Drifting on the sea, having a Black Wind Divine Sculpture following along would indeed be quite convenient!

In the mountain forest.

The Black Wind Divine Sculpture, with its left wing injured, struggled to maintain balance high in the air. After all, it was a demonic beast at the Innate Golden Core level, and its body was massive; even with a hole in its left wing, it wasn't incapable of flight.

It looked down at the human in astonishment—he hadn't died despite being hit by its chilling aura? This was utterly unbelievable. It refused to accept it!

"Hoo!" In a fit of rage, the Black Wind Divine Sculpture opened its beak, unleashing another blast of black mist to engulf Teng Qingshan.

"Useless!" Teng Qingshan stood his ground. With a whoosh, a fiery red light shield enveloped his entire body, making him look like a God of Fire. The extreme cold permeated his entire body through the shield, causing even the light barrier to crack from the frost.

Teng Qingshan turned into an ice sculpture.

However, a smiling 'expression' immediately surfaced on the ice sculpture’s face, and the ice layer on his face promptly splintered open.

"Black Wind Divine Sculpture, that trick is useless against me!" Teng Qingshan looked up at the Divine Sculpture. The Black Wind Divine Sculpture flapped its wings furiously in mid-air; the bleeding from its injured left wing had stopped, and the wound was completely frozen over.

Angry cries echoed through the heavens again and again.

"Heh!" Teng Qingshan tilted his head back, looking at the Black Wind Divine Sculpture in the sky, and shouted with a laugh, "No matter how angry you get, I've plucked every single one of these Iron Leaf Fruits!" As he spoke, he pointed toward the Iron Leaf Fruit tree.

The Black Wind Divine Sculpture, now perched on a high branch of a large tree, glared at Teng Qingshan with its golden pupils, emitting low growls.

Teng Qingshan jumped back onto the Iron Leaf Fruit tree. This time, Teng Qingshan tucked the Samsara Spear at his waist and began plucking the Iron Leaf Fruits with both hands simultaneously. The beautifully enticing fruits fell one by one, thudding into the fishing net below.

The Black Wind Divine Sculpture could only watch as Teng Qingshan harvested.

Before long, not a single Iron Leaf Fruit remained on that tree. Seeing all this turned the Black Wind Divine Sculpture's eyes bloodshot.

"That's quite a lot!" Teng Qingshan gathered the scattered Iron Leaf Fruits on the ground into the fishing net, then rolled the net up into a bundle, slinging it directly over his shoulder. "Hmm, this feels like several thousand catties! All these fruits combined must be several hundred."

Carrying the large fishing net, Teng Qingshan held the Samsara Spear and started to leave.

"Yoo~~" "Yoo~~" Sharp, high-pitched cries echoed across the sky. The Black Wind Divine Sculpture shrieked as if driven mad, circling overhead. But as it watched Teng Qingshan advance rapidly through the forest, it dared not provoke him at all.

Li Jun waited quietly by the seaside of Iron Leaf Island. Over thirty Thunder Whales and the Thunder Whale King were also waiting expectantly beside her.

Whoosh~~~

The sea water surged onto the beach again and again, then receded.

Li Jun’s eyes suddenly caught a blurred figure in the distance. Upon closer inspection, a smile bloomed on her face, and she shouted excitedly, "Brother Teng, Brother Teng!" The figure in the distance also let out a hearty laugh: "Haha, Little Jun, I've managed to snatch all the fruits from that Iron Leaf Fruit tree in one go."

The laughter was still echoing as Teng Qingshan soon walked onto the beach, leaving deep imprints in the sand with every step.

Teng Qingshan casually tossed the fishing net aside, letting out a loud "Peng!" sound.

Given the immense size of the Thunder Whales, it was impossible for them to be right by the shore. For instance, the Thunder Whale King’s body alone was much larger than the Wumu Ship. Such a massive body meant it remained ten Zhang away at this moment. After dropping the net, Teng Qingshan plopped down right onto the pile of nets.

