Though He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi were engaged in constant conversation, the majority of their attention remained fixed upon the unconscious Zhang Zhong'an. Thus, the moment he showed any sign of regaining consciousness, they immediately ceased speaking and turned their gaze toward him.

That fleeting glimmer of awareness in Zhang Zhong'an's eyes was instantly caught by both of them simultaneously. "Brother Zhang is saved," He Yiming declared with excitement.

Jin Zhanyi’s face mirrored his delight, a joy so genuine it could not be feigned in the slightest. However, their elation lasted only a brief quarter of an hour before their expressions darkened once more.

Zhang Zhong'an’s return to lucidity was momentary; the faint spark in his eyes began to slowly dim. Jin Zhanyi gritted his teeth and stood up, saying, "Brother He, I must take Senior Brother Zhang out immediately to find the Venerable Elders of our sect, so they may exorcise the Yin Sha Qi from him." He Yiming’s expression shifted slightly.

"How confident are you?" Jin Zhanyi gave a wry smile. "At most, fifty percent.

But if we don't attempt treatment, we won't even have one percent." He Yiming nodded slowly, understanding this was a path with no alternative. Jin Zhanyi turned to him.

"Brother He, will you accompany me?" He Yiming paused for a beat. "I intend to cultivate here for a few more days.

You take Brother Zhang and go ahead." Jin Zhanyi hesitated, glancing at Zhang Zhong'an lying on the ground. "Brother He, you have already achieved the Great Perfection of the Ding Zu realm within Ghost Cry Ridge.

Lingering here offers little further benefit; perhaps you should leave with us." He spoke with profound sincerity in his gaze. Though he didn't state it outright, He Yiming naturally understood his implication.

One only needed to look at Zhang Zhong'an’s current state to grasp the potential consequence of allowing the Yin Sha Qi to invade the body. Since He Yiming had successfully advanced to the Ding Zu realm, remaining held little further purpose.

Given this, it was better to depart sooner to avoid carelessly allowing the Yin Sha Qi to enter his system and turn him into a second Zhang Zhong'an—a loss not worth the risk. A bitter smile touched his lips internally.

If Bao Zhu were by his side now, He Yiming might have readily agreed. But Bao Zhu had vanished somewhere, and he certainly would not leave alone.

Shaking his head slightly, He Yiming offered a perfunctory reply, "Brother Jin, I will remain here a few more days. You should leave first." Jin Zhanyi sighed helplessly.

"If that is your decision, Brother He, take care of yourself." He paused. "The maximum duration anyone stays within Ghost Cry Ridge is one month.

Those who haven't emerged after a month generally never do. Brother He, you must keep this firmly in mind." He Yiming nodded seriously, engraving the warning into his memory.

Jin Zhanyi stepped back and bowed deeply to He Yiming. "On behalf of Senior Brother Zhang, I thank you for saving his life." He Yiming’s face flickered, and he quickly reached out to help him up.

"Brother Jin, you are too kind." Jin Zhanyi nodded firmly, hoisted Zhang Zhong'an onto his back, and said, "Brother He, I will await your arrival at the Lingxiao Treasure Palace. Once you get there, I will enter seclusion to refine the Dragon Spear." There was an ineffable seriousness in his eyes.

He Yiming felt a warmth in his heart and returned a firm nod. "Good.

I will certainly reach the Lingxiao Treasure Palace within the month." Jin Zhanyi gave him one last look and turned to depart. Despite the extra weight on his back, his movement was as if unburdened; with a single step, the ground beneath his feet seemed to rapidly recede.

When his other foot landed, he was already tens of zhang away. To exit Ghost Cry Ridge as swiftly as possible, Jin Zhanyi immediately employed the 'Ten Thousand Miles Leisurely Walk' movement technique, and judging by his appearance, he intended to maintain it until the end.

After watching Jin Zhanyi depart, He Yiming reclaimed his focus. He called out toward a specific direction, "Brother Bai, we can go back now." If it weren't for the need to pursue Zhang Zhong'an, He Yiming would certainly not have left that spot.

He was determined to wait for Bao Zhu's return before he could leave this place in peace. Of course, this stemmed from his unshakeable faith in Bao Zhu.

Given the little creature's capabilities, it absolutely would not perish inexplicably here. However, he did not immediately receive Bai Lingba's response.

He Yiming’s heart tightened. Having already lost Bao Zhu, he absolutely did not wish to lose Bai Lingba now.

His figure flickered, and he quickly moved back the way he came, deeply suspecting that Bai Lingba had not followed. Yet, after only a few steps, he halted, for the tracker beneath his collar had begun to vibrate minutely.

He Yiming impatiently retrieved the device and whispered, "Brother Bai, where are you?" "Thirty zhang to your left and behind." "What are you doing there?" "I found traces left by Bao Zhu," Bai Lingba stated slowly. He Yiming was instantly overjoyed, as if a bomb of happiness had exploded in his chest, causing his voice to carry undeniable elation.

