"Teng Qingshan, that youngster from the Gui Yuan Sect back then? He..." Several thoughts flashed through the Blind Sword Saint's mind. Then, it was all blank, as if struck by ten thousand bolts of lightning; his mind could no longer form a coherent thought. He sat there cross-legged like an idiot. Only after a long while did the Blind Sword Saint let out a deep sigh.

"Grand Master, Grand Master." Tie Pan noticed something was amiss.

"Tie Pan."

The Blind Sword Saint's voice was hoarse. "My Azure Lake Island, it's finished!"

Tie Pan froze.

"Finished, finished," the Blind Sword Saint's voice rang out like a curse. "The Yu Huang Clan initially had three Void Realm Great Perfection experts, coupled with the fastest-flying 'Wind-Splitting Dragon Falcon' and the fastest-burrowing 'Six-Eared Earth Mole,' yet they still ended up failing, with Shen Gongtu being burned alive. Even the Yu Huang Clan suffered such a huge loss. How can my Azure Lake Island resist? How are we supposed to resist?"

Tie Pan's face turned ashen.

"He certainly knows how to endure."

"A Void Realm expert at twenty-one, yet he actually disguised his identity. He didn't leak any information to his clansmen," the Blind Sword Saint ground his teeth. "Teng Qingshan... can endure, truly can endure."

"No, if he wants to destroy my Azure Lake Island, he has to see if Teng Qingshan can swallow it down, lest he bursts his own stomach."

The Blind Sword Saint instantly made a decision in his heart: "Tie Pan. Send my order down..."

After returning to the Gui Yuan Sect and seeing his parents, Teng Qingshan met with his maternal grandfather, Teng Yunlong, that very evening to discuss matters concerning the Teng Clan. By the next morning, the vast contingent of the Teng Clan, riding a large number of horses, advanced toward the Great Yan Mountain range. Simultaneously, a detachment of the Black Armored Army accompanied them.

At noon, the autumn sun felt pleasantly warm upon the skin.

The Teng Clan, resembling a long dragon, continuously pressed forward.

"Finally, I can go home," Teng Yunlong's aged voice was filled with relief. "Thanks to Qingshan, Yongfan, you have raised a good son." Riding a horse, Teng Yunlong glanced cheerfully at Teng Qingshan and Li Jun, who were also mounted beside him.

"Haha," Teng Yongfan, riding alongside, couldn't help but laugh.

"I grew up in the manor my whole life. My Teng Clan has a history spanning a thousand years. Who would have thought that under my watch, they would be forced to leave their homeland," Teng Yunlong's gaze drifted vaguely. "But who would have imagined... that one day, my Teng Clan could return? And not just return, but build an even grander estate."

At the foot of Great Yan Mountain, that piece of land.

It was the root of the Teng Clan, where generations had lived, fostering deep affection. Although the city was fine, with Teng Qingshan's current influence, living at the foot of Great Yan Mountain also meant no bandits would dare invade. Under the guarantee of safety, the place where their ancestors had lived for generations naturally held a greater appeal for the Teng Clan.

During their conversation the previous night, once Teng Yunlong grasped Teng Qingshan's status, he immediately brought this matter up.

Upon hearing this news, the entire Teng Clan erupted in cheers.

It was near dark when the more than two thousand members of the Teng Clan, traveling on horseback, finally reached the dilapidated Teng Family Manor. Although they hadn't returned for several years, the manor's structures were clearly robust. Despite looking run-down, at least no houses had collapsed. Moreover, one thousand five hundred soldiers from the Black Armored Army had arrived with them.

From this day forward, a permanent garrison would be stationed near the Teng Family Manor.

In the pitch-black night, torches blazed across the training grounds of the Teng Family Manor.

"Master!"

Teng Shou and Xue Xin, leading ninety-eight youths, stood respectfully. They had also received orders from Teng Qingshan to hasten to this manor. Fortunately, 'Teng Honghou' knew the location of their ancestral home, allowing them to arrive easily.

"Are the houses built?" Teng Qingshan asked Teng Shou.

"Yes, Master. We arrived this afternoon. I gathered quite a few massive stones from Great Yan Mountain and constructed several stone houses near the woods west of the manor. They are sufficient for these youths to stay temporarily... We also brought plenty of food, and the disciples have already had dinner," Teng Shou replied respectfully. Teng Qingshan nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Let all the disciples rest. We'll handle many things tomorrow."

That night, the entire Teng Family Manor buzzed with excitement.

Every household was overjoyed.

Night.

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun lay nestled in bed.

"For now, this is how it will be," Teng Qingshan said. "Tomorrow, during the day, I will select a nearby peak on the Great Yan Mountain range. On that peak, I will arrange for manpower to begin constructing palace-like structures. In the future... that place will be the foundation of my Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage. We will also move up to the mountain to reside."

"The peak I choose will be several li away from the Teng Family Manor. This way, we can completely incorporate the Teng Family Manor as a part of my Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage," Teng Qingshan said with a smile.

In the plan...

Great Yan Mountain would become the bedrock of the Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage in the future!

And the Teng Family Manor would be expanded, rebuilt into a fortress, or perhaps a small city. It would become the sacred ground for the Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage!

"Qingshan, will this Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage be as prosperous as the Buddhist or Daoist lineages?" Li Jun murmured softly.

"Certainly."

