To challenge Teng Qingshan, the foremost figure on the Qianlong Ranking?

Teng Qingshan narrowed his eyes, his frigid gaze sweeping over the dark, hulking man. "If you wish to trade blows with me, first give me your true name!"

"My name is Tie Ta!" the dark man rumbled, his voice deep and serious.

"Commander Teng, this blockhead wants to challenge you. Don't let yourself be capsized in a shallow ditch," Gu Shiyou remarked with a smile. His words clearly showed contempt for 'Tie Ta.' It couldn't be helped; the elder, 'Pei San,' of the hulking man had said things earlier that deeply displeased Gu Shiyou, leaving him seething.

If it had been any ordinary young dandy, he would have already ordered the man killed.

But Gu Shiyou was no ordinary man; he didn't wish to provoke the mysterious Pei San at this moment.

"Capsized in a shallow ditch?" The purple-robed man, 'Pei San,' chuckled, "On Flame Mountain, I heard Gu Shiyou, you were defeated by Hua Chizhu!"

Gu Shiyou stared fixedly at Pei San, a murderous intent stirring in his heart.

"My guard here," Pei San said, indicating the dark man, "is Hua Chizhu's master!"

"Hua Chizhu's master!"

An uproar swept through the crowd!

Teng Qingshan was also greatly shocked. He had seen Hua Chizhu, the one who defeated Gu Shiyou with a long staff at the foot of Flame Mountain. He never expected the dark, hulking man before him to be Hua Chizhu's master.

"You say he is Hua Chizhu's master, and we should just believe it?" Gu Shiyou scoffed.

"Whether you believe it is your business. However, if his apprentice can defeat you, it will be effortless for Tie Ta to win against you," Pei San stated with a faint smile. A cold light flashed in Gu Shiyou's eyes, his killing intent surging: This Pei San. I must kill him with my own hands!

Tie Ta drew a pair of thick, dark iron maces from behind his back. "Teng Qingshan, please!"

Swish, swish!

Teng Qingshan retrieved two sections of the Reincarnation Spear from his pack and swiftly assembled them. Holding one spear, he instructed the guard standing by his side, "Guard my pack well."

"Yes, Commander Sir," the guard replied respectfully.

"Please!" Teng Qingshan stood perfectly erect, like a javelin poised for flight.

The two men stood separated by three tables.

"Hmph!" The dark man, gripping an iron mace in each hand, suddenly sprang up, soaring over the three tables. He lunged toward Teng Qingshan like a massive black bear, the two maces in his hands instantly transforming into a pair of black dragons crashing down upon Teng Qingshan, whipping up a fierce gale. The surrounding spectators immediately retreated far away.

"Isn't he being too reckless!"

Teng Qingshan roared, and the Reincarnation Spear in his hand shot out fiercely.

Clang! The spear tip met the iron maces.

"What powerful force! It must be eighty or ninety thousand catties!" Teng Qingshan was greatly alarmed, simultaneously letting out an angry grunt!

He immediately followed up with a move called 'Pouring Oil on Fire.' The immense recoil from the spear tip violently flung the dark man, who lacked purchase in mid-air, soaring toward the lake surface.

The dark man slapped the water once for a brief foothold, then leaped onto the roof of a pleasure boat.

"Haha... Teng Qingshan, I underestimated you," the dark man laughed. When two people fight, they generally stay close to the ground. Why? Because if one leaps too high, there is no surface to gain leverage from, making it impossible to change direction, easily falling prey to the enemy. Unless one possesses supreme confidence.

Otherwise, few people would choose to engage in combat so high in the air.

"Your skill is also commendable," Teng Qingshan tapped his foot, shooting forward like an arrow loosed from a bowstring toward the cabin roof of the flower boat.

His spear moved like a silver, swimming dragon, aimed directly at Tie Ta's throat.

Bang!

In their first exchange, the cabin roof beneath Tie Ta's feet shattered. He immediately flew backward. Meanwhile, Teng Qingshan tapped the roof, like a hawk eyeing its prey, and swooped directly toward the dark man, his single Reincarnation Spear transforming into streaks of shadow, like countless arrows piercing vital points!

