Though the Black Vultures were gone, He Yiming and his companion knew that no wild beasts would dare inhabit this place anytime soon. At least, not until the scent of the Black Vultures had completely dissipated would things return to normal.

They emerged from the cave and surveyed the spoils scattered on the ground. Chu Haozhou abruptly stopped, turning back to gaze at the massive cavern, lost in thought.

He Yiming watched him with surprise but did not interrupt.

After a long silence, Chu Haozhou finally made his decision. "Brother He, you take all of this."

He Yiming paused, quickly shaking his head. "Brother Chu jokes. We found this together; how could I possibly hoard it all?"

Chu Haozhou let out a loud laugh. "Don't flatter me, Brother. These Black Vultures all died by White Horse's hand, and I suspect your relationship with White Horse is far from simple."

He Yiming smiled faintly. After White Horse advanced to become a Sacred Beast, his closeness with it was impossible to hide from Chu Haozhou.

"Brother Chu, if you were a complete stranger, I certainly couldn't give up these treasures. But you have spent decades with White Horse, and we hit it off immediately. I dare not dismiss the goodwill between us."

Chu Haozhou gave a wry smile. "Brother He, when will you return to the Northwest?"

He Yiming hesitated. "I wander because I seek to comprehend the Power of Water. But regardless of success, I will certainly return to the Northwest within two years."

Chu Haozhou nodded and continued, "If I come looking for you in the Northwest someday, how should I find you?"

He Yiming was overjoyed. "Brother Chu, if you wish to find me, go to the He Family Estate in Taicang County, Tianluo Kingdom in the Northwest. I will certainly roll out the mat to welcome you."

Chu Haozhou laughed heartily. "Good. From this day forward, I will enter closed-door cultivation here. If all goes well, within a year I should fulfill a long-held wish. If I am still alive then, I will definitely head to the Northwest to share a drink with you."

He Yiming’s expression sobered; he immediately understood the old man’s intent. He planned to refine the Dragon Whip here, and upon success, he would go somewhere to exact revenge.

"Brother Chu, if my memory serves me correctly, your adversary has two Venerables," He Yiming stated deliberately, word by word.

A smile tinged with pride touched Chu Haozhou’s face. "Brother He, you have sparred with me. What do you think of my cultivation? After refining the Dragon Whip, can I defeat those two Venerables?"

He Yiming pondered for a long time, comparing the situation to his encounter with the trio including Gabriel, before finally nodding slowly. The old man’s cultivation was indeed far stronger than that of ordinary Venerables; with the Dragon Whip assisting him, the odds of success were certainly greater.

Nevertheless, He Yiming still said, "Old Brother Chu, one should always prepare for the worst. Why don't you let me accompany you?"

Chu Haozhou waved his large sleeve with an undeniable, resolute tone. "Unnecessary. This is a matter of my sect; outsiders cannot interfere."

Only now did He Yiming truly grasp the old man's stubbornness. Just as he was about to persuade him further, Chu Haozhou smiled slightly. "Brother He, if you still value my friendship, then do not try to persuade me again."

With a slight lift of his eyebrows, He Yiming discerned the man's unshakeable confidence in that single sentence. With a long sigh, He Yiming had no choice but to give up.

His gaze shifted, and He Yiming picked up the largest Sacred Beast inner core, thrusting it into Chu Haozhou's hand. "Old Brother Chu, since you refuse my help, I have nothing more to say. Just embed this into the Dragon Whip, and then I can rest easy."

Chu Haozhou hesitated for a moment before finally tucking the item into his robes. The Dragon Whip was already formidable, but with the auxiliary power of the Sacred Beast inner core, its might would certainly be elevated, increasing his chances of vengeance. After some deliberation, he stopped refusing. As for how to embed the inner core into the Dragon Whip, that was for him, a master forger, to figure out; He Yiming need not worry.

Nodding deeply toward He Yiming, Chu Haozhou turned and walked directly into the Black Vulture's lair.

He Yiming waited outside for a moment before sensing a powerful aura emanate from within the cave. He knew Chu Haozhou had begun refining the Dragon Whip. If a Three-Flower expert attempted to smelt the Dragon Whip, it would be an immensely difficult task. But since Chu Haozhou was already a Venerable, re-forging a divine weapon would be much simpler for him. As he had said, the smelting would definitely succeed within half a year; perhaps the addition of the Sacred Beast core would delay it by a month or two.

Silently wishing him well, He Yiming turned and departed swiftly.

Soon, he was back on the beach, where the aroma of roasting meat was already wafting through the air. Treasure Pig and White Horse were waiting quietly on the sand. Just as He Yiming arrived, Hundred and Eight lifted the lid off the iron pot.

