Transmitting sound and hearing sounds miles away are merely minor tricks for a Void Realm expert. Sound is generated through vibration... Within their domain, Void Realm experts can clearly sense sound vibrations via the power of heaven and earth, simulating these vibrations within the listener's ears, allowing them to hear sounds from miles, even thirty miles away.

The principle is the same.

To vibrate one's own voice, using the power of heaven and earth to simulate the identical vibration next to the other person's ear—that is sound transmission!

"I can't believe I've become the Flame Battle God too," Teng Qingshan smiled, continuing to listen.

"The Flame Battle God? Ha! Last time the Skywind Battle God roared above the Ancient City of Yunmeng, he was so scared he didn't dare utter a sound, just holed up inside the city. If you want to compare, compare the Cloudmist Battle God with the Skywind Battle God. As for the Flame Battle God... compared to the Skywind Battle God, tsk tsk, he's worlds apart." A hoarse sneer rang out.

Teng Qingshan shook his head with a faint smile and kept listening.

"What kind of talk is that? The Skywind Battle God came to my Ancient City of Yunmeng and shouted insults, while the Flame Battle God was only a Martial Saint not long ago. He just became a Battle God. One just became a Battle God, the other has been one for a hundred years. What's so strange if the Skywind Battle God is stronger? If I were the Flame Battle God and knew I was weaker, should I charge out to my death just because you hurled a few insults? That's idiotic!" a rough voice asserted. "In my opinion, the Skywind Battle God, despite his strength, showing off with such goading tactics, is what's truly shameful."

"That’s not right. The Flame Battle God went to stir up trouble right at their doorstep. Should the Skywind Battle God just swallow the insult?" the hoarse voice retorted.

"Hmph, the Flame Battle God showed plenty of respect. If he had truly caused trouble, the Helian Estate would have burned down long ago, killing tens of thousands of the Helian clan," the rough voice countered. "The Skywind Battle God should be grateful that the other party showed restraint, instead of mocking him—that’s what’s excessive."

The two drinkers chatted freely as they drank.

Ever since the Skywind Battle God had appeared above the Ancient City of Yunmeng once, such discussions could be heard everywhere in the city.

...

Teng Qingshan smiled faintly: "The common folk of the world, though their strength is ordinary, are not fools. Any discerning eye can see through the Skywind Battle God's little ploy."

"Mmm."

Teng Qingshan’s gaze fell upon the stone carvings of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting, arranged in two rows of six each, before him. "Currently, my Earth Element Fist and Metal Element Fist have both reached the eighth punch. My Water Element Fist is still only at the sixth. If I can break through one more step, comprehend another Dao, I will control another twenty percent of the power of heaven and earth. By then, I can compete with the Skywind Battle God."

**

Time flew by, and three months had passed since Teng Qingshan’s wedding.

Early morning, East Lake Garden.

"Caw~~ Caw~~~" The Azure Luan circled back and forth in the air, simultaneously keeping watch over Teng Qingshan practicing his fists on the lake surface. Ever since Teng Qingshan comprehended the 'Way of Fire', the Azure Luan made him practice the Fire Element Fist for a short time every morning. After all, the Azure Luan followed the path of the Way of Fire. Observing the Fire Element Fist was indeed greatly beneficial to her.

"Azure Luan, I've finished thirty repetitions," Teng Qingshan said with a smile, glancing at the Azure Luan, which then descended from the sky.

"Qingshan," Li Jun stood by the lakeside holding morning tea.

Teng Qingshan smiled and flew across the lake surface.

"Mmm, so fragrant." Teng Qingshan picked up a steamed bun and swallowed it whole. Li Jun couldn't help but smile, glancing at the Azure Luan beside her, and said, "Qingshan, the Azure Luan also said... she wants to transform into a Phoenix. Consolidating the Way of Fire is best for her; her strength will also be at its peak. The other 'Daos' cannot allow her to fully transform into that perfect peak state."

Teng Qingshan nodded.

Humans could choose any Dao to step into the Void Realm. But it was different for demonic beasts!

