He returned to the room. The turmoil in He Yiming’s heart did not subside; this rare phenomenon made him deeply wary.

He took out the handwritten copy of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting. He Yiming flipped it open, but after just a few glances, he sighed heavily and tossed the manual aside completely.

Having seen the original manuscript, He Yiming had entirely lost interest in studying this copy.

After all, every person’s understanding of the Martial Way differed, and this was even truer for He Yiming, who possessed the power of the Five Elements. Although the founding ancestor of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall was immensely powerful, he could not possibly share the same understanding as He Yiming. Thus, this handwritten copy could, at best, serve as a reference and could no longer command He Yiming’s complete and utter devotion as before.

He walked to the desk and sat down, the original manuscript of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting still swirling in his mind.

He felt an impatient urge, a desperate need to read the original immediately.

Of course, this was nothing more than a fanciful wish; even He Yiming knew it was utterly impossible.

Gazing out the window at the high tower hidden within the darkness, he felt an immense, oppressive might pressing upon his heart, bringing him close to suffocation.

He withdrew his gaze, muttering internal complaints, countless thoughts racing through his mind.

He seriously considered stealing the manual from the tower, but he knew that, setting aside the question of success, even if he succeeded, once the other party discovered the original Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting was missing, he would instantly become a suspect. The mere thought of the formidable power concealed within that tower sent a chill down his spine.

After pondering for a long while, He Yiming channeled his true essence into the silver ring, opening up that miraculous space of nothingness.

In the past, when He Yiming first acquired the silver ring, even just opening this space consumed nearly all his true essence. But now, opening the ring space was a matter of effortless ease. This demonstrated the swift and massive progress he had made over these past few years.

He reached in and took out the Book of Wind, Cloud, and Mist. Touching the cover, feeling the familiar texture, He Yiming was filled with emotion once more. Such a precious manual, yet Xu Zili had gifted it to him without hesitation. Such a monumental favor must imply a request for him to look after the Xu Family Fortress, too.

Other than that, He Yiming could not fathom any other reason for Xu Zili’s actions.

A moment later, he collected his thoughts and grasped the tracker gifted by Bai Lingba, whispering, “Brother Bai, I need to see you. Do not let anyone notice.”

Although he did not understand how Bai Lingba could hear his voice from afar, since the fellow had claimed he could, He Yiming decided to trust him for now.

Before long, He Yiming heard a faint, unusual sound in his ears. He turned his head and watched as a person slowly flowed in through the gap in the doorframe.

Like water, the entire figure materialized before He Yiming suddenly and strangely.

He Yiming was already accustomed to such a sight, one that would shock any ordinary person. Perhaps only if Bai Lingba knocked and entered like a normal person one day would He Yiming feel surprised.

“Brother Bai, is Baozhu with you?” He Yiming asked in a deep voice.

That creature, Baozhu, had vanished again after following the convoy for a few days. It had left behind that furnace-like object, as if it had played with it for a few days and grown bored.

He Yiming stored the furnace in the ring space and mentioned the matter to no one.

Although Zhang Zhongjin and Jin Zhanyi were still troubled by Baozhu—after all, the little creature was a famous spirit beast from the Northwest Heavenly Pool—if it were injured or killed within Great Shen territory, they would inevitably bear some responsibility.

But He Yiming maintained an unruffled composure, seemingly possessing absolute certainty regarding Baozhu's safety.

Consequently, the two had no choice but to abandon their search plans. If even He Yiming wasn’t worried, why should they fret?

“It is outside the city; I have made arrangements for it. There will be no problems,” Bai Lingba stated calmly.

He Yiming nodded slightly. Since Bai Lingba said so, Baozhu would certainly be safe.

Placing the Book of Wind, Cloud, and Mist on the table, He Yiming asked with a sliver of hope, “Brother Bai, you possess the ability of myriad transformations. Could you attempt to duplicate and restore this manual?”

Bai Lingba stepped forward, and his eyes immediately brightened.

This intensity of brightness was distinctly different from the focused glare of human masters. The light in his eyes condensed into a single beam, shooting straight toward the manual.

If an outsider were present, they would surely suspect this being of being some mountain spirit or demon.

The beam of light moved slowly over the manual. A moment later, the ray of light gradually dissipated.

He Yiming felt a slight surge of excitement and asked, “How is it?”

“I can attempt it. The success rate is over eighty percent,” Bai Lingba’s voice remained perfectly level.

