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Chapter 196: Seeing Shui Xuanjin Again
🕑 Added 2025-06-02 19:12:35 +0000 UTCAll Novels || Martial God
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After residing for ten days in the flourishing He Family Village, He Yiming handed eight Limit Golden Pills and hundreds of Energy Golden Pills to his father. He meticulously cautioned his father that due to the unique properties of the Limit Golden Pill, an individual could only break through their limits the first time they took it in their lifetime. Therefore, its use must be approached with extreme caution.
He Quanming naturally understood the gravity of the situation and stored away the Limit Golden Pills. However, he distributed the Energy Golden Pills, even giving one to Yuan Liling.
He Yiming was very pleased with his father's actions. Since Yuan Liling had promised to stay with the He Family permanently, it was only right to treat him equally.
Subsequently, he and Yuan Lixun departed again, heading to the capital of Tianluo Country.
Everyone knew that the current prosperity of He Family Village was due to He Yiming being the Nation Protecting Master of Tianluo Country. As a result, even the imperial family spared no effort in showing him favor. Under such circumstances, even He Yiming could only reciprocate.
He Yiming did not wish to easily disrupt this honeymoon period.
Several months after his departure, Yuan Chengzhi, the patriarch of the Jinlin Yuan Family, rushed over. He had dropped everything immediately after receiving a letter from his eldest son, Yuan Liling, and came to He Family Village.
When he arrived at He Family Village, he was instantly shocked by the earth-shattering changes. However, after meeting Yuan Liling privately, he immediately frowned and said, "Liling, what nonsense are you talking about in your letter? How can you give up the position of the next family patriarch? Even a woman from the He Family is not worth such a choice from you."
Yuan Liling smiled slightly and said, "Father, your son was not impulsive. This decision was made after careful consideration."
Yuan Chengzhi's face hardened and he said, "Nonsense. In your heart, is a woman from the He Family more important than the entire Yuan Family?"
Yuan Liling shook his head and said, "That is of course incomparable. But Father, do you think our two daughters from the Yuan Family, after marrying into the He Family, can truly rest easy?"
Yuan Chengzhi was stunned. He thought seriously for a moment and said, "Liling, actually, with the He Family's prestige, our Yuan Family within Jinlin can indeed rest easy." He said solemnly, "The news of Master He Yiming defeating Master Cheng Fu has spread throughout Jinlin. I can't imagine any blind fool daring to provoke our Yuan Family."
Yuan Liling sighed softly and said, "Father, perhaps for a year or two, but what about after ten or eight years? If another Fan Family, driven by a desire to rise, emerges, how will we cope? Do we have to ask the He Family for help every time because of an Acquired Stage expert at the Tenth Level of Inner Strength?"
Yuan Chengzhi fell silent immediately. After a moment, he said in a deep voice, "Liling, is that the reason you made up your mind?"
Yuan Liling puffed out his chest and said, "Master He Yiming has promised that as long as I stay with the He Family, he will guarantee my advancement to the peak of Tenth Level of Inner Strength before I turn sixty." His eyes sparkled with a brilliance that made it difficult for Yuan Chengzhi to look at him directly: "Once I reach the peak of Tenth Level of Inner Strength, your son might even have the possibility of further advancement."
Yuan Chengzhi gasped. He naturally understood the meaning of those words.
The peak of Tenth Level of Inner Strength, if one could advance further, wouldn't that mean becoming an Innate expert?
He vaguely understood in his heart. If there was a possibility of becoming an Innate expert, then given Liling's character, he might indeed give up the position of Yuan Family patriarch.
The father and son looked at each other for a long time. Although Yuan Chengzhi knew that what Liling was doing would definitely bring more benefits than harm to the entire Yuan Family, Yuan Liling was the chosen successor to the patriarch position whom he had carefully nurtured since childhood, and he was also his most beloved eldest son. Therefore, his heart was still undecided.
Yuan Liling sighed deeply and suddenly said, "Father, have you met sister Lixun yet?"
Yuan Chengzhi was greatly surprised, wondering why he would mention Yuan Lixun out of the blue. He shook his head and said, "I rushed here from Jinlin, so of course it was impossible to meet Lixun. Isn't she deeply favored by Master He? Could she have fallen out of favor?"
