Hao Tong waved his wide sleeve. "Yiming. Even if I don't assist you this time, given your aptitude, breaking through the limit within ten years is certain. For us cultivators, a mere decade passes in the blink of an eye—it means nothing."

He Yiming shook his head slightly. While Hao Tong’s words might be true, for him, this debt of gratitude was one he could never forget.

"Senior, how is Brother Zhang? Can he recover?" He Yiming asked, his voice deep.

The smile on Hao Tong’s face instantly vanished, replaced by an undisguised expression of solitude and sorrow.

Perhaps in his heart, he already regarded He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi as true juniors, so he made no effort to conceal his emotions before them.

"Zhongyuan’s injury this time is too severe, and that Yin Sha energy clings like maggots to the bone… Sigh…" Hao Tong let out a deep sigh, then seemed to recall something suddenly, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.

The old man's sudden shift did not escape the notice of He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi. They immediately understood: the elder seemed to have grasped something, perhaps a martial epiphany, that might allow him to break through the limit and step into a new realm.

And if he achieved such an epiphany, perhaps there would be a path to saving Zhang Zhongyuan.

Hao Tong took a deep breath and said slowly, "Yiming, tell me in detail how you managed to refine that Divine Weapon in just ten days."

He Yiming did not conceal anything, recounting his entry into the black mist, absorbing the ambient Heaven and Earth Qi for replenishment, and the gradual process of refining the Divine Weapon. Of course, he glossed over the details of his chaotic Dantian and his unique constitution, revealing nothing concrete.

It was the first time Jin Zhanyi had heard this story as well; his eyes sparkled, seemingly calculating whether he should venture in to try it himself.

Hao Tong watched He Yiming until he finished speaking, then pondered for a moment before asking, "Yiming, according to your account, the time you spent in Ghost Cry Ridge seems to have been longer than a month, correct?"

He Yiming inwardly admired the elder; despite his age, his mind was anything but muddled. He had instantly grasped the core issue.

Although Gabri and the others had also spotted this anomaly, they had witnessed it firsthand. Hao Tong, however, located the critical point simply by hearing the account once. This showed that the elder’s mental acuity indeed far surpassed ordinary people.

He nodded lightly. "Senior speaks correctly; the time I remained inside indeed exceeded one month."

Jin Zhanyi looked over abruptly, astonishment visible in his eyes.

Hao Tong nodded slightly. "Yiming, do you possess a method to resist the Yin Sha energy entering your body?"

At this point, both He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi understood the elder's intent. If He Yiming truly held such a method, it might possibly be applicable to Zhang Zhongyuan.

He Yiming gave a wry smile. "Senior, to be honest, I don't know precisely how, but the Yin Sha energy within Ghost Cry Ridge simply caused me no trouble whatsoever."

If anyone else had said this, Hao Tong and Jin Zhanyi would certainly not have believed it, but coming from He Yiming’s lips, both men tacitly chose to trust him.

After a long pause, Hao Tong murmured, "Perhaps… this is related to your constitution."

He Yiming’s heart jolted; the old man had struck exactly upon the truth. However, the causes for such a peculiar constitution were many, usually present from birth. For congenital constitutions of this nature, even a master alchemist like Hao Tong had no means to effect change.

Hao Tong suddenly began pacing the room. His steps were not fast, but He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi both noticed it instinctively: each step the elder took seemed heavy, clearly burdened by profound worries.

Finally, he stopped, a look of resolve flashing across his face.

"Yiming, I hope you can do something for this old man." Hao Tong fixed his gaze on He Yiming, speaking with immense solemnity.

"My elder, please command me," He Yiming replied with genuine sincerity.

This elder had helped him immensely and held true affection for him. If there was even the slightest possibility, He Yiming would not refuse the elder's request.

"I hope…" Hao Tong enunciated each word slowly, "that you can help Zhongyuan expel the Yin Sha energy from his body."

He Yiming opened his mouth, his own expression growing grave. "Senior, I absolutely do not wish to shirk this, but if even you cannot expel the Yin Sha energy, by what virtue or means could I possibly succeed?"

Hao Tong shook his head slightly. "Yiming, if my deduction is correct, even if the Yin Sha energy from Ghost Cry Ridge invaded your body, it could not cause you any harm."

He Yiming nodded emphatically, deeply impressed by the elder’s deduction. But the elder certainly could not have guessed that once the Yin Sha energy entered his body, it was immediately assimilated by the chaotic Dantian. Not only did it cause no harm, but it became the very source of his power for growth.

This fact, even with ten times the elder's experience, was utterly unknowable.

Hao Tong’s expression remained extremely serious. "Since that is the case, I wish to ask you to absorb the Yin Sha energy within Zhongyuan's body into your own."

Jin Zhanyi’s eyebrows flickered twice; he wanted to interject something but found himself unable to speak.

