“Hiss~~” A chill permeated the area around the Azure Cold Pool, making the figure floating on its surface appear indistinct within the hazy cold mist.

“This water in the Azure Cold Pool, I can’t see the source. It seems like a stagnant pool, yet the water never smells foul. Moreover, the water level never drops year-round. When I probe the bottom with a wooden pole, I can never reach it,” Teng Qingshan mused.

“Mm, it’s been nearly a month since I last investigated the bottom of the Azure Cold Pool.” Teng Qingshan channeled his inner energy, standing fully immersed in the water up to his chest. “My strength has improved considerably since a month ago. I’ll try one more time; perhaps I can reach the bottom this time!”

Over the past few years, driven by curiosity about the pool’s mysterious nature, Teng Qingshan often attempted deep dives to the bottom in one session. But not once had he managed to truly reach the floor.

“Splash~~” After swimming to the edge, Teng Qingshan grasped a stone weighing over a hundred catties, took a deep breath, and immediately sank into the depths. In fact, with his precise control over muscle and bone strength, in ordinary river water, he could easily descend to the bottom simply by controlling his exertion. However, the water in the Azure Cold Pool was far denser than regular river water. To reach the bottom, there were two methods: either carry heavy objects like stones or iron blocks, or expend internal energy to force a descent. Teng Qingshan, naturally, wouldn't forgo the easier method to waste his internal energy needlessly.

Clutching the massive stone, Teng Qingshan plummeted downward. There were no weeds or life forms within the Azure Cold Pool water; it was utterly silent. As he sank, Teng Qingshan clearly felt the water temperature dropping sharply, becoming increasingly frigid. Initially, relying on the sheer robustness of his body, he could still resist it.

“The surface of the Azure Cold Pool is only about seven or eight meters wide and perhaps ten meters long, yet the depth is astonishing.” Teng Qingshan continued to sink, holding the stone. “The Azure Cold Pool is situated halfway up Twin-Headed Mountain. I must have descended over a hundred meters now. I should be deep within the mountain’s belly.” Twin-Headed Mountain was merely a small peak on the larger Great Yan Mountain range, only three to four hundred meters high.

“It truly is cold.” Teng Qingshan’s muscles quivered slightly. The water temperature now felt like countless sharp needles piercing every inch of his skin, seeping into his very bones. “I remember this protruding rock; this time, I submerged four meters further than last time before needing to use my internal energy.” The potent internal energy within his body began circulating rapidly, warding off the extreme cold. The deeper he went into the Azure Cold Pool, the wider it became; it was now several dozen meters across in length and width. Yet, Teng Qingshan still had not found the bottom.

“I’ve passed the foot of Twin-Headed Mountain now,” Teng Qingshan estimated the depth. “It’s certainly dark down here.” Even with Teng Qingshan’s sharp vision, he could only discern objects five or six meters away, which indicated the profound darkness at this depth. But still… He hadn't touched the bottom yet. In truth, holding his breath underwater was not difficult for Teng Qingshan at his level; he could sustain it for an hour or two. As a master of Internal Martial Arts, the conditioning of his internal organs was paramount, and his powerful lungs allowed him to last long underwater. This was one factor, but sheer lung capacity alone wasn't enough to sustain him for one or two hours submerged. The most crucial reason was this— Teng Qingshan’s main meridians, including all the minor vessels connecting to his skin pores, were almost entirely unobstructed. With his mastery over the circulation of vital energy and blood, he could absorb oxygen from the water through his pores to replenish consumption. Naturally, this replenishment rate was much slower than breathing through the mouth and nose. It could only maintain a low level of exertion; no violent movements were possible. If he were to engage in fierce combat underwater, even with his robust organs, he would likely need to surface for air after just a moment.

“It’s getting colder and colder.” Teng Qingshan felt the cold stimulating the bones wrapped by his fascia and skin in waves. At such a low temperature, even with his internal energy utilized, Teng Qingshan was beginning to struggle. “I can’t go any lower.” Teng Qingshan loosened his grip; the stone plummeted toward the depths, while he, acted upon by buoyancy, began to ascend.

“Whoosh!”

Teng Qingshan breached the surface. “This surface water… I actually feel warmth. Haha…” Teng Qingshan laughed. Compared to the depths of the Azure Cold Pool, the water at the surface could indeed be considered ‘warm.’ Teng Qingshan understood this was an illusion created by his body. It was similar to how tap water sometimes feels warm in winter. But in summer, the same tap water feels icy cold. It was the same principle: the water at the bottom was truly extreme cold; having experienced that absolute chill, it was no wonder the surface water felt ‘warm.’

“Descending two to three hundred meters, the water pressure is quite significant.” Teng Qingshan took a deep breath, and his internal organs felt slightly better. A normal person would feel excessive pressure after descending ten meters. Teng Qingshan recalled that in his previous life, the world record for free diving was around a hundred meters. Those feats were achieved by people who had trained extensively over a long period. In his past life, even a grandmaster of Internal Martial Arts possessing internal energy usually couldn't withstand diving below two hundred meters. And the water density in the Azure Cold Pool was much greater than normal water. Although Teng Qingshan only submerged two to three hundred meters this time, it was equivalent to diving nearly four hundred meters in regular water. At such pressure, even with his formidable physique, Teng Qingshan felt discomfort—a tightness in his chest that required him to use internal energy to alleviate the crushing force.

