The Nine Cauldrons

Book 4 Chapter 29 Pei San

“Master, I do not wish to think of marriage at the moment.” Teng Qingshan said.

Zhuge Yuanhong took a good look at Teng Qingshan before he laughed. “Haha, I now understand why you attained the innate realm at the age of seventeen! You are the same as Xiang Fanchen, devoting all your efforts on training. But Qingshan, I have to remind you that marriage is an important stage of one’s life and you cannot ignore it.”

“Mmm, I understand.” Teng Qingshan was stumped by this.

Lady Qing was definitely a good lady, with a pure charisma like that of a goddess who fell from heaven. It was rare to find such a lady in this chaotic world. Usually, one who had seen blood would hardly be able to retain that purity. And Zhuge Qing, as the Sovereign’s daughter, had lived a life of ease. In addition, Zhuge Yuanhong had taught her well, therefore she had such charisma.

However, towards Lady Qing, Teng Qingshan had only shown her the concern as if she was his younger sister. He did not feel love for her.

However, Qingshan understood what his Master ‘Zhuge Yuanhong’ said as well.

Marriage was definitely an important event!

This was the ancient times where, out of the three most unfilial actions, not having an offspring is the worst! Back when he was in the Teng Jia Village, his father ‘Teng Yongfan’ had once tried to force him to get married early. He only agreed to allow Teng Qingshan to delay a few years on the account that he would need to work hard after entering Gui Yuan Sect.

“Even if it’s for the sake of the family, there is a need to have descendents. My father only has one son.” Teng Qingshan sighed in his heart. “No matter what, I’ll still need to find a wife and have kids in a few years time.” As for whether he could find a woman like Cat who could touch his heart, Teng Qingshan had no confidence at all.

But if he were to remain single all his life, even if he was willing to, his parents would be the first to object.

Considering how filial Teng Qingshan was, he did not want to be the one to put an end to his family line.

……

“Master, I passed by Wu An County on my way back. There, I met an expert who had tanned skin and a sturdy body, by the name of ‘Tie Ta’. He challenged me… But I noticed that he should be an innate master.” Teng Qingshan spoke out his suspicions.

Zhuge Yuanhong was astonished, “An innate master challenged you? Could it be that he knew that you reached the innate realm?”

“It seemed that he did not know beforehand.” Teng Qingshan said. “But after exchanging blows with me, he should have found out.”

To be able to fend off that attack from the metal truncheon, Tie Ta could obviously have guessed Teng Qingshan’s abilities.

“The weirdest thing was that when he had exerted his actual abilities, a flash of golden light flashed in his eyes.” Teng Qingshan could not understand.

“Gold light flashed in his eyes?” On hearing this, Zhuge Yuanhong frowned and said, “Mmm, based on what you’ve said, this guy by the name of ‘Tie Ta’ should be from Mani Temple!”

“Mani Temple?” Teng Qingshan was a bit astonished.

“Mmm, amongst the eight major sects, only the Mani Temple follows buddhism. The other seven major sects cultivate essence into Qi, and Qi into spirit. And for gold light to flash in his eyes, he would have to be from Mani Temple. Afterall, the buddhism of Mani Temple pursues the ‘sarira’, while we cultivate in the pursuance of the ‘innate Golden Dan’. If one’s gaze was as if it had materialized and flashed with a light of gold, in buddhism, one would be able to achieve this at the Arhat realm. But for us, we would need to achieve the ‘innate Golden Dan’ realm.”

Teng Qingshan did not really understand.

It was because he was not familiar with the cultivation of the buddhism. It seemed that the cultivation technique of Mani Temple was completely different from the rest of the sects.

“In short, there’s a 90% chance that Tie Ta is from Mani Temple.” Zhuge Yuanhong said.

“Master, this Tie Ta is the guard of a middle-aged man by the name of Pei San.” Teng Qingshan followed to say. “The other day, at Wu An county, this Pei San had used ten thousand taels of gold to buy a top courtesan. Moreover, this Pei San had looked down on the Young Master of Qinghu Island ‘Gu Shiyou’.”

“An expert of the Arhat realm as a guard?” Zhuge Yuanhong was a bit astonished. “This Pei San is an important character of Mani Temple? But Mani Temple is very much against wastage of money. They would not agree to the spending of ten thousand taels of gold to purchase a courtesan.”

Zhuge Yuanhong was also surprised.

Mani Temple was the best of the eight major sects!

“I don’t really understand. There are people under the Mani Temple who earn money; however, they would never dare to spend ten thousand taels of gold to buy a top courtesan… or to even offend the Young Master of Qinghu Island!” Zhuge Yuanhong was very certain that those at the top of the Mani Temple could afford to look down on Qinghu Island and spend a large amount of wealth.

However, one must be a monk to be able to be among the top practitioners of the Mani Temple, and monks were prohibited for falling for women’s charm, let alone to spend money on one.

As for the common disciples, while they did not have to stay away from women, their actions made it impossible for them to climb to the top ranks of the Mani Temple. Those common disciples would likely not dare to offend the Young Master of the Qing Hu Island.

“There are two possibilities in this matter. The first possibility is that the Mani Temple is greatly indebted to Pei San, resulting in them sending an expert of the Arhat realm as an escort. The second one is that either this Pei San or his elder is an extremely strong expert. So powerful that they are able to steal the buddhism manual from Mani Temple for the escort to train and eventually achieve the innate realm!” Zhuge Yuanhong said.

Teng Qingshan gasped when he heard this.

Regardless of which of the two possibilities it was, this Pei San was not someone that was easily messed with.

“Qingshan, if there’s nothing else, you can head back to rest first,” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled and said.

“Yes, Master,” Teng Qingshan replied, and left the study.