Although He Yiming admitted the Yin Sha energy in Ghost Cry Ridge seemed unable to harm him, if he truly absorbed the energy entangled within Zhang Zhongyuan’s body, who knew what mutation might occur.

He was about to advise caution, but the image of the bedridden, unconscious Zhang Zhongyuan stopped the cautionary words before they reached his lips.

He Yiming raised his eyebrows slightly and smiled. "I see. I am happy to oblige."

He possessed absolute confidence in his chaotic Dantian. Regardless of whether the Yin Sha energy inside Zhang Zhongyuan had mutated, it could not cause him the slightest injury. The only potential issue was whether he could successfully draw out every trace of the Yin Sha energy.

A flicker of excitement crossed Hao Tong’s face. He sighed softly. "Yiming, Zhongyuan is my only disciple with true promise. If there were any other recourse, I would not ask you to take such a risk."

He Yiming quickly responded, "Senior, where are your words leading? Setting aside our connection through you, I have known Brother Zhang for several months. Healing him is naturally my duty."

Gratitude shone in Hao Tong’s eyes, but recalling He Yiming’s identity within the Tianchi lineage, he hesitated again. "Yiming, if you feel any danger while absorbing the Yin Sha energy, stop immediately. Do not push yourself."

He Yiming chuckled softly. "Senior, can the Yin Sha energy inside Brother Zhang truly be more potent than the Yin Sha energy at the peak of Ghost Cry Ridge?"

Hao Tong and Jin Zhanyi’s expressions changed drastically at the same time.

Jin Zhanyi exclaimed sternly, "Brother He, you've been to the peak of Ghost Cry Ridge?"

He Yiming nodded slightly. "I accidentally trespassed once. The Heaven and Earth Qi there was unimaginably dense. Without that massive serpent, it would have been an excellent cultivation spot."

A sharp intake of breath escaped Hao Tong’s lips; he cried out, "You saw 'It'?"

He Yiming smiled faintly. "I merely caught a glimpse from afar and left immediately. It was still asleep, so it didn't notice me."

Jin Zhanyi looked at Hao Tong, baffled. "Martial Uncle, who is it?"

Hao Tong hesitated for a moment. "Since you are on the verge of ascending to the Venerable rank, you are qualified to know of its affairs. At the summit of Ghost Cry Ridge coils a ten-thousand-year-old giant python. It is one of the rare Spirit Beasts between Heaven and Earth, its might second only to Divine Beasts."

Jin Zhanyi’s mind raced. "The Thousand-Year Calamity?"

Hao Tong nodded slightly. "Correct. It is the main culprit behind the Thousand-Year Calamity."

Jin Zhanyi hesitated. "Martial Uncle, since everyone knows of this matter, why not eliminate it and end the potential threat forever?"

Hao Tong glared at him disapprovingly. "That great python was intentionally kept there by the previous generation of the Divine Path practitioners. Without it, the function of Ghost Cry Ridge would disappear, and it could not rely on the Yin Sha energy to absorb potent Heaven and Earth Qi. Furthermore, although it is not a Divine Beast, after ten millennia of cultivation, it is but a single step away from that realm. Coupled with the unique environment of Ghost Cry Ridge where its power is amplified beyond its tier, it is virtually equivalent to a Divine Beast. Even if the Sect Master and those few others joined forces, they could not kill it without suffering devastating losses."

He Yiming and Jin Zhanyi finally understood.

Although this great serpent was the chief architect of the Thousand-Year Calamity, the very existence of Ghost Cry Ridge was thanks to its presence. The strongest figures across all regions would not dare kill it; in fact, anyone contemplating such an act would likely face obstruction at every turn, perhaps even having the danger snuffed out in its cradle.

Hao Tong sighed with deep emotion. "To have seen it with your own eyes and retreated unharmed, Yiming, you truly possess extraordinary fortune."

He Yiming nodded repeatedly, yet thought to himself that it wasn't just luck, but profound fortune. If the mysterious, ill-tempered Treasure Pig hadn't suddenly erupted, he might not have managed a smooth exit from Ghost Cry Ridge.

His ears twitched slightly. He Yiming inquired, "Senior, Brother Zhang is inside, correct?"

Hao Tong nodded solemnly. Now that he knew He Yiming had even visited the peak and remained unaffected by the Yin Sha energy there, his lingering worries vanished.

Hao Tong led the two into the inner room, where they immediately saw Zhang Zhongyuan lying on a stone bed.

Before they even reached the stone bed, a powerful, bone-chilling coldness washed over them.

He Yiming glanced at the stone bed; this intense cold emanated directly from the bed itself.

Zhang Zhongyuan, who He Yiming remembered as lively and energetic, was drastically altered upon the stone surface.

His body had visibly thinned, particularly his cheeks, which had sunken noticeably. Had He Yiming not known his identity, he might scarcely have recognized him.

Ps: Fifth day, fifteen thousand words completed; it seems Tudou has caught up quickly. Bai He desperately solicits monthly tickets—brothers, do you still have your minimum commitment?