The patriarch of Teng Family Village, Teng Yunlong, was once hailed as the finest hero of the village! This Teng Yunlong, who was Teng Qingshan’s maternal grandfather, held the highest position in Teng Family Village as the 'Patriarch'; similarly, he was originally the village's foremost blacksmith.

To call him merely a blacksmith was an understatement, as the ancestral weapon-forging skills of the Teng family surpassed even those of craftsmen in the city's weapon shops.

He took on more than a dozen apprentices, the most outstanding among them being Teng Qingshan's father, 'Teng Yongfan'.

Now that Teng Yunlong is aged, Teng Yongfan has completely inherited his memories and become the undisputed number one blacksmith in Teng Family Village.

Since he is the top blacksmith in the village, it is all but certain that Teng Yongfan will be the next Patriarch! This is because, in Teng Family Village, there are generally only three main occupations: hunting, farming, and weapon crafting.

Hunting and farming yield meager earnings.

However, forging a fine weapon can bring in substantial income, enough to make Teng Family Village prosperous.

Furthermore, all the weapons in the entire village must be refined by the blacksmiths.

The blacksmiths are the ones who bring wealth to the village and equip its men with sharp armaments.

Therefore, blacksmiths enjoy an exceptionally high status within the village.

The First Blacksmith is invariably either the Patriarch or the designated heir to the position.

Father Teng Yongfan spent the better part of every day in the forge.

Meanwhile, Mother 'Yuan Lan' was perpetually busy with myriad household duties.

Frequently, Teng Qingshan was left alone at home.

Teng Qingshan didn't mind this arrangement; shutting the courtyard gate meant he could focus entirely on his training. "Hiss—" His left foot dragged forward like an iron plow cutting earth, and his right foot and right fist exploded outward almost simultaneously.

The Xingyi Three Stance was the simplest, yet the most profound of all forms.

The Three Stance is the genesis of Xingyi; even a Xingyi Grandmaster must practice it ceaselessly.

At present, every punch and every kick Teng Qingshan executed resonated with the essence of a Grandmaster.

If one listened closely, they could hear the faintest sound emanating from him—the sound of internal tendons and bones resonating together.

The tendons and bones sang in chorus! "Hoo!" "Hoo!" "Hss!" Accompanying the Three Stance, his breathing alternated between short, sharp bursts and long, slow draws, his chest acting like a bellows, holding a strange, intrinsic rhythm.

He practiced like this for two full shichen (four hours)! He concluded the form! "An ancient setting truly is more conducive to martial arts practice," Teng Qingshan mused, his mind calm. "In just one year of practicing Xingyi Quan, the internal energy within me is already more robust than when I reached my peak in my previous life.

No wonder there exists such a secret lightness skill as Tianya Xing." Truly living in antiquity, Teng Qingshan finally understood: it wasn't that Tianya Xing consumed excessive internal energy; it was because, in his past life, his internal energy reserves were simply too scarce. "Having too much internal energy also brings its own frustrations." Teng Qingshan was deeply troubled.

Because he was only four years old, very few of his meridians were fully open.

Moreover, Teng Qingshan dared not forcefully push his internal energy to clear the blockages, as doing so would cause the 'meridian impurities' to accumulate in other major and collateral channels, rendering it impossible to open all meridians later in life.

Sacrificing future potential for immediate gain? That was something Teng Qingshan would not permit. "However, with ample internal energy, I can still fully fortify my body," Teng Qingshan thought secretly.

Internal Martial Arts are divided into three major tiers, and each tier represents a fundamental enhancement of the physical form.

The first tier is purely about pushing muscle strength to its absolute limit.

The second tier, after generating internal energy (Neijin), involves using that energy to stimulate the deep layers of muscle, allowing the muscle and sinew to absorb the energy and grow anew, strengthening the body further.

The reason Teng Qingshan survived a direct hit from the sharpshooter 'Sun Ze' in his previous life was precisely because his muscle power had already reached a terrifying apex.

The third tier, achieved upon reaching the Grandmaster realm, allows one to transcend human limits and continue to strengthen the physical form.

After all, in the modern era, the spiritual energy of heaven and earth was too sparse.

With little internal energy, the focus naturally remained on physical strengthening. "Since I have more internal energy than I can currently utilize, I will proceed with the second tier: stimulating muscle and sinew to strengthen my body." As a former Grandmaster, Teng Qingshan naturally knew how this was done.

Internal energy was like nourishment; muscle and sinew were like plants absorbing that nourishment to grow.

The method to stimulate sinews and muscles to absorb this internal energy was through the secret techniques of Internal Martial Arts—which was their most precious aspect.

In the timeline of Teng Qingshan's previous life, over a thousand years, countless geniuses and titans had succeeded one another, gradually perfecting these arts, thereby creating the unbelievable discipline known as Internal Martial Arts. "Hmm, Mother should be back by now." Teng Qingshan opened the courtyard gate, locked it securely, and headed straight for the Teng Family Village training grounds.

The Teng Family Village training grounds were the noisiest and liveliest place in the village. "Hah!" "Hngh!" A cacophony of ragged shouts mixed with casual laughter drifted toward him.

Teng Qingshan approached and saw that the training ground was filled with young adults and children, some rolling iron spheres, others hoisting stone locks, and yet others practicing spearplay.

Aside from the morning collective drills undertaken by the adult men of the clan, the training ground was occupied by spontaneous training sessions at all other times.

Near the edge of the grounds, some women were busy with chores like washing clothes or sewing.

They watched the men train while they worked. "Qingshan is here," some women greeted him with smiles. "Greetings, Aunties," Teng Qingshan replied politely. "What a good child Qingshan is, never causing trouble.

He's only four, and A'Lan lets him play alone," the women praised, smiling.

