He Yiming followed his gaze, inwardly shaking his head. It turned out that Yi Zhongtian had spotted the corpse of the Snow Fox on the White Horse Lightning.

Though this man had only reached the Xiantian realm, having not even broken through to the Yixiantian layer, his insight and experience were far from ordinary; with a single glance, he had discerned the origin of the Snow Fox. Yi Zhongtian instinctively shuffled his feet backward, toward the exit, but he quickly recovered himself.

Turning his head, he saw the inscrutable, half-smiling expression on He Yiming’s face, which made him feel even more awkward. Forcing a smile, Yi Zhongtian managed, "Brother He, may I inquire if this White Horse is your mount?" He Yiming naturally did not deny it.

"Indeed, it is my mount." The fact that the White Horse was stationed here had already clearly indicated its ownership; Yi Zhongtian's added inquiry was merely due to his inherently cautious nature. Taking a deep breath, Yi Zhongtian’s eyes gleamed brilliantly.

"Brother He, might I have the opportunity to examine the spirit beast resting upon your mount?" He Yiming let out a soft laugh. He certainly would not refuse such a request.

He walked over to White Horse Lightning. He Yiming carefully lifted the Snow Fox corpse down, gently stroking the horse’s neck a few times.

The horse turned its head, extending its long tongue to give him a few affectionate licks; the man and beast appeared perfectly in sync. Bao Zhu’s eyes grew envious.

He leaped down from White Horse Lightning’s back, forcefully squeezing himself between the two. He Yiming burst into laughter, pulled Bao Zhu toward him, and placed him back onto White Horse Lightning’s back.

He then entered the main hall, handing the Snow Fox he held over. If the White Horse had been an ordinary warhorse, He Yiming would not have bothered to handle it personally.

But given the White Horse’s current strength, allowing Yi Zhongtian to retrieve the Snow Fox from its back would have been tantamount to murder by proxy; thus, He Yiming had no choice but to attend to it himself. Yi Zhongtian nodded gratefully toward He Yiming.

He gingerly accepted the Snow Fox, softly tracing its smooth, silky skin with his fingers. After scrutinizing it for a long time, he finally confirmed the origin of the object in his hand.

A strange light flickered in his eyes—a look quite peculiar, seeming to carry a degree of greed, envy, and intense desire. He inhaled deeply.

"Brother He, could this be the legendary Northern Border Snow Fox?" He Yiming smiled faintly. "Perhaps so." Yi Zhongtian’s gaze immediately turned fervent.

"Brother He, to be frank, several years ago, our sect has been searching the Northern Border for a Snow Fox. This item is extremely important to us.

If Brother He is willing to part with it, our sect will certainly offer a price that will satisfy you." He Yiming waved his hand lightly. "Brother Yi speaks in jest.

This item also has uses for me, and thus, it is truly not available for exchange." The smile on Yi Zhongtian's face became somewhat strained. However, having been assigned to oversee this branch palace, he was himself a seasoned, adaptable individual.

After hearing this, he merely laughed heartily and immediately returned the Snow Fox to He Yiming. Although he knew Yi Zhongtian was deeply unwilling and perhaps already plotting ways to acquire the Snow Fox, He Yiming remained unconcerned.

Instead, he inwardly admired the man's decisiveness. Yet, if the other party were to try any underhanded tricks, He Yiming would ensure they left a profoundly deep impression.

Yi Zhongtian clapped his hands, and two men immediately entered. He casually gave an order, and those two promptly left to prepare a banquet.

Yi Zhongtian solicitously escorted He Yiming to a large residence, the guest quarters of the manor. While the architecture was unremarkable, it excelled in its sturdiness and simplicity—practicality being the most valued trait in the resource-scarce Northern Lands.

Moments later, someone delivered the fully prepared feast. Yi Zhongtian smiled, inviting He Yiming to take his seat.

Although only the two of them were present, the atmosphere was kept congenial through Yi Zhongtian’s deliberate management. "Brother He, achieving the Xiantian realm at your young age suggests you hail from one of the great aristocratic families of Da Shen, perhaps?" Yi Zhongtian inquired tentatively.

He Yiming offered an ambiguous smile, giving the man an inscrutable expression. Yi Zhongtian was sharp enough to understand that He Yiming did not wish to discuss that topic.

He quickly changed the subject. "I have one more matter to ask about." He pointed toward the Snow Fox beside He Yiming, his expression serious.

"Brother He, where did you hunt this Snow Fox? Was it an undertaking you managed alone, or did you collaborate with your companions?" He Yiming picked up the wine cup from the table and casually took a sip.

"The three of us attacked it together, but we still startled it, causing it to flee. Coincidentally, after parting ways with my companions, I encountered this Snow Fox again.

However, by then, it was already severely wounded and barely able to move. So, I took a huge advantage and easily finished it off." What he said was entirely true, without a shred of falsehood.

Under the Heavenly Might unleashed by the Divine Dao Condensing Blood Man, this fox had indeed been gravely wounded and, further controlled by the Condensing Blood Man's will, was nearly immobile. For He Yiming to strike and kill it was merely lifting a finger.

