Inside the main hall, Teng Yunlong and the other adults all turned their gaze toward Teng Qingshan. From beginning to end, they had never once inquired about Teng Qingshan’s own wishes. In their eyes, although Teng Qingshan possessed remarkable talent, he was, after all, only a six-year-old child; what understanding could a six-year-old truly have of the future?
How could such a decision be left to a child?
“Qingshan,” Teng Yunlong said with a gentle smile, “that Guiyuan Sect is the foremost sect within our prefecture of Jiangning in Yangzhou. Once you arrive there, you can obtain the secret manuals and cultivate inner strength. When you possess inner strength, you will be counted among the finest heroes in the entire Yicheng!”
“I don’t want to go.” Teng Qingshan shook his head firmly.
For now, he lacked a particularly good excuse, especially considering his current status was merely that of a six-year-old boy.
“Master, perhaps we should wait another two years,” Teng Yongfan said, unable to bear the thought of his son leaving.
“Hmph, Yongfan, you must consider Qingshan’s future!” Teng Yunlong’s expression darkened.
The silver-haired elder beside them, whose forehead bore a fleshy nodule, glowered and snapped, “Yongfan, your son’s prospects are boundless; do not ruin his future!” This Third Grand-uncle was notorious in Teng Family Village for his sternness; most children were too frightened to even speak in his presence.
“I don’t want Brother to leave!” Little Qingyu beside them suddenly burst into tears with a loud wail.
“Qingyu, stop crying,” Yuan Lan immediately picked up her daughter.
“Xiao Yu, be good, don’t cry. Brother isn’t going,” Teng Qingshan gently stroked his little sister’s cheek, then turned back to the assembled adults. “Grandfather, why must I go to the Guiyuan Sect? I refuse!” Teng Qingshan had no other recourse; at this juncture, he could only leverage his status as a child to throw a tantrum!
“Qingshan, don’t make a scene!” Teng Yunlong commanded sternly.
“Qingshan! You’re just a child, what do you know? Be obedient!” The Third Grand-uncle also scolded him.
Teng Qingshan was unwilling to go.
Because even if he were given the method to cultivate inner strength, he dared not practice it. The reason was… the inner strength cultivation method involved forcefully opening meridians and circulating Neijin through the body's Zhou Tian to enhance its power. Teng Qingshan knew this from his study of the Qiannian Jishi, and he was also familiar with the movement technique manual, Tianya Xing.
However, in his current state, many of his meridians remained unopened.
If he forced open his meridians according to the secret Neijin methods, it would only cause impurities to gather in the other, yet-to-be-opened channels, making them even harder to clear. This would completely negate the advantage he held as an ‘Internal Martial Arts’ practitioner. Therefore, until his cultivation of ‘Internal Martial Arts’ reached a point where all his meridians were completely clear, Teng Qingshan would not touch those so-called secret manuals.
After all, practitioners of Internal Martial Arts held an advantage in meridian clearing; their initial progress might be slow, but in the later stages, all their meridians could eventually become fully open.
Practicing the secret manuals now would only harm him!
But these explanations, Teng Qingshan simply could not voice them!
“I’m not going,” Teng Qingshan shook his head.
The Third Grand-uncle’s face darkened, and he barked, “Insolence! You are a child, what do you understand? Remember this: listen to your elders! We are all acting for your own good!”
“Qingshan,” Teng Yunlong’s face also stiffened.
“Even if you send me, I won’t practice the manual even if it’s placed before me!” Teng Qingshan stated. “By the time the year is up, the Guiyuan Sect will simply cast me out as a failure.”
The Third Grand-uncle pointed at Teng Qingshan, wanting to curse him but finding himself at a loss for words.
Indeed, if they sent Teng Qingshan there and he refused to practice the manuals, they truly would have no recourse.
“Qingshan, you are being utterly unreasonable,” Teng Yunlong’s anger surged. As clan leader for many years, his authority was not to be challenged. He roared, “I watched you grow up, and you have always been obedient. Why are you acting out like this now? Just be obedient, and when you are older, you will understand your grandfather’s good intentions.”
Teng Qingshan shook his head slightly but remained silent.
A silent protest!
The adults in the hall suddenly found themselves helpless. Teng Qingshan was famously well-behaved; how could he become so obstinate today? The more obedient a child usually is, the harder it becomes to persuade them once they finally dig in their heels.
“If you won’t listen, Yongxiang, Yonglei, you two take Qingshan out and lock him in the woodshed!” Teng Yunlong ordered.
Teng Yongxiang and Teng Yonglei exchanged a look of surprise.
“Master…” Teng Yongfan interjected anxiously.
“Did you not hear my command?” Teng Yunlong’s eyes bulged. Teng Yongxiang and Teng Yonglei could only comply, turning to look at Teng Qingshan. “I’ll go myself!” Teng Qingshan didn’t say much more, striding toward the woodshed beside the courtyard. Unexpectedly, Teng Qingshan walked toward the shed without needing to be escorted.
“Godfather,” Yuan Lan fretted.
“Master,” Teng Yongfan also looked toward the Clan Leader, Teng Yunlong.
Teng Yunlong sighed, “I truly don’t know what’s gotten into this child Qingshan. He’s always been so well-mannered, but today he is so stubborn. Still, he is just a child… Locking him up for a few days, and he’ll change his mind. Alan, Yongfan, you two must not let Qingshan out! Of course, you must prepare his three meals a day.”
“Yes, Godfather (Master),” Teng Yongfan replied helplessly.
“Confined in a dark little space like the woodshed, even an adult would suffer after a few days. A six-year-old child won’t last long. Once he submits, we’ll let him out,” Teng Yunlong reasoned. At this point, he had no other solution.
