The two men stood in silence, facing each other, for a long while. Then, He Yiming slapped his forehead. “Brother Chu, I have some good news for you.”

Chu Haozhou looked utterly surprised. Just as he was about to inquire, he suddenly looked up toward the sky.

In the distance, a massive bird plunged downward, followed by a piercing, desperate shriek that echoed through the air.

The great bird then soared high, circling once with an air of arrogant dominance.

Focusing his true energy within his eyes, He Yiming instantly recognized the creature: it was the spiritual vulture that Zhen Wanqing had ridden in on. Although not a Sacred Beast, it possessed power comparable to that of a Yixiantian expert; once it locked onto a target that was not an absolute master of that realm, escape in the flatlands was impossible.

He Yiming frowned slightly. “The person just now was a Xiantian master.”

Chu Haozhou nodded faintly. “Indeed. Only a Xiantian master’s dying cry could carry so far.”

Although they could see the distant sky, the actual distance between them was immense; they could only gauge the identity of the deceased by the strength of the sound.

“Let’s go take a look,” He Yiming called out loudly.

Chu Haozhou chuckled. “Brother He, let’s rest here for a bit longer. If we head over in another half an hour, that should be enough time.”

He Yiming was baffled and asked, “Why?”

Chu Haozhou pointed in the direction the sound had come from. “Look, what place is that?”

He Yiming raised his gaze to the distance. “That’s the direction of Haitian City.”

Chu Haozhou laughed heartily. “That settles it. We’ll just wait slowly.”

He Yiming grew even more puzzled. If not for the deep friendship he shared with Chu Haozhou, he might truly have suspected the man’s intentions.

Slowly, Chu Haozhou let his smile fade. “If my calculations are correct, Haitian City is already in utter chaos right now.”

He Yiming sighed softly. That was an obvious conclusion. The Haitian Sect had lost both of its honored Venerables, plus two guest Venerables, all on the same day. Any sect would descend into pandemonium under such circumstances.

Chu Haozhou’s expression hardened. “I was worried before, but seeing that spiritual vulture confirms that Zhan Hongtu and the other one have not disappointed my expectations.”

He Yiming blinked several times. “Brother Chu, what exactly are you trying to say?”

Chu Haozhou curved his lips. “Brother, do you know why I deliberately drove away Zhan Hongtu and Zhen Wanqing before the confrontation?”

He Yiming pondered for a long moment before finally shaking his head.

Chu Haozhou sighed leisurely. “Although those two did not participate in the massacre of our sect disciples on the Xianlingshan lineage, within their sphere of influence, they drove out every single one of our scattered disciples. Those disciples were subsequently killed by Lin Yiwu and the others. I, for one, am ashamed to be associated with such enablers.”

He Yiming responded quietly, knowing there had to be another reason.

As expected, Chu Haozhou continued, “Moreover, since I have advanced to the Five Qi Realm, and with the help of you and Baima, I no longer need those two hindering me. However…” He paused, a sinister shadow suddenly crossing his face, “The biggest reason I drove them away was so they could clean up the aftermath.”

He Yiming’s heart tightened. A possibility dawned on him, and he looked up at Chu Haozhou in astonishment.

Chu Haozhou nodded slowly. “Though I have reached the Five Qi Realm, I am still only one man. The Haitian Sect has countless members; killing them one by one is endless. I simply cannot eradicate them single-handedly.”

He Yiming took a deep breath. “So, you let those two go, knowing they wouldn't leave immediately, but would watch the battle between our sides until a victor emerged. If we had lost, there would be nothing to say. But if we won and killed Lin Yiwu and the rest, they would surely move instantly to execute all the Xiantian masters in the Haitian Sect.”

Chu Haozhou burst into laughter. “Brother He is absolutely correct. Once the Haitian Sect’s Xiantian experts are dead or crippled, those two will certainly dispatch every capable master from the sect to completely extinguish the Haitian lineage.” His laughter grew louder, tinged with a hint of madness.

He Yiming sighed heavily; he could already see the fate of the Haitian Sect. Having lost their peak strength and the majority of their Xiantian experts, the sect would surely crumble into dust. Once the forces from Qianshan Gate and Lingjiu Valley arrived, they would undoubtedly sweep away every vestige of Haitian power with irresistible momentum, perhaps even carrying out total extermination. Just like the Xianlingshan lineage before them, destined to vanish from the world.

Chu Haozhou had set this entire scenario in motion before making his move, which was why he so generously allowed Zhan Hongtu and the other to depart. Had he been intent only on personal vengeance and slain those two as well, even Qianshan Gate and Lingjiu Valley combined might not have been a match for the Haitian Sect.

Using others to do the killing—it truly was the most effortless method.

