Pei San heaved a sigh of relief and said with a smile, “I have taken revenge and have built the foundation of the Heavenly God Palace. Now, I just need to reach the pinnacle in my cultivation of martial arts.” Pei San turned and looked over at Teng Qingshan. His eyes revealed such fierceness. He was filled with the urge to fight.
“Teng Qingshan, our fight is in two days. I hope you won’t disappoint me on the 18th of December at the White Horse Lake!” Pei San said.
Teng Qingshan knew why Pei San said that…
He had become strong enough that it was certain that Pei San would not be disappointed. However, Teng Qingshan could still choose to avoid the fight. He could do what Huang Tianqin had done. If he had done that, there was nothing Pei San could do. Pei San could kill Huan Tianqin, but he would not be able to kill Teng Qingshan.
“I look forward to that fight as well.” Teng Qingshan looked at Pei San as he spoke.
“Good.”
Pei San initially looked very serious. At this moment, he smiled brightly and poured himself a cup of liquor. Teng Qingshan poured himself a cup as well.
“We are drinking and talking happily today. But on the 18th of December, it will be a fight of life or death.” Pei San lifted his cup up as he said, “Teng Qingshan, I, Pei San, admire you greatly. Cheers to us!”
“Cheers.” Teng Qingshan lifted his cup as well.
The two then gulped the drink.
Immediately, Pei San guffawed and left swiftly.
******
The weather was very gloomy on the 17th of December.
The numerous towers in the Gui Yuan Sect, which was located in Yongan County, could be seen.
Numerous funerary caskets were stored in the towers. Suddenly, a beam of grey light came from the sky and landed before one of the towers. It was Teng Qingshan. He arrived with a bamboo basket filled with offerings such as wine, buns, incense sticks, and candles.
There were soldiers guarding the tower. But when Teng Qingshan walked by the soldiers, none of them saw Teng Qingshan.
“It’s there!”
Teng Qingshan scanned the surroundings with the power of his world and found the funerary casket made of icicle jadestone. It was the eleventh casket on the third floor. Teng Qingshan stood before a stone tablet. There were many names inscribed on the tablet.
The seventh name on the fifth row of names was Zhuge Qing.
Teng Qingshan stared at the funerary casket made of the almost transparent jadestone. The name, Zhuge Qing, was inscribed on the casket. The words “Daughter of Zhuge Yuanhong” could be seen on the right corner of the casket. The entire tower was very cold and gloomy. Lighted incense sticks and candles were placed before the tombstone.
“Qingqing…” Teng Qingshan stooped down, setting up the altar and lighting the candles.
“I am fighting Pei San tomorrow.” Teng Qingshan said softly as he placed the offerings down. “I will come to see you again after the fight. If I don’t, that’s good too. Then, maybe I will see you in the afterlife.”
After everything was set up, he stood before Zhuge Qing’s casket and looked at it for a very long time.
He stood there for a long time and only left when the candles were half-burnt.
…
The 18th of December was an exciting day for the entire Land of the Nine Prefectures!
Numerous cultivators in the Land of the Nine Prefectures were looking forward to this day! There were countless of people rushing to the White Horse Lake even before the 18th of December. And now, millions of people, including the disciples of the Xing Yi Sect, have gathered around the White Horse Lake.
Soon, a ray of light shone in the pitch-black night sky. The Xing Yi Sect was filled with noises and clamors. The tens of thousands of disciples knew that Teng Qingshan would fight Pei San on this day and all of them were discussing the upcoming fight.
On the other hand, the East Flower Garden, the place where Teng Qingshan resided, was very quiet.
“Xiuxiu, eat more.” Teng Qingshan said as he placed a sweet biscuit in Xiuxiu’s bowl. Currently, Teng Qingshan was in the central room, eating breakfast with his family.
“Thank you, Grandpa.” Xiuxiu’s voice sounded melodious.
Hearing this, Teng Qingshan couldn’t resist smiling.
“I am going to eat with Grandpa every day. Mother never allows me to eat sweet things.” Xiuxiu pouted while everyone at the table laughed. Li Jun, who was at the side, patted Xiuxiu’s head and said, “Xiuxiu, you are right. You should eat with grandpa every day.”
