The gentle thud of hooves settled, and this time, though White Horse Thunder did not advance with its usual speed, its lightness far surpassed its former gait. When its four hooves met the earth, not a single sound was produced.

Even though the Snow Fox was several miles away, as long as White Horse Thunder did not unleash its lightning power, it was nearly impossible to alert the mystical creature. Yet, under He Yiming’s directive, White Horse Thunder exhibited the entirety of its subtle grace.

Finally, He Yiming lightly squeezed his thighs, and White Horse Thunder immediately halted.

“Brother Bai, do you think this spot is suitable?” He Yiming inquired.

“Based on my calculations, if the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs fails his ambush and the Snow Fox flees, this location offers the highest probability of interception,” came Bai Lingba’s voice, utterly devoid of inflection.

He Yiming’s eyes darted, but no matter how wide he opened them, he couldn't perceive the scene ten miles distant. In this moment, he desperately wished he possessed Bai Lingba’s clairvoyant sight.

With a long sigh, he said, “Brother Bai, what exactly is this ‘Cunning Scheme Constitution’?”

“Silicon-based life forms are entities like myself, while you are carbon-based,” Bai Lingba explained calmly. “In this world, I have only observed carbon-based life forms.”

He Yiming frowned slightly. Though he still didn't fully grasp the meaning of those words, one thing was certain: this entity implied that no one in this world could learn his scientific combat techniques.

But truth be told, even if it were possible, He Yiming wouldn't want to learn such an uncanny skill.

A technique that could transform a person into all sorts of bizarre things—if truly mastered, could he even be called human anymore? He doubted he’d even qualify as a spirit beast.

Gazing into the distance, He Yiming’s heart gradually settled. He knew that Ji Mo Fanshu was slowly approaching the Snow Fox using his peculiar abilities.

In reality, among everyone present, Bai Lingba was the best choice. With his power, dealing with a Five Qi Great Venerable was no issue. Furthermore, possessing no life aura and being proficient in the Way of Change, closing in on an unwary spirit beast would have been a sure thing.

However, Bai Lingba adhered to a principle of conduct that often left He Yiming exasperated: he absolutely would not harm intelligent life.

Since the Snow Fox was a Sacred Beast, it undoubtedly possessed intelligence comparable to humans, rendering Bai Lingba an unreliable asset for this task.

“Brother Bai, show me the situation ahead,” He Yiming conceded, settling for the next best option.

Bai Lingba stepped forward without hesitation, the back of his head rapidly flattening and morphing into a small screen.

Evidently, Bai Lingba perfectly understood what He Yiming wished to see, for as the screen flickered to life, He Yiming instantly saw a snow-white fox lying on the ground.

Though this little fox was cunning and suspicious, it was not a Divine Beast. It remained entirely oblivious to surveillance from ten miles away.

Within its field of vision, nothing threatened its existence, so the white fox appeared incredibly relaxed, lazily stretched out on the ground, allowing the sunlight to warm its body.

Although this was the harsh cold of the north, basking in the sun for a while was one of the greatest pleasures for all spirit beasts.

Of course, only powerful Sacred Beasts could afford to sunbathe so openly; any ordinary wild beast doing the same would swiftly become a meal for others, be they beasts or men.

“The Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs has arrived,” Bai Lingba’s voice suddenly cut in.

He Yiming’s heart tensed. He peered closely, but the screen showed nothing resembling the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs—not even a single stone seemed out of place.

“Where is he?” He Yiming asked, perplexed.

The screen before him shifted rapidly. After cycling through several views, He Yiming finally saw a dark, dull stone.

This stone blended perfectly with its surroundings, seemingly having rested there for centuries, hardened by sun, rain, and frost, making it incredibly resilient.

“That is the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs?” He Yiming asked in disbelief.

He could detect absolutely no flaw in the stone, nor could he associate it with a top-tier figure like the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs.

Were it not for the clear marker displayed on Bai Lingba’s screen, even He Yiming would never have believed that this rock was the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs.

Suddenly, the image on the screen seemed to momentarily blur. But He Yiming immediately understood that the screen hadn't glitched; the stone had moved.

It had inexplicably advanced several meters forward.

This was no illusion; it was a genuine occurrence. Only then did He Yiming accept that this stone was indeed the great Assassin of the World, the Old Ancestor of the Yellow Springs.

