The fully unfurled tail feathers, seven colors shimmering, were blinding under the sun. The crest atop its head was pure gold, appearing as a natural, regal crown, and its entire body was enveloped in a thin layer of swirling flames, making it resemble a divine bird bathed in fire.

"Truly beautiful," Teng Qingshan marveled internally. Though this was the second time he had seen the divine bird, the Azure Luan, he was still awestruck by its magnificence.

"Brother Teng, is this... is this the same Azure Luan we saw before?" Li Jun also sounded incredulous.

"It must be!" Teng Qingshan nodded. "The divine Azure Luan is incredibly rare; there might only be one or two in the entire world. What are the chances we'd see two in succession, even with identical size?"

The Azure Luan’s wings stirred slightly as it hovered high above, its beautiful eyes fixed on the two figures below. It then let out a loud cry.

Li Jun gasped in surprise upon hearing it.

"Yo~ Yuuyoo~" Li Jun tilted her head back and responded with a series of bird calls.

"Yooo~~ Yoo~~" The Azure Luan answered in kind.

Teng Qingshan watched the scene with a smile. A moment later, Li Jun turned to him, excitement blazing: "Brother Teng, this Azure Luan said it's delighted to meet us again! It said we share a destined bond with it—that we are friends."

"How did it know we were here?" Teng Qingshan inquired. "Is it related to that flock of Blazing Firebirds?"

"I asked just now. The Azure Luan explained that this island is its home, and many Blazing Firebirds live here too—all of whom obey it. The Firebirds reported seeing a man and a woman by the shore, along with a raptor-class demonic beast. The Azure Luan guessed it was us," Li Jun explained, looking up at the bird. "So, it rushed over immediately!"

That the Blazing Firebirds took orders from the Azure Luan did not surprise Teng Qingshan.

The Azure Luan was, arguably, the king among avian demonic beasts!

"What a coincidence, we arrived at its very doorstep," Teng Qingshan laughed softly.

"Yo~~~ Yoo~~~" The Azure Luan called out a few times.

Li Jun listened, her smile widening: "Brother Teng, the Azure Luan invites us to its home."

Whoosh!

The Azure Luan in the air suddenly beat its wings, diving straight down from the mid-air, and alighted gently on the ground. The flames surrounding its body were drawn back in, and its seven-colored tail feathers retracted, resembling the flowing silk robes of an immortal maiden. The Azure Luan was not excessively large; its height was comparable to the Gale Eagle, but it appeared more 'slender.'

If the Gale Eagle was a fierce warrior, this Azure Luan was a noble princess, utterly graceful.

"Yo~ Yoo~~" The Azure Luan called out to Teng Qingshan excitedly, its eyes, faintly alight with color, fixed intently upon him.

Li Jun looked astonished.

"What did it say?" Teng Qingshan asked, puzzled.

"It said it wants a rematch with you," Li Jun replied with a wry smile. Teng Qingshan couldn't help but chuckle. He hadn't managed to defeat the Azure Luan last time, but... after his seclusion on Moonlit Isle, his strength had improved significantly. Especially the power of his attack, 'Poison Dragon Drill,' which he could safely say had 'doubled' in potency.

Teng Qingshan smiled. "Ask it why it wants to fight again."

Li Jun immediately began conversing with the Azure Luan.

"It says that on the island, even the most powerful among the Blazing Firebirds is no match for it. It simply has no challengers. It enjoyed the last match immensely and wishes to compete again," Li Jun relayed to Teng Qingshan, sounding helpless.

Teng Qingshan couldn't help but laugh. "Little Jun, it seems even this divine Azure Luan suffers from the loneliness of the powerful—it’s hard to find an equal."

"Fine. Tell it that if it isn't afraid of getting hurt, it can battle me," Teng Qingshan said, not being one to refuse a challenge.

"Mm," Li Jun instantly relayed his words.

The Azure Luan abruptly agitated its wings, sending a gust of fierce wind towards Teng Qingshan. Its head lifted high, brimming with fighting spirit. Without needing interpretation, Teng Qingshan understood the bird's decision.

"Haha, excellent! My spear technique has advanced greatly; I shall test it on you!"

Teng Qingshan laughed, grabbing the Reincarnation Spear lying nearby on the ground. "Little Jun, step aside and stay clear." Li Jun obediently retreated to the edge of the distant woods, and the Gale Eagle descended from the sky, landing beside her.

The Azure Luan was arguably the strongest demonic beast below the Void Realm.

Teng Qingshan, with his enhanced 'Poison Dragon Drill,' could likewise be considered the strongest human below that threshold, having already brushed against the very threshold of the Void Realm.

Neither Li Jun nor the Gale Eagle dared approach as the man and the beast prepared to clash.

"Yo~~" The Azure Luan shrieked loudly, its entire body wreathed in flames that instantly incinerated the ground vegetation, leaving behind only scorched, blackened earth. Shrouded in firelight, the Azure Luan executed a simple flicker and vanished, reappearing instantly to Teng Qingshan's left.

It was, simply put, fast!

"Haha!" Teng Qingshan laughed. The Reincarnation Spear felt like an extension of his own arm; the tip traced a beautiful, profound arc, and the red tassel left a phantom red streak behind.

"Rise!"

With a low shout from Teng Qingshan, the Reincarnation Spear unleashed astonishing power the instant it blocked the Azure Luan’s sharp talons. Struck by this force, the Azure Luan shot straight up into the sky! "Rumble~~" The violent air currents caused the earth beneath to sink a full three feet. Sand and stone scattered, and the nearby sea churned into waves.

"Azure Luan, you are no match for me," Teng Qingshan looked up at the sky.

The Azure Luan looked down, its eyes seemingly burning with fire. It let out a high-pitched cry, then shot down like an arrow from the heavens.

