Chu County, Huai City, Red Stone Gang entrance.

  It's already afternoon now, and in about an hour and a half, it will be dark.

  "Qingshan brothers, I let you play here for a few more days, what are you in such a hurry to go back and do?" Zhu Chongshi said helplessly, "Is it that I, as a brother, have not entertained you well somewhere?"

  "Brother Zhu, you've already treated me well enough. However, my Black Armor Army has just finished recruiting new members and this battalion of mine will also be supplemented with new recruits. The soldiers of the Black Armor Army need to be replenished, eliminated, and trained, there are many things to attend to. I really can't stay any longer." Teng Qing Shan said.

  Zhu Chongshi looked up at the sky and saw that the sun was no longer scorching: "Qingshan, it seems that night will fall soon. Let's set off again early tomorrow morning."

  "The weather is just right, it's not too hot now, we can make it to the next city in one breath." Teng Qing Shan smiled and nodded his head, "Zhu brother, no need to stay. When the time comes, you come to my Jiangning City, my brothers will meet again soon."

  "Alright." Zhu Chongshi also cupped his hands and said, "I won't detain you any longer, Qing Shan brothers, take care on your journey!"

  Under the gaze of Zhu Chongshi and others, Teng Qingshan and twenty others rode their war horses and galloped away.

  ******

  Horses' hooves flying, dust filling the air.

  Twenty black-clad figures sped along the official road, their speed extremely fast as they didn't need to consider carts or horse-drawn carriages. Initially, it took them a whole day to rush from Yunlai Inn to Hongshi Gang. However, on their return journey from Tengqingshan, it only took them more than half an hour to hurry back to Yunlai Inn.

  "Huh?" Teng Qing Shan glanced at the distant Cloud Come Inn, his ears perked up involuntarily.

  "Now, many martial artists have gone to Dajin Village!"

  Teng Qing Shan's hearing was much stronger than ordinary people: "That Da Jin Zhuang, there have been consecutive unexplained disappearances, and now a martial artist has gone too? Has someone found the cause?" Teng Qing Shan still had a hint of curiosity and doubt towards that poor Da Jin Zhuang.

  It's getting late anyway, so it's better to rest early and not delay the journey.

  "Halt!" Ting Qing Shan gave the order.

  "Law law~~~~"

  At a loud command from General Tun Qing, the hooves of the horses rose high into the air and all twenty cavalrymen came to a simultaneous stop.

  The young innkeeper and some passing merchants and warriors who were resting at the inn couldn't help but be surprised by this well-trained cavalry troop. The fact that they could move so quickly despite being fully armored, including their horses, and act in unison, made it clear that this was no ordinary family's private army.

  "Welcome, sir! Please come in." The shop assistant immediately came over with a warm welcome.

  The war horses were stabled in the back, and three black-clad soldiers were sent to guard them. The others entered the inn's great hall, seventeen men occupying four tables.

  "First, bring a bowl of iced tea for each person!" Du Hong ordered the young waiter.

  "Alright." The shop assistant replied loudly.

  Du Hong looked towards Teng Qing Shan and said in a low voice, "General, although the sky is gloomy, it's still early in the summer evening. If we hurry, we should be able to reach the next city." Du Hong was puzzled, not just he himself, but also Teng Qing Hu and others beside him were full of doubts.

  However, Qing Shan has absolute authority, he says stop, and of course everyone dares not to stop.

  Hong Qingshan burst out laughing and shouted: "Little Second!"

  A famous store clerk immediately ran over: "Sir, what can I do for you? Ah, sir, you stayed in this very inn the night before last, and were served by Xiao Er."

  Hong Qing Shan smiled and nodded, asking: "What about Da Jin Zhuang? Has anything big happened there in the past two days?"

  "Huh, you're really well-informed, sir." The little servant exclaimed in surprise. "In the Dajin Village, over a month ago, some of our clansmen started disappearing without any reason or warning. At first, one person would disappear every day. Later on, two people would disappear every day. And just two days ago, three people vanished into thin air! Sir, can you guess what's going on?"

  Hong Qingshan smiled faintly and said: "Continue!"

  Xiao Er, facing the group of people from Teng Qing Shan, still had some fear in his heart and didn't dare to sell them a fake story. He said: "Sir, you probably can't even imagine it. These past two days, something terrifying happened at Da Jin Zhuang, which made some wandering martial artists go there to investigate too. Just last night! It was finally discovered!"

  Hong Qingshan's eyes narrowed slightly.

  "They found out that there was a monster that ate people!" The shopkeeper said in a low voice, "That monster was pitch black! It flashed and disappeared, the only martial artist who saw it didn't see clearly what it looked like, he just knew that when the monster flashed, one person would be swallowed up and gone!"

  Hong Qingshan was shocked in his heart.

  In an instant, he was swallowed up?

  "Shut up, Xiao Er!" Du Hong shouted from beside him.

  "How dare I?" said the shopkeeper, "Ladies and gentlemen, you wouldn't believe it! This thing is being spread with a nose and eyes, and it was seen by a martial arts master himself. Absolutely true! Just today, several martial artists came to our place. They all went to that Dajin Villa!"

  Many warriors with a burning heart, roaming the world, undergoing life-and-death tempering.

  Those warriors love to participate in these strange events.

  Knowing there's a black monster, these people are naturally delighted to come and investigate.

  "All right, you can withdraw." Teng Qing Shan ordered, and at this moment another young waiter had already brought up a tray of dishes.

