Upon Penglai Immortal Isle, the spring never ceased. Listening to the joyous laughter outside, feeling the thick festive atmosphere, He Yiming gazed into the distance, his thoughts drifting back once more to the distant He Family Village. With a long sigh, if Huo Dongcheng hadn't reminded him, he wouldn't have realized today was New Year's Day. In the blink of an eye, a whole year had passed again; He Yiming had not returned home for the festival for two full years. However, he knew that having chosen the path of the Martial Dao, wandering across lands would be an essential part of his life. Had he never left the Northwest, never experienced the Azure Heavens Palace, Ghost Cry Ridge, or the deserted island journey, the pace of his martial cultivation advancement would never have been this exaggerated, let alone befriending a good companion and gaining the recognition of a Sacred Beast. Furthermore, within the ring space on his chest, the Nine Dragon Furnace, Profound Iron, and the Dragon Serpent Horn were hidden. All of these were gains from his travels; if known, they would surely cause a massive uproar. Even the top sects, including the Azure Heavens Palace and the Northwest Celestial Lake, would not let him go.

While deep in thought, his ears twitched slightly, and he chuckled, "Dongcheng, come in."

A loud reply came from the doorway. Huo Dongcheng pushed the door open and approached He Yiming, bowing respectfully, "Mister He, today is the first day of the New Year. Eldest Uncle has brought the family into the city for an outing and wishes to invite Mister He to accompany them."

He Yiming hesitated. Although he had arrived at Penglai Immortal Isle, he was merely staying in this secluded spot for a mere three days. Hearing this suggestion now, his heart could not help but stir slightly.

He nodded slightly, and Huo Dongcheng was overjoyed. Before coming here, he hadn't held out much hope, yet he never expected He Yiming to agree so readily.

Outside the Huo residence, several magnificent carriages were already prepared. To He Yiming's surprise, even Huo Leqing himself was among the contingent. When He Yiming emerged, Huo Leqing immediately stepped forward to pay his respects, and behind him stood three men with similar appearances. Besides the eldest, Huo Hongsheng, there was Huo Dongcheng's father, the second son Huo Hongxiang, and Huo Hongyu, whose Inner Strength had already cultivated to the peak of the tenth level. Although He Yiming had accepted Huo Dongcheng as a disciple on behalf of a friend, this was the first time he was meeting his father and the future hope of the Huo family, Huo Hongyu.

His gaze swept over these two men, and they quickly lowered their heads in deference, daring not to meet He Yiming's eyes. Evidently, before coming here, Huo Leqing must have given strict instructions, as they dared not act presumptuously.

He Yiming's eyes flashed past Huo Hongxiang, lingering for a deep moment on Huo Hongyu. His gaze was profound and inscrutable, making Huo Hongyu shudder involuntarily. With a slight smile, He Yiming finally understood why Huo Dongcheng was so certain that Huo Hongyu could advance to the Innate realm within ten years. This man possessed a Dual Cultivation Body of Fire and Wood, and it appeared they had both recently reached the peak of the tenth level of Inner Strength. The possibility of advancing to the Innate realm within ten years was indeed high.

Seeing He Yiming's gaze settle upon his third son, Huo Leqing quickly said, "Mister He, this is my humble son, Huo Hongyu. He is the most outstanding among the second-generation disciples."

He Yiming nodded slightly. "Not bad. Dual cultivation of Fire and Earth. If managed well, he could take that final step at any moment. Congratulations, Brother Huo."

Huo Leqing offered a few modest remarks, his astonishment growing. Mister He had seen through Huo Hongyu's foundation with just a glance. Such acumen was truly unfathomable.

Upon entering the carriage, He Yiming swept his gaze around, beckoned to Huo Dongcheng, who excitedly scrambled aboard. Although Huo Leqing also wished to enter the carriage, since He Yiming had made no indication, he did not dare presume. With a grand wave of his hand, all the carriages set off in one direction.

He Yiming sat inside the carriage, listening to the sounds outside, and casually asked, "Where are we going?"

Huo Dongcheng retrieved the tea, fruits, and pastries prepared in the carriage. "Senior, twenty li away is Qianshan City, one of the most famous large cities on Penglai Immortal Isle. Every New Year, countless people flock there for the market, and especially in the last few decades, the numbers have grown. Qianshan City is now second only to Haitian City in size."

He Yiming's eyebrows lifted slightly. "Qianshan City. It must be related to the Qianshan Sect, one of the three major sects of Penglai, I presume."

Huo Dongcheng nodded emphatically, a look of intense envy in his eyes. "Qianshan City lies beneath Mount Qianshan and is the area the Qianshan Sect values most." He lowered his voice slightly, "During the New Year, the three major sects open up the surrounding seas. Not only do various minor sects flock into the city, but people from all the islands also come. It is the liveliest time of the year."

