He had no idea that Teng Qingshan’s heart yearned constantly for his homeland, Kyushu, and that once the matter with the War God of Heaven's Wind was settled, he could return. "Brother Mu, does the War God of Heaven's Wind have any ultimate moves when truly fighting?" Teng Qingshan pressed, knowing that only by knowing the enemy can one be invincible.

"Ultimate moves? Oh, right, Qingshan, let me remind you of something." The War God of Cloud Dream said solemnly, "Controlling different Heaven and Earth Essences, when you circulate them, there can be some complications."

"Complications?" Teng Qingshan frowned.

"Yes."

The War God of Cloud Dream’s expression turned grave. "Yes, very troublesome! Different Heaven and Earth Essences will mutually conflict! That move you used last time, what was it called? 'Crimson Tiger's Roar,' right? That move clearly contained the Dao of Fire. While circulating the power of the Fire Element is naturally smooth and intuitive, if you use the power of Fire and the power of Metal simultaneously, the two Heaven and Earth Essences will clash, severely reducing the power."

"Four parts of Heaven and Earth Essence, yet half a part is negated."

Teng Qingshan couldn't help but be secretly shocked upon hearing this.

He had only just entered the Void Realm and truly lacked experience in controlling two different types of Heaven and Earth Essences.

"Try it out for yourself," the War God of Cloud Dream chuckled. "When you feel confident enough to fight the War God of Heaven's Wind, you can go. Actually—with your current strength, it’s almost impossible for the War God of Heaven's Wind to kill you. You don't need to worry too much."

Teng Qingshan smiled: "It’s the same principle; it’s also unlikely that I can kill him."

When two Void Realm experts clash, if one is at the Great Accomplishment stage of the Void Realm, they can naturally defeat or even kill one who has just entered the Void Realm with ease.

However—if the beginner in the Void Realm intends to flee, even a Great Accomplishment expert might not be able to stop them.

"Last time the War God of Heaven's Wind clamored atop Cloud Dream Ancient City, calling me a coward who hides in his shell. He said he'd wait for me in Heaven's Wind City, hoping I wouldn't show up!" Teng Qingshan grinned, "This time, even if I can't kill the War God of Heaven's Wind, I will make him a laughingstock to the world."

The War God of Heaven's Wind was too arrogant last time; if Teng Qingshan defeated him openly within just a few months, the War God of Heaven's Wind would truly lose all face.

"However, I must figure out exactly how to perfectly utilize the Metal power and the Fire power."

Although breaking through again and comprehending the Dao of Metal was a great joy, Teng Qingshan didn't make a big fuss. Only a few people in the East Splendor Garden, along with the War God of Cloud Dream and the Great Elder Mu Mang, held a luncheon. After the meal, Teng Qingshan began to ponder his spear techniques.

A breeze swept over, stirring ripples across the lake surface.

Teng Qingshan stood on the water as if he were an immortal, holding a single Reincarnation Spear.

"Let's try." He immediately pulled with his right hand, gripped the spear with his left, and rotated the shaft. The Metal Essence and the Fire Essence followed Teng Qingshan's control, spiraling along the Reincarnation Spear shaft, as if a massive drill boring through the entire world. The Reincarnation Spear transformed into a gigantic crimson-gold drill.

"Break!"

Teng Qingshan unleashed his physical strength. The Heaven and Earth Essences and the surging Gang Jin spinning at the tip of the spear continuously rotated and compressed. Accompanied by the explosive force of Teng Qingshan’s body, they burst forth simultaneously at the spear tip!

"Pfft!" At the tip of the spear, space warped, causing the surrounding space to churn violently. With a deafening roar, a chain of explosions erupted, shattering the lake surface for dozens of zhang around, sending up endless white spray.

"Just as I thought."

Teng Qingshan frowned. "Brother Mu was right. The Fire Essence and the Metal Essence clash when combined. Even though I control both, a significant amount of power is still lost during the conflict. Although I have four parts of Heaven and Earth Essence, I can only exert three and a half parts... adding my inherent physical strength and the boost from the 'Crimson Tiger's Roar,' the actual attack power is only comparable to five and a half parts of Heaven and Earth Essence."

...

This problem stumped Teng Qingshan.

How to make two different forces act as one, without any clashing loss, to unleash maximum power in a single move! Teng Qingshan began to meditate deeply every day.

"How should I perform it?" Teng Qingshan pondered.

"Qingshan, come eat, what are you spacing out for?" On the dining table, Li Jun couldn't help but smile. Teng Shou and Yang Dong, Fu Yuping were chuckling nearby. Ever since Teng Qingshan comprehended the 'Dao of Metal,' he seemed distracted, lost in thought about something.

"Oh." Teng Qingshan snapped out of his daze with a smile and stopped thinking, focusing on eating lunch.

"A'Dong, how is your Twelve Forms Fist technique coming along?" Teng Qingshan inquired.

"Senior Brother says I'm not practicing it well," Yang Dong said helplessly.

Teng Qingshan looked over, and Teng Shou immediately responded, "Teacher, I told him the Tiger Form in the Twelve Forms is the most important. Otherwise, he won't be able to practice the 'Divine Art of Tiger Form Communication' later. But A'Dong has only learned the superficial appearance of the Tiger Form Fist, lacking any true artistic conception. Instead, he always prefers practicing swordsmanship."

Yang Dong dared not speak.

"Internal martial arts cultivation requires talent," Teng Qingshan smiled and glanced at Yang Dong. "Practice for another year. If there is still no progress in internal martial arts, I will let you practice Inner Strength."

"Yes, Teacher." Yang Dong was overjoyed.

