Bai Lingba and White Horse Thunder paid them no mind, as if they hadn't heard her greeting at all. Moreover, Thunder fixed its beautiful, large eyes on the Spirit Vulture atop the mountain peak, an unmistakably ill-intentioned glint in its gaze.

Although the Spirit Vulture was vastly larger than Thunder, under Thunder's stare, it trembled uncontrollably, showing no inclination to resist.

Such was the chasm between a Sacred Beast and a Spirit Beast; not to mention a powerful, anomalous Spirit Beast like Thunder—once it ascended to the rank of Sacred Beast, the sheer might radiating from its presence would be impossible for any ordinary Spirit Beast to withstand.

Zhen Wanqing felt the ill-will emanating from Thunder, a wave of alarm surging within her, causing her expression to stiffen slightly.

He Yiming offered a wry smile and quickly interjected, "Venerable Zhen, please forgive Thunder. Before it advanced to Venerable status, it was once ambushed by a flock of Black Vultures. Although it eventually took its revenge, it harbors no great affection for avian Spirit Beasts."

Zhen Wanqing and Zhan Hongtu relaxed, and at He Yiming's gentle admonition, Thunder retracted its gaze, allowing the poor Spirit Vulture to finally regain its composure.

With a faint, self-deprecating smile, Zhen Wanqing murmured a few words into the Spirit Vulture’s ear. As if granted a reprieve, the Vulture flapped its wings vigorously and fled far away as if running for its life.

He Yiming understood this was Zhen Wanqing signaling goodwill, but also harboring a quiet concern: if the Sacred Beast Thunder had truly lost control of its wild nature and slain the Vulture, Zhen Wanqing lacked the power to retaliate, which was likely why she decided to let the Spirit Vulture escape.

"Venerable He, we in our faction are deeply indebted to you and your esteemed friend for your assistance this time," Zhen Wanqing stated earnestly.

Having navigated the initial introductions, the experienced Zhen Wanqing had long perceived that among the two men, the horse, and the white boar Zhan Hongtu had not yet introduced, He Yiming was unquestionably the central figure. Thus, as long as He Yiming offered aid, she was confident the others would not stand idly by.

He Yiming waved a hand dismissively. "Venerable Zhen need not be so formal. I merely happened to be passing by and lent a small hand to the Huo family."

Zhen Wanqing looked toward Zhan Hongtu with surprise. The ancestor of the Qianshan Sect offered a wry smile, summoned Zhang Hetai, and instructed him to recount the events following He Yiming’s arrival on Penglai Immortal Island.

When Zhen Wanqing heard that He Yiming had accepted a disciple on behalf of a friend, a flicker of envy crossed her face.

Anyone possessing a triple-elemental cultivation talent was a figure any major sect would strive tooth and nail to recruit. Even though He Yiming had unintentionally discovered someone with the exceedingly rare combination of Wind, Water, and Fire cultivation talent, it was enough to warrant their envy.

After offering congratulations, Zhen Wanqing's expression grew grave. "Venerable He, Venerable Zhan, this old one has received some very troubling news. Ten years ago, Venerable Lin Yiwu of the Haitian Sect ventured overseas. Upon his return, it is rumored he is accompanied by two individuals with whom he converses with great camaraderie."

Zhan Hongtu’s expression shifted slightly. "Only experts of the same echelon can converse as peers with Lin Yiwu."

Zhen Wanqing nodded solemnly. "If this news is true, the Haitian Sect now possesses four Venerables. And precisely at this juncture, they have invited both myself and Venerable Zhan to Haitian City. Although they cite the Bi-Decennial Martial Competition as the pretext, I suspect a trap lies within."

He Yiming’s eyebrows rose slightly, a knowing, half-smile playing on his lips. Zhen Wanqing had laid out the situation so clearly; she was plainly suspicious that the Haitian Sect intended to capture both Venerables in one sweep.

By eliminating these two Venerables, the Spirit Vulture Valley and Qianshan Sect would lose their supreme strength, becoming incapable of rivaling the Haitian Sect’s power.

Zhen Wanqing and Zhan Hongtu exchanged glances. Zhan Hongtu cleared his throat and said, "Brother He, the Haitian Sect’s ambition to destroy our two factions and monopolize Penglai Immortal Island is now obvious. If Brother He is willing to intervene and eliminate Lin Yiwu and Chen Wo'hui, then I, Zhan, and Venerable Zhen are prepared to cede all the Haitian Sect’s territories to you."

Zhen Wanqing also nodded, her expression serious. "Venerable He, the spiritual energy on Penglai Immortal Island is exceedingly rich. Across the vast Eastern Sea, few places can compare, perhaps only two other Immortal Islands and a handful of scattered isles. Therefore, establishing a sect here would undoubtedly be the best choice."

He Yiming regarded the two of them with surprise, then chuckled lightly. "I appreciate your generous intentions, but I originate from the Northwest. Not only do I currently have no intention of establishing a sect, but even if I wished to pass on my legacy, I would only choose the Northwest."

Hearing He Yiming’s resolute refusal, Zhan Hongtu and Zhen Wanqing displayed extreme disappointment outwardly, yet a great weight lifted from their hearts internally.