Yuan Liling gave a bitter smile and said, "Master He truly dotes on sister Lixun. Currently, Lixun is already at the Seventh Layer of Inner Energy."
When he said this, he made no secret of the envy and jealousy in his heart.
For so many years, he had diligently trained, yet he was only at the peak of the Sixth Layer of Inner Energy. But Yuan Lixun had silently surpassed him. This matter had a significant impact on him as well, and it was one of the major factors in his decision.
Yuan Chengzhi's eyes immediately widened. He said in disbelief, "Seventh Layer of Inner Energy? This is impossible..."
"Indeed, it's impossible." Yuan Liling said faintly, "In just over a year, to directly advance from the Fifth Layer to the Seventh Layer, this speed, hehe..." His gaze once again fixed on his father's incredibly shocked face and he said, "Sister Lixun, by Master He's side, might even have the possibility of advancing to Innate. So, do you still want me to change my mind?"
Yuan Chengzhi opened his mouth, and finally let out a long, weary sigh.
At this moment, in his heart, he deeply felt the magic contained within powerful martial might.
Compared to that, the position of Yuan Family patriarch truly seemed insignificant.
On the official road, a red shadow flashed past, followed by the sound of horse hooves like thunder.
After leaving He Family Village, Hong Ling horse immediately regained its wildness, unleashing its four hooves and galloping like a flying arrow towards the capital.
Since it was sent back to He Family Village, it had been treated like a lord, and no one was allowed to ride this precious horse reserved exclusively for He Yiming. For over a year, it had been incredibly bored.
Along the way, there was no need for He Yiming to urge it. It ran as if its life depended on it, seemingly wanting to completely vent the frustration accumulated over the past year.
However, it was indeed a magnificent horse. Even with He Yiming and Yuan Lixun riding on its back, plus that terrifying Guan Broadsword, it remained unfazed, showing no signs of strain.
Such a spirited and powerful horse would bring joy to anyone's heart. He Yiming and Yuan Lixun were naturally no exception.
However, they soon discovered that although they tried to conserve the horse's energy, Hong Ling horse was completely unappreciative. If they let it gallop, it was fine, but if they tried to rein it in and slow down, it would let out dissatisfied whines, as if it possessed some form of sentience.
Ultimately, they had no choice but to let it have its way. In just a few days, they had traveled from He Family Village to the capital of Tian Luo.
Upon arriving at the capital, He Yiming and Yuan Lixun continued to gallop along the main avenue. Everyone they passed glanced at them, but no one dared to block their path.
Soon, they arrived at Shaoming Residence once again.
As they stopped in front of Shaoming Residence, He Yiming's ears twitched slightly, and a hint of surprise appeared on his face.
Yuan Lixun asked in surprise, "Young Master, has Master Shui really encountered trouble?"
He Yiming shook his head slightly and said, "Master Shui's health is fine, but there is another Innate Master in Shaoming Residence."
Yuan Lixun was even more astonished. Even in secluded sects like Hengshan Mountain, there were only a handful of Innate Masters. In Tianluo Country, there were only two. So, she couldn't imagine who the other Innate Master in Shaoming Residence could be.
However, the two of them vaguely felt that Master Shui Xuanjin's message was probably related to this person.
After He Yiming arrived, he no longer restrained his aura. Immediately, a hearty laugh came from Shaoming Residence.
"Brother He, you've returned so quickly, it truly exceeds this old brother's expectations."
The main gate of Shaoming Residence slowly opened, and Shui Xuanjin's voice arrived before he did. He emerged from the gate with a face full of smiles.
He Yiming smiled and nodded, but his gaze bypassed the old man and landed on the elder beside him.
"Brother Shui, who is this gentleman...?"
Shui Xuanjin half-turned and said, "Brother He, this is Master Mao Lieguang from the Masters Hall of Kairong Country."
He Yiming nodded slightly to him and said, "So it is Master Mao. My apologies for the oversight."
Mao Lieguang's gaze remained fixed on He Yiming, and his expression was solemn, clearly sensing He Yiming's aura.
