In the study of Lord Zhuge Yuanhong in Ning County City, only Teng Qingshan and Zhuge Yuanhong were present. "Haha, Wuyou, my Guiyuan Sect is finally safe!" Zhuge Yuanhong couldn't help but burst into hearty laughter.

"Master, yes, that Qinghu Island dares not bother our Guiyuan Sect again. However, if the Heavenly God Palace attacks Yang Province in the future...

there will still be many problems," Teng Qingshan said with a frown. Although confident, Teng Qingshan didn't believe he could make the Heavenly God Palace give up the entirety of Yang Province.

Perhaps, giving up just Ning County to the 'Guiyuan Sect' was possible. But— Teng Qingshan also had ambitions.

The lineage of Internal Martial Arts must flourish in the future; how could one Ning County suffice? "It's hardly a problem.

You've had some dealings with the Heavenly God Palace. Since it's because of you, Qingshan, this Heavenly God Palace will leave Ning County to you.

As long as the Palace Master of the Heavenly God Palace isn't foolish, he will definitely agree," Zhuge Yuanhong said with a faint smile. "I also know that you, Qingshan, feel that one county is insufficient for development." "However, don't rush.

You can only eat as much rice as your stomach can hold," Zhuge Yuanhong chuckled, looking at Teng Qingshan. "Wait until the day you can roam the Nine Provinces unrivalled; it won't be too late to expand then.

I believe by then, the Fire Liu Iron Armor and the Spirit of the North Sea will be able to exert their full potential." "Mhm," Teng Qingshan nodded thoughtfully. "It can only be so." "But Qingshan, this time you fought three Void Realm experts from She Ri Divine Mountain and Qinghu Island.

Once this matter settles, if my prediction is correct, quite a few sects across the Nine Provinces will likely come looking for you." Zhuge Yuanhong spoke. "Looking for me?" Teng Qingshan asked, already smiling as the words left his mouth.

He wasn't stupid and understood his master's meaning. "Right, even that demonic wolf from She Ri Divine Mountain has become a coveted prize," Teng Qingshan laughed.

"The Dao Chi, whether flying or burrowing, is far superior to that demonic wolf." "Haha, asking for my help isn't difficult; it depends on how good the benefits are," Teng Qingshan said with a mischievous grin. "You," Zhuge Yuanhong shook his head and smiled.

The laughter of the master and disciple echoed in the study; it was clearly a happy day. That same afternoon, Teng Qingshan returned to Yicheng riding the Six-Legged Dao Chi.

* Yicheng, inside the sprawling mansion. It was now the morning after the battle of the five Void Realm experts beneath the northern wall of Ning County City.

On the training grounds of the outer courtyard of the mansion where Teng Qingshan resided, over nine hundred youths were divided into two groups. One group consisted of forty-five individuals, and the other numbered over eight hundred.

The latter group occasionally looked at the forty-five with eyes full of envy. "Master, these are the forty-five who have cultivated Internal Strength," Teng Shou stood beside Teng Qingshan.

"Oh? Only two or three days?

You mentioned forty-two last time, and now there are forty-five," Teng Qingshan nodded in satisfaction, looking at the forty-five youths. The forty-five were repeatedly practicing the Three Stance Form, while simultaneously controlling their breathing and exhalation.

It was clear that the movements and breathing techniques of these forty-five youths were far superior to the eight hundred others nearby. There was even a sense of aesthetic beauty, a rhythmic grace.

Seeing Teng Qingshan arrive, the forty-five youths practiced with even greater concentration. "Not bad, there's a real flavor to it," Teng Qingshan’s face broke into a wide smile.

These were all seeds. Seeds of the Internal Martial Arts lineage.

Though young now, in ten or twenty years, these individuals would be the backbone of the Internal Martial Arts lineage. Seeing these youths, Teng Qingshan vaguely saw a raging tide of Internal Martial Arts cultivation sweeping across the Nine Provinces decades later.

"Hm?" Teng Qingshan's gaze fell upon one particular youth. Teng Shou saw this and quickly introduced him: "Master, this youth is called Teng Honghou.

Although he is the oldest among this batch, he practices the Three Stance Form the best, and his Monkey Fist is also excellently trained. He was also the first to manifest Internal Strength." "Of course, I know," Teng Qingshan thought to himself.

"This Teng Honghou is my nephew. He probably practiced the Tiger Fist when in Tengjiazhuang, so he has some foundation." Teng Honghou saw Teng Qingshan staring at him, and his movements became agitated to the point of distortion.

He only knew that... the person before him was the legendary 'Jing Yi.' Although he was young, he didn't know much about Jing Yi.

But he had learned from his uncle, 'Teng Qinghu,' that Jing Yi was one of the supreme figures across the entire Nine Provinces. Moreover, the scene where Teng Qingshan stamped his foot and cracked the earth was something he would never forget.

"This child," Teng Qingshan suddenly frowned and looked up at the sky. "A'Shou, you are responsible for teaching them.

I'm returning to the inner courtyard," Teng Qingshan instructed and headed toward the inner courtyard. ...

At that moment, a streak of light flew across the sky. When it reached above Yicheng, its speed sharply decreased, transforming into a figure.

This person wore a dark cyan robe, had a green thumb ring on his right thumb, and his hair was streaked with white. Most strangely, he possessed a pair of bushy eyebrows that looked like brooms, beneath which lay a pair of small, smiling eyes.

The whole person resembled a wealthy gentleman. "Hm?" The old man's small eyes glanced down at Yicheng below, and his brow furrowed slightly.

"This Jing Yi really puts on airs; he doesn't come out to greet me even though he discovered my arrival—though that makes sense; perhaps he thinks I'm just passing by." Immediately, the old man transmitted his voice downward: "Brother Jing Yi." "My good sir, who might you be?" Teng Qingshan's voice also reached the old man's ears. ...