Shadow following the form!

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Teng Qingshan and the dark man actually fought by stepping on the water’s surface, battling from one shore of the lake all the way to the opposite bank. The intense air blades caused the water to explode, Rumble~~~ the sound of the water rupturing continuous.

Teng Qingshan’s spear shadows resembled ten thousand blooming pear blossoms, while Tie Ta’s twin iron maces acted like a pair of iron shields, defending him perfectly.

"Hah!" The Tie Ta man let out a sudden, fierce roar, a faint golden light flickering momentarily in his eyes. The iron mace in his right hand suddenly swung down towards Teng Qingshan.

Boom! A sonic boom echoed across the heavens!

"This fellow was holding back," Teng Qingshan's expression changed. He immediately executed the 'Primordial Unity' spear technique, attempting to dissipate the force of the opponent’s attack.

Thump!

The iron mace struck the Reincarnation Spear with a sharp explosion on the flat ground.

"Whoa!" Teng Qingshan was violently thrown backward. He tapped the water surface once on the lake, stabilizing himself before leaping onto the deck of a pleasure boat.

"This man... could he be a Xiantian expert?" Teng Qingshan narrowed his gaze.

That sudden burst of power was nearly fifteen thousand catties. A Houtian expert could not possibly unleash such strength.

"Teng Qingshan, first on the Qianlong Ranking, your reputation is well-deserved. I am impressed, truly impressed," the dark man said, cupping his hands in a salute. He then immediately leaped up, stepped on the lake surface, and flew over to the side of the purple-robed man.

"Master," the dark man bowed.

"Let's go," the middle-aged purple-robed man, 'Pei San,' immediately led the dark man and the woman 'Meng Dujuan,' who was holding a guqin, and departed.

...

"Hoo!" Teng Qingshan leaped back to the shore, watching the departure of the purple-robed man and his two companions with a puzzled expression. "That dark man, with the golden light flashing in his eyes during that fierce strike just now—I definitely wasn't mistaken! This fellow is a Xiantian expert! A Xiantian expert serving as a mere guard... Who is this purple-clothed man?"

"Commander Teng, I have matters to attend to. We shall feast another day. I will take my leave now," Gu Shiyou said, rising.

"Commander Teng," the purple-clad woman Wen Xiao also offered a slight bow.

Subsequently, this pair of martial siblings departed with five young men and women. However, Teng Qingshan failed to notice... among the five people behind Gu Shiyou, a handsome youth in black frequently stared at Teng Qingshan. This person was none other than Yan Danchen, the youth Teng Qingshan had saved when he was stationed at the gold mine.

Yan Danchen cast a deep look at Teng Qingshan before swiftly leaving with the Young Island Master.

He had never forgotten the debt of life owed!

"Commander Teng, this old man..."

"Commander Teng..."

Various wealthy merchants came forward to greet him. Teng Qingshan offered a brief nod, picked up his pack, and headed toward Wang Fatty's residence. These people were truly too tiresome. He couldn't be bothered to socialize. Just as he walked out of the crowd, he saw Wang Fatty running towards him from a distance.

"Commander Sir," Wang Fatty hurriedly pulled a letter from his embrace. "Miss Xiaojun's letter, here it is!"

Teng Qingshan took it.

"Commander Sir, the selection of the courtesan is still about an hour away." Wang Fatty sounded surprised.

"I won't look now. I'll be returning to the Guiyuan Sect soon," Teng Qingshan unfolded the letter. The handwriting was quite elegant—

"Elder Brother Teng:

Originally, I planned to live as an ordinary person, just as you instructed. However, not long after you left, while I was strolling through Wu'an Commandery City, I encountered my Master. She accepted me as a disciple and gave me a small sip of juice. It was wonderful; my meridians are almost completely clear. I can now practice Neijin (Inner Strength)! In my heart, I truly don't wish to be ordinary. I want to be like Elder Brother Teng—to kill those bandits and brigands!"

