He Yiming’s expression shifted dramatically. He sprang up instantly, his figure flashing as he moved to block the path before the other man.

Jin Zhanyi paused for a beat, asking, "What is it?"

He Yiming’s face grew serious, a flash of profound gratitude crossing his features. "Brother Jin, my deepest thanks."

Jin Zhanyi looked utterly bewildered. "Why thank me?"

He Yiming spoke sincerely, "Brother Jin, I grew up entirely in the Northwest. It was you who led me out of there and brought me to the East. Now, you even invite me to enter Guiku Ridge together; I am truly indebted to you."

As he spoke, he subtly stamped his foot. A nearly imperceptible current of air emanated from beneath his boot, sweeping toward the chair. The Flower of Wind resting upon it fluttered weightlessly, riding that faint current toward a corner of the room.

Jin Zhanyi laughed heartily. "It's a trifle, Brother He, why the thanks? Even without my invitation, you were bound to leave the Northwest one day."

He stated it with absolute certainty. Given He Yiming's strength and youth, leaving the Northwest to travel the world was inevitable. It was something no one could prevent; the only question was when.

He Yiming nodded heavily, clearing the way. "Brother Jin, please, be seated."

Jin Zhanyi suspected nothing and moved to sit in the chair. He remained blissfully unaware that a perilously potent visible flower rested upon that very seat—should he have plopped down, the consequences would have been dire.

Having settled, Jin Zhanyi licked his lips, his gaze drifting toward the teapot and cups on the table.

The moment He Yiming saw his glance, a fresh wave of alarm roared through him.

Just as Jin Zhanyi raised his head, he was met by He Yiming’s peal of thunderous, unrestrained laughter. His movement froze, and he looked back with suspicion. "Brother He, what is wrong now?"

He Yiming chuckled slyly. "Brother Jin, I beg your pardon. You’ve made this journey, and yet I haven't even prepared tea for you. I am truly neglectful."

He stepped forward quickly, reaching the table, and slowly poured a cup of cool water for his guest. Yet, during this action, his arm subtly nudged something invisible but definitely present, gently setting it down on the far edge of the tabletop.

Having executed these actions with painstaking care, He Yiming wiped his forehead with his sleeve. Though he hadn't actually sweated, the tension was palpable and harrowing.

Jin Zhanyi watched He Yiming with deep suspicion. He felt that his friend had become strangely erratic today. After studying him closely for a few moments, he finally sighed deeply. "Brother He, I understand you harbor significant dissatisfaction regarding the Central Great Plain and the matter of Guiku Ridge. But these are the deeds of previous generations, and currently, all the strongest factions in the East and West benefit from the status quo. Therefore, no matter what, you must not act rashly."

He Yiming was momentarily stunned. He realized his bizarre behavior had led Jin Zhanyi to suspect him of discontent over the Guiku Ridge situation.

He offered a wry smile. While He Yiming wasn't exactly a villain, he certainly wasn't a great scholar burdened by the world's responsibilities. The existence of Guiku Ridge did indeed give him pause and a shiver of dread. But that was the extent of it. To challenge all the Eastern and Western powers because of it? Absolutely impossible before he advanced to the legendary Divine Path.

He nodded faintly, sighing internally. If Jin Zhanyi hadn't arrived so suddenly, and if there hadn't been four concealed visible flowers in this room, he wouldn't have been so excessively nervous.

Jin Zhanyi offered a few more cautionary words before concluding, "I just inquired with Fang Sheng; if nothing unexpected happens, the great battle between the two sides should commence in about a month. During this time, Brother He should try his best not to leave this location."

He Yiming asked in surprise, "Why?"

Since he was certain no Venerables were present here, He Yiming feared no one.

Jin Zhanyi’s expression grew grave. "Brother He, this is your first journey into Guiku Ridge, and it is filled with miasmic winds and ghostly energy that exert a powerful influence on anyone with a weak will. Throughout history, countless those qualified to enter Guiku Ridge have perished due to failing resolve or momentary carelessness." He paused, speaking earnestly, "Brother He, your martial arts are unfathomably profound; I do not worry about that. But you have never experienced such an environment before. It would be best to spend this month diligently honing your state of mind."

His advice was sincere. Though perhaps a bit unpleasant to hear, He Yiming understood the good intention behind it.

If He Yiming were his age, around a hundred and fifty, Jin Zhanyi might not have worried so intensely or offered repeated counsel.

But in reality, He Yiming had just turned twenty. Entering Guiku Ridge at that age would make him unparalleled in the entire world. This was why Jin Zhanyi felt compelled to nag him repeatedly; he feared his good friend might truly fall prey to the environment, which would make him the greatest villain of Tianchi.