"I'm coming now." As his words fell, he was already sprinting toward the direction Bai Lingba indicated. In mere moments, he arrived there.

His gaze met Bai Lingba, who stood as straight and unmoving as an ancient pine. Following the direction Bai Lingba pointed, He Yiming saw a small, almost imperceptible hoof print on the ground.

Looking up along the line of the print, there was another identical track not far ahead. These hoof prints were clearly left intentionally, with just the right subtlety in their impression; it was highly unlikely anyone other than Bai Lingba would have noticed or paid attention to them.

He Yiming turned his gaze back to Bai Lingba, who slowly nodded. "While you were speaking with Jin Zhanyi, I inadvertently discovered these prints here and compared them with the places where he disappeared previously..." His voice seemed to carry a hint of relief.

"They match." Patting Bai Lingba’s shoulder, He Yiming chuckled. "Brother Bai, it seems good deeds are indeed rewarded." If He Yiming hadn't felt compelled to offer assistance when Bai Lingba called out Zhang Zhong'an's name, he wouldn't have encountered Jin Zhanyi, nor would he have lingered here.

Consequently, Bai Lingba would not have found the hoof prints left by Bao Zhu. Since they had located Bao Zhu’s trail, they naturally followed the markings, tracking them slowly.

Though Bao Zhu’s prints zigzagged erratically, the general direction remained constant: after circling for a long time, the path was invariably ascending. It was evident the creature was using a specialized method to find a route to the summit.

When He Yiming discerned this pattern, his expression instantly darkened to the color of soot, looking as if he could squeeze water from it at any moment. Jin Zhanyi had explicitly warned that there was an absolute forbidden zone within Ghost Cry Ridge: the highest peak shrouded in dense black mist.

Furthermore, the information He Yiming had obtained from Zhu Guanhua suggested that the Millennium Cataclysm was closely linked to the impenetrable black fog on that highest peak, where one could not see three steps ahead. Thus, the shock He Yiming felt upon confirming Bao Zhu's trajectory was immeasurable.

Indeed, as they advanced, the black mist before them seemed to grow progressively thicker. While it hadn't reached the exaggerated point of obscuring sight beyond three steps, the concentration was incomparable to the mist at the mountainside.

He Yiming stopped abruptly. Bai Lingba followed suit, halting perfectly beside him.

After a silent glance, He Yiming suddenly asked, "Brother Bai, I recall your past promise was to protect both myself and Li Xun, correct?" Bai Lingba nodded mechanically. "Yes, to protect you both." Whether intentionally or not, he omitted specifying a date.

He Yiming smiled faintly. "Then I wish for you to grant me one favor." "What is it?" "If we truly encounter something irresistible or catastrophic later, you must find a way to escape on your own," He Yiming stated seriously.

"Once you are out, go to the Northern Frontier, and do not forget to fulfill your promise." Bai Lingba’s eyes instantly brightened. He glanced upward, seeming to grasp He Yiming’s meaning.

"Actually, you don't need to go," Bai Lingba stated in a deep voice. He Yiming chuckled.

"Brother Bai, I am merely preparing for the unlikely worst. Whatever is up there may not necessarily be able to keep me trapped." His words carried an unmistakable air of bold, unrestrained spirit.

Indeed, with He Yiming’s current capabilities—especially possessing supreme wind-element movement arts and earth-burrowing skills—if he were determined to flee, even a Venerable expert might struggle to catch him. Therefore, he possessed strong confidence in himself.

This confidence, however, was in escaping, not in achieving victory through direct confrontation. Bai Lingba seemed to assent, the brightness in his eyes noticeably dimming.

He Yiming took the silver ring and opened the spatial dimension, hesitating for a moment before finally retrieving the Nine Dragon Furnace. The moment this divine artifact rested in his hand, his heart filled with confidence, as if holding the Great Guan Blade—he felt capable of transforming any peril into safety.

Taking deep breaths, they continued forward. Slowly, the surrounding black mist seemed to grow ever denser, yet Bao Zhu’s hoof prints on the ground maintained an equal distance between them.

It was as if the mist posed no visual hindrance to the creature, whose progress remained completely unaffected. Finally, He Yiming came to a halt.

Before him, the black mist exhibited a clear dividing line. This boundary was just outside his arm's reach, tantalizingly close.

Within this line, it was evident to the eye alone that the concentration of black mist had reached an unbelievable density. Although the area where he stood now already had a greatly increased density, compared to what lay within the boundary, it was like comparing a drop to an ocean.

He Yiming instantly understood: this boundary marked the forbidden ground Jin Zhanyi had mentioned. He lowered his gaze, noted the direction indicated by the hoof prints, drew a deep breath, and stepped into it...