Teng Qingshan smiled. "My internal martial arts require extremely high talent. For Inner Strength cultivation, perhaps one in several people can succeed. But for internal martial arts, perhaps only one in a hundred can succeed." In this era abundant with spiritual energy, people's innate potential was generally higher than that of people in Teng Qingshan's previous life.

"It's not strange that you can't master internal martial arts. Everyone has a path suited for them; we can't force you two to walk the same road." As soon as Teng Qingshan finished speaking, he froze.

"Everyone has a path suited for them? Can't force them to walk the same road?"

Teng Qingshan's gaze became distant, and gradually, his eyes lit up.

"Haha..." Teng Qingshan couldn't help but laugh heartily.

"Qingshan?" Li Jun looked somewhat surprised.

"Teacher (Uncle)?" Teng Shou, Yang Dong, and Fu Yuping were all astonished.

"You all eat first."

Teng Qingshan ignored everything else, grabbed the Reincarnation Spear beside him, and leaped out onto the lake surface. The vast lake was very suitable for Teng Qingshan to practice his forms; he didn't have to worry about damaging any structures.

"I truly was so dull-witted; the initial direction of my thinking was wrong from the start!"

Standing on the lake, Teng Qingshan was immensely excited. "The Fire Essence and the Metal Essence are two completely different Heaven and Earth Essences. How could I possibly try to make them act as one without conflict? Different people have different paths—the principle is the same: you can't force them together!"

"Two types of Heaven and Earth Essences also cannot be forcibly merged."

Numerous thoughts flashed through Teng Qingshan's mind. "I should use their mutual antagonistic characteristics more cleverly..."

...

Once Teng Qingshan reached this level of realization, if his direction of thought was correct, he could easily find a solution!

"Like this, isn't it much simpler?"

Teng Qingshan was overjoyed.

Teng Qingshan once again shook the spear shaft and performed the move 'Crimson Tiger's Roar.' However, this time, the Metal Essence and the Fire Essence formed a spiral structure, like two dragons playing with a pearl. The two Heaven and Earth Essences wrapped around the spear shaft, constantly rotating, precisely winding around each other without touching.

Constantly rotating, constantly compressing!

When the rotation reached the single point at the spear tip, the Metal Essence and the Fire Essence converged for the first time. The two powerful Heaven and Earth Essences, already in conflict, were now compressed to the extreme along the spiral structure, forcing two different types of essence into a single point. Like explosives, they naturally exploded violently against each other!

Especially combined with the powerful infusion of physical force.

"Pfft!"

An astonishing penetrating force erupted, stirring up endless waves.

"Haha, it worked." Teng Qingshan laughed heartily. "This move has a bit of trickery to it. A spiral structure naturally allows two lines to wrap and rotate around each other without colliding."

Teng Qingshan smiled faintly.

Based on the inherent characteristics of 'Crimson Tiger's Roar,' and requiring only two types of Heaven and Earth Essences, Teng Qingshan improved it and created this move—Crimson Gold Tiger Cannon! The two Heaven and Earth Essences not only suffered no loss but their penetrating power at the final moment even saw a slight increase!

"War God of Heaven's Wind... didn't you invite me to challenge you?" Teng Qingshan looked forward to it even more.

August twelfth already marked late autumn, and the temperature in 'Heaven's Wind City'—a city that was almost the coldest on the entire Duanmu Continent—was absolutely freezing. Moreover, a heavy snowfall began today, with endless flakes drifting down like swan down from the high sky. The accumulated snow on the ground was deep enough to reach the thighs!

Whoosh~~~ Whoosh~~~

The cold wind howled, the snow was endless.

At the Rising Sun Inn in Heaven's Wind City, the second and third floors were completely closed to guests today. On the third floor, the War God of Cloud Dream, clad in a black leather coat and carrying a massive wolf-head battle blade on his back, along with his disciple, the Great Elder 'Mu Mang,' as well as Li Jun, Teng Shou, Yang Dong, Mu Yunji, and several others, were all gathered!

"Heaven must also know that a peak battle will take place today, which is why it has brought this astonishing heavy snow," the War God of Cloud Dream remarked with emotion.

"Mhm, it has been a long, long time since the Duanmu Continent witnessed a clash between peak War Gods," Mu Mang also exclaimed in awe.

Li Jun couldn't help but ask, "Qingshan, why hasn't he shown up yet?"

"We set out yesterday. Qingshan has Qingluan; he can arrive at any time." The War God of Cloud Dream smiled. Today was the day Teng Qingshan challenged the War God of Heaven's Wind... so the War God of Cloud Dream had brought Li Jun and the others along. He was confident that with him present, the War God of Heaven's Wind would not dare harm the people around him.

...

At the Helian Estate, in the second floor of the Heaven's Wind Hall, only the War God of Heaven's Wind and the Iron Sword Martial Saint were present.

"Hmm, Old Man Mu, why have you come to my Heaven's Wind City?" The War God of Heaven's Wind sat cross-legged, looking toward the southeast—the direction of the Rising Sun Inn.

Within a radius of thirty-four li, Void Realm experts could sense each other's presence.

"Hm?" The War God of Heaven's Wind looked up at the sky.

"What is it, Teacher?" The Iron Sword Martial Saint asked doubtfully.

A dark, faint light flickered in the eyes of the War God of Heaven's Wind. "He... has arrived."

"He?" The Iron Sword Martial Saint was momentarily stunned.

Just then, a powerful voice that echoed across the heavens and earth instantly swept across the entire Heaven's Wind City: "Helian, didn't you invite me, Teng Qingshan, to challenge you in Heaven's Wind City? I have arrived... Do you dare accept the challenge?"

"Do you dare accept the challenge?" "Do you dare accept the challenge?" "Do you dare accept the challenge?" ...

The voice reverberated continuously throughout Heaven's Wind City.