Zhu Baqi let out a resounding cry that traveled far, almost instantly reaching the approaching newcomers.

He Yiming and the others immediately understood: this person must be from the main branch of Tianchi Mountain, and moreover, quite familiar with Zhu Baqi, otherwise, he wouldn't have announced himself in such a manner.

"Is that Senior Brother Zhu?" a voice mixed with surprise and delight echoed from a distance. "Senior Brother Zhu, Baozhu has escaped again! It went this way; please help me intercept it."

Zhu Baqi let out a booming laugh. "Very well, Junior Brother Chen. Allow this brother to lend you a hand."

Saying this, he turned. "Elder He, Young Nephew Yu, would you two also do this old man a favor?"

He Yiming, curious, replied, "We are eager to serve. Is it to capture that spirit beast?"

"Precisely, but please be careful, both of you. Do not use your Innate True Qi at all, lest you truly injure it," Zhu Baqi said with a serious expression.

Yu Xichen’s face showed difficulty. "Martial Uncle Zhu, is this an Innate Spirit Beast?"

Given the strength of He Yiming and Zhu Baqi, they wouldn't care much about an ordinary Innate Spirit Beast; even without using Innate True Qi, they could at least ensure their own safety. But being ordered not to use their Qi against an Innate Spirit Beast sounded like a recipe for disaster.

Zhu Baqi chuckled dryly. "Worry not, young nephew. Baozhu is extremely intelligent. As long as you harbor no killing intent, it will absolutely not harm anyone."

He Yiming and Yu Xichen exchanged a look, utterly intrigued—an Innate Spirit Beast that wouldn't harm people?

"Two sirs, let’s go... Huh?" Zhu Baqi blinked twice in surprise, seemingly unable to trust his own senses.

He Yiming's ears twitched slightly; suspicion clouded his mind as well.

If the spirit beast were truly that clever, upon hearing Zhu Baqi’s voice, it should have fled in another direction—that was the real reason Zhu Baqi had invited them both to block its path.

However, the sound they were currently hearing clearly told them that this spirit beast, which had escaped from Tianchi Mountain, was running straight toward them.

The three exchanged glances. He Yiming suddenly asked, "Brother Zhu, is this Baozhu perhaps one you have tamed?"

It seemed the only possible explanation. If the beast wasn't coming to welcome Zhu Baqi, why would it go through such trouble to run down from the mountain only to deliver itself into their trap?

Zhu Baqi repeatedly waved his hands. "Elder He, please don't jest. How could I, with my meager abilities, be worthy of keeping Baozhu? This Baozhu is actually..."

He paused here, hesitated, his lips moving for a moment, yet the words refused to come out.

It was evident that the person behind this Baozhu instilled a deep sense of apprehension in him.

A faint rustling sounded from the bushes, followed by a rush of wind, and the spirit beast materialized before them before anyone had registered its arrival.

Yu Xichen and the disciples from Hengshan stared with wide eyes, astonished at how this strange spirit beast had appeared.

A flicker of sharp light danced in He Yiming’s eyes; the sheer power radiating from this spirit beast exceeded even his expectations.

It was not a large spirit beast, perhaps only the size of an ordinary dog. Among the spirit beasts He Yiming had previously encountered, even the giant wolves of the Totem Clan or the two-headed spirit beast were much larger than this one.

The only ones smaller in stature were the strange snake beside Serpent Scholar.

Its appearance bore some resemblance to pigs raised by ordinary people, but a closer look revealed it was entirely different. Its entire body was pure white without a single stray hair, giving it an overwhelmingly simple and honest look. Its tail, suitably thick, wagged slightly, as if greeting the group.

Even He Yiming felt an unbidden surge of joy upon seeing it.

It was a feeling entirely without reason, as if two people had instantly locked eyes and become confidantes in a mere moment.

Before this, only the elder Shui Xuanjin and the Daoist of Medicine had given him a similar sensation.

However, for this feeling to arise from a spirit beast truly surprised He Yiming.

Yet, he did not know that he was not the only one experiencing such a sensation; everyone felt something similar the moment they saw Baozhu.

Their eyes lit up, and even Yu Xichen, who had been the most apprehensive beforehand, felt an inexplicable relaxation settle over him.

Zhu Baqi was unsurprised by their reactions. He smiled gently. "Everyone, Baozhu is a kind-hearted spirit beast. It has never concealed its inner world. And in its heart, it seems utterly untainted, which is why everyone here on Tianchi Mountain adores it."

As if understanding that Zhu Baqi was praising it, Baozhu’s small eyes narrowed, its long snout wrinkled—utterly small and adorable.

Before seeing it in person, He Yiming and the others could never have believed that a spirit beast resembling a small pig could evoke such a peculiar response in them.

The sound of wind swept by again, and in a flash of movement, a tall figure appeared before them.

It was a middle-aged or older man with extraordinarily large ears. Upon seeing these ears, He Yiming instantly thought of Shui Xuanjin, but in comparison, this man's ears were only slightly larger than normal, nowhere near the extent of Shui Xuanjin, who cultivated the skill of the Wind-Following Ear.

