Two long cries echoed, sounding like a thunderous roar, rushing forward as if a meteor in pursuit of the moon.

While Medicine Daoist and the others were overjoyed, the Totem Envoys exchanged apprehensive glances, a retreat already forming in their minds. The sheer tenacity of He Yiming and his group had already given them a massive headache; how he managed to escape this certain death scenario, even under the combined surprise attack of two Totem Ambassadors and two thousand-year mutated spirit beasts, was beyond them. Moreover, the mystical movement technique displayed by Elder Shui Xuanjin instilled in them a deep, inescapable sense of futility. If one possessed such an ability, didn't that equate to possessing an unkillable talisman?

However, what they did not know was that He Yiming himself also possessed this exact capability, though Shui Xuanjin had used it first during the initial sneak attack by the Red Wolf King. The second time, He Yiming was bitten by the Stone King, rendering him immobilized, thus unable to deploy any advanced movement skill. Had Suoge and the others known that He Yiming held this technique as well, they would never have retained any confidence in their ability to kill him on the spot. Even so, at this moment, Suoge and his cohorts frowned, simultaneously halting their plan to surround and annihilate He Yiming. At Suoge’s signal, the Red Wolf King stopped burrowing into the earth, while She Ru stomped his foot heavily, seemingly transmitting information to the ground through this incredible method. Instantly, the mysterious strange serpent sprang back from the soil, coiling around the dwarf’s body like a whip. Upon hearing those two cries like claps of thunder, neither Suoge nor She Ru dared to show any complacency. Furthermore, having fought He Yiming before, they were acutely aware that trying to encircle and kill him before these two reinforcements arrived was an utterly laughable, impossible task.

Shadows flickered, and two figures materialized in the arena. One was Yu Jinglei, the current Grand Elder of the Hengshan lineage, and the other was a white-haired, youthful-faced elder whose eyes shone brilliantly, his wise gaze seemingly capable of piercing the essence of all worldly things. Yu Jinglei descended from the cliff with the swiftness of wind and fire; his gaze swept around, and with a sharp cry, he leaped into action without a second word. His gaze was like lightning; his first target was Suoge and She Ru, who were facing off against He Yiming and Bai Lingba. Even the two thousand-year mutated spirit beasts beside them did not escape his notice. Seeing the equivalent of four peak 'First Heaven' experts arrayed against He Yiming, Yu Jinglei’s heart immediately flared with rage. Having rushed over non-stop since receiving the news, he was already seething. At this moment, his patience snapped; his True Qi surged forth, and while still suspended in mid-air, he slammed a palm strike into the void. From between his palms, the sound of turbulent waves suddenly erupted. At this instant, in everyone's eyes, the Grand Elder of the Hengshan lineage seemed to vanish. What plummeted from the sky was not a mere physical hand, but rather vast, surging green waters that churned the emptiness. In his immense fury, the Elder held nothing back; his water-attribute technique unleashed unparalleled, devastating might. The very void seemed affected by this power, constantly echoing with the roar of immense, angry waves.

Suoge and She Ru’s faces changed dramatically. They vaguely perceived that although this man was also a 'First Heaven' expert, his cultivation had reached the very pinnacle of that stage. At the very least, this water-attribute power represented the strongest manifestation within the 'First Heaven' realm. He might not be able to forge the true 'Three Flowers' state of balanced mastery across three elements, but relying on this single water technique alone, he was virtually unmatched in this tier. The Red Wolf King’s eyes reddened again. As a thousand-year mutated spirit beast, its innate talent was immense, granting it a significant advantage even when pitted against top 'First Heaven' human experts. Yu Jinglei's momentum was awe-inspiring and focused on seizing the initiative, but it ignited the beast's inherent desire to fight. It lowered its body, preparing to counter Yu Jinglei’s most potent offensive. However, as its peripheral vision caught sight of Bai Lingba beside He Yiming, it shuddered violently. The surge of valiant fighting spirit vanished instantly, leaving no trace. With a low growl, the Red Wolf King abruptly lowered its head and burrowed underground with Suoge. Although water energy was formidable, it could inflict no harm upon the Red Wolf King, which moved freely within the earth. The same applied to Suoge, who rode upon it. However, Suoge found the Red Wolf King's behavior utterly baffling. This creature was usually arrogant and utterly fearless, yet today, something had triggered it to lose all will to fight, becoming this timid. This was certainly not good news for him.

