Soguo stared, dumbfounded, at this sudden turn of events. A strange feeling washed over him: perhaps today he would not manage to kill He Yiming on the spot after all.

The Great Emissaries of the Totem Tribe were equivalent to the peak experts of the Outlander world—the 'One Line of Heaven' realm—further augmented by the unique, millennium-mutated spirit beasts that accompanied them. Soguo had absolute confidence: if he could engage He Yiming in a one-on-one duel, he would certainly slay him here.

After all, those accompanying them were spirit beasts that had lived for at least a thousand years. Moreover, these beasts weren't just old; they had to undergo mutation, achieving a power level far surpassing ordinary spirit beasts to earn that title.

If a beast failed to mutate, like the giant wolf spirit beast He Yiming had just killed, even with a thousand-year lifespan, it would only be slightly stronger than a fifth-level Innate Spirit Beast, insufficient to truly contend with a One Line of Heaven expert. However, watching the Red Wolf King, enraged, abandon the fight with He Yiming to chase after something downhill, Soguo let out a furious snort.

"Despicable Outlander! Didn't you claim you would fight me fairly?

Why deploy men for a sneak attack?" He Yiming circulated his inner true energy. This combination of man and wolf was simply too powerful.

Now that the wolf was gone, he felt considerably lighter, but hearing Soguo’s words almost caused his true energy to surge astray. He glared back angrily.

"Ambassador Soguo, if you want a fair fight with me, send that smelly wolf packing! Relying on the strength of a mere beast—is that what you call fair?" Soguo’s expression remained unchanged.

"The Red Wolf King is my companion spirit beast; it and I are fundamentally one. Naturally, it counts as one person." He Yiming stared at him, dumbfounded.

Only then did he realize that in Soguo's mind, the Red Wolf King and he were already counted as the same entity. Yet, if he sought help, it would be considered ganging up on Soguo.

He rolled his eyes violently. What twisted logic was this?

He Yiming laughed in his fury. "So this is the 'fair fight' of the Totem Tribe.

I, He Yiming, am truly ignorant." Soguo’s eyes flashed sharply, his tone utterly righteous. "He Yiming, if you are a true man, tell that person to leave, and I, alongside the Red Wolf King, will fight you fairly." He Yiming was incandescent with rage.

He roared, "You wolf whelp! Do you take me for an idiot, or are you the idiot?

Watch my fist!" A formidable aura erupted from around him. He stepped forward, unleashing the thirty-six forms of the Mountain Splitting technique, utilizing his Golden Element skills to the fullest.

Now that He Yiming had broken through to the One Line of Heaven realm, he had mastered five more forms of the thirty-six, bringing his total to a staggering twenty-one. Even the moves usually reserved for the Innate Realm had reached nine forms.

Especially the most recently cultivated forms, they were clearly designed for Golden Element experts at the One Line of Heaven level. When unleashed, they concentrated all his true energy into a single line.

This intense focus generated destructive power, sweeping toward Soguo amidst a rolling surge of momentum, seemingly intending to engulf him completely. Soguo's expression shifted slightly.

He bent his knees, his feet digging into the ground like grappling hooks. Then, with a low roar, he struck out repeatedly with both hands, choosing not to dodge but instead meeting He Yiming head-on.

Successive, booming crashes erupted from the center of their clash. The sound was so dense it didn't seem like two people fighting, but rather twenty individuals unreservedly releasing their power.

The Totem Emissaries and Innate experts locked in battle across the mountain path involuntarily reined in their intensity slightly. Their combat, kept in check by mutual restraint, was merely a war of attrition, nowhere near a life-or-death struggle.

But the two fighting at the cliff edge were entirely different; they were engaging in a brute-force confrontation, directly pitting their internal true energies against each other. If either lost control for even a moment, the consequence would be being forced off the cliff, followed by a relentless pursuit from the victor.