Teng Qingshan smiled.
As Teng Qingshan stared at his parents, wife, children, and grandchildren… he felt a warmth flow into his heart.
This is home!
Teng Qingshan’s home!
They had a very long breakfast this morning.
“Alright. It is time to leave.” Teng Qingshan was the first to stand up. At this moment, there were many people waiting for him outside. Teng Shou, Xue Xin, Yang Dong, Teng Qinghu, Grandpa Teng Yunlong, and many others were waiting outside. They preferred not to disturb Teng Qingshan while he was eating breakfast with his family.
The Six Legged Bladelike Chi and the Whole Gale Eagle waited at the side as well.
When the group saw Teng Qingshan approaching…
“Teacher!” Teng Shou, Xue Xin, and Yang Dong greeted respectfully.
“Wait a second.” Teng Qingshan said and proceeded to the study room. After a while, he came over with three cultivation books that had been recently bound.
“Shou, and the other two… Listen closely.” Teng Qingshan said in a serious manner, “These three cultivation books are the ‘Dao of Life,”Dao of Death,’ and the ‘Explanation of the Three Postures.’ I did not have enough time to think of good names for these cultivation books. However, these three cultivation books do carry the essence of my Dao.”
Teng Shou, Xue Xin, and Yang Dong held their breath…
They knew…
The cultivation technique, the Three Postures, was the origin of the Xing Yi Martial Art. Yet, their teacher had just written the ‘Explanation of the Three Postures!’ Obviously, this cultivation book was extremely important.
“Each of you will take one of these three cultivation books. I want you to make a copy of the book and store it well in the sect. When you are done, give the original copy to my wife for her to keep temporarily.” Teng Qingshan said seriously, “Remember to copy it by yourself! Make sure that no one else touches the book.”
“Yes, Teacher.”
Each of the three disciples then took a cultivation book.
Teng Qingshan spent almost two months to complete writing the three cultivation books. These three books were now considered the best cultivation books in the Xing Yi Sect. They were considered the precious treasures of the sect.
“Grandfather.” Teng Qingshan looked over at his grandfather and grinned.
“Qingshan.” Teng Yunlong responded. Although Teng Yunlong was over a hundred years old, he was still very energetic. He patted Teng Qingshan on the shoulder and said, “I will be watching the fight too. You must fight beautifully!”
“Yes.” Teng Qingshan nodded.
…
And then, the huge group of people followed Teng Qingshan and left Xing Yi Sect. Over ten thousand disciples of the Xing Yi Sect mounted on their horses and rode towards the White Horse Lake.
The White Horse Lake was located beside the Great Yan Mountain. As the Great Yan Mountain was near the White Horse Lake, it was estimated that it would take one hour for the high-quality horses of the Xing Yi Sect to arrive at the White Horse Lake.
*******
Currently, over millions of people from all over the Land of the Nine Prefectures had gathered around the White Horse Lake, which had an area of several Li. Many people even launched their big boats into the lake and waited on the boat to watch the fight. Although there was a small island near the center of the lake, no one dared to set foot on the island.
Because…
Everyone was afraid that they might be embroiled in the fight between the two most powerful cultivators.
“It’s so gloomy today. Do you think it is going to rain?”
“Who knows?”
Two young men, who had been waiting here for a couple of days, could be seen talking to each other. Suddenly, the young man, wearing the grey fur coat, pointed into the distance and shouted, “Look! The men of the Xing Yi Sect! Wow! There are so many! I can’t even see the other end of the troop!” The cavalrymen were galloping on the winding road. The flag of the Blood Wolf Army held by the first cavalryman fluttered in the wind.
The Six Legged Bladelike Chi and the Whole Gale Eagle flew above the troops of cavalry.
Teng Qingshan was wearing a white cloak and carrying his Reincarnation Spear. While he and his wife Li Jun were heading towards the White Horse Lake, they chatted and laughed.
“That’s Teng Qingshan!”
“That is Teng Qingshan!!!”
Immediately, many people, who had traveled from different places in the Land of the Nine Prefectures and had waited near the White Horse Lake for a long time, exclaimed loudly.
