"What, what is going on?" Chen Weiran's eyes widened. He asked in disbelief.

There had been far too many unexpected things encountered today, first meeting He Yiming, an unimaginably transcendent genius. And immediately following that was the inexplicable behavior of the Treasure Pig spirit beast.

He had been caring for the Treasure Pig spirit beast for over a hundred years, staying with it ever since he advanced to the Innate Realm. In all those years, this was the first time he had ever seen the Treasure Pig spirit beast acting so affectionately toward a human; judging by its demeanor, it seemed intent on clinging on for life.

His gaze swept over Bai Lingba, and sensing his aura, Chen Weiran's expression shifted slightly. In his perception, Bai Lingba was like a stone, completely devoid of any life force.

Furthermore, this sensation was not the realm of 'Unity of Man and Nature,' but an absolute lack of vitality, as if the person standing before him was not flesh and blood, but a statue. His heart tightened.

What kind of cultivation method could be so marvelous and inconceivable... He Yiming sighed inwardly; only he had truly guessed the secret.

This wondrous spirit beast did not regard Bai Lingba as a person; most likely, in its eyes, Bai Lingba was merely another Five Elements Ring, or perhaps a treasure even more precious than the Five Elements Ring. For this treasure, it had even abandoned the energy stones and the silver ring that contained a spatial world.

Even He Yiming had to admit that in the ability to discover treasures, this fellow was truly unparalleled under the heavens. Bai Lingba stood silently.

He turned his head to glance at the others, completely ignoring the spirit beast clinging to his neck, acting as if the little creature simply did not exist. "Brother Bai, are you alright?" He Yiming asked, a slight unease in his heart; he genuinely worried that Bai Lingba might casually swat the Treasure Pig off his chest with a single palm strike.

"I am fine," Bai Lingba stated calmly. As he spoke, the spirit beast hanging on his chest kicked its hind hooves a few times, seemingly surprised that this 'thing' could utter human speech.

In the eyes of Zhu Baqi and the others, an inexpressible strangeness lingered. Chen Weiran took a deep breath and said, "Senior Brother Zhu, who is this esteemed gentleman...?" "This is Brother Bai Lingba," Zhu Baqi quickly replied.

"He is a good friend of Elder He, invited by Elder He this time to accompany us to Tianchi Mountain." Chen Weiran nodded slightly, then asked with gravity, "Brother He, may I ask what cultivation method Mr. Bai practices?

It seems the Treasure Pig is very interested in him." He Yiming let out a wry smile; Bai Lingba required no cultivation at all, so how could there be any method to speak of? The suspicions of Chen Weiran and the others were frankly amusing.

However, no matter how rich their imaginations, they could never guess that this creature, which could listen, speak, walk, and move, was not human. Clearing his throat again, He Yiming said, "Brother Chen, Brother Bai's cultivation method is extremely peculiar, but he is never willing to speak of it, and it would be improper for me to press him." Chen Weiran nodded understandingly; inquiring about another person's cultivation method was a massive taboo, a topic difficult to broach even with the closest of friends.

"Brother Chen, having your spirit beast hanging like this continuously doesn't seem very appropriate, does it?" He Yiming said very subtly. Chen Weiran immediately looked distressed.

"Brother He, this Treasure Pig is the most beloved spirit beast of our Ancestor Master. If there is any offense, I beg you to be forbearing." He Yiming felt dubious, but he understood the weight carried by those three words: 'Ancestor Master.' In the Hengshan lineage, only Yu Jinglei could be addressed this way, and it was the highest possible title within the entire sect.

A person of that standing absolutely possessed irrefutable authority and power within a sect. Even He Yiming, upon hearing the origin of this Treasure Pig, couldn't help but look at it with new respect.

Perhaps only such a supremely powerful being could possess such a magical little companion. Shaking his head slightly, He Yiming said resignedly, "Brother Chen, I see Brother Bai does not seem to reject the little fellow.