Seeing the delight in his eyes, He Yiming shook his head with a smile. Truly a big child. Yet, he was surprised a moment later; after the New Year, he would only be twenty-one, perhaps only four or five years older than Huo Dongcheng. But his mindset was already vastly different from the younger man's. With a gentle sigh, was this what people called aging prematurely?

Seemingly sensing He Yiming's lack of enthusiasm, Huo Dongcheng dared not speak further, silently refilling He Yiming's tea before staying quietly to the side.

The carriage traveled quickly and smoothly, arriving at Qianshan City by noon. By this time, everyone had dismounted, because during these few days, only carriages belonging to the Qianshan Sect were permitted inside the city; carriages from other minor factions were barred. Although Huo Leqing did not fear the few Qianshan Sect disciples at the gate, he dared not defy the order. Thus, they disembarked about a li from the city walls. The city was built against the mountains, and the towering peak behind it must be the renowned Mount Qianshan of Penglai. The scale of this city was not small; while not as ridiculously vast as the Azure Heavens Palace, it could comfortably accommodate around three hundred thousand people.

The city gates were wide open, and starting from just outside, countless people had already set up stalls to sell their wares. He Yiming cast a cursory glance; the items were a dazzling array, enough to make his eyes swim. However, the vast majority of things here were everyday necessities, nothing that caught He Yiming's eye. At the city gate stood several dozen robust men armed with weapons and wearing uniform attire. They were all spirited, their eyes sharp as electricity, scanning the surroundings. Anyone who met their gaze was met with a broad, ingratiating smile.

A figure hurried forward from the city gate—it was Zhang Hetai. He approached with a booming laugh, "Mister He, Brother Huo, you have finally arrived." He cupped his hands in apology, "Old man Zhang has bad luck today; it's my turn on duty. I can leave the gate in another hour, and then I shall guide you both through the city, find a tavern, and drink until we drop."

He Yiming smiled noncommittally and remarked casually, "Brother Zhang, the order here is quite good."

Zhang Hetai declared proudly, "Mister He speaks the truth. This is at the foot of Mount Qianshan. Everyone who comes here shows some respect to the Qianshan Sect, so no one dares cause trouble here." As he said this, he was filled with pride, clearly possessing firm confidence in his sect.

However, just as he finished speaking, a clamor erupted from within the city, rapidly spreading outward toward them. He Yiming and the others stared in surprise. Zhang Hetai's aged face instantly flushed crimson; he was furious. Who dared cause a disturbance at a time like this? It was a profound loss of face for him. "Please wait a moment, gentlemen, this old man will see what it is." Zhang Hetai cupped his hands, about to depart.

Yet, a flash of white darted past the city gate, immediately appearing outside, followed swiftly by two more figures shooting out like arrows. The guards at the gate saw Zhang Hetai's expression and knew instantly that something was amiss. They immediately moved to intercept. But the speed of the three figures was unbelievably fast, far beyond their ability to match. With a slight flicker, they slipped past them, and the guards could no longer hold them back.

He Yiming's eyes suddenly lit up, then his expression darkened, as if covered with a thick layer of frost. The one charging out first was an adorable, pure white pig. Behind it, two elders raised their tridents angrily, aiming to stab the treasure pig dead on the spot. Zhang Hetai and Huo Leqing's expressions shifted slightly; they naturally recognized the identities of these two elders. They were the overlords of a nearby island, both of them Innate experts, and strong contenders for one of the top hundred minor families entering Penglai Immortal Isle this time. They just couldn't fathom why these two were chasing this little pig and causing such a commotion within the city.

The two tridents whipped through the air, weaving a net of light and shadow that enveloped the cute white pig. Contrary to expectations, the white pig did not display the lightning-fast speed it had shown earlier; instead, it stopped dumbly in place, its mouth split in a beaming, endearing smile. Huo Dongcheng and the other youths cried out in shock.

This white pig seemed to possess a special charm, inspiring instant affection in anyone who saw it. Of course, this charm had a much weaker effect on Innate experts and old men hardened by life's vicissitudes. But it held a strong attraction for youths like Huo Dongcheng, and even for men like Huo Hongsheng. Thus, they absolutely did not want to see the white pig die under the blades of the two elders.

Zhang Hetai shifted slightly. He had intended to intervene, but a thought crossed his mind, and he stopped, choosing to observe the development. A flicker of unconcealed greed flashed in the eyes of the two elders. They looked at the seemingly dazed white pig, and the speed of their tridents seemed to increase by a notch. However, just as the two exotic weapons were about to strike the treasure pig, a pair of hands suddenly shot out and lightly grasped both tridents. Instantly, the myriad trident shadows vanished, leaving only the angry roars of the two elders filled with rage and terror.