Teng Qingshan officially became the new leader of the Teng Family Village Hunting Team. By all rights, the hunting team usually went into the mountains once every two days.

However, due to the previous incident where five members died and four were crippled, the team needed to recruit new members again, resulting in six consecutive days without a hunt. Within the clan structure, the Clan Leader held the highest position, followed by the Marksmanship Master, and then the leader of the Hunting Team.

To become the leader of the Hunting Team at nearly ten years old. Teng Qingshan became a goal for many youths in Teng Family Village.

Many clansmen praised him: "He is so remarkable at such a young age; imagine what he will be like when he matures!" "Whoosh!" "Whoosh!" A cold wind howled, and the weather grew increasingly frigid. Only a little over a month remained until the New Year sacrifices.

"Hah!" "Hah!" Sounds of exhalations and shouts echoed across the martial arts training ground of Teng Family Village. Numerous youths and young men were engaged in training—rolling stone balls, lifting stone locks, carrying wooden buckets...

Each trained diligently while casually chatting with one another. "Brother Qingshan and the others killed a tiger the day before yesterday.

That tiger's claws were as thick as my thigh," said a braided youth while punching a sandbag, talking to his companion beside him. The companion clicked his tongue in amazement: "Brother Qingshan is just unbelievably fierce!

He’s already the leader of the Hunting Team. If I could become the Hunting Team Leader in my lifetime, then—tsk, tsk." The youth’s face was filled with hope.

Just then— The earth trembled slightly. "Horses!" Many people training on the ground turned their heads towards the main gate.

In the distance, dozens of figures on swift steeds were rapidly approaching. "Halt," the guards of Teng Family Village shouted sternly.

"Hmph." A cold snort sounded out, strangely like rolling thunder, echoing in everyone’s ears. "Swish!" A flash of cold light sliced across the gate.

The heavy iron crossbar of the Teng Family Village gate actually snapped, and the entire gate burst open with a crash. Those dozens of riders charged straight in without slowing down at all, slamming into the training ground, startling many villagers who scrambled to move aside.

"Hee-yaw!" The dozens of steeds stopped abruptly, their front hooves reared high. "Is this Teng Family Village?" the leading man commanded, his voice so loud it made the ears of everyone present ring.

A stout man, sweating profusely from his earlier training, stepped forward and announced in a clear voice, "We are indeed Teng Family Village. May I ask, honored sirs, what brings you to our humble abode?" Some villagers had already quietly gone to report to the Clan Leader, while the rest dared not make any rash moves.

One had to consider that the iron crossbar of the main gate was a full foot thick and two feet wide. To sever such a massive iron bar in one go—who would dare oppose such power?

"Tell your Clan Leader to come here immediately," the leading man barked coldly. Teng Yunlong arrived quickly.

From afar, he felt a jolt of shock. He saw that the leading man in the distance had a faintly golden complexion and was clad in black fox fur.

His mount was entirely crimson, standing nearly eight feet tall: "This top-grade fox fur alone must be worth at least several hundred taels of silver, and that warhorse, entirely crimson, is clearly a 'Crimson Fire Steed' from Da Rong! Valued at a thousand taels of silver!" Looking at the man’s retinue, the accompanying knights all wore matching stone-blue cloaks and dark azure armor.

Although their steeds were slightly inferior, they were still magnificent: "These are also Youzhou horses worth a hundred taels, and that standardized armor! I doubt even the Grand Chief of the White Horse Gang could afford such armor and horses.

Just who are these people?" After hearing that the visitor had split the gate bar with a single sword strike, and upon observing their attire, Teng Yunlong had already formed a suspicion. "Esteemed sirs, I am Teng Yunlong, the Clan Leader of Teng Family Village.

May I inquire what brings you here?" Teng Yunlong bowed deeply. "I heard you can forge the Azure Cold Blade here?" the leader scrutinized them from above, casting a cold glance.

"That is correct," Teng Yunlong did not deny it. "Very well, I have a substantial business transaction for you!" the leader announced loudly.

"Honored sirs, you must be weary from your journey. Why don't you rest at my humble residence and discuss this business later?" Teng Yunlong smiled.

A hint of a smile touched the leader's face as he nodded calmly, "That will suffice. You lead the way." With that, the group of dozens of riders advanced toward the Clan Leader's compound.

* The members of the Hunting Team were chatting happily, four of them jointly carrying the corpse of a large black bear. "Qingshan, that shot you made today was practically lightning fast!

You easily deflected the bear's swipe while simultaneously piercing its thick skull," the team members were elated. Over the past few days of hunting, they had developed immense respect for Teng Qingshan.

Firstly, Teng Qingshan’s hearing was incredibly sharp, allowing him to detect any movement long before others. Secondly, Teng Qingshan’s spear skills were unparalleled; no matter the prey, few could withstand a single thrust from him.