“Where is he? Where is Teng Qingshan?” Some people were extremely excited.
“Teng Qingshan!”
There were countless cultivators who revered Teng Qingshan. There were countless teenagers who had great dreams. When they saw Teng Qingshan, they were madly excited. In their eyes, Teng Qingshan was a celestial being. They dreamed of becoming someone like Teng Qingshan.
“Look! Teng Qingshan is the one wearing white clothes and carrying a long spear.” A muscular, white-haired elder with a scar on his face shouted excitedly, “Teng Qingshan and I were brothers!”
“Stop bragging!” A chubby person smirked.
“Bragging?” The old man with a scar on his face glared at the chubby guy. Immediately, a dozen muscular guys behind the old man also glared at the chubby guy, causing the chubby guy to jump with fright. One of the muscular guys spoke with a prideful tone, “Mister, this man here is Master Liu San of the White Horse Gang. When Teng Jia Village was located in the Yi City, Sovereign Teng drank wine with Master Liu San! Master Liu San was Sovereign Teng’s brother!”
“Master Liu San of the White Horse Gang?” Many people immediately looked over.
The old man with a scar on his face laughed and cupped his hands as he greeted the people around him, “I am Liu San. It is an honor to have Sovereign Teng and Sovereign Pei fighting in my territory. I have ordered all the gang members to leave the islands on the lake. Back then, Sovereign Teng is someone I called a brother and I am willing to sacrifice even more than the islands for this fight.”
“I see. We didn’t know that Master Liu San controls the White Horse Lake!”
“Haha! The White Horse Lake will be famous after this fight.” Voices sounded.
Many people around immediately greeted Master Liu San.
Master Liu San was just the leader of the White Horse Gang in Yi City. To put it simply, he was just a bandit. However, because he shared a unique relationship with Teng Qingshan, one of the strongest cultivators in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, his status became different. Moreover, the White Horse Gang became even more special when the White Horse Lake became Teng Qingshan and Pei San’s “fighting arena.”
“Look! The man behind Teng Qingshan is his father Teng Yongfan. His father is one of the best men in Teng Jia Village. That man with white hair is Teng Yunlong and he is the chief of Teng Jia Village. Back then, I was their friend.” Master Liu San laughed.
Master Liu San was very happy that Teng Qingshan and Pei San were fighting on the White Horse Lake.
When the fight ends, he would get the islands back anyway.
…
While millions of people were still discussing, Teng Qingshan and his family were waiting in a building by the lake. This building was constructed by the Xing Yi Sect some time ago.
“The members of the Heavenly God Palace have yet to arrive,” Hongwu said as he looked outside.
With the Reincarnation Spear placed beside him, Teng Qingshan sat quietly around the table. He held the teacup and took a sip of tea. He waited silently. Soon, he felt calmer. He gradually adjusted his mind and prepared himself for the fight with the strongest cultivator.
“Why isn’t Little Blue here today?”
“Don’t know…”
Voices sounded behind.
******
While Teng Qingshan was waiting silently, many Emptiness Realm Experts from different places in the Land of the Nine Prefectures had arrived.
“Teng Qingshan and Pei San are risking their lives in this fight and trying to become an Omnipotent Expert through this fight. But becoming an Omnipotent Expert is not easy. Since Martial Ancestor Shiga’s death, no one has been able to reach the Omnipotent Realm. It has been two thousand years.” Liu Xia of the Emperor Yu’s Hall hovered in mid-air and looked down at the ground. Yu Feng hovered beside him.
“Elder Liu, who do you think will die?” Yu Feng asked.
Liu Xia sneered and answered, “Pei San killed Martial Uncle and Teng Qingshan is not a good person. It doesn’t matter who dies in the end. Either way, it will benefit our sect. I hope they both die.”
“Eh?” Yu Feng looked into the distance with astonishment.
‘Demonic Dragon?” Liu Xia was shocked as well.
A godly dragon was hovering behind the clouds. It was Violet Rain, the demonic dragon that had been residing in the Great Yan Mountain. Its black and purple scales in the midst of the clouds reflected a cold glint. Immediately, many people on the ground saw the demonic dragon and shouted out in astonishment. However, this was not the end of the surprise.
