From the distance, a massive, towering wave suddenly surged forward. From He Yiming’s perspective, that area had become a death zone; the might of the wave was surely no less than the day he lost his small boat.

Though He Yiming had ridden Bai Ma Leidian across the sea for months and encountered numerous storms, such colossal force was still a rare sight.

However, He Yiming’s heart was filled with excitement. Instead of evading it, he signaled Leidian to charge directly into the storm at top speed.

He vaguely felt that if he wished to coalesce the Water Flower, plunging into the storm to comprehend the terrifying power of water would be the optimal shortcut.

As for his own safety, He Yiming had long since dismissed it as irrelevant. Even if he couldn't withstand the impact of such immense waves, one dive deeper and he was guaranteed to escape safely. Moreover, at this moment, he was accompanied by Leidian, whose speed was unparalleled.

Soon, Leidian carried He Yiming into the heart of the tempest.

In the face of this immense celestial power, any human strength appeared infinitesimal and humble.

Yet, Leidian’s performance did not disappoint him. It stood tall, lifting its head high, letting out resounding, drawn-out neighs amidst the endless churning waves. As its calls echoed, He Yiming’s excitement surged. He let out a great cry towards the heavens; his Jing Qi Shen became increasingly condensed under the relentless scouring of the waves. He could even feel his own state of mind being constantly battered by the power of water, gradually becoming pure and crystalline.

Another massive wave struck, which He Yiming completely ignored. But before the wave could hit, Leidian’s distinctive cry rang out again.

This time, the sound was not imbued with the usual high spirit; instead, there was a trace of something strange.

At this moment, He Yiming and Bai Ma Leidian shared a deep connection, and his ears twitched intensely. Even amidst the towering waves, He Yiming managed to catch a thread of sound he desperately wanted to hear.

It was a human groan—amidst the vast noise of the storm, there was the sound of another human surviving.

If one’s strength had reached the Venerable realm, perhaps accompanied by a super-sacred beast like Leidian, even such a ferocious storm would scarcely claim a life.

However, from the feeling emanating from this person, He Yiming was astonished to discover that they hadn't even reached the Innate realm. To survive in this environment was quite unexpected.

Opening his half-closed eyes, He Yiming sighed inwardly. This attempt at enlightenment had failed again; he still could not condense the Water Flower.

The oncoming great wave crashed down. He Yiming focused his gaze and finally understood the reason.

A person, completely soaked and apparently unconscious, was being hurled towards him by the giant wave. Though the person was insensible, their body was tightly bound to a massive log, which allowed them to repeatedly surface and survive.

He Yiming’s perception was extraordinary now; with just one glance, he recognized that the log was likely the main mast from some large vessel.

He sighed softly, shaking his head slightly. But since this person had crossed his path, he absolutely would not stand idly by. Perhaps decades or a century later, during his own enlightenment, he would never concern himself with such trivialities—even if two armies were fighting before him—as long as his core prohibitions were not touched, he would remain indifferent, like most Venerables.

But that was not the case now…

With a light pat on the horse’s back, Leidian immediately understood his intent. It leaped high above the sea surface. Even before this great force of nature, the creature showed no sign of fear. If nothing else, its sheer courage placed it among the most outstanding of spiritual beasts.

He extended a hand in a gentle beckoning gesture. The giant log seemed to shift slightly, but caught in the undertow of the wave, it did not actually fly toward He Yiming.

He Yiming snorted lightly, his eyes flashing faintly, and the potent Zhenqi surged within him.

However, when he struck again, the Zhenqi emanating from him became supremely Yin and supple, possessing a resilience akin to water.

Following his journey to the East Sea, although He Yiming failed to successfully condense water power, his comprehension and observation of this specific technique had reached an extremely high level, perhaps only a hair’s breadth from mastery.

Therefore, in the sea, He Yiming immediately went with the flow, employing water-elemental power, skillfully blending it with his powerful Zhenqi.

Indeed, this time the massive log flew obediently toward him.

He Yiming laughed loudly, thoroughly satisfied with his control over his power. Then, amidst his long cry, Leidian turned and sped out of the storm zone like an arrow.

In truth, the storm at sea was nearing its end, but even so, the powerful residual waves enveloped a vast, unquantifiable expanse of ocean.

But for Leidian, all of this was simple; as long as it chose a direction at random and galloped forth, they would quickly leave the area.

Not long after, a cheerful neigh carried across the sea surface, laced with an undeniable hint of relief.

