Leaving the manor of the Huo family, He Yiming reached out and pulled Huo Dongcheng, leaping onto the back of Thunder in one bound.

Given Thunder's temperament, it would typically never allow anyone other than He Yiming to ride it, but perhaps because He Yiming had explained that Huo Dongcheng was destined to be a future disciple of Chu Hao Prefecture, Thunder merely let out a slight snort before spreading its four hooves and heading east of the city.

It was Huo Dongcheng's first time riding a spirit beast. Although his heart was filled with indignation, he couldn't help feeling a strange surge of excitement.

The greatest sensation he got from riding Thunder was speed—an unbelievable, unparalleled velocity.

If he simply pointed in a direction, Thunder would arrive there the next moment; his own speaking speed couldn't even keep up with the beast's gallop.

Soon, they arrived at the east side of the city. Huo Dongcheng pointed to the largest mansion and said, "Senior, that is the residence of the Dong family in the east city."

He Yiming nodded slightly, reached out, and pulled Huo Dongcheng down from the mount.

He walked leisurely to the main gate and lightly struck it with his palm. The massive door, cast from refined bronze, immediately emitted an unpleasant, grating sound and swung inward.

He Yiming’s strike was skillfully applied, severing the iron latch and pushing the gate open effortlessly.

Several gasps immediately erupted from inside the entrance, filled with a confused quality; clearly, they had no idea why the gate had suddenly opened.

However, the servants guarding the interior soon understood the reason.

Outside the gate stood two figures and one conspicuous white horse, radiating an immense pressure that announced to any observer that the arrivals meant serious business.

The person farthest away turned and fled. He Yiming glanced at him but made no move to stop him, instead stepping inside the open gate.

Inside, six servants had been guarding the entrance. Seeing He Yiming enter, they hesitated, wanting to stop him but not daring to step forward.

How could characters who barge in with such imposing momentum be people they could afford to provoke? To recklessly approach such figures risked immediate death on the spot.

Soon, a set of hurried footsteps echoed from the inner structure, and dozens of people rushed toward the front courtyard like flying shadows. He Yiming's ears twitched slightly, and his expression darkened; not a single one of the newcomers was a Xiantian (Innate) expert.

Moments later, over twenty people arrived together, their bodies bearing considerable killing intent, with sharp, murderous focus blazing in every eye.

The leader was an elder in his fifties. Just as he was about to speak, he heard He Yiming let out a cold snort.

This snort was not loud, but it sent ripples spreading outward in concentric waves.

To their ears, it sounded like a massive hammer smashing brutally into their hearts, causing their bodies to tremble faintly.

In the span of a single breath, everyone present felt their legs go weak, cold sweat beading on their foreheads, and they collapsed to the ground—not a single person remained standing.

Huo Dongcheng’s eyes faintly shone; the reverence and awe he felt for He Yiming were profound. To subdue everyone like this without even raising a hand was simply unheard of.

The elder’s face turned ashen; he finally understood that the visitor's martial cultivation was unfathomably deep, far beyond anything he could have imagined.

He forced himself to withstand the sensation that he might faint at any second, pulled a specially made whistle from his robe, placed it to his lips, channeled his inner force, and blew with desperate strength.

Instantly, a sharp, piercing sound erupted, instantly spreading throughout the entire mansion and across a good portion of the east city.

As if a hornet's nest had been stirred, the entire residence erupted into activity.

Several fierce shouts rang out almost simultaneously, and two figures tore through the air, arriving in the front courtyard in an instant.

Both were experts at the Xiantian realm. However, a mere glance from He Yiming confirmed they were not Dong Mingrui, as they hadn't even reached the Yixiantian (First Heaven) stage, let alone condensed the Shuanghua (Twin Flowers).

The two men scanned the crowd, their gazes finally settling on He Yiming, and asked with uncertainty, "Who is your Excellency?"

Before He Yiming could reply, more figures flashed behind him: Zhang Hetai and Huo Leqing arrived together.

Seeing the situation, Zhang Hetai secretly breathed a sigh of relief that a fight hadn't broken out.

He laughed heartily and quickly said, "Misunderstanding, misunderstanding! Brothers Dong, it’s all a misunderstanding."

The faces of the two men changed slightly upon seeing Zhang Hetai. One said coldly, "Brother Zhang, may we ask the name of this esteemed guest? He has come to the Dong residence and injured the household staff."

Zhang Hetai’s expression sobered, and he forced a wry smile. "Brothers Dong, this is Mr. He, who has been traveling from the mainland. His presence here is merely a misunderstanding."

Then, he bowed slightly toward He Yiming and spoke in an almost pleading tone, "Mr. He, please stop. These two are the brothers Dong Yihong and Dong Yige, sons of the Grand Elder Dong Mingrui, and they are both Xiantian experts of our sect."

"Your surname is He?" A clear, crisp voice sounded from behind, and then a handsome young man dressed in scholarly robes strode forward. He looked deeply at He Yiming before turning to the others and stating, "Grandpa, Second Grandpa, if this junior's guess is correct, this Mr. He is likely the person who was forcing transactions in the city today."

