Once Huo Leqing and the other two had left the courtyard far behind, the master of the Huo family finally let out a long sigh of relief.

He turned, exchanging a look with Zhang Hetai; both saw the lingering shock in the other’s eyes.

They had originally assumed He Yiming was merely a Xiantian expert, but now it seemed Mr. He’s martial cultivation had reached an unimaginable level.

“Brother Huo, Mr. He’s cultivation must be at least at the Yixiantian level by now,” Zhang Hetai asked in a low voice.

Huo Leqing managed a wry smile. “I gave it my all just now, yet I couldn’t gauge Mr. He’s depth. But…” He hesitated slightly, “if I wasn’t mistaken, Mr. He has already condensed the tangible flower.”

Zhang Hetai gasped, thinking of He Yiming’s youth, and was filled with overwhelming emotion.

Huo Hongsheng stole a glance at the two of them and said, “Father, Uncle Zhang, since Mr. He possesses such formidable martial cultivation, could we perhaps ask him to represent the Huo family in this upcoming martial competition?”

Huo Leqing’s expression flickered, but then he shook his head. “Mr. He’s cultivation is unfathomably deep. How could such a master possibly fight for our Huo family?”

Huo Hongsheng said solemnly, “Father, I observed Mr. He shows great favor toward Dongcheng. If Dongcheng were to humble himself and plead, it might not be impossible.”

Huo Leqing looked to Zhang Hetai in hesitation, musing for a long moment, “Hong Sheng has a point, but I fear Mr. He might be an expert invited by them.”

Zhang Hetai let out a dry laugh. “Brother Huo, if they had the means to invite such an expert, they would have long secured residency on the island.”

Huo Leqing considered for a moment before finally nodding slightly.

His face became grave, and he said sternly, “Hong Sheng, when Dongcheng comes out, have him report to me.”

Huo Hongsheng responded respectfully, but secretly resolved to mend his relationship with his nephew, Huo Dongcheng, whom he had previously paid little mind. At the very least, he shouldn't let the boy hold resentment toward him, even if they couldn't be as close as father and son.

※※※※

It wasn't until the following morning that Huo Dongcheng finally left He Yiming’s room.

As he departed, his face held an expression of sudden clarity. Under He Yiming’s guidance, he had grasped something essential. Though he was currently unable to master the trick of simultaneous water and fire cultivation, he at least understood one principle: to break through his inner strength to the sixth layer, not only must his Fire technique reach the peak of the fifth layer, but his Water technique must also reach the peak of the fifth layer. As for the other balancing force Mr. He mentioned, Dongcheng remained utterly bewildered.

After leaving Mr. He’s room this time, Huo Dongcheng immediately noticed that the way people looked at him was drastically different from before. For this direct descendant who had long struggled to break through the fifth layer of inner strength, although no one dared to disrespect him, their attitude towards him was far less attentive than that shown to other third-generation disciples. This was especially clear in the eyes of the attendants personally trained by Huo Leqing.

But now, the attendants guarding the courtyard treated him with utmost deference, a stark contrast to their previous manner.

What made him even more at a loss was seeing the second-generation heir, Huo Hongsheng, personally waiting not far outside the courtyard. Upon seeing him, Huo Hongsheng immediately smiled broadly and called out heartily, “Dongcheng, hurry over here!”

Huo Dongcheng approached timidly, his heart racing facing this second-generation leader whose prestige in the family was immense, second only to the Patriarch.

“Dongcheng, what did Mr. He keep you in his room for?” Huo Hongsheng inquired affably.

“Mr. He instructed me on some techniques for utilizing inner strength, commanded me to first cultivate my Water inner strength to the fifth layer, and bestowed upon me an Elixir of Vitality,” Huo Dongcheng stated truthfully.

Huo Hongsheng’s expression shifted slightly. He certainly knew what an Elixir of Vitality was—it was an extremely precious item even within the Huo family. Even he had only received one after his inner strength reached the eighth layer. Yet, Mr. He had gifted one to Huo Dongcheng before he even met his own teacher. The sheer generosity, wealth, and strength of this man must be far beyond their previous estimations.

Forcing a smile, Huo Hongsheng guided his nephew to where Huo Leqing resided. Along the way, he forcefully suppressed the jealousy churning within him, asking about Dongcheng’s well-being with a gentle smile, which deeply touched the young man who had never ventured far from home.

Upon meeting Huo Leqing, Huo Hongsheng cheerfully disclosed the matter of Huo Dongcheng receiving the Elixir of Vitality. This also astonished Huo Leqing, but it confirmed for him that He Yiming must value Huo Dongcheng highly, otherwise he would never so easily bestow such a treasure.

