The Xing Yi Sect had spent great effort on the investigation of the attempted slaughter of the caravan of Qingshan Enterprise by a mysterious group of people in the region of Yanzhou. However, eventually, they were unable to find any very useful information. Teng Qingshan could only suppress his anger. Simultaneously, he commanded the spies of the Xing Yi Sect to increase the surveillance of Emperor Yu's Hall.

It was a very hot day.

In the cultivation room within the East Flower Garden:

The cultivation room was ten Zhang long, eight Zhang wide, and five Zhang tall. The door was shut closed, allowing only the light from the crack to shine through… In the cultivation room, Teng Qingshan was alone. He wore a loose shirt and held his Reincarnation Spear while barefooted. He closed his eyes and adjusted his mentality as he pondered upon the Dao of Spear!

Whew!

A cold glint flashed in the cultivation room. The Reincarnation Spear suddenly transformed into the form of a python, slithering crazily. And then the entire cultivation room seemed to have turned into a fierce ocean. A silver-scaled flood dragon could be seen swimming in the ocean and occasionally leaping up into the sky and diving back into the ocean.

Suddenly—

It was as though the entire ocean had tilted. An endless amount of salt water swirled around the longspear in a strange manner. At that instant, it was as though the longspear was the only thing remaining on this earth.

Whew!

The heavens and earth seemed to have been slashed apart.

...

In the dark, isolated cultivation room, Teng Qingshan continued pondering and refining his Dao of spear, perfecting it. For the past 17 years, he has cultivated arduously. Last year, his cultivation of the Wood Elemental Dao reached culmination, signifying the completion of his cultivation of the five elemental Daos. Since then, Teng Qingshan had been pondering on ways to unify the Five Elemental Powers of the Heavens and Earth perfectly to exhibit the strongest spear strike.

If the full Power of the Heavens and Earth reached the perfect state, it should be able to display 20% more power!

There were several moves in the cultivation of the "Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Techniques"that could display such power. However, it could only be displayed when Teng Qingshan was using an axe. Teng Qingshan had forsaken the cultivation of the axe and focused entirely on the cultivation of the spear. Before he reached the Emptiness Realm Culmination, he had pondered and practiced the cultivation of the spear. After he reached Emptiness Realm Culmination, he practiced arduously for a year. However, in the cultivation of the five Daos, he was truly satisfied with just one technique.

"The five elements engendered one another and eliminated one another. The water helps the wood grow and the trees and the element wood bring life to fire. Out of earth comes metal, and metal creates water… The cycle comes back to the start and forms a perfect cycle. It's just like the Dao of Yin and Yang, which circulates continually. Everyone understands this principle, but it is extremely hard to truly utilize the power of all five elements in one move!" This was what Teng Qingshan had been pondering and trying to achieve.

And now there was only one technique that achieved this.

His goal was to create five techniques that could achieve this.

...

Clang! In the dark cultivation room, Teng Qingshan threw the Reincarnation Spear on the weapon rack.

"For the past 17 years, I have focused on cultivating the water elemental techniques. Eventually, my power of all elements was able to display a perfect cycle and I was able to create this most powerful technique." Since the element water overrode the other elements in this technique and allowed the five elements to work at the same time, Teng Qingshan had named it "Five Elemental Toxic Dragon Drill." Teng Qingshan thought that there should be five techniques containing the power of all five elements.

The other four techniques should be named Five Elemental Tiger Cannon, Five Elemental Splitting Mountain, Five Elemental Pursuing Shadow, and Five Elemental Transfiguration Unity Law.

The names might sound unoriginal and simple, but it doesn't matter. Because even if the names were splendid and marvelous, the techniques would still be the same.

"The highest good is water. Water is peaceful and benefits all things. With water as the primary element, I created the Five Elemental Toxic Dragon Drill. However, I am incapable of creating the other four moves." Teng Qingshan shook his head and thought to himself, "This means that I have not gained enough understanding. If I am able to create the other four most powerful spear techniques, I should be able to reach the Insightful Emptiness Realm."