The Haitian Sect had been tightening its grip over the last three decades, placing immense pressure upon them. Inviting He Yiming to settle on Penglai Immortal Island had been a move born of desperation.

Now, with He Yiming’s blunt refusal, their feelings were a mixture of relief and apprehension.

Since He Yiming was unwilling to found a sect on Penglai Immortal Island, conflict with their two factions in the future was averted. However, without sufficient benefit, why would he agree to help them?

He Yiming seemed to sense their thoughts. "Brother Zhan, I will only be touring the Eastern Sea for at most another year before returning. At that time, I will take Dongcheng with me. His family will remain in the Qianshan Sect; I must trouble you to look after them diligently."

Zhan Hongtu’s eyes lit up, and he nodded firmly. "If it is Brother He's command, I, Zhan, will certainly keep it in mind and dare not forget."

Zhen Wanqing’s eyes also held a spark of surprise. For the sake of Huo Dongcheng, He Yiming was willing to go this far—it was astonishing.

He Yiming let out a hearty laugh. "Since that is settled, let us proceed."

Thunder let out a long, excited cry. After spending time with this creature, He Yiming had realized that its eagerness for battle far surpassed his own. Furthermore, it appeared exceptionally proud, never deigning to oppress the weak; it only displayed such an expression when facing enemies of its own rank or stronger.

Suddenly, Zhen Wanqing extended a hand. "Venerable He, please wait a moment."

He Yiming looked over, displeased. She quickly explained, "Venerable He, might we request that you first accompany us to the engagement, while Mr. Bai and the Sacred Beast Thunder remain concealed for the time being? What do you think?"

After a moment’s consideration, a slight smile touched He Yiming’s face.

The Haitian Sect planned to entrap Zhan Hongtu and Zhen Wanqing, yet they were trying to use the same tactic. If they all went together, with the sudden appearance of He Yiming and Thunder, plus the inscrutable Bai Lingba, it would be truly unbelievable if Lin Yiwu and the others still dared to make a move.

But if only He Yiming went along, Lin Yiwu and his faction would certainly proceed with their original plan, and in that event, how could He Yiming and his companions remain detached?

Zhen Wanqing was also planning to stake everything, leveraging the strength of He Yiming and his group to eliminate future threats once and for all.

His gaze swept over their faces, which involuntarily showed expressions of hopeful anticipation.

He sighed softly. "Very well, I shall abide by Venerable Zhen's wishes." With that, he seemed to mutter to himself, "Brother Zhan, please do not forget your promise."

Zhan Hongtu was overjoyed, vowing solemnly, "Rest assured, Brother He. As long as my Qianshan lineage does not perish, the Huo family will absolutely suffer no harm."

Zhang Hetai sighed inwardly. The Huo family had truly encountered a great benefactor this time. Especially Huo Dongcheng—with such a powerful figure watching over him, his future potential for growth was unimaginable!

South of Penglai Immortal Island lay a renowned major city, the largest on the island, with a permanent population reaching half a million. It served as the principal metropolitan hub for the Haitian faction.

On this particular day, countless people from surrounding islands flocked into this famous city, creating an atmosphere even more bustling than during the New Year celebrations.

Today marked the advent of the Bi-Decennial Thousand Island Martial Competition, during which sects from over a thousand smaller islands would contend for residency rights on Penglai Immortal Island.

The victors earned the right to reside for twenty years; the losers would be expelled from the island.

This was an immutable rule passed down since the Divine Dao Era, which no one dared violate.

Suddenly, hundreds of people rushed out from the city gates. They were powerfully built and full of vigor, clearly an army well-trained.

Several figures leading the group possessed extraordinary auras, and many recognized them instantly as the famous Innate experts from Haitian City.

The middle-aged man surrounded by them commanded an overwhelming presence; few dared meet his eyes when they opened and closed.

Upon emerging, these individuals immediately dispersed the crowd at the gate. Although many Innate experts were present, they dared not voice their displeasure due to the might of the Haitian Sect. Moreover, the formation they adopted clearly indicated they were establishing an honor guard to welcome guests.

Only individuals of truly extraordinary stature would warrant such a grand reception from the Haitian Sect. The arriving masters from afar also recognized this, choosing to remain stationary to see who could command such a display.

Moments later, three luxurious carriages sped toward the gate, driven by sturdy, elite disciples of the Haitian Sect. Over a hundred cavalrymen cleared the path ahead, driving away all loiterers.

When the carriages reached the city gate, they finally halted.

The curtains were drawn back, and three figures descended one after another.

The foremost figure at the gate immediately boomed, "Disciples of the Haitian Sect respectfully welcome the esteemed presence of Venerable Zhen from Spirit Vulture Valley and Venerable Zhan from Qianshan Sect."

"Rumble, rumble..."

The ceremonial cannons, pre-set outside the city, roared to life, sounding eighty-one resounding blasts before falling silent.

Everyone outside the city was filled with surprise and joy; any previous resentment vanished instantly.

It turned out the Haitian Sect was welcoming the Venerables of the other two major powers. Therefore, even the excessive formalities were perfectly understandable.

However, some of the more seasoned observers harbored lingering doubts. With the island's three major powers keeping each other in check, the arrival of the supreme leaders of the other two factions in Haitian City might not be an entirely positive omen.