As the essence of Earth transformed into scattered starlight, wholly merging with He Yiming’s body, he felt a strange sensation: the sudden enlightenment he had just experienced seemed to recur, washing over him once more.
His physical form felt as though it had once again fused with the entirety of the mountain—no, more than that… In that moment, he seemed to merge with the entire mountain range, the whole expanse of the earth beneath him.
It was an indescribable, ineffable feeling, as if he was the land itself, having stood firm here for countless eons.
With just a slight thought in his mind, he immediately pinpointed the locations of Xiong Wuji and the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast underground.
The man and the bear were hurtling through the subterranean layers at immense speed.
Although their velocity was far less than when running on the surface, it was clear they were exerting their absolute limit.
It seemed their apprehension of He Yiming had deepened to an extreme degree.
Even though they were certain He Yiming couldn't intercept them underground, they dared not slacken their guard for an instant, hence their desperate rush to escape beyond the main peak.
A faint curve touched the corner of He Yiming's mouth; he immediately dissolved into the earth and gave chase in that direction.
This was He Yiming’s first time beneath the surface.
He found himself akin to a fish, while the soil and rocks underground resembled a boundless ocean.
Upon entering the depths, a slight exertion sent him soaring a considerable distance forward.
More miraculously, the subterranean structure seemed utterly unharmed, possessing the ability to self-repair, much like flowing water.
This novel discovery greatly intrigued He Yiming; this was the magical sensation that came from merging with the power of Earth.
He moved forward swiftly according to his will, but after only a few breaths, He Yiming realized his speed was not as fast as he had anticipated.
After a moment of consideration, He Yiming understood one crucial matter.
Underground, the resistance imparted by the earth far exceeded that on the surface.
This resistance was effective not just on him, but on everyone, which was the primary reason the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast had yet to leave the vicinity of the main peak.
Recalling the long chase with Suoge and the Red Wolf King over thousands of li, he understood even more clearly.
The greatest utility of the Earth Burrowing Technique was for surprise attacks, swift retreats during critical moments, or instantly traversing vast ranges of treacherous mountains.
As for long-distance travel, relying on the Burrowing Technique was far less swift than moving across the surface.
Realizing this, He Yiming inwardly cursed himself as a fool.
He made a slight gesture with his arms and instantly shot out of the earth like an arrow, appearing on the surface in an instant.
The biggest difference now with He Yiming was his ability to clearly perceive all activity beneath the ground.
Previously, even with his Eavesdropping Ear Divine Skill, a moment’s lapse would cause him to lose track of such quarry.
But now, the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast's whereabouts appeared vividly in his mind; even without focusing intensely, he could sense them with absolute clarity.
This heaven-and-earth difference in perception brought He Yiming immense satisfaction.
He knew that from this day forward, those Totem Tribe members possessing the Earth Burrowing Technique could never again threaten him using that ability.
He took a deep breath, and everything within his sight simplified.
The entire world seemed to shift to monochrome, with lines and contours appearing before him.
Then, his figure blurred, flickering once as an afterimage before vanishing completely.
Between two points and one line, he instantly materialized tens of zhang away in another location.
Yet, he was unaware that after he utilized this strange skill and departed, two elders materialized near where he had been.
These two elders were figures of considerable standing.
One wore a green robe, his face a tapestry of wrinkles, presenting the picture of extreme age.
However, his eyes were as clear as still water, hardly resembling those of a man near death.
The other was clad in robes of vibrant crimson, an entire ensemble as bright as fire; even his eyes seemed to carry a slight reddish tinge.
They exchanged a glance, and one of them spoke: “Venerable He, Wind and Earth are completely opposing attributes.
How did he achieve this?” Venerable He shook his head slightly.
“Opposing attributes, while rare, are not unheard of.
My own Water and Fire Twin Flowers are the best example.
But what puzzles me is that he has clearly not reached the pinnacle (Ju Ding), nor has he refined the Five Elements Ring.
How then could he coalesce the Three Flowers into one and integrate with the power of Heaven and Earth? Venerable Xu, do you know the reason?” Venerable Xu shook his head.
“Perhaps Venerable Divine Calculator and the Old Ancestor know.” He paused.
“You could inquire with them.” Venerable He gave a slight start, then managed a wry smile.
“We shall speak of it if fate allows in the future.” Venerable Xu laughed heartily.
