The night was deep, a single moon hung high in the heavens, its hazy moonlight casting a thin veil over the entire earth.
Across the vast plains, a lone, swift horse could just be discerned galloping down the official road—it was Teng Qingshan riding his Ink-Patterned Steed!
"These books are still the October edition." Teng Qingshan knew that the Four Great Lists of Kyushu were revised every six months. The new editions of these four lists were always released on the first day of the fourth and tenth months. "But The (Hidden Dragon List) and The (Fledgling Phoenix List) sell for a full hundred taels of silver at the Myriad Manifestation Tower—ten times the price of the The (Earth List)... I still haven't had a chance to properly pore over the Hidden Dragon List and Fledgling Phoenix List."
He read while riding, a feat only possible through the unity of man and horse, coupled with the night vision bestowed upon him.
He casually flipped through the Earth List before opening the much thicker Hidden Dragon List: "Only 108 people listed, yet this book is so much thicker than the Earth List. I wonder what else it contains!" A cursory flip revealed that Teng Qingshan himself occupied the first spot on the Hidden Dragon List!
The description of Teng Qingshan within was meticulously detailed.
“Genius?” Teng Qingshan shook his head with a faint smile upon seeing the appellation given to him, and continued turning the pages.
He skimmed through the descriptions of the 108 individuals quickly.
"The Hidden Dragon List describes 108 people, the Earth List describes 72, yet the price is nine times higher. No wonder... it turns out there's much more content later on." Teng Qingshan realized that the descriptions of the 108 hidden dragons only occupied the first half of the book.
The latter half detailed the numerous rising heroes across Kyushu in recent times.
"Hm, the January first edition?" Teng Qingshan was startled by the date he saw.
"Given that the Four Great Lists of Kyushu document too few heroes and eminent figures, and knowing that our lands are teeming with countless heroes, our Myriad Manifestation Gate has compiled many of them into this 'Annals of Kyushu Heroes.' The 'Annals of Kyushu Heroes' are recorded within the Hidden Dragon List and the Fledgling Phoenix List, revised monthly."
Reading this passage, Teng Qingshan couldn't help but let out a wry laugh: "Haha, this Myriad Manifestation Gate certainly knows how to make money! Revised monthly, one hundred taels per book! Many people probably buy it every month... How much money must they be making?"
Even buying just the Hidden Dragon List costs 1200 taels a year, and that’s for just one person! Many sects and wealthy merchants would purchase multiple copies. Even if there were only ten thousand dedicated buyers, that would still net over ten million taels! If one factored in the dedicated buyers plus the casual purchasers...
Many martial artists would buy it.
It wouldn't be surprising if a single Hidden Dragon List generated a hundred million taels annually.
Earning a hundred million taels from just one Hidden Dragon List—that translates to a million taels of gold! And this was only a minuscule fraction of the Myriad Manifestation Gate's business.
"This Myriad Manifestation Gate is truly wealthy, and savvy about commerce!" Teng Qingshan marveled. "The book itself is inexpensive; it’s the intelligence within that is valuable. And with the Myriad Manifestation Gate having branches throughout Kyushu, the cost of gathering intelligence is extremely low."
This 'Annals of Kyushu Heroes' was truly fascinating, recording prominent figures from all corners of Kyushu, even documenting the leaders of numerous bandit groups.
The very first page recorded Teng Qingshan!
"Eh, it records the battle at Wu City? That makes sense, it’s the January first edition! And that battle took place on the 28th of the twelfth month. With the Myriad Manifestation Gate’s intelligence network, they would have known that very day. Even the words I shouted, 'Hah! You bastards from Qinghu Island, you think you can capture me, Teng Qingshan?' are written down."
The entry concerning him spanned two and a half pages.
It was incredibly detailed and even included a critical assessment.
It lauded Teng Qingshan as one of the most prodigious talents in the entire recorded history of Kyushu.
