Hao Xue certainly wanted to release the Coagulating Blood Silk. Even though it was his own Vaporization Divine Weapon, it was not as important as his own life. But upon touching the Coagulating Blood Silk, he felt an immense, unimaginable suction. When he made contact, he was immediately aware of the powerful Blood Energy contained within.

It was precisely this Blood Energy, stemming from the same source yet far more potent than his own, that held his strength fast, rendering him utterly unable to break free.

Recalling the words once spoken by the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs, he instantly understood who lay beneath the water.

Pulled uncontrollably into the sea by this force, a fierce glint flashed in his eyes. All his True Qi circulated wildly, poured without reservation into the Coagulating Blood Silk at this critical moment.

At this juncture, he chose without hesitation to detonate his Divine Weapon to safeguard his own safety.

A Divine Weapon could be reformed within a few months to a year after exploding, but if life itself was lost, then nothing remained.

However, He Yiming immediately saw through his intention. He gave a cold chuckle, and the five-colored light in his hand spun rapidly, instantly transforming into a five-hued vortex that resembled a terrifying maw, surging upward along the Coagulating Blood Silk.

Hao Xue was struck with terror. He suddenly realized that the suction on the Coagulating Blood Silk had inexplicably vanished.

Without a second thought, he decisively abandoned the Vaporization Divine Weapon, surging upward, instantly breaking the water's surface, intending to flee into the distance.

Yet, his eyes suddenly widened, and a terrible shriek tore from his throat.

A pair of pig hooves, shimmering with black light, fiercely pierced through both his legs. The Treasure Pig had somehow appeared floating on the sea surface, striking precisely when Hao Xue was unable to focus his attention.

Although the Treasure Pig did not appear large, nowhere near as imposing as the White Horse Thunder, its hooves were unbelievably hard. Even the corpse of the Silver Eel King, which even divine weapons could not breach, was easily torn apart by those terrifying pig hooves.

The protective True Qi of an ordinary Venerable was like defenseless parchment before the Treasure Pig.

Hao Xue's legs throbbed with unbearable pain; the powerful tearing sensation made his vision darken, nearly causing him to faint instantly. But he was, after all, a Venerable. With fierce resolve, he pushed forward, attempting to escape with two bloody holes in his legs.

But that momentary delay was fatal. A stream of five-colored light instantly enveloped him, followed by a massive force charging forward. The formidable power of a Five-Qi Great Venerable compressed him from all directions.

Hao Xue’s face contorted in a savage expression. He roared in despair, "He Yiming, I am the only Venerable of the Hao family, and a direct descendant of the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs! If you kill me, the Old Ancestor will surely exterminate your entire family!"

He Yiming’s movements paused. A look of hesitation flickered across his face.

Hao Xue was briefly stunned. His final roar had been merely reflexive, but he hadn't expected it to actually bluff He Yiming. A spark of hope ignited within him. Though this hope was slim, it was infinitely better than complete despair.

He Yiming paused for a long moment, then inquired, "You are a direct descendant of the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs?"

"Indeed," Hao Xue declared proudly. Even in this near-desperate situation, when he spoke these words, he still held his head high, brimming with pride.

For anyone, having an ancestor who was a peak expert of the Human Dao was something to be immensely proud of.

He Yiming snorted coldly, "In Zhongjing City and the Northwest, you repeatedly opposed me. Why?"

Hao Xue forcibly suppressed the intense hatred churning in his heart. He vowed internally that if he survived this encounter, he would summon the Old Ancestor, whatever the cost. This He Yiming was too terrifying; he absolutely could not be allowed any opportunity to increase his strength further.

For now, however, he maintained as calm a demeanor as possible. "We desire the Coagulating Blood Scripture and the Seventy-Two Relics from you." He paused. "Ancient Demon was a traitor to the Yellow Springs Sect, and also the Old Ancestor's final personal disciple. When he betrayed the sect and fled Great Shen, he stole the Coagulating Blood Scripture and the Seventy-Two Relics. We conducted over a hundred years of meticulous investigation and finally located him, but we did not expect you to get there first. Thus, these misunderstandings occurred."

He Yiming gave a disdainful smile. "Misunderstandings? Then what about the Old Ancestor of the Yu family?"

Hao Xue's expression shifted slightly. He said gravely, "If I tell you the truth, will you let me leave?"

He Yiming raised his eyebrows. "At this stage, do you truly believe you have room to bargain?"

Hao Xue's face shifted through myriad expressions, but human nature dictates that as long as there is a sliver of hope for survival, one will not extinguish the path themselves.

