The ten li distance was neither long nor short, but the horses pulling the carriage were obviously fine steeds, and the road surface had been repaired numerous times, making it superior to the official roads of Da Shen. After half a day of galloping, they finally arrived at the Huo Residence.

The Huo family lived in a rather small town where they commanded the absolute leading position. Out of the town's population of over three thousand, Huo family disciples accounted for a full fifth.

Returning with the party were only two Innate realm experts and Huo Hongsheng; everyone else had been left behind at the dock. Alighting from the carriage, He Yiming took in the scene at a glance: the main gates of the Huo Residence were already wide open, with over a hundred people waiting respectfully outside.

Seeing such a grand display, He Yiming immediately understood the standing of Huo Leqing and his kin within this town. Glancing over the assembled Huo disciples, He Yiming nodded slightly.

Whether they were young men, or older or very young members, nearly all possessed some degree of Neijin (Inner Strength) cultivation. Although the majority of their cultivation levels were not high, most had reached the Fifth Layer of Neijin.

Furthermore, about half of them had surpassed the Fifth Layer, reaching the Sixth Layer or higher. The Sixth Layer of Neijin served as a watershed; only by attaining this level could one truly be considered a genuine cultivator.

"Brother He, these are the younger generation of the Huo family. They heard you saved Hongsheng, so they lined up to welcome you and express their gratitude," Huo Leqing said cheerfully.

He Yiming let out a wry smile. Though his experience was limited, he knew that if he hadn't demonstrated the power of an Innate expert, their gratitude, while present, would certainly have been of a different measure.

Inside the main hall, the Huo family offered lavish hospitality. The fine wine and delicacies prepared greatly pleased He Yiming.

After the meal, Huo Leqing personally escorted him to the Huo family’s finest courtyard, assigned four nimble attendants to serve him, and then reluctantly took his leave. He Yiming rested in the room for a moment.

His ears twitched slightly, and he looked at the four attendants beside him, a look of unfathomable depth spreading across his face. "I need to meditate.

Unless I emerge myself, no one is to open this door and enter." The four attendants were briefly startled but immediately bowed in assent and quietly left the room. They had already been informed by the Family Head that although this guest appeared very young, he was an Innate expert.

They dared not disobey the command of such a figure, even if it meant losing their heads. After ensuring they had all departed, He Yiming moved subtly, already leaving the room.

His movement was as swift as lightning; he departed through the open window of the outer chamber. Not only had the four attendants failed to see him leave, but even if he had slipped out right under their noses, they likely would not have noticed.

Dusk had fallen. He Yiming moved through the courtyard, his ears trembling faintly, absorbing every sound within a ten-zhang radius.

His pace varied—sometimes fast, sometimes slow. With a few leaps and bounds, he arrived in a wide courtyard.

At his current level of cultivation, detection was simply impossible. His ears swiftly captured a few faint threads of conversation.

"Hongsheng, you truly know nothing of this man's origin?" Huo Leqing’s booming voice, full of authority, cut through the air. "Your son truly knows nothing," Huo Hongsheng replied, his voice steady and calm.

"Mr. He only permits this son to address him as 'Mr.

He,' and that is all." Huo Leqing pondered for a moment. "How exactly were you rescued from the Great Waves?" Huo Hongsheng’s face flushed slightly.

"Father, when I regained consciousness, I was already on a desolate island outside the reach of the Great Waves. So, I know nothing of the specifics." Zhang Hetai laughed heartily.

"Brother Huo, in my opinion, Hongsheng was simply blessed with great fortune. The currents must have carried him out of the tempestuous zone, allowing Mr.

He to save him." Huo Leqing pondered silently for a time before asking, "Brother Zhang, you traveled with Mr. He on the same ship.

Were you able to discern his cultivation or his background?" Zhang Hetai gave a wry smile. "This man's cultivation is unfathomably deep; he is certainly no lower than this old man.

As for his origins, I have absolutely no clue." He shook his head helplessly. "Though I shared the voyage with him for a month, the times I actually saw him were countable on one hand.

After arriving on the ship, he went into seclusion for cultivation. Even if I were more brazen, I wouldn't dare disturb him." Huo Leqing nodded.

"Do you both think he genuinely hails from the mainland?" Huo Hongsheng quickly interjected, "Father, the man likely isn't lying. He seemed quite curious about life aboard the ship, especially upon arrival at the port.

When he saw the numerous sea vessels in the harbor, he even appeared somewhat surprised. If he wasn't from the mainland, but rather some island in the Eastern Sea, he absolutely would not display such a reaction." Zhang Hetai added gravely, "Nephew is correct.