Yet, what further astonished and instilled caution in He Yiming was this:

Even now, as his gaze settled upon the stone, he could not discern any weakness.

Ji Mo Fanshu’s art of concealment had reached a point of true deception, making it almost impossible to detect. If not for the strange "Cunning Scheme" entity, Bai Lingba, everyone else would have remained utterly duped.

A chill crept into He Yiming’s heart. Being plotted against in the shadows was never a good prospect.

The stone in the screen continued to move. Every motion Ji Mo Fanshu made was flawless, utterly seamless.

He had almost entirely merged his being with the surrounding terrain, making even the stone’s movement feel natural, as if it had always been situated there and had never moved.

As He Yiming slowly absorbed this on the screen, a strange realization washed over him.

Illusion and reality—like light and shadow—were two distinct yet opposing forces.

Ji Mo Fanshu had masterfully combined these two powers, allowing him to utilize varying terrains and even shifts in light to achieve his slow, methodical approach.

His movements were invariably slow, often pausing for long stretches without any indication of motion. Yet, He Yiming watched with keen interest, learning a great deal in that moment.

This sensation of integrating oneself completely into the landscape, though lacking the sheer might of the heavens and earth, was not to be underestimated.

A sharp light flashed in He Yiming’s eyes. Regardless of whether they succeeded in killing the Snow Fox this time, the journey was worthwhile.

If Ji Mo Fanshu knew of He Yiming’s gains at this moment, he would likely weep tears of regret.

The old master had displayed his full capabilities not to instruct He Yiming, but to ensure the successful slaying of the Snow Fox ahead.

Furthermore, he possessed absolute confidence in his technique of concealment. While he acknowledged that Bai Lingba might indeed see the Snow Fox ten miles away, tracking his own presence remained exceedingly difficult.

However, he was unaware that Bai Lingba’s clairvoyance was different. Although Bai Lingba could not cultivate any martial arts, He Yiming, absorbing everything into his vision, was a peak expert of the Human Dao.

Ji Mo Fanshu’s centuries of relentless training were, at this instant, being completely revealed to He Yiming and thoroughly assimilated.

Slowly, He Yiming, too, began to resemble a human statue. Not a trace of life aura emanated from his body.

Treasure Pig and White Horse Thunder stared at him with suspicious eyes, seemingly questioning if this silent figure was still He Yiming.

At this point, He Yiming had truly merged with his surroundings—a genuine melding, absent only of the active technique of concealment. Everything else mirrored Ji Mo Fanshu’s state.

Of course, their life auras hadn't truly vanished. Instead, having fully integrated with the environment, the aura blended into the world, becoming faint and almost imperceptible. Unlike Bai Lingba, who naturally possessed no life aura, their auras would instantly normalize the moment they emerged from this peculiar state.

The black stone that Ji Mo Fanshu had transformed into gradually drew closer to the Snow Fox, the distance of one hundred feet rapidly closing.

Under normal circumstances, He Yiming would have felt a surge of anxiety for him. But at this moment, He Yiming’s state of mind was completely immersed in the environment. His heart held no ripples; instead, he was continuously calculating Ji Mo Fanshu’s success rate and contingency plans should the attack falter.

In this instant, his composure nearly rivaled that of the centuries-old master assassin.

The Snow Fox lying on the ground slowly swayed its magnificent tail, seemingly savoring the moment.

However, just as Ji Mo Fanshu approached within one hundred feet, its half-closed eyes snapped open. Two sharp, vigilant gazes swept the surroundings, and its gently swaying tail froze mid-air as if struck by a paralysis spell.

The black stone on the ground also ceased all motion instantly, looking as if it had rested there for millennia, without the slightest flaw.

Conversely, He Yiming in the distance felt a slight twitch in his brow. To detect such an anomaly under these conditions confirmed the spirit beast’s legendary status.

Perhaps its raw power wasn't overwhelming, but its sensory intuition was certainly among the best of all spirit beasts.

After a pause, sensing nothing substantial, the Snow Fox gradually let down its guard. Its high-held tail slowly dropped, its wide-open eyes half-closed, and its head rested askew on the ground, apparently resuming its enjoyment of the afternoon sun.

After another long moment, the black stone finally began to move once more.

The distance between them finally narrowed to within one hundred feet.

A streak of black light suddenly erupted from the black stone, akin to a meteor streaking across the heavens, leaving a clear sword mark in the void as it pierced toward the leisurely lying Snow Fox on the ground.