The Nine Cauldrons

Translator: Iamgt  Editor: Iamgt

On April 26th, it was starting to get a little hot on the Great Yan Mountain.

It was still early morning. On the training field in the East Flower Garden of Xing Yi Sect, Honglin and Hongwu were both practicing their Five Element Fists, taking every move seriously. Honglin was practicing the Bursting Fist while Hongwu was practicing every technique of the Five Elemental Fists. As they practiced, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun watched from the side.

"Hongwu, look at how I transition from the Crossing Fist to the Slashing Fist." Teng Qingshan frowned and said.

Immediately, Hongwu stopped obediently. As Teng Qingshan performed the Crossing Fist, his entire being seemed to transform into the vast earth. No one could move him. As he gradually started performing the Slashing Fist, the power of the earth instantly converged and cohesively moved to the edge of the Splitting Mountain Axe! Suddenly, he slashed the air forcefully with the axe!

"Five Element Fists… Five Element Fists… The moves are continuous. I am not asking you to strengthen each move with the previous move. However, you must make sure that the moves are continuous!" Teng Qingshan stared at Hongwu as he instructed.

"Yes."

Once again, Hongwu started practicing each move carefully.

Teng Qingshan watched as his son practiced his moves with a serious expression. He then smiled and nodded in approval. Seeing this, Li Jun burst out in laughter, "Qingshan, your son has not even reached the Grandmaster level. Don't be too harsh on him."

"Don't you know Hongwu is very smart? He might not be as talented as Linlin, but he reflects well on his mistakes. Whenever he realizes his mistakes, he would try to change and improve. He is at the best age to practice the Five Element Fists. How can I allow him to slack?" Teng Qingshan said. Secretly, he felt content.

He felt content that there would be someone who could carry on the heritage!

After staying in the Land of the Nine Prefectures for a long time, Teng Qingshan was influenced by the traditional views—it would be best to pass on the heritage to people of your own blood.

"By the way, Qingshan, we received information that the army of the Heavenly God Palace had attacked Liangzhou. The army stationed by the Mani Temple at the border of Liangzhou failed to block the army of the Heavenly God Palace." Li Jun smiled and said, "The monks of the Mani Temple have always been very proud of themselves. They looked down on all the sects in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. They might not say it but they act as though they are the ultimate dictator. Now, it's their turn to feel embarrassed."

"Let them enjoy this embarrassment." Teng Qingshan smiled slightly.

Teng Qingshan and his wife did not have a good impression of the Mani Temple.

The establishment of Qingshan Enterprise was prohibited only in the territory of the Mani Temple. Since Xing Yi Sect became powerful and influential, all but one sect in the Land of the Nine Prefectures gave Xing Yi Sect the respect it deserved. The one sect that refused to give Xing Yi Sect any respect was the Mani Temple! The monks of the Mani Temple always acted as though they have achieved Dao and reached a higher place. However, when they do things, they still showed such stubbornness.

"Eh?" Teng Qingshan lifted his head in astonishment.

"What's wrong?" Li Jun, who was confused, asked.

"We were just talking about them and now they are here." Teng Qingshan said with a smile. Suddenly, he frowned and scowled.

He could clearly sense that the three monks of Mani Temple, who had all achieved the Emptiness Realm, were flying towards the East Flower Garden.

"Hmph, no manners!" Teng Qingshan thought to himself.

When you are about to enter someone's house, you would naturally knock the door first. It's the same principle.

If someone wished to visit another sect, the first thing to do would be to ask the disciples who are guarding the sect to notify an authority figure. The visitor would only enter after receiving permission to do so.

However, the Mani Temple was the number one sect in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. If it was an ordinary disciple visiting Xing Yi Sect, it would be fine for that disciple to wait by the gate. However, the visitors this time were the Emptiness Realm Experts. An Emptiness Realm Expert would never bother to notify and ask for permission to enter. It would be slightly embarrassing if the three Emptiness Realm Experts asked the guarding disciples to notify and waited by the gate.

