A long exhalation escaped He Yiming’s lips. The breath was so drawn out, it seemed as if all the air in the world was momentarily contained within his chest, preparing to be expelled in that single sigh.

As the breath left him, the brilliance above his head gradually dimmed.

The surging, boiling true qi slowly subsided.

He Yiming finally opened his tightly shut eyes, revealing an expression within them that even he found hard to believe.

He had actually succeeded...

Feeling the strange transformation above his head, a look that was almost a smile mixed with a sob crossed He Yiming’s face.

The Five Elements Rings still crowned his head, but the most significant difference was that his Baihui acupoint seemed to have opened a skylight.

The sensation was intensely clear, yet utterly bizarre. Through this skylight, he felt a new channel of communication open with the ambient energy of the world. If his previous connection to the world’s qi was merely a faint thread along a narrow mountain path, his current connection was an infinitely wide celestial highway. The surging world qi now saturated every corner of his body, granting him a beautiful, almost weightless sensation, as if he could soar away.

Stretching out his hands, He Yiming gave a little flap, then suddenly realized what he was doing and chuckled wryly. He had truly become lost in the feeling, even starting to test if he could actually fly.

Glancing around furtively, He Yiming breathed a sigh of relief. Thankfully, Bai Lingba and Bao Zhu were not present; otherwise, this display would have been utterly mortifying.

With a mere mental summons, the Five Elements Rings above his head obediently floated down. His connection to the Rings felt much more intimate now. The moment he grasped them, He Yiming experienced a sensation of shared lifeblood, as if the Rings had naturally grown from his own hands. He squeezed them, feeling a sense of flesh and blood emanating from the Rings, which startled him slightly.

After a long moment, He Yiming finally snapped out of the sudden surge of euphoria.

Holding the Five Elements Rings, he focused his gaze and channeled a surge of true qi into them. Instantly, a stream of qi welled up from the three nodes within the Rings, subtly linking with his own energy. A faint mist began to shimmer across the surface of the Five Elements Rings. He Yiming’s eyes glowed with excitement as he attempted to draw this mist into his body.

The process was incredibly smooth, meeting no resistance whatsoever; the mist flowed directly into him.

He Yiming was overwhelmed with joy. Only now did he truly believe he had successfully achieved the Mistification of the Divine Weapon.

However, his sole regret was that his current strength was clearly insufficient; he could only mistify the outermost layer.

But he wasn't anxious. He understood perfectly that since the initial mistification was successful, the rest was a matter of patient persistence. With relentless effort, chipping away at the Divine Weapon piece by piece—like an ant gnawing bone—he estimated it would take no more than a year or two to fully mistify the entire weapon.

He raised his head and let out a sudden, harrowing howl, like a banshee’s wail.

Ever since making the twenty-year pact with Xiong Wuji, He Yiming had been certain he would advance to the Venerable level within that timeframe. Yet, until that ascension was complete, a heavy stone weighed on his heart. As long as the promotion remained unachieved, that stone would never be lifted.

But even he hadn't anticipated that it wouldn't take twenty years at all. In less than a year—perhaps not even a full year—he had successfully mistified the Divine Weapon. Once this was done, in at most two more years, he would become a true Venerable, mastering all the unique abilities of that realm. Then, journeying to the Deep Mountain Totem tribe, while he might not sweep them aside, he would at least be secure in his ability to defend himself.

Thus, having shed the great weight from his mind, He Yiming could no longer suppress his excitement. He opened his heart completely and unleashed a fierce, sharp roar.

After a pause, He Yiming finally ceased his cry. When he lowered his head, Bai Lingba and Bao Zhu had entered the cave.

However, their behavior utterly perplexed He Yiming.

Bai Lingba stood with his feet together, his eyes flashing with a bright, sun-like radiance. This light enveloped He Yiming, as if scanning him from top to bottom.

Bao Zhu’s actions were even more comical. It hid behind Bai Lingba, tightly clutching the smaller figure’s calf with its front hooves, looking utterly terrified. Its small eyes glared at He Yiming with palpable dread.

He Yiming asked, bewildered, “Brother Bai, Bao Zhu, what’s wrong with you two?”

Bai Lingba’s eyes gradually dimmed, returning to their usual state. His tone, as unchanging as ever, was flat as still water: “You are normal. No signs of madness.”

He Yiming shot him an annoyed look. “Of course I’m not mad.” His Dantian was miraculous; all the Yin Sha qi that entered it was converted into his own strength, making madness from external qi impossible.

Bai Lingba spoke slowly, “If you weren't mad, why the crazy shouting just now?”