Since that is the case, we should hurry to the main peak." Chen Weiran quickly nodded, bowing deeply to He Yiming, the gratitude in his eyes visible to anyone. The group no longer mentioned resting or staying the night; everyone hurried toward Tianchi Mountain at their fastest pace.

Although burdened by a retinue of disciples, they could not move at full speed, but these disciples were the elites of Hengshan; even the lowest among them possessed the Eighth Layer of Inner Strength. Aided by their companions, their progress was reasonably satisfactory.

As dawn broke, they arrived at the foot of the distant colossal peak. Along the way, He Yiming had sensed the presence of numerous overt and hidden sentinels, yet not a single one emerged to intercept them.

Some of these people had even stepped out and made eye contact with the group. But upon seeing the spirit beast hanging on Bai Lingba's chest, they immediately turned and fled without a word.

Their demeanor suggested a panicked retreat, which greatly astonished everyone. However, upon first arriving at Tianchi, even the thick-skinned He Yiming felt it inappropriate to inquire directly, so he pretended ignorance and followed Chen Weiran up to the main peak.

The main peak of Tianchi was a mountain far larger and taller than the main peak of Hengshan. Even among the entire mountain range spanning the northwest, this main peak was undoubtedly the most lofty.

Looking up from the base, the giant peak shot straight up from the earth, piercing the clouds, resembling a titan standing among ten thousand mountains, gazing down upon the earth with profound intensity. At that moment, anyone felt the utter insignificance of their own existence.

He Yiming stood rooted, gazing upward in a daze, momentarily lost to himself. As far as his eyes could travel, countless white clouds drifted by; the summit was hidden in the mist, its end completely invisible.

Suddenly, an image flashed in his mind: a pair of hands forming a strange, profoundly mysterious hand seal. The Heaven-Supporting Seal—this Earth element hand seal seemed to offer a sudden, clear realization at that instant.

Even while traveling, after his confrontation with the Ghost-Faced Fiend, He Yiming dedicated time daily to studying these two hand seal techniques. He vaguely held the feeling that if he could fully master both the Heaven-Supporting Seal and the Heaven-Overturning Seal, he could take the final step and condense the third tangible Flower.

But after losing the opportune moment that night, his comprehension of these two Earth element hand seal techniques had stagnated. Several days of study had yielded no progress; rather, the feeling grew increasingly vague.

Yet, upon seeing this magnificent peak reaching into the clouds today, He Yiming experienced a sudden flash of inspiration. He compared the Heaven-Supporting Seal in his mind with the mountain, and there was an incipient trend toward mastering the technique.

※※※※ After observing the mountain base for a moment, everyone gathered their spirits, preparing to advance with Chen Weiran. But at that very moment, Zhu Baqi let out an exclamation, then fixed his gaze keenly on He Yiming.

Everyone looked over and realized something was amiss with He Yiming; he stood with his head tilted back, seemingly completely immersed in his own world, paying no heed to external matters. "Enlightenment..." Chen Weiran gasped, then murmured the word in disbelief.

He exchanged a look with Zhu Baqi; their eyes held deep envy and jealousy beneath their astonishment. Yu Xichen's face registered a flash of pleasant surprise.

"Martial Uncle Zhu, is Elder He truly entering an enlightenment state?" Nodding slightly, Zhu Baqi let out a long sigh. "For thousands of years, everyone who first comes before the Tianchi main peak is awed by its grandeur.

But those who achieve an enlightenment opportunity from just one glance are exceedingly rare." Chen Weiran nodded as well, and then, everyone retreated a hundred paces, waiting quietly for the result of He Yiming's enlightenment. No one moved to disturb him; everyone instinctively acted this way.

Although the cultivation levels of the assembled martial artists varied—from Postnatal masters at the Eighth Layer of Inner Strength to super-experts who had condensed two tangible Flowers—at this moment, they all silently watched He Yiming. Those with deep lineage knowledge like them understood precisely how crucial enlightenment was to one's path of cultivation.

