The sunlight slanted onto the training ground, illuminating clusters of white blossoms that stood out vividly against the green backdrop.

He Yiming stilled his mind and regulated his breath, his inner world utterly calm, as if not a single ripple remained.

With the slightest twitch of his ears, he absorbed every sound outside the door. He rose, walked to the threshold, and opened it.

The moment he stepped out, the great door opposite swung open almost simultaneously. Jin Zhanyi’s eyes, sharp as a vulture's gaze, immediately fixed upon him.

The two men exchanged a smile, exhibiting an unexpected, profound synchronization in that instant.

They stepped out together, heading toward the central spire. They walked shoulder-to-shoulder, their auras subtly shifting as they moved. Every stride they took seemed measured with a ruler, utterly identical, their unspoken accord deepening until they appeared almost as one entity.

When they reached the central spire, Zhang Zhongjin had already been waiting for a long time.

He looked at the pair with astonishment, a strange feeling welling up inside him; he couldn't fathom when these two had developed such uncanny rapport.

Nevertheless, for today’s decisive battle, this was undeniably excellent news.

With a slight nod, Zhang Zhongjin took the lead, guiding them up to the seventh floor of the spire.

This floor housed a massive martial arts arena, the very place where all the Venerables convened to spar and test their skills.

The power wielded by these Venerables was, of course, immense. A full-force confrontation would inevitably cause significant collateral damage to the surroundings. However, within this tower existed a magical force that ensured no clash, regardless of the combatants’ strength, could inflict even the slightest harm upon the structure. Thus, the masters of the Lingxiao Treasure Hall had established this grand arena here, making the space fully utilized.

At this moment, more than twenty figures were already assembled in the field.

He Yiming’s gaze swept around, his attention immediately focusing on the three figures directly ahead.

Among them were two elderly men dressed in identical attire. They sat with their eyes closed, seemingly unresponsive to the outside world.

Yet, the instant He Yiming’s eyes settled upon them, both men simultaneously opened their eyes. Four gazes, brimming with potent fighting intent, shot toward him.

In that moment, He Yiming actually felt a stinging sensation in his eyeballs.

The corner of his mouth curved slightly, revealing a hint of detached amusement as he calmly shifted his gaze away.

Jin Zhanyi’s eyebrows arched, and his equally piercing stare shot out like an arrow. The gazes of the three men tangled in the air, and the atmosphere throughout the venue seemed to grow oppressively heavy.

Frowning slightly, He Yiming let out a soft cough.

Seemingly grasping He Yiming’s unspoken intent, Jin Zhanyi broke into a silent laugh and withdrew his stare.

The two proceeded to the opposite row of chairs and sat down comfortably, completely ignoring the four challenging gazes directed at them, acting as if those confronting them simply did not exist.

A faint shade of anger flickered in the eyes of the Qilian Twin Demons. In their two centuries traversing the world, being so utterly disregarded was an extreme rarity.

However, these two were veterans steeped in countless battles, shrewd and calculating. They exchanged a glance, instantly suppressing the surge of fury before settling back into complete composure.

After seating himself beside Jin Zhanyi, He Yiming calmly observed the other occupants of the floor.

Aside from the three figures opposite them, the remaining twenty-plus individuals were all experts who had reached the First Heaven Realm. Zhang Zhongjin and the Lingxiao Treasure Hall’s senior disciple, Wei Zongjin, were among them.

Upon noticing He Yiming’s gaze shift toward them, most of these individuals offered a faint smile, yet He Yiming discerned considerable doubt beneath their expressions.

Clearly, many were unconvinced about his and Jin Zhanyi’s chances—or rather, they were unconvinced about him, while their eyes held absolute confidence when assessing Jin Zhanyi.

Finally, He Yiming’s gaze settled on the Qilian Twin Demons again, but this time, his focus was not on his immediate opponents, but on the elderly man seated above them, who looked as still as a carved statue.

When He Yiming saw this aged, frail figure, who seemed liable to enter a coffin at any moment, a sudden, intense sense of danger erupted in his heart.

It was the exact same piercing sense of crisis he had felt that night when meeting Zhuo Shengfeng in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall's armory.

As if sensing He Yiming’s stare, the old man opened his eyes and offered him a faint smile—a smile devoid of any hostility, instead bearing the gentle warmth of an elder regarding a promising disciple of the clan.

He Yiming paused momentarily, hearing Jin Zhanyi’s voice murmur near his ear like the humming of insects: "Brother He, this is the master of the Qilian Twin Demons, the most renowned Venerable of the Grotto-Heaven Blessed Land, Fan Shuo."

He gave an almost imperceptible nod, engraving the man’s face firmly into his memory.