In the inner courtyard, Teng Qingshan stood gazing upward. Ever since detecting the arrival of this Void Realm expert within his domain, Teng Qingshan had guessed...

that someone might be coming for him. After that last battle, both he and Master Zhuge Yuanhong had surmised that someone might seek him out because of the Dao Chi.

Now, it was confirmed. "There are quite a few Great Perfection Void Realm experts in the Nine Provinces.

I didn't expect the one coming for me to be at Great Perfection. He certainly gives me face," Teng Qingshan mused internally.

"I wonder which sect he hails from." "Haha, this old fellow is Yu Tonghai, from the Yu Emperor Gate." The voice sounded beside Teng Qingshan’s ear. "Yu Tonghai?" Teng Qingshan was startled.

He knew very little about the Void Realm experts of the Nine Provinces, but he was certainly well aware of the Yu Emperor Gate. Especially since the surname was 'Yu.' "I never expected Brother Yu from the Yu Emperor Gate to grace us with a visit," Teng Qingshan transmitted with a smile.

Yu Tonghai's small eyes in mid-air finally revealed a hint of satisfaction. With a swoosh, he transformed into a green streak of light and instantly descended into the inner courtyard, reappearing in human form.

Teng Qingshan focused his gaze and finally saw Yu Tonghai's appearance clearly. "Bushy eyebrows, small eyes?" Teng Qingshan showed a faint smile and went forward to greet him.

"Brother Jing Yi, where is your demonic beast?" Yu Tonghai cut straight to the chase, laughing heartily. "Although I am in Yuzhou, I have heard of your demonic beast.

I have been extremely curious for a long time. Please summon it so I can have a look, how about it?" "No problem, come, Brother Yu, please sit here." Teng Qingshan led Yu Tonghai beneath a pavilion, and the two sat facing each other.

"Dao Chi," Teng Qingshan called out over his shoulder. Yu Tonghai immediately turned his head toward a room not far away.

In truth, he had known through his domain that the Six-Legged Dao Chi was inside that room... Just then, the Six-Legged Dao Chi appeared at the doorway, completely pitch black, with blood-red pupils.

Its two lower limbs and four arms—these six limbs looked like six battle blades. The sight was chilling.

Yu Tonghai specifically focused on the hundreds of spikes gathered on the Dao Chi's blade-arms, resembling a sleeve. He knew— This very demonic beast had instantly dispatched thousands of Silver Flood Dragon Army soldiers using only these spikes.

"Roar~~" The Six-Legged Dao Chi gave Yu Tonghai a cold glance with its blood-red eyes, then returned to its quarters. "Brother Yu, that's just the temper of the Dao Chi.

When I first met him, we fought fiercely. After several battles, we finally became friends.

Please don't mind his temper," Teng Qingshan said with a smile. Yu Tonghai shook his head repeatedly.

"I don't mind. Void Realm demonic beasts always have a bit of arrogance." Yu Tonghai had seen arrogant Void Realm demonic beasts before.

Because they had one within the Yu Emperor Gate! "Brother Jing Yi, according to the intelligence gathered by my Yu Emperor Gate, you probably haven't joined any sect yet, right?" Yu Tonghai smiled at Teng Qingshan.

"At the Heavenly God Palace, you were likely only the guest elder 'Hu He,' am I correct?" Teng Qingshan's expression remained unchanged, but his heart was greatly alarmed. Few people knew that Jing Yi was Hu He.

Although Teng Qingshan himself hadn't paid much attention to disguising himself, the intelligence capability of the Yu Emperor Gate was truly terrifying for being able to discover that Jing Yi was Hu He. "Worthy of being the most ancient sect in the Nine Provinces," Teng Qingshan thought to himself.

"Yes, I belong to no sect or school," Teng Qingshan replied with a smile. "Haha, it's good to belong to no sect or school!" Yu Tonghai chuckled.

"No sect or school means carefree freedom. Especially now that Brother Jing Yi possesses such a formidable Void Realm demonic beast.

The Nine Provinces are vast; Brother Jing Yi can roam without fear. I am quite envious." Teng Qingshan wasn't giddy from these compliments; he knew that Yu Tonghai's true purpose had yet to be revealed.

"However—" "No sect or school also has its drawbacks," Yu Tonghai sighed. "For instance, how do you care for your descendants in the future?

Although we Void Realm experts have a lifespan of five hundred years, what happens after we die? After all, even the legendary Undying Grass is useless to us.

We can only live for five hundred years." Teng Qingshan nodded slightly. The Undying Grass was indeed ineffective for Void Realm experts; this was already recorded in texts.

The lifespan limit for human Void Realm experts is five hundred years—a restriction imposed by Heaven and Earth, insurmountable. For Void Realm experts, the only benefit of the Undying Grass was likely its miraculous effect in healing and saving lives.

For Xiantian experts, Houtian masters, and ordinary people, consuming the Undying Grass could extend their lives by two hundred years. "Furthermore, if one truly encounters a great enemy, even with such a Void Realm demonic beast, one can only evade, not kill the enemy," Yu Tonghai lamented again.

Teng Qingshan merely nodded beside him. "But it’s different if you join a sect," Yu Tonghai looked at Teng Qingshan, his eyes faintly gleaming.

"Take my Yu Emperor Gate, for instance. The Yu Emperor Gate is the most ancient sect in the Nine Provinces...

Having been passed down for so many years, the benefits hardly need me to elaborate; Brother Jing Yi understands." Teng Qingshan nodded slightly. Yu Tonghai continued with a smile: "If Brother Jing Yi is willing to join my Yu Emperor Gate, my sect has also prepared a grand gift."