At this moment, he pulled at his face with a forced smile and said, "I have long admired Master He's reputation. Seeing you today, it is indeed well-deserved. No wonder my disciple was defeated by you."
He Yiming was slightly stunned and asked, "May I ask who your disciple is?"
"My disciple is Cheng Fu," Mao Lieguang said with a cold snort.
He Yiming then realized. No wonder this person had a grim expression upon meeting him; it turned out he was Cheng Fu's master.
However, since he was putting on such airs, He Yiming naturally wouldn't bother to be polite. He gave a cold smile and said, "So you are Master Cheng's teacher. My apologies for the disrespect. But the next time I meet Master Cheng, I will need to verify this, lest someone speaks without basis and deceives with lies."
Mao Lieguang's face immediately turned extremely ugly. He said grimly, "Master He, what do you mean by that?"
He Yiming met his gaze without fear and said, "I once tested my skills with Master Cheng, and it was merely a lucky victory by one move. But..." A mocking cold smile suddenly appeared at the corner of his mouth: "Master Mao, how many moves do you think you can withstand against me?"
A sharp glint flashed in Mao Lieguang's eyes, and his gaze gradually turned cold. A vast aura slowly surged from his body.
He Yiming's blatant taunt made him unable to tolerate it any longer.
If he remained indifferent at this moment, then if the news spread, he would immediately be looked down upon. So, although he couldn't discern He Yiming's true strength at this moment, he still had no other choice.
Yuan Lixun naturally had complete confidence in He Yiming. With He Yiming's current strength, as long as he didn't encounter a Single-Line Sky Realm expert, he would have nothing to fear.
Even if he truly encountered an expert of that level, with He Yiming's Light Body Technique, he could still retreat far away.
She took a few steps back and stood under the shade of a tree, calmly observing.
Shui Xuanjin, on the other hand, frowned slightly, then relaxed, shook his head, and also retreated to watch from the sidelines.
Feeling the increasingly powerful aura from Mao Lieguang, He Yiming immediately understood that this person's cultivation was indeed superior to Cheng Fu's, but his strength at most was similar to Medicine Daoist.
After He Yiming killed the Two-headed Spirit Beast, he could already stably defeat Medicine Daoist by a margin. Now that he had another enlightenment, his whole body's acupoints were extremely close to overflowing, and he had been repeatedly called the number one person below the Single-Line Sky Realm by Yu Jinglei.
Therefore, even before they had exchanged blows, He Yiming's heart was filled with absolute confidence. This confidence manifested as his True Qi gathered, instantly becoming overwhelming and steadily suppressing his opponent.
Mao Lieguang's face was exceptionally grim, and he secretly cursed his misfortune.
After Cheng Fu returned defeated, Mao Lieguang had discussed the matter with him many times. The final conclusion was that while He Yiming was powerful in martial arts cultivation, he was only slightly superior to Cheng Fu. The difference between them was not great, and if not for the conflicting techniques, the outcome would have been uncertain.
As Cheng Fu's mentor, Mao Lieguang had entered the Innate Realm decades earlier than him and had also experienced enlightenment. Within Kairong Country's Masters Hall, if Cheng Fu could be ranked among the top five, then Mao Lieguang could definitely be ranked within the top two.
In Kairong Country, besides the imperial family's Great Ancestor, no one else dared to claim they could defeat Mao Lieguang.
This time, Mao Lieguang specially came to Tianluo Country, not only to deliver a message, but also to suppress He Yiming and reclaim the lost prestige.
They believed that if Mao Lieguang fought He Yiming, he would certainly emerge victorious.
Therefore, Mao Lieguang adopted a provocative stance from the moment they met, intending to enrage He Yiming and even instigate a conflict.
However, although he had achieved his wish at this moment, his heart was filled with regret.
Was this young man truly the He Yiming that Cheng Fu spoke of?
Why was his aura so intense, seemingly even suppressing his own? Had he not used his full strength during his last battle with Cheng Fu?
He Yiming's aura increased little by little. Although the amplitude was not significant, it consistently suppressed his opponent.
Being able to control his aura to this extent, anyone with a discerning eye would know that he was doing it on purpose.
