastic decision.

This matter was unrelated to their courage; it was purely a matter of relative personal strength. If they had the backing of the Hengshan lineage, or even a powerful mountain like Tianchi Mountain, the situation would be entirely different.

Late that night, the banquet was completely cleared away. Shui Xuanjin and Ting Shiguang visited He Yiming’s room together.

They made no attempt to conceal their purpose, stating it directly.

"Brother He, the other masters of our Minor Nations Alliance did not refuse to come because they didn't want to; they dared not come," Shui Xuanjin admitted helplessly. "Both Tianluo and Huowu Nations have two congenital masters each, so even if one were to perish here, the other could still maintain face. But the other nations are different."

His simple words carried immense weight, fully revealing the mindset of the Minor Nations Alliance.

He Yiming smiled faintly. "Brother Shui, I understand."

Seeing He Yiming’s smiling face, Shui Xuanjin wanted to offer further explanation, but ultimately let out a long sigh, falling completely silent...

In the distance, within an infrequently traveled dense forest.

Two elders had just received an urgent, secret dispatch from the outside world.

This dispatch should have reached them much earlier, but their journey into the mountains had caused the delay.

Upon reading the contents, Yu Jinglei exclaimed in dismay, "Zhu Baqi, you sent me into the deep mountains to gather intelligence—wasn't that clearly trying to set me up?"

Zhu Baqi quickly scanned the message and let out a bitter laugh. "Brother Yu, how could I have guessed this was the reason? You wrongly blame me."

Yu Jinglei snorted angrily, stomped his feet, and shot out like a soaring arrow, heading towards Hengshan at maximum speed.

Leaving behind only his unconvinced roar: "Zhu Baqi, if anything untoward happens to He Yiming, I’m not finished with you!"

Zhu Baqi slapped his forehead with an expression of helplessness. "This old fellow, still has such a stubborn temper even in old age." Despite his complaint, he followed the direction Yu Jinglei had fled, his speed in no way inferior to that of the A-line Heaven realm expert.

P.S.: Today is the ninth. I have updated over fifteen thousand words consecutively for twelve days; I truly cannot sustain it anymore. For tomorrow and the day after, Saturday and Sunday, my child will also be home. Please allow me to update only ten thousand words... Also requesting monthly votes.

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