Jin Zhanyi glanced at He Yiming, surprise etched on his face, followed by a smile of relief. Having spent considerable time with He Yiming, he understood that beneath that outwardly placid demeanor lay a man with the courage of a tiger and a leopard. Under his long tutelage, He Yiming had also absorbed some concepts of the Asura Path, not rejecting the idea of engaging with others, gaining insight through combat, and thus advancing his cultivation. Since these three disciples from powerful central plains families had delivered themselves right to his doorstep, how could he possibly let them slip away?

However, Jin Zhanyi hadn't truly grasped the thoughts churning within He Yiming’s mind at that moment. After hearing Jin Zhanyi’s description of the Central Great Plain and Ghost Cry Ridge, although He Yiming had outwardly calmed down and accepted Jin Zhanyi's invitation to go to Ghost Cry Ridge, his heart was still in turmoil, surging like the waves of a vast ocean. A place of ultimate breakthrough forged at the cost of countless human lives—every inch of its space would be saturated with the stench of slaughter. Before this, He Yiming could never have imagined that such heartless people existed in this world, capable of such ruthless acts. Indeed, those practitioners of the Heartless Dao from the East and West factions in days past must have been devoid of desire and emotion, otherwise they could never have done such things. At this moment, not only was his spirit surging, but he also felt as if a fire was banked inside him, a desperate need to vent it—a sense of urgency unprecedented in his experience. So, when Hao Xue issued his challenge, He Yiming accepted without hesitation.

A faint hint of crimson immediately flashed in Hao Xue’s eyes, and he nodded forcefully. "Please, follow me." With that, he turned and walked away. Fang Sheng and Zhu Guanhao also showed a flicker of excitement in their eyes. Jin Zhanyi had praised He Yiming to the skies, claiming he was peerless in the mortal realm. The feat of killing over twenty Innate experts with a single backhand blow exceeded their current comprehension, and thus, they were eager to see the true extent of the power possessed by this young powerhouse who had yet to reach the Venerable realm. The two followed closely behind Hao Xue toward the rear, making it clear that a martial arts ground lay in that direction.

Jin Zhanyi nodded slightly, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with He Yiming, and murmured softly, "Brother He, be careful during the duel later." He Yiming’s heart stirred. Recalling the strange changes within his Dantian when he first met Hao Xue, he couldn't help but ask, "Brother Jin, is the cultivation technique practiced by that Hao Xue somewhat special?" Jin Zhanyi was greatly surprised. "You noticed that?" With anyone else, Jin Zhanyi would have assumed they had heard of Hao Xue's reputation. But being constantly with He Yiming, he knew that was impossible. If He Yiming could discern such a detail purely by sight, then his eyes were terrifyingly keen.

He Yiming chuckled. Of course, he couldn't speak the truth. Glancing at the three figures ahead, he said, "When you introduced Hao Xue, you deliberately emphasized your tone, didn't you? This person must have left a deep impression on you." Jin Zhanyi relaxed, inwardly amused that he had been so suspicious. "Brother He, the Hao family is a super-clan in the central plains with a history spanning thousands of years. This family possesses a secret art called the 'Distortion Technique.' Its power is immense, beyond imagination, and it possesses an unparalleled divine effect of confusing the senses, especially during combat. Decades ago, when I fought him, I only managed to win by a narrow margin."

Hearing Jin Zhanyi speak with such solemnity, He Yiming understood that Hao Xue was indeed a figure of great apprehension for him. However, upon hearing of the Distortion Technique, He Yiming felt quite eager. He wondered how this technique would compare to his own illusions created by combining the power of mist and concealment arts. But in this situation, He Yiming absolutely could not deploy his illusionary techniques; if it aroused Jin Zhanyi's suspicion, the cost would outweigh the benefit.

Soon, the group arrived at a large open area. The clearing was encircled by high walls, forming a completely isolated space. There were no outsiders nearby; apart from the five of them, no one else was present. From this alone, He Yiming understood that this city was likely under the control of these three major families from the central plains, and even the decrees of the Great Shen Imperial Family might not be effectively enforced here. Thus, he gained a clear understanding of the strength of the central plains clans. These families not only achieved great heights in martial arts but likely possessed accomplishments in the political or economic spheres no less significant than their martial prowess. After all, controlling a city like this required not just power, but also vast amounts of wealth and resources.

