Teng Qingshan walked along the path, and every Black Armored Army soldier he encountered offered a respectful salute. Teng Qingshan had entered the Black Armored Army through the sect's entry assessment, and in less than a year, at the age of seventeen, he had become the First Commander of the Black Armored Army. Within the ranks, countless soldiers admired and respected him.

Teng Qingshan nodded slightly, quickly leaving the Black Armored Army camp perimeter. Crossing Longgang, he entered the area designated for core disciples.

"Look, it's Commander Teng."

Three young female disciples in green robes approached Teng Qingshan from the opposite direction. Once he passed them, the girls' eyes lit up, and they spoke in unison, "Commander Teng!" They gazed at him eagerly, hoping he would speak a few words to them, but Teng Qingshan merely nodded as he brushed past.

They turned, watching his retreating back.

"Commander Teng carries himself with such masterly composure," one girl with a ponytail exclaimed in awe.

"Considering seniority, Commander Teng is practically our Martial Uncle! We really should call him Martial Uncle Teng!"

"Calling him Martial Uncle? That makes him sound old, and he's only seventeen, just a year older than me. But Commander Teng is truly amazing—seventeen and ranked first on the Hidden Dragon Ranking! That's incredible. Second Senior Sister, didn't you say you wanted to go shopping with Commander Teng? Why did you stand there looking stunned and not say anything?"

"Keep your voice down! I was only saying that in jest," the big-eyed girl’s face instantly flushed.

These girls had trained in martial arts since childhood, giving them generally fine figures. In the prime of their youth, the three began playfully teasing each other on the path, drawing envious glances from many male disciples. Within the Guiyuan Sect, many male disciples sought to marry female disciples, but it was understood that both male and female disciples had hierarchies.

Take Teng Qingshan, for instance. Ranked first on the Hidden Dragon Ranking and First Commander of the Black Armored Army. Many harbored secret crushes on him throughout the Guiyuan Sect.

...

Ascending the stone steps, Teng Qingshan arrived at the door of his master, Zhuge Yuanhong's, study.

"Master!" Teng Qingshan stood at the threshold, speaking respectfully.

"Ah, Qingshan, come in quickly." Zhuge Yuanhong set down the book he was reading and called out with a smile. He then closely scrutinized Teng Qingshan. "Qingshan. Judging by your expression, you seem to be in good spirits. How was your harvest from the Savage Wasteland this time?" No matter how powerful a master was, one could not determine from mere appearance if they had reached the Xiantian (Innate) realm.

After all, Xiantian True Essence was hidden within the Dantian; no eye could penetrate it. At most, one could make a rough judgment based on a person's spirit and aura.

"The harvest was good, Master. In the Savage Wasteland, this disciple managed to gather the Vermilion Fruit." Teng Qingshan replied.

Whoosh!

Zhuge Yuanhong’s eyes lit up. "Qingshan, have you reached the Xiantian realm now?"

"Yes, Master," Teng Qingshan said. As he spoke, a fiery red halo began to emerge around his body, and his hair was crowned with a similar reddish glow. In an instant, Teng Qingshan stood there like a Fire God; the scorching Xiantian True Essence sent a wave of heat rolling through the study.

"Excellent!" Seeing this, Zhuge Yuanhong couldn't contain his joy, his face breaking into a wide grin. "Hahaha, Qingshan. Well done! A Xiantian expert at seventeen... In the entire Nine Provinces, you are the second in a thousand years! And the first in five hundred years!"

The Nine Provinces held a vast population. Jiangning Commandery alone had twenty to thirty million inhabitants, Yangzhou boasted nearly three hundred million, and the entire Nine Provinces comprised two to three billion people. Considering life, death, and the fact that most people never saw a hundred years, one could imagine how many individuals existed across a thousand years of history. Among this countless populace, only two such prodigies existed, including Teng Qingshan. And in the last five centuries, Teng Qingshan was unique!

"Master, who was the first one in the last thousand years?" Teng Qingshan asked, curious.

"That was the monk 'Xiang Fanchen' from the Mani Temple of the Buddhist Sect. Xiang Fanchen was an absolute marvel, a figure of unparalleled grace. At the age of sixteen, he achieved the Arhat Fruit status—that Buddhist Arhat is what we refer to as 'Xiantian'." Zhuge Yuanhong explained.

"Xiang Fanchen?" Teng Qingshan filed the name away.

Xiang Fanchen achieving the Buddhist Arhat status at sixteen meant his innate talent surpassed his own. Teng Qingshan knew this clearly... In his previous life, he had practiced Xingyiquan for over twenty years, yet Xiang Fanchen achieved this through his own efforts alone.

Zhuge Yuanhong chuckled. "However, Xiang Fanchen was different from you, Qingshan; his personality was quite extreme."

"Historically, Xiang Fanchen was known as the 'Demonic Monk.' One reason was that his genius bordered on the demonic, and the second was his temperament! At the age of fifty-six, Xiang Fanchen betrayed the Mani Temple and roamed the world, stirring up immense turmoil. It can be said that in those days across the Nine Provinces, only the supreme experts guarding the eight great sects could barely match Xiang Fanchen, but no one could kill him. By the time he was over a hundred, the Demonic Monk was already invincible throughout the land. Afterwards, perhaps feeling lonely, this Demonic Monk went into seclusion and rarely showed himself in the Nine Provinces."

Teng Qingshan sighed internally.

From a psychological perspective, geniuses often walked their own paths.