Not far away, Shui Xuanjin's eyes also revealed an incredulous look. Feeling the clear changes in He Yiming's aura, he couldn't help but sigh in his heart, thinking, "As expected of a disciple of Hengshan Mountain. Just going back once, he's undergone such a profound transformation. It seems the rumors of a Single-Line Sky Realm expert residing in the Hengshan Mountain lineage must be true."
He attributed He Yiming's progress to the guidance of a Single-Line Sky Realm expert, but he absolutely had not guessed that the extent of He Yiming's progress had far exceeded his expectations.
A moment later, Mao Lieguang's face grew even uglier. Under the oppressive aura of He Yiming, which was like a raging inferno, he even felt the urge to flee in disarray. At this point, his confidence was finally severely shaken, and he no longer harbored any hope of victory.
And just as his confidence waned, He Yiming immediately sensed it. He let out a long laugh and took a step forward.
As this step landed, it was like a massive mountain crashing heavily onto the ground, shaking people to their cores. Even Mao Lieguang couldn't help but tremble all over.
His aura instantly plummeted to freezing point, completely suppressed by He Yiming.
Then, he saw a fist, expanding before his eyes at an unimaginable speed.
He knew something was wrong, but he also knew that retreat was no longer an option. With his vital energy completely locked onto by the opponent, unless his Light Body Technique was twice as good as the other party's, it would be impossible to escape.
Mao Lieguang's eyebrows suddenly shot up. He was a fierce individual who had experienced countless battles, big and small. At this moment, being pushed to the brink, his inner ferocity was instead stimulated. His entire body's True Qi circulated, suddenly releasing completely.
He roared sharply, raising both hands high, his arms gleaming with an eerie metallic luster.
Although he was Cheng Fu's master, he did not cultivate Fire Element Technique. Instead, he primarily cultivated Metal Element, supplemented by Earth Element. In that critical moment of a desperate strike, there was naturally no way to conceal it. The power of the Metal Element gathered to its peak in an instant, and his entire body exuded a sharp essence.
His palms, like blades, created a flurry of afterimages in the air, carrying the last vestiges of a trapped beast's desperate struggle, and charged towards He Yiming.
He Yiming smiled coldly, and his hands were also raised simultaneously. On those hands, a metallic luster similarly shimmered.
Then, he crossed his palms and simply, plainly pushed them out.
Mao Lieguang let out a sharp howl.
Although He Yiming's palms showed no changes, in his eyes, they were undoubtedly even more terrifying.
The Great Dao is simple. When all complex changes are contained within a single palm, what kind of powerful force would that contain?
Innate Metal Element combat technique, Mountain-Splitting Thirty-Six Forms...
With a thunderous crash, He Yiming's and Mao Lieguang's four palms violently collided in mid-air.
The myriad palm shadows that Mao Lieguang had conjured instantly vanished without a trace. He grunted in anger, feeling an unimaginable force surge upwards. His steps could no longer be controlled, and he retreated backward as if flying.
After several steps, he finally managed to stand firm, a flush rising to his face. His entire body's True Qi was in disarray, difficult to sustain.
He looked up and saw He Yiming standing calmly with his hands clasped behind his back, looking at him with a gaze that held both pity and mockery.
Overwhelmed by anger and frustration, a sweet taste filled his mouth, and a mouthful of dark blood spurted out. He felt his entire body go limp, realizing only then that he had been severely injured.
Shui Xuanjin was dumbfounded. He looked at He Yiming, his face full of bitter smiles.
One move, in just one move, the outcome was decided. And judging by He Yiming's demeanor, it seemed he had even held back.
Only then did he realize that the gap between the two was not minimal, but immense, as vast as the difference between heaven and earth.
Inside and outside Shaoming Residence, countless pairs of eyes watched this scene. Some of these people were Shui Xuanjin's students and disciples, others were envoys from Kairong Country, and there were also informants from various families stationed outside Shaoming Residence.
At this moment, the hearts of all those who were in the know were incomparably shocked. Everyone knew that their previous assessments of He Yiming were about to be completely invalidated...
Chapter 197: Expert Transaction