"Little Jun, tell it, the Iron Leaf Fruits have been harvested," Teng Qingshan chuckled. "But we’ll keep thirty percent, and give the Thunder Whale King and the others seventy percent!"

In Teng Qingshan's view, the fact that so many demonic beasts valued these Iron Leaf Fruits, and the fact that the entire Iron Leaf Island could support over ten demonic beasts, suggested that the island's location must be rich in spiritual energy.

On such an island, there was only one Iron Leaf Fruit tree!

These Iron Leaf Fruits were likely extraordinary. Although he hadn't figured out their exact use yet, it was best if he kept some for himself!

"Roar~~" Upon seeing the large quantity of Iron Leaf Fruits beneath Teng Qingshan's rear, the Thunder Whale King let out an excited roar, and the surrounding Thunder Whales also bellowed, showing great excitement.

Li Jun immediately spoke to the Thunder Whale King, conveying Teng Qingshan's offer.

The Thunder Whale King looked at Teng Qingshan, a hint of displeasure in its gaze, and let out a low growl.

"Brother Teng, the Thunder Whale King says we don't need these Iron Leaf Fruits. Moreover, we already received its benefit, the Water-Repelling Green Pearl; it asks that we give them all the Iron Leaf Fruits," Li Jun reported to Teng Qingshan.

Teng Qingshan's face darkened. He pulled Li Jun to his side and stared at the Thunder Whale King: "Little Jun, tell it that one Water-Repelling Green Pearl means nothing! I traveled thousands of miles to get here; it’s only right that I take some of these Iron Leaf Fruits. Tell it directly... If not, they won't get a single fruit!" Teng Qingshan was deeply displeased that the Thunder Whale King had been in control of this entire affair!

A single Green Pearl made an expert at the Innate Golden Core level busy himself?

If they became too arrogant, he could just break ties!

Wielding the Samsara Spear, Teng Qingshan was confident enough to kill the Thunder Whale King! As for the Wumu Ship... Hmph, only Li Jun was on the island. If the Wumu Ship was destroyed, so be it; at worst, he could build a simple vessel using materials from Iron Leaf Island.

Teng Qingshan grabbed the fishing net, pulled Li Jun along, and walked directly toward the shore!

"Roar~~ Roar~~" Li Jun retreated onto the shore, even letting out roars toward the Thunder Whale King.

"Peng!" Teng Qingshan threw the fishing net further out, brandished the Samsara Spear, and darted straight toward the edge of the sandbar, fixing his gaze on the Thunder Whale King. Teng Qingshan’s intent was clear—Thunder Whale King, don't push things too far, or we'll have a contest, shall we?

The Thunder Whale King glanced at Teng Qingshan, seemingly recalling the battle beneath the sea, where it had been forced to flee in disarray after being beaten by Teng Qingshan. And now, Teng Qingshan was still using the Samsara Spear!

"Roar~~~" The Thunder Whale King finally let out a roar.

"Brother Teng, it agreed. It says seventy percent of the fruits are enough for them. Giving us thirty percent," Li Jun translated. Teng Qingshan smiled: "This Thunder Whale King is only acting so arrogant because it can threaten you and the Wumu Ship! Now that we are on shore, and you keep a distance, it won't dare to be so overbearing."

Teng Qingshan was not surprised at all.

"Mhm," Li Jun also nodded with a smile. "Actually, without us here, with that Black Wind Divine Sculpture and the other demonic beasts on the island, the Thunder Whale King probably wouldn't have gotten many fruits. It's already good enough that it managed to get this many."

Just then—

"Brother Teng, look, isn't that the Black Wind Divine Sculpture up there?" Li Jun looked up toward the sky.

Teng Qingshan looked up. In the darkening sky, those golden pupils were quite distinct. The massive body circled high above, its twin golden eyes fixed intently on Teng Qingshan.

"Little Jun, do you think we have a way to subdue this Black Wind Divine Sculpture?" Teng Qingshan asked.

"Subdue it?" Li Jun paused upon hearing the word.

