From afar, they could already hear the sound of an impassioned, long neigh—a cry brimming with vibrant fighting spirit and an unyielding will. The closer they drew to the sound, the more it stirred a fiery passion within them.

He Yiming inwardly marveled, his mind frantically sifting through the contents of the Compendium of Worldly Treasures. To his disappointment, however, he could not recall what kind of creature made such a sound.

Finally, they set foot on this strange isle.

Compared to the barren islet they had just left, this island was many times larger and densely covered in pine forests, feeling, to He Yiming’s senses, vibrant with powerful vitality. It was evident that the living beings inhabiting the island were numerous.

Yet, He Yiming was certain that no large human population resided here.

Given that the Black Vultures occupied the neighboring island, any human presence would undoubtedly draw their relentless attacks. Against these winged spirit beasts, even those at the Innate realm would find themselves in an extraordinarily troublesome situation.

His ears twitched again. He Yiming’s expression shifted slightly. “Brother Bai, this spirit beast is engaged in a fierce battle, but its opponent appears to be a person.”

Though he hadn't reached the scene, the sheer magnitude of the collision force emanating from the island’s center gave He Yiming a strangely familiar sensation. He was certain that it was the aura and imposing presence of a human expert at the Venerable rank.

Just as advanced spirit beasts can discern the scent of their kin from a great distance, He Yiming’s sensitivity in this regard had sharpened significantly after advancing to the Venerable realm. Unless they remained completely still, the slightest change in the momentum of a fight was enough for He Yiming to confirm the presence of a Venerable.

To encounter a Venerable-level expert on such a desolate island was a matter of extreme surprise for He Yiming.

He hesitated briefly, then nodded slightly to Bai Lingba. The two continued toward the island's heart, but this time, He Yiming concealed his cultivation and aura entirely; he had no desire to reveal his tracks prematurely.

As for the Treasure Pig, under He Yiming’s watchful gaze, the little fellow quite consciously entered a state of hibernation.

In this condition, even He Yiming standing beside it might struggle to detect its heartbeat or breath, let alone anyone else.

The path across the island was arduous, yet for the two of them, it presented no real obstacle.

Soon, they were approaching the island’s core.

The closer they got, the more intensely He Yiming felt the powerful impact emanating from the central area, and his expression grew increasingly grave. He could sense that the strength possessed by the two combatants was terrifyingly high; without exaggeration, they were clearly superior to the three Venerables he had encountered outside Ghost Cry Ridge.

At last, He Yiming arrived outside a massive natural hollow. He crouched low, peering in carefully.

It was unclear how this vast depression had formed, but it served as a gigantic, natural arena. He Yiming immediately noticed something peculiar about the surrounding rock walls: despite the intense power surging through them, there was no sign of cracking or collapse.

What truly left He Yiming in awe, however, were the combatants within the hollow: a man and a beast.

The human was an old man, his hair and beard entirely white, his face coated in grime—one could only guess how many days it had been since he last washed. His attire consisted only of the simplest animal hides, riddled with holes, leaving him utterly disheveled and barely clothed.

Despite his appearance, He Yiming had no inclination to underestimate the elder in any way.

His posture remained rigidly upright regardless of the assault, his bare feet planted firmly on the ground like an ancient tree rooted for ten thousand years. As he threw his palms forward, his movements were broad and unrestrained, exuding a noble and upright aura of profound integrity.

After only two glances, He Yiming discerned that this man must possess an inherently forthright nature, which allowed him to cultivate such an atmosphere of open, honorable strength. If the man were narrow-minded, given to pettiness or conspiracy, his aura could never resemble what it did now.

Observing his martial arts technique closely, He Yiming marveled internally. His techniques mirrored his character—straightforward and honest. But precisely because of this, their destructive power was unparalleled. Every punch and every palm strike unleashed generated a visible vortex of wind, and the surrounding air seemed drawn to his Zhenqi, swirling around him to form a quasi-imprisoned space.

He Yiming judged that if he were to engage this elder, he would likely be at a disadvantage using only ordinary cultivation methods, unless he deployed trump cards like the Five Elements Ring, the Heaven-Overturning Seal, the Nine Dragon Furnace, or the Five Elements Convergence.

This was more than just a feeling; based on the fluctuations in their powerful auras, He Yiming was certain that this elder, even fighting bare-handed, could send Gabri—armed with shield and sword—scurrying away with his head in his hands.

Facing the elder was a pure white steed, flawless and gleaming.