Hao Xue stood ramrod straight in the center of the clearing and announced loudly, "Brother He, the rule for duels here is that the surrounding walls must not be destroyed. Can you abide by that?" He Yiming was slightly taken aback. This was the first time since arriving in the Eastern Great Shen that he had heard such a rule. He glanced at the surrounding walls and immediately understood that this was actually a test of one's control over internal energy. However, under this restriction, skills like the Super Heaven-Overturning Seal, the thirty-six foundational styles of the Five Elements Merged, or the Nine Dragons Furnace were all unusable.

Seeing He Yiming’s brow furrow slightly, Hao Xue smiled proudly. "This rule was established among the younger disciples of our few central families when they sparred. It naturally differs greatly from external situations. If Brother He is unaccustomed, just pretend I never mentioned it; these walls can be demolished and simply reshaped later." He Yiming let out a cold snort. The thoughts racing through his mind had already cycled through several possibilities. "I appreciate Brother Hao's kind intention, but since it is a rule, we should not break it."

Jin Zhanyi’s brow furrowed slightly. This style of combat was entirely new to He Yiming. Although martial cultivation had reached a level where energy control was intuitive, even a slight psychological obstruction could prevent the perfect execution of one's full strength. As He Yiming stepped onto the ground, Jin Zhanyi suddenly remembered something and quickly called out, "Brother He, your fight with them is not a battle to the death, so you don't need to summon that expanse of sky."

He Yiming let out a wry laugh. The power accumulated in the strand within his Dantian, derived from the Pagoda force, had been entirely depleted. Even if he were to use the Heaven-Overturning Seal again, its power would be on a completely different level. In essence, regarding that expanse of sky, he was willing but powerless. Waving his hand gently behind him, He Yiming let his smile fade. He stood opposite Hao Xue with a calm expression.

The faces of the three from the central plains darkened slightly. Although they didn't know what that "expanse of sky" represented, judging by Jin Zhanyi's tone, he seemed to be telling He Yiming not to use a certain ultimate technique. Wasn't this tantamount to slapping the faces of all three of them? Fortunately, their composure was deep-seated; their expressions shifted momentarily before immediately returning to normal. Hao Xue extended a hand in invitation. "Please."

He Yiming let out a long laugh and made no pretense of declining. He strode forward, clenching both fists, and threw them out with no embellishment. At this moment, the inner fire seemed to blaze even hotter, urging him to vent his pent-up energy. Thus, as soon as his opponent was ready, he ceased holding back. These iron fists swung out, not only surging with his internal energy but also carrying a power that felt ready to explode from within him. The fists tore through the air with incomparable speed. In fact, the two blows were so close to Hao Xue that his ears only faintly caught the delayed sound of the sonic boom.

Hao Xue’s expression shifted subtly. The disciples of the central plains families were generally well-read scholars; besides outstanding martial achievements, they also possessed incredible accomplishments in other areas. They were trained from childhood in the art of observation. Upon seeing He Yiming, all three assumed he was not a rash individual. Yet, the moment they engaged, He Yiming went all out, seemingly aiming to win in a single move, achieving victory through one decisive effort. This fighting style greatly surpassed Hao Xue’s expectations; all the countermeasures he had prepared were rendered useless.

Fang Sheng and Zhu Guanhao exchanged astonished glances, growing increasingly wary of He Yiming. This fellow was truly cunning, his disguise too effective, having managed to trick them all into taking a loss. In contrast, Jin Zhanyi looked somewhat bewildered. When had He Yiming become so aggressive? This was completely contrary to his usual fighting style. In a daze, he recalled their earlier conversation and He Yiming’s inscrutable expression. Faintly, he began to guess why He Yiming was behaving so abnormally today. From that moment on, a hint of pity entered his gaze as he looked at Hao Xue in the arena. Facing He Yiming in this state would certainly not be easy; Hao Xue’s luck was truly terrible.

Facing He Yiming’s punch—which was sharp to the extreme—Hao Xue twisted his body slightly, turning at a strange angle in the air. Instead of meeting the blow head-on, he evaded it. However, He Yiming’s momentum was not spent. As Hao Xue turned, the twin fists seemed to anticipate his movement, following him downward as if they already knew his reaction. Hao Xue let out a cold snort, his body writhing like a boneless snake, twisting left and right, skillfully dodging more than ten times. Yet, He Yiming’s eyes shone with piercing clarity; his spirit had locked onto his opponent completely, and those fists followed him like shadows. Finally, after more than ten evasions, they slammed heavily onto his shoulder and back.