Teng Qingshan nodded firmly: "Yes, subdue it! Once we subdue this Black Wind Divine Sculpture... in the future, when we encounter groups like the Thunder Whales, you can simply perch on the Divine Sculpture's back, safe high in the air. And I won't have any reservations! Otherwise, why would I have been coerced here by this Thunder Whale pack this time?"

"Besides, weren't those black and white Fierce Wind Divine Sculptures on Heavenly God Mountain subdued?" Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun.

Li Jun frowned: "I'm not confident, but let's give it a try!"

Following that, Li Jun tilted her head back and let out loud, piercing calls. Fortunately, she had also consumed Heavenly and Earthly Spirit Treasures, reaching the peak of the Houtian realm, so her cries were very resonant.

The Black Wind Divine Sculpture circling high above showed a flicker of surprise in its golden pupils, then responded with its own calls.

The two exchanged words for a brief moment—

"Yoo~~" The golden-eyed Divine Sculpture let out a high-pitched, furious cry, even flapping its wings to whip down strong gusts of wind. Although its left wing had long been covered by a layer of ice, severely reducing its agility and speed, whipping up fierce winds was still no problem.

"What's wrong?" Teng Qingshan also sensed something was amiss.

Li Jun shook her head helplessly: "I tempted it just now, saying I could take it to roam the North Sea. It said it knows the North Sea far better than I do! I said I could let it taste human delicacies and allow it to eat some Iron Leaf Fruits too."

"Right, the Iron Leaf Fruits." Teng Qingshan actually agreed with that lure. "But there are no more fruits on the tree now; they are all with me."

"It’s no use," Li Jun shook her head. "It said it can eat the Iron Leaf Fruits again next year. But it absolutely refuses to become a subordinate of humans or take human orders."

Teng Qingshan looked up, and the Black Wind Divine Sculpture high above looked down at Teng Qingshan.

They were fifty or sixty Zhang apart, yet both could see the other's eyes clearly!

"That's truly arrogant!" A thought crossed Teng Qingshan's mind, and he smiled: "Little Jun, didn't it say it can eat those Iron Leaf Fruits again next year? I think the Iron Leaf Fruits are quite important to it. You tell it—my big brother here has a fiery temper; if pushed too far, I’ll chop down the Iron Leaf Fruit tree! Little Jun, make me sound as bad as possible! You speak kindly to it; after all, even if it follows us later, it will need to look after you. I don't need its obedience."

One plays the bad cop, the other plays the good cop.

Li Jun heard this and laughed: "This method might actually work! It depends on how important the Iron Leaf Fruit tree is in its mind. If the tree is destroyed, it truly won't bear fruit again." She immediately tilted her head back toward the Black Wind Divine Sculpture high in the sky and let out a series of calls.

A moment later—

"Yoo~~ Yoo~~" The Black Wind Divine Sculpture also responded with a series of calls, sounding quite smug, it seemed.

Li Jun’s face fell as soon as she heard it.

"What is it?" Teng Qingshan asked, puzzled. Did the tactic fail?

Li Jun looked at Teng Qingshan with a bitter smile: "Brother Teng, the Black Wind Divine Sculpture said that the fruits borne by the Iron Leaf Fruit tree are something it greatly enjoys... but they do not boost its strength. Even if it's unwilling to miss out, it won't bow down and follow us! Furthermore, it said... the ones who truly need and value the Iron Leaf Fruit tree the most are the Thunder Whale clan! If we chop down the Iron Leaf Fruit tree, the Thunder Whale clan might go into a frenzy and attack us."

"Hmm?" Teng Qingshan was somewhat confused.

Teng Qingshan turned to look at the distant Thunder Whale clan. What the Black Wind Divine Sculpture said was likely true! Otherwise, why would the entire Thunder Whale clan have been so excited and agitated when he agreed to come and collect the Iron Leaf Fruits?

"It seems the attempt to subdue it has failed!" Teng Qingshan felt a headache coming on.