"You already know my defensive spear techniques from last time... now let me show you my offensive style!" Teng Qingshan's gaze was electric. With a sharp grunt, the moment the Azure Luan plunged down, Teng Qingshan’s body flickered, moving with the slickness of a slippery fish, shifting a full zhang away.

The Azure Luan instantly countered with a horizontal shift, displaying movement even more subtly deft than Teng Qingshan’s own technique.

"Break!"

Teng Qingshan roared. Azure and earth-yellow lightning flickered across his entire body, causing his arms to bulge, stretching his clothes taut.

The Reincarnation Spear erupted with a drilling momentum, causing the very air to vibrate and churn like water. A terrifying roar, as if puncturing the entire space, echoed—"Humm~~~" Accompanying this deafening sound, Teng Qingshan's spear transformed into a blurred silver lightning bolt, moving at the absolute limit of speed.

"Yo~~" The Azure Luan immediately shrieked, its flames flaring intensely as its body dissolved into an afterimage.

Its dodging speed was even faster than before.

"Puff!"

A few drops of golden-yellow blood drifted through the air.

"Hoo!" Teng Qingshan retracted his spear like lightning, holding it steady in his right hand as he looked down at the now grounded Azure Luan.

"Golden-yellow blood," Teng Qingshan murmured in surprise.

The power of the 'Poison Dragon Drill' was exactly as he expected. Last time he fought the Azure Luan, he had only just formulated the first move of the Water Element Fist; now, he had reached the fifth move. The 'Poison Dragon Drill' had seen a massive leap in both speed and attack power.

Although the Azure Luan unleashed its maximum evasion speed this time—a speed that made Teng Qingshan deeply envious—it still could not avoid the strike.

Fortunately, the instant the spear pierced, Teng Qingshan pulled it back immediately. He hadn't even used his internal True Essence to cause the wound to burst open. Demonic beasts might have extremely tough feathers or scales, but their internal structure wasn't necessarily as hard. If the True Essence exploded inside, it would certainly create a massive bloody gash. However, this was a match with the Azure Luan, a creature he held a degree of affection for; naturally, he wouldn't strike lethally.

"Legend says that when an Azure Luan is wounded, it recovers incredibly fast—a near-immortal body," Teng Qingshan observed the wound closely.

There was a gash on the Azure Luan's left wing, wide enough for two fingers. The bleeding stopped instantly, and the wound began to shrink at a speed visible to the naked eye. In just one breath, the original injury vanished completely.

"Yo~~ Yoo~~" The Azure Luan chirped at Teng Qingshan repeatedly, sounding highly excited and energized.

Li Jun, who had been watching from afar, now hurried over.

"Brother Teng, the Azure Luan says your spear technique is formidable. It's also very surprised and asked you why you've become so much stronger so suddenly compared to last time," Li Jun relayed, her voice animated. "It also asked if you've reached the level of a Divine Beast—that is, what we call the Void Realm."

"Of course not yet," Teng Qingshan shook his head.

To reach the Void Realm meant one could control the very essence of heaven and earth, drawing inexhaustible energy from within.

Bori Leimu, Huangfu Yujiang, and even his master, Zhuge Yuanhong, had all touched upon the 'Dao.' The power of Zhuge Yuanhong's single sword strike back then was unimaginable. Bori Leimu's 'Thunder God's Descent' nearly defeated Teng Qingshan. Huangfu Yujiang, in their first battle, could successfully defend against every move Teng Qingshan unleashed.

However—

Reaching the Void Realm was clearly not an easy feat. If it were simple, the Void Realm wouldn't be so precious.

"Yo~~" "Yoo~~" Li Jun and the Azure Luan continued their exchange.

"Brother Teng..." Li Jun turned to look at Teng Qingshan, who noticed her expression had become somewhat peculiar.

"Hmm?" Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun with confusion. "What is it?"

Li Jun’s expression was deeply strange: "The Azure Luan told me that... it wants to come with us."

"What?" Teng Qingshan was stunned. "The Azure Luan wants to leave with us? Little Jun, what did you tell it just now?"

"It asked how you became so powerful, with such massive progress. I told it that Brother Teng had achieved these insights all by himself," Li Jun said, half-laughing, half-crying. "Then, the Azure Luan said... it was inspired by watching you practice your fist forms last time. It wants to watch you practice from now on, and it said it wishes to become a Divine Beast, so it must travel with you."

Teng Qingshan suddenly understood. Last time, the Azure Luan sought a battle after witnessing his Water Element Fist; indeed, his internal martial arts were different from others. Most martial artists achieved insights, like the Sword Poet 'Li Taibai,' who infused the 'Dao' into calligraphy. He, however, infused his comprehension of the 'Dao' directly into his fighting forms. It wasn't strange that witnessing his 'fist forms' had stirred the Azure Luan.

"It seems this Azure Luan, already having reached the Innate Golden Elixir level, also yearns to reach the Void Realm," Teng Qingshan smiled. The bird likely believed that by following him and observing his rapid progress, it might have a chance to become a Void Realm demonic beast.

"So, do we agree?" Li Jun asked.

"This is a wonderful opportunity; of course, we agree," Teng Qingshan laughed.

Li Jun immediately relayed the agreement to the Azure Luan, which appeared quite ecstatic. However, it immediately called out again: "Yo~~ Yo~~~"

"Brother Teng—" Li Jun’s expression became strange once more.

"What now?" Teng Qingshan asked, perplexed by her look.

Li Jun explained with an odd tone: "The Azure Luan said that if it comes with us, there's one complication: this decision needs the permission of its mother."

"Its mother?" Teng Qingshan’s eyes widened. "It has a mother!!!"