She Ru frowned. The Red Wolf King’s choice to retreat without a fight was indeed far beyond his expectations. Although he was also an Ambassador, neither he nor the Stone King he rode were known among the Totem Clans as masters of direct confrontation. For an expert of the Serpent Clan, the focus was less on how to clash head-on and more on how to silently maneuver an opponent to their demise. Yet, while he wished to withdraw, the Stone King beneath him was unwilling to give up. Men have dignity; snakes, especially thousand-year mutated Serpent Kings, possess it too... The strange serpent raised its small head high, its forked tongue darting intermittently. It suddenly detached itself from She Ru’s body and shot directly into the torrent of True Qi that resembled monstrous waves. It moved like a fish swimming against a strong current; no matter how powerful the water's force, it could not sweep the serpent away. The stronger the resistance ahead, the more energized it became; its body seemed weightless as it navigated freely through the expansive palm strikes. Finally, it broke through the colossal, surging waves and arrived at the source. Here were two massive palms from which all the True Qi emanated, causing immense disruption even to the surrounding space. It opened its tiny mouth, revealing closely packed, needle-sharp teeth. It was confident that a mere brush from its fangs would ensnare the opponent with its innate ability, allowing it to calmly end the adversary’s life.

He Yiming’s eyes brightened slightly; the timely arrival of Yu Jinglei and the other elder brought him significant relief. However, upon seeing the strange serpent attempting its trick again, he couldn't help but exclaim: "Elder Yu, be careful! The serpent’s mouth is poisoned!" For a 'Profound Heaven' expert, common toxins are useless. But this particular strange serpent was different; while its venom might not kill instantly, it was far more terrifying than the deadliest poison known to the world. Yu Jinglei’s expression shifted. He had initially been confident that his 'First Heaven' strength rendered him immune to any potent toxin. Furthermore, his body, fortified by concentrated True Qi, was as hard as diamond. How could the small, tender fangs of this serpent easily pierce him? It was more likely the serpent would break its teeth. He intended to ignore the warning, but He Yiming's sharp cry made his heart clench. He Yiming was also a 'First Heaven' expert; such a frantic warning indicated that the serpent possessed truly peculiar traits. This thought flashed through his mind, yet his movements remained unhesitating. He took a deep breath and expelled it in one rush. Unlike He Yiming’s Water Breath, what erupted from his mouth was an extremely pure stream of innate True Qi. This breath of True Qi shot forth like a sharp arrow, striking precisely seven inches into the serpent's head. Having expended all its strength to traverse the endless, wave-like True Qi to reach Yu Jinglei, the serpent was now at its limit. Its open, tiny mouth was its final desperate attack. Faced with this arrow of True Qi from Yu Jinglei, it possessed absolutely no power left to resist. "Hiss..." With a sharp cry, the strange serpent recoiled, flying backward and landing heavily on the ground. However, this level of injury seemed to have no lasting effect on the serpent. The moment its body touched the ground, it sprang up like a released spring. This time, it did not attack Yu Jinglei again but moved to She Ru’s side. Its tiny, almost invisible eyes fixed intently on Yu Jinglei.

