Teng Qingshan gripped a thick iron chain, hard-pulling the Wumu boat forward against the current, the swiftly moving vessel slamming into the turbulent sea, sending up sprays of snow-white foam. This Nine Bends Ghost Realm encircled the entirety of Bright Moon Island, plunging hundreds of li deep. Teng Qingshan steered diagonally southeast, dragging the Wumu boat for a full thousand li before finally emerging from the Ghost Realm.

He had been dragging the boat since mid-afternoon, and only deep into the night did the Wumu boat finally clear the Nine Bends Ghost Realm.

Whoosh!

Carrying the heavy iron chain, Teng Qingshan leaped back onto the Wumu boat.

"Brother Teng, let me get you something to eat." Seeing him, Li Jun immediately hurried below deck.

"I really bit off more than I could chew this time." Every muscle in Teng Qingshan's body felt weak and numb. "Dragging a massive ship against the current for over a thousand li in the violent waters of the Nine Bends Ghost Realm—it took nearly six hours. Truly exhausting! Far more tiring than fighting a decisive battle against the hundred thousand strong army of North Town."

Even though Teng Qingshan was a master of Inner Strength, he was thoroughly spent.

In the Nine Bends Ghost Realm, even swimming out unencumbered was a formidable challenge for a Xiantian master, let alone dragging a large boat. And for a full thousand li at that!

"By my previous life's speed metrics, that's a hundred li per hour against the current in this cursed realm." Teng Qingshan felt a surge of exhilaration.

At that moment, Li Jun emerged from the hatchway.

"Brother Teng, you must be tired. Have some pastries and a cup of tea; these pastries are still warm." Li Jun carefully held out a tray and a cup of hot water. Teng Qingshan took the pastries and devoured them in a few swift bites. Li Jun watched him eat, smiling, "Eat slowly, there's plenty more below deck."

Teng Qingshan was surprised. "How many pastries are down there?"

"While you were in seclusion, I visited the town a few times and found quite a few meat buns and steamed bread too. I bought a whole load! There are tons below deck!" Li Jun laughed. "They’re all dried, so they'll last a long time. I also bought several large water casks filled with water."

Adrift at sea, Teng Qingshan could survive without drinking water, absorbing moisture from the heavens and earth through his pores.

But Li Jun was only at the Houtian peak and still needed to drink.

"You bought water? Actually, water might not be enough; I have a way," Teng Qingshan began.

"What way?" Li Jun paused, surprised.

"It’s simple. Connect two water casks with an iron pipe. One is empty, and the other is filled with seawater. I’ll use my Xiantian True Essence to heat the cask containing the seawater, turning the saltwater into vapor. The vapor flows into the empty cask, and the condensed water is potable," Teng Qingshan said casually.

Teng Qingshan’s Xiantian True Essence could incinerate a person, so deploying a tiny fraction of it could achieve this easily.

"Hmm?" Li Jun looked somewhat puzzled. "Isn't it still seawater? Why can we drink it?"

Teng Qingshan paused.

"Never mind, don't ask. It's late; get some rest early." Teng Qingshan didn't elaborate further. The difference between seawater and fresh water, heating and vaporization—these were elementary concepts, but Teng Qingshan saw no need for lengthy explanations.

It was now springtime, and the monsoon winds had reversed direction. Although Teng Qingshan adjusted the sails to maximize wind assistance, the Wumu boat’s daily progress was significantly slower than when they first set sail.

"Swish-swish~~"

The seawater lapped gently, remarkably calm. On the distant eastern horizon, the crimson sun had revealed half its curve, its morning rays spilling across the ocean surface. The Wumu boat drifted lazily.

Li Jun stepped out of the cabin door just as Teng Qingshan began practicing the Water Element Fist on the deck. With every punch, he drew surrounding moisture, condensing it into shimmering droplets that circled him. Streaks of azure lightning flickered constantly across his body.

