"Ah Dong, remember, when I leave the Xing Yi Sect in an hour, you must disperse all the elite disciples and Xiantian masters within the sect. Do not let them gather." Teng Qingshan instructed.

"Yes, Master." Yang Dong replied respectfully. "Xiao Jun, later you tell Dao Chi to come over and take charge of the Xing Yi Sect.

Once you detect any Void Realm attacks on the sect, have it make its move," Teng Qingshan said calmly. "Hmph, if I'm not mistaken...

there’s a fifty percent chance the enemy will strike the Xing Yi Sect while I am away." "Strike?" Yang Dong was startled. "Master, didn't the letter say you were to go to Tian Lan Mountain in Yan Zhou?" Teng Qingshan shook his head and smiled: "Ah Dong, if your junior sister Linlin truly fell into his hands, no matter how unwilling I am, I would rush to Tian Lan Mountain...

However, I already asked the Undying Phoenix, 'Xiao Qing,' for help, and it has been secretly protecting Linlin all along. To prevent any accidents, I even had Xiao Qing carry an Undying Grass!" She will definitely be fine." The Undying Grass could revive even someone who had just died, as long as their spirit had not dissipated.

For his daughter, Teng Qingshan could not afford any loss; taking every precaution, he naturally had the Undying Phoenix 'Xiao Qing' carry an Undying Grass. "Oh." Yang Dong breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled, "Since Master doesn't have any leverage in the opponent's hands, there’s no need to go to that 'Tian Lan Mountain'." "Besides, both Qing Shan and I suspect this is a diversionary tactic," Li Jun interjected.

"After all, Linlin has been with that Fan Anran for quite some time. If Fan Anran wanted to kill Linlin, he could have done so many times.

But he hasn't killed her; instead, he keeps luring her outside the city, for what purpose?" Yang Dong smiled: "Right, as a hostage." "Junior Sister Linlin is in their hands, and they can use her to threaten Master," Yang Dong was also intelligent. "To hide spies and plant them in the Gui Yuan Sect for over ten years, and even track down my daughter—this force's ambition is far from small," Teng Qingshan said calmly.

"There are two possibilities. One, this is a hidden major power, just like the Tian Shen Palace that was lying dormant back then.

They seek to obtain the secret manual of the Xing Yi Five Elements Fist to make their forces even stronger." "The second possibility is revenge from the remnants of my Qing Lake Island," Teng Qingshan stated. The Nine Provinces Continent was vast; Teng Qingshan couldn't say for certain that there weren't other latent forces lurking.

For example, the 'Wan Xiang Sect' which never vied for supremacy. Or the extremely wealthy God of Wealth, 'Zhu Tong,' whose commercial network spanned the entire world.

Among his subordinates who managed restaurants and cloth shops, there might very well be hidden masters. After all, a truly great power might not necessarily lie dormant in the form of a sect.

"If it’s the first possibility, since they have no leverage over me, I naturally don't need to be threatened by them." "If it’s the second possibility, I will take this opportunity to sweep away the elite remnants of Qing Lake Island," Teng Qingshan smiled slightly. "In a moment, I will leave the Xing Yi Sect...

Afterward, I will return underground, burrowing forty li beneath Da Yan Mountain." "Master, you are..." Yang Dong was startled. Leaving and then sneaking back?

In an instant, Yang Dong understood what Teng Qingshan meant. "Xiao Jun, later tell Dao Chi, if any Void Realm experts break into my Xing Yi Sect, have Dao Chi immediately roar to notify me," Teng Qingshan instructed.

"At that time, I will immediately break through the earth and join forces with Dao Chi. If the enemy proves too strong, we can also ask our neighbor, 'Brother Yao Long Zi Xi,' for help." Since he was establishing a base in Da Yan Mountain, Teng Qingshan had certainly paid a visit to Yao Long Zi Xi and the Golden Turtle.

The Golden Turtle recognized Teng Qingshan and was easily befriended. Initially, Teng Qingshan thought befriending Yao Long Zi Xi would be quite difficult.

But unexpectedly... Yao Long Zi Xi had a very good attitude toward him.

Although Yao Long Zi Xi loved to sleep, and it was normal for him to sleep for several years at a time, in the nineteen years Teng Qingshan had been there, he had only met him three times. But in those three encounters, with Li Jun translating in between, Teng Qingshan and Yao Long Zi Xi had conversed very satisfactorily.

If real danger arose and he sought the help of this Yao Long 'Zi Xi,' Teng Qingshan believed it shouldn't be a major problem. However— Unless absolutely necessary, Teng Qingshan was unwilling to disturb this Yao Long 'Zi Xi.' He knew very well that Yao Long Zi Xi most hated being disturbed from his sleep.

"Mm, alright, I will tell Dao Chi immediately," Li Jun nodded. ...

About an hour passed. Teng Qingshan saw the sun was already very high.

"Xiao Jun, I leave the Xing Yi Sect to you and Dao Chi," Teng Qingshan entrusted, then under the gaze of his wife Li Jun, Teng Qingshan transformed into a streak of light and rapidly flew toward the southwest. After flying for a long time, Teng Qingshan traveled a full thousand li.

Then he directly plunged down, burrowing deep into the earth. He rushed back through the subterranean depths!

Traveling underground was significantly slower than flying. This round trip consumed nearly half an hour.

Teng Qingshan had returned to a depth of about forty li beneath Da Yan Mountain. "This place is really hot." Teng Qingshan sat cross-legged within the rock strata.

The power of Heaven and Earth had already forced open the surrounding rock. Above him, perhaps several dozen zhang away, was scorching magma.

