Although Teng Qingshan had destroyed the man's Dantian with a single punch, his mind was still filled with doubt: "I have no feud with the Ironclad Sect. Do they want to kill me just because I came to the Savage Lands? There are too many experts in the Savage Lands. If they killed every person who entered, they wouldn't have enough manpower! There must be a secret behind this."

Lost in thought, Teng Qingshan fixed his gaze on Liu Jian, much like a lone wolf stalking its prey.

"No, no!" Liu Jian retreated in terror. He did not want to die!

Bang!

With a sudden shove of his left hand, Liu Jian spun wildly and lunged backward. Even though his Dantian was crippled, he was still a formidable martial artist, and his physical condition was quite good. His speed while running was certainly quick. However... compared to Teng Qingshan, the difference was too vast.

Whoosh!

Liu Jian only felt a gust of wind sweep past him, followed by a tightening sensation around his neck.

"Aaaah~~" Liu Jian was lifted completely off the ground.

Teng Qingshan gripped the collar of Liu Jian's robe, hoisting the man into the air. Liu Jian stammered, "Teng, Teng Qingshan... No, Commander Teng! Commander Teng, I was merely following orders. You crippled my internal energy; I'm already a ruined man. Just let it go, like a passing fart, and set me free!"

Liu Jian valued his life dearly.

If his internal energy was gone, so be it. As a Protector of the Ironclad Sect, even without internal energy, his future life would not be difficult. He still had several beautiful wives at home; he hadn't enjoyed the pleasures of the world enough. How could he be willing to die?

"I'll ask you!" Teng Qingshan said coldly. "Why did you want to kill me?"

Liu Jian was inwardly startled. That secret was of great importance. After all, Liu Jian had lived in the Ironclad Sect for decades and remained fiercely loyal. Liu Jian shook his head with a bitter smile, "This venture into the Savage Lands is of massive significance. We are completely following the orders of our Martial Great-Uncle. As for wanting to kill you, that was Martial Great-Uncle's direct command. I don't know why..."

"You don't know?"

Teng Qingshan reached out, gripping one of the fingers on Liu Jian's crippled right hand, and slowly applied pressure.

"Agh, agh, it's going to break! It's going to break!" Liu Jian cried out in panic.

Crack!

As if crushing a peanut shell, accompanied by Liu Jian's agonizing scream, that single finger was ground to dust by Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan looked down at him: "I do not wish to hear more lies! This time you lied, and I broke one finger on your right hand. But if you lie again, I will cripple your left wrist!"

Liu Jian’s face turned ashen.

"I didn't..."

"Do you dare say you weren't lying?" Teng Qingshan fixed him with a stare.

Liu Jian opened his mouth, daring not to utter another word.

"Your Martial Great-Uncle—why did he order my death?" Teng Qingshan pressed on.

Liu Jian gritted his teeth, thinking hard: As long as I don't reveal the real secret, I should be fine. If I just mention some rare Heaven and Earth Spiritual Treasure, he probably won't suspect anything. He then looked anxiously at Teng Qingshan: "Commander Teng, actually, the reason we journeyed to the Savage Lands this time was to gather the Immortal Grass!"

"Immortal Grass?" Teng Qingshan was shocked internally.

A person's lifespan was finite. For a Post-Celestial expert, no matter how robust their body, they would inevitably pass away after reaching one hundred and fifty years. One hundred and fifty years was the ultimate limit for a Post-Celestial master! Most Post-Celestial Peak experts, if not killed prematurely, could live past a hundred.

As for the Pre-Celestial experts, their limit was two hundred years! Even the most powerful Pre-Celestial martial artists, regardless of their physical condition, could not defy this limit! Of course, two hundred years was already a very long time.

But the Immortal Grass could allow one to live even longer.

The Immortal Grass did not mean one would truly become immortal upon consumption! Rather... legend claimed that once eaten, it could grant an additional two hundred years of life! Even those gravely wounded, near death, would see their bodies rapidly recover after consuming the Immortal Grass. For a Pre-Celestial expert, adding another two centuries onto their inherent two-hundred-year lifespan... it was likely no Pre-Celestial could resist such a temptation.

Among Heaven and Earth Spiritual Treasures, the Immortal Grass ranked among the absolute highest tier.

"The Savage Lands are boundless; it's possible for Immortal Grass to exist there. For your Ironclad Sect to obtain this intelligence," Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes at Liu Jian.

"This Immortal Grass is of vital importance. If news of it leaked, it might attract the covetous attention of some hidden, super-powerful experts. At that time, my Ironclad Sect—we probably couldn't handle the super experts from across the world," Liu Jian explained. "That is why this time, our Martial Great-Uncle personally led the group, advancing cautiously every step of the way. However... we saw Commander Teng in an inn in South Savage City, and then we encountered you again in the Savage Lands. We became suspicious that you were deliberately tailing us!"

Teng Qingshan nodded secretly. So, they had seen him twice.

"Because this Immortal Grass is so significant, and to be absolutely certain, Martial Great-Uncle ordered me to kill you!" Liu Jian blurted out.

"Who is your Martial Great-Uncle?" Teng Qingshan roared.

Liu Jian managed, "Martial Great-Uncle, his name is 'Deng Geng'!"

"Deng Geng? A Pre-Celestial expert?" Teng Qingshan questioned.

"Yes, Pre-Celestial. He is an Enforcement Elder in my Ironclad Sect," Liu Jian replied. Teng Qingshan’s brow furrowed slightly: "Which stage within Pre-Celestial?"