"Hoo~~ Hoo~~"

Teng Qingshan shifted his forms, and the boxing transitioned into the Earth Element Fist. The azure lightning retracted into his body, replaced by bursts of earthen-yellow lightning emanating from his skin.

Exchanging the Water Element Fist and the Earth Element Fist, Teng Qingshan resembled a living deity, azure and earthen-yellow lightning constantly flashing across his form.

"Brother Teng’s martial arts are getting stronger!" Li Jun's face lit up with delight. "Remember how cornered and forced to flee he was during the battle at Great Yan Mountain? When Brother Teng returns to the North Sea Continent and sees Emperor Yu's Thirty-Six Forms of Mountain Splitting again, and his strength progresses further, he might even step into the Void Realm! When Brother Teng returns... Hmph!"

Li Jun was keenly aware of the time Teng Qingshan was hunted across the world.

"I'll prepare some food for Brother Teng," Li Jun immediately went to prepare breakfast.

...

"Brother Teng, take a short break." After finishing everything, Li Jun noticed Teng Qingshan’s figure flickering strangely across the deck. Each flash covered only a few feet, yet this movement was utterly bizarre, almost like instantaneous relocation.

Whoosh!

Teng Qingshan stopped, walked over with a smile, grabbed a meat bun from the low table, and finished it in one gulp.

"Caw~~ Caw~~"

The Fierce Wind Eagle also snatched two buns and steamed breads consecutively, eating with great enthusiasm. Li Jun smiled while stroking the eagle's feathers.

"Brother Teng, what movement technique were you practicing just now? I've never seen you practice it before?" Li Jun asked, astonished.

"Oh." Teng Qingshan smiled. "Yesterday, I swam over a thousand li pulling the Wumu boat. While in the sea, I observed some fish, and an idea struck me. I decided to create a movement skill based on sudden shifts and evasions! Truthfully, I've always admired the incredible speed of movement exhibited by the divine bird, the 'Azure Luan,' during my fight with it."

"And now that my Water Element Fist has reached fruition, I realize it's entirely possible to integrate the Way of Water into a movement technique!"

Li Jun was overjoyed upon hearing this. "Brother Teng, you succeeded in creating it?"

"It's not even close yet," Teng Qingshan shook his head. "I'm still currently pondering and experimenting. Moreover, Inner Strength Gang Qi differs from the True Essence of Daoist or Buddhist sects. How the Inner Strength Gang Qi should aid the body, stimulate vital meridians, and increase speed—all these aspects require slow deliberation on my part."

No one was teaching Teng Qingshan; he had to figure it all out himself.

In Teng Qingshan's plan, the Way of Earth should yield a lightness skill focused on traversing distance. The Way of Water, however, should create a movement technique specialized for close combat. One would involve straight-line darting, akin to The Horizon Trek, while the other would be for close-quarters maneuvering and evasion, similar to the movement of the divine bird, the 'Azure Luan.'

"Brother Teng, what name are you planning for this movement technique?" Li Jun sounded excited. "This skill will surely become famous one day."

"A name? Let's call it the 'Swimming Fish Movement Technique,'" Teng Qingshan said casually.

"Swimming Fish? This..." Li Jun paused. "That name is a bit..."

"Whether the name is good or bad, the technique remains the same," Teng Qingshan dismissed. "It will be called the Swimming Fish Movement Technique."

The Wumu boat continued its northward journey, while Teng Qingshan immersed himself in cultivation. He sought to integrate the 'Way of Water' contained within the Water Element Fist completely into the Poison Dragon Drill and the Swimming Fish Movement Technique. Although Teng Qingshan also contemplated creating a lightness skill based on the Earth Element Fist,

First, the Wumu boat offered limited space.

Second, being at sea, the power of the Water Element in the world was densest, making it the perfect environment to study the 'Way of Water.'

Fortunately, Teng Qingshan's gains on Bright Moon Island were substantial.