The stronger one's martial power became, the more difficult it was to enter a state of enlightenment. For an expert of He Yiming's caliber, achieving enlightenment even once in several decades was considered a blessing from ancestral spirits, requiring immense fortune.

To disrupt his enlightenment would undoubtedly earn one an eternal, mortal enmity. For masters of this magnitude, even the hatred of a murdered father or a stolen wife was no more significant.

Thus, everyone retreated far away, afraid they might truly disturb He Yiming's state. However, within Zhu Baqi's heart, a monumental wave was stirring.

What kind of monstrous anomaly was this He Yiming? Just a few nights ago, he had a chance for enlightenment, but it was interrupted by the Ghost-Faced Fiend's attack, resulting in nothing gained.

According to Zhu Baqi's estimation, He Yiming should not have been able to enter another state of enlightenment within the next decade. But unexpectedly, merely a few days later, upon seeing the Tianchi main peak, he found another opportunity for enlightenment.

Such fortune, such innate talent... Zhu Baqi's eyes grew faintly red.

He finally began to understand why He Yiming possessed such terrifying and inconceivable strength at such a young age. ※※※※ He Yiming, immersed in his own world, did not notice the changes outside.

In his mind, the hand seal he had formed was slowly expanding. Gradually, these hands grew ten thousand, a hundred thousand, even a million times larger.

They seemed to transform into the majestic mountain before him, into this colossal peak that stood like a pillar supporting the sky. A wave of inexplicable emotion washed over He Yiming's heart as he witnessed this scene; he felt as though even if the heavens above were to collapse, this giant peak could lift them back up.

Unconsciously, his hands took the shape of a bizarre seal. The hands intertwined, the fingers merging in an extremely arcane manner, as if boneless.

At a distance of a hundred meters, Zhu Baqi and the others suddenly felt a strange sensation: He Yiming seemed to vanish before them. At this moment, he appeared to have transformed into the massive mountain itself, especially from his hands emanated a potent majesty capable of holding up the entire firmament.

At this point, a sense of smallness arose in their hearts, and He Yiming's hands seemed to grow larger and larger... He Yiming stood still, yet merely by standing motionless, he generated an immense, unimaginable pressure.

Forget the Hengshan disciples in the Postnatal Realm; even Zhu Baqi and the others felt their breathing grow tight—a result of being suppressed by He Yiming's aura. They were all inwardly horrified, fully aware that He Yiming had achieved a new understanding and progress in his martial path, otherwise, his mere imposing aura could not create such a terrifying effect on them.

The only ones unaffected by this pressure were Bai Lingba and the strange spirit beast hanging on his chest. Bai Lingba was not human, so this ethereal pressure had no effect on him whatsoever.

As for the cute-looking Treasure Pig on his chest, after casting a single glance at He Yiming, it completely lost interest. While this degree of pressure might be rare for others to witness, for a creature that often mingled with the Ancestor Master of Tianchi, it was insignificant.

What truly captured its attention was this strange, utterly lifeless human standing before it. If He Yiming and the others knew that the Treasure Pig spirit beast remained completely at ease under such pressure, their assessment of it would surely soar, and they would view it with greatly increased respect.

He Yiming's entire focus was steeped in the visualization and comprehension of the mountain. Slowly, he seemed to genuinely grasp something.

He made extremely subtle adjustments to the hand seal. Even though Zhu Baqi and the others watched with wide eyes from a short distance, they could not detect these minute changes.

His hands continuously made micro-adjustments, yet in the eyes of Zhu Baqi and the others, his hands seemed utterly unmoving, trending toward greater stability. After an unknown amount of time, He Yiming finally let out a long breath, and as the breath escaped, the hand seal relaxed.

Everyone felt an immediate relief; the oppressive feeling, as if Mount Tai stood before them, instantly vanished. Then, He Yiming turned his head, and at that moment, his eyes shone as brightly as the stars.