Observing this man’s eyes, I judge him to be extremely proud, someone utterly disdainful of deceiving us over such trivial matters. Thus, he must indeed be from the mainland.

Moreover…" A slight smile touched his lips, "Nephew Hongsheng encountering a storm at sea is something no one could predict beforehand. If this man had some scheme, I would be the first to disbelieve it." Recalling the storm they had faced, even Zhang Hetai, an Innate expert, shuddered involuntarily.

Huo Leqing finally expressed relief. "Since he is from the mainland, he probably has little connection with the powers on other islands.

Given this, we must treat him well in the coming days, but everyone must remain vigilant and cautious. If this causes any issues for the martial competition a month from now, I, Huo Leqing, will have failed my ancestors of the Huo family." Zhang Hetai and Huo Hongsheng’s expressions shifted, and they nodded in unison.

Their conversation was extremely discreet, conducted within a secret chamber. Even someone pressing their ear against the wall might struggle to hear clearly.

But who was He Yiming? As long as he summoned his Zhenqi (True Qi), everything within a certain radius fell under his surveillance.

Naturally, he heard every word clearly. Frowning slightly, He Yiming turned and departed.

This time, he was not returning to his room, but leaving the Huo Residence altogether, exiting through the rear courtyard. Outside the rear courtyard of the Huo Residence was, surprisingly, a mountain peak—a situation rather similar to when the He Family Estate was originally sited.

He Yiming walked casually. The trio’s secret discussion flashed rapidly through his mind.

Clearly, for some reason, Huo Leqing harbored a degree of suspicion regarding his sudden appearance. However, due to his status as an Innate expert, Huo Leqing was unwilling to give offense.

Shaking his head slightly, He Yiming considered that while he might have liked Zhang Hetai to serve as a guide, he had no interest in courting trouble by involving him unnecessarily. While hesitating, he had unconsciously arrived halfway up the mountain.

His ears suddenly twitched, and a flicker of surprise crossed He Yiming’s eyes. He had heard someone running out from the Huo compound and pursuing him directly along the route he had taken.

His brow furrowed slightly. Had his departure been discovered?

But the four attendants ordered to stay behind were hardly reckless enough to barge into his room. His figure flashed, and He Yiming leaped into a large tree beside the path, concealing himself within the dense foliage.

Moments later, the person appeared beneath the tree. He Yiming grew even more astonished; this individual had managed to track him this far without a moment's hesitation or pause—truly a top master of tracking.

Yet, what puzzled him was that the person did not stop there but swiftly continued running further up the mountain. He Yiming paused for a long moment, carefully examining the ground nearby, inwardly chastising himself.

His mind had been too preoccupied, leading him to suspect, without cause, that he had been discovered. In reality, that person hadn't been tracking him at all; they were simply running up the mountain path.

Although there were multiple routes up the mountain, this individual clearly used this small trail often, hence their unwavering pace. Shaking his head, He Yiming let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

It was a good thing his thoughts hadn't been revealed, or he would have been laughed out of court. However, watching the retreating figure vanish, He Yiming's curiosity was piqued.

He set off, following quietly behind. Before long, the person stopped.

He Yiming hid behind a large tree, drawing every trace of his own vitality inward until none was left. At that moment, he felt an infinite drawing toward the Hundred and Eight Daoist arts.

The person before him was a young man, perhaps sixteen or seventeen years old. Upon reaching this spot, he first adopted a solemn posture and executed a set of martial arts forms.

Although He Yiming did not recognize the set, his perception allowed him to clearly discern its nature. This set of forms was exceedingly simple, hardly qualifying as a true battle technique; it was likely one practiced by a sect for those newly introduced to the martial path.

Once this person's Neijin reached the Third Layer, this set of forms would offer virtually no further benefit to the cultivator. Soon, the youth finished his routine.

He quieted his breath and centered himself for a time, then settled into a firm horse stance, beginning slow, measured breaths. He Yiming strained his ears to listen intently.

Moments later, he understood: the young man was practicing his Neijin here, and his Neijin had already peaked at the Fifth Layer, as he struggled to break through to the Sixth. Watching the youth silently, a wave of profound emotion swelled within He Yiming's heart.

This scene—this very moment—was something that could never be erased from his memory. The training grounds behind the mountain at the former He Family Estate, the intense loneliness of those nights—all these things surged up from the deepest recesses of his memory, spinning before his eyes like a revolving lantern.

In a daze, He Yiming seemed to see himself from years past. With a long exhalation, the youth finally stood up.

He glanced toward the distant, boundless darkness, his eyes clouded over, seemingly seeing no future or hope ahead.