Moreover, as experts of the One Line of Heaven realm, they were the true protagonists of this entire battle. By any measure, the fight between these two was ten times more perilous and ten times more important than their own.

Therefore, everyone paid them the necessary attention. At this moment, as both sides engaged with absolute, rigid defiance, everyone's hearts tightened.

The only difference was whom they worried about. He Yiming and Soguo’s movements were not particularly fast, but every impact was intensely ferocious, as if their entire strength was poured into that single punch.

It was as if, once this punch was thrown, there was no turning back. Yet, they held their stances firmly, trading punch after punch, as if the Innate True Energy within their bodies could never be depleted.

Feeling the fierce, meteor-like collision between these two, the fighting elsewhere began to take on a perfunctory air. In Cheng Fu’s and Xu Chengchang’s eyes, glimpses of fierce encouragement occasionally appeared.

They were resolved that one day, they too would reach this level. Suddenly, He Yiming let out a long, clear shout.

This shout carried an indescribable sense of exhilaration, matching the expansive, straightforward nature of his Mountain Splitting thirty-six forms. Soguo’s expression hardened.

The depth and magnitude of the opponent's true energy were astounding. If he hadn't witnessed it firsthand, he would never have believed that an Outlander could possess such genius.

But precisely because of this, he had to keep He Yiming here, no matter the cost. Such a genius could absolutely not be allowed room to grow.

His muscles bulged, his body brimming with explosive power. From He Yiming’s resounding shout, Soguo detected his unbridled enjoyment and elation.

He instantly understood that He Yiming intended to continue fighting in the same manner. A refusal to yield swelled in Soguo's heart.

In terms of sheer energy reserves, he was certainly not one whit inferior to his opponent. Soguo’s face straightened, and surging true energy poured into his fist.

It wasn't just the flow of energy; the strength of his entire body was being channeled into this strike. This power traveled from his toes, ankles, calves, knees, thighs, and waist, transmitted through his viscera, bone, and skin, finally concentrating in his fist.

This punch, imbued with his entire being, carried his unparalleled, colossal confidence, aiming to seize ultimate advantage in this contest of pure force. However, just as he was certain this blow would catch He Yiming completely off guard, his expression abruptly changed.

He Yiming, who had just unleashed a roar full of heroism and elation, did not continue trading blows as expected. A mocking smile touched his lips; his whole body shimmered, and then he vanished.

Like wind, like mist, like rain, he instantly dissolved into a wisp of smoke, wrapping around Soguo softly. Soguo’s face flushed crimson, a knot of frustration lodged in his throat—too solid to spit out, too heavy to swallow down.

His strike, which had mobilized his entire might, had hit nothing but air. This was utterly impossible, yet it had happened right before his eyes.

He Yiming, immediately following that challenging roar, had suddenly shifted his tactics. His play shifted from the supremely rigid, powerful Golden Element technique to the supremely soft, yielding Water Element skill.

Even more terrifying was the transition; it was as natural as water finding its course, as if He Yiming had laid complete groundwork without any hindrance or abruptness. But this was decidedly bad news for Soguo.

His punch, concentrated with all his intense effort, was a force that could be unleashed but not easily retracted. Hitting empty space with such a powerful blow had an unparalleled effect on him.

His footing finally faltered, causing him to lurch forward by an inch. A mere inch, but it meant his stance had been compromised.

A smile filled with intense confidence and joy escaped He Yiming’s lips. He was already in front of Soguo, his fists, palms, and fingers all honed into sharp killing instruments, raining down on Soguo indiscriminately.

Soguo let out a pained cry, yet his movements were equally swift, his hands and feet moving without delay to intercept the tidal wave of He Yiming’s offensive. But since He Yiming had initiated the attack and seized the initiative in this exchange, he naturally gave no quarter.

His hands changed in myriad ways, combining different hand seals and techniques, perfectly manifesting the power of wind, cloud, rain, and mist. Soguo was trapped in the middle, like an ordinary man who had lost his way, utterly incapable of fighting back.

