Although Yang Dong had heard stories about his remarkable employer from his irresponsible father, tales suggesting his master was an unparalleled powerhouse on the entire Duanmu Continent, a figure virtually unmatched below the rank of War God—only two War Gods surpassed him—hearing those words just now still left Yang Dong utterly stunned!

How could the man instantly discern that a seemingly ordinary bamboo pole was his weapon just by a single glance?

“Is he… is he prescient?” Yang Dong was completely terrified.

“Brother Teng, is this his weapon?” Li Jun looked astonished, and the young girl Xiaoping beside him shared the same bewildered look. Only the Beast Teng walked to the bamboo pole, sniffed it deeply, and murmured, “There’s the smell of blood!”

Yang Dong stared at the Beast Teng beside him in shock. Having followed Teng Qingshan for over a year, the Beast Teng had grown significantly, now standing over seven feet tall (about 1.8 meters). Though slightly shorter than Teng Qingshan, he was clearly a young man, no longer a mere boy.

“He, he…” Yang Dong, looking at the Beast Teng, was utterly dumbfounded. “Does he have a dog’s nose?”

His bamboo pole had indeed been stained with blood before, but… he had washed it clean. Moreover, having traveled through accumulated snow the whole way, there should have been no scent of blood on it for a long time. At least, with his own nose, he couldn't detect a single trace.

“Brother Teng, what exactly is this weapon?” Li Jun asked, taking the bamboo pole to examine it closely. As he seemed to discover something, Li Jun suddenly yanked—

Swish—

The tip of the bamboo pole pulled open, revealing a drawn ‘sword’! To be precise, it could only be called a ‘rapier.’

“So that’s it.” Li Jun realized with sudden clarity.

It turned out the front end of the bamboo pole had been expertly cut; the fore-section served as the grip, while the rest of the pole acted as the scabbard! The rapier itself was peculiar—the entire blade resembled a smooth iron rod, perfectly cylindrical. Only the tip was sharply pointed. In essence, this rapier possessed no cutting edge, only a point!

To kill someone… there was only one technique: a thrust!

“I’ve never seen a weapon like this,” Li Jun marveled.

“A sword whose only killing move is the ‘thrust’? Old Wang used to carry a saber, but his weapon was a tobacco pipe. His son has taken it a step further: carrying a saber outwardly, but hiding the weapon inside a bamboo pole.” Teng Qingshan glanced over the pole briefly before unfolding the letter in his hand and beginning to read intently.

From the script, Teng Qingshan instantly determined it was written by Old Wang.

“Master. If you are reading this letter, Old Wang will die without regret, as at least my son has reached you! I spent a considerable sum arranging for Dongzi to join a merchant caravan heading to Nanshan City. My greatest fear was that the little fellow might meet trouble along the way. However, Master, on the Duanmu Continent, besides you, I know no one else I can entrust him to. I ask for nothing more than hope that Master can help settle him in, at least ensuring Dongzi has enough to eat. Master, for years I failed to look after him. When I finally spent nearly a year finding him, he was already mixed up with a band of minor bandits. Furthermore, he possesses a rather peculiar set of sword techniques. Based on my investigation, it seems Dongzi figured this set out himself. Though simple on the surface, this young man managed to secure the position of Third Leader within that small bandit gang using these skills. I feel Dongzi has significant talent in swordsmanship, and I owe my son so much. The Azure Lotus Sword Style you taught me… I desperately wish to teach him, but Master once said I was not allowed to pass it on to anyone without your permission. Master is far more skilled than I; perhaps you could examine him. If Dongzi has talent, Master could casually teach him a few moves to give the boy something to rely on in these chaotic times. If Dongzi lacks talent, Master can simply arrange a modest position for him. Old Wang’s request might be too much; please do not take offense. As for myself… I must complete what I set out to do. My survival this time is uncertain, and I have no other worries except this son. I can also see how much Master cares for Xiaoping, Ah Shou, and myself. But I must say… Master, please do not send anyone looking for me. Even the Rising Sun Merchant Guild won't be able to find me now, and just as you said, I have made the choice that leaves me without regret…”

This letter instantly weighed heavily on Teng Qingshan’s heart. Just as Old Wang had surmised, Teng Qingshan’s first instinct upon reading the letter was to rush to find him.

“Xiao Jun, you all stay here. I’m heading to Nanshan City,” Teng Qingshan stated.

“Go now?” Li Jun looked slightly taken aback.

The chubby youth, ‘Yang Dong,’ spoke in a low voice, “Mr. Teng, there’s no need to go. My father said not to look for him.”

“You know about your father’s affairs?” Teng Qingshan looked at him.

“I only know he’s going to kill someone,” Yang Dong shook his head. “I don’t know anything else, but judging by his demeanor, his enemy must be quite powerful. Even against my father, I couldn’t withstand a single move.”

Old Wang had learned the Azure Lotus Sword Style taught by Teng Qingshan. This style was something Teng Qingshan had deduced and compiled after comprehending the Divine Immortal Jade Tablet. The Azure Lotus Sword Style was centered around the concept of ‘Illusion,’ resembling a blooming lotus flower, its movements swift, dreamlike, and illusory. Whether in the Nine Provinces or on the Duanmu Continent, this style was considered top-tier. Old Wang himself was at the peak of the Houtian realm; combined with this sword style, he would undoubtedly merit a place on the ‘Earth Ranking’ in the Nine Provinces. It was no wonder Yang Dong couldn't last a single exchange.

“Brother Teng, what exactly happened?” Li Jun pressed.