“Look there!” Many people waiting around the White Horse Lake immediately looked up
Two huge clouds of fire could be seen in the sky, flying closer and closer. Soon, the people could see that the huge clouds of fire were two huge Undying Phoenixes.
“Two Undying Phoenixes.”
“I can’t believe there are two.”
“It is the Xing Yi Sect’s Undying Phoenix.” Many people cried out in surprise. While millions of people were still watching, the two Undying Phoenix flew into the building where Teng Qingshan and his family were currently resting.
Many people were extremely excited to see the two Undying Phoenixes and the Demonic Dragon.
“Look there! There’s another demonic dragon.”
‘Yes. It’s in the south. It’s a black dragon.”
Many people looked up at the sky and soon found a purely black demonic dragon in the midst of the clouds. A skinny elder sat cross-legged on the back of this demonic dragon. It was the Great Elder of the Barbaric Temple, which was located in the Desolate Land. The elder looked down at the White Horse Lake and thought to himself, “I am confused. Teng Qingshan and Pei San are going to fight till death? I thought they worked together and fought against my temple in the past. Why are they fighting and killing each other now? The world is just as chaotic as I have expected.”
…
Among the huge crowds sitting around the White Horse Lake, there were several strong cultivators and Emptiness Realm Experts.
“Qingshan, you are fighting against Pei San. I hope you can win,” said a tough and stocky build man with silver hair in the crowd. This man was the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal.
The crowd about three Li away from the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal formed a huge space for one person. This person wore a long grey cloak and carried a purple sword. He stood there with a very stern and cold expression. He was like a huge sword Everyone was scared of him and no one dared to approach him.
This person was Huangfu Yujiang from the Bright Moon Island.
Ever since Huangfu Yujiang lost against Teng Qingshan again, he felt ignorant and narrow-minded. When he saw Teng Qingshan flying southward, he left the Bright Moon Island and traveled southward as well. After a long journey, he finally arrived in the Land of the Nine Prefectures and witnessed the level of prosperity in this small area.
“There are sixteen Emptiness Realm Experts within a range of 34 Li.” Huangfu Yujiang was shocked. He thought to himself, “Is this the Land of the Nine Prefectures?”
On the Bright Moon Island, an Emptiness Realm Expert was considered invincible.
However, in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, an Emptiness Realm Expert was not considered unrivaled.
“Teng Qingshan.” Huangfu Yujiang looked at the building near the lake and thought to himself, “I see. So you are one of the two strongest cultivators in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. I know that your opponent today will be extremely powerful as well, but I believe that you can win!” After losing against Teng Qingshan twice, Huangfu Yujiang had already viewed Teng Qingshan as a miraculous existence.
Therefore, he had faith in Teng Qingshan.
…
The ordinary people, strong cultivators, Emptiness Realm Experts, and Emptiness Realm Demonic Beasts… Basically, everyone and every creature in the Land of the Nine Prefectures that knew about the fight gathered around the White Horse Lake. At this moment, almost half of the powerful cultivators in the Land of the Nine Prefectures had assembled at the Whtie Horse Lake. There were too many people around the White Horse Lake.
“It’s the Heavenly God Palace.”
“The members of the Heavenly God Palace are here.”
Many people shouted. They could see the Godly Thunderbolt Hawk flying towards the White Horse Lake. Pei San could be seen holding his daughter’s hand and approaching in mid-air. Pei San’s disciples, Su Mengte, Li Chao, Wu Hou were all beside Pei San. In fact, even his brother Pei Hao came. Obviously, many people around the White Horse Lake had seen Pei San before.
While Pei San was hovering in mid-air, he turned and stared at his daughter, Pei Xuelian. Pei Xuelian looked back at her father…
“Father, I will be waiting for you. When you come back, I will marry someone within three years.” Pei Xuelian said.
Pei San laughed and said, “You are finally willing to get married.” Ever since Pei Xuelian had a heartbreak when she was young, she never tried for marriage again. She was quite old compared to other girls. However, as she had reached the Innate Realm, she was able to maintain her youthful appearance and stature.