With a leader like this, how could they not be happy? "This black bear wasn't particularly large," Teng Qingshan chuckled.

"Didn't you say that a clan ancestor once saw a giant bear over ten feet tall, one that could break trees with a single swipe? Although this bear’s slap carried nearly a thousand pounds of force, its speed was far less than that Wolf King.

Killing it only required one spear thrust from me." "We’re home," Teng Qingshan said with a smile. Upon seeing the distance, Teng Qingshan's expression changed, because the main gate was wide open.

The gate of Teng Family Village was usually kept shut; even when the clan members returned from farming, they entered through a smaller side door. Only when the Hunting Team or a large group arrived was the main gate opened.

"Not good, hurry!" Teng Qingshan urged. The brave men of the Hunting Team were startled and rushed into the village.

Teng Qingshan glanced over and saw that the thick, heavy iron crossbar had been split into two halves, the edges appearing sharp and smooth. Teng Qingshan's pupils constricted: "What a sharp weapon, what immense power!

To cleave such an iron crossbar with lightning speed—only by fully channeling my internal energy and using a quality weapon could I achieve such a result." "Brother Qingshan!" "Qingshan!" Many people from the training ground rushed over. All the younger boys addressed Teng Qingshan as 'Brother Qingshan,' even if some were a year or two younger than him.

Due to Teng Qingshan's unique status, many youths regarded him as an elder brother, admiring him greatly. The adults, too, regarded Teng Qingshan as one of the key decision-makers within the clan.

"What happened?" Teng Qingshan asked immediately. "Qingshan," a sturdy man reported, "it was a troop of cavalry, all riding tall horses!

Their leader split the iron gate bar with one sword strike. However, they claimed they are here to do business with our Teng Family Village.

Those people have already been led to the Clan Leader." Teng Qingshan let out a slight sigh of relief. "Good.

You stay here; I will go take a look." Teng Qingshan, holding his Fine Iron Spear, hurried toward the residence of his maternal grandfather, Teng Yunlong. From afar, Teng Qingshan spotted the magnificent steeds and the imposing figures clad in armor and blue cloaks standing outside his grandfather’s door.

The knights’ gazes were sharp, and their strength was clearly not weak: "Judging by their physique and eyes, they are definitely Martial Artists! I wonder which group they belong to." Being able to lift a five-hundred-pound stone counted as a Third-Rate Martial Artist.

Being able to lift a two-thousand-pound stone was required for a Second-Rate Martial Artist. "Kid, step aside," a knight ordered sternly.

The few people negotiating in the courtyard seemed to hear the commotion and glanced out. The leader immediately said, "That is my grandson; let him in." The knight cast a cold glance at Teng Qingshan, but Teng Qingshan smiled and entered the courtyard, showing no sign of anger.

"Dad, Grandpa," Teng Qingshan found only two people inside the courtyard: his grandfather, Teng Yunlong, and his father, Teng Yongfan. Teng Qingshan glanced at the large man seated there.

The man wearing the black fox fur also looked at him, and Teng Qingshan immediately felt his gaze as sharp as a blade. Teng Qingshan was inwardly alarmed: "A master." "Teng Yongfan!" the leader stared at Teng Yongfan.

"You are your clan's foremost weaponsmith. Tell me now, will you accept this business proposition or not?" "The timeline is a bit tight!" Teng Yongfan frowned.

"The forging technique for the Azure Cold Blade is the supreme secret art of our Teng Family Village. Every single Azure Cold Blade must be meticulously crafted; we dare not be careless in the slightest.

And sirs require a full 182 blades, and you demand delivery before the New Year. This..." "Hmm?

So, you refuse?" The leader's expression shifted. "Whoosh!" An invisible stream of energy erupted from the leader's body, instantly shattering the wooden stool beside him and leaving countless tiny holes in the ground.

Teng Yongfan and Teng Yunlong’s expressions changed. "Such potent internal energy," Teng Qingshan mused inwardly.

"To erupt from the surface of the body, and to strike the ground from a distance with such destructive force. This leader’s internal energy must be far stronger than mine." Teng Qingshan understood that while the methods of Internal Family Boxing could indeed refine the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into internal energy, Internal Family Boxing primarily focused on physical transformation.

However, the various secret manuals in this world were specifically designed for refining internal energy, making the process much faster than Internal Family Boxing. "Esteemed sir, please do not be angry," Teng Yunlong said with a chuckle.

"Forging 182 Azure Cold Blades in just over a month is indeed challenging. But we will work day and night and ensure they are successfully forged before the New Year." A look of satisfaction appeared on the leader's face: "Very good." "May I ask, will the materials for forging be provided by you sirs, or..." Teng Yunlong inquired.

"You handle the materials yourselves!" the leader said dismissively. "We certainly won't shortchange you on the price."

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