He tidied up minimally. It mostly involved wrapping the Five Elements Ring and tucking it securely beneath his armpit, close to his ribs. It gave the appearance of carrying an extra pack, yet no one would suspect that within this "pack" lay such a devastating weapon.

"Brother Bai, can you discern his origins?" He Yiming asked casually, though he held no great expectations in his heart.

As expected, Bai Lingba shook his head slightly. "My memory banks contain no record of this individual." After a pause, he seemed to deliberate before adding, "However, if we meet again, I will recognize him."

He Yiming’s gaze flickered over the five severed fingers left on the ground, a wry, almost pained expression crossing his face.

With the masked man’s incredible strength, to have lost five fingers in that battle—such an irreparable injury would surely ensure immediate recognition upon their next encounter.

He scanned his surroundings to ensure nothing was missed, then turned and departed, returning to He Family Village.

The battle tonight had wrought considerable destruction upon this area, but as long as the overall forest ecosystem remained intact, in a few months at most, the area would recover its appearance, save for the new growth not yet reaching its former scale.

This was the great secret of the forest: it never lacked the power of life.

He Yiming moved with astonishing speed, returning to He Family Village as swiftly as a bird in flight.

Upon his return, he disturbed no one. Within the entire He Family Village, apart from the two innate masters, Zhu Baqi and Yu Xichen, no one else knew he had ever left.

But precisely because those two had sensed his departure, they rushed to meet him immediately upon his return, unable to wait.

"Elder He, what just transpired? It felt as if someone invaded," Zhu Baqi asked directly.

Though he hadn't seen the masked figure, he had distinctly sensed another powerful innate aura, prompting him to seek clarification.

Yu Xichen’s face shifted slightly; he inwardly chastised himself for being completely unaware.

He Yiming nodded slightly, retrieved the Five Elements Ring from beneath his arm, and placed it calmly on the table. "Brother Zhu, Elder Yu, do you recognize the origin of this item?"

Their eyes both fixed upon the artifact. While they could sense it was extraordinary, their expressions remained utterly bewildered.

Zhu Baqi hesitated for a moment before reaching out and taking the item. "This should be a Treasure Artifact, right?"

He Yiming secretly praised him. Indeed, he was an elder who had lived a long time; a mere glance was enough for him to guess its general nature.

"This is indeed a Treasure Artifact. If Brother Zhu is interested, feel free to try using it, and you will discover its secrets."

Zhu Baqi made no ceremony of it. He circulated his inner Zhenqi and channeled it into the ring.

His expression suddenly changed dramatically, as if sensing something amiss, surprise registering profoundly on his face. His Zhenqi, upon entering the Five Elements Ring, met astonishing resistance, and he clearly perceived that the Zhenqi owner was He Yiming himself.

Seeing the shock on Zhu Baqi’s face, He Yiming suddenly recalled something. He lightly slapped his forehead. "Brother Zhu, my apologies. I forgot—this Treasure Artifact seems capable of storing Zhenqi. Until the Zhenqi stored within is completely depleted, others cannot use it."

Zhu Baqi set the Five Elements Ring back on the table, his expression growing grave. "Elder He, if I recall correctly, Treasure Artifacts possessing this characteristic are all peerless treasures of this realm."

He Yiming’s brow rose slightly. After testing the artifact's power, he was not surprised by this assessment.

A flicker of eagerness crossed Yu Xichen’s face. He glanced at He Yiming’s composed demeanor and gathered his courage to attempt insertion of his Zhenqi. He received the exact same treatment, and the envy in his eyes deepened considerably.

"Brother Zhu, I don't know if this is a peerless treasure of the realm, but it certainly possesses immense power."

He Yiming spoke, picked up the Five Elements Ring, and poured his own powerful Five Elements Zhenqi into it. His Zhenqi resonated with the energy already held within the ring. The next moment, the outer rim of the Five Elements Ring began to spin rapidly, and one could faintly sense the circulation of the five elemental energies. As He Yiming increased the infusion of his Zhenqi, this sensation became increasingly pronounced.

Zhu Baqi’s eyes widened further, finally letting out an astonished cry: "The Five Elements Ring?"

He Yiming paused, surprised. "Brother Zhu knows its origins?"

Zhu Baqi's eyes were filled with disbelief. "Impossible. This is absolutely impossible."

He Yiming regarded him quietly, waiting for him to settle down before speaking again. "Brother Zhu, might you enlighten me as to its origins?"

Zhu Baqi let out a long breath. "Elder He, I have never seen this item myself, only read related descriptions in ancient texts."

He Yiming nodded slightly. "Brother Zhu, Elder Yu, please be seated."

Zhu Baqi did not decline and sat down heavily. "In our Tianchi Mountain, we have texts recording the famous Treasure Artifacts of the world, and among them is a detailed record of this very item." He shifted his posture slightly; for a Two-Flower expert to show such agitation suggested the immense value of the artifact in question.

"Legend says that in the Great Shen Dynasty of the East, there was a super-sect called the Five Elements Sect."