In the marriage of an Innate Expert, age did not matter at all.
“Yes.” Pei Xuelian nodded as she stared at her gather.
“Haha… Ah Chao!” Pei San looked over at his disciple, Li Chao, and laughed as he said, “What do you think about a wedding with Xuelian after this fight?”
Li Chao and Pei Xuelian looked at each other, stunned by what they had just heard.
Li Chao was old as well and he had always been single.
Moreover, the two shared quite a complicated relationship… After all, they grew up together.
“Haha…” Pei San guffawed and said, “Wait for me. I will be back to organize your wedding.” With this, Pei San turned and flew towards the White Horse Lake.
…
In the building by the White Horse Lake.
Teng Qingshan had been drinking tea peacefully. When he saw Pei San flying towards the White Horse Lake, he looked over at Li Jun. He stretched his hands out and held Li Jun’s hands tightly, saying softly, “I am leaving.”
“I will wait for your return.” Li Jun said softly.
Teng Qingshan nodded. He stood up and looked at his parents, children, and granddaughter who were behind him. His father, mother, son, daughter, and even the granddaughter Xiuxiu were all looking at him. Teng Qingshan could see the concerned expressions on their faces. Nevertheless, he smiled and said, “Wait for me. I will be back!”
With this, he took a big step and flew out of the building.
“Yu~~”
“Roar~~”
The Six Legged Bladelike Chi, the Whole Gale Eagle, the Undying Phoenix Little Blue, and Little Blue’s mother hovered above the building. They all stared at Teng Qingshan.
Teng Qingshan smiled at the demonic beasts and descended on the surface of the White horse lake.
At this moment…
The people around the White Horse Lake became extremely quiet. Not a sound was made. They could see Teng Qingshan standing south of the White Horse Lake and Pei San standing north of the White Horse Lake. Both of them were walking closer and closer to the center of the lake. They didn’t walk fast, but their pace just seemed weirdly magical.
“Buzz~~”
The surface of the lake undulated and ripples of water kept changing. The people who were watching the fight felt as though the entire world had disappeared. All they could see were the confusing ripples as well as Pei San and Teng Qingshan who were both walking slowly towards each other.
“So powerful.” Huangfu Yujiang was shocked.
“This is the power almost equal to an Omnipotent Realm Expert.” Yu Feng of the Emperor Yu’s Hall muttered as he hovered in mid-air. Liu Xia, who was beside him, wanted to argue, but he couldn’t say anything.
The Emptiness Realm Experts were not the only ones affected. The ordinary people, the Innate Experts, and everyone who gathered around the White Horse Lake were psychologically affected. They could only see the magical ripples on the surface of the lake as well as the creators of those ripples, Teng Qingshan and Pei San. In their eyes, the world became colorless. It seemed so empty.
Whew~~Whew~~
Teng Qingshan listened to the sound of the wind. He held the Reincarnation Spear and walked quietly.
“Fight!”
Although Teng Qingshan didn’t intentionally look at Pei San, he could sense the powerful aura emanated by Pei San. As he stepped on the lake and walked forth, his mental state was constantly changing. Soon, he became completely calm. He felt so peaceful.
He stepped forth…
Both of them did the same thing!
They knew that they were equal in power. Therefore, it was very important to fight with a very good mental state. Both of them had chosen to literally walk it off… They adjusted their mood by walking. They wanted to reach their best state of mind.
The best state of mind was only needed for the worthy opponent.
They walked for a long time…
Suddenly, they stopped!
Teng Qingshan and Pei San both stopped when they were half-a-Li away from each other. Then, they just stared at each other.
The ripples formed as they stepped on the lake slowly dispersed. The millions of people who were affected psychologically regained their senses. Instantly, the millions of people, whose consciousness had disappeared into the void, had returned to the real world.
Everyone stared at each other in great astonishment.
“Did you see that everything around us disappeared. All that remained were the two strong cultivators and the ripples on the lake.
“Yeah. I thought it was just me. I can’t believe you saw it too.”