Although the various powers on Penglai Immortal Island in the East Sea were immensely strong, the rate of elimination was equally high. If a family did not have a Xiantian expert to anchor it, they essentially had no right to reside on the island. This was because the East Sea was dotted with islands, and everyone vied for residence on the three major immortal islands where the Heaven and Earth energy was most concentrated. Thus, the intensity of competition here was far beyond what could be compared to the Northwest or the mainland. This created a peculiar phenomenon in this region: as soon as a family produced a super expert, it could rise rapidly, but as soon as the master fell, the decline was equally swift. Families or sects with thousands of years of heritage were few and far between. The reserves of each household were thin; elixirs like the Elixir of Vitality were rare even for families possessing a Xiantian expert.

Having understood He Yiming’s intentions, Huo Leqing, after deep consideration, still brought forth his request. Although Huo Dongcheng felt extremely hesitant, given that it concerned the future of the family, he had no choice but to agree, bracing himself.

※※※※

The next day, Huo Dongcheng returned to He Yiming’s room. Under He Yiming’s guidance, he slowly began cultivating his Water inner strength. However, his mind was preoccupied with a certain matter, so his progress was not good.

He Yiming frowned. “You have something on your mind. Are you perhaps reluctant to leave home?”

Huo Dongcheng immediately knelt down in supplication. “Senior, your junior does indeed have concerns, but in the pursuit of the martial way, let alone leaving home, even facing a mountain of blades or a sea of fire, your junior would never dare to frown.”

He Yiming nodded slightly. “I see you diligently practice alone every night. Your effort toward the martial way is evident. That is why I am accepting you as a disciple on behalf of a friend; otherwise, I would have dismissed you long ago.”

Though his words sounded stern, they were not entirely true. A cultivator practicing three lineages simultaneously, even one as rare as this, if unknown to a Venerable, would naturally remain buried. But if known to a Venerable, they would almost certainly try every means to recruit him. Especially Chu Haozhou—if he knew a young man possessed the same talent, he would be overjoyed beyond measure. Thus, regardless of whether Huo Dongcheng wished to leave with him or not, He Yiming would not let him go. If one day he met Chu Haozhou and Huo Dongcheng had already found another patron and been accepted as a disciple, Chu Haozhou would be left weeping in regret.

Huo Dongcheng, naturally unaware of He Yiming’s true intentions, replied respectfully, “Senior, your junior understands your earnest effort and will absolutely not disappoint you.”

He Yiming nodded in satisfaction. “What is it that troubles you? Speak.”

Huo Dongcheng was overjoyed and quickly said, “Senior, your junior is worried about the outer perimeter competition a month from now. If my ancestor fights and loses, the Huo family will forfeit the territory we currently occupy and have to return to our ancestral islet.”

He Yiming paused, slightly surprised. “What competition?”

Huo Dongcheng quickly explained the entire situation in detail. On Penglai Immortal Island, besides the three major sects, there were over a hundred minor forces residing there. Originally, the territory of Penglai Island was vast enough to accommodate hundreds more minor forces. However, the three major powers limited the influx of new residents to prevent the Heaven and Earth energy from being overly diluted. Therefore, according to island tradition, aside from sects possessing a Venerable, the other minor sects were only allowed to house one hundred. Every twenty years, a martial arts competition was held on the island to determine rankings.

Sixty years ago, when the Huo family was at its peak, they had two Xiantian masters, which allowed them to secure one of the top one hundred spots. However, ten years ago, Huo Leqing’s father, the family’s other Xiantian master, failed in his attempt to reach Yixiantian and ultimately exploded and died. The Huo family had managed to remain on Penglai Immortal Island for three consecutive cycles only because they were anchored by this master who had come closest to Yixiantian. Now that he was dead, Huo Leqing alone found it extremely difficult to hold on until the end in the land-grabbing competition scheduled for next month.

After hearing this, He Yiming frowned slightly. “I saw that your grandfather has an excellent relationship with Brother Zhang Hetai. Why not ask him for assistance?”

Huo Dongcheng let out a string of bitter laughs. “Senior, you are unaware. Grandpa Zhang is a Xiantian elder of the Qianshan Sect. He has already taken great care of our Huo family. Even for our family’s seafaring vessels traveling abroad, it was Grandpa Zhang who stepped forward to borrow the Qianshan Sect’s large ships and docking facilities. But on this matter, whether it’s the current three major sects or the powerful factions that previously dominated the island, all adhere to tradition and dare not violate it in the slightest. Even if Grandpa Zhang wished to help, he is powerless.”

He Yiming finally understood, realizing this was why the Huo family enjoyed such prestige at the docks—it was all under the protection of one of the island’s three major sects. That explained it.

He Yiming smiled faintly. “Dongcheng, even if I help you out this once, you will likely face eviction again next time.”

Huo Dongcheng murmured, “Senior, my third uncle has cultivated his inner strength to the peak of the tenth layer. Given another ten years, he should successfully advance to Xiantian. With two Xiantian masters in the family then, we should basically guarantee a spot in the top hundred.”

He Yiming pondered for a moment, looking at his pleading expression, and finally nodded slowly. This matter was undoubtedly monumental for the Huo family, but for the current He Yiming, it was nothing more than a trivial matter achievable with a mere thought.