Nevertheless, these words, reaching Yi Zhongtian’s ears, sounded somewhat like an outlandish fable. The Snow Fox was known as the fastest spirit beast on the ice plains.

Although Yi Zhongtian could not ascertain the exact rank of the Snow Fox He Yiming held, he could certainly deduce it was at least a thousand-year spirit beast. As for the Saint Beast level, Yi Zhongtian dismissed that thought after only a brief consideration.

If He Yiming and his friends had encountered a Saint Beast Snow Fox, it would not have been them hunting the fox; rather, the fox would have been hunting the three of them. Sighing deeply, Yi Zhongtian said with genuine feeling, "Brother He, your luck is truly extraordinary." He Yiming smiled with a touch of pride.

"Brother Yi, may I ask the purpose for which your sect seeks to purchase Snow Foxes?" Yi Zhongtian hesitated for a moment, but then dismissed his reservations. Since the value of the Snow Fox was common knowledge throughout the Northern Border, it was better to be direct than evasive.

This knowledge was hardly a secret anyway. "Brother He, the Snow Fox is a unique spirit beast of the Northern Border ice plains.

Its blood contains immense power. If its blood is used in conjunction with certain medicinal herbs, it can refine a miraculous elixir capable of restoring True Qi." He paused.

"The blood of an average Xiantian-level Snow Fox, after refinement, can restore one-tenth of one's True Qi. But if it is the blood of a Saint Beast level Snow Fox…" He made smacking sounds with his mouth, clearly filled with envy, "That is a treasure elixir capable of restoring all True Qi in a very short time." He Yiming blinked twice.

Only then did he fully grasp the true worth of this small creature. Although experts in the Xiantian realm could slowly restore their True Qi by absorbing the energy of heaven and earth, the immense consumption during fierce combat far outstripped the minor restoration achieved through absorption.

In such moments, swallowing a Snow Fox Spirit Elixir would undoubtedly give any opponent nightmares. Furthermore, He Yiming understood clearly that Di Shitian and the others intended to refine the Snow Fox Spirit Elixir for Yuan Lixun.

After all, summoning the Light of the Divine Artifact was no simple feat. Without absolute preparedness, He Yiming would never permit Yuan Lixun to take such a risk.

Yi Zhongtian's envious gaze settled upon the Snow Fox beside He Yiming. "Not only that, but the Xiantian Inner Core of the Snow Fox is coveted by everyone.

The Xiantian Golden Pill refined using the Snow Fox Inner Core guarantees that a Houtian master at the peak of the tenth level of Inner Strength will advance successfully upon consumption." He Yiming’s eyes brightened slightly. This Snow Fox indeed possessed many things that made others’ mouths water.

"Brother Yi, have you ever seen the elixir formula for refining Snow Fox blood?" He Yiming asked in a low voice. Yi Zhongtian pondered for a moment.

"My humble abode possesses a copy of that formula. I will send someone to deliver it to Brother He shortly." He Yiming paused, surprised.

"Brother Yi, you are too kind. This formula should be a treasure yearned for by every alchemist; I cannot accept it for free." Yi Zhongtian offered a wry smile.

"Brother He is mistaken. This formula has circulated in our Northern Border for several thousand years; practically everyone has a copy.

If Brother He takes a stroll around the city, he is certain to acquire the formula from some local cultivator." He Yiming was greatly perplexed. "If this elixir is so precious, why is the formula so widespread?" Yi Zhongtian shook his head, helpless.

"Initially, this formula was indeed incredibly valuable. However, the number of Snow Foxes is too small, and their speed is too great; few people ever see one, and even if they do, catching it is nearly impossible.

Therefore, without a steady supply of Snow Foxes, the value of the formula naturally plummeted until it became a common handout." He Yiming finally understood. It was much like how everyone knew that replicas of Divine Artifacts possessed unimaginable power, but how few people actually obtained one.

In contrast, those slightly lower-tier formulas became exceptionally valuable, while the unattainable ones slowly filtered down into general circulation. Yi Zhongtian spoke sincerely.

"Brother He’s Snow Fox should be of the Spirit Beast grade. However, the effect of instantly restoring one-tenth of one's True Qi is already quite remarkable." He Yiming smiled faintly, offering no further explanation.

After all, if he told the truth—that this Snow Fox had been a Saint Beast in life—even the dimmest-witted Yi Zhongtian would likely deduce He Yiming's true identity. "If Brother He intends to find an alchemist to refine the Snow Fox Spirit Elixir, it would be best to seek out a high-tier alchemist," Yi Zhongtian advised, pausing briefly.

"While this formula itself is inexpensive, the resulting elixir is a highly sought-after commodity. Moreover, refining the elixir is by no means easy; unless one is a high-tier alchemist, achieving success on the first attempt is quite difficult." He Yiming nodded and smiled at him, though his mind was already set on a different course.

Alchemy might present insurmountable obstacles for others, but for him, it was supremely simple. Especially with the genuine Nine Dragon Furnace assisting, it would be difficult even to fail.

After three rounds of drinks, Yi Zhongtian judiciously stood up to take his leave. Not long after, a young servant arrived, carrying an ancient formula to He Yiming’s quarters.