Gazing ahead, Chu Haozhou suddenly gave a light snort. “Zhan Hongtu and Zhen Wanqing, while not entirely without fault, did expel my sect’s disciples. Heh heh. Let them enjoy their freedom for now. Within five years, they are sure to destroy the Haitian Sect completely. By then, I will surely have refined my First Qi to true perfection, and killing a single person will be as easy as turning my hand. Once those two are dead, how could Qianshan Gate and Lingjiu Valley possibly remain at peace?” He chuckled darkly. “No matter who ultimately gains control of Penglai Immortal Island, this grievance of our lineage will have been thoroughly settled.”

He Yiming stared at Chu Haozhou, completely dumbfounded. Though their acquaintance was brief, Chu Haozhou had never struck him as such a sinister individual. Only now did he realize that the corrosive power of hatred could change anyone. He couldn't imagine how Chu Haozhou had endured those forty years on the desolate island.

With a long sigh, He Yiming’s expression suddenly changed. “Not good.”

Chu Haozhou asked inexplicably, “What’s not good?”

He Yiming forced a bitter smile. “Brother Chu, I met someone on Penglai Immortal Island. This person possesses cultivation talent in the three elements: Wind, Water, and Fire. More importantly, he is only eighteen years old and has not yet taken a master.”

Chu Haozhou whipped around, his eyes glittering with an intense light, a mix of shock and elation washing over his face. After taking a deep breath, he asked, “Brother He, where is this person now, and what is his name?”

“His name is Huo Dongcheng, and he currently resides in Qianshan City.”

Chu Haozhou raised his eyebrows slightly. “Qianshan City? Does he have some connection to Qianshan Gate?”

He Yiming gave a thumbs-up. “Brother Chu is right. His third uncle has been taken as a disciple by Zhan Hongtu, and the entire family receives special consideration from Qianshan Gate.”

The light in Chu Haozhou’s eyes shifted unpredictably. After a long moment, he said, “To be favored and accepted by Zhan Hongtu, his third uncle must also be exceptionally talented. But why would Zhan Hongtu let Huo Dongcheng go untouched?”

He Yiming chuckled. “Simple. Because I have already taken him as a disciple on your behalf, accepting him into your lineage.”

Chu Haozhou’s eyes immediately shone, filling with profound gratitude toward He Yiming. A person with talent across three elements was already extremely rare. If such an individual were a lone cultivator, they might never find a worthy heir even after a lifetime of searching. But Chu Haozhou’s constitution was unique; he didn't cultivate three harmonious elements from the Five Elements cycle, but the disparate trio of Wind, Water, and Fire. Thus, finding a true successor was a hundred times more difficult for him than for other Venerables. Therefore, when He Yiming told him he had found a successor, the excitement he felt was beyond description.

He Yiming waved his hands repeatedly, smiling wryly. “Brother Chu, I didn’t know there was conflict between the Xianlingshan lineage and Qianshan Gate before. Otherwise, I never would have agreed to let Dongcheng’s uncle join Zhan Hongtu’s sect. But now that the die is cast, the Huo family has effectively become part of Qianshan Gate, which makes me feel troubled.”

Chu Haozhou’s expression shifted slightly; he immediately understood He Yiming’s dilemma. If he accepted this disciple, seeking revenge against Qianshan Gate in the future would become complicated. Killing Zhan Hongtu would undoubtedly have a fatal impact on Qianshan Gate, and the entire Huo family would be swept up in the repercussions.

After a moment of hesitation, Chu Haozhou said, “Brother He, since they have only recently joined Qianshan Gate, their emotional attachment shouldn't be deep yet. Why don't we take the whole family and leave the Immortal Island?”

He Yiming paused briefly. “I don’t object, but I suspect it will be very difficult.” He recounted in detail what had happened after they separated, specifically pointing out the friendship and ties between Zhang Hetai of Qianshan Gate and the Huo family. Hearing this, even Chu Haozhou understood that the Huo family’s relationship with Qianshan Gate was now inextricable.

The look in Chu Haozhou’s eyes shifted through myriad emotions. He Yiming knew the decision was difficult for him, so he refrained from pressing, having laid out everything without reservation. Whether Huo Dongcheng and Chu Haozhou were destined to connect was beyond his control.

A full hour later, Chu Haozhou finally let out a long sigh. “The greatest enemy of our lineage is the Haitian Sect. As long as we can uproot that sect, the heroic spirits of our people should finally be able to rest in peace.”

He Yiming smiled faintly. Hearing those words, he instantly knew that Chu Haozhou had chosen to set aside his enmity with Qianshan Gate in order to accept this disciple. As for Lingjiu Valley, that was no longer within He Yiming’s immediate concern. He held great hope for Huo Dongcheng’s future; the fact that Chu Haozhou spent an hour deliberating before making his final decision meant it was thoroughly considered, and he would surely spare no effort in cultivating Huo Dongcheng later on.

Chu Haozhou glanced toward Haitian City. “Brother He, they should have finished their work by now. Let’s go see.”

He Yiming smiled slightly, and the two of them, accompanied by the group of non-human entities beside them, set off together toward the distance.