Even so, this detail sparked a flicker of favorable impression in He Yiming.

As soon as the man appeared, his gaze immediately fell upon the spirit beast confronting He Yiming and the others, only then did he raise his head to look at Zhu Baqi and the rest.

He Yiming keenly noticed that the man's gaze lingered on Zhu Baqi for several seconds, accompanied by a slight nod, but on the faces of everyone else, it merely flickered—even the Innate expert Yu Xichen could not hold his attention.

As for He Yiming, since the aura he projected was similar to Yu Xichen's, he was even less noticed.

The man refocused his attention on the spirit beast, saying, "Senior Brother Zhu, thank you."

Zhu Baqi shook his head slightly. "Junior Brother Chen, I didn't intervene; Baozhu stopped on its own."

Then, he spoke softly, "Elder He, Martial Nephew Yu, this is Junior Brother Chen Weiran from the main peak of Tianchi Mountain. Baozhu is under his care."

He Yiming and Yu Xichen both nodded but did not step forward to formally greet him, as they could see at a glance that at this moment, the man’s eyes held only Baozhu; everyone else, including Zhu Baqi, was beyond his field of vision, let alone them, the outsiders.

Indeed, Chen Weiran stepped forward, his face alight with fawning smiles. "Brother Bao, shall we go back?"

The spirit beast Baozhu glanced at him and shook its head without hesitation.

Its manner was quite comical, giving an impression of absolute resolution, yet astonishingly, this gesture did not provoke any sense of revulsion. Not only the bystanders who had just met it, but even Chen Weiran, who was responsible for its care, showed no sign of impatience.

He lightly tapped his forehead. "You ran down again! If the Old Ancestor finds out, it’ll be my misfortune again. Can't you spare a thought for me?"

He Yiming and the others were greatly surprised. Judging by his tone, Chen Weiran genuinely treated this spirit beast as an equal friend.

This was an extremely rare occurrence in a world predominantly populated by humans.

He Yiming’s mind flashed to Suoge and the Red Wolf King of the Totem Clan, as well as Serpent Scholar and the Strange Snake Stone King. It seemed that among everyone he had met, only those two pairs of humans and beasts shared such a bond.

This time, the spirit beast Baozhu did not shake its head outright but instead tilted its head, as if contemplating something.

Chen Weiran did not urge it, nor did he make any move to capture it. He simply walked to its side and sat down on the ground with a plop.

Baozhu ignored him, seemingly without concern that the other might suddenly strike.

This bizarre pairing of man and beast left the outsiders, He Yiming and the others, utterly astounded.

After a long while, Baozhu finally shook its head again. Chen Weiran’s aged face instantly fell, completely unconcealed, filled with a sense of helplessness and sadness.

He looked like an old child on the verge of tears.

Baozhu hesitated for a moment, then moved forward and nudged his leg. Chen Weiran turned away, paying it no heed, deliberately putting on airs.

He Yiming and the others grew more curious. Although Baozhu was intelligent, it could not compare to an old man like Chen Weiran who had lived over two hundred years; at least in terms of cunning, it seemed far inferior.

Therefore, it failed to realize that Chen Weiran was merely staging this display.

Baozhu wagged its head and let out a few grunts. Although the sound was not loud, it was perfectly clear to everyone who heard it.

He Yiming's expression shifted slightly. His gaze swept around, and he noticed that apart from himself, no one else seemed to perceive the strangeness of this sound, or perhaps they sensed it but simply didn't take it seriously.

Although the sound came from the spirit beast's snout, it resonated with the power of Heaven and Earth, which is why such a faint noise was heard so clearly by everyone.

This comprehension of power—whether it was an innate ability or something mastered later—suggested that the spirit beast's strength might exceed He Yiming’s initial estimation if it was learned.

After hearing these few sounds, Chen Weiran finally turned his head. He seemed to have understood the meaning of the sounds and asked, "You want to stay with them?"

The spirit beast Baozhu nodded, clearly and unambiguously expressing its desire.

Chen Weiran looked surprised. After pondering for a moment, he suddenly asked, "Do they possess some treasure you desire?"

"Hmph hmph, hmph hmph hmph..." Baozhu squealed even more joyfully. This time, even He Yiming understood that it was signaling affirmation.

Chen Weiran finally stood up. His gaze began to fall properly upon He Yiming and the others.

"Senior Brother Zhu, these friends are..."

His eyes swept over He Yiming, Yu Xichen, and the twenty or so disciples from the Hengshan branch behind them once more.

"Junior Brother Chen, these are friends from the Hengshan branch."

"The Hengshan branch?" Chen Weiran frowned slightly. "The Hengshan branch has been making quite a name for itself lately. I hear there is a remarkably talented figure named He Yiming; has he come?"

A flash of awkwardness crossed Zhu Baqi's face. "Junior Brother Chen, this is Grand Elder He Yiming."

Chen Weiran's eyes brightened, locking onto He Yiming, and a hint of astonishment gradually appeared on his face. "I heard Elder He has already advanced to the Xiantian Tier. Why is he not in secluded cultivation to stabilize his realm, but instead has come to our Tianchi?"