The millions of people chatted and shockingly realized that everyone had been affected by the magical ripples on the lake. They thought it to be unbelievable. They couldn’t believe that the two cultivators could have such influential charming powers
…
The wind blew on the White Horse Lake.
At this moment, Teng Qingshan and Pei San both had attained a perfect state of mind. They had no more worries. They could only think about one thing—Fight!
Teng Qingshan’s family watched the fight from afar. They were very worried about Teng Qingshan. The members of the Heavenly God Palace, such as Pei Xuelian, Li Chao, and the others, were very worried about Pei San. Both sides knew that Teng Qingshan and Pei San were people who stood on the pinnacle of the Land of the Nine Prefectures. The two who stood on the pinnacle of the Land of the Nine Prefectures were both uncertain if they could win each other.
This fight would be the most dangerous fight.
“I don’t know why… Teng Qingshan.” While standing on the lake surface, Pei San stared at Teng Qingshan and said with a smile, “Although I have reached the perfect state of mind, I just feel something quite particular. It’s the same excitement and nervousness I felt when I was a child going through the Mani Temple’s recruitment process for the position of inner disciples.
“Although this fight has yet to begin, I am really looking forward to it. In fact, I am so nervous.” Pei San said with a smile. Even though he said so, his expression never changed. He still looked so calm.
“Same. Besides you, no one else in the Land of the Nine Prefectures can make me feel this nervous.” Teng Qingshan said. Still, he appeared extremely relaxed. Teng Qingshan could clearly perceive every movement, even the movement of the wind, within his domain.
Suddenly—
Whew~~ While the wind blew, it started snowing. Snowflakes began to cascade from the sky. At this moment, Teng Qingshan and Pei San were like two celestial beings standing amidst the flurry of snow.
“Whoosh!”
Pei San immediately wore his gloves. He said with a smile, “Teng Qingshan, this pair of gloves is called Slashing Buddha! I made it with the precious materials I collected from all over the world. Also, it was refined with my power for over a hundred years, which is why this pair of gloves is so powerful!” All weapons refined with the Power of the World contained spirituality.
If it was damaged, the owner could fix it by refining it with the Power of his World. However, the weapon could only be fixed by the owner.
“This long spear is called Reincarnation. It was forged by my father and grandfather. When it broke, my friend, the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal Mu Tao, was the one who fixed it. Later on, I refined it with the Power of my World and made it this powerful.” Teng Qingshan said slowly. While he was talking, he touched the Reincarnation Spear gently.
The red tassel tied on the Reincarnation Spear reeked of blood.
This long spear killed many Emptiness Realm Experts, including the Blind Swordmaster and Tie Wu from the Qing Hu Island as well as Shen Gongfu from the Shooting Sun God Mountain. It reeked of the blood of the Emptiness Realm Experts.
The two then stopped speaking.
Whew~~Whew~~
The millions of people around the White Horse Lake were extremely quiet. Snow continued to fall from the sky. Pei San and Teng Qingshan had been fully equipped. Although the fight had yet to begin, the people around the White Horse Lake could sense that the atmosphere was becoming more and more intense. The atmosphere felt suffocating. As a matter of fact, both Pei San and Teng Qingshan could no longer control themselves and these sparks of power could be seen flying out of their bodies.
When they unleashed their power, their eyes looked as fierce as lightning.
“Roar~~~”
A black gigantic godly ape appeared behind Pei San. This time, it looked like a real godly ape. It had very distinctive features. Every tooth could be seen clearly. When the godly ape roared in Teng Qingshan’s direction, Pei San’s eyes turned bloody red. Immediately, he pounced over like a powerful beast!
“Rumble~~” The fierce aura instantly stirred up the waters, creating waves with the height of several Zhang. The rippling waves continually merged with the falling snowflakes.
Teng Qingshan suddenly unleashed a bursting force!
“Ang~~~”
The Reincarnation Spear in Teng Qingshan’s hand made this piercing noise. It was as though the heavens and earth were being drilled through and a great amount of lake water rushed apart. The Reincarnation Spear in Teng Qingshan’s hand was like a gigantic dragon that dashed out of the White Horse Lake, roaring and attacking in Pei San’s direction.
