The Nine Cauldrons

A Hopeless Situation

Teng Qingshan’s eyes gleamed.

The Heavenly God Palace had faced difficulties in Youzhou and suffered greatly. They definitely didn’t want to suffer the same thing in Yangzhou. Therefore, the possibility of them befriending the Gui Yuan Sect was extremely high.

“Although the Heavenly God Palace has a few Emptiness Realm Experts, they couldn’t do anything.” Teng Qingshan immediately urged, “Little Jun, quickly order someone to notify the Heavenly God Palace about this. It’s very urgent. If you don’t notify them now, it will be too late.”

The armies stationed at the three areas were only seven hundred to eight hundred Li away from the Gui Yuan Sect.

“Okay.”

Li Jun immediately walked to the study desk and sat down. She took out her writing brush and papers, while Teng Qingshan stepped forward and began grinding the ink stick. Li Jun quickly wrote the short confidential letter, blow dried it, and rolled it up nicely.

She then shouted loudly toward the door, “Someone!”

“Creak!” The door swung open.

A guard ran in hastily and knelt down respectfully.

“This confidential letter is extremely urgent, so pass it to the Sovereign as quickly as possible,” Li Jun ordered, “Go now! Quick!”

“Yes.” The guard took the letter respectfully and darted out the door.

Teng Qingshan then heaved a sigh of relief. This letter was the hope of the Gui Yuan Sect, but of course, he couldn’t rely entirely on the Heavenly God Palace.

“Qingshan, I’ve thought of another way.” Suddenly, Li Jun’s eyes beamed.

“Eh?” Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun with expectation and asked, “What way?”

“Qingshan, I can command the new soldiers of the Snowy Lotus Cult, who are currently receiving training at the border between Qingzhou and Yangzhou, to advance toward Yangzhou. This might intimidate Qing Hu Island.” Li Jun grinned as she said.

When Teng Qingshan heard what Li Jun said, his eyes brightened. “Good idea!” He commented.

“If the Blind Swordmaster receives news about the army of the Heavenly God Palace entering the region of Yangzhou, he will definitely be stunned.” Teng Qingshan’s eyes gleamed. However, the joyful expression instantly turned into a frown. “Little Jun, if the Sovereign of the Heavenly God Palace knows that you deployed the armies from the region of Yangzhou before you receive approval for it, you will be punished, right?”

“It’s fine.” Li Jun replied with a smile, “I am the substitute High Priestess. I have the right to dispatch armies. As for the deployment of armies in the region of Yangzhou… Hmph, I know well that the Heavenly God Palace has ambitions for Yangzhou. The Sovereign and the others don’t care about Qing Hu Island. I am just deploying armies into Yangzhou, not attacking. I’m just intimidating them, so it’s just a trivial matter.

“If they really punish me, then I will just renounce my position as the Substitute High Priestess,” Li Jun giggled as she spoke.

Teng Qingshan couldn’t help but stretch his hand out and touch Li Jun’s face gently. A twinge of guilt surged within his heart. Li Jun then buried her head in Teng Qingshan’s embrace.

“Li Jun, I should leave now,” Teng Qingshan said as he let Li Jun go.

Li Jun looked up at Teng Qingshan. “Qingshan, you… be careful.”

“Okay.” Teng Qingshan nodded and headed outside.

“Remember. Come see me when everything is solved. I will wait for you here!” Li Jun shouted anxiously as tears welled up in her eyes.

Teng Qingshan’s back shook slightly. Then he opened the door and vanished, transforming into a streak of light.

Li Jun walked to the door With tears in her eyes as she looked up at the sky.

She knew that Teng Qingshan would definitely go if something bad happened to the Gui Yuan Sect! There was no way she could stop him… However, in Li Jun’s heart, she didn’t care about the Gui Yuan Sect. She just wanted her husband to return home safely.

“Roar~~” Li Jun roared toward the sky.

“Roar~~”

Roars rang out in the vast night sky as well.

……

In the night sky:

While Teng Qingshan rode on the Six Legged Bladelike Chi’s back, it roared toward the ground. He knew well that the Six Legged Bladelike Chi had roared because of Li Jun.

“No matter what…” Teng Qingshan looked southward, his eyes gleaming as he said to himself, “I must keep the Gui Yuan Sect safe!”