“Diving deep every month, my entire body—muscles, bones, and even the five viscera—is stimulated by the extreme cold, and I gradually grow stronger.” Over these years, Teng Qingshan had discovered this pattern. After each deep dive, during subsequent training sessions, his internal organs became more powerful. It was much like how muscles strengthen after being stimulated; the organs also improved following this kind of stimulus. However… this kind of extreme stimulation was something Teng Qingshan dared not subject himself to frequently. He limited it to about once a month.

“Time to get out!”

Teng Qingshan left the cold pool, used a towel wrapped inside his clothing to dry his body, and then put on his clothes and trousers. He then took his disassembled long spear, joining the two sections together. This iron-tipped spear was not the same one from four years ago. Because Teng Qingshan had grown much taller now, he had switched to a nine-foot-long iron-tipped spear weighing sixty-eight catties.

“Whoosh!” “Whoosh!” Teng Qingshan began practicing his spear techniques beside the cold pool.

…… The sky gradually darkened. The clansmen who had been farming outside Teng Family Village had returned, and the busiest training ground was now filled with people, creating a lively clamor.

“Sister Lan, your Qingshan is back.” The voice of a woman sounded from the training ground. His mother, Yuan Lan, who was practicing there, turned her head and saw Teng Qingshan, dressed in simple cloth shirt and trousers, his pack slung over his back, entering through the side gate next to the main entrance of Teng Family Village. He was smiling and greeting the surrounding clansmen. Dressed, Teng Qingshan appeared quite refined. Especially due to his practice of Internal Martial Arts, there was not a single scar on his body. Although his features weren't extraordinarily handsome, he was certainly neat and handsome. Looking like such a refined youth, no one would suspect the terrifying strength he possessed.

“Mother,” Teng Qingshan called out from a distance. “We were waiting for you to come home for dinner.” Yuan Lan smiled, her eyes crinkling, looking at her son. Beside Yuan Lan stood a lovely young girl nearly six feet tall—this was Teng Qingshan’s eleven-year-old sister, ‘Teng Qingyu.’ Girls generally developed earlier than boys. The Teng family’s good living conditions meant Teng Qingyu had already started growing rapidly.

“Brother, my stomach is rumbling from hunger,” Teng Qingyu deliberately exclaimed.

“Alright, let’s go eat when we get back.” Teng Qingshan walked over affectionately, patting his younger sister’s head. Teng Qingyu giggled happily; she was accustomed to Teng Qingshan’s doting gestures.

“Qingshan, you’re back.”

“Haha, Qingshan, don't forget to head into the mountains to hunt tomorrow.”

Many people on the training ground greeted Teng Qingshan warmly. Over the past four years, Teng Qingshan’s standing in Teng Family Village had risen steadily. At the Ancestral Rite two years ago, Teng Qingshan had lifted a massive stone weighing two thousand catties in one go, astonishing the clansmen. Everyone guessed that Teng Qingshan could probably lift three or four thousand catties now. After all, to these simple-hearted clansmen, being able to lift three or four thousand catties was already terrifyingly strong. For Teng Qingshan, there was no need to reveal his full strength. Moreover, at last year’s Ancestral Rite, his cousin Teng Qinghu, who practiced Tiger Fist, also lifted a two-thousand-catty boulder, becoming the second strongest man in the clan next to Teng Qingshan.

…… At the wooden table in the Teng family home, the family of four gathered for dinner. Because Teng Qingshan returned home only in the evenings, dinner was the most lavish meal of the day for the family.

“Qingshan, eat this.” Yuan Lan solicitously placed a chicken drumstick into Teng Qingshan’s bowl and then gave a chicken wing to her daughter, Qingyu.

“Thank you, Mother,” Teng Qingshan replied with a smile. He hadn't felt paternal or maternal love in his past life, but he felt it now. Teng Qingshan was deeply content.

“Qingshan, have you heard? A remarkably powerful gang has emerged in Yicheng now.” His mature and steady father, ‘Teng Yongfan,’ spoke up. Teng Yongfan treated Teng Qingshan as an adult.

“Father, are you talking about the Iron Mountain Gang?” Teng Qingshan frowned. “I heard others mention it yesterday while hunting.”

“Yes,” Teng Yongfan said with a hint of worry. “This Iron Mountain Gang is extremely arrogant; they pay no mind to the White Horse Gang. In just half a year, they’ve become the second-largest gang in all of Yicheng. Rumor has it they have three thousand core members, and the three leaders are all formidable experts. Expanding so large in only six months means the Iron Mountain Gang is desperate for silver. Many manors within Yicheng are already facing threats from them.”

Teng Qingshan nodded slightly. The White Horse Gang collected protection money to cover its normal operating expenses. But the Iron Mountain Gang’s rapid expansion naturally required more wealth.

“I heard they are extorting a great deal of silver. I just received news today: yesterday, Blackwood Manor, thirty li away, refused to pay after the Iron Mountain Gang demanded too much silver… Who would have thought that the Iron Mountain Gang would slaughter every single one of the more than one thousand people in Blackwood Manor!”

“What! A massacred manor?” Even the calm Teng Qingshan was shocked by the news.