He Yiming’s heart stirred—the Five Elements Sect again...

"This sect possessed a long history, said to be the foremost sect in the world during its zenith."

"Brother Zhu, has this sect declined now?"

"Indeed. Several millennia ago, it was undeniably the world's number one sect. But for unknown reasons, it suddenly experienced a major schism thousands of years ago. Several key leaders within the sect became mutually hostile, and after several centuries of strife, the sect was utterly shattered, never to regain its former glory." Zhu Baqi sighed mournfully, reflecting on the history with palpable emotion.

He Yiming, curious, asked, "Brother Zhu, do you know the reason for this?"

Zhu Baqi shook his head without hesitation. "Such matters of the past, unless one was directly involved, few people would ever know the true cause."

He Yiming nodded and let his gaze settle back upon the Five Elements Ring resting on the table.

Zhu Baqi smiled faintly. "I strayed off topic. If this old man recalls correctly, this item should be the supreme treasure of the Five Elements Sect: the Five Elements Ring. It is said to be one of the rare treasures between Heaven and Earth, forged by the founding ancestor of the Five Elements Sect, who collected several exceptionally rare materials from across the realm. It took a thousand years to complete. The day it was finished, the heavens and earth shifted, and portents appeared everywhere. Furthermore, this item possesses the power to overturn mountains and shake the earth. Even among all the supreme treasures in the world, it ranks among the very top."

Yu Xichen listened, utterly stunned, his eyes fixed unblinkingly on the Five Elements Ring. Although he knew this belonged to He Yiming and could never be his, just looking at it one more time was a small compensation.

He Yiming, however, frowned slightly. "Brother Zhu, does this item truly possess such tremendous power?"

Zhu Baqi nodded. "That is what the book describes; I am merely relaying it faithfully. As for whether it is true, I cannot say." He sighed lightly. "Before the Five Elements Sect split, this item had seemingly already vanished. Not only this treasure, but the top-ranked treasures on the Artifact List comparable to the Five Elements Ring also disappeared simultaneously. Thus, no one has witnessed the actual might of these artifacts for several millennia."

He Yiming frowned deeply. He had used this artifact and fought the masked man; he knew that while the artifact was immensely powerful—so much so that even the Great Broadsword could not scratch it—it absolutely did not possess the unbelievable might Zhu Baqi described. If it truly held such devastating power, even a fraction of it, he would never have escaped the masked man unharmed tonight.

"Brother He, where did you acquire this item?" Zhu Baqi asked after a moment of silence.

He Yiming did not conceal the truth. He recounted how, during his cultivation practice that night, he suddenly sensed external murderous intent, prompting him to investigate. Of course, when describing the confrontation with the man, He Yiming glossed over the details quickly, ending with a sharp glint of killing intent in his eyes. "This person admitted that he was the one who went to the Totem Clan to steal the Wolf Totem and used the power of the Five Elements Ring to injure the Wolf Totem emissary."

Zhu Baqi’s expression also became grave. Before today, they had all suspected that either He Yiming or Suoge of the Totem Clan was lying. But seeing the Five Elements Ring, Zhu Baqi realized that someone had meticulously tried to frame another.

"Such wicked heart, such ruthless intent…" Zhu Baqi muttered darkly. "This person went so far as to infiltrate the deep mountains to lure out the Totem Clan just to frame you. Did he not realize that inviting a deity is easy, but sending them away is hard?" As he spoke, a sharp glint flashed in his eyes too. "This person truly deserves death."

Yu Xichen darted his eyes between the two of them before finally interjecting, "Elder He, Uncle Zhu, since this person possesses Three-Flower power, why didn't he assassinate Elder He then, but instead took the circuitous route to the Totem Clan?"

He Yiming and Zhu Baqi exchanged a look, both appearing genuinely bewildered. This person not only lured out the Totem Clan but also infiltrated He Family Village tonight, apparently intending to kill He Yiming. These contradictory actions baffled even them!

※※※※

Several days later, He Yiming and the others set off again, heading towards the capital of the Tianluo Kingdom.

However, following the battle that night, He Yiming had become deeply worried about the safety of He Family Village. He had discussed the matter privately with his father, Old Master Bao, and the other elders.

The direct lineage disciples of He Family Village would be transferred to another hidden base, leaving only an empty shell here. The few elders would occasionally make appearances to maintain appearances, which would suffice. Given the current power and status of He Family Village, achieving this was effortlessly possible.

This method, while excellent, was only viable for He Family Village. If those super-families with histories spanning hundreds or thousands of years attempted it, it would be utterly impossible. This was because the direct heirs of those ancient families were too numerous; such a large-scale transfer could never be hidden from outsiders. In this respect, the young He Family Village certainly enjoyed a great advantage.

He Yiming only left once his parents and the others had made all the necessary arrangements.

The convoy traveled rapidly down the main road, and after half a month of journeying, they finally reached the Tianluo capital. News of their arrival had long preceded them to the Royal Family, but at He Yiming’s request this time, no one dared meet them outside the city gates.

