The spectators lining the cliffs of the Fiery Torrent Iron Gorge, including formidable figures like Martial Saint Jiang Yan and 'Blade Master' Fu Dao, held their breath.
"Hiss, hiss~~" The Iron Sword Martial Saint, clad head-to-toe in frost-covered battle armor, slammed a foot down, unleashing a torrent of sand and gravel toward Teng Qingshan, obscuring the latter’s vision entirely within a blinding cloud of dust and surging debris, making the Iron Sword Martial Saint impossible to see.
The Iron Sword Martial Saint then lunged with explosive force.
Crack!
The earth split open with a roar, and the Iron Sword Martial Saint transformed into a streak of light, plunging into the swirling dust cloud to strike at Teng Qingshan. The giant iron sword held in his hands pulsed with surging, terrifying coldness; "Kaka~~" the nearby flowing stream instantly froze over, the ice spreading outwards in crystalline spikes.
The power behind this single strike was immense; even facing a low-lying hill, he could cleave it in two!
"Iron Sword Martial Saint is formidable," many spectators murmured in awe.
"Helian Haoyan has grown stronger," the female Martial Saint thought, inwardly startled.
"Interesting," Teng Qingshan grinned, taking a sharp step forward.
Thwack!
The giant iron sword, moving with devastating speed, cut through several hurtling stones and descended directly upon Teng Qingshan! The attack was almost silent, producing no discernible air distortion, yet the razor-sharp edge was already upon him, intent on splitting him in half.
Teng Qingshan’s eyes snapped open. He immediately advanced further, simultaneously unleashing the 'Primordial Unity Qi' spear technique. He held the spear in his left hand and whipped it with his right! This single rotation of the spear shaft seemed as if a god were shaking the very heavens; the Wheel of Reincarnation Spear, instantly enveloped in sapphire-blue vital energy, transformed into a coiling, gigantic blue dragon!
Roar~~
Witnessing this, it felt as if the roar of this colossal dragon could be heard throughout the gorge.
Teng Qingshan simultaneously bellowed: "Release your hold!"
The single command, "Release your hold," caused a fleeting sneer to cross the Iron Sword Martial Saint’s face.
However, the moment Teng Qingshan’s spinning Wheel of Reincarnation Spear touched the giant iron sword, the Iron Sword Martial Saint’s expression shifted drastically: "This, how is this..." He felt as if his iron sword had been caught in the vortex of a monstrous ocean. He strained desperately to grip his weapon, but the rotational force was so overwhelming he couldn't resist!
"Not good." The Iron Sword Martial Saint felt a searing pain shoot through both hands as the entire giant iron sword was violently wrenched away and flung aloft.
The iron sword tumbled end over end, thrown helplessly through the air.
Because the gorge walls flanked both sides, and the clash between the two powerhouses was so swift, as the iron sword soared away, Teng Qingshan's ferocious shouts continued to echo between the mountain faces.
"Release your hold!" "Release your hold!" "Release your hold!"...
These shouts rebounded again and again, causing those with weaker cultivation to instinctively cover their ears.
"How is this possible?" The Iron Sword Martial Saint was still trapped in shock and fury.
Whump!
The spinning Wheel of Reincarnation Spear, having just flung the massive sword away, instantly rebounded with a sharp counter-force. The spear shaft actually bent into a distinct arc before snapping back violently, slamming into the Iron Sword Martial Saint’s body. With a dull whump, the Iron Sword Martial Saint, encased in frost armor, was sent flying outward like a meteorite.
The Iron Sword Martial Saint crashed heavily into the gorge wall, punching a massive crater into the stone.
Silence!
The entire Fiery Torrent Iron Gorge fell utterly silent. Not a single spectator dared utter a sound, not even daring to breathe deeply, all staring blankly at the gaping hole in the cliff face.
Shhh, shhh~~
Small stones tumbled down from the impact site created by the Iron Sword Martial Saint, the sound of the falling grit disturbingly clear.
Clang! The flung iron sword finally struck the ground, its impact resonating through the gorge, finally jarring many people back to awareness.
"Defeated?"
"Just like that, defeated?"
