The sea reflected dreamlike colors under the sun, and both Teng Qingshan and Li Jun stood at the bow, leaning over the railing to gaze at the boundless seascape.

Li Jun’s face was wreathed in a smile, one that came from the heart; she felt happier than ever before. "Brother Teng, when we were on the plains, you told me you were heading out to sea for some serious secluded cultivation... Turns out, you were deceiving me all along. Tell me, what exactly is the North Sea Continent?"

Teng Qingshan couldn't help but smile upon hearing this.

"Since you’re coming along, I won't hide it from you anymore!" Teng Qingshan looked toward the north, "The North Sea Continent is up north... probably another hundred thousand li or so away."

"A hundred thousand li?" Li Jun gasped, her eyes widening. "Just how big is the Nine Provinces land? We have to travel over a hundred thousand li? The wind won't always blow north; if the direction changes, getting there could take ages! And how could you even discover such a distant place? How did you know about it, Brother Teng?"

Li Jun was filled with doubt at that moment.

"Emperor Yu told me!" Teng Qingshan feigned mystery.

"Emperor Yu? He’s been dead for countless years, how could he tell you? Did he appear in a dream?" Li Jun also laughed.

"This involves the secret treasure of Emperor Yu from Great Yan Mountain!" As Teng Qingshan described it, Li Jun quieted down to listen carefully. Only then did she realize the fierce battle that had taken place in the underground lake of Great Yan Mountain, and understood why Teng Qingshan was heading to the North Sea Continent.

Li Jun sighed softly, "Qingqing died quite tragically, she was completely caught in the crossfire!"

"Indeed!"

Teng Qingshan looked at the endless waves, his gaze distant. "It was all for profit, really. The great sects all wanted Emperor Yu's treasure. The subsequent slaughter was over the 'Spirit of the North Sea'! Whether it was me, or Qingqing, or even my Guiyuan Sect, we were all sacrifices in that struggle! Why should we be manipulated? Because we were too weak!"

"If my Guiyuan Sect were as powerful as Mani Temple, who would dare to have every single one of my three thousand Black Armored Soldiers searched?"

"Even if we weren't as strong as Mani Temple, as long as we could reach the level of Carefree Palace, Green Lake Island, or Sun-Shooting Divine Mountain, those people wouldn't dare go too far! That is strength!"

Teng Qingshan saw it very clearly.

Like in the various estates in Yicheng, the families of the stronger estates lived well, and girls from other estates wanted to marry in. That was the power of strength!

And in his past life, A-level assassins could easily manipulate you, but SS-level assassins—the organizations had to defer to you! Even ordinary people, if they had money or a good job, found it easier to find a girlfriend. And others wouldn't dare bully them. The logic of the world is the same!

If you are strong, others will respect you!

"For me, this journey to the North Sea Continent is a form of tempering!" Teng Qingshan’s eyes burned with intensity. "Divine Axe Mountain is one aspect! Even if I didn't go to Divine Axe Mountain, just the various setbacks during the round trip journey could deepen my comprehension of the 'Dao'! Only by becoming stronger can I return, return to the Nine Provinces land!"

Li Jun watched Teng Qingshan narrate, a smile touching her lips.

...

During the flight, Teng Qingshan already felt that his state of mind had undergone a transformation!

Spending over half a year on the plains, Teng Qingshan used the sky as his blanket and the earth as his bed. Sometimes he helped ordinary, pitiful grassland residents, sometimes he killed bandits... Amidst this cultivation, slaughter, and helping, Teng Qingshan’s entire spirit gradually approached perfection, making it easier to perceive the 'Dao'.

For instance, when Zhuge Yuanhong first witnessed Teng Qingshan’s strength, he marveled, believing Teng Qingshan took heaven and earth as his teacher and possessed a heart of innocence (Chizi zhi Xin).

In truth, Teng Qingshan didn't have a heart of innocence before!

What is the heart of innocence?

It is like a newborn child; at that moment, they have no concept of good or evil, right or wrong. They observe the world with the purest, cleanest gaze! Their heart is pristine, unblemished, unconstrained by external teachings. Precisely because it is the purest, one can recognize the world more clearly! And thus, encounter the 'Dao'!

However, Teng Qingshan was different!

Teng Qingshan spent his past life enduring hellish trials as an assassin, and his temperament had long been affected. Now, after a series of setbacks in this life, it was a case of 'one must enter the world to transcend it.' Teng Qingshan had experienced much, seen through many fundamentals, and in experiencing heaven and earth on the plains, his temperament finally approached a state of pristine purity!

Everything pointed directly back to his true nature!

Teng Qingshan understood that the heart of innocence was a form of return! After being tempered by the mortal world, one returns to the innocent heart of a newborn infant! Recognizing oneself, recognizing one's true heart!

Only a spirit cleansed by the ten thousand layers of the mortal world achieves true accomplishment!

A heart like this finds it easier to perceive the 'Dao'!

Thus, in just over half a year, Teng Qingshan achieved such high attainment in the 'Way of Earth Movement'!

"The drifting journey across the North Sea is also a process of cleansing the heart and experiencing the Dao!" Teng Qingshan’s heart was calm, stirred by not the slightest ripple.

...

In the evening, the sea breeze blew.

