The high wooden palisade of Teng Village was guarded by clansmen at the main gate. "The Hunter Squad is back!" shouted one of the sentries from the gate.

Many clansmen, who had been chatting in the training grounds, rushed over, but their expressions drastically changed upon seeing the bloodstains and bandages covering the returning hunters, as well as the bodies being carried in. Clansmen were dead!

"Qiangzi!" a mournful cry erupted. "Quickly, notify the Clan Chief!" someone immediately yelled, the sound sharp with anguish.

... Moments later, nearly two thousand people had gathered in the training grounds, everyone except those still tilling the fields.

Each face was heavy with gravity, especially those of the families of the deceased, who knelt on the ground weeping. Clan Chief Teng Yunlong also bore a look of sorrow.

"This time, when the Hunter Squad went up the mountain, they ran into the Wolf King on patrol! The Hunter Squad lost five men, and four others were crippled!" Teng Yunlong’s voice was low, punctuated by faint sobs from the crowd.

"Teng Yonglian, Teng Yongqiang, Teng Yongyi…" Teng Yunlong recited the five names in succession. "They died for our Teng Clan.

The clan will compensate each of their five families with one hundred taels of silver, and from this day forward, the clan will support them!" Teng Yunlong's tone was steady; this was the old rule—one hundred taels for those who died fighting for the clan, fifty taels for the crippled, and the families would be supported by the entire lineage. Teng Qingshan watched the scene silently.

Over the years, he had heard tales of other villages being wiped out by bandits, but hearing was not the same as witnessing; it lacked the visceral shock. The Teng Village was a relatively strong stronghold, one that ordinary bandits were wary of provoking, and they also paid the yearly protection fee to the White Horse Gang.

The clansmen of Teng Village had lived peacefully for a long time; no one had been killed recently. After all, encountering a Wolf King on patrol deep in the mountains was an event that might only happen once in several decades.

"Light the fires!" Teng Yunlong’s sudden command snapped Teng Qingshan back to attention. Cremation.

It was the clan's custom. Flames roared toward the sky, consuming the bodies laid upon the pyres—familiar elders from the clan.

Cries of grief echoed around, but more people watched in quiet contemplation, for they had known deeper, more indelible hardships. They had long understood that survival in this land demanded sacrifice through blood.

This was why the clansmen trained relentlessly from childhood, never relaxing for a single day. ** The Ancestral Hall of the Teng Clan.

"Creaaak!" The heavy iron door was pushed open as grieving family members, carrying five caskets of ashes, stepped inside. Teng Qingshan stood with his father, Teng Yongfan, observing quietly.

The hall was vast, almost comparable in size to the armory. Lined up within were rows upon rows of urns—thousands, it seemed, meticulously and densely arranged.

"These are the ashes of our ancestors who died for the clan over the thousand-year history of the Teng lineage," Teng Qingshan knew this fact. Not everyone earned the right to enter the Ancestral Hall.

Throughout the Teng Clan's millennium of history, only those who fell defending the clan or made significant contributions could have their remains interred here. The unremarkable and useless dead were cremated at most; they could not enter the hall, nor would their names be inscribed on the 'Teng Clan Stele.' "The Teng Clan Stele!" Teng Qingshan's gaze was drawn to the imposing, towering stone steles erected prominently inside the hall.

Each monument was covered in countless names, every single one representing an ancestor from the history of the Teng Clan. "Names immortalized on the family stele," Teng Yunlong stated solemnly.

Immediately, an elder with hair like white frost approached a massive stone tablet, carefully etching the five new names with his carving knife. "Wuwu…" The low weeping of the deceased's families deepened the sorrowful atmosphere.

Teng Yunlong approached the bereaved families. The men who died were in their prime; most of their children were still mere boys, the oldest perhaps only twenty.

Teng Yunlong gently patted the head of one child, his eyes sweeping over the young men present: "Your fathers were all heroes of our Teng Clan, they died for the lineage. You must be proud of them!" "En," the youths nodded vigorously.

In a few years, these boys would surely fight just as their fathers did to protect the clan. The Teng Clan's thousand-year endurance was rooted in this spirit of unyielding resilience, passed down through generations.

* Eight figures gathered in the main hall of Clan Chief Teng Yunlong’s residence. Besides the Clan Chief, they were Teng Yonglei, Teng Yongxiang, Teng Yongfan, three clan elders, and one more—Teng Qingshan!

"Yonglei, you all did exceptionally well this time. Ordinary blades cannot pierce the hide of that Wolf King, especially since its entire body was snow-white and the pelt suffered little damage.

The pelt of this Wolf King, larger than any fierce tiger, is coveted by many wealthy and influential individuals; its price is no lower than that of a Snow Sable!" Teng Yunlong declared. The clan had indeed gained much from this expedition.

A Wolf King's pelt was even rarer and more precious than a Snow Sable’s, particularly one of pure white fur. "Clan Chief," Teng Yonglei began, "this success was entirely due to Qingshan.

Without him, at best, only two or three of us would have made it back. Never mind killing the Wolf King—the four head wolves, the Wolf King itself, and over a hundred regular wolves—all were slain by Qingshan." Many present turned to look at Teng Qingshan, who was still just a youth.

Although the death of clansmen brought sorrow, in this chaotic era, knowing Teng Qingshan’s astonishing martial prowess brought a surge of elation deep within their hearts. One person annihilating a hundred wild wolves, four head wolves, and a Wolf King… What a terrifying expert!

