The light dimmed, as if someone had carelessly knocked over an ink bottle. A layer of black stained the heavens.

Looking up at the firmament, that dark expanse foretold an imminent downpour. The cavalcade quickened its pace, galloping forward, yet in this nearly desolate wilderness, where could they possibly find lodging for the night?

Jin Zhanyi glanced through the carriage curtain, shook his head slightly, and murmured, "Heaven works against us; there is nothing to be done." He Yiming smiled faintly and shook his head in return, "Perhaps the weather was too fine the past few days, so the heavens grew jealous and decided to welcome us with a deluge." Having left the border town, they had traveled for a day and a night. They had passed several small hamlets along the way, but they did not enter any, speeding straight through.

Jin Zhanyi insisted on riding in the same grand carriage as He Yiming. The two chatted merrily within the confines of the carriage, especially when the topic turned to martial arts, where Jin Zhanyi’s face glowed with excitement, showing every sign of wanting to converse endlessly.

Yet, who would have thought that while the morning had been bright and clear, by noon the sky was already heavy with dark clouds. He Yiming reached out and pushed aside the carriage curtain.

A gust of cool wind, mingled with the fresh scent of damp earth, rushed in. He took a deep breath.

"The weather in Da Shen is as fickle as that in the mountains, almost incomparable." Jin Zhanyi let out a dry laugh. "Brother He, we haven't truly entered Da Shen territory yet." He Yiming turned back with a smile, "We've already arrived here; that's hardly far from it now." A lone rider suddenly dashed from ahead, pulling his horse to a halt just beside their carriage.

The horseman skillfully wheeled his mount, immediately matching the speed of the carriage. "Ancestor Jin, Senior He, there is a tea pavilion ahead that can hold twenty or thirty people.

Ancestor Zhang sent me to inquire if you wish to rest there." Jin Zhanyi pondered for a moment. "A brief rest would be fine, but everything is up to Senior Brother Zhang to decide." The rider responded respectfully with a dip of his head, then spurred his horse into a wild gallop, instantly shooting ahead.

Jin Zhanyi's gaze flickered over the incomparably luxurious walls of the carriage, and he gave a wry smile. "Brother He, this carriage was custom-made by our Lingxiao Treasure Hall.

Even the heaviest rain might not penetrate it, but today is uncertain. Since that is the case, perhaps resting at the pavilion ahead is best." He Yiming glanced where Jin Zhanyi indicated, spotting a fist-sized hole in the carriage wall.

Though it was temporarily covered with a thin board, if a torrential rain truly began, that thin board would offer little more than a token defense, ensuring the entire compartment would quickly fill with water. The muscles in his face twitched slightly, and He Yiming found the situation immensely amusing internally.

That very hole was kicked open by Jin Zhanyi himself using a small stone. While it felt satisfying then, he now regretted it immensely.

Seeing the smile on He Yiming's face, Jin Zhanyi shrugged helplessly. "Brother He, if you insist on pushing forward, I won't object, and I guarantee not a single drop of rain will seep into the cabin." When he said this, it sounded as if he were mentioning some trivial matter, yet He Yiming knew the immense power required to make such a promise a reality.

Smiling gently, He Yiming said, "Brother Jin, since there is a pavilion ahead, why struggle against the rain? We can rest a while before moving on." With that, he looked up at the sky.

"Summer rains come fast and go even faster. Perhaps soon we can continue our journey." The convoy visibly accelerated, managing to reach the tea pavilion just before the first drops of rain fell.

Inside the pavilion, there were already more than a dozen people. These individuals were masked with headscarves, muscular, and armed, clearly seasoned martial practitioners traveling the world.

Upon seeing a procession of over a hundred people accompanied by two massive, luxurious carriages arrive, they grew tense. Several even gripped their weapons tightly.

The two men at the head of their group were the only ones not wearing face coverings; though their features were ordinary, their eyes were exceptionally sharp, shimmering with the light and aura unique to cultivators. The leading rider from the convoy elegantly dismounted, soaring through the air in an instant to arrive within the pavilion.

This man was Fei Tianguo, the cultivator at the tenth layer of Internal Strength who had overwhelmed all challengers at Tianchi Mountain, representing the Lingxiao Treasure Hall. He entered, his gaze sweeping around, absorbing the entire scene within.

This so-called tea pavilion was actually a small temple that had been converted. While the surrounding walls were intact, they were exceedingly old.

The entire interior of the small temple was not large; calculating the space taken up by the tables and chairs, it could seat a maximum of twenty to thirty people. As Fei Tianguo entered, his eyes narrowed, and an overwhelmingly powerful aura erupted from him.