"Catching fish? Brother Teng, how do you catch fish?" Li Jun stood on the deck, looking down at the sea. Earlier, when she mentioned it was time to eat, Teng Qingshan surprisingly said he wanted to procure some live food and jumped straight into the sea.

Whoosh~~~

The seawater began to churn violently.

"Hm?" Li Jun immediately widened her eyes to watch closely. She saw the churning water becoming increasingly agitated!

"Eh?" Li Jun stared down in shock. She saw Teng Qingshan, enveloped in a fire-red halo radiating from his body, executing a set of martial arts forms with his hands. Before him, a massive sphere of water was suspended, seemingly controlled by his hands, and within this sphere were large schools of fish.

Li Jun was completely stunned: "How did you do that? Why can't the fish swim out of the water sphere? And how is the water sphere being controlled?"

"Catch!" Teng Qingshan let out a loud laugh, and as if tossing a ball, he gave a mighty flick.

"Boom!"

The giant water sphere was hurled upward. As it reached mid-air, it burst open, transforming into a vast spray of water that rained down onto the deck of the Wumu ship. Hundreds of silvery-white fish slammed onto the deck with continuous plops, a truly spectacular sight!

Whoosh!

Teng Qingshan pushed off the water with his foot and leaped directly onto the deck.

"Little Jun..." Teng Qingshan saw Li Jun and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

"You didn't warn me beforehand!" Li Jun ground her teeth in annoyance!

At that moment, Li Jun’s clothes were soaked, and a fish had even hit her on the head before rolling onto the deck, flopping continuously.

"Didn't I say, catch?" Teng Qingshan smiled. "Hurry up and prepare to grill the fish. Oh, you should probably change your clothes first."

"Mm!" Li Jun huffed and immediately went down into the cabin.

Teng Qingshan looked at the deck covered with flopping fish, his mood growing even better. He also noticed—although it was only the second day at sea—that his mental state and the clarity when comprehending the essence of his boxing seemed much more comfortable and natural.

After Li Jun and Teng Qingshan ate the grilled fish together, Teng Qingshan practiced his boxing, while Li Jun occasionally practiced her kicks and punches, or simply watched by the side.

It wasn't until deep into the night that the two retired to the cabin.

...

Inside the cabin, the large floral cloth hanging served to partition the space. Teng Qingshan slept in the area outside the cloth, while Li Jun usually stayed inside.

"Bringing Little Jun along might not have been a wise decision," Teng Qingshan mused, stroking his chin with a wry smile. In just two days, Teng Qingshan had discovered many issues! For example, the necessities of life—answering nature’s call, changing clothes, sleeping—all became complicated due to the differences between men and women!

The entire previous night, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun had spent arranging the cabin and barely slept at all.

Tonight, however, was meant to be a night of true rest.

Cotton mats were spread on the cabin floor. Teng Qingshan sat cross-legged upon them, closing his eyes for quiet meditation; meditation held no difference for him compared to sleep!

"Hush-hush~~"

The sound of water flowed incessantly outside the cabin, making the interior quiet.

Li Jun stealthily pulled aside the floral curtain and glanced over at where Teng Qingshan sat. Seeing him cultivating peacefully, she smiled faintly and let the curtain fall back into place.

"Wuu..."

Li Jun lay on her bed, looking up at the cabin roof. "I'm finally with Brother Teng! Watching him meditate and sleep, watching him practice his fists, watching him eat, watching his moments of wry humor and helplessness..." As Li Jun thought, a smile involuntarily spread across her face.

Her heart was overflowing with happiness!

After a long while, she finally drifted off to sleep.

"Rumble-rumble~~"

The cabin suddenly began to shake violently. Li Jun’s body swayed, causing her to fall off the bed. Alarmed, she cried out, "Brother Teng, what happened?" She quickly pulled on her clothes and yanked open the curtain.

At this moment, Teng Qingshan had also risen and was moving toward the ladder.

"It must be the waves!" Teng Qingshan wasn't certain either. "Stay inside the cabin, don't go out!"

"Okay." Li Jun obediently remained inside.

Whoosh—

As soon as he opened the hatch door, large amounts of rainwater poured in, splashing his face with an icy chill. "It's only the second day; has something gone wrong?" Teng Qingshan immediately leaped out and quickly shut the hatch door behind him.

"Boom-rumble~~~"

Once outside, Teng Qingshan realized the situation was dire. Before him, the dark seawater roared in furious waves, and the entire Wumu ship was violently jostling amidst the tempestuous water.

"Such rotten luck!" Teng Qingshan immediately lowered all the sails.

Even standing on the deck, Teng Qingshan felt unstable. He propelled himself upward with a sudden leap.

Swish!

He soared over twenty zhang high, and looking down—

He saw the water currents spinning continuously. A massive, terrifying whirlpool had formed, and the Wumu ship was caught within its rotation, constantly spiraling amidst the sea surges, tossing about like a toy. It seemed liable to shatter at any moment, causing a knot of tension in Teng Qingshan’s chest.

"A whirlpool? Truly unlucky. The Wumu ship shouldn't be this fragile, right?"

Teng Qingshan dropped back down, landing squarely in the seawater.

"Whoosh!" Teng Qingshan stepped on the water, rushing toward the Wumu ship.

"Rumble~~~" But a colossal wave surged forward and engulfed Teng Qingshan.