Teng Qingshan's speculation was wrong!

He was able to transform the understanding of the five elements into the cultivation of the fist art, meaning that he had achieved an extremely high understanding of the five elements! Because of his understanding of the five elements, he was able to create the most powerful technique within only 17 years! It was already crazy that he could create such a technique. If he were to create five techniques, it would mean that his understanding of the Heavenly Dao had reached the utmost level!

He would become an Omnipotent Expert!

To be able to create five techniques, Teng Qingshan's understanding of the five elements had to reach the pinnacle.

However, Teng Qingshan wasn't taught by anyone. He had to figure out everything by himself. He naturally didn't know. Now he just wanted to try and create the other four techniques.

"I will try my very best to understand the Five Elemental Dao. The higher my understanding of the five elements, the closer I am to the Insightful Emptiness Realm," Teng Qingshan thought to himself.

"Eh?"

Teng Qingshan frowned. He could sense that his second disciple, Yang Dong, was just outside.

"Why is Yang Dong here?" Teng Qingshan didn't hesitate. He quickly washed up in the cultivation room, put on his clothes and shoes, and opened the door of the cultivation room.

Rumble~~

The doors of the cultivation room opened gradually on both sides, allowing the light from outside to shine inside. The summer heat immediately infiltrated the room. With just a glance, Teng Qingshan saw Yang Dong outside. Yang Dong looked very nervous. Teng Qingshan's son, Hongwu, stood beside Yang Dong and also appeared very worried.

"Teacher."

"Father."

Yang Dong and Hongwu hastily approached.

"What happened?" Teng Qingshan asked.

"Teacher." Yang Dong gave Teng Qingshan a letter and explained, "We just heard about this—Emperor Yu's Hall has a secret technique of the Xing Yi Sect, the Cannon Fist. We heard that many of the Internal Martial Arts cultivators recruited by Emperor Yu's Hall have already started practicing the Cannon Fist."

Actually, Yang Dong could've sent a secret letter. But apparently, he couldn't restrain himself and had to say it out loud.

"What?" Teng Qingshan's facial expression changed. He hastily opened the letter and read it.

"How did the secret technique leak?" Teng Qingshan's facial expression changed. He seemed slightly worried as he said, "Moreover, it's the Cannon Fist?"

In the branch of Internal Martial Arts, the twelve forms of Xing Yi were the foundation. However, it was rather impossible to achieve great success with just the cultivation of the "Tiger Form Fist Art". Even if Wei Jiang were to master the cultivation of the "Tiger Form Fist Art", he would only be a First Rated Warrior. However, the cultivation of the Five Elemental Fists would make things very different!

In Teng Qingshan's previous life, the famous Grandmasters in the branch of Xing Yi relied on the Bursting Fist, Slashing Fist, Cannon Fist, and the other techniques.

The cultivator could only reach the Grandmaster Realm through the cultivation of the Five Elemental Fist!

Therefore, in the Xing Yi Sect, not all disciples were given the chance to learn several techniques and cultivation methods such as the Five Elemental Fist Arts. Even if some disciples got the chance to learn these techniques, they weren't allowed to learn all the techniques within a short time. The process of learning began from the basic techniques and would gradually become harder. In the end, the disciples would learn the best technique.

"The secret technique Cannon Fist is leaked out?" Teng Qingshan was very worried.

By cultivating the "Tiger Form Fist Art"and "Cannon Fist", an Internal Martial Arts cultivator might really reach the Grandmaster Realm.

"Dong, since the beginning, I have given this very strict order." Teng Qingshan stared at Yang Dong as he spoke. "I said that only the elite disciples in the Xing Yi Sect are allowed to learn the Five Elemental Fist Arts. And I said that they are only allowed to learn all five fist arts gradually. Moreover, only the loyal and talented ones with very clean background checks were given the chance to learn all the techniques. Now, which type of Cannon Fist did Emperor Yu's Hall acquire?"

The cultivation method of the "Cannon Fist"was modified by Teng Qingshan multiple times, and each version was cataloged according to the system. According to the system, there were nine types of Cannon Fist.