……

Yangzhou, Wu An County.

In a small pavilion of a luxurious mansion, Gu Shiyou sat down with a sullen face a strong, bushy-bearded man respectfully standing before him.

Ever since that day when Pei San left with his guard ‘Tie Ta’ and Meng Dujuan, Gu Shiyou immediately sent out thousands of men in search of this Pei San. After a while, Shiyou even resorted to sending out over ten thousand of men. With the status that Gu Shiyou held, dispatching over ten thousand of men merely required him to say the word, and it would be done.

In the land under Qing Hu Island’s control, it was ridiculous to think that ten thousand men were only able to locate Pei San and company the next afternoon.

The news had only reached Gu Shiyou at noon.

“General Li!” Gu Shiyou looked at the big bearded strong man and said, “You ordered thousands of City Guards to surround that Pei San and company; however, hundreds of men were killed, and the leader who had led the thousands of men was even captured!” Gu Shiyou’s face had sunk. “This is the the greatest humiliation! Our Qing Hu Island’s face has been completely lost thanks to you guys!!! There were only three of them, one of whom was a weak lady. There were thousands of you! If it was me that failed this badly, I’d slit my own throat!”

The bearded strong man quickly said, “Young Master, that tanned strong man is an innate master. He covered himself with a layer of Qi which was impenetrable by arrows, and easily captured the leader of the troops.”

“Innate master?” Gu Shiyou was so infuriated that his teeth were clenched. “These are all excuses of the weak who are scared of death! So what if he is an innate master? Could he possibly kill thousands of people in such a short period of time? There is a limit to one’s Innate True Origin, and with thousands of men surrounding them, that guard could only kill a few hundred people. Could the rest not capture that Pei San?”

The bearded strong man said bitterly, “Young Master, it is not that we City Guards are cowardly and fear death. It is just that Pei San is even stronger than his guard.”

Gu Shiyou was stunned.

“Our men had surrounded him, but with a single chop of his hand, tens of men who had gathered around were killed.” The bearded strong man said.

“Blade light shot out from his body? That means that he is also an innate master,” Gu Shiyou’s face paled.

One innate master as a guard was enough to instil fear in Gu Shiyou, but to think that Pei San was also an innate master… Gu Shiyou had to reconsider carefully. Tie Yi Hall only had three innate masters in total, while Gui Yuan Sect only had four, including Teng Qingshan.

It was very hard to attain the innate realm, but that Pei San and his subordinate were both innate masters.

“What is their background?” Gu Shiyou started to hesitate.

“Young Master, that Pei San even got our men to bring word back to Young Master,” The bearded strong man said.

“Shoot,” Gu Shiyou kept a serious look and said.

“That Pei San said…” The bearded strong man said bitterly, “Tell that Gu Shiyou, if he doesn’t wish to die, then don’t come and bother me!”

“What arrogance,” Gu Shiyou squinted his eyes.

The bearded strong man started to feel uneasy. Based on his understanding of the Young Master, whenever he came across such humiliation, he was doomed to burst into fury.

“Get everyone to retreat,” Gu Shiyou ordered icily. “One more thing…I will be returning to Qing Hu Island later. Go inform my Martial Sister and company.”

“Yes,” The bearded strong man immediately took his leave.

……

On the Anyang River, a two-storeyed leisure boat steadily floated along.

Du Mengjuan sat on the upper deck of the boat, playing the seven-stringed zither as the music echoed throughout the banks of the Anyang River. A boatman in black was rowing the boat, while the man in purple, ‘Pei San’, was at the front deck, casually lying down on a wooden chair, listening to the music of the zither, swaying and humming a small tune.

“Master, do you think that Gu Shiyou will be sending more men after us?” That strong man ‘Tie Ta’ stood behind Pei San.

Pei San closed his eyes and hummed a small tune. “Hmm? Relax. If that Gu Shiyou was really so foolish, then there would be no way he could be listed on the 《Earth Ranking》. But this trip to Yangzhou was really quite enjoyable. That Teng Qingshan was better than I had expected, and in addition, I even found such a good master of the zither like Dujuan.”

“That Teng Qingshan is really good, to be able to attain the innate realm at the age of seventeen. Only the demonic monk ‘Xiang Fanchen’ from hundreds of years back would be comparable.” That strong man ‘Tie Ta’ was also full of praise. However, that Teng Qingshan practices the spear, while Gui Yuan Sect’s spear art is only mediocre. Master, do you think that Teng Qingshan’s talent would be wasted in Gui Yuan Sect?”

“Just wait and see! Won’t we find out after waiting for a few decades?” After saying this, Pei San closed his eyes again, humming a small tune.

The leisure boat steadily headed to the west.

……

Gui Yuan Sect, in Zhuge Qing’s room.

The afternoon sunlight was shining into the room through the windows. Zhuge Qing was just finishing sewing a blue dress on the table. She was also sewing on pockets on the inside of the dress.

“Brother Teng should be returning from the Boorish Desolate now…” A smile broke out on Zhuge Qing’s face. For this blue dress, she had selected the material herself, such that the inner layer was snow silk. The insulation of this outer gown was comparable to that of a top quality fur coat, and it could even fend off ordinary arrows.

“Father said that he would help me bring up the issue of marriage…I wonder what Brother Teng…” Thinking of this, Zhuge Qing blushed.

At that moment, through the windows, Zhuge Qing saw a figure heading over.

“Father?” Zhuge Qing put down her sewing needle and walked out of the room.

“Qingqing, are you not practicing your sword in the afternoon?” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled and said.

“Mmm,” Zhuge Qing nodded. Of course she was not practicing her sword, she was making clothes.

“Oh right, your Martial Brother Qingshan just came back today,” Zhuge Yuanhong said.