“Whiz!”

The Six Legged Bladelike Chi pierced through the night sky and flew rapidly toward the Gui Yuan Sect in the south.

In the night sky, Teng Qingshan stood on the back of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi. He looked down and saw a wriggling “fiery dragon” on the dark and vast earth. The fiery dragon was formed by the torches held up high by the numerous soldiers. Just the length of the fiery dragon was enough for one to imagine the number of soldiers there were in the army.

“This should be the army stationed in the north. They are now advancing toward Jiangning County City.” Teng Qingshan observed and said, “The army stationed in the north is the nearest to Jiangning County. Still, they are advancing at night.

“It seems like Qing Hu Island has commanded the army to advance to Jiangning County City at the fastest speed,” Teng Qingshan guessed.

“Whew!”

The Six Legged Bladelike Chi flew rapidly through the high altitudes and overtook the enormous army.

With the help of the Power of the Heaven and the Earth, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi’s speed became a hundred times faster than that of the army. The torches Teng Qingshan could see were hanging on the massive wall of the city, Jiangning County City.

“Teacher, I have arrived,” Teng Qingshan said by using the Sound Transmission Technique.

“Qingshan.” Zhuge Yuanhong, who was in the Gui Yuan Sect in Jiangning County, could hear Teng Qingshan distinctly.

“Teacher, choose a place. I need to let the Six Legged Bladelike Chi land somewhere,” Teng Qingshan said through the Sound Transmission Technique.

Currently, the disciples of the Gui Yuan Sect were aware of the approaching army of Qing Hu Island, which was why it was very chaotic in the Gui Yuan Sect. Normally, the disciples would be asleep at this time. However, none of them could sleep tonight.

Inside the Gui Yuan Sect, people with torches were everywhere.

“I am in the Martial Ancestor’s mansion. Ask the demonic beast to come here,” Zhuge Yuanhong said. Teng Qingshan heard his voice very clearly.

“Whiz!”

Under Teng Qingshan’s guidance, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi transformed into a streak of light. No one could see it in the dark night. The Six Legged Bladelike Chi then landed in Elder Wu’s mansion.

……

When Teng Qingshan alighted on the ground, Zhuge Yuanhong was the only one in Elder Wu’s mansion.

“Bladelike Chi.” Teng Qingshan patted the Six Legged Bladelike Chi gently. Understanding what Teng Qingshan’s gesture meant, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi drilled through the earth and rested underground.

“Teacher, what’s the current situation?” Teng Qingshan asked as he stared at Zhuge Yuanhong.

“The few Law Enforcing Elders knew that Martial Ancestor had died. When they heard that the Qing Hu Island’s great army was approaching, they became very worried.” Zhuge Yuanhong frowned and said, “Therefore, we are now moving some elite disciples and treasures of the sect to somewhere else as soon as possible… Everyone has lost faith since the death of the Martial Ancestor.

Although the Gui Yuan Sect had already left behind the sect’s ‘seeds’ in many places throughout the Nine Prefectures quite early on, many of the true treasured objects still hadn’t been brought outside and were still inside the sect.

Teng Qingshan nodded slightly.

“Walla!” Suddenly, clamoring sounds rang out from the north.

“Hm?” Zhuge Yuanhong stared toward the north and said, “The troops of Qing Hu Island, who were stationed in the north, have arrived.”

“I saw them when I was on my way here.” Teng Qingshan nodded and said, “They were very near the County City at that time.”

“Go. Accompany me to the city wall to check things out,” Zhuge Yuanhong said, heaving out a deep breath.

A great number of soldiers stood on the city’s northern wall. Every one of them were either nervous or gnashing their teeth as they stared at the army that was gathering endlessly in the north.

Teng Qingshan and Zhuge Yuanhong stood shoulder to shoulder on the city wall, staring at the army coming in from the north.

“Out of the armies that are coming from three directions, the army coming from the north is the first to arrive.” Zhuge Yuanhong said with a smile, “Qingshan… Since the beginning of history, this is the greatest disaster that has occurred to the Gui Yuan Sect. Do you think we can avert this disaster and survive?”

“We can,” Teng Qingshan said in a deep tone. “We will definitely survive.”