The most peculiar feature of this white horse was the single horn protruding from its forehead. However, this was not the tree-like horn of the Serpent Dragon found on Ghost Cry Ridge, but a slender, spiraling horn.

Furthermore, a few strands of long hair hung down from the horse’s mane, fluttering over its neck, adding a touch of dashing elegance.

This horse’s sheer magnificence was immediately apparent, far surpassing He Yiming’s Crimson Silk Steed or Jin Zhanyi’s Great Black Horse.

He shook his head slightly, chastising himself for straying into irrelevant thoughts; this was a spirit beast capable of contending with a Venerable, not some common mount.

Quietly observing their duel, He Yiming was suddenly astonished to realize something.

This white horse appeared to be merely an Innate spirit beast, not the legendary Sacred Beast capable of matching a Venerable.

After becoming enemies with the Totem Clan, He Yiming had naturally sought to gather intelligence regarding them. Thus, he knew that deep within the mountains roamed spirit beasts called Sacred Beasts, possessing immeasurably potent might. Even human experts who had reached the Venerable rank might not gain any discernible advantage when fighting these Sacred Beasts.

He Yiming, now a Venerable himself and equipped with the Five Elements Ring, still dared not venture lightly into the deep mountains due to apprehension regarding these powerful Sacred Beasts.

Spirit beasts possess talents that far exceed those of humans. Conversely, the speed of human cultivation far outstrips that of spirit beasts.

The strength of a spirit beast, aside from innate talent, is determined largely by the length of its life.

Once a spirit beast lives for over five hundred years, it can generally condense an Inner Elixir, harness some of the ambient energy of heaven and earth, and even gain the ability to exhale energy. Spirit beasts surviving over a thousand years gain significant wisdom and can summon far greater quantities of Innate Qi than ordinary beasts; their power can rival that of experts at the First Line of Heaven boundary.

Moreover, some thousand-year-old spirit beasts, through chance or metamorphosis after reaching that age, truly master the application of the forces of heaven and earth. They can allow this power to flow through their forms freely, even manifesting it from different parts of their bodies, much like humans.

If a spirit beast reaches this stage, it is a true Sacred Beast.

In the realm of spirit beasts, a Sacred Beast is the equivalent of a human Venerable. Given that Sacred Beasts typically possess supremely powerful innate talents, most Venerables end up losing more fights against them than they win.

Of course, those like He Yiming, human Venerables who command imitations of divine artifacts, are a different matter entirely.

But how many imitation divine artifacts exist in the world? Consequently, the vast majority of Venerables would rather offend a peer than make an enemy of a powerful Sacred Beast.

However, distinguishing a Sacred Beast from a non-Sacred Beast is almost self-evident; one need only sense the concentration of heaven and earth energy around them and observe their combat style to easily determine if it qualifies as Sacred.

What puzzled He Yiming now was that the horse fighting the old man, judging by the surrounding energy concentration and its fighting methods, did not appear to have reached the level of a Sacred Beast.

Yet, for an Innate spirit beast to fight a powerful human Venerable to a standstill filled He Yiming with profound disbelief.

After observing for a while longer, He Yiming finally grasped the situation somewhat.

This white horse indeed possessed extraordinary talent; its speed was impossibly fast, and its strength impossibly great.

Every punch and palm strike the old man delivered carried significant heaven and earth energy. An ordinary thousand-year spirit beast struck by such a blow would surely be ripped open and have its bones shattered.

However, throughout the engagement thus far, the white horse had effortlessly evaded the vast majority of the old man’s attacks.

With all four hooves touching the ground, a slight shift sent it sweeping dozens of feet away in an instant. Even with his eyes wide open, He Yiming could not clearly track such speed.

A chill ran down his spine. The shock delivered by this strange white horse was beyond measure in words. With such velocity, what attack in the world could possibly land a solid hit?

Not only that, but after running for a spell, the horse seemed to grow impatient. It lowered its head and charged suddenly toward the old man, stretching out its hoof—as large as a bowl—to kick viciously.

The old man appeared prepared for this. He threw out a punch at the perfect moment. Fist met hoof, his body shuddered twice, but he managed to stand his ground firmly.

Though the white horse was sent flying back several feet, it was clear that the old man’s Venerable-level punch, filled with immense power, had failed to inflict any damage whatsoever.

He Yiming finally began to understand the old man’s predicament.

Even though his opponent was not a Sacred Beast, a spirit beast possessing lightning speed and inexhaustible strength left one utterly helpless when the opponent’s vital points could never be struck.