Shui Xuanjin and Yao Daoren were naturally jubilant. Seeing their own champion take such a dominant lead, their own attacks surged with momentum, gradually clawing back the earlier disadvantage.

Yi Shi Bao and the others stared, dumbfounded. It was the first time they had seen a Great Emissary forced into such a miserable plight.

Although Soguo was the weakest among the Wolf Totem Great Emissaries, being suppressed and beaten by an Outlander expert of the same rank in a one-on-one fight was beyond their comprehension. Wasn't the fighting power of the Totem Tribe supposed to surpass that of Outlander experts of the same rank?

Why was this individual such an anomaly? Finally, the exchange between the two reached a critical juncture.

He Yiming’s form dissolved into the ethereal. Even for these powerful onlookers, grasping his speed seemed impossible.

Shock reappeared in their eyes. It turned out this man’s movement technique was also outstanding, perhaps not inferior even to a true giant wolf.

Suddenly, He Yiming’s loud laughter echoed from the center of the fray, followed by a rapid succession of cracking impacts—pili-pala! When the two separated, their figures were revealed.

He Yiming stood with his palms crossed, his feet rooted in an 'eight-character' stance, yet his face showed utter disbelief. Soguo, conversely, was a mess.

His clothes, in particular, had clearly been struck countless times, now ragged and utterly unlike the image of a fastidious Totem Great Emissary. However, beneath his outer robe, there was a layer of gleaming, bright red leather armor.

Though He Yiming’s palm strikes had been overwhelmingly powerful, they failed to penetrate this armor. His formidable internal force could not inflict any injury.

Taking a deep breath, He Yiming asked sternly, "What is this defensive gear?" Soguo looked down at himself, and extreme humiliation flickered in his eyes. Ever since earning the Red Wolf King's recognition, he and the wolf had entered the Celestial Sacrifice ritual.

They had fought their way through an environment where death was a constant companion. Since then, not only had he broken through to the One Line of Heaven realm, becoming an envied and respected Great Emissary of the tribe, but the Red Wolf King had also mutated into a true mutated spirit beast.

From that day forward, no matter whom he encountered—even other Totem Great Emissaries and mutated spirit beasts—even if defeated after a hard fight, he had never been this disheveled. If not for this piece of armor, he would likely be lying here permanently right now.

Slowly raising his head, Soguo’s face was dark as deep water. He spoke calmly, "This is the shed skin from the Red Wolf King's mutation.

It carries the power left over from its transformation. It can resist the true energy attacks of a One Line of Heaven expert." His voice was light, as if he weren't speaking about armor at all.

But the more detached he sounded, the more He Yiming felt an icy chill permeate the air. Sighing deeply, He Yiming withdrew his envious gaze from the red armor.

He knew that while he might have managed to catch the opponent off guard once, getting Soguo to fall for the same trick a second time was now impossible. Since he failed to seize the opportunity to kill him this time, the subsequent fight would rely entirely on sheer martial skill.

Suddenly, Soguo spoke. "How did you manage to achieve the Yin-Yang conversion of your true energy?" He Yiming was slightly taken aback.

This fellow, upon being asked a question, immediately sought to return the favor—truly not someone who liked to suffer a loss. Head held high, He Yiming replied proudly, "Have you forgotten, esteemed Sir?

I cultivate all Five Elements from the base!" A flicker of realization crossed Soguo’s eyes. Could it be that those who cultivate all Five Elements simultaneously possessed the ability to switch between multiple true energies limitlessly?

This ability was terrifying... With this thought, Soguo's killing intent intensified.

Even the whites of his eyes seemed to throb with a faint reddish hue from being overly congested with blood. He Yiming focused his spirit, but his gaze flickered towards the foot of the mountain.

