Every stride Teng Qingshan took covered seven or eight zhang, allowing him to move across the craggy terrain as if it were level ground. As he walked, he glanced toward the Qingluan beside him.
"I should have guessed this long ago."
"Legend says the Qingluan bathes in flames, and the Phoenix is the divine beast of fire... Since the Qingluan is the king among avian demon beasts, the flames it spits must be far more potent and terrifying than those from any other Innate Golden Core demon beast! That’s an easy deduction to make."
Teng Qingshan reminded himself internally, "Don't become arrogant just because I could defeat Bori Leimu and Huangfu Yujiang!"
Ever since he could effortlessly defeat Huangfu Yujiang on Bright Moon Island, Teng Qingshan had considered his own strength to be top-tier even among those at the Innate Golden Core realm. Especially after the spar with the Qingluan again on Phoenix Island! In that match, Teng Qingshan had injured the Qingluan.
On the Nine Provinces Continent, the Qingluan was renowned as invincible below the Void realm.
Teng Qingshan believed that since he could defeat the Qingluan, he was naturally invincible below the Void realm! Upon arriving on the Duanmu Continent, Teng Qingshan had won every battle! This fostered a burgeoning confidence within him... the confidence of being invincible below the Void realm! He looked down on everyone, focusing only on reaching the Void realm!
If Teng Qingshan were truly stronger than the Qingluan, then so be it.
But Teng Qingshan had forgotten... his contest with the Qingluan was a spar, not a fight to the death. The Qingluan had not used its ultimate techniques against him!
"Those black flames laced with purple managed to make the scales on the Six-legged Saber Chi’s body sizzle and burn, inflicting immediate injury. In terms of physical defense, I am still slightly inferior to this Six-legged Saber Chi," Teng Qingshan mused. "Unless my Internal Force Gang Qi reaches the late stage! At that point, the Internal Force Gang Qi can form a protective shield over my body. With the assistance of the internal force and my physical body... the burst of power can reach its absolute limit—1.6 million jin! Only then might I be able to defeat the Six-legged Saber Chi."
Although Teng Qingshan possessed Innate True Essence.
Currently, however, all his focus was dedicated to the 'Internal Force Gang Qi,' and he wasn't wasting his 'Spirit' on cultivating the Innate True Essence! The True Essence of the Innate Void Core level, when forming a shield, was fragile against the blade of the Six-legged Saber Chi or the flames of the Qingluan.
But the late stage of 'Internal Force Gang Qi' was comparable in might to the True Essence of an Innate Golden Core expert!
"I was too arrogant! Bori Leimu was merely reputed to be among the top three on the Heavenly Ranking."
"Back when Master was at Great Yan Mountain, he forced Gu Yong back with a single sword strike, severely wounding Zhao Danchen and the Myriad Elder of the Snow Eagle Sect. That single strike... already contained the 'Dao'!"
"If Master's strength contained the 'Dao,' then what about the Beast King?"
"The Beast King, ranked first on the Heavenly Ranking, has held that position for decades, unchallenged. Compared to the Beast King, who is stronger now?" Teng Qingshan shook his head. Perhaps before encountering the Six-legged Saber Chi and witnessing the Qingluan unleash its power, he would have believed he could defeat the Beast King.
But at this moment, Teng Qingshan was uncertain.
"I haven't reached the Void realm! The Beast King hasn't either! Yet he has been number one on the Heavenly Ranking for so many years..."
"The path of cultivation is filled with formidable experts and countless geniuses."
"From today onward, I will calm my heart and focus purely on secluded cultivation. Only when my Internal Force Gang Qi reaches the late stage will I have the right to claim invincibility below the Void realm." This setback allowed Teng Qingshan to reassess himself.
...
Teng Qingshan and the Qingluan moved like phantoms, traversing the forest swiftly, arriving at Crescent Lake in the blink of an eye.
"Brother Teng!" Li Jun, who had been waiting anxiously, saw Teng Qingshan and the Qingluan, rushing forward with Xiao Ping.
"Brother Teng, are you... are you alright?" Li Jun peered anxiously at Teng Qingshan’s body. After the battle with the Six-legged Saber Chi, Teng Qingshan’s clothes were tattered, making him look quite battered.
"Haha, I am fine! But if the Qingluan hadn't arrived in time, even if I hadn't died, I would have been severely wounded this time." Teng Qingshan laughed, glancing at the Qingluan beside him. Li Jun immediately looked at the Qingluan gratefully, letting out a series of chirps while gently stroking its feathers with affection.
The Qingluan immediately puffed out its chest proudly and chirped a few times.
"Brother Teng, when Xiao Ping and I were waiting for you here, we heard roars from that direction. I recognized the roar as belonging to a demon beast intending to kill you guys, so I urgently sent the Qingluan over," Li Jun said, carefully inspecting the gashes on Teng Qingshan's clothes, finally letting out a long sigh of relief.
The world was full of countless demon beasts, but some species were extremely rare.
The Six-legged Saber Chi, for example—there might only be one or two across the entire Duanmu Continent, so it was impossible for it to possess a unique Beast Language of its own. The language of the Six-legged Saber Chi was one of the commonly known ones.
There were myriad demon beasts in the world, but the types of Beast Languages were few; there were only several distinct dialects.
This was why Li Jun could understand the languages of so many demon beasts.
Teng Qingshan suddenly understood and couldn't help but express his gratitude: "Xiao Jun, thank you."
A flicker of unconcealed joy crossed Li Jun's face.
"He gets that happy just from a 'thank you,'" Xiao Ping thought to herself. "Oh, Sister Xiao Jun!"
"Brother Teng, what kind of demon beast was it?" Li Jun inquired.