However, Mani Temple forgot…

Today, the Xing Yi Sect was not an existence that could be looked down by the Mani Temple.

"Sovereign Teng!" A voice sounded.

Immediately, three beams of light descended beside the training field in the East Flower Garden. Teng Qingshan looked over and saw that the three monks were wearing their dignified dark purple monastic robes. The monk who led this trio was a chubby young man. The other two were a white-haired old monk and a black-haired old monk. All three of them looked astonished.

"I did not expect Teng Qingshan to reach the Insightful Emptiness Realm."

"Teng Qingshan is truly the most talented cultivator since the creation of the Land of the Nine Prefectures."

The three monks were surprised.

The chubby young man smiled and placed his hands together as he greeted, "Fan Kong is pleased to meet Sovereign Teng."

"Master Fan Kong, we met once outside of Hong Tian City." Teng Qingshan said with an indifferent tone, "Why are you three here in Xing Yi Sect?"

"Oh no…"  The chubby young man Fan Kong could hear his heart palpitating. At this moment, Teng Qingshan obviously looked unhappy. However, the chubby young man still smiled and answered, "Sovereign Teng, I have come with my two Martial Nephews to see you for…"

"If it is matters concerning the battle between the Mani Temple and the Heavenly God Palace, keep it to yourselves." Teng Qingshan interrupted with the same tone.

The three monks' expressions changed.

The black-haired old monk spoke. His voice sounded very hoarse. "Sovereign Teng, we have come to see Sovereign Teng with utmost sincerity."

Teng Qingshan turned around and cast a glance at his children. He waved his hands and instructed, "Linlin and Hongwu, you two may stop practicing. Go rest."

Noticing their father talking to the three monks, Hongwu and Honglin immediately responded, "Yes, Father."

"Little Jun, you should go rest too." Teng Qingshan said.

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun exchanged glances. They had always disliked the stubborn Mani Temple. The members of the Mani Temple just displayed characteristics that were always incompatible with Teng Qingshan and Li Jun. Moreover, when the three members of the Mani Temple came today, they still acted the same way as before. They did not ask the disciples at the gate to notify. They just boldly flew into Teng Qingshan's house.

If Teng Qingshan still helped the Mani Temple, then he would just be acting like a masochist b*tch.

"Sovereign Teng."

When the three monks noticed that Teng Qingshan had asked his family to leave, they felt the atmosphere changing. And so, the white-haired old monk called out quickly.

Teng Qingshan went two steps forward and sat on a stone bench. He looked up at the three and said, "You three should know what kind of place the East Flower Garden is… This is where I, Teng Qingshan, live! How can you three come in without notifying?"

The three monks felt that the atmosphere was suffocating.

They regretted that they had not stopped by the gate and ask the disciple to notify. However, they had been used to doing so. They never had to notify. If they wished to meet an Emptiness Realm Expert, they would just fly over there. It was just that simple. However, their unconscious decision was now being pointed out by Teng Qingshan and stated as the reason why they should leave.

"Martial Uncle, Teng Qingshan is too proud." The black-haired elder said with the use of the Sound Transmission Technique.

"You don't understand. Teng Qingshan is trying to make a big deal out of this small matter. He wants us to leave out of rage. He can then easily dissociate himself from the Mani Temple. Stop saying useless things." The chubby young man scolded with the use of the Sound Transmission Technique. He then looked at Teng Qingshan with a smile, "Sovereign Teng, you are the unprecedented prodigy in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. I, Fan Kong, have respected you for a long time."

"I, Fan Kong, have been alive for a few hundred years. I experience reincarnation once. But still, I still have not attained the Insightful Emptiness Realm, which is why I find myself admiring you more and more." The chubby young man showered Teng Qingshan with praises and continued saying with a smile, "As for the accusation of coming in without notifying… Hehe, when we were flying over, I assumed that you noticed our presences. If Sovereign Teng refused to see us, you would have asked us to leave with the use of the Sound Transmission Technique. But since Sovereign Teng did not do so, you agreed to meet us. Therefore, I don't think we came in without notifying."