"Since Xiang Fanchen was invincible, did he never reach the realm of Yu Huang, Qinling Heavenly Emperor, Shakyamuni Ancestor, or the Sword Immortal Li Taibai?" Teng Qingshan inquired doubtfully.

"No." Zhuge Yuanhong shook his head.

"If he was invincible, how do others know Xiang Fanchen didn't reach the same high realm as Yu Huang?" Teng Qingshan countered.

Zhuge Yuanhong gave Teng Qingshan a knowing look. "Xiang Fanchen's invincibility is different from Yu Huang's. Yu Huang's invincibility allowed him to unify the entire Nine Provinces single-handedly! You don't understand yet, but when you reach my level, you will know... the difference between Xiang Fanchen and Yu Huang, Shakyamuni Ancestor, and the others."

Teng Qingshan nodded.

"However, Xiang Fanchen lived over six hundred years ago and has long since turned to dust," Zhuge Yuanhong said with a touch of melancholy. Even the most formidable genius could not resist the relentless march of time.

...

The scent of the censer in the study had faded. Zhuge Yuanhong took another piece of incense and placed it inside.

"Qingshan," Zhuge Yuanhong said with a gentle smile, "your talent is prodigious, and perhaps you too can become invincible in the future. But, Master must remind you not to aim too high prematurely. Talent is one aspect; personal effort and opportunity are others. You possess the Ethereal Moon Spear Canon, and it is only for reference—you must forge your own spear techniques. As for Xiang Fanchen, he cultivated one of the Four Great Divine Canons, the Golden Body Buddha. Therefore, surpassing Xiang Fanchen will be extremely difficult."

Zhuge Yuanhong aimed to temper Teng Qingshan slightly, preventing him from becoming overly arrogant.

"Understood, Master," Teng Qingshan replied. The opponent possessed one of the Four Great Divine Canons, while he only had the Earth-level secret manual, the Ethereal Moon Spear Canon—a vast gap existed between them.

"Good. Since you have reached the Xiantian realm, according to the rules of our Guiyuan Sect, you will naturally become an 'Enforcement Elder.' We currently have two Enforcement Elders; you will be the third." Zhuge Yuanhong smiled warmly. "I plan to select an auspicious day to announce this matter."

Teng Qingshan naturally obeyed his master's command.

"Haha, Qingshan, Master has a private matter to discuss with you." Zhuge Yuanhong suddenly changed the subject.

Teng Qingshan looked at him curiously.

"It's this: Yun'er told me that your younger sister, Qingyu, has a very good relationship with him, and the two seem fond of each other... So I wanted to discuss it with you. If you don't object, we can let them spend more time together. Then, next year, we can arrange for the two of them to marry, what do you think?" Zhuge Yuanhong proposed.

"Little Yun and my sister?" Teng Qingshan couldn't help but smile.

He had already noticed the connection between Zhuge Yun and his sister. When his sister first arrived at the Guiyuan Sect, she knew few people and often spent time with the siblings Zhuge Qing and Zhuge Yun. It wasn't surprising that two young people spending half a year together day and night would develop feelings. Teng Qingshan was also very satisfied with Zhuge Yun’s character and moral integrity. If his sister truly married Zhuge Yun, he could rest assured.

"Master, I do not object, but this matter requires my parents' consent," Teng Qingshan stated.

"Oh, your parents... Now that you mention it, your parents haven't visited the Guiyuan Sect even once during this long time. When will you bring them over? It would be best if they lived here so that you and your sister can better care for them," Zhuge Yuanhong suggested.

"Mmm, I plan to have my parents come stay here for a few days during the Ancestral Memorial Rite this year," Teng Qingshan said with a wry smile. "My parents are attached to their clansmen and are reluctant to stay away for long periods."

"I see."

Zhuge Yuanhong picked up a nearby teacup, took a sip, and then laughed. "Qingshan, set aside the matter of your sister and Yun'er for a moment. I see you will be eighteen after the memorial rite. It’s time for you to marry as well! You are currently ranked on both the Earth Ranking and the Hidden Dragon Ranking—first on the latter—you are the First Commander of our Guiyuan Sect's Black Armored Army, and soon an Enforcement Elder! Many elders, protectors, and even my own martial brothers in the sect have inquired about marriage arrangements for you. They have excellent young ladies among their family or friends who are of suitable age. You should see if you have time to meet them."

Teng Qingshan was stunned.

His Master was acting as a matchmaker?

"Master, this..." Teng Qingshan could only shake his head.

The Guiyuan Sect was essentially a small dynasty, controlling tens of millions of people. Within the sect, many powerful factions existed, and it was unsurprising that they wished to marry their daughters to Teng Qingshan to secure his loyalty.

"You don't fancy those young ladies?" Zhuge Yuanhong chuckled. "You have high standards! Alright, let this Master introduce you to a truly fine young lady."

Teng Qingshan paused.

"It is a natural order that men should marry and women should be given in marriage," Zhuge Yuanhong said with a smile. "My daughter, Qingqing, will soon be sixteen, and the proposals have been flooding my doorstep. However, I think you and Qingqing would be a good match. Qingqing is proficient in everything: zither, chess, calligraphy, painting, cooking, and needlework. She is two years younger than you, so the age difference is perfect. Marrying my daughter to you, Qingshan, would hardly be a slight to you, would it? If you do not object, I, as her father, will make the decision for Qingqing... We can invite your parents over later and choose an auspicious day for the wedding." Zhuge Yuanhong concluded with a smile.

This Zhuge Yuanhong seemed not content with being just a master; he wanted to be a father-in-law.

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