The palace where the Cloud Dream War God resided occupied a significant area, primarily structured into a front hall, a main hall, and a rear hall, forming a layout of three halls and two courtyards. Each building was constructed from ash-white stone bricks with light brown roof tiles, all capped with sharp, pointed roofs, atop which only faint traces of snow remained, most of it having melted away.
"Cloud Dream War God, one of the two great War God experts of the Duanmu Continent!" Teng Qingshan mused, gazing at the hall doors. "Once I reach the Void Realm and return to the Nine Provinces, dealing with experts like these will be my task!"
Teng Qingshan understood clearly that whether on the Nine Provinces land or the Duanmu Continent, the ultimate decider of a continent's fate, those standing at the absolute peak, were the Void Realm (War God) experts! The number of Void Realm experts on the Duanmu Continent was exceedingly small—only two. This was why the status of Innate experts was so high. Meanwhile, a single province in the Nine Provinces could possess a number of Void Realm experts comparable to the entire Duanmu Continent.
Some provinces, like the Yu Clan’s 'Yuzhou' or the Ying Clan’s 'Yongzhou', likely boasted even more Void Realm experts than the Duanmu Continent!
The Nine Provinces were teeming with Void Realm experts, each one an individual standing at the pinnacle of existence!
"After assisting the Cloud Dream War God with this matter and obtaining those six stone carvings, I should likely reach the Void Realm," Teng Qingshan calculated inwardly. "Even if those six carvings don't propel me to the Void Realm, the difference should be negligible!"
Teng Qingshan and the Gale Eagle, man and great bird, stood outside the palace gates.
The elite guards making their regular patrols paused, casting astonished glances at the Gale Eagle, which towered higher than a man.
A moment passed—
"Brother Teng, come, come, follow me inside." The First Elder, Mu Mang, stepped out of the hall door with a smile.
"Little Gray, let's go."
Teng Qingshan patted the Gale Eagle's feathers, and the two entered the palace gates together.
"Brother Mu, Senior Cloud Dream War God, where is he in the palace?" Teng Qingshan inquired.
"Just ahead," the First Elder Mu Mang replied with a smile. "My teacher is a man of excellent temper, but don't you dare display arrogance before him. My teacher detests such people above all else. If my teacher dislikes someone, he is very likely to kill them."
"I haven't reached that level of conceit," Teng Qingshan returned the smile.
They proceeded along the corridor of the main hall, circled around, and arrived at a spacious courtyard in the rear.
The courtyard was paved with neat squares of bluestone. In one section of the bluestone floor, a carpet was laid out, and upon it rested a low, narrow table. An old man, clad in a snow-white leather coat and wearing a felt cap, sat cross-legged on the carpet. On the table before him were a pot of wine and two cups.
Beside the table lay a giant war saber, sheathed and thrust into the ground. The scabbard bore some strange carvings, and the hilt was adorned with the image of a wolf's head.
"Teacher!" Mu Mang bowed respectfully.
"Teng Qingshan pays respects to the Senior." Teng Qingshan also bowed deeply.
"Oh, the young fellow named Teng Qingshan has arrived?" A very warm voice emanated as the silver-haired, white-bearded elder smiled at Teng Qingshan, then glanced at the Gale Eagle beside him, his smile broadening. He instructed, "Well, Mu Mang, you can return first. I shall have a good talk with this young man."
"Yes, Teacher." Mu Mang respectfully withdrew.
It was then that Teng Qingshan took a careful look at the Cloud Dream War God.
The Cloud Dream War God appeared to be a kindly old man, strongly resembling his maternal grandfather, Teng Yunlong—equally broad in the back and thick in the waist. Yet, when smiling, he seemed genuinely warm. At first glance, Teng Qingshan couldn't discern anything fundamentally different between the Cloud Dream War God and an ordinary person.
"Sit," the Cloud Dream War God gestured to the opposite side.
"Yes." Teng Qingshan stepped forward and also sat cross-legged.