Teng Qingshan was slightly surprised.

The chubby young man who had experienced one reincarnation did not seem like the kind of cultivators who had cultivated to the point of losing their common sense. In fact, the chubby young man was quite smart.

"The Mani Temple have always admired Sovereign Teng." The young man Fan Kong said with a smile, "However, since the establishment of the Mani Temple, the Buddhist cultivation principles are the only form of cultivation that circulated Rongzhou and Liangzhou. Since then, the teaching of other cultivation methods was forbidden in Rongzhou and Liangzhou. This culture has passed on for two thousand or three thousand years. The disciples of the Mani Temple are used to it. Therefore, we followed the order of the Martial Ancestor and banned the teaching of the Internal Martial Art, the form of cultivation created by you. However, the Hall of Elders had a discussion and we thought that the Internal Martial Art would be complementary with the cultivation of the Buddhist Sect. Therefore, the learning of Internal Martial Art should be promoted in Rongzhou and Liangzhou. I have come to tell you this."

Teng Qingshan cast a glance at the young man Fan Kong. He then asked, "Are you letting the people of Rongzhou and Liangzhou learn the Internal Martial Art?"

"Yes." Fan Kong said with a smile. "The cultivation of the Internal Martial Art complements the psychological practice of the Buddhist Sect. Moreover, the land of the Buddhist Sect promotes the freedom of mind and spirit. In the future, if those Internal Martial Art cultivators are willing to go to the Xing Yi Sect, the Mani Temple will not stop them."

Teng Qingshan looked at Fan Kong with a strange expression. It looked like a smile, but it was not a smile.

Fan Kong was very smart.

If Teng Qingshan was an expert who only knew of cultivating martial arts, he would be very happy to hear that the Mani Temple allowed the dissemination of his martial art. However, as the saying goes—There is no such thing as a free lunch. If you took favors from a person, it would be hard to reject when that person asks for a favor.

"No need."

Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "In my Xing Yi Sect, everything depends on fate. If your fate determined that you learn the Internal Martial Art, then learn it. If your fate did not give you the chance to learn it, then let it be. As for the people of Liangzhou and Rongzhou, I am too lazy to care if they would be willing to learn the Internal Martial Art. Is that all? If you three are done talking, I will send you out. I have other things to do today."

The young man Fan Kong and the other two old monks froze.

Fan Kong felt very disappointed.

Normally, a powerful cultivator would not understand the skills of negotiation. However, it was obvious that Teng Qingshan was not the kind of person who only knew of cultivating martial arts.

Teng Qingshan said in simple words.

However, the intent of his "simple" words was obvious. He was basically saying—You three should leave while I still have some sort of respect for you. If you don't leave, I will kick you out."

Still, the young man Fan Kong would not give up. He forced a smile and begged, "Sovereign Teng, I heard that you have an Undying Phoenix. I really want to meet her. I am wondering if there's a chance…"

"The Undying Phoenix does not like strangers." Teng Qingshan interrupted as he stood up noisily.

The monk Fan Kong and the other two old monks exchanged glances. Despite feeling reluctant to accept this ending, they could only place their hands together, bid farewell, and fly away.

...

The three flew high up in the sky. The expressions on their faces looked very horrible.

"Martial Uncle, Teng Qingshan did not give the Mani Temple any respect." The black-haired old monk said angrily.

The young man Fan Kong replied calmly, "He did not give us any respect? If he did not respect us, he would have kicked us out by force. Do you think you can win against Teng Qingshan?"

The black-haired old monk froze.

"You can't demand respect. You have to earn it." The young man Fan Kong said calmly, "When Martial Uncle defeats Pei San, the world will see our power and know that the Mani Temple is still the most powerful sect in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. By that time, even if Teng Qingshan is proud of himself, he will still have to humble himself before the Mani Temple!"