"This demon beast is known on the Duanmu Continent as the 'Six-legged Saber Chi.'" Teng Qingshan marveled, "This Six-legged Saber Chi has a triangular head, a body seemingly forged from steel armor, six legs, and each leg must be five zhang long! They are called legs, but they are as sharp as blades, and moreover, the leg segments sprout sharp spikes and backward-facing barbs. It also has two pairs of wings, which are equally extremely sharp, and its flight speed is incredible."
As Li Jun pictured the creature in her mind, she gasped sharply.
"That demon beast is terrifying," Li Jun whispered in awe.
"Yes, this beast's innate talent is terrifying, and what's more... I felt that this Six-legged Saber Chi had also gained some comprehension of the 'Dao.' Its foreleg swings were essentially a perfectly executed set of saber techniques." Teng Qingshan was astonished. Generally, when a demon beast attacked, it was just swift, agile, or perhaps cunning.
"Saber techniques?" Li Jun widened her eyes.
"Yes."
Teng Qingshan nodded gravely. "I estimate that this Six-legged Saber Chi, like me, is attempting to comprehend the Dao of Heaven and Earth. Perhaps, one day in the future, it could become a Void realm demon beast!" An Innate Golden Core demon beast couldn't possibly be this formidable; this was a beast that had already begun to grasp the 'Dao'!
"And this beast has lived for at least over a thousand years," Teng Qingshan added.
"Over a thousand years? Humans, even Emperor Yu and the Qinling Heavenly Emperor, cannot live past a thousand years," Li Jun lamented.
"Living that long, it's not surprising this old monster has some comprehension of the 'Dao.'"
Teng Qingshan then smiled faintly. "But there's no need to worry excessively. Demon beasts find it much harder to comprehend the 'Dao' than humans do. By the time I reach the Void realm, it probably won't have made it yet!"
"Xiao Jun, starting today, I plan to dedicate myself entirely to secluded cultivation," Teng Qingshan told Li Jun. "I’ll likely be staying around Crescent Lake for an extended period. If you find it too lonely and boring, you can have the Qingluan take you out; you can easily reach many places riding on its back."
"Hehe, it won't be boring," Li Jun replied, shaking her head with a smile.
Xiao Ping, standing nearby, could only sigh inwardly: "Oh, Sister Xiao Jun... truly..."
After the battle with the Six-legged Saber Chi, Teng Qingshan's mind became completely immersed in cultivation. The thirty-six slabs of Tu Fan Stone were also lined up and embedded in the soil. Every day, Teng Qingshan spent four or five hours facing these stone slabs! Moreover... Li Jun and the others noticed with surprise—
Teng Qingshan had developed a new hobby!
Teaching apprentices!
He taught not only 'Teng Beast' but also Li Jun.
...
In the early morning, thick ice had once again formed over Crescent Lake, covered by a layer of snow.
Teng Beast stood on the ice, practicing the Earth Element Fist that Teng Qingshan had already created, move by move. The Earth Element Fist, slow as a millstone and heavy as a mountain, when executed by Teng Beast, resembled the ferocious pounce of an animal in every motion. Teng Qingshan, watching from the side, repeatedly shook his head!
"A’Shou, don't be so fierce! I told you to practice the fist form, not to kill someone!" Teng Qingshan suddenly reprimanded.
Teng Beast stood still, chastised.
Li Jun stood beside him, explaining Teng Qingshan's intent.
"Feel my artistic conception clearly!" Teng Qingshan said coldly, then performed the Earth Element Fist himself right there. Teng Qingshan’s shadow boxing was slow, but in a trance, his hands seemed to transform into two massive grinding discs, and his entire figure became a towering, majestic mountain!
"Rumble~~"
A faint power of the Earth element seemed to envelop Teng Qingshan, causing the surrounding space to vibrate, and a yellowish light flickered over Teng Qingshan’s skin.
"Did you see it clearly?" Teng Qingshan looked at Teng Beast.
Teng Beast nodded repeatedly.
"Practice. Don't stop until lunchtime," Teng Qingshan commanded.
"Yes," Teng Beast replied loudly.
Teng Beast continued practicing the fist form nearby, while Li Jun walked over to Teng Qingshan’s side to comfort him. "Brother Teng, A’Shou is already quite capable. The other fist techniques you taught him, and the Five Element Fists—he practices them all well. Brother Teng, you should be more lenient."
"Strict teachers produce excellent pupils," Teng Qingshan said sternly. "One cannot afford to be careless!"
"Teng Beast has high talent for martial arts," Teng Qingshan observed the young figure practicing martial arts. "But relying solely on high talent will limit his future achievements. True experts require not only high talent but also diligence and comprehension. Character determines whether one can become a supreme expert."
Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun: "Xiao Jun, perform the whip technique I taught you yesterday for me to see!"
Li Jun made a wry face. "Yes."
At Teng Qingshan's current level, all techniques were interconnected. With his mastery of the Water Element Fist, creating a whip technique that combined flexibility and fierce power was not difficult! Teng Qingshan also realized... guiding a disciple allowed him to re-examine and reflect upon his own understanding.
By teaching others, his comprehension of the Dao of Earth and the Dao of Water also became more profound.
"Don't let your body stiffen," Teng Qingshan criticized while watching Li Jun practice the whip technique. "Your body must also be fluid; you must feel that your body is the long whip, and the whip is an extension of your body."
...
The peaceful days drifted by slowly. Teng Qingshan occasionally instructed Teng Beast and Li Jun, while dedicating a significant portion of his time to meditating on the Thirty-Six Forms of Heaven Splitting. His understanding of the 'Dao' deepened further...