He Yiming chuckled softly, gently stroking Leidian’s neck, and murmured, “Leidian, I have put you through hardship.”

Although the White Horse was powerful, it would not venture heedlessly into such a terrifying storm. If He Yiming hadn’t needed to coalesce the Water Flower, Leidian would have kept as far away as possible. After all, Leidian was a wise sacred beast, not an idiot seeking death.

Leidian neighed once more, transforming into a streak of white light as it galloped forward.

He Yiming looked down at his hands, frowning slightly. A strand of Gold-element Zhenqi, sharp as a blade, swept across, instantly severing all the ropes binding the person.

He Yiming then lifted the person into his arms, abandoning the massive log to drift freely on the water.

They were fortunate; Leidian had picked a random direction, and they soon found a reasonably sized deserted island.

He Yiming dismounted and placed the person on the beach. He hesitated for a moment, then took out the tracker, summoning Bai Lingba. He gestured toward the two spiritual beasts beside him. “Brother Bai, take them to the other side of the island.”

Bai Lingba asked suspiciously, “What are you planning to do?”

“I intend to go to Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea, but I don't wish to make it widely known,” He Yiming lowered his head, looking at the still unconscious person. “This person’s clothes are quite fine, and being tied to the main mast suggests he holds some status. I want to inquire about the direction to Penglai Immortal Island.”

Bai Lingba finally understood. It made sense why he wanted to separate Baozhu and Leidian—their appearances were too conspicuous. Any person with even a little discerning eye could tell they were spiritual beasts. In certain situations, bringing them along would indeed impede their movements and might even invite trouble. Although He Yiming feared nothing, he preferred not to attract complications before finding that treasure.

Baozhu sprang up and leaped onto Bai Lingba’s chest, its front hooves clinging on as if it were their natural place.

Bai Lingba turned to leave. After a moment of hesitation, Leidian finally turned back, let out a soft neigh toward He Yiming, blew a loud snort, and then followed Bai Lingba.

He Yiming chuckled dryly, lowered his stance, and grasped the person’s wrist pulse point.

This was a middle-aged man, looking about forty years old. His cultivation was instantly clear to He Yiming. Eight-tenths strength in Neijin was excellent by ordinary standards; at least his own father, before taking the Essence Golden Pill and the Limit Golden Pill, possessed only the eighth level of Neijin cultivation. Such a level made one the pillar of an ordinary family.

A wisp of Zhenqi circulated inside the man’s body, and a faint smile touched He Yiming’s face. Having studied the way of alchemy, he had also touched upon medical arts. This person’s unconscious state was certainly no puzzle for him.

After the Zhenqi circulated several times through the man’s system, the person suddenly coughed up a large amount of seawater. He Yiming had only infused the Zhenqi; he didn't move another finger. This was the powerful, miraculous use of Zhenqi, far beyond what Neijin could compare to.

After a while, the man groaned again, and his eyes slowly opened, filled with bewilderment, seemingly lacking any focus. However, after just a few breaths, a spark of clarity returned to his eyes; he had recovered from the initial certainty of impending death.

As his gaze shifted, he immediately saw He Yiming standing beside him, hands clasped behind his back.

The man struggled to sit up. Although he had been battered by the storm and nearly lost his life, he still possessed the eighth level of Neijin cultivation. Once he caught his breath, he still retained the strength to stand.

“I am Huo Hongsheng. I thank the young brother for saving my life.” He bowed deeply. Although He Yiming had saved his life, upon seeing He Yiming’s appearance, he knew the young man could not be very old. Thus, addressing him as ‘young brother’ was already the limit. After all, no matter how he guessed, he could never imagine that the young man standing before him was actually a powerful Venerable.

He Yiming nodded slightly, reservedly asking, “How did your esteemed self get caught in the storm?”

Huo Hongsheng’s face flushed slightly, and he admitted with resignation, “Our merchant vessel was unfortunately caught in continuous great storms stretching for dozens of miles when we reached this area. Though we tried desperately to flee, we were eventually swept in.” He sighed deeply, offering his thanks to He Yiming once more.

He Yiming nodded slightly. It explained why he hadn't seen the man’s ship; the area affected by the storm must have been truly massive, so it was understandable.

“What is your origin?”

“I am from the Huo family of Penglai Immortal Island.”

He Yiming’s heart suddenly leaped with joy, and the look in his eyes shifted subtly.