Because even when humans enter the Void Realm, their physical bodies undergo almost no change. Whether it was Teng Qingshan or other Void Realm experts, their bodies remained human, with no difference in explosive power compared to before reaching the Void Realm.

But demonic beasts were different!

The greatest reliance of demonic beasts was that upon reaching the Void Realm, their entire bodies would transform!

Take the Dragon Turtle: upon reaching the Void Realm, it transforms from a giant Dragon Turtle into a Golden Dragon Turtle.

Or pythons and similar creatures; as their strength increases, their bodies gradually change until they transform into true Flood Dragons! Like that Flood Dragon 'Zi Xi' who instantly annihilated an army of ten thousand soldiers—before stepping into the Void Realm, it was merely a Purple Light Flood Dragon, much like its descendants.

The Azure Luan was the same!

Upon entering the Void Realm, she could transform into an Undying Phoenix! However, only the Undying Phoenix formed by consolidating the Way of Fire would be in its most peak state. The flames it spat would also be the strongest flames! Of course, after consolidating the Way of Fire, the Undying Phoenix could still comprehend various other 'Daos' until achieving Great Perfection in the Void Realm.

Great Perfection in the Void Realm was the limit for demonic beasts!

"I know, that's why the Azure Luan watches me practice the Fire Element Fist every time," Teng Qingshan smiled, finishing a bowl of thin porridge.

"Qingshan, when are we returning to the Nine Provinces?" Li Jun suddenly inquired.

"Returning to the Nine Provinces?" Teng Qingshan was startled, gazing far south. "I feel my breakthrough is coming soon. After comprehending one more Dao and resolving the matter with the Skywind Battle God, we will return. With greater strength, we will have more confidence in the Nine Provinces. After all, there are far more Void Realm experts there than here."

Speaking of Void Realm experts, in the Nine Provinces alone, Yangzhou, one of the regions, had two known experts. If one included himself, Yangzhou would have three Void Realm experts!

If one Yangzhou can have three Void Realm experts, what about the other provinces? Places like the Imperial Yu Gate or the Qinling family stronghold are unlikely to have fewer experts than Yangzhou.

"After returning to the Nine Provinces, wanting to destroy Green Lake Island, wanting my Internal Martial Arts lineage to continue, and standing alongside the Buddhist Sect and Daoist Sect—it will still be fraught with immense difficulty," Teng Qingshan mused internally. The situation in the Nine Provinces was far from simple like the Duanmu Continent, where there were only three Void Realm experts, including himself.

Furthermore, none of those three had reached Great Perfection in the Void Realm.

"Qingshan, what are you thinking about?" Li Jun took Teng Qingshan's hand.

"Nothing much," Teng Qingshan smiled and held his wife's hand back.

"No matter what, for Xiao Jun, for Father and Mother... I must carve out a piece of territory for myself in the Nine Provinces. Whoever obstructs me, I will slay them." Teng Qingshan had suppressed his spirit for too long; there was a furious resolve in his heart, ready to erupt and stir up a massive storm!

He would never forget the battle at Great Yan Mountain.

That time, facing the powerful sects with no power to resist, Qing Qing died tragically, and he himself was forced to flee across the world.

"I will certainly settle all those scores from back then. The first target will be Green Lake Island." At this moment, Teng Qingshan possessed a conviction of 'slaying gods who block me and crushing Buddhas who obstruct me,' an unyielding belief.

"Alright, Xiao Jun, I'm going back to practicing my fists."

Teng Qingshan resumed practicing on the lake surface, first the Earth Element Fist, then the Metal Element Fist, because the seventeenth through twenty-second styles of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting were all fusions of Earth, Metal, and Fire elements. Having consolidated the Way of Fire also led to a slight breakthrough in the Metal Element Fist, allowing him to create the eighth punch.

Currently, both the Earth Element Fist and the Metal Element Fist had reached the eighth punch.

Puff! Puff! Puff!

For some reason, Teng Qingshan felt incredibly fluid practicing the Metal Element Fist now. Each punch he threw seemed capable of tearing the heavens and earth apart.