Qingshan was famous in Teng Family Village for two things: being 'a big eater,' and being 'obedient and sensible.' Young children could be troublesome; anyone who had raised one knew that.

Yet, Teng Qingshan was so well-behaved that he caused his parents no worry whatsoever. "Mother," Teng Qingshan walked over.

Yuan Lan was seated near the training ground, holding an infant in her arms.

This baby was Teng Qingshan's younger sister, 'Qingyu,' who was almost three months old. "Qingshan, your cousin is over there," Yuan Lan said with a smile.

Teng Qingshan turned and saw a youth nearly six chi tall continuously lifting a massive stone lock.

That lock clearly weighed at least a hundred jin.

To maintain such a continuous hold on a hundred-jin lock required immense arm and shoulder strength. "In this world, the spiritual energy is abundant; the general physical constitution of people here is two to three times stronger than the average person in my previous modern society," Teng Qingshan reflected inwardly. "Your cousin Qinghu lifted a three-hundred-jin boulder during the New Year.

Lifting three hundred jin at the age of nine—he will likely become the finest hero of Teng Family Village," Yuan Lan sighed with emotion.

Teng Qingshan softly affirmed with an "Mm." Teng Qinghu, at nine years old, stood nearly six chi tall.

In this world's measurements, one chi was equivalent to about 25 centimeters, meaning Teng Qinghu was nearly one meter fifty tall.

Under normal circumstances for this world, a nine-year-old lifting seventy or eighty jin was considered average.

Lifting over a hundred jin meant he was destined to be a fine man when grown.

If he could lift three hundred jin at nine, that was truly 'gifted beyond measure.' His mother, Yuan Lan, saying Qinghu might become the village's top hero was not an idle boast. "If Cousin could learn Internal Martial Arts from me, his achievements would be limitless, given he can already lift three hundred jin," Teng Qingshan thought.

The practice conditions for Internal Martial Arts were demanding.

In the modern era, while practitioners were numerous, some minor sects, like the Divine Thief Gate, had declined to the point where not a single person could cultivate internal energy.

After all, progressing from the external to the internal was exceedingly difficult.

To cultivate internal energy was one in ten thousand; to reach the Grandmaster realm was perhaps one in a hundred million.

The required aptitude was self-evident.

Cousin 'Teng Qinghu' clearly possessed good talent. "It’s a pity I am just a child now; who would believe what I say? And I cannot reveal this openly now; the consequences of doing so..." Teng Qingshan let the thought dissipate. "Hey, Qingshan." At that moment, a voice called from a distance.

Teng Qinghu set down the stone lock, his bare upper body slick with sweat.

He smiled and walked over, "Qingshan, what do you do all day staying at home? Come to the training ground more often.

You are young and can't train strength yet, but staying cooped up isn't good for you." A child who stays inside too much tends to become introverted, which really isn't good. "Thank you, Cousin," Teng Qingshan smiled. "Ah, Qingyu, little Qingyu." Teng Qinghu leaned over the infant, playfully teasing her. "Hey, Qinghu, you're covered in sweat.

Don't drip on Qingyu.

Go wash up quickly and put on a shirt," Yuan Lan chastised. "You’re having lunch at my place today.

The brothers who went hunting yesterday brought back a pheasant; I've cleaned it and it’s simmering on the stove." "Got it!" Teng Qinghu grinned, rushed to a nearby spot, grabbed a gourd ladle, poured the cool water directly over himself, then wiped down with a towel and pulled on his clothes.

Teng Qingshan genuinely liked his cousin; he possessed the characteristic straightforwardness of the men of Teng Family Village and was very good to both Qingshan and his sister, Qingyu. "Hm?" Teng Qingshan's ear twitched slightly.

Through his practice of Internal Martial Arts, Teng Qingshan's six senses were acutely sharp.

He had already detected faint, distant clamor, which was gradually growing louder.

Soon, he saw three women carrying a man whose head was covered in blood, running quickly toward them.

One of the women shouted loudly, "Quick, someone help! Carry Da Hou back home!" "What happened?" The main gate of Teng Family Village opened, and numerous people immediately rushed out.

The entire training ground erupted into noisy confusion. "Something's wrong," Yuan Lan stood up abruptly, clutching the infant to her chest. "The men of the First and Second Squads remain in the village; all other men, take your weapons and follow me!" A powerful shout rang out from the village entrance.

Teng Qingshan instantly recognized the speaker: the 'Master Craftsman' in charge of teaching the village men spear techniques—'Teng Yongxiang.' At the Master Craftsman's command, the entire Teng Family Village burst into commotion as the news spread rapidly. "People from another village are crossing us! Damn it, let's wipe them out!" Teng Qinghu also snatched up a long spear and turned to Teng Qingshan, "Qingshan, are you coming?" Teng Qingshan casually picked up a handful of pebbles from the ground. "You plan to hit them with little stones?" Teng Qinghu couldn't help but laugh. "Stones that small—your strength won't do anything." "Let's go, Cousin.

Mother took Sister back.

If she sees me, she won't let me go," Teng Qingshan offered no further explanation.

Although most of his meridians were not yet open, a child's meridians held little impurity, and the channels in his hands were the easiest to open.

The first time Teng Qingshan manifested internal energy, he shattered the ground with a single palm strike.

At that time, the meridians in both hands were already clear.

By channeling his internal energy, throwing the pebbles with the technique of a flying knife, the projectiles infused with Neijin possessed power nearly equal to a bullet.

Of course, Teng Qingshan's inherent physical strength was still small; he could only rely on internal energy. "Let's go, Cousin.

Don't worry, I'll protect you," Teng Qinghu said confidently.

Clutching a long spear, he led Teng Qingshan, following the large group as they charged outward.