Martial artists frequently adopted the cross-legged posture during cultivation and were accustomed to sitting without chairs or stools.
"Teng Qingshan, you don't mind if I call you Qingshan, do you?" the Cloud Dream War God asked with a gentle smile.
Teng Qingshan chuckled.
"Qingshan, this old man has summoned you here this time because I need your assistance with a matter." As the Cloud Dream War God spoke, he looked toward the Gale Eagle nearby and exclaimed admiringly, "I am told you possess another fire-breathing avian monster. I didn't expect you to bring this one today! Impressive, truly impressive. This old man of mine doesn't have a single avian beast."
"It is merely luck," Teng Qingshan replied with a smile.
"Hmm, judging by your eyes, you must still be quite young, not yet sixty, am I right?" the Cloud Dream War God inquired.
Teng Qingshan was startled.
Innate experts were 'God'-like masters, and Void Realm experts, even more so, possessed an understanding of the Heavenly Dao. The eyes of a mere child were entirely different from those of an aged veteran. Judging age by the eyes—though not perfectly precise—Void Realm experts could make estimations with very little error!
'This Cloud Dream War God is truly formidable. In my past life, I died near thirty; in this life, I am twenty. To say I'm under sixty...' Teng Qingshan marveled inwardly.
"Yes, not yet sixty," Teng Qingshan nodded.
The Cloud Dream War God nodded, uttering an exclamation, "Mu Mang is also the most outstanding disciple of my Mu family in the last two centuries! He is now just a hair's breadth away from stepping into the Void Realm and becoming a War God! However, he is already over one hundred and thirty years old, and you aren't even half his age. Yet your achievements surpass his. Remarkable, truly remarkable."
Teng Qingshan paused.
Stepping into the Void Realm and becoming a War God?
This Duanmu Continent seemed to have the term 'Void Realm' as well!
"Come, Qingshan, let you and I test our skills," saying this, the Cloud Dream War God stood up.
"Test our skills?" Teng Qingshan was startled, quickly protesting, "Senior, you and I test moves?" In Teng Qingshan's view, having not yet reached the Void Realm himself, sparring with the War God would purely be seeking abuse.
"If I invite you to test moves, what are you worried about? Do you perhaps fear that this old man will take the chance to slaughter you?" The Cloud Dream War God frowned in displeasure, and instantly, Teng Qingshan felt a pressure, like a massive mountain descending upon him.
Teng Qingshan laughed heartily, unfastening the scabbard on his back, while simultaneously saying, "Since the Senior is willing to personally guide this junior, I naturally welcome it wholeheartedly."
"Good, that's the spirit!" The Cloud Dream War God burst into loud laughter.
"Chiiiii—" Teng Qingshan spun the two sections of his spear shaft together, tossing the scabbard near the low table. He immediately tapped his foot, his body transforming into an afterimage, instantly retreating ten zhang. He then stood holding his spear, smiling at the Cloud Dream War God: "All my skills as a junior lie in this spear. I humbly request the Senior's guidance."
A surge of bravery rose within Teng Qingshan's heart.
For so many years, he had never sparred with a Void Realm expert! Back at Mount Tianshen, he had only witnessed the Heavenly God; the mere gaze of the Heavenly God had affected him. On Mount Tianshen, he had only managed to spar with the Heavenly God's disciple, the First Divine General 'Bo Ri Leimu'.
The Void Realm, mythologized as divine, represented the apex existence on both the Nine Provinces and the Duanmu Continent.
"Today, I shall see what true strength a Void Realm expert possesses!" Teng Qingshan's state of mind soared to its absolute peak.
"Haha, very good."
The Cloud Dream War God smiled, standing with his hands behind his back, watching Teng Qingshan with a faint smile. "Strike, bring out your most formidable move!"
Whoosh!
Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes. He clearly sensed that the Cloud Dream War God before him, previously a kind senior, an ordinary-looking old man, had instantly transformed, becoming like a sharp war saber! His entire person seemed faintly enveloped in saber energy, and faint saber-light even flickered around him.
This was not an illusion; it was reality!
"Senior, be careful." Teng Qingshan's gaze sharpened, condensing into needle points.
Shhh~~ Shhh~~
Teng Qingshan's figure moved like a slippery loach in water, constantly flickering forward, following a path so bizarre that in the blink of an eye, he traversed the ten zhang distance to stand two zhang in front of the Cloud Dream War God. Simultaneously, Teng Qingshan’s entire body was enveloped in a layer of azure battle armor, and his Reincarnation Spear glowed with azure battle gang energy.
"Chiii—" The sleeve of Teng Qingshan's right arm swelled taut. The Reincarnation Spear transformed into a great snake flicking its tongue, or perhaps a flood dragon just bursting forth from its lair!
The dragon's head surged out!
Shing!
The Reincarnation Spear instantly tore through the air. Following a sudden burst of force from Teng Qingshan at the final moment, the spear shaft instantly resembled the coiling body of a python, or a sharp drill piercing through heaven and earth! With a harsh, grating shriek, 'Om~~', the spear tip, forged from ten-thousand-year cold iron, shot directly toward the Cloud Dream War God!
Body and gang energy combined! A colossal force of 1.6 million jin erupted!
Five Elements Spear: Poison Dragon Drill!
The Cloud Dream War God's expression grew solemn. With a right hand moving with extreme swiftness, he unleashed a hand-blade strike!
"Clang!"
A massive blade silhouette materialized out of thin air on the surface of the hand-blade. Though it moved second, it struck the Reincarnation Spear sooner.
"Hmph?" Teng Qingshan only felt a formidable power, terrifying like a bursting dam, surge through the spear shaft. Against this power, the strength he prided himself on seemed utterly laughable. Teng Qingshan was struck so forcefully that he was sent flying backward, crashing into the bluestone slab and gouging out a deep furrow.
Fragments of bluestone scattered everywhere, punching holes into the palace walls. Some larger chunks even caused sections of the wall to collapse, accompanied by continuous booming sounds.
"Quick, quick, this way!"
A flurry of footsteps rushed closer.
"Everyone fall back," the Cloud Dream War God frowned, shouting coldly.
"Fall back!" "Fall back!" "Fall back!"...
Echoes reverberated continuously. Instantly, azure figures darted out of the palace where the Cloud Dream War God was located, swiftly scolding and driving away the overly attentive elite guards. Then, these azure figures retreated back into the palace, not daring to disturb the Cloud Dream War God in the slightest.
In the courtyard, only the Cloud Dream War God and Teng Qingshan remained.
"Hoo, truly formidable." Teng Qingshan stood up, the azure battle gang energy on his body vibrating slightly as he leaped out of the deep crater.
"A Void Realm expert is indeed a Void Realm expert. To deal with me, he didn't even need to use a weapon, just one hand-blade strike. Such terrifying power sent me flying. My strength, before him, offered absolutely no room for resistance." Teng Qingshan fully perceived the astonishing gap between them.
"Moreover, my Poison Dragon Drill struck first, while his defense came second. In terms of both speed and power, he far surpassed me." Teng Qingshan was completely convinced.
Teng Qingshan retracted the gang energy around his body and cupped his hands, "Senior, this junior has lost."
"Qingshan, you have misled young Mu Mang quite thoroughly," the Cloud Dream War God laughed heartily and strode over. "That child Mu Mang truly believed you were only at the Innate Golden Core realm. I thought at the time that Mu Mang's comprehension of the Dao was already extremely high, just one step shy of the Void Realm! Anyone who could defeat him should logically be a Void Realm expert."
"Seeing you today confirms it! Qingshan, you must have just reached the Void Realm. I never expected that our Duanmu Continent would have a third War God," the Cloud Dream War God chuckled loudly.