"The foremost genius in a thousand years?" Teng Qingshan shook his head and smiled. "In truth, I am only at the 'Innate Void Elixir' stage now! I haven't reached the 'Innate Solid Elixir.' The reason I am powerful is entirely due to the physical strength honed through my internal martial arts!"
In terms of innate talent, Teng Qingshan knew he was upper-tier, but certainly not the greatest in a millennium.
After finishing the book, Teng Qingshan once again immersed himself in the profound state of unity between man and horse, becoming a single, integrated entity.
Clip-clop! Clip-clop! Clip-clop!
He galloped through the night!
The great grassland, vast and boundless!
The entire landmass of Kyushu featured endless wilderness to the south, while to the north lay the immense expanse of the great grasslands! The wilderness and the grasslands, separated by north and south, each covered staggeringly large territories.
How vast exactly?
The wilderness spoke for itself.
On the grasslands, the population was sparse; sometimes miles could pass without sighting a single soul! Yet, despite this sparse population, just the three great kingdoms situated within the grasslands boasted a combined population exceeding one hundred million!
No one had ever calculated the total population of the entire grassland region.
Vast land, sparse settlement, yet such a huge total population—this attested to its sheer scale. Crossing the great grasslands was exceptionally difficult due to the sheer number of nomadic tribes and suddenly appearing horse bandits. However, for an expert at the Innate realm, it presented no real obstacle.
Morning dawned, and a fiery red sun hung in the east, its warm rays illuminating the endless grasslands.
"Neighhh~~~" A fine horse reared high on its hind legs.
"We've finally reached the grasslands!"
Teng Qingshan dismounted, gazing at the grassland scenery with a sense of awe.
The sky was an intense azure, dotted with white clouds! The early spring grassland was a vast expanse of withered yellow, stretching to infinity!
Teng Qingshan experienced a strange illusion—as if the world consisted solely of this boundless grassy earth, and the sky acted like a great lid covering everything, meeting the earth at the distant horizon. The grassland merged with the sky!
"Vast!"
"Endless!"
In the face of the boundless grasslands and infinite sky, Teng Qingshan instantly felt how small he was, like a single grain of sand between heaven and earth!
Standing on the earth, Teng Qingshan felt—
The earth was his root!
"Sky and Earth!"
If anyone had been nearby, they would have witnessed Teng Qingshan suddenly executing the 'Horizontal Fist' from the Xing Yi Five Elements Fist style. A childlike smile touched his lips as he moved, each stance slow as a millstone turning. Gradually, he closed his eyes.
Teng Qingshan had long reached the Grandmaster realm in the Five Elements Fist.
For years, he had focused on cultivating the 'Three Stance Form'; he had practiced the Five Elements Fist far less often. But now, as his 'Horizontal Fist' began, traces of the original Five Elements Fist remained. As time passed, however, his technique began to evolve.
One hour, two hours...
The sun moved from the east to the zenith, and then towards the west!
Travelers occasionally passed through the grassland and saw Teng Qingshan practicing his forms. But they only noticed how slow his movements were and paid him no mind.
Across the immense grassland, Teng Qingshan practiced the 'Horizontal Fist' with his eyes closed. At this moment, this fist style was completely different from the 'Horizontal Fist' of the Five Elements style.
Every strike was profound and weighty.
Every strike was fast as lightning, yet appeared slow as a grinding mill.
In the western sky, the color deepened to fiery red.
Another group of passersby walked past.
"Look what that person is doing; his fist style is so slow, and his eyes are closed," exclaimed a grassland girl wearing a green robe cinched with a silk sash, pointing at Teng Qingshan with surprise.
"Na Rentuoya, he's probably just a martial artist," replied a stout grassland man wrapped in a high-collared, thick robe.
Suddenly, a lean young man in their group broke away and ran towards Teng Qingshan. He swiftly grabbed the reins of the Ink-Patterned Steed tethered a few yards away. The steed neighed loudly, startling the horse-thief, who immediately glanced back at Teng Qingshan.
But Teng Qingshan continued his slow, deliberate punches with his eyes closed.