"The Old Ancestor of the Yu family had his heart pierced by you, making his death certain. But he possessed the Five Elements Body, and his cultivation had reached the realm of a Five-Qi Great Venerable. Therefore, the Old Ancestor inserted the Coagulated Blood Man into his body, devouring his consciousness and taking control of his body." Hao Xue’s face darkened. "The combination of the Old Ancestor of the Yu family and the Coagulated Blood Man possessed martial strength not far inferior to a peak Human Dao expert, but ultimately, he was defeated by your White Horse."

He Yiming’s expression remained unchanged. He said coldly, "Does the Old Ancestor of the Yu family still possess his intellect?"

Hao Xue shook his head without hesitation. "That is impossible. The Old Ancestor of the Yu family is dead. What controls his body now is the Coagulated Blood Man, but the Coagulated Blood Man is incapable of developing true consciousness. It only knows how to obey orders and survive based on instinct."

He Yiming snorted lightly. "Then why did the Old Ancestor of the Yu family suddenly flee?"

Hao Xue was instantly dumbfounded. Truthfully, this question baffled even him after deep consideration.

After a moment, Hao Xue forced a wry smile. "I do not know. Perhaps because he was defeated by the White Horse, instinct caused him to feel fear and flee."

He Yiming nodded inwardly, but this revelation entirely eased his worries. Since the fleeing Old Ancestor of the Yu family lacked sentience, he naturally wouldn't actively return to the Nine Netherworld of Great Shen. With that settled, what did he still need to fear?

His gaze toward Hao Xue grew increasingly cold, and the immense killing intent he suppressed was no longer concealed.

Hao Xue’s face turned ashen. He murmured, "So you still intend to kill me." He gasped deeply, like a fish caught on dry land, nearing death, drawing in its last breaths. "Are you not afraid of retaliation from the Old Ancestor?"

"I am afraid," He Yiming admitted without hesitation. "Precisely because I am so afraid of retaliation from the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs, I never dared to kill you before."

Hao Xue was briefly taken aback, and a glimmer of hope lit his eyes. "Brother Hao, the grudges between us arose from misunderstandings. If you spare me, I, Hao Xue, will certainly plead with my ancestor. If you return the Coagulating Blood Scripture, we will drop the matter of the Seventy-Two Relics." He was an intelligent man, realizing that offering this concession would make him more trustworthy. Of course, what he truly intended in his deepest heart was known only to himself.

He Yiming let out a dry laugh. "Hao Xue, do you know why I didn't kill you before?"

The muscles in Hao Xue's face twitched slightly. "Because you feared retaliation from my ancestor."

He Yiming shook his head slightly and said coldly, "I didn't kill you before because you were always accompanied by powerful experts. If I had killed you, the news would certainly have reached the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs." The corner of his mouth lifted in a faint, placid smile. "This unexpected encounter means no one knows what happened. Heh heh, the vast sea, dangers lurk everywhere. Even if the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs has reached the Divine Dao realm, he will never discover the cause of your death."

Only then did Hao Xue understand his meaning, and utter despair filled his eyes. He hissed resentfully, "So you wanted to kill me long ago."

He Yiming watched him coldly. "That's right. At Ghost Cry Ridge, I intended to eliminate all three of you. But alas, I couldn't do it then."

Knowing death was inevitable, Hao Xue no longer concealed the emotions in his heart. His eyes were filled with venomous resentment. "Zhu Guanhao was indeed killed by you."

He Yiming was briefly taken aback. He glanced at the other man in surprise, his mind working rapidly. He immediately knew the source of the question and laughed mockingly. "I didn't expect the Old Ancestor of the Yu family would even tell you that."

Hao Xue's body trembled slightly. "He Yiming, the Old Ancestor's methods reach the heavens! He will certainly find you and avenge me! He will slaughter your entire He Family Village, leaving not a single chicken or dog alive."

A cold light flashed in He Yiming's eyes. He threw his head back and laughed heartily. "If you want to destroy my He Family Village, you must first let him find the cause of your death!"

At this point, the animosity between them was irreconcilable; there was no possibility for compromise.

The five-colored light around him erupted, suddenly forming a massive, illusory Five Elements Wheel in the sky.

Hao Xue roared, throwing himself violently toward He Yiming, his eyes filled with venom, despair, and a desire for mutual destruction that bordered on derangement. However, in the face of an absolute disparity in strength, this desire was merely a fantasy that could never be realized.

Red light flickered within the Five Elements Ring, and nine fire dragons suddenly burst forth.

The temperature of the sea surface immediately rose. Although these nine fire dragons could not compare to the nine fire dragons emanating from the Treasure Pig's Nine-Toothed Rake, they were more than enough to deal with a single...