She Ru’s expression was grim. The various Totem Clans each had their strengths and weaknesses. Although the Serpent Clan was powerful, apart from a very small number of Python Totem lineages, few figures or spirit beasts among them were renowned for engaging in direct clashes with 'First Heaven' experts. Moreover, Heaven was fair: while the Stone King possessed potent attributes lacking in other thousand-year mutated spirit beasts—its petrification and paralysis ability—which even 'Profound Heaven' experts, or true 'Three Flowers' experts of higher realms, found difficult to resist—this very power came at a cost. The Stone King, possessing this tremendous ability, had lost the capacity for breath attacks, relying solely on its fangs to inject its specialized toxin into enemies. This was the principle of gain and loss. Now, the Stone King had challenged Yu Jinglei, a 'First Heaven' expert, based on individual strength, and its venomous bite had been anticipated by Yu Jinglei; naturally, it could gain no advantage. Yu Jinglei’s single palm strike had scared one opponent away and repelled another, dissipating a significant portion of his pent-up frustration. Only then did he feel a touch of lingering fear, realizing he had recklessly attacked when facing four 'First Heaven' experts. He couldn't recall what he had been thinking just moments before...

The earth suddenly began to churn, and the Red Wolf King reappeared. Suoge looked grimly at the two newly arrived 'First Heaven' experts. By now, everyone understood that their possibility of killing He Yiming at any cost had been completely extinguished. Yu Jinglei waved his wide sleeve, and the imposing aura surrounding him receded like a tide. He glared, and his voice boomed like distant thunder: "You people traveling from afar to destroy the gate of my Hengshan lineage—you go too far!" Suoge retorted coldly, "Then your theft of the Totems is not going too far?" "We did not steal the Totems," Medicine Daoist quickly interjected. "This is a case of blatant frame-up." He paused. "Can you honestly not see the obvious evidence?" Suoge scoffed. "The Totems were found in your possession, and the injured party—my clan’s Totem Envoy—was wounded by a young 'Profound Heaven' expert who mastered the Five Elements. Do you expect a simple claim of frame-up to explain all this?" Medicine Daoist was momentarily silenced. Yu Xichen snorted, "Setting aside the impossibility of Elder He traveling to your clan to steal the Totems, even if he had committed such an act, would he leave the Totems openly in the mountain for you to find?" Suoge chuckled twice. He gestured with his hand. "Since things have come to this, words are useless. Today you have superior numbers, and we are helpless. However, we will absolutely not let this matter rest so easily. We shall settle this at the Gates of Life and Death later." With that, he turned and strode away purposefully. She Ru’s icy gaze swept over everyone present, as if trying to memorize every face. Even Yu Jinglei and the elder who accompanied him felt a chill run down their spines when their eyes met his. In fact, upon seeing this person and the strange serpent he rode, the two had already guessed his origins. He must be one of the exceedingly rare serpent folk from the Totem Clans. The thought of the Serpent Clan's treachery and strangeness made their scalps tingle. As for Medicine Daoist and the others, their hearts pounded with apprehension. The only ones who remained utterly unperturbed under his scrutinizing gaze were He Yiming, Bai Lingba, and Shui Xuanjin. For He Yiming, since he had been bitten by that strange serpent once, and the True Qi in his Dantian had digested that energy, this peculiar snake venom would pose no further threat to him in the future. Given this, He Yiming naturally held no further fear of She Ru. In contrast, the combined force of Suoge and the Red Wolf King was what truly made He Yiming wary. As for Bai Lingba, his programming did not allow for the concept of fear. She Ru’s sinister gaze lingered on Bai Lingba for a long time, but it was like wooing a blind man—completely ineffective. The most baffling thing to everyone was that even Elder Shui Xuanjin seemed entirely oblivious to his threatening looks. However, this dwarf from the Serpent Clan showed profound respect toward the Elder who had thwarted She Ru's ultimate killing move. He looked deeply at Shui Xuanjin, seemingly confirming something, before bowing deeply to him. This man, whose status was equal to Suoge’s as a Great Ambassador of the Serpent Totem Clan, offering a salute to a 'Hundred Profound Heaven' expert from outside the mountains, was already showing Shui Xuanjin immense deference. Yet, Elder Shui Xuanjin maintained that faint, confidently serene smile, accepting the bow as his due. After completing the deep bow, She Ru slapped his waist; the strange serpent coiled around him and dove into the earth. This creature possessed the same special ability as the Red Wolf King, allowing it to move through the ground as if it were open air. Once the two leaders had departed, the remaining Totem Envoys glanced at each other and immediately fled, not even leaving behind polite farewells. Yu Jinglei seemed about to stop them, but Zhu Baqi tugged his sleeve, shaking his head slightly... In a matter of moments, the Totem Clan members who had been swaggering and arrogant moments before had completely vanished. Yet, the hearts of those remaining could not settle. The power displayed by the Totem Clan, even if only the tip of the iceberg, was already so immense. If all the Totem Clans united, what unimaginable force might they wield?

