The sky was overcast, occasionally spitting a few scattered drops of rain. The clouds hung low. In the distance, the mountain peaks were shrouded in a veil of ethereal mist, obscuring their true height, yet this lent the colossal mountains a rare and profound sense of majesty and mystery.

Amidst this fine, persistent drizzle, at the foot of the mountain, a solitary figure stood, as unyielding as a mountain itself.

Around him, there seemed to be an invisible barrier of energy. The raindrops that struck him were deflected by this shield, not one drop managing to dampen his clothes.

At this moment, his hands were moving with deliberate slowness and grace. Anyone observing this scene would immediately sense a profound dissonance.

Though his movements appeared sluggish, seemingly slow enough for someone with a severe myopia to perceive clearly, they simultaneously possessed a fluidity like flowing water, suggesting they were moving so fast that even the most powerful masters could not hope to follow them.

Concurrently, these hands conveyed an extreme delicacy, yet within that lightness resided an undeniable, weighty solidity that none could disregard.

In this vast expanse of light rain, the man, steadfast as Mount Tai, continuously shifted between two utterly contradictory hand gestures.

All his concentration was focused inward; not a single stray thought dared to divert his attention.

Within a hundred meters to his side, two individuals stood silently.

One was a woman, her white robes as immaculate as freshly fallen snow. The other was Bailing Ba, statuesque in his stillness.

They shared a common trait: an almost absolute silence. They stood motionless, their gazes fixed solely on He Yiming; throughout the entire time, not a single word passed between them.

Between them rested a charming creature, a white piglet the size of a small dog.

Unlike common swine, anyone who saw it felt an irresistible urge to cherish it.

Though these two figures and the beast were also enduring the rain, surprisingly, neither of the humans carried any rain gear, nor did their clothing show a single trace of moisture.

Yuan Lixun was surrounded by an aura of frigid cold that made the very air tremble; any raindrop that entered a certain radius instantly crystallized into ice shards, silently dissipating before it could ever touch her dress.

Bailing Ba’s body seemed overlaid with a peculiar protective film; although the rain struck him, the droplets smoothly cascaded down to the ground near his feet.

In fact, his clothing was an extension of his physical form, rendering any possibility of it becoming soaked utterly moot.

As for the seemingly harmless precious pig on the ground, it was even more miraculous: the trickling rain around it began to swirl in mid-air, seemingly guided by some mysterious force, constantly coalescing into various captivating scenes.

However, no matter how the water danced, it never dared approach Yuan Lixun or Bailing Ba standing on either side of the pig. This demonstrated the treasure pig’s absolute, effortless command over the water element.

Yet, to its dismay, regardless of how spectacularly it manipulated the water formations, the two people beside it never once cast their attention its way.

The treasure pig often pondered with confusion: could a person standing completely still truly be more captivating than its own painstaking performance?

Suddenly, a monumental surge of presence emanated from the motionless He Yiming.

This aura was immense, pressing down like a colossal mountain. But, after only halfway manifesting, the mountain vanished. That overwhelming power, capable of overturning heaven and earth, dissipated without a trace.

A long sigh, heavy with regret, escaped He Yiming’s lips. He shook his head and offered a wry smile: "A near miss, after all."

They had been at Tianchi Mountain for several months now; they had seen the New Year pass on the mountain and had chosen to remain.

Ai Wenbin had invited them to stay until after the sect’s founding ceremony before departing. He Yiming, currently endeavoring with all his might to condense the Flower of Earth, certainly had no reason to refuse.

After locating this scenic and spiritual haven three months prior, He Yiming began his attempts to forge the Earth Flower.

In his estimation, mastering the Heaven-Overturning Seal and integrating that profound technique into his martial path should have been sufficient to successfully condense the Earth Flower.

But, this final step proved significantly more arduous than He Yiming had anticipated. Even now, he had not truly grasped the core key.

It felt as though a thin membrane stretched before him, and no matter how hard he struggled, he simply could not pierce it.

Yuan Lixun’s gaze flickered toward the playfully behaving treasure pig, and the water dragon dancing in the air instantly collapsed with a sharp pop. The pig turned, sprang high into the air, and settled behind Bailing Ba, looking toward He Yiming and the woman.

It no longer feared Bailing Ba and had grown exceedingly fond of the trio. Wherever they went, one of the three was certain to accompany it.

This affectionate display filled Chen Weiran with envy and jealousy, yet he found himself utterly incapable of reclaiming the pig’s heart, which had clearly defected.

"Lixun, don't frighten it," He Yiming chuckled. "My failure has nothing to do with him. However, your Frost Qi grows ever stronger; Senior Li Mingxuan truly keeps her word."

Five months earlier, Yuan Lixun had formally apprenticed herself to Li Mingxuan, commencing her study of the Seven-Colored Ice Palace's secret arts.

Her progress was indeed skyrocketing. While achieving the level of a 'First Tier' master in such a short time was impossible, the speed of her cultivation made even He Yiming’s eyes burn with envy.

Li Mingxuan had initially intended to take Yuan Lixun north to conduct the formal Palace Entry Rite.

This was an exceedingly rare opportunity; had Yuan Lixun not possessed the Deep Frost Physique, such an exception would never have been made.