The Water Element Fist: Teng Qingshan managed to create the fifth move in one go. This was only slightly behind the two stages and six moves of the Earth Element Fist. Teng Qingshan also realized that his past application of the Poison Dragon Drill was completely flawed.

As the saying goes, the rigid breaks easily!

His signature move, the Poison Dragon Drill, had previously pursued only absolute, rigid drilling force. Now, the Poison Dragon Drill Teng Qingshan displayed appeared ordinary at the moment of execution, yet it could erupt with terrifying power in an instant. Furthermore, the technique could be perfectly retracted immediately afterward. It possessed a distinct flavor of 'yielding strength combined with hard impact.'

The power had increased by a huge margin!

The speed was much faster!

And the control was flawlessly smooth.

...

On a desolate island.

"Swish-swish~~" The anchor chain of the Wumu boat rattled out, and it quickly settled.

"Xiao Jun, it's been a while since we left the ship. Let's rest here on this deserted island for a bit." Teng Qingshan and Li Jun leaped one after the other from the Wumu boat onto the sandy shore. "Caw~~" The Fierce Wind Eagle also flew excitedly off the vessel.

When drifting on the sea, Teng Qingshan often encountered small islands and would usually stop to rest for half a day. Being on the ship and being on solid ground were fundamentally different experiences.

Standing by the sea, both Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were in good spirits.

"Brother Teng, how much longer until we reach the North Sea Continent?" Li Jun inquired.

"We've only been gone from Bright Moon Island for a month. By my estimation, reaching the North Sea Continent will take at least another two or three months," Teng Qingshan replied. "Hmm, Xiao Jun, you and Little Gray wander around a bit. On the ship earlier, I was only keeping you company with food and talk. I haven't properly practiced my boxing yet."

Saying this, Teng Qingshan plunged the Samsara Spear into the ground and began practicing the Water Element Fist.

Practicing martial arts on a desolate island amidst the vast ocean, Teng Qingshan’s state of mind easily harmonized with the boundless sea. He sensed that although only a month had passed since leaving Bright Moon Island, his mastery of the Water Element Fist had improved. He was likely not far from creating the sixth move.

Whoosh~~ Whoosh~~

His boxing was ethereal, and the 'Swimming Fish Movement Technique' unfolded naturally beneath his feet. He moved as agilely as a fish, flashing a full zhang away with every movement, his direction impossibly erratic, utterly defying conventional logic.

"He really is diligent." Li Jun blinked, then suddenly froze.

In the distant sky, streams of fiery red phantoms pierced through the air, at least a dozen illusions flying one after another deep into the island’s interior.

"Hmm? What was that?" Li Jun started.

"Those were Blazing Fire Birds just now, weren't they." Teng Qingshan also stopped, staring in surprise at the distant crimson apparitions. "Eighteen Blazing Fire Birds. On the continent of Kyushu, Blazing Fire Birds are only found in the Western Regions. I never expected such a large flock to be on this desolate island."

Blazing Fire Bird: Entire body covered in crimson feathers, the feathers as hard as Profound Iron, impervious to blades and spears, capable of spitting true fire. Equivalent in strength to a Xiantian Void Core master.

"Brother Teng, I saw these Blazing Fire Birds seem to dive deep into the island. Could this island be their nesting ground?" Li Jun asked, astonished.

"Perhaps so."

Teng Qingshan smiled faintly. "But we don't need to concern ourselves with them. After resting a little while, we’ll board the ship and continue our journey." At this stage, Teng Qingshan barely cared even for Xiantian Golden Core demonic beasts. With the level of attainment he reached in the Earth Element Fist and Water Element Fist, he could be said to have one foot already across the threshold of the Void Realm.

Suddenly—

"Caw~~~" A sharp, loud cry echoed, and a single fiery red phantom flew from the distance, stopping directly above Teng Qingshan and Li Jun.

That existence, so beautiful it seemed like a dream, shocked both Teng Qingshan and Li Jun greatly.

"Azure Luan?"