"Iron Sword Martial Saint, the foremost expert of the Northern Cold Domain, how... how could he lose so quickly?"
The crowd, who had gathered with high expectations, felt their minds buzzing. They hadn't truly believed the mysterious 'Strongest Martial Saint' Teng Qingshan would necessarily lose. However, in their view, even if the Strongest Martial Saint 'Teng Qingshan' won, it would surely involve a fierce, grinding battle leading to a hard-fought victory.
After all, even when the Rising Sun Martial Saint defeated the Iron Sword Martial Saint previously, it took a considerable amount of time. But what about today?
One move: the weapon, the 'Iron Sword,' was disarmed.
The next move: the man himself was sent flying!
It was not a clash between equals; it was as if a peak Golden Core expert were bullying an early Core Realm practitioner—Teng Qingshan had simply 'bullied' the Iron Sword Martial Saint.
Shhh, shhh~~ A figure emerged from the crater in the cliff face, then leaped down onto the ground. It was the stern-faced Iron Sword Martial Saint, 'Helian Haoyan.' At this moment, Helian Haoyan’s face was slightly ashen, and his hands trembled uncontrollably. He began walking, step by step, toward Teng Qingshan.
...
Everyone in the gorge watched silently as the defeated Iron Sword Martial Saint 'Helian Haoyan' approached Teng Qingshan. What did Helian Haoyan intend to do?
Suddenly, the Iron Sword Martial Saint halted his steps and bowed deeply: "I thank Mister for showing mercy."
"I thank Mister for showing mercy!" This declaration stunned the onlookers before relief washed over them. Indeed, after being able to disarm the Iron Sword Martial Saint in one move, the second move was certainly capable of killing him. Teng Qingshan had clearly held back. As for the respectful address of 'Mister,' it was hardly surprising; given the vast disparity in power, this was the appropriate title!
In this entire world, even the Rising Sun Martial Saint 'Mu Wang' was not qualified to be called 'Mister' by the Iron Sword Martial Saint.
But today, the Iron Sword Martial Saint yielded completely, calling Teng Qingshan 'Mister'! He willingly placed himself on a lower tier.
"Truly astonishing," Fu Dao, standing next to Li Jun and Teng Shou, exclaimed with unconcealed admiration. "No wonder Mister didn't seem concerned before. Just as he defeated me in one move previously, he has now defeated Helian Haoyan in what amounts to one move." Fu Dao finally understood why Teng Qingshan had been so unconcerned earlier.
...
Teng Qingshan smiled faintly, slinging the Wheel of Reincarnation Spear over his shoulder, and turned to leave.
"Mister!" the Iron Sword Martial Saint called out urgently. "How do I compare to the Rising Sun Martial Saint Mu Wang now?"
At this moment, he finally understood that the Killer Hall’s claim of the title 'Strongest Martial Saint' was no exaggeration.
"You? You are significantly inferior to Mu Wang," Teng Qingshan stated calmly as he walked away. "In truth, Helian Haoyan, you shouldn't compare yourself to others. Whether it is you, or Mu Wang, or even myself... what we must do is break through the Martial Saint realm and become War Gods. On the day we become War Gods, naturally, we will be stronger than any Martial Saint."
Helian Haoyan paused.
He had always focused on rivalry, seeking to prove superiority through victory, but Teng Qingshan’s words made him realize that when one’s strength is absolute, the contest for dominance is already decided.
"Xiao Jun, Fu Dao, let's go,"
Teng Qingshan said casually.
"Let's go!" Fu Dao roared, and immediately, dozens of elite experts followed Teng Qingshan out of the Fiery Torrent Iron Gorge with a mix of respect and pride.
Throughout the entire gorge, the assembled martial artists were utterly conquered by Teng Qingshan.
A true powerhouse!
A peerless expert who defeated the Iron Sword Martial Saint in one move and could have taken his life in the second! A being stronger than the Rising Sun Martial Saint—the Strongest Martial Saint 'Teng Qingshan'!
"As expected of the Strongest Martial Saint!"
"Strongest, Strongest... this title of 'Strongest' is truly earned."
Everyone was sincerely convinced.