He Yiming was overjoyed, but he hesitated before asking, “If it fails, will it damage the manual?”

“No,” Bai Lingba replied without hesitation.

He Yiming immediately relaxed. He knew that Bai Lingba spoke the truth; if he lacked absolute certainty, he would never have answered so readily.

He stepped back a few paces, making space. “In that case, please, Brother Bai, give it a try and open my eyes.”

Bai Lingba made no objection. He advanced two steps and took the strange manual in his hands.

Although He Yiming spoke casually, he remained quite anxious in his heart. Even though he trusted Bai Lingba, he couldn't help it.

This manual contained only a mere ten illustrations, yet each one evoked a distinctly different sensation in him. With his current strength, he had only managed to comprehend the first illustration. As for the others, he felt willing but powerless. This was partly due to his lack of time; perhaps with several years of secluded cultivation, he might gain some insight.

If such a precious item were damaged by Bai Lingba, the loss would truly outweigh any gain.

Under He Yiming’s watchful gaze, the hand holding the manual suddenly began to melt. It transformed into a mass of sparkling liquid, seeping into the illustrations. Then, the outer layer of the book took on a strange coloration. Although there was no sound, the entire process seemed profoundly bizarre.

He Yiming’s heart leaped into his throat.

He did not understand the purpose of Bai Lingba’s actions, so he could only sit quietly and observe.

After the time it takes to steep tea, the scene before him shifted again in a strange way. That pool of quicksilver-like substance began to writhe.

Bai Lingba extended his other, completely intact arm and gently placed it upon the mass of quicksilver. Instantly, the quicksilver surged madly into Bai Lingba’s arm, and almost simultaneously, his other severed arm began to regrow. By the time the quicksilver had completely vanished, his arm had regenerated perfectly.

He Yiming let out a long sigh, deeply moved by the spectacle.

Such miraculous ability, perhaps only Bai Lingba could possess it.

He redirected his attention to the table. The Book of Wind, Cloud, and Mist rested there, perfectly intact, as if nothing had happened.

He reached out and gently placed his hand upon the manual, slowly infusing it with Wind-elemental true essence. A moment later, a satisfied smile spread across his face.

After all the manipulations by Bai Lingba, the manual remained completely undamaged, which greatly pleased him.

Turning to Bai Lingba, He Yiming saw that he seemed to have understood his intent. “This book is made using a special method. I have encountered the creation method in my memory banks, but this method is only suitable for the intelligent beings of this world. I can only replicate the finished product; I cannot create it.”

Saying this, Bai Lingba extended his right hand, touched his left wrist, and with a gentle twist, to He Yiming’s dumbfounded expression, that severed left hand transformed into an identical book.

Though he knew this creature’s body was unusual, seeing this transformation, He Yiming still found it hard to accept.

Shaking his head slightly, He Yiming took the manual that Bai Lingba’s left hand had become. He tried infusing it with true essence. A moment later, he opened his eyes in astonishment; the feeling provided by these two manuals was incredibly similar... no, it was exactly the same.

Especially upon channeling true essence into it, He Yiming’s mind experienced the same sensation of entering a space of swirling wind and gathering clouds, allowing him to clearly perceive that magical feeling.

It was as if the manual transformed from Bai Lingba’s hand were the original. At least, with his current strength, he could not discern any difference between the two manuals. If they were placed side by side, He Yiming was certain he would be unable to tell which was the original and which was Bai Lingba’s left hand.

He tossed the manual back to Bai Lingba, who lightly touched his severed wrist with it. The manual instantly transformed back into a hand.

“Brother Bai, have you seen anyone create manuals like this before?” He Yiming asked thoughtfully.

“Yes. The first owner of this Cave Dwelling once created similar books, but after creating them, he appeared extremely exhausted.”

He Yiming’s eyes immediately flashed with brilliance. He asked urgently, “Where is that manual?”

“In the Cave Dwelling.”

“Why didn’t you say so sooner?” He Yiming complained.

“You never asked before,” Bai Lingba replied matter-of-factly.

He Yiming was utterly speechless. He stared at him for a moment before finally saying, “Bai Lingba, there is something I need your help with…”

A moment later, Bai Lingba shook his head. “There are too many powerful figures here; the success rate for what you intend is not high.”

He Yiming’s gaze flickered with an excited light. He enunciated every word clearly, “If you don’t enter the tiger’s den, how can you catch the cubs? I must try this, or I will never accept it.”

Bai Lingba looked at him calmly, leaving it unclear whether he agreed or not.