His Tiger Form Cannon Fist had also reached the master level.
Hong felt that he had gained finer control over his body's strength, and his command of his muscles and bones had improved further.
He knew.
As long as he achieved perfect control over every inch of his muscles and bones, and could make them resonate as one while practicing his fists, he would have entered the Grandmaster realm of Xingyi Fist.
Now.
He was only one step away from that realm!
Of course.
That was also the hardest step.
His teacher had been stuck at this step for decades and had yet to break through.
And he.
Had reached his master's level in just eight years.
"Excellent. I didn't expect you to break through so quickly. Your comprehension really is impressive," Teng Qingshan said approvingly.
Hong's comprehension was comparable to that of the truly brilliant figures from the Nine Provinces Continent in his previous life.
"It's all thanks to your guidance, Senior!" Though Hong was delighted by his breakthrough, he was now even more keenly aware of the gap between himself and Teng Qingshan.
He knew that if he wanted to enter the Grandmaster realm of Xingyi Fist as soon as possible, then Teng Qingshan was undoubtedly his greatest asset.
"There's no need to thank me. Your comprehension is what matters," Teng Qingshan said, waving his hand dismissively.
"Senior, I have a favor to ask!"
Hong suddenly spoke with a solemn expression.
"Go ahead."
"I wish to formally take you as my master!" Hong said, dropping to both knees. "You are the most accomplished martial artist I've ever met. I've always dreamed of becoming a Grandmaster of Xingyi Fist. Please accept me!"
Looking at Hong kneeling before him with a serious expression, Teng Qingshan felt moved. "You don't have to become my disciple to learn from me."
"That's different. I want to join your sect, serve you, and listen to your teachings at all times!"
"In that case, I'll accept you as my disciple," Teng Qingshan said approvingly. He was more than happy to take on Hong, whose talent and comprehension were both extraordinary. "My sect is called the Xingyi Sect. From now on, you'll be my first disciple and the first to carry on the sect."
The Xingyi Sect had yet to be formally established in the Swallowed Star World. But with Teng Qingshan here, the Xingyi Sect existed too, so there was nothing wrong with putting it that way.
"Thank you, Master!"
Hong knelt once more and performed the proper rites of apprenticeship.
Teng Qingshan accepted his formal bow.
"Given the circumstances, now that you've performed the rites and I've accepted you, you've officially joined my Xingyi Sect," Teng Qingshan said with a smile.
"Thank you for accepting me, Master," Hong said, rising with joy.
Hong was overjoyed to become the disciple of such a powerful expert.
"By the way, Master, you still don't know why two of the underground world's top assassins tried to kill me this time," Hong said suddenly after they returned to the pavilion.
"I don't."
"It's because of this." Hong reached into his shirt, took out a map he had kept close to his body, and handed it over.
Seeing the map, identical to the one in the Little Cauldron's vision, Teng Qingshan nodded to himself.
"This map has been fought over by the underground world for many years, but this is only a fragment," Hong explained. "Legend has it that if you collect all three fragments, you can open the Ruins and obtain all kinds of unimaginable treasures."
"So it's only a fragment." Teng Qingshan looked at the map, made of specially treated leather, and felt slightly disappointed. If it had been the complete map, he would have planned to investigate after awakening his Telekinesis.
After all, the Little Cauldron had intercepted a fragment of it from the river of time in the future. It must have been extraordinary.
But as it was only a fragment, its value was limited, unless they could eventually collect all three and piece together the complete map.
"Master, this map is of great importance. When I get back, I'll have to hand it over. Why don't we make a copy now?" Hong suggested, his eyes shifting.
"All right. We might well explore the area marked on it someday," Teng Qingshan replied with a smile.
The two continued talking for a while. Teng Qingshan also gave Hong some pointers on his spear techniques, then they headed to Yangzhou City under cover of night.
After buying the materials needed to make copies, Teng Qingshan made two: one for himself and one for Hong.
As for the original, they would hand it over to the Dark Hand so that Hong could gain some freedom in exchange.
After spending two more days in Yangzhou and learning many secret Xingyi Fist techniques from Teng Qingshan, Hong quietly departed.
Before leaving, however, Hong left behind the 200,000 in cash he had taken from White Bear and Monkey.
Teng Qingshan didn't object.
He planned to make himself a suitable spear and a large number of Flying Daggers for practice, and all of that required money.
He could have asked Old Man Teng Yongyuan for it, but since he had money now, there was no need to ask the old man.
After Hong left.
Teng Qingshan returned to his usual cultivation routine.
In his spare time, however.
Teng Qingshan found a knife and sword shop. Shops that sold weapons mainly for collecting also took custom orders.
This time, he found a reputable shop online and commissioned a spear with a high-carbon steel alloy shaft and a high-hardness alloy spearhead.
For various reasons, the spearhead couldn't be sharpened for now.
But Teng Qingshan didn't mind.
He was only having the spear made to recapture the feeling of practicing with one. As for its lethality—
Even with a blunt spearhead, it could unleash tremendous power in Teng Qingshan's hands.
In addition, he ordered thirty of the finest alloy Flying Daggers.
Since they were being sold as fruit knives, they could all be sharpened.
Made from the finest materials, the 2.4-meter-long, twenty-plus-jin spear and the thirty alloy Flying Daggers cost tens of thousands of Huaxia Currency in total.
Several days later.
Once the spear and Flying Daggers arrived, Teng Qingshan began practicing his spear techniques.
In his previous life.
Teng Qingshan had achieved an extremely high level of mastery in spear techniques.
Although many martial arts realms weren't transferable after he had transmigrated here,
The most fundamental spear skills and the techniques he had developed from the Five Elements Fist and Twelve Forms Fist still worked.
With the Monster Crisis set to erupt in less than a year,
There was no need to use his fists against the monsters.
A spear, as a long weapon, was ideal.
And with Telekinesis awakening soon, he could control Flying Daggers to attack from a distance. That would undoubtedly be an excellent way to deal with them as well.
In the face of the Monster Cataclysm,
Teng Qingshan hoped that as many people in China as possible would survive.
As for other countries and places, he could only leave them to fate.
Teng Qingshan was kind, but his kindness extended only to the people of China, who shared his roots.
Besides, during this time, he had been learning about this world's history, and he had developed a strong dislike for certain countries. He would be doing well enough if he didn't wipe them out.
Let alone go out of his way to save them.
In his first life, he had been an assassin. In his second, he had fought his way across the Nine Provinces Continent to become a Supreme Powerhouse. Teng Qingshan had never been indecisive or prone to showing indiscriminate compassion.
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