Dealing with a six-year-old grandson, whom he deeply loved, left Teng Yunlong without options.
Torture? He couldn’t bear it. Persuasion? Useless. Locking Teng Qingshan away was the only viable solution for the time being.
**
Logically, all children enjoy playing and detest confinement. Although Teng Yunlong and the others held high expectations for this exceptionally talented child, they only expected Teng Qingshan to hold out for two or three days. Yet, none of them anticipated… that Teng Qingshan, a six-year-old, would remain locked in the woodshed for a full six days without so much as a single cry.
Teng Qingshan remained perfectly calm inside the woodshed. Every time he was asked if he had changed his mind, Teng Qingshan offered the same reply— “I do not wish to leave Teng Family Village!”
Teng Yunlong was growing anxious!
Should they keep him locked up? Prolonged confinement might negatively affect the child’s disposition. Deep down, Teng Yunlong adored his grandson. His decision to send his grandson to the Guiyuan Sect was entirely for the boy's future well-being.
...
Inside the woodshed.
Teng Qingshan repeatedly practiced the Three Stance form within the cramped space. The Three Stance was known as the very origin of Xingyi; although Teng Qingshan had already attained the Master realm, he still sensed the profound depth of this stance and frequently gained new insights. Teng Qingshan felt no impatience at his confinement.
On the contrary, he could practice to his heart's content.
In his past life as an assassin, what kind of torment had he not endured? Being locked up was hardly a punishment for Teng Qingshan.
“Hmm?” Teng Qingshan’s ears twitched slightly, and he immediately ceased his practice, sitting down to lean against the stacked lumber beside him.
Every time someone approached, Teng Qingshan would stop cultivating.
“Qingshan.” A voice sounded.
“Third Grand-uncle,” Teng Qingshan replied. Fearing that Teng Yongfan and his wife might secretly release him, thus negating the intended effect of the confinement, this Third Grand-uncle personally stood guard.
“Qingshan, I’m telling you, staying in Teng Family Village is a waste of your talent. You are a once-in-a-millennium genius for our village. At this crucial juncture, you cannot throw a childish tantrum.” Initially, the Third Grand-uncle had remained stern, but after his initial anger, Teng Qingshan had simply remained silent, ignoring him.
After a long time, the Third Grand-uncle could only resort to gentle persuasion.
After all, when spoken to kindly, Teng Qingshan would engage him in conversation.
“Qingshan, you still refuse to go now?” the Third Grand-uncle inquired.
“Third Grand-uncle, I’ve said it: I don’t want to leave Teng Family Village, not yet, at least! Never mind that you’ve locked me up for six days; even six months wouldn’t change my mind,” Teng Qingshan’s voice was calm, but his words carried absolute, unwavering resolve.
Outside the woodshed, the Third Grand-uncle was left helpless.
A six-year-old child who could endure six days of confinement without showing the slightest sign of agitation. This temperament—if he possessed it at the Guiyuan Sect—would surely lead to great accomplishments.
“Creeeak.” The woodshed door opened.
“What is it?” Teng Qingshan turned his head in surprise.
The Third Grand-uncle, standing outside the door, looked at Teng Qingshan with a mixture of exasperation and amusement, a hint of helplessness playing on his lips. “Alright, little Qingshan, Third Grand-uncle admits you are formidable! Your grandfather and I both concede! From this moment on, we will not force you. We will only send you when you decide you wish to go!”
Regardless of everything, Teng Yunlong and the others adored Teng Qingshan and could not keep him imprisoned indefinitely.
Six days was the limit they had agreed upon; if Teng Qingshan still refused to yield after six days, they would have to admit defeat.
“Third Grand-uncle,” seeing the trace of exhaustion on the elder’s face, Teng Qingshan felt a pang of guilt. He knew these elders of the clan wished for his great success, which was why they pressed him so hard, but his reasons were impossible to articulate. In this confrontation, he had won.
Yet, Teng Qingshan could still feel the deep affection his clan elders held for him.
“Third Grand-uncle, rest assured, even staying in Teng Family Village, I will not disappoint any of you,” Teng Qingshan said.
“Hahahaha… Locked up for six days and not an ounce of impatience. You are only six years old! Hahahaha, a child like you, Third Grand-uncle has never seen in my life. As for your future achievements, I dare not even predict them,” the Third Grand-uncle could only accept the outcome of Teng Qingshan remaining in Teng Family Village for now.
A moment later, quite a few people, including Teng Yunlong, gathered in the courtyard.
Teng Yunlong looked at his grandson with a wry smile, then turned to Teng Yongfan. “Yongfan, this son of yours, don’t let his usual obedience fool you; once he sets his mind, even I have no recourse against his stubbornness.”
“This child is too disobedient, not understanding Master’s good intentions,” Teng Yongfan could only say now to comfort the Clan Leader, Teng Yunlong.
“Qingshan,” Teng Yunlong turned back to Teng Qingshan. “Tell me, what do you wish to learn? Whatever it is you desire, your grandfather will move heaven and earth to find a suitable master to teach you.”
“I want to learn the Spear!”
Teng Qingshan spoke the words he had planned long ago.
“The Spear?” Teng Yunlong frowned. “Qingshan, many in our clan practice with the spear, but those are merely village-level fighting techniques, accumulated experience passed down through generations. Furthermore, the spear is the most difficult of all weapons to master; without ten years of arduous practice, one cannot wield it effectively, and achieving true mastery requires a lifetime immersed in its study. Within Yicheng Prefecture, I have never heard of anyone who is a true master of the spear. Finding a skilled spear master for you will be exceedingly difficult; perhaps choose a different weapon?”
“I will only practice the Spear,” Teng Qingshan insisted.