Where was that fellow, Hundred-and-Eight? He had lured the Red Wolf away for so long; why was there still no sign of him?

Seemingly noticing He Yiming's glance, Soguo sneered, "No need to look, your Excellency. Perhaps the person you arranged is also a One Line of Heaven expert, but facing the Red Wolf King, they are only destined to meet their death." He Yiming's expression shifted slightly.

"Why is that?" Soguo’s expression was one of soaring heroism. "Have you never heard the saying: among peers, the mutated spirit beast is invincible?" He Yiming laughed heartily.

"What is a mutated spirit beast? I have slain one before.

In terms of strength, it was nothing special." A trace of mockery crossed Soguo’s eyes. "The one you slew, was it a thousand-year mutated spirit beast?" He Yiming paused.

Although that twin-headed spirit beast was a mutated variety, in terms of sheer power, it was probably inferior to the Spirit Wolf from the previous encounter, let alone this Red Wolf King. A faint, ominous premonition arose in his heart.

Hundred-and-Eight... couldn't possibly be suffering a loss, could he?

However, this thought flashed and vanished. He immediately dismissed all distractions, fixing his gaze on Soguo.

Sensing that his words had failed to sway He Yiming, Soguo’s face darkened too. His brows shifted slightly.

He now regarded He Yiming completely as an opponent worthy of standing beside him. A surge of true energy began to condense within him, and the hairs on his body stood erect like quills, creating a terrifying sight.

An inexplicable aura suddenly erupted from him. It was a powerful, suffocating presence, and the killing intent contained within it was almost substantial.

On Soguo's back, a phantom image of a giant wolf even began to appear. This was no illusion perceived by the crowd.

It was the result of Soguo pushing his power to its absolute peak, his surging true energy subtly showing signs of transforming the void into substance. This was fundamentally different in nature from the two Flowers of Power that Yu Jinglei had once spat out—it was real substance derived from the illusory true energy.

Although Soguo looked somewhat bizarre at this moment, and the half-visible giant wolf behind him was a little comical, no one dared to laugh. Feeling this powerful standoff aura, everyone present seemed to be enduring immense pressure.

Even the well-coordinated Totem Emissaries suddenly exchanged glances and then retreated simultaneously, halting their fight to watch the battle between the two with tense focus. The numerous Innate experts were also startled, knowing Soguo’s action must be extraordinary, perhaps signaling the final, decisive moment of life and death.

This was likely why the Totem Emissaries had ceased their own fighting. For a time, all eyes were fixed on the edge of the cliff.

It seemed this was the final stage of today's battle. Sensing the formidable aura emanating from his opponent, He Yiming dared not be careless.

He settled his weight, lowered his stance, and took a long, deep breath. This breath seemed endless, as if his abdomen were a bottomless pit, absorbing all the surrounding air.

Naturally, along with the air, vast amounts of Heaven and Earth Qi were drawn in. Finally, He Yiming stopped inhaling.

At that precise moment, Soguo’s aura reached its zenith. He roared, charging forward like wind and fire.

At this point, Soguo was shrouded in a powerful, feral aura. His eyes had turned blood-red, mirroring his companion, the Red Wolf King—vibrant and crimson as gore.

It was as if, in this instant, he had shed human emotion and become a mere beast acting solely on instinct. Concurrently, the giant wolf phantom behind him instantly became clearer, as if it had finally condensed its illusory true energy into a solid form.

It opened its fiery red maw and lunged toward He Yiming. He Yiming raised both hands high above his head, as if supporting a burden of ten thousand pounds.

But as his palms rose, a sound like collapsing mountains and surging tides boomed through the air... The twenty-first form of the Mountain Splitting thirty-six techniques.

In his exchanges with Soguo previously, the power he displayed in this technique had peaked at the twentieth form. While those twenty forms were potent, they could only manage an even match against Soguo.

But now, he held nothing back, finally unleashing the only move he knew beyond the twentieth form.

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