“You’ll understand when you see this.” Teng Qingshan handed over the letter. “And, you all take good care of this Yang Dong.”

With that, Teng Qingshan turned and departed. In the swirling blizzard, Teng Qingshan covered seven or eight zhang with every step, appearing almost instantaneous. With two flashes, he completely vanished into the depths of the woods. This sight left Yang Dong slack-jawed: “W-What kind of Qinggong is that?” He had spent time around bandits and seen many formidable figures, but… he had never encountered anyone as terrifying as Teng Qingshan. Yang Dong finally began to grasp what his father meant by ‘rare, supreme experts throughout the world.’

Teng Qingshan sensed the gravity of a ‘final entrustment of a child’ in the letter. Regardless, Teng Qingshan considered Old Wang a friend, one of his own people.

Teng Qingshan soon arrived at the Rising Sun Inn in Nanshan City.

Inside the manor behind the Rising Sun Inn:

“Mr. Teng.” The Sixth Elder rushed to greet Teng Qingshan and led him into the hall.

As soon as he sat down, Teng Qingshan said gravely, “Sixth Elder, I need to ask a favor of the Rising Sun Merchant Guild.”

“Please, Mr. Teng, tell us,” the Sixth Elder’s eyes lit up. These elders had already received strict instructions: if Mr. Teng requested assistance, they must complete the task successfully. In truth, powerful figures like Teng Qingshan rarely asked for favors; serving such an expert was a source of honor.

“My former groom, Old Wang, his real name is ‘Yang Wang.’ I need your Rising Sun Merchant Guild to help me find this person,” Teng Qingshan stated. “The more detailed the information you find about him, the better.”

“Yang Wang?” The Sixth Elder frowned. “I remember your groom, Mr. Teng. The one with the limp and the eye patch, an outwardly honest man. But Sir, just a name… there are too many people with the same name in the world. This will be somewhat troublesome to track.”

Teng Qingshan’s brow furrowed. “The Rising Sun Merchant Guild can’t even find him?”

“No, we can find him,” the Sixth Elder clarified. “It’s just that the more information Mr. Teng provides about this Yang Wang, the faster we can search.”

Teng Qingshan paused to consider, then continued, “This Yang Wang is a master swordsman, peak Houtian realm strength. His son is named Yang Dong! His son should be around twelve or thirteen years old now. He has enemies… and their faction is likely quite powerful.”

The Sixth Elder nodded upon hearing this and smiled. “Peak Houtian? That makes it much easier to search. Mr. Teng, rest assured. If things go quickly, we’ll have his information in three days. If slower, it might take half a month. If we can’t find anything in half a month, then this information might be inaccurate.”

“Then I will await your news,” Teng Qingshan replied.

After reading the letter, both Teng Qingshan and Li Jun and the others were deeply worried about Old Wang. But for the moment, Teng Qingshan and his group had no way to help.

On the evening of the third day, the snow finally stopped.

War Beasts, exhaling white plumes of breath, stood arrayed by Moon Crescent Lake. Dozens of tall, imposing knights with stern expressions held the reins; just standing there, these knights exuded a palpable killing aura, clearly veterans of many battles. Standing before them was a thin, silver-haired elder.

“Sixth Elder, making you rush over this late,” Teng Qingshan greeted him, having been called down from the mountain depths by Li Jun.

“I’m usually free,” the Sixth Elder smiled. “Oh, Mr. Teng, you were looking for information on someone named Yang Wang, correct? Our Rising Sun Merchant Guild has found everything; the details are all recorded here.”

He handed Teng Qingshan a thin, stitched booklet.

“Yang Wang?” Li Jun, Xiaoping, and the boy named ‘Yang Dong’ all leaned in to look.

Teng Qingshan took the booklet and began reading carefully. As he read, his understanding of Old Wang deepened.

Yang Wang, forty-three years old.

As a child, he was a wandering beggar until he was taken in by a kind couple. However, in those turbulent times, the lives of this benevolent couple became increasingly difficult. Yang Wang was a dutiful son and, as he grew, found ways to earn money to care for them. From an unknown source, Yang Wang obtained a manual for internal energy cultivation.

As his internal energy grew stronger, coupled with his diligent practice of a formidable sword style, Yang Wang managed to bring his adoptive parents into Tianfeng City, securing a position as a first-rank guard for a major merchant magnate. From then on, Yang Wang’s life improved, and his adoptive parents enjoyed comfort.

Soon, at the age of thirty, Yang Wang married a beautiful wife named ‘Wu Shuang.’

Life was idyllic, and the next year, they had a son.

But the good days lasted only two years.

‘Helian Haotong,’ the profligate young master of the Helian family in Tianfeng City, became infatuated with Yang Wang’s wife. While Yang Wang was away escorting the merchant on a business trip, Helian Haotong managed to seduce Wu Shuang. Yang Wang’s wife, Wu Shuang, was also quite capable, managing to captivate Helian Haotong to the extent that he even wished to take her as a concubine!

When Yang Wang returned and learned the truth, rage flooded his heart, and he sought to kill the shameless adulteress. But unexpectedly, at that moment, Helian Haotong stormed into the Yang residence. Seeing the situation, he immediately ordered his guards to protect Wu Shuang and commanded that the entire Yang family be slaughtered.

Yang Wang’s powerless adoptive parents died on the spot, while Yang Wang himself managed to escape with his two-year-old son clinging to him.

“It turns out to be like this. His enemy is actually someone from the Helian Family? No wonder he never told me.” Teng Qingshan’s heart grew heavy.