"Martial Uncle, you have finally returned," Medicine Daoist sighed with relief, feeling fortunate. If these two had not returned in time, no one could have known whether the Totem Clan, having achieved ultimate victory, would have retreated peacefully or decided to storm the mountain, slaughtering everyone and wiping out Hengshan. Xu Chengchang also stepped forward and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Master." The other elder smiled and nodded. "Well done, my boy." Xu Chengchang's face flushed slightly. "Master, your disciple merely did what was expected." Yu Jinglei snorted. "This is Zhu Baqi, the leader of the Tianchi Mountain main branch. You all should make his acquaintance." Everyone present was stirred, and the way they looked at the elder immediately changed. Zhu Baqi’s name carried considerable weight, even within Tianchi Mountain; among the experts of the Northwest Kingdoms, his status was comparable to that of Zhuo Wanlian, the so-called Tiger of the Northern Frontier, in the Northern Snow Plains. There were few 'Profound Heaven' experts in the Northwest who had never heard that name. Zhu Baqi waved his hand grandly and laughed. "I am only here this time to lend strength to Brother Yu, for the same reason you all came. No need for formalities." Yu Jinglei smiled, turning his gaze to He Yiming, whose eyes showed a flicker of uncertain surprise. He laughed heartily. "Brother Zhu, this is He Yiming, the newly appointed Grand Elder of our Hengshan lineage." Zhu Baqi stroked his beard and laughed heartily. "Indeed, a man of exceptional talent, a young hero!" But inwardly, he mused, why was the youth’s expression so strange? Had the exchange with the Totem Clan's Great Ambassadors injured his head? Almost simultaneously, everyone finally noticed He Yiming's peculiar expression. They ceased their pleasantries and directed their gazes toward him, following the line of his sight. It was then they realized why He Yiming looked so odd. The truly strange one was not He Yiming, but Shui Xuanjin standing beside him. This National Protector Master of the Tianluo Kingdom, the oldest 'Profound Heaven' expert among the Hundred Profound Heavens, wore a faint, subtle smile. Within that slight curve of his lips seemed to reside an overwhelming confidence, as if before him, anything and everything would be crushed. This was the expression he wore when facing the two Totem Ambassadors and the two thousand-year mutated spirit beasts. It was this expression that earned the deep admiration of all the Hundred Profound Heaven experts. Such confidence, such bearing... Some even believed that in the near future, the Tianluo Kingdom would see the birth of a second 'First Heaven' expert. But slowly, everyone began to sense that something was amiss. Ever since Shui Xuanjin had pulled He Yiling from danger, his facial expression had never changed, and not even now did it alter in the slightest. He Yiming took a deep breath; though his heart churned like violent, surging tides, he forcefully kept every ripple hidden. "Shui, old friend. They are gone..." Shui Xuanjin’s expression remained the same, utterly unchanged. The color drained from He Yiming's face at a visible rate. He extended his hand, slowly reaching out to touch Shui Xuanjin’s body. In the moment before contact, The fingers of He Yiming, that powerful, unprecedentedly young 'First Heaven' expert, trembled uncontrollably.

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