Two distinct, audible footsteps sounded. Upon hearing them, every First Heaven expert in the Lingxiao Treasure Hall rose as if by prior agreement; even Jin Zhanyi and the Qilian Twin Demons followed suit.

He Yiming dared not be remiss and stood with the crowd. However, his ears twitched subtly as he speculated on the identity of these two newcomers.

For some inexplicable reason, they evoked a faint sense of familiarity, as if he had encountered them somewhere before.

Moments later, the two entered side-by-side: one was sturdily built, the other comparatively shorter, but walking together, they exuded magnificent bearing and a powerful aura that seemed to command the room.

The assembly bowed in unison. The broad-shouldered man waved his sleeve dismissively, "All may be seated."

Jin Zhanyi whispered softly, "Brother He, these are this year's presiding Venerables of our sect, Lords Gao Weiliang and Du Wenbin."

He Yiming’s gaze swept over them, and a sudden clarity flashed in his mind. Those two Venerables who chased after Zhuo Shengfeng leaving the Lingxiao Treasure Hall that night must have been these two.

Fan Shuo smiled faintly. "Brother Gao, Brother Du, thank you for going to the trouble; we are very sorry to impose."

"Brother Fan, you are too kind. This competition was personally sanctioned by the Sect Master. We are merely running errands," Gao Weiliang replied with a genial smile.

A flicker of surprise crossed He Yiming’s eyes. Although Gao Weiliang and Du Wenbin were also Venerable-level powerhouses, their demeanor suggested they held considerable apprehension toward Fan Shuo.

His ears twitched again, detecting a faint, slow footfall approaching their location.

Gao Weiliang and Du Wenbin had entered openly, but this newcomer was sneaking in, furtive and stealthy, as if attempting to conceal their approach from everyone.

However, if He Yiming hadn't misjudged, although this person was making every effort to remain unnoticed and possessed decent movement techniques capable of silent landing, their cultivation level was frankly disheartening—they hadn't even reached the Innate Realm.

Thus, no matter how cautious they were, escaping the notice of anyone present was impossible.

Yet, as He Yiming glanced around, he noted that everyone remained perfectly composed, acting as if they hadn't heard the subtle approach at all.

He felt intensely suspicious. While today’s contest wasn't a battle for the survival of the entire sect, everyone present was at least an expert of the First Heaven Realm. Even ordinary Innate masters were barred from entry. How dare this ordinary person, not even reaching the Innate level, venture here?

Fan Shuo glanced toward the entrance and suddenly chuckled heartily, "Miss Qiu has arrived too. Please, come right in."

The faint footsteps became distinct, and then a figure flashed into view. A lovely, spirited young lady appeared at the entrance.

She was a girl with bright eyes and pearly teeth, wearing a loose, velvety soft robe of bean-green fabric that draped to her feet. Especially captivating were her curved, large eyes, which shimmered with an enchanting light.

The moment she emerged, gentle smiles appeared on everyone’s faces. He Yiming could clearly sense a degree of weary resignation in their eyes—even the two Venerables, Gao Weiliang and Du Wenbin, were no exception. It seemed everyone felt helplessly fond of this young girl.

However, beneath this helplessness mingled a deep affection. This mixture of emotions greatly surprised He Yiming.

"Little Qiu, what are you doing here? If battle ensues and Jin Zhanyi’s group clashes with others, what if you are accidentally struck by the residual energy?" Gao Weiliang sighed deeply.

Miss Qiu’s bright eyes darted around, imbued with an indescribable mischievousness. "Uncle Gao, with you and Uncle Du here, would you let me get hurt?"

He Yiming’s eyes widened; he almost suspected his ears were deceiving him.

This young girl was calling two Venerable Lords "Uncle"? What was her lineage?

He looked closely; she truly had not broken through to the Innate Realm.

Jin Zhanyi shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Brother He, this is the youngest daughter of our Sect Master, his only descendant. If you value your well-being, it’s best not to provoke her."

He Yiming nodded slightly, instantly adding this woman to the list of people he intended to avoid for life.

Gao Weiliang laughed heartily. "Of course, we won't let you get hurt while we are here. However, your martial cultivation is too low; watching this match might not be beneficial."

Miss Qiu pursed her lips and smiled. "Uncle Gao, I watched when my father dueled with the three uncles from the upper echelon. Is Senior Brother Jin stronger than my father and them?"

Gao Weiliang was utterly speechless. He shook his head. "Since you insist on watching, come and sit properly, and do not move about later."

Miss Qiu immediately broke into a cheerful smile and walked over to sit beside the two Venerables, settling down quietly.

The moment she sat, her entire demeanor shifted; she transformed into the very picture of a refined young lady, all trace of her earlier sharp wit vanished.