The only person waiting at the city entrance was Xue Lie, the eldest disciple of Shui Xuanjin.

Seeing Xue Lie through the gap in the carriage curtain, He Yiming was instantly reminded of Shui Xuanjin. His gaze dimmed slightly as he pulled back the curtain, inviting Xue Lie into the carriage.

Although Xue Lie was not an innate master, he was still at the peak of Houtian, having reached the Tenth Layer of Inner Strength. Yet, upon facing He Yiming now, he felt an intense, almost suffocating pressure. This was not something He Yiming intentionally exerted; it was merely a reflection of his drastically elevated status and position. Anyone aware of his background, especially Houtian cultivators, would naturally generate this deep-seated, self-imposed pressure when facing an expert of the First Heaven stage like him. He Yiming himself had no way to resolve this. Perhaps only through extended periods of interaction could this intangible pressure fade, but the question remained: how many Houtian cultivators would ever have the opportunity for prolonged association with a First Heaven expert?

He Yiming sighed lightly. "Xue Lie, you must have heard the news of Elder Shui's passing."

Xue Lie bowed his head respectfully. "Yes, Senior Lu Zhengyi relayed the news. Tianluo Kingdom has already held a state funeral for Master Shui, and the Sovereign himself personally guarded the bier for seven days."

He Yiming nodded slowly. "That is as it should be."

Xue Lie slowly raised his head, glancing at He Yiming, hesitating as if wanting to speak but holding back.

He Yiming smiled gently. "Xue Lie, what is the nature of my bond with Elder Shui? Surely you know. Speak plainly if you have something to say. Though Elder Shui is gone, his lineage must not be allowed to decline."

A look of relief spread across Xue Lie’s face. With those words from He Yiming, the status of his master’s lineage in the city would not only fail to drop but would instead rise even higher.

"Master He, my late master once expressed a wish that should he pass, you would reside in Shaoming Residence," Xue Lie said cautiously. "Everyone my master left behind is old and utterly loyal to you. If you truly do not wish to employ them, you may dismiss them..."

He Yiming understood immediately. This was Shui Xuanjin arranging a safe haven for those around him. By taking up residence in Shaoming Residence, the staff would remain unaffected by Shui Xuanjin's death. This, perhaps, was the only thing Shui Xuanjin cared about besides the Tianluo Kingdom itself.

"Xue Lie, since this was Elder Shui’s wish, I shall not refuse," He Yiming mused. "We will move into Shaoming Residence immediately. Tonight, you are to host a banquet for the city’s esteemed guests, and invite the Sovereign as well."

"Yes," Xue Lie replied, surprise mingling with joy. He hadn't expected He Yiming to agree so readily. To others, Shaoming Residence represented immense wealth, but to a First Heaven expert like He Yiming, it could be considered a burden. Xue Lie had not dared hope He Yiming would consent so easily, so he was quite excited that the matter concluded so smoothly. As for He Yiming's sudden whim to host an evening banquet, that was a small matter. While others might struggle to gather the city's foremost figures in such a short time, He Yiming was different. If he merely let slip a hint, everyone would scramble to secure an invitation to the dinner, lest they face whispers and damaged family reputations the following day.

※※※※

That evening, Shaoming Residence indeed blazed with lights. The most prominent figures from every major family in the city were in attendance. Furthermore, envoys from all nations stationed in the Tianluo capital, including those from the Kai Rong Kingdom, participated in the feast.

For this grand banquet, He Yiming invited Zhu Baqi, Yu Xichen, and Lu Zhengyi, who was already in the capital. When the four innate masters appeared together, everyone trembled under the powerful majesty they exuded. To them, any innate master was already an unattainable existence; whether they were ordinary Hundred Dispersed Heavens or First Heaven made no practical difference.

The climax of the entire banquet occurred when He Yiming spoke from the principal seat. At that moment, he publicly acknowledged to all factions that he would assume Master Shui Xuanjin’s position as the Chief State Protector Master. The Yu family of the Tianluo Royal House would remain the sole ruler of the Tianluo Kingdom, and any provocation against the Yu family within the kingdom’s borders, or externally, would be considered a direct challenge to him.

After these words were spoken publicly, the current Tianluo Sovereign, Yu Rupei, finally felt his heavy burden lift. His recent days had been difficult; beneath the surface calm of the capital, undercurrents of turmoil had surged following the news of Shui Xuanjin's death. But once He Yiming made this solemn commitment before everyone, all unrest subsided. His single declaration proved far more effective than the personal presence of Lu Zhengyi, an innate master.

That night, the guests dispersed. After hearing He Yiming's pledge, even those who harbored resentment dared not show it externally. Shui Xuanjin, relying on his own strength, had maintained peace for the Royal Family for a century. Now, with He Yiming taking over, there were four innate masters present. For anyone else to stir up trouble would be pure suicide.

Once calm was fully restored, as He Yiming arrived at the largest chamber in Shaoming Residence, Xue Lie stood outside the door. Upon receiving permission, he entered cautiously and respectfully announced, "Master He, the Sovereign requests an audience."