Several hours later, the duo of Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King remained formidable. Their attack methods grew increasingly bizarre; not only were the fireballs ever more varied, but they would occasionally swoop in to harass He Yiming. Yet, they maintained sufficient caution, executing hit-and-run tactics, never allowing themselves to become entangled with He Yiming, and strictly avoiding the cloud and mist generated by the Great Guan Dao.

He Yiming also settled his mind, understanding that this might be his sole opportunity to eliminate both Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King in one swift move.

For this chance, he had waited months, and he had no desire to wait for months more, or even longer.

Although Suoge's occasional forays tempted him with the idea of striking, He Yiming ultimately restrained himself.

As long as the stalemate persisted, a perfect, one-hit-kill opportunity would surely arise. Once the Crimson Wolf King was dead, the remaining Suoge would pose no threat.

Under these conditions, forcefully employing Water True Qi, condensing it into a cloud and mist, and unleashing its core essence was a task no easier than starting a fire by chopping wood in a humid rainforest.

Although He Yiming, an expert at the First Tier Heaven stage who had coalesced the Flower of Wind, could achieve this, the rate of True Qi consumption was beginning to strain him severely.

In contrast, the Human-Wolf combination seemed to thrive, their displayed power growing with every passing moment in this environment.

With a slight shift in thought, He Yiming eased the force of his blade, and the cloud mist thinned, appearing on the verge of dispersal at any moment.

Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King were overjoyed. The fireballs spat from Suoge's mouth grew more frequent, and the hands of the Wolf King gestured with greater vigor.

Having clashed with Suoge’s wolf claws several times, He Yiming knew that Suoge’s ability to control the fireballs was not due to reaching some incredible realm of power, but rather due to the Crimson Wolf King.

This skill, which allowed the channeling of a spirit beast’s might for one's own use, was something He Yiming envied profoundly. If he possessed a similar ability, he would have already slain these two scourges.

Suoge, riding the Crimson Wolf King, charged forward again. The steel claws in his hand flashed like lightning, grazing the edge of the mist.

This time, the sensation was markedly different from before; he even felt a faint tremor.

Suoge was ecstatic. His efforts over several hours had not been in vain. After enduring untold hardships and meticulously maneuvering for months, he had worried about whether He Yiming would catch up or not.

Having expended infinite effort, he had finally lured him into the heart of the Eight Hundred Li Volcanic Range.

If he couldn't keep He Yiming here, he truly had no other means to deal with the youngest First Tier Heaven expert in history.

Fortunately, his painstaking arrangements seemed to be bearing fruit.

He Yiming employing Water Attribute techniques in this environment left him utterly stunned, yet also overjoyed.

Indeed, after hours of delay, He Yiming was evidently reaching the limits of his spirit and strength.

However, due to the cunning and suspicion inherent in the wolf's nature, even though Suoge was certain He Yiming’s True Qi was dangerously depleted, he still retreated once more. Still, his subsequent probing attacks increased in frequency, and his boldness grew.

He Yiming’s heart was as still as water. He meticulously calculated the force of every impact, deliberately masking the flush of exhaustion on his face. Slowly, even he began to feel as though he was truly about to collapse from depletion.

Only by deceiving himself completely could he deceive his enemies.

Though He Yiming did not know who first uttered the saying, he was applying it now with exquisite perfection.

His formidable battle intent continuously sublimated within his body. Aside from the Water True Qi, the other four types of True Qi were gradually beginning to coalesce.

This was the true reason for the apparent weakening of He Yiming's external power.

He waited for a lapse in concentration from Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King. The moment he detected that opportunity, the final strike of the Five Elements United would descend with the force of Mount Tai, crushing them utterly like withered straw.

"Ding..."

Following a crisp sound, He Yiming’s Great Guan Dao slumped listlessly.

The momentum of Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King surged; their killing intent washed over him, suggesting they intended to annihilate He Yiming at any cost.

He Yiming’s gaze upon the Great Guan Dao held a hint of a cold smile. Let them see who was truly setting the trap.

However, just as He Yiming’s True Qi surged within him, on the verge of eruption, the Crimson Wolf King before him suddenly sprang up, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, wheeled around, and fled, vanishing in a streak of light.

He Yiming stared ahead, dumbfounded, unable to fathom where he might have revealed a flaw, even if he were beaten to death.

To scheme meticulously for hours, standing on the precipice of tasting sweet victory, only to fail at the final moment—no one would take that well.

His ears twitched slightly twice, and his gaze shifted backward. Bai Lingba had appeared on the platform at some unknown point.

He Yiming let out a long sigh, instantly understanding why Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King had abandoned an opportunity that seemed so easily grasped.

He inwardly lamented the missed chance, wondering if Suoge would regret his decision if he had known that Bai Lingba would not actually harm them.

"Brother Bai, why have you come?" He Yiming asked with a wry smile.

"Your strength waned, and they possessed the capability to kill you, so I came to fulfill my obligation to protect you," Bai Lingba stated solemnly.

He Yiming gave him a peculiar look. Although he felt extreme regret over the final failure, he was not ungrateful.

Bai Lingba’s willingness to intervene at this moment was surely born of good intentions. Such an action should never be criticized.

"Brother Bai, thank you."

"No need; we have a contract."

He Yiming nodded resignedly, and in a tone suggesting consultation—striving not to provoke the other party’s pride (though He Yiming himself couldn't confirm if Bai Lingba possessed such a nonsensical thing as pride)—he said, "Brother Bai, may I discuss something with you?"

"Speak."

"In this battle with Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King, regardless of the outcome, you need not intervene or reveal yourself."

"Why?"

"Because I am certain I can deliver the final blow to them," He Yiming stated coldly and definitively.

"Good." After a brief silence, Bai Lingba finally replied.

Although his voice was not melodious, this single word sounded like heavenly music to He Yiming’s ears.

Having secured Bai Lingba’s acquiescence, He Yiming turned and once again focused his ears, finely discerning the sounds in the distance.

Slowly, a strange expression crossed his face.

His Eagle Ear Marvel told him that Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King maintained their fused state; their lives seemed intertwined, their power unbelievably immense—far surpassing even Yu Jinglei and Zhu Baqi.

If He Yiming’s physique were not different from ordinary people, and if he hadn't mastered several supreme abilities, he could not have contended with the Human-Wolf integrated Suoge.

At this moment, Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King had not burrowed underground but were speeding towards the next mountain range.

Upon detecting this, He Yiming immediately gave chase without hesitation. As long as they did not submerge beneath the earth, He Yiming would not give up.

He Yiming's speed was actually a step faster than Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King.

The two parties streaked across the ground like flying arrows, racing amidst the endless expanse of red peaks.

Although He Yiming did not understand why the Crimson Wolf King avoided diving underground, it was a blessing. He Yiming even speculated it might be due to excessive heat below, but after the recent fierce battle, this idea was completely dismissed.

After witnessing Suoge and the Crimson Wolf King's fire manipulation abilities, no one would hold such a naive thought.

The wind roared past his ears as He Y

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