"I will take care of that great vengeance with my Master; I won't trouble Elder Brother Teng. When I complete my training, I will find you, Elder Brother Teng! I absolutely will... Xiaojun's parting words!"

Teng Qingshan smiled after reading it. "Xiaojun had good fortune. What her master gave her to drink must have been the 'Jade Essence Marrow'."

That Jade Essence Marrow was far more precious than Zhu Guo (Vermilion Fruit). It could improve bones and tendons, generally allowing an ordinary person to clear all their meridians in one go. Xiaojun already had many impurities in her meridians, but this brought them almost entirely open.

In a quiet study room within Wu'an Commandery City.

"Have you found the purple-robed man 'Pei San' and his two companions?" Gu Shiyou inquired sternly.

The bearded strong man beside him reported, "The City Guard has dispatched five thousand troops to search, but we don't know where the purple-robed man and his two are hiding. They haven't been found yet. However, Young Island Master, rest assured, those three definitely won't escape."

"Hmph," Gu Shiyou's gaze was icy. "That Pei San was utterly arrogant today, showing no regard for my Azure Lake Island. I cannot swallow this insult until he is captured. Very well, hurry and arrange people to search thoroughly! I refuse to believe three living people can vanish!"

"Yes," the bearded strong man shivered inwardly and swiftly left the study.

Pei San had indeed angered Gu Shiyou greatly today, but he couldn't see through Pei San's strength, so he dared not flare up on the spot. If he had erupted then, and the opponent turned out to be a formidable expert, he might have been finished. Thus, he endured, waiting until he could dispatch his subordinates! His Azure Lake Island was one of the Eight Great Sects on the Nine Provinces Continent!

In Yangzhou, no one dared to challenge Azure Lake Island!

"Hoo."

Gu Shiyou let out a long breath, a smile creeping onto his face. "Second place on the Qianlong Ranking? Hmph. In a short while, this seventeen-year-old prodigy will lose the number one spot on the Qianlong Ranking, and I shall be the new number one!"

...

In Yangzhou, Jiangning Commandery City, inside the study of Zhuge Yuanhong at the Guiyuan Sect.

"Send orders to the North Gate guards: As soon as Commander Teng Qingshan returns, he is to report directly to me!" Zhuge Yuanhong commanded.

"Yes, Sect Master," the green-robed disciple bowed and immediately left the study to rush toward the North Gate.

Zhuge Yuanhong looked at the secret dispatch in his hand. This news came from Wu'an Commandery City—"Commander Teng returns safe from the Savage Wasteland!" These brief ten characters made Zhuge Yuanhong's composure waver.

"I wonder if Qingshan obtained the Zhu Guo? If he did..." Zhuge Yuanhong became somewhat excited. "A seventeen-year-old Xiantian?" Humans cannot live forever, so the speed of cultivation determines future achievements. Some people reach Xiantian after a hundred years; some reach it at fifty. But Teng Qingshan at seventeen becoming Xiantian...

The difference is enormous.

Seventeen years old and already Xiantian—he will have ample time to reach the pinnacle!

"I just hope he got the Zhu Guo," Zhuge Yuanhong also worried. Seeking the Zhu Guo was inherently a matter of sheer luck.

...

At noon, the sun shone brilliantly at the North Gate of the Guiyuan Sect.

Clip-clop, clip-clop~~~

Hooves kicked high in the air as Teng Qingshan jumped down directly from his green-maned horse.

"Commander Sir!" The guards at the North Gate shouted respectfully. One immediately helped lead the horse away, while another guard informed him, "Commander Sir, the Sect Master has ordered that you report to him immediately upon your return!"

"Report immediately?" Teng Qingshan was surprised, then his heart understood. "Master probably wants to know if I obtained the Zhu Guo and if I have reached Xiantian."

He handed the green-maned horse to the guard and, carrying his pack, rushed toward Zhuge Yuanhong's residence.