"Teacher, it's stated on the page before the last page of the secret letter," answered Yang Dong.

Teng Qingshan was panicking, thus, he wasn't in the mood to read every single page of the letter.

"Tell me," Teng Qingshan said directly.

"According to the spies, it should be the Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist," Yang Dong answered.

"Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist?" Teng Qingshan frowned and said, "Only a few were given the opportunity to learn the Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist. Have you found anything?"

"No. I rushed over when I got the news," Yang Dong answered. "However, I told Elder Zong to start an investigation on this matter. When the result of the investigation is out, we will report it to you immediately."

Teng Qingshan could only endure…

...

The weather was very hot. Teng Qingshan felt even more worried. The leaking of the secret technique was not a small matter.

If the secret techniques of Emperor Yu's Hall or Heavenly God Palace were leaked out to the public, it wouldn't cause any commotion because of the great number of Daoist sects in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. However, Teng Qingshan's sect was the only sect that cultivated the Internal Martial Arts! If the fist art Cannon Fist leaked, a second sect that cultivated the Internal Martial Arts might come into existence.

"Father, drink some tea," Hongwu said as he held the cup of tea.

I am not in the mood." Teng Qingshan suddenly turned and looked at the door. Soon, someone appeared outside the door. It was Elder Zong.

"Uncle Zong, have you found anything?" Teng Qingshan hastily walked over.

"Sovereign, look." Elder Zong handed him a piece of paper as he said, "Most of the disciples of the Xing Yi Sect are still cultivating the "Twelve Forms of Xing Yi". Only a small portion of the disciples were taught the Five Elemental Fist Arts. Among these disciples, a total of 3,218 learned the cultivation of the Cannon Fist. Among these people, only 291 disciples learned the"Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist"."

Teng Qingshan read the paper briefly.

Zong Lu continued, "Among these 291 disciples, 283 have very clean backgrounds. The remaining eight have clean backgrounds, but all eight of them were either orphans or beggars. Still, there shouldn't be a problem.

"However, among those eight people, there is one named Gongyu, and he went back home this March to visit his family," Zong Lu said with a frown.

"Visit his family?" Teng Qingshan frowned and asked, "Where is he from?"

"Yes. He is from Yuzhou! He was a homeless orphan, but he was adopted by a single man later on. In the village he lived in, he learned the "Tiger Form Fist Art"," Zong Lu said. "However, Sovereign, please don't worry. According to the sect scrolls, Gongyu only made some small achievements in the cultivation of the "Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist". Moreover, because of his background, his teacher wasn't able to teach him the essence of the "Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist"."

Teng Qingshan nodded slightly.

It was extremely difficult to learn the entire cultivation of the "Cannon Fist"or any of the other Five Elemental Fist Arts. The cultivation wasn't recorded on a book for the disciple to learn. The teacher had to be the one to impart every single move of the technique, and he would only teach the next move if you were capable of learning it. After all, one shouldn't bite off more than one could chew. It was useless to teach the next move if the disciple couldn't grasp and learn it.

Moreover, it would prevent any outsiders from learning the moves.

"Even if one has learned the "Tiger Form Fist Art"and the moves of the "Ninth Emperor Cannon Fist"that Gongyu learned, he would only reach the level of First Rated Warrior." Zong Lu was very certain as he spoke.

Teng Qingshan heaved a sigh of relief.

He had set up the right teaching system for the sect.

"We must not allow such a thing to happen again!"

Teng Qingshan's eyes gleamed coldly as he said, "If Emperor Yu's Hall stole the cultivation of the Cannon Fist today, the other sects might steal another cultivation technique on another day. If this continues, we won't be able to handle the consequences. Moreover… How dare Gongyu betray the Xing Yi Sect! He is the first disciple to betray the sect; therefore, just a simple punishment will not be enough."

As the saying went, one must kill the chicken to scare the monkey!

This was the first threat to the cultivation techniques of the sect…

The first traitor of the sect…

People like this had to be handled in a ruthless way!