And this powerhouse was less than ten years old; how formidable would he be upon reaching maturity? Most importantly… such a master belonged to their Teng Clan!

"Qingshan, well done," Teng Yunlong praised. "It is fortunate that Qingshan did not join the Guiyuan Sect back then," Teng Yongxiang sighed.

"His exceptional spear technique might not have developed so profoundly there. This boy… he figured it out on his own, better than any instruction." Upon hearing of Teng Qingshan's achievements, everyone implicitly accepted his position.

Undisputedly, the strongest hero in the clan! Teng Yunlong and others were also relieved that they hadn't sent Teng Qingshan to the Guiyuan Sect.

If he were there, he couldn't offer immediate help to the clan unless he achieved a high rank. Distant water cannot quench immediate thirst; Teng Qingshan's presence in the village was far more beneficial.

"Qingshan’s long spear broke during the fight with the Wolf King, and that spear is now a bit too short for him," Teng Yongxiang noted. "Yes, it's time for a new spear.

Qingshan, let's go to the armory now," Teng Yunlong said, smiling as he rose. Teng Qingshan followed the others toward the armory.

When he was a six-year-old child, the seven-foot Green Nan wood spear felt slightly too long for him. But now, approaching ten years old, his height was five feet eight inches (about 1.45 meters).

Using a seven-foot spear was now too short; for his current height, the optimal spear length was around seven feet six inches. The armory doors swung open thunderously.

"Qingshan, choose a spear," Teng Yunlong said kindly. The clan stored many spears; there was no need for custom crafting, only selection.

Even the finest wooden spears, made from the highest quality Green Nan wood, felt inadequate for Teng Qingshan. "Here are only ordinary heavy iron spears and Damascus steel spears!

The iron spears are inferior in quality and much lighter than the Damascus ones." Teng Qingshan circled the display, his gaze settling on a Damascus steel shaft. He reached out one hand, testing a few swings.

"This Damascus shaft has excellent craftsmanship, and the weight is just right. With the spearhead attached, it will be nearly two meters long.

While slightly tall, it won't affect me much. As I grow taller, I can continue using it for some time." Teng Qingshan turned to Teng Yunlong: "Grandfather, I'll take this one." "Qingshan, this is a top-grade Damascus steel spear.

With the head attached, it is eight feet long and weighs fifty-two catties. If you face a group battle, expending that much strength will wear you out quickly.

Choose another," Teng Yunlong advised. A person's strength is finite; wielding heavy weapons for extended periods depletes endurance.

Teng Qingshan smiled: "This one. No need to change!" Having reached the 'Man-Spear Unity' realm, when Teng Qingshan wielded his spear, only specific muscle groups exerted force, allowing others to rest.

He could fight all day without tiring. With his mastery over tendons and muscles, cultivated as a master of Xingyi Quan, tiring from wielding a fifty-two-catty spear was impossible.

Not to mention, he possessed internal energy! "Alright, I cannot argue with you," Teng Yunlong chuckled, rummaging through a chest to find a matching spearhead.

The Damascus steel spear was indeed well-made; the head connected to the shaft not by a socket, but by nearly a foot of interlocking thread, securing the head firmly. The red tassel even carried a faint scent of blood, clearly indicating this Damascus spear had tasted much life.

"Eh?" Teng Qingshan twisted the shaft in surprise, rotating it until the whole thing split into two halves. Teng Yunlong smiled: "This shaft separates into two sections, also connected by threading in the middle.

When traveling outside, the full spear is too long and cumbersome, so it can be disassembled. Just connect it when you need to use it." Teng Qingshan was extremely pleased with this ingenuity.

He reconnected the Damascus spear and swung it a few times casually. "Whoosh, whoosh!" Spear shadows danced, accompanied by sharp whistles as they sliced the air.

"Not bad." Teng Qingshan was even more satisfied. The resilience of this Damascus steel was excellent; infused with internal energy, it could withstand ten thousand catties of force without damage.

"Clan Chief," Teng Yonglei spoke up from the side, a hint of bitterness on his face. "My left arm is broken now, making me unfit to lead the Hunter Squad anymore.

Starting today, I will remain within the clan. As for the leader of the Hunter Squad, Chief, you should select someone else." The atmosphere immediately shifted.

"Yonglei," Teng Yongfan comforted, patting Teng Yonglei's shoulder. A broken left arm was a devastating blow for a martial man.

"Yonglei, you will stay here in the clan from now on. As for the Hunter Squad leader…" Teng Yunlong turned, his gaze falling directly onto Teng Qingshan.

The other elders present, along with Teng Yongfan, Teng Yonglei, and Teng Yongxiang, all turned their heads to look at Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan was startled.

What did this mean? He was still three or four months shy of ten years old.

"Qingshan!" Teng Yunlong fixed him with a stare. "A hero is not judged by their youth.

In this chaotic age, we look only at strength, not age! From this day forward, you are the leader of the Hunter Squad!

Remember this… you are now the foremost hero of our Teng Clan! As the foremost person in the clan, you must bear the responsibility!" Teng Yongfan also looked at his son: "Qingshan, a man must have accountability!

The foremost hero of the clan must have the burden of the foremost hero. Starting today, you must learn to carry this responsibility.

In the future, the clan will rely on you to lead!" "Yes, Father." Teng Qingshan suddenly felt a weight of responsibility settling upon him. In the past, all the clan's various difficult matters were solved under the leadership of his father and grandfather; he could live carefree.

But starting today, he had to step forward!