An even stronger fragrance assaulted their noses, causing even He Yiming to swallow involuntarily. Except for Hundred and Eight, who remained unmoved, He Yiming and the two spirit beasts devoured the entire pot of Black Vulture meat, leaving not a scrap. As for Chu Haozhou, deep in the meticulous refinement of the Dragon Whip, he certainly wouldn't emerge for at least ten days to half a month.

Three days later, after enjoying another full meal, Treasure Pig suddenly leaped up, bounding onto White Horse’s head and grunting at He Yiming as if beckoning him.

He Yiming hesitated. Truthfully, he had entertained a similar idea in his heart, but after witnessing White Horse’s sheer power, he had immediately dismissed the impractical notion. However, since Treasure Pig was making the move now, for He Yiming to remain reserved would be truly foolish.

Standing up, He Yiming approached White Horse. He gazed into the creature's eyes, clear as still water, finding no trace of annoyance or distance. Maintaining a gentle smile, He Yiming placed a hand lightly on the horse’s back; White Horse remained entirely passive. Only then did He Yiming relax. He circulated his internal Zhenqi, allowing it to flow out like a thin sheet of paper, landing softly onto the horse’s back.

Extending one hand, he gently rested it on the saddle, slowly channeling his Zhenqi. Trace amounts entered White Horse, and simultaneously, a mystical energy surged back from the horse’s body, actually fusing with his own Zhenqi.

He Yiming was suddenly startled. He vaguely perceived that he and White Horse had established a silent understanding—a rapport. This was no mere illusion, but rather a mysterious connection that allowed their thoughts to momentarily overlap. Endless questions welled up inside him. He knew this must be related to the convergence of his Zhenqi and the power within White Horse. But exactly what had transpired was beyond his current speculation, as he was unaware of any Zhenqi in this world capable of such miraculous effects. It seemed this must be an innate ability of White Horse—a resonance only achievable by a human it acknowledged.

Treasure Pig continued to hop around on the horse's back, seemingly trying to call over Hundred and Eight as well. At that instant, He Yiming clearly sensed a flicker of fear rising within White Horse’s mind. Even though it was now a Sacred Beast, it remained intensely wary of Hundred and Eight.

He Yiming gently stroked the horse’s neck and thought for a moment. "Brother Bai, rest here for a while. We'll go for a spin and be right back."

Hundred and Eight waved dismissively and continued adding fuel to the brazier, seemingly intending to continue roasting fish. White Horse’s spirit immediately lifted, and its eyes brightened. Unlike Treasure Pig, which adored Hundred and Eight, White Horse and the boar were not exactly friendly. Thus, upon hearing He Yiming’s words, the horse felt a surge of unexpected gratitude. He Yiming clearly perceived this emotional shift and marveled inwardly. This horse’s intelligence was certainly no less than a human's.

Lifting his gaze, He Yiming looked ahead, musing to himself, wondering what White Horse’s absolute top speed truly was...

Before his thought was complete, he felt the ground shift beneath him, followed immediately by a massive blast of wind pressure surging past his ears, accompanied by a deafening sonic boom. Fortunately, being a Venerable, his reflexes were instantaneous. He immediately bent low, pressing Treasure Pig tightly against his chest, his four limbs clinging to White Horse like suction cups, managing not to be flung off.

However, this abrupt sensation was brief, lasting only a few breaths. Then, White Horse abruptly stopped. He Yiming looked around, his astonishment beyond description. In those few short breaths, White Horse had traversed the entire length of the island, from one end to the other. Even employing his ultimate command over the Power of Wind, he could not match such speed.

Gently stroking White Horse’s neck, He Yiming exclaimed excitedly, "So fast! Truly lightning-quick. From now on, I’ll call you Lightning!"

As if understanding He Yiming’s meaning, White Horse tilted its large head, appearing to ponder the suggestion. He Yiming watched with a smile. After a pause, it finally let out a long neigh, seemingly accepting the name.

Laughing heartily in return, He Yiming, now astride the horse, felt a surge of towering ambition rising within him like a tidal wave. The Deep Mountain Totem held Sacred Beast level spirit beasts. He Yiming had always feared them greatly, but now, with Lightning, his heart swelled with confidence. No matter how many Sacred Beasts lurked in the Deep Mountain Totem, they would hardly find a transcendent spirit beast comparable to Lightning.

He lifted his head high, looked out at the vast ocean, and proclaimed aloud, "Lightning, let’s go to sea!"

White Horse reared its front hooves high and bolted forward like a bird in flight, instantly reaching the ocean’s edge...

Ps: Five chapters again today, requesting monthly votes, thank you...

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