"Wudi! What are you doing!" the grassland girl burst out angrily.
"This is an Ink-Patterned Steed!" the lean youth chuckled. "It costs nearly a thousand taels of silver—enough to buy two hundred sheep from our tribe!"
"Wudi, let go of the horse. It belongs to the man practicing his fists," stated an elder with silver-white hair wearing a round, white hat.
"Let go," the grassland girl ordered.
"Na Rentuoya, stop dreaming. This is worth two hundred sheep! Far more than all my possessions!" The grassland youth named 'Wudi' jumped onto the Ink-Patterned Steed. The well-trained horse offered little resistance. Wudi spurred its flanks, and the steed immediately bolted into the distance. "Na Rentuoya, chase me if you dare, hahahaha..."
The grassland girl was furious. She immediately ran up to Teng Qingshan.
"Your horse has been stolen!" The grassland girl grabbed Teng Qingshan's arm.
Thud!
The moment the girl's hand touched Teng Qingshan's body, she was violently thrown backward, landing hard on the grass. Fortunately, the turf was thick enough to prevent serious injury.
"Na Rentuoya!"
Immediately, several people in the group rushed over in alarm.
Teng Qingshan finally opened his eyes, his gaze regaining clarity: "What just happened...?" Teng Qingshan vaguely recalled the crimson light in the western sky. "What, is it evening already?"
"Na Rentuoya, are you alright?" Several people gathered around the girl.
"What kind of person are you?" A grassland man glared at Teng Qingshan. "Your horse was stolen, and Na Rentuoya kindly told you, yet you injured her!"
Teng Qingshan saw the distant figure riding away on the Ink-Patterned Steed and felt a surge of frustration.
The Ink-Patterned Steed...
If it was stolen, so be it; Teng Qingshan never cared much about a single Ink-Patterned Steed. What stung was that this rare moment of enlightenment had been shattered!
"I apologize. I was practicing my fists just now and genuinely did not realize," Teng Qingshan said with sincere remorse, understanding that the grassland girl had acted without ill intent.
Na Rentuoya had already stood up and ran over, her bright, pure eyes fixed on Teng Qingshan, excitement coloring her tone: "You are amazing! You threw me back just by touching me, and I didn't even feel any internal force. You must be an incredibly powerful expert. Could you teach me? Just teach me that one move that sends people flying!"
"I have matters to attend to!" Teng Qingshan smiled at the group. "I must be leaving now!"
With that, Teng Qingshan turned and walked northward alone.
"Come with us!" The grassland girl continued to call out, but Teng Qingshan's figure flickered, and he quickly reached a distance.
"He is an expert."
"A truly formidable master."
The group watched the retreating figure of Teng Qingshan in shock. He covered great distance in just a few strides with what seemed like casual walking. They had never witnessed such ability.
"I knew he was a master!" Na Rentuoya stared helplessly at the figure that was already shrinking in the distance. "If only he would teach me."
Across the boundless grasslands, Teng Qingshan walked alone, his pack slung over his shoulder.
"Why did that girl insist on waking me up?" Walking across the grass, Teng Qingshan felt a mix of amusement and deep dissatisfaction. He clenched his fist, and a faint, earth-yellow electric light flashed across his knuckles before vanishing.
"Aaaah!!!"
Teng Qingshan couldn't help but roar out loud.
"Should I be happy, or should I be furious?" Teng Qingshan knew exactly what had transpired throughout that entire day!
Since growing up in Teng Family Village, he had constantly harbored one thought: to create an internal martial arts cultivation method superior to the Tiger Form Divine Transmutation Art! This goal had never wavered.
He had continuously practiced the 'Three Stance Form.'
And his 'Xing Yi Five Elements Spear'—he had created four moves for this spear art, which also embodied the essence of internal martial arts.
To Teng Qingshan...
Cultivating internal strength and Innate True Essence was merely secondary! In both his past and present lives, the most energy he expended was on internal martial arts! However—due to the thin spiritual energy on Earth, reaching the Grandmaster realm was already the absolute limit.