He Yiming paused, then realized why Bai Lingba and Bao Zhu were acting so strangely. Hearing his recent outburst, which sounded like a release of madness, they must have assumed he had succumbed to insanity.

Shaking his head, caught between laughter and tears, He Yiming explained, “Brother Bai, that was a celebration.”

“Celebration?”

He Yiming chuckled darkly. He still held the Five Elements Rings and casually infused them with a bit of true qi. A thin layer of mist immediately rose from the Rings. This was the best explanation possible. Even if Bai Lingba didn't understand martial arts, he grasped the monumental significance of mistifying a Divine Weapon.

Bai Lingba looked up and sincerely said, “Congratulations.”

He Yiming nodded slightly, then beckoned Bao Zhu, drawing it effortlessly through the air until it floated level with his gaze. He pinned the creature with a mock-fierce look. “Little fellow, daring to suspect I’ve gone mad—what crime deserves that?”

Bao Zhu’s snout wrinkled immediately, and its mouth stretched open. Though it possessed a pig’s face, it clearly wore an expression of appeasement.

He Yiming laughed heartily several times, setting Bao Zhu down. Casually, he asked, “Brother Bai, how long have I been in seclusion this time?” In his feeling, mistifying the Divine Weapon seemed like a monumental feat that shouldn't have taken a single day, hence the inquiry.

Bai Lingba stated gravely, “It has been fifteen days.”

“Fifteen days?” He Yiming was momentarily surprised. He quickly calculated in his mind, and his expression shifted slightly. Before entering seclusion to attempt the mistification, he had already spent about twenty days in Ghost Cry Ridge. Adding these fifteen days meant he had been here well over a month.

“Brother Bai, are there still others outside?”

“All normal people left Ghost Cry Ridge five days ago,” Bai Lingba replied calmly.

He Yiming gave a wry smile. He had become so engrossed in cultivation that he had completely lost track of time. Fortunately, his constitution was unique, immune to the one-month limit; otherwise, he would have gone mad four days earlier.

Reaching into his robe, he pulled out the jade vial. Looking at the vial containing the Blood Condensing Pearls now, He Yiming felt a wave of complex emotions. Although this item hadn't been needed for the Divine Weapon mistification, He Yiming knew with absolute certainty that without it in hand, he never would have dared attempt the mistification so recklessly. And the most incredible part was that he had succeeded on the very first attempt, inexplicably.

He carefully placed the Blood Condensing Pearls into his ring space. The item was steeped in bloodiness, yet it was undeniable that if used correctly, it could serve an enormous purpose.

After tidying himself up, He Yiming cast one lingering look back at the location. He disliked the black mist environment, but he craved the density of the world qi here. If possible, he wouldn't mind residing here indefinitely. Since he wasn't susceptible to the intrusion of Yin Sha qi, as long as he guarded against the large python hovering overhead, this place was undoubtedly the most suitable environment for his cultivation.

However, remembering his one-month agreement with Jin Zhanyi, He Yiming knew he had to depart as soon as possible.

Waving briefly to Bai Lingba and Bao Zhu, he immediately took the lead, sprinting down the mountain. As for Bai Lingba and Bao Zhu, they once again parted ways with him, as He Yiming did not wish for anyone to see them accompanying him. For a powerful asset like Bai Lingba, operating in the shadows offered far greater advantages than public exposure.

He Yiming’s speed was astonishing, noticeably faster than before. With just a few flashes, he covered ten zhang. A powerful surge of elation flooded his heart.

Continuing forward, He Yiming’s vision suddenly brightened. He looked up and saw the blazing sun overhead, pouring intense daylight onto the earth. Everything around seemed infused with vibrant life.

Looking back, the mist behind him remained, but its color had subtly changed. It was no longer the deep black of before, but was slowly reverting toward gray.

Inside the mist, and outside it—two entirely different worlds. One was stagnant, filled with howling cold winds and spectral energy; the other was bursting with vigor under the bright, blazing sun.

Stepping abruptly from a gloomy world he had grown accustomed to into a world filled with light caused even He Yiming to momentarily falter. But he quickly regained his composure, knowing this was no place to linger.

He oriented himself, though he had no idea precisely where he had emerged from. Shaking his head, he moved toward the cliff face ahead. As long as he left Ghost Cry Ridge, finding his way back would not be difficult.

His movements were swift. In mere moments, he cleared the high ridge. Yet, just as he crested the peak, he abruptly stopped.

His ears twitched slightly, as if catching a sound. His expression turned extremely grave, his gaze locking onto a specific section of the cliff wall. “Who’s there? Come out.”