Zhuge Yuanhong smiled and remained silent.

Although Qing Hu Island had attacked once a few years ago, the Blind Swordmaster had not participated that time. Secondly, at that time, the Gui Yuan Sect had Elder Wu. What about now? The Blind Swordmaster killed Elder Wu and dispatched an army. It was obvious that the Blind Swordmaster was determined to eradicate the Gui Yuan Sect.

It was very difficult to change the Blind Swordmaster’s mind.

“Teacher, I am going to visit my parents,” Teng Qingshan said.

Zhuge Yuanhong turned and said, “Only one of the three armies of Qing Hu Island has arrived. Moreover, they have journeyed at a great speed. They must need rest… I am guessing that they will only attack tomorrow. So, there’s no urgency now. Go ahead.”

……

“Father and Mother are at the clan’s headquarters.” Teng Qingshan could distinctly sense where his parents were through the control of his domain. The clan’s headquarters was located at an extremely spacious mansion, and Teng Qingshan was very familiar with the auras of the people in it.

A silhouette descended into the Teng Clan’s residence.

Teng Qingshan stood in the dark shadows, staring at the family nearby.

“Son, don’t worry. It will be fine! Didn’t Qing Hu Island flee when they came last time? It will definitely be fine. I, your father, am a master in the spear art of Teng Jia Village. I am the centurion of the Black Armored Army. I can kill those bastards of Qing Hu Island, one after the other. Come, give me a kiss.” A tall and big man, dressed in heavy armor and holding a helmet, was carrying a teenager.

A lady stood by his side with tears welling up in her eyes.

“Wifey, where is Xiang Er?” The man asked.

“Father!” A yell rang out nearby. A beautiful young girl ran over and held the Black Armored Soldier tightly as she yelled, “Father, don’t go! Don’t go!”

“Xiang Er, I am a courageous member of the Teng Clan. How can I be afraid of death? Your uncle, Qingshan, killed quite a few Innate Experts of Qing Hu Island at the age of seventeen. All the men of Teng Jia Village are courageous!” The Black Armored Soldier wiped the tears off his daughter’s face and said, “Don’t cry. Father will be back soon.”

With this, he placed his son and daughter down.

“Wifey.” The man of the Black Armored Army and his wife held each other tightly.

Tears flowed uncontrollably as the lady said, “Qinghao, I will wait for your return.”

“Yes.”

The Black Armored Soldier picked up the great spear sitting at the side. Then with the helmet in one hand, he turned and left.

“Father, Father.” The young boy and girl both tried to chase him were both stopped by their mother.

“Qinghao.” Teng Qingshan stared at the distancing back of the Black Armored Soldier.

That Black Armored Soldier was Teng Qinghao, the son the Teng Jia Clan’s spearmaster, Teng Yongxiang. Now, Teng Qinghao had succeeded his father’s position. He was also the centurion of the Black Armored Army. Through the Tiger Fist, which Teng Qingshan had taught the Teng Clan in the past, and the remaining Scarlet Fruit Wine, many experts had emerged in the Teng Clan.

……

Without making a sound, Teng Qingshan paced within the mansion of the Teng Clan. Out of the members of the Teng Clan, not a lot of people had joined the Black Armored Army. Only the sons of ten or so families joined. So, just moments later, Teng Qingshan had already reached the residence of his grandfather, Teng Yunlong.

“Yongfan, this is a great calamity for our Teng Jia Village,” Teng Yunlong’s aged voice rang distinctly in Teng Qingshan’s ears.

“In the past, many Innate Experts of Qing Hu Island died because of Qingshan. Those Innate Experts were part of the great clans of Qing Hu Island. The descendants of those clans definitely wish to avenge their seniors. Once they conquer Jiangning County City, they will definitely eradicate the members of the Teng Clan just to avenge those Innate Experts.”

When Teng Qingshan heard what his grandfather had said, his body trembled.

That was right…

His enmity with Qing Hu Island was too great. Even if the Blind Swordmaster wouldn’t eradicate the Teng Clan, the thirteen members of the Teng Clan who died in the Great Yan Mountain must be avenged!

“No matter what…” Teng Qingshan clenched his fist. “No matter what, I can’t let Qing Hu Island break into Jiangning County City!”