"I wonder if it’s the remnants of Qing Lake Island, or a hidden force truly wanting my Xing Yi Five Elements Fist secret manual," Teng Qingshan mused to himself, then closed his eyes and sat down, quietly waiting. * Within the mysterious manor built in the forest in Yan Zhou territory.

As time passed, Hong Lin, confined in the iron cage, felt her physical strength gradually recovering slightly. The 'Soft Bone Powder' could not keep a person weak forever; it had a time limit.

"Right now, my strength has recovered about twenty percent. It will recover faster the longer I wait.

I estimate I can recover completely by nightfall." Hong Lin sat silently in the iron cage, her lips dry, looking utterly listless. "Damn it, the shackles used are forged from Black Iron." Hong Lin's hands were bound behind her back, and under the specialized Black Iron shackles, she couldn't exert enough force.

"Even at full strength, I can't break these Black Iron shackles. Not unless my 'Half-Step Collapse Fist' reaches Great Perfection, achieving the Grandmaster realm.

Perhaps then I could succeed." Hong Lin was anxious. Suddenly— "Sir." "Sir." The guards who had been watching, including the leader with prominent ears, all respectfully saluted a black-robed figure approaching from a distance.

Even Fan Anran and his sworn father, 'Fan Wu Tong,' bowed in deference. "Who is that?

Seems quite high in status?" Hong Lin looked up and glanced over. This person was clad in a black robe, his complexion was sallow, and his eyes resembled those of a dead fish.

The entire being exuded a chilling aura. "Miss Hong Lin," a cold voice came from the black-robed person.

"Hmph," Teng Hong Lin glared coldly at him. "Tsk tsk, still throwing tantrums?

Miss Hong Lin, this is not your Xing Yi Sect," the black-robed man sneered. Teng Hong Lin, however, turned her head away, not giving him a second glance.

"Guards!" The black-robed man pointed at the iron cage. "Open the iron door for me." "Huh?" Hong Lin was startled.

"Yes, Sir," the leader with prominent ears personally came over, first using a key to unlock the latch, and then with a clang, he opened the iron door. Hong Lin stared at the black-robed man: "What are you trying to do?" The black-robed man looked up slightly.

"There is still an hour until noon... Hmm, time to act.

Fan Anran, come here." "Sir," Fan Anran was extremely respectful before this black-robed man. "Now, use this knife." The black-robed man flipped his hand and produced a short blade, then pointed it at Hong Lin, ordering sternly, "Cut her face yourself.

You must make exactly nineteen cuts; not one less, not one more." Fan Anran was shocked. Disfigurement?

"You, you..." Hong Lin also looked at the black-robed man in shock. For a young girl, the importance placed on one's face could not be overstated.

Although Hong Lin was not overwhelmingly beautiful, inheriting features from Teng Qingshan and Li Jun, her appearance was upper-tier. Coupled with her cultivation of internal arts, her skin appeared delicate.

She was at an age where vanity was paramount. "Hm?" The black-robed man's face darkened.

"Yes, Sir," Fan Anran took a deep breath, accepted the short blade, and looked at Hong Lin inside the cage. "Anran, you, you really intend to..." Hong Lin felt like she would go mad at the thought of her former beloved personally slashing her face.

"Don't blame me; if you must blame someone, blame your father," Fan Anran said in a low voice. Then, wielding the short blade, he stepped into the iron cage in one stride.

A cold glint flashed in his eyes. Hong Lin wanted to struggle against the shackles, but having only recovered twenty percent of her strength, she could not.

"Fan Anran..." Hong Lin gritted her teeth. "Hmph," Fan Anran walked directly toward Hong Lin.

Dozens of people around, including the black-robed man, watched with cold sneers. But suddenly— Swish!

A streak of white light instantly pierced through Fan Anran’s vital spot, his heart. Fan Anran’s eyes widened, and he looked down at his chest.

A bloody hole had appeared. "This, this..." Blood foam continuously trickled from Fan Anran's mouth before he crashed heavily into the iron cage, already dead!

Hong Lin also stared at this scene in shock. "Ah!" "Ah!" "Ah!"...

A series of screams rang out. In the front yard, including Fan Wu Tong, every single one was pierced by a white light and then collapsed.

None could withstand it. Clang!

The black-robed man deflected the white light with a slash, his face filled with shock and fury. The white light hovered in mid-air.

It turned out to be the little white bird that had been following Hong Lin all along. The small white bird was now staring fiercely at the black-robed man.

"A spirit beast, a Xiantian-grade spirit beast?" The black-robed man couldn't believe that the seemingly ordinary bird, which looked like a common sparrow, was actually a formidable flying spirit beast! Even as a master of Xiantian Solid Core, he hadn't managed to injure the beast even once.

"Xiao Bai..." Hong Lin was stunned too. A scene from her childhood immediately flashed in her mind— "Linlin, Hong Wu, these two little birds are very pitiful; Dad and Mom just picked them up in the great mountains.

You two must take good care of them." Ever since they were young, the siblings Hong Lin and Hong Wu had taken care of their respective birds. Because they were together for so long, they had developed affection for the birds.

But they never knew... these birds, which looked like pets kept in cages by rich young masters, were actually a type of Xiantian flying spirit beast not even recorded in books!

"Little thing, wait till I kill you," the black-robed man's gaze turned cold, suddenly— "Boom~~" Suddenly, an intensely hot aura instantly enveloped the entire front yard. The black-robed man looked up and saw a giant divine bird, entirely engulfed in flames, manifesting overhead.

"Undying Phoenix!" The black-robed man's face instantly turned ashen white, and his heart plummeted to the bottom.