However, with the Tianchi Mountain Founding Ceremony only months away, Li Mingxuan agreed to Ai Wenbin’s earnest requests to stay put temporarily, promising to return to the Northern Ice Palace only after the grand event.

As for Bailing Ba, he naturally followed his charges closely, serving as their ever-present guardian.

Over the past three months, this spot had become their most frequented location. Although the scenery was beautiful, the sole regret remained that He Yiming still hadn't successfully forged his third tangible Flower.

From afar, the sound of hurried footsteps approached, and moments later, Liu Chengyang arrived, calling out joyfully, "Grand Elder He, Grand Elder Yu has arrived!"

He Yiming nodded with satisfaction. Even without grasping the Earth Flower, the arrival of Yu Jinglei and the others was unequivocally good news.

The group returned to the courtyard specially allocated for the Hengshan lineage on the main peak.

Not only Yu Jinglei was present, but also Daoist Yao and several core disciples—the total count exceeded fifty people.

After greetings were exchanged, He Yiming inquired with a frown, "Elder Yu, though it is the day of the Great Competition, the number of people you brought seems excessive."

Yu Jinglei offered a wry smile. "Elder He, this time when we left the mountain, we brought the entire hope of the Hengshan lineage."

He Yiming’s gaze swept over the assembled group, his brow furrowing slightly. These were indeed the most renowned figures of the Hengshan lineage, individuals whose futures promised boundless potential. Yu Jinglei bringing them here was likely a move to secure sanctuary; as long as these people lived, even if the Hengshan lineage were annihilated, there would remain a chance to rise again.

With a soft sigh, He Yiming stated, "Elder Yu, if I hadn't slain Suoge and the others entirely, you would not need to worry about the threat from the Totem Clan."

Yu Jinglei shook his head slightly. "This has nothing to do with you; you were framed. The one who truly deserves to be torn limb from limb is that masked figure. It is only a pity that we still have no idea who that person is."

While He Yiming and Yu Jinglei conversed, Daoist Yao, Yu Xichen, and the others listened in silence. Only now did Daoist Yao’s face break into a smile. "Elder He, the Founding Ceremony has been moved up a year, and the competition among the branch sects has also been advanced by a year. Heh heh, we are absolutely determined to seize the Innate Golden Elixir supplied by the Main Branch this time."

He Yiming paused, slightly taken aback. "Elder Yao, you sound so confident?"

"Of course. Putting aside everything else, securing at least one is certain," Daoist Yao chuckled merrily, clearly feeling quite proud.

He Yiming felt a strange sensation, genuinely uncertain where such confidence originated. Although the Hengshan lineage boasted many disciples with exceptional talent and diligent cultivation, over these past three months, He Yiming had encountered numerous young talents at Tianchi Mountain, whose overall cultivation seemed to surpass these Hengshan elites.

Thus, when Daoist Yao spoke with such certainty, He Yiming still felt considerable surprise.

"Ancestor, Senior Zhu Baqi requests an audience," a disciple rushed in and bowed.

Yu Jinglei nodded slightly. "Invite him in." Then he muttered under his breath, "This old fellow is quick to react."

After only a brief wait, Zhu Baqi entered. He was extremely familiar with Yu Jinglei, and upon meeting, he dropped all pretense. "Brother Yu, what you are doing is completely out of line."

Yu Jinglei smiled broadly. "Brother Zhu, in what way have I been excessive?"

Zhu Baqi glanced toward He Yiming, hesitated, and finally spoke, "Brother He, the Grand Competition held every ten years is a contest among the disciples of the branch lines. Are you planning to participate as well?"

He Yiming was momentarily stunned. He opened his mouth, then caught the smug expressions on Yu Jinglei and Daoist Yao’s faces, and a sudden realization struck him.

In the past, when Yu Jinglei mentioned the Founding Competition, He Yiming had casually stated he would participate, but at the time, it was merely a whim. Having him actually join now seemed rather impractical.

However, seeing their expressions, He Yiming could only shake his head and sigh ruefully.

Yu Jinglei cleared his throat. "Brother Zhu, are you aware of the rules of the competition?"

"Of course, I am one of the organizers; how could I not know?" Zhu Baqi replied testily.

"The rules stipulate that anyone under the age of fifty who has not yet consumed a Golden Elixir may participate, correct?"

Zhu Baqi hesitated, his face assuming the most bizarre expression imaginable.

"But, but..." Zhu Baqi stammered for a long time, unable to articulate anything concrete. After a lengthy pause, he finally managed, "Brother Yu, in short, Elder He cannot participate in the competition."

Yu Jinglei adopted a serious tone. "Since Elder He has never consumed a Golden Elixir, and his age is under fifty, why can he not?"

Zhu Baqi looked utterly defeated and finally sighed heavily. "Brother Yu, I cannot make the decision on this matter. Let my master handle it."

Watching him leave in resignation, Yu Jinglei and the others exchanged smiles, while He Yiming could only sigh in resignation—he never thought a casual jest from the past would actually come to fruition...

P.S.: Monthly tickets, the monthly tickets have actually doubled. Bai He will certainly fulfill his promise; please support with your monthly tickets, thank you...