Teng Qingshan was confident. "I am still young; I have plenty of time. Moreover, my Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage is in no way weaker than the Buddhist or Daoist schools. Although the requirements for aptitude are higher, once successful, the power is considerably greater than Daoist or Buddhist experts of the same level. Based on this alone, the Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage can flourish."

"And what I must do is carve out fertile ground on the Great Yan Mountain range where my Inner Strength Martial Arts lineage can be promoted and flourish!"

The next morning, Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, and the Cloud Dream War God entered Great Yan Mountain together to search for a suitable peak. Last night, Mu Tao, the Undying Phoenix 'Little Green,' the Phoenix Mother, and the Six-Legged Saber Cicada had all rested by the woods west of the Teng Family Manor.

"Brother Qingshan, this Great Yan Mountain range doesn't have any particularly towering peaks. They are all small hills," Mu Tao shook his head.

Teng Qingshan also frowned, standing atop a summit barely a hundred zhang high.

Looking around, the Great Yan Mountain area was quite extensive, but there were no truly colossal peaks; housing tens of thousands of people was impossible on a single one.

"Qingshan, look," Li Jun’s eyes brightened as she pointed ahead, to the left, and behind them. "Around this entire circuit, the tall peaks are about a hundred zhang high, and the shorter ones are several tens of zhang. This entire area, spanning several li, has peaks and valleys. Palaces don't necessarily have to be built on the mountains; they can be built in the valleys too! If we develop this area spanning several li, it will be enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people."

Teng Qingshan smiled and nodded.

"However, to truly establish a sect here," Teng Qingshan continued with a smile, "I must come to an understanding with the Demon Dragon Zixi and the Golden Turtle."

Great Yan Mountain was a place Teng Qingshan frequented since childhood.

Therefore, when considering establishing a sect, Great Yan Mountain was the first place that came to his mind.

Teng Qingshan's gaze shifted, noticing Li Jun’s dry lips, and he smiled. "Xiao Jun, you must be thirsty after running around for so long. I'll go fetch you some water." Saying this, Teng Qingshan's right hand transformed into a light blade, cleanly slicing a bamboo stalk from a nearby mountain bamboo grove, easily crafting a bamboo tube capable of holding water. He tapped his foot lightly and vanished in a flash of lightning toward a waterfall a hundred zhang away.

Li Jun watched this scene with a gentle, sweet smile gracing her lips.

Beside the waterfall, Rumble~~~ A curtain of water dozens of zhang high plunged from the sky, smashing violently into the pool below, splashing up white spray.

Teng Qingshan squatted down, scooped some water into the bamboo tube, and tasted it first.

"Quite cool and sweet," Teng Qingshan smiled in approval.

Then, he filled the entire tube completely and turned to walk back toward Li Jun. However, out of the corner of his eye, Teng Qingshan suddenly noticed... the pool receiving the waterfall's deluge flowed slowly along a mountain stream. Along both banks of the stream were various weeds and plants; fish and shrimp could vaguely be seen in the water, and ants and other insects were visible on the banks.

"Hmm?"

Teng Qingshan was inexplicably moved by this sight.

"Water?"

"Water is supremely soft yet incredibly tenacious. Water drips to pierce stone... That’s why I used drilling force to create the Poison Dragon Drill technique." Since comprehending the 'Way of Death,' Teng Qingshan had reverse-engineered the 'Way of Water,' allowing him to create the eighth form of the Water Element Fist. But no matter what, he had always failed to fully grasp the Way of Water.

Teng Qingshan squatted down and sliced the water surface with his hand-blade.

Swish~~~

The hand-blade cut through the water, which naturally parted, but after the blade passed, it immediately closed again.

"Drawing the blade cuts the water, but the water flows onward—I understand that concept."

"But the Way of Water is not that shallow."

Teng Qingshan looked at the fish and shrimp in the stream, at the plants along the bank.

"Water is like the earth."

"It nourishes all things and benefits all living beings."

"It can enter the most hidden places, cleansing everything."

"When it gathers in a deep pool, it appears clear, yet it is unfathomable."

"This is water: seemingly ordinary and common, yet it exists everywhere in heaven and earth." Teng Qingshan suddenly felt that water was the existence closest to the Dao. "The highest good is like water. Water benefits all things and does not contend..." Thinking this, Teng Qingshan placed the bamboo tube aside and began practicing his fist forms.

The artistic conception of the Water Element Fist, influenced by the 'Way of Death,' was rather fierce.

Although he had some comprehension, Teng Qingshan still could not break through after repeatedly executing the Water Element Fist.

"Rumble~~" The waterfall continued to crash down, striking the water surface and throwing up a large amount of mist.

Glancing at this scene, a flash of inspiration struck Teng Qingshan.

"Mist!"

"Rain!"

"Ice!"

"Solid, liquid, gas—constantly transforming and shifting between states. However, the essence is still water. This is water... it benefits all things, yet it possesses no inherent form. It can accommodate all things; holding the oceans makes one vast... This is all water, an encompassing quality that merges everything in heaven and earth." Teng Qingshan naturally threw the eighth form, followed immediately by the ninth.

The fist moved like phantom clouds and mist, seemingly gentle.

Yet, it appeared to encompass everything within it, making it impossible to fathom.

"This is water!"

Teng Qingshan let out a smile. "I must thank Pei San; his reminder was indeed crucial!"

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