Dong Yihong paused slightly. "Forced transactions?"

The young man spoke loudly, "This junior saw a three-thousand-year-old Inner Sea Pearl in the city today and had already agreed with the seller to exchange it for one Xiantian Golden Elixir. But when I returned home to fetch the elixir, I discovered that this Inner Sea Pearl had been forcibly taken by an external expert surnamed He."

Dong Yihong frowned slightly. "Why do you need that pearl?"

The young man bowed, "Next month is Great-Grandpa's birthday; I wanted to offer this item as a gift."

A smile immediately surfaced on Dong Yihong's face, and he said with satisfaction, "To keep this matter in mind at all times shows that Father's affection for you was not misplaced."

Since this youth had appeared, Huo Dongcheng's eyes had been burning with rage. It was clear that this person must be Dong Fangxiang, the one who had injured Huo Hongxiang.

When Dong Yihong turned back, his face had already darkened. "Sir, you have great gall to commit robbery and coercion within Qianshan City. Do you have no regard for the Qianshan Sect?"

Zhang Hetai quickly interjected, "Brother Dong, please don't misunderstand. Mr. He did not steal; today, he borrowed our sect's alchemy chamber and successfully refined two Xiantian Golden Elixirs in half a day. He is a rare alchemist. Junior Brother Xu Junli, who manages the alchemy chamber, has already gone to see the Ancestor to request permission for Mr. He to refine Xiantian Golden Elixirs on behalf of our sect."

A trace of astonishment flickered in Dong Yihong's eyes, and his expression immediately softened considerably.

Frowning slightly, he stated, "Since Mr. He has this connection with our sect, then as long as Mr. He hands over the three-thousand-year Inner Sea Pearl, I, Dong, will decide to let the matter rest."

He Yiming blinked twice. He had been watching their conversation as an observer, finding it quite amusing. At this moment, he chuckled loudly and said, "What a pity. That pearl has already been eaten by my pet, so I'm afraid I cannot comply with your request."

"Your pet?" Dong Yihong asked in surprise, his gaze finally falling upon the Treasure Pig cradled in He Yiming's arms.

Just as He Yiming was about to speak, Thunder snorted from outside the gate and then trotted in with soft hoofbeats.

All eyes immediately focused on Thunder, especially the purple horn atop its head, which drew significant attention.

"A spirit beast... a fine horse," Dong Yihong murmured, his eyes shifting from shock to a flash of avarice.

Dong Fangxiang's eyes lit up. He immediately declared, "Since your spirit beast swallowed the pearl, then hand over this spirit beast horse to settle the debt!"

Dong Yihong’s lips moved a few times, but in the end, he said nothing.

Dong Yige burst into laughter. "Such a precious steed would surely make Father happy if presented as a grand birthday gift."

He Yiming also wore a faint, inscrutable smile. He coughed lightly and suddenly asked, "Are you Dong Fangxiang?"

Dong Fangxiang held his head high, chest out. Although he knew he was facing a Xiantian expert, he showed no fear. This was born from confidence in the formidable power of the Dong family.

"Indeed, I am Dong Fangxiang. What instructions does Mr. He have for me?"

He Yiming spoke softly, "Huo Hongxiang was injured by you."

"Precisely," Dong Fangxiang replied, neither submissive nor aggressive. "That fellow spoke disrespectfully, saying the Inner Sea Pearl was a matter between you and the Leng brothers. A villain who twists right and wrong like that certainly deserves a lesson."

Only then did the two Dong Yihong brothers understand the whole story. They looked toward Huo Leqing with slight, mocking smiles. What was the mere Huo family compared to the behemoth Dong family? Injuring someone was simply done; no justification was required.

"Brother Huo," Dong Yihong said disdainfully, "So, your intrusion into my Dong residence tonight was a deliberate provocation?"

Huo Leqing's face flushed and paled. Although he was burning with resentment, he dared not truly offend the Dong family.

He Yiming shook his head slightly, but he understood Huo Leqing's concerns. At this moment, he thought of the distant Northwest, of the powerful Venerable standing behind the Kai Rong Kingdom. Involuntarily, he felt a sense of shared plight.

A cold light flashed in his eyes, and He Yiming said slowly, "Dongcheng, you and the Dong family have already created enmity. Given their character and disposition, I believe they will surely act against your Huo family given any opportunity. He paused. "On Penglai Immortal Island, even if your entire Huo family were exterminated, no one would seek justice for you."

Huo Dongcheng looked up, a trace of confusion in his eyes. "Senior, what should we do?"

He Yiming’s expression was blank: "Since I began my journey, the statement I have felt most deeply is this... If you don't kill the tiger, it will bring endless trouble later."

The expressions of everyone present changed. Upon hearing those words, not only did the Dong family members become furious, but even Zhang Hetai felt a sense of impending disaster.

Suddenly, a faint, aged voice drifted over: "Well said, 'If you don't kill the tiger, it will bring endless trouble later.' If that is the case, then you shall stay here."