"Teng Qingshan," a strange expression briefly flickered across the female Martial Saint’s usually cold face as she gazed toward the direction he departed. For years, she had never encountered a man of her generation who surpassed her in strength. Though only in her forties, the Rising Sun Martial Saint was over one hundred and thirty years old.
But today, the female Martial Saint had found a man worthy of her looking up to him!
** After defeating the Iron Sword Martial Saint, Teng Qingshan returned to the Fu Family encampment to resume his contemplation of the eleventh and twelfth stances of the Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitting. He felt that these two stances held the key to breaking his final obstruction and reaching the Void Realm. Thus, he was unwilling to waste even a moment. He was entirely unaware, or perhaps simply unconcerned, about the impact of this battle! What did defeating the Iron Sword Martial Saint in one move truly matter? His true enemy was the 'Green Lake Island,' one of the Eight Great Sects of Jiuzhou, infinitely more powerful than the Iron Sword Martial Saint or the Tianfeng Clan. The Void Realm expert on Green Lake Island had already reached the Great Perfection stage of the Void Realm! ... Teng Qingshan might not care, but the great families certainly did. If previously, Teng Qingshan’s title of 'Strongest Martial Saint' was met with doubt due to a lack of sufficient martial achievements to prove it. From this day forward, no one would dare question it! Defeating the Iron Sword Martial Saint in one move! This man was the foremost Martial Saint of the Northern Cold Domain, a powerhouse nearing the level of the Rising Sun Martial Saint. What strength was that? The title of Strongest Martial Saint was undeniably deserved! ** In the Yan Family military camp, inside the main tent.
"If I had known sooner, I would have paid any price to invite Mister Teng here," Yan Baishou lamented regretfully. "With Mister here, the morale of the entire army is different. Such a powerhouse could easily snatch the main general's head from a massive army, as easy as taking something from his pocket."
"With the two War Gods absent in this battle at Ox Horn Mountain..." the Iron Sword Martial Saint stated solemnly, "Mister Teng alone is enough to equal one hundred thousand troops."
"Regret is useless," the one-eyed Xiahou Family Head, 'Xiahou An,' commented with a faint smile. "Brother Yan, Brother Helian, Mister Teng is formidable, but when thousands upon thousands of troops charge forward, how many can Mister Teng handle simultaneously? If we intentionally bypass Mister Teng and avoid entanglement, we can certainly reduce his threat to the minimum."
"Yes."
The Iron Sword Martial Saint nodded. "You two sides should prepare yourselves well. Now that all the major families are gathered, I estimate the great battle will erupt within these few days." ... The third day after Teng Qingshan’s fight with the Iron Sword Martial Saint.
The soldiers of the Fu Family camp were extremely excited, their morale soaring. With the Strongest Martial Saint holding the line, their confidence was boundless.
Inside Teng Qingshan's great tent.
Teng Qingshan held the Mountain Splitting Divine Axe, meticulously studying the inscriptions for the eleventh and twelfth stances.
"Mister," a voice called from outside.
"Hmm?" Teng Qingshan frowned, setting the Divine Axe aside. "Come in."
Fu Dao entered with an apologetic smile, his gaze immediately falling upon the Mountain Splitting Divine Axe beside Teng Qingshan, causing him to pause: "Mister Teng, this axe..."
"What is it?" Teng Qingshan looked up at him.
"I feel this axe strongly resembles the axe recorded in texts belonging to the Sky God 'Yu the Great' who created mountains," Fu Dao said with a casual smile. "However, over the years, many people across the realm have commissioned axes made to look exactly like the Mountain Splitting Divine Axe of the Sky God."
In terms of appearance, it was just an ordinary large black axe. But Teng Qingshan knew his axe was the genuine Mountain Splitting Divine Axe.
"Why are you here?" Teng Qingshan asked. Fu Dao would not interrupt his contemplation unless it was for something important.
Fu Dao’s expression turned serious. "Mister Teng, scouts report that the armies of the Tantai Family and the Dong Family have begun advancing towards Ox Head Mountain... My Fu Family army must also mobilize. We will have to trouble you, Mister."