Teng Qingshan had already achieved the Grandmaster realm!
And he firmly believed that above the Grandmaster realm existed even more profound levels!
To reach those higher tiers, he needed to devise an internal martial arts technique more powerful than the Tiger Form Divine Transmutation Art!
"Just now... if she hadn't disturbed me, allowing me to remain in that state for ten days or half a month, I likely could have conceived an internal martial arts technique surpassing the Tiger Form Divine Transmutation Art." Teng Qingshan seethed with frustration!
Such moments of enlightenment were rare!
First, it was the tempering of his spirit through numerous hardships, setbacks, Zhuge Qing's death, and being forced to leave his loved ones and travel thousands of miles. This was a tempering of his soul.
Second, it was the culmination of long effort. He was already a Grandmaster in his previous life, and in this life, he had cultivated diligently for over ten years, focusing perpetually on the 'Three Stance Form,' pushing his mastery to an extreme height. Only through such accumulation could a sudden enlightenment occur.
Third, the perilous chase that led him to the great grasslands—the boundless sky and the endless earth—had profoundly shaken his spirit.
The convergence of these three factors caused Teng Qingshan to slip into a profound, miraculous state of inspiration!
"Practicing for just one day, and the new technique has only just begun to take shape!" Teng Qingshan could only recall two fundamental movements now.
On the grassland.
Teng Qingshan began to practice those two movements, but after half an hour, he was forced to stop.
"It feels like I have the urge to explode outwards, but then it’s suddenly cut off. It feels like I'm about to vomit blood!" Teng Qingshan felt his own vital energy surging chaotically. "It seems my current realm is insufficient! I can only execute them properly when I am in that special state as before!"
It was only a single day, yet the results made his heart pound with excitement.
"So, the realm above the Grandmaster of internal martial arts is connection to Heaven and Earth!" Teng Qingshan looked at his fist, where a faint, earth-yellow light flickered. "And what I glimpsed in that enlightenment was likely the 'Earth Element' within the Five Elements of Heaven and Earth. A pity, I only touched the surface!"
Although Teng Qingshan felt a pang of regret, excitement bubbled within him.
Because—
He was no longer lost in ignorance; he now possessed a clear direction!
"The fact that I could have this sudden enlightenment this time proves that my internal martial arts realm is nearing its peak! As long as I continue cultivating like this, I will surely break through the 'Grandmaster Realm' and reach a new height!" Teng Qingshan harbored a long-standing ambition!
In the lands of Kyushu, there were two established cultivation systems.
One was the Daoist Path!
Major sects like the Yu Emperor's Gate and the Ying Clan, as well as sects like Guiyuan Sect, divided their progression into four main stages: Post-Heaven, Innate, Void Realm, and Supreme Expert. Cultivation focused on internal strength, True Essence, and forming the Innate Golden Elixir, centered in the Dantian!
The other was the Buddhist Path!
Buddhist cultivation was primarily practiced by the Mani Temple, divided into Ordinary Martial Monk, Arhat, Bodhisattva, and Buddha (Supreme Expert) stages. Cultivation focused on Sarira relics, located in the Niwan Palace!
Teng Qingshan had a grand ambition!
To create a third system of cultivation, separate from the Daoist and Buddhist structures!
The Internal Martial Arts System!
In his plan, this system would not primarily focus on the 'Niwan Palace' or the Dantian, but on cultivating the physical body itself! The stages of this internal martial arts system were divided into Ordinary Warrior and Grandmaster. As for the realm above Grandmaster, Teng Qingshan hadn't known before... but now, he had brushed against its edge!
"My purpose for this journey is secondary to viewing the Axe Technique left by Emperor Yu; the most crucial objective is to forge the third tier of the Internal Martial Arts system!" Teng Qingshan felt resolute and ambitious at this moment.
Across the vast grasslands.
Teng Qingshan walked alone, his figure gradually receding into the distance.