“I was worried that if we truly let that bear cub escape, the prestige of Tianchi would be utterly ruined, but it seems that situation will not come to pass.” With that, he turned and vanished instantly, leaving only a strong, resonant voice echoing behind: “I shall return first.” Venerable He shook his head and also turned to leave.
Since they now knew He Yiming would certainly intercept Xiong Wuji, the interest in watching the battle waned.
For them, secluded meditation and comprehension of the supreme martial path was the true business at hand.
※※※※ He Yiming was naturally unaware of the events unfolding behind him.
For him, the paramount concern was intercepting Xiong Wuji before he breached the perimeter of the main peak.
If he allowed the target to slip away, he would have to honor his vow and venture alone into the deep mountains—a course of action that, given his current cultivation, would be tantamount to suicide.
By deploying the unparalleled skill of the One Line, Two Points technique, he instantly overtook the burrowing man and bear.
Then, he settled his feet slightly and descended into the earth.
Under his control, his body plummeted straight downward like a massive boulder dropped into a lake.
The moment he stopped, he was precisely positioned along the path of the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast’s advance.
The rapidly moving Fox-Bear Spirit Beast abruptly halted.
Upon sensing He Yiming’s aura, both Xiong Wuji and the beast understood they were now trapped with no escape.
Not only did the opponent possess the Earth Burrowing Technique, but more significantly, his comprehension of Earth power underground clearly surpassed that of the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast.
Owing to its innate talent, once the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast acquired Earth True Qi, it could travel underground.
This was a spiritual beast’s innate ability, far beyond what humans could achieve.
However, every gift comes with a loss.
Before becoming a true Saint Beast, these spirit beasts relied merely on instinct when burrowing.
Their control over direction and their perception of enemies were extremely limited.
In the past, when Suoge and the Red Wolf King tried to lure He Yiming to the Eight Hundred Li Volcano, they had to surface periodically.
While this served to draw He Yiming’s attention, it was also necessary for them to adjust their trajectory frequently.
After all, relying solely on memory and instinct, these spirit beasts could not fully navigate the subterranean world without getting lost.
If two spirit beasts with Burrowing skills were engaged in a subterranean chase, the evader would hold a massive advantage; unless a Saint Beast intervened, capture would be almost impossible.
But now, the moment He Yiming materialized on the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast’s unavoidable route, Xiong Wuji and his companion understood that He Yiming possessed not only the Burrowing Technique but also the subterranean exploration capability reserved only for Saint Beasts.
A wave of despair washed over them.
No wonder He Yiming had been so bold; he had been fully confident all along.
Xiong Wuji’s eyes flashed fiercely, and he finally reached a final resolution.
He patted the Fox-Bear’s head gently and raised the shield levelly.
They were underground; together with the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast, their combined power here would be terrifyingly potent.
Although He Yiming was also underground, he had stepped out of that marvelous state of enlightenment, and Xiong Wuji would rather die than believe He Yiming could unleash the Heaven-Overturning Seal Divine Skill in this environment.
Human strength has its limits.
If he could overturn the very earth here, He Yiming would no longer be human, but a true immortal.
As if sharing a single mind, incomparably powerful auras simultaneously erupted from Xiong Wuji and the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast.
Their strengths converged into a single point, charging forward resolutely.
If there were even the slightest possibility, they would not wish to clash with He Yiming again.
A Three-Flower expert who had not yet succeeded in reaching the pinnacle (Ju Ding) had inexplicably mastered the Earth Burrowing Technique—this alone was enough to command respect from anyone, even making them hesitant to become his enemy.
However, since He Yiming managed the first interception, he would naturally attempt a second, and a third.
Xiong Wuji knew his only path forward was to charge headlong, hacking a bloody path through He Yiming’s blockade.
Thus, at this moment, he and the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast attacked with full force, without the slightest reservation.
Yet, just as their imposing momentum carried them toward the point where He Yiming stood, they were suddenly confronted by a dazzling, multi-colored radiance.
Even underground, such a piercing, brilliant light existed—a discovery that shattered Xiong Wuji’s courage.
An Earth elemental force, vastly superior to their own, surged forward, instantly crushing their powerful momentum.
In their ears, a startling and strange whistling sound resonated, clear even in this environment.
“Buzz, buzz, buzz…” It sounded like the chorus of countless bees, or perhaps something spinning at impossible speeds.
As the sound grew louder, Xiong Wuji and the Fox-Bear Spirit Beast felt an immense, fatal pressure washing over them like a deluge.