Zhu Baqi coughed heavily. "Junior Brother Chen, do not be rude. Elder He possesses exceptional talent and an ability in the path of cultivation that we can hardly match. Not only has he completely stabilized his Xiantian realm, but he has also condensed two Roots-Bound... Flowers."

Chen Weiran's eyes widened abruptly. If he hadn't taken He Yiming seriously before, his expression at this moment completely revealed his state of mind.

Experts of their generation had unparalleled control over their inner emotions and facial expressions. But this news was too shocking; even for a top expert like him, there was a moment of stunned blankness and confusion.

In that instant, he almost thought he had misheard.

"Cough, cough, Senior Brother, Elder He has condensed two Manifested... What did you say? Roots-Bound Flowers?"

A sharp glint suddenly burst from Chen Weiran’s eyes. Only now did he truly grasp what his senior brother had just said.

Though there was only a single character difference between Manifested Flowers (Youxing zhi Hua) and Roots-Bound Flowers (Yougen zhi Hua), the implications were vastly different.

A Manifested Flower, while powerful, was still like a rootless duckweed. But a Roots-Bound Flower was different; if he could condense just one more, it would immediately form a tripod stance.

The two differed vastly in terms of destructive power, difficulty of condensation, and future developmental potential—they belonged to entirely different tiers.

Zhu Baqi nodded solemnly. "That is correct; Elder He has condensed two Roots-Bound Flowers. And on this journey, had it not been for an unforeseen interruption to his cultivation, perhaps the third Roots-Bound Flower would have been successfully condensed."

Speaking of this, Zhu Baqi sighed deeply, still feeling a pang of regret over the events of that night.

Condensing a third Roots-Bound Flower required more than just effort; without a massive stroke of fortune, even decades might not be enough to achieve success smoothly.

Although He Yiming gained a Five Elements Ring that night and learned about the frame-up, in Zhu Baqi's mind, the gain was still outweighed by the loss.

Of course, this was merely him projecting his own perspective.

Chen Weiran took a long, slow breath, finally calming his mind completely.

When too many shocking pieces of news arrive, none of them can truly stun you anymore. However, the way he looked at He Yiming now was entirely devoid of the previous indifference; it was tinged with awe and respect.

This was the manifestation of strength, the sole criterion for interaction among experts.

"Hmph hmph..."

The spirit beast Baozhu grunted impatiently, then trotted over to He Yiming, its long snout twitching as it circled him.

He Yiming asked, bewildered, "What does it want to do?"

If it had been any other spirit beast, He Yiming would never have allowed it to circle him so brazenly. But from this Baozhu, he sensed not the slightest malice, so he naturally didn't move to shoo it away.

"Elder He, Baozhu says it senses a supreme treasure of Heaven and Earth on you, and it wants to take a look," Chen Weiran said sheepishly.

Baozhu's temperament was known throughout Tianchi Mountain, but He Yiming and the others were outsiders. To ask to see someone's ultimate treasure upon first meeting—even Chen Weiran felt slightly embarrassed saying it aloud.

He Yiming's heart stirred. He took the leather pouch hanging from under his armpit and, with a flip of his wrist, the Five Elements Ring appeared in his hand.

He placed the Five Elements Ring on the ground. Baozhu immediately pounced on it, sniffing with its long nose for a long time, seemingly thoroughly enjoying it. However, it still lifted its head, its small eyes wide, appearing somewhat unsatisfied.

He Yiming’s expression shifted slightly. His gaze was incredibly sharp; he saw at a glance that Baozhu’s eyes were fixed on his chest.

There, besides the silver ring, hung a white energy stone.

He vaguely suspected that this spirit beast had come for the energy stone, but with Zhu Baqi and Chen Weiran standing by, He Yiming would absolutely not take out either of those two items.

As his mind raced through possibilities, Baozhu’s nose suddenly twitched violently. Then, it leaped off the Five Elements Ring and darted away behind the group in a flash.

He Yiming and the others were completely baffled.

Moments ago, this spirit beast had shown reluctance and a determined desire for the Five Elements Ring and the item on He Yiming's chest, but now it had cast them aside as if they were worthless trash.

This extreme shift caught everyone off guard.

A thought flashed through He Yiming's mind—Not good! He reached out, and the Five Elements Ring on the ground seemed to come alive, leaping directly into his hand.

Almost simultaneously, He Yiming moved like lightning, chasing after the spirit beast.

The moment he moved, Chen Weiran and Zhu Baqi executed the same action. Yu Xichen was clearly a beat slower, while the ordinary disciples of Hengshan stared blankly at each other, completely lost as to what had happened.

With a few swift bounds, He Yiming reached the rear of the group, exhaling a long breath, his face a mixture of amusement and exasperation.

The others joined him and were struck dumb, speechless, when they saw the scene before them.

There, beside a large tree, the stern Bai Lingba stood firmly.

And the spirit beast Baozhu had jumped onto him, propping its front hooves securely on his shoulders, dangling like a pendant, swaying slightly, yet refusing to let go.