Liu Jian shook his head: "I don't know that, sir." Seeing Teng Qingshan's gaze turn cold, Liu Jian quickly panicked, "Commander Teng, I truly don't know! Martial Great-Uncle holds a very high status in our Ironclad Sect; many know he is a Pre-Celestial expert. But whether he is a Nascent Core, Solid Core, or Golden Core—how would I, a mere Protector, possibly know? That is a major secret."

"Hmph," Teng Qingshan nodded.

"Then how long has Deng Geng been a Pre-Celestial?" Teng Qingshan asked again; the duration since achieving Pre-Celestial status could somewhat gauge the opponent's strength.

"About twenty years, I think," Liu Jian replied.

Twenty years!

It was neither a short nor a long time. Some people advanced little in twenty years after reaching Pre-Celestial. But others, in twenty years, could climb from Nascent Core all the way to the peak, 'Golden Core.'

"I have one final question for you! If you answer truthfully, I might not kill you," Teng Qingshan tossed Liu Jian aside. He landed amidst the dry, fallen leaves, a faint smile touching his lips. "However, if you lie! I will slowly break all four of your limbs, and then slowly, one by one, crush all your fingers. After that, using a knife, I will carve shallow cuts across your body. The escaping blood... the scent of blood will attract the surrounding wild beasts. Being eaten alive by beasts—I imagine you would quite enjoy that experience."

Liu Jian’s face was bloodless.

"Speak! Where in the Savage Lands are you headed?" Teng Qingshan demanded suddenly.

Liu Jian choked. The destination was a major secret; revealing it would spell disaster.

"You have backbone," Teng Qingshan said with a smile, his hand shooting out lightning-fast to grab Liu Jian's left wrist. Liu Jian immediately cried out in terror, "No, please don't! I—I'll tell you, I'll tell you!!!"

Crack!

Teng Qingshan gave a sharp twist, the sound like snapping dry wood. The entire forearm fractured, exposing stark white bone.

"Remember, no hesitation! I don't have time to waste on you!" Teng Qingshan stood up.

"It's Crescent Lake! Crescent Lake in the Savage Lands!" Liu Jian gasped out.

Teng Qingshan’s expression turned frigid: "Liu Jian! My journey into the Savage Lands this time has absolutely nothing to do with your Ironclad Sect. You sought me out to kill me... by rights, I should kill you. But I gave you a chance! Yet, you disappoint me; you are still lying! Therefore, this is where you will meet your end."

"No, I'm not lying," Liu Jian screamed.

"Hmph. Crescent Lake is in the central region of the Savage Lands! From your Chu Prefecture, the shortest route to Crescent Lake in the Savage Lands should be heading straight forward, then entering Yan Province, and then entering the Savage Lands from Yan Province!" Teng Qingshan looked at Liu Jian. Liu Jian’s face changed, and he said urgently, "My Ironclad Sect has contacts in various parts of Yangzhou, so we're taking the route through..."

Teng Qingshan immediately followed up: "Even starting from South Savage City, heading toward Crescent Lake in the Savage Lands, you should be moving southwest, not due south! Unless... your Martial Great-Uncle enjoys taking the long way around?"

Liu Jian gritted his teeth, resentment brewing within. The destination was certainly not 'Crescent Lake.' After all, he had been nurtured by the Ironclad Sect for so many years; despite his fear of death, he remained loyal. That was why, in such an emergency, he immediately reported a name. But he hadn't expected Teng Qingshan to see through his lie so instantly.

"Fine, I'll tell you, but you can't kill me," Liu Jian said through clenched teeth.

"Lying comes with a price," Teng Qingshan reached out his right hand again.

"No, don't!" Liu Jian pleaded.

Smack!

Teng Qingshan crushed the shoulder joint of Liu Jian’s right arm, saying with a faint smile, "This is just a small punishment... Tell me, or you won't get another chance."

Liu Jian was sweating profusely from the pain. He nodded repeatedly, "I'll tell you, but you have to let me go."

"Hmph, still wasting time," Teng Qingshan prepared to extend his right hand again. Liu Jian, already terrified of Teng Qingshan's right hand, quickly blurted out, "It's Silver Horn Mountain! Silver Horn Mountain within the Savage Lands! Martial Great-Uncle and the others are going there. I swear this time I am not lying; if I lie, may I be struck by lightning."

Silver Horn Mountain?

Teng Qingshan knew that place. It was an extremely treacherous, high mountain located two thousand li deep into the Savage Lands.

"Don't rush off yet," Teng Qingshan reached out and took everything from Liu Jian's pockets. "Perhaps he carries a map on him. That map might mark their destination."

He instantly pulled out a map and unfolded it. It was indeed a map of the Savage Lands. Unfortunately, there were no markings of any kind on the map.

"Quite cautious," Teng Qingshan muttered to himself.

"Can I leave now?" Liu Jian asked apprehensively. Seeing Teng Qingshan nod, he finally turned to leave, secretly harboring hatred, "Teng Qingshan! I will never forget this grudge in my life, you—"

"Ah!"

Liu Jian let out a piercing scream.

Splash! Splash! Splash!

Blood sprayed as Liu Jian collapsed onto the ground, his four limbs dangling uselessly. Only then did Teng Qingshan sheath his Blood-Drinking Saber.

"You, you promised! You said if I told you, you wouldn't kill me and would let me go!" Liu Jian stared fixedly at Teng Qingshan.

"I didn't kill you; aren't you still alive?" Teng Qingshan turned and walked away. Liu Jian watched the steady flow of blood, and already, a rustling sound could be heard nearby. A pair of glowing green eyes from the distance were fixed on the spot. The scent of blood had already attracted the beasts of the Savage Lands!