Zhu Baqi forcefully suppressed the envy surging in his heart, took a few steps forward, and cupped his hands. "Congratulations, Elder He." He Yiming nodded slightly, a satisfied smile on his face.

Although he had only grasped the Heaven-Supporting Seal technique and not the Heaven-Overturning Seal simultaneously, he still had not managed to successfully condense the Earth Flower. But even so, he was completely content.

At the very least, his comprehension of Earth element power had ascended to a new level. However, the next moment, his expression darkened slightly.

"Who is there? Come out." Zhu Baqi and the others were momentarily stunned, and their gazes instantly sharpened.

Someone had managed to sneak near them, and it was He Yiming, newly returned from his enlightenment, who detected them—a fact that made both his and Chen Weiran's faces flush slightly. "Haha, sharp ears," an aged laugh sounded from behind a nearby cliff wall.

Then, two figures walked out side-by-side. "We mean no offense, merely passing through this area." Both figures were elderly men with long beards; one had rather cold eyes, while the other wore a smile covering his entire face.

Zhu Baqi and Chen Weiran bowed in unison. "Senior Brother Yang." The elder with the grim expression chuckled.

"Brother Yang, the Tianchi main lineage truly produces talent. To achieve comprehension right before the main peak—which brother is this?

Could you introduce him?" The gaze of the elder surnamed Yang fell upon He Yiming, and he paused slightly. He was surprised by He Yiming's youth, and even more astonished because, in his memory, there seemed to be no expert of He Yiming's youth among the various peaks spanning dozens of miles around Tianchi.

He nodded slightly to Zhu Baqi and the other, then gave a wry smile. "Brother Zhou, my apologies, I do not recognize this junior brother's background either." Zhu Baqi quickly explained, "Senior Brother Yang, this is Elder He Yiming from the Hengshan branch." The expressions of both elders changed, and He Yiming noticed with surprise that the eyes of the elder surnamed Zhou grew colder, even carrying a faint hint of hostility.

"So, it is Junior Brother He from the Hengshan branch. Welcome indeed," Elder Yang boomed.

"I am Yang Hao. Our main lineage and branches are one family.

If Junior Brother He does not disdain it, call me Senior Brother." He Yiming hesitated for a moment, then clasped his fist. "Senior Brother Yang." Yang Hao nodded with satisfaction.

"Junior Brother He, allow me to introduce you. This is Senior Brother Zhou Datian from the Tufan branch." He paused, then stated gravely, "Senior Brother Zhou successfully condensed his third tangible Flower half a year ago." A shade of envy appeared in Zhu Baqi's eyes.

"Senior Brother Zhou has hope of reaching the Apex and immediately joining the ranks of the world's top masters. Truly commendable." Zhou Datian's rigid face cracked into a slight smile.

"Junior Brother Zhu flatters me. Reaching the Apex might be within reach, but achieving the successful condensation of the Ultimate Seal is far easier said than done." He Yiming's eyebrows lifted slightly; he immediately understood the source of the man's hostility.

It turned out this man hailed from the Tufan Kingdom, one of the three great powers of the Northwest. However, it was only now that he realized the Tufan Kingdom was backed by a lineage from the Tianchi branch.

Zhou Datian exchanged greetings with the others, then suddenly turned. "Junior Brother He, I wonder what you grasped during your recent enlightenment?" He Yiming pondered for a moment, then replied, "This junior has gained a slight insight into Earth element True Qi." Zhou Datian offered a smile devoid of warmth.

"What I cultivate is also an Earth element technique. Why don't we spar, Junior Brother He, so I can see the results of your enlightenment..." Yang Hao and the others were slightly taken aback, but no one objected; they quietly awaited He Yiming's answer.

Observing the reactions of everyone, a surge of bold ambition rose in He Yiming's heart. He laughed heartily.

"Since Senior Brother Zhou has such interest, this junior will naturally oblige."