...

"Hmm?"

Almost everyone in the East Lake Garden, including the maids, as well as the Azure Luan and the Gale Eagle, were staring at Teng Qingshan practicing the Metal Element Fist. At this moment, Teng Qingshan's eyes were like lightning, his entire being resembling a colossal axe, unleashing wide, powerful strikes with astonishing ferocity.

Moreover, the speed of his boxing grew faster and faster. Teng Qingshan repeated the eight consecutive punches of the Metal Element Fist, yet his momentum continuously surged.

"What's wrong with Teacher?" Yang Dong looked on in shock.

"Teacher... seems different," Teng Shou also showed surprise.

Just as everyone watched in astonishment, a roar erupted from Teng Qingshan's throat: "Break for me!" Teng Qingshan raised his right hand high, resembling an axe splitting the heavens and earth, and then brought it down with boundless, immense force, as if shattering all constraints and shackles that obstructed him, cleaving open a pathway to the heavens.

Boom!

Without the slightest trace of true Gang Jin contained within, the entire space warped completely.

"Rumble rumble~~~" Streaks of sharp golden light, like countless sword beams, flowed around Teng Qingshan.

Soon, a figure appeared at the entrance of the East Lake Garden—the Cloudmist Battle God!

"How is this possible?" The Cloudmist Battle God stared at Teng Qingshan in utter shock. "In just a few short months, how, how is this possible?"

"Teacher, he broke through again?" Teng Shou and Yang Dong were also stunned.

Teng Qingshan, standing on the lake surface, had eyes like lightning, his presence like a sky-splitting divine axe, the man looking like a veritable Battle God. Breaking through again just months after entering the Void Realm was actually within Teng Qingshan's expectation. After all, Teng Qingshan had originally intended to use the Way of Earth to reach the Void Realm, but the Way of Fire broke through first.

"I never expected this, truly never expected it."

"It’s one thing that I entered the Void Realm via the Way of Fire. I never thought that the second 'Dao' I comprehended now would turn out to be the 'Way of Metal.'" Teng Qingshan managed a wry smile. The 'Way of Earth,' upon which he placed his greatest hope, hadn't broken through yet, while the other two had.

"The Way of Metal..."

Teng Qingshan’s inner conviction was firm.

It was precisely that 'slaying gods who block me, crushing Buddhas who obstruct me' forward-pressing state of mind that allowed Teng Qingshan to resonate with the profound intent contained within the Metal Element Fist. That's why practicing the fist felt increasingly exhilarating, his momentum accumulating continuously, ultimately culminating naturally in that punch resembling the splitting of the heavens and earth, shattering all obstruction!

"Qingshan, I can only say, I admire you, I truly admire you." The Cloudmist Battle God walked across the lake surface, smiling at Teng Qingshan with admiration.

"I cultivate several Daos simultaneously. The Way of Fire broke through earlier, and now the Way of Metal has followed," Teng Qingshan smiled. Among the Five Elements, only the Earth Element Fist had reached the eighth punch; the Water Element Fist was only at the sixth. The Wood Element Fist hadn't even produced a single punch; he hadn't even found the door to it.

The Cloudmist Battle God felt intense astonishment and envy!

This pace of progress was truly inconceivable.

"Brother Mu, if you compare me to the Duanmu Heavenly God, when the Duanmu Heavenly God first entered the Void Realm, he could control fifty percent of the power of heaven and earth. Now that I have mastered the Way of Metal, I can only control forty percent of the power of heaven and earth," Teng Qingshan said with a laugh.

The Cloudmist Battle God laughed heartily: "Qingshan, your attacks could already rival forty percent of heaven and earth's power. Now with this further breakthrough... even if you compare with the Skywind Battle God, who would win, who would lose, we probably won't know until you fight."

"Mmm..." Teng Qingshan nodded with a smile. "I am ready. In three days, I will go fight the Skywind Battle God."

According to Teng Qingshan's plan, after the battle with the Skywind Battle God, it would be time to return to the Nine Provinces!