Of course, he trusted He Yiming's willpower, but precisely because he feared He Yiming might not take it seriously enough, he kept offering reminders.

Sensing the deep concern emanating from Jin Zhanyi, He Yiming felt profoundly moved.

He nodded firmly. "I will strictly adhere to Brother Jin's instructions. During this period, I will focus entirely on cultivating my mental resolve and spirit, and I absolutely will not fail when we reach Guiku Ridge."

Jin Zhanyi nodded with satisfaction. He reached into his robes and produced a jade artifact, handing it to He Yiming. "Wear this around your neck, pressing against your chest. It offers significant benefit to those entering Guiku Ridge for the first time."

He Yiming’s brow furrowed slightly, feeling rather unimpressed.

Jin Zhanyi tapped the jade lightly. "Brother He, it seems you still possess a degree of arrogance."

He Yiming shook his head slightly. "I harbor no such intention, only an unshakeable confidence in myself."

The words he spoke were ironclad, fully showcasing his overflowing certainty. His constitution was unique; even when facing the Western sonic attacks of the former Rormia, his Dantian could neutralize the power and even integrate portions of the technique. With this peculiar physique, no matter how intense the yin energy within Guiku Ridge became, He Yiming would fear nothing.

A sharp gleam crossed Jin Zhanyi’s eyes. As far as he knew, before entering Guiku Ridge for the first time, no matter how powerful the individual, they always carried a sliver of tension. Yet, looking at He Yiming now, what he saw and sensed was a bedrock of genuine, absolute confidence.

After a long silence, Jin Zhanyi retrieved the jade pendant, a look of true satisfaction dawning in his eyes.

After seeing Jin Zhanyi off, He Yiming finally let out a long, slow breath.

Regarding his entry into Guiku Ridge, He Yiming possessed absolute certainty. Even if he couldn't achieve a breakthrough there, he was guaranteed self-preservation.

But if Jin Zhanyi had remained much longer in that precarious room, He Yiming would have genuinely been on the verge of collapse.

The four concealed visible flowers in the room were nearing their breaking point. Even while dividing his focus, He Yiming was struggling to maintain control.

Fortunately, Jin Zhanyi finally departed. He Yiming immediately enveloped the four visible flowers and left through the earth.

With the Earth Burrowing technique, He Yiming’s movements were indeed far more convenient. Even with masters densely gathered in the city, no one could detect his movements.

Before long, He Yiming had left Blood Slaughter City and was speeding away into the distance.

When he pushed his movement skills to their absolute limit, it took him barely half an hour to put significant distance between himself and both factions' established lines.

He stopped, and with an empty gesture, He Yiming seemed to pull an invisible line in the air, causing a sudden ripple in the airflow. But after this disturbance, nothing manifested—a truly unnerving sight.

This was the invisible visible flower he had mastered.

He held one of them, pondering for a long moment, before gently setting it down on the ground. Then, with lightning speed, he darted backward.

In an instant, he was thirty zhang away. At that precise moment, a deafening explosion ripped through the air; the visible flower detonated.

Billows of dense mist erupted wildly, instantly shrouding everything within several yards. He Yiming could feel the immense impact force. He inwardly gasped; had he remained standing there unprepared, he would certainly have sustained some measure of injury.

This demonstrated that the hidden visible flower possessed no small amount of destructive power.

And this was only one of them. If all four were to detonate without warning to an enemy, the combined force would likely be enough to put even Jin Zhanyi in a terrible position.

He detonated the remaining three visible flowers, thoroughly satisfied with the resulting devastation. Even more surprising to him was that under the triple concealment, the manner of explosion for these visible flowers was nearly identical. Besides having comparable destructive power, there was no way to discern what exactly had been hidden within.

Though he couldn't fathom why such a miraculous change had occurred, for He Yiming, this was a massive stroke of luck.

Glancing at the surrounding landscape, now a mess of rubble, He Yiming let out a small, bitter laugh and turned to leave.

His pace was incredibly light. Having mastered these two miraculous new cultivation methods, his confidence had grown exponentially. While these two techniques might not be immediately useful in direct combat, they were the perfect supplement to his skills in stealth and sudden assault.

Half an hour later, He Yiming silently returned to the city.

His excursion went entirely unnoticed, and he began cultivating with a clear conscience within the city walls.

However, no one suspected that He Yiming’s sudden arrival—that of an unprecedented genius—had inadvertently caused a cascade of misunderstandings, drawn significant attention, ultimately shattering the existing balance and igniting a true conflagration.