  "Are you sure about what that little servant said?" Du Hong and Teng Qinghu looked at Teng Qingshan.

  "It's impossible for the wind to come from an empty cave, and it can spread like this. Maybe, there really is a black monster." Teng Qing Shan said, at this moment, he recalled the crocodile in his hometown 'Dayan Mountain', if even a crocodile exists in this world, then that black monster that can swallow a person instantly may not be nonexistent either.

  Du Hong smiled and said: "General, what insight do these little things have? Rumors that are spread recklessly throughout the world are numerous and cannot be entirely believed."

  "That Dajin Village, a miserable affair for many months now, this is really true." Teng Qing Shan looked at Du Hong, "Old Du, I ask you, can you tell me why people keep disappearing in Dajin Village? And yet the whole village doesn't seem to notice!"

  One of our clansmen is gone.

  One, two, three... the more people there were, the more vigilant Dajin Village became. Even with many villagers keeping watch at night, they still disappeared silently and without a trace.

  "A village, a family connected to another, at night if there are many people staring. Silently taking someone away is a master, it's also hard to do." Teng Qing Shan said, "Alright, tonight we'll rest here. You all stay here, I'll go to the Da Jin Village tonight and investigate what that black monster is."

  Teng Qing Shan had made up his mind, and everyone else could only follow orders.

  ……

  The sky has turned dark.

  Wow!

  Teng Qing Shan jumped out of the window and quickly arrived at the stable, where nine Black Armor Army soldiers were guarding. The war horses of the Black Armor Army were extremely valuable, and when they went out for a walk, there were special people to guard them.

  "Governor-general." The nine soldiers saw Tan Qing Shan and saluted in a row.

  "Alright, bear with it for now and wait till midnight when another team will come to relieve you. You can rest properly then." After comforting them, Teng Qing Shan slung the wheel gun package over his shoulder and walked into the darkness, gradually picking up speed as he sprinted towards Da Jin Village.

  Teng Qing Shan did not use "Heavenly Boundary Travel", but instead relied on his muscular strength bursting forth.

  Hoo! Hoo!

  The wind howled in his ears, and Teng Qing Shan ran with a speed that was even faster than the war horse's gallop.

  In just a moment, Teng Qing saw the distant Da Jin Zhuang filled with flames.

  "Who's there!" The guard at the entrance of Dajin Villa shouted loudly.

  "Old brother, I've been traveling the world alone and heard that your Dajin Village has a black monster, so I rushed over to take a look," Teng Qing Shan said loudly with a smile. In his opinion, the current terrified Dajin Village should be very welcoming to the arrival of a martial artist.

  As expected——

  The gate opened and several people came forward, led by an old man with white hair.

  "This noble sir." The old man's face had a hint of sadness, "Our Great Golden Manor has encountered such a strange creature, and can only rely on the help of nobles like you who possess extraordinary abilities. Last night, it was discovered to be a black monster. I hope that tonight, sir and other martial arts masters, can help our Great Golden Manor eliminate the monster's evil!"

  The unknown is the most feared, last night it was finally discovered that it was a black monster, and the people of Dajin Village were also settled.

  Everyone was looking forward to these martial arts masters being able to kill that monster.

  After all... until the last moment, nobody wants to migrate.

  "Don't worry, old man." Teng Qing Shan comforted him and then stepped into the Da Jin Zhuang.

  Dajin Zhuang is slightly smaller than Tengjia Zhuang, the old home of Qing Shan, and its martial arts arena is also smaller. However, at this moment, there are over a hundred people on the martial arts arena.

  "Hmm?" Teng Qing Shan's gaze swept across, "Those who are together should be the good men within the Dajin Villa. And those scattered ones, who seem to be lone wolves, should all be warriors." Unfamiliar warriors generally have their guards up against each other. They wouldn't be as united like the ordinary clansmen of Dajin Villa.

  "Unexpectedly, another expert has arrived." A voice rang out, and a slender young man wearing a short shirt ran over. "I'm Duan Hou, what about you, brother?" This Duan Hou was very enthusiastic.

  "Qin Lang." Teng Qing Shan replied.

  Nowadays, the name 'Teng Qing Shan' is too famous. The Xu Yang County and Chu County are both spreading the story of Teng Qing Shan defeating Meng Tian. Teng Qing Shan doesn't want to bother with it for now, so he reported a fake name.

  "Qin Lang, including you, there are twenty-eight warriors who have come here today. However...” Duan Hou sneered with a smile, “Most of them are quite ordinary, like those few good-for-nothings, and even if they were to gang up on me, they wouldn't be my match.” Duan Hou pointed towards the six burly men gathered not far away, who looked rather ferocious.

  "No strength, yet still looking for that black monster, truly seeking death. Yesterday I saw the black monster, but it was only a second-rate warrior. Even a second-rate warrior couldn't see the monster move, and just its speed is enough to be terrifying." Duan Hou sighed, "However, Qin Lang, judging from his aura, he seems like an expert."

  "Oh?" Teng Qing Shan smiled with interest, "Can a master be identified by appearance?"

  "A full bottle doesn't shake, but a half-full one does!" Duan Hou chuckled and said, "The more pleased and satisfied you are, the more ordinary your strength is. However, among us Qin Lang brothers, there are still some formidable experts. Look at that person, isn't he 'Jing Tao', the high-ranking expert of the Iron Clothes Sect? He's even a direct disciple of the sect master!"

  （）