Although his cultivation was negligible in the eyes of He Yiming and his companions, he was nonetheless a peak expert of the Houtian realm at the tenth layer of Internal Strength. When this imposing aura spread out, the faces of the dozen or so men ahead changed drastically.

With a wave of his large hand, a gold ingot spun out like a whirlwind. When it reached the table of those individuals, it suddenly stopped, landing upright on the wooden surface.

With a loud ding-clang, the expressions of the two leaders grew significantly uglier. This seemingly casual toss was executed with a finesse that ordinary people could not possibly imagine.

"Gentlemen, the tea today is on us. We request you vacate this place," Fei Tianguo stated coldly.

The dozen or so people were clearly traveling together. Hearing Fei Tianguo's words, though no one immediately uttered an insult, they all drew their weapons.

Even without drawing the blades fully from their sheaths, they stood ready, glaring menacingly. The atmosphere in the small temple instantly grew tense.

The old man responsible for boiling water and serving tea cowered in a corner of the wall, trembling violently. Fei Tianguo snorted coldly and waved his hand again.

Two more men walked in from the hundred-odd riders. They looked identical, clearly a pair of twins.

They advanced side-by-side, and with every step, the intensity of their auras grew stronger. The two leaders among the dozen men finally changed color.

They exchanged a look, both rising simultaneously. One of them picked up the gold ingot from the table, bowed slightly with clasped hands, waved his hand, and said, "Let's go." At his command, the ten-plus men behind him rose without a word and followed him out the door.

However, small raindrops had already begun to fall outside. The leading man hesitated for a moment before leading his group to shelter far under the eaves.

Fei Tianguo hesitated for a long moment before his heart softened; he did not drive them away completely. The carriage curtains were drawn back, and attendants immediately unfurled oil-treated umbrellas.

Although He Yiming and the other two did not care about a bit of rain, since someone was attending to them so diligently, they chose not to exert themselves. Entering the small temple, Jin Zhanyi and the two others chose the largest table to sit at, and no more than ten people with sufficient status were allowed inside with them.

"Crackle..." A thunderous bolt of lightning tore across the sky, immediately followed by large drops of rain shooting down like bullets, striking the leaves with a rustling sound. In mere moments, the world seemed to be draped in a curtain of water, white and blurred, obscuring all distant scenery.

The nearly one hundred skilled riders stood ramrod straight in the heavy rain outside the temple. They had nothing to shield themselves with.

Although there were several large rain tarps, they were used first to cover the two grand carriages. The few exceptionally fine horses were led close to the temple eaves, and special rain gear was draped over them as well.

The riders from the Lingxiao Treasure Hall had shown mercy by not chasing away the dozen men. He Yiming sighed softly.

Perhaps he disliked such conduct, but he harbored no intention of criticizing it. This was the result of a disparity in strength.

He Yiming was certain that if the roles were reversed and their power levels swapped, those men would have driven them out without hesitation, not even allowing them the chance to rest under the eaves. "Boss, bring water," Fei Tianguo stepped forward, taking a canister from his robe.

"Use this to brew the tea." Clearly, good tea was unavailable in this environment, which was why Fei Tianguo was using his own supply. The old man nervously accepted the canister from Fei Tianguo with a trembling, fawning smile.

He carefully opened it, took out a small amount of tea leaves, and then picked up the large teapot simmering over the stove, pouring in some water. Perhaps due to excessive shock, his movements were slow, and he nearly spilled the water, causing Fei Tianguo to shake his head internally.

The brewed tea was brought before He Yiming and the two others. Although they were not thirsty, they simultaneously reached out and lifted their teacups.

However, He Yiming's movement suddenly paused, his ears trembling slightly. His expression shifted subtly.

"Wait a moment." Zhang Zhong’yun and Jin Zhanyi both started, looking at He Yiming with expressions of surprise. He set down his teacup and meticulously examined the liquid in the cup, as if scrutinizing some precious artifact.

His actions immediately alerted Jin Zhanyi and the other man; their expressions turned grim in an instant. Fei Tianguo and the disciples of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall inside the temple stared grimly at the old man who had brewed the tea.

A deep pressure permeated the air. The old man's legs buckled, and he fell to the ground with a soft thud.

His mouth chattered, rendered speechless. He Yiming waved his hand slightly.

"This has nothing to do with him; you have misunderstood." Fei Tianguo and the others paused, feeling a surge of shame inwardly. For peak Houtian cultivators like them to intimidate an ordinary old man—if this ever got out, what face would they have left?

He Yiming looked up and suddenly smiled. "Friends waiting outside, please come in and sit for a while." The faces of the dozen men under the eaves changed drastically.

One of them suddenly roared, and with a wave of their hands, a vast swarm of light flew out like locusts. Then, they scattered in all directions, fleeing away...