The Nine Cauldrons

Book 8 Chapter 51 The Total Amount of Fiery Gilt Steel

“Haha, right! Mining!” Mu Yunji laughed and said, “Mister, don’t worry about the ore excavation. The excavation of the Fiery Gilt Steel Ore Deposit is not difficult. Moreover, the Fiery Gilt Steel Ore is akin to Darksteel and Millennium Coldsteel. It has no impurities, thus the amount of the Fiery Gilt Steel is measured according to the weight of the ore.”

Teng Qingshan nodded. In the past, he had retrieved two pieces of Millennium Coldsteel from the bottom of the Frost Jade Pool, and both pieces had no impurities.

“When will the excavation start?” Teng Qingshan asked.

“It’s late now.” Mu Yunji glanced at the sky and answered, “We will make preparations tonight and start the excavation tomorrow morning! The greater a number of ores in this deposit, the longer the excavation will take. I hope we will spend a long time excavating.”

“Agreed. The longer, the better.” Duan Shijin and Fu Dao laughed.

……

Teng Qingshan ordered his disciple ‘Teng Shou’ to carve a courtyard into a nameless hill only several Li away from the Fiery Gilt Steel Valley in the Ox-Head Mountain Range. When Teng Qingshan had resided by the Crescent Moon Lake, he had easily constructed a few stone houses with the Reincarnation Spear. This time, the tool that Teng Shou used was the Splitting Mountain Axe!

Teng Shou naturally had no intention to rebel against his teacher’s order. However, it was evident that he was not as fast as Teng Qingshan.

After spending half a day, Teng Shou finally completed the construction of a very plain and simple courtyard. Three houses were situated within.

“Ah Shou, your axe arts are improving.” As Teng Qingshan stared at the courtyard, a smile crept up his face.

Hearing this, Teng Shou blushed.

“Brother Shou just blushed! He just blushed!” Fu Yuping burst out giggling. At her side, Yang Dong covered his mouth and snickered. The actions of the two immediately caused Teng Shou to glare at them.

“Big Brother Teng, I think the axe is a more suitable weapon for Ah Shou.” Li Jun looked at Teng Qingshan and suggested.

Recently, Teng Qingshan had been thinking about what type of weapon the Great Disciple of his should use. After all the experiments, the result showed that the axe was a more suitable weapon for Teng Shou. It made sense. Of the few fist arts Teng Qingshan taught him, he was most proficient with the 《Earth Elemental Fist》. The cultivation of the《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》created by the Emperor Yu also began with the Earth Element…”

“Then I shall teach him the Splitting Mountain Axe Art!”

Indeed, Teng Qingshan specialized in the cultivation of spear arts!

However, during the process of the analyzing the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》, Teng Qingshan’s understanding of the axe art also reached an exceedingly profound level. His skills and understanding of the axe art were sufficed for him to instruct even Golden Dan Innate Experts.

“Ah Shou, I will start teaching you axe arts tomorrow morning.” Teng Qingshan said, “As for the axe…You can use a stone axe temporarily.”

“Yes, Teacher.” Teng Shou said as he reluctantly handed the Splitting Mountain Axe back to Teng Qingshan.

……

The next day, Teng Qingshan began comprehending the Heavenly Dao at the courtyard. Now, He was inches away from stepping into Emptiness Realm. Every morning, he would spend fifteen minutes instructing his Great Disciple ‘Teng Shou.’

As for the axe art that Teng Qingshan taught, it was a simplified axe art produced after Teng Qingshan organized his understanding of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》and the axe art was named《Seventy-two Splitting Earth Forms》.

Teng Qingshan himself had only comprehended a paltry portion of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. Even so, the 《Seventy-two Splitting Earth Forms》was very powerful. It was even more powerful than the Heavenly Ranking Secret Codices in the Land of the Nine Prefectures It made sense as it was a simplified version of the strongest technique created by Emperor Yu.

The 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms 》would be too confusing for Innate Experts to learn. However, innate experts could make progress when learning the《Seventy-two Splitting Earth Forms》! After all, the most suitable one was the best!

Teng Qingshan cultivated assiduously on the nameless hill. In the Fiery Gilt Steel Canyon, the ongoing excavation was very active. Unknowingly, one month passed.

One evening, in the Fiery Gilt Steel Valley.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Metallic clashing sounds rang out. It was obviously the sound of pickaxes striking against the Fiery Gilt Steel Ores.

Many soldiers dressed in thin sweaty shirts struggled as they mined. The beginning of the excavation was easy as they were only d the surface layer. However, as the excavation progressed deeper, they reached the rock stratum. The Fiery Gilt Steel Ores were within this layer. They had to dig out the large sedimentary rocks and break them up into small pieces to retrieve the Fiery Gilt Steel.

“Tsk, tsk. Several soldiers started excavating the Fiery Gilt Steel at the sound of the command.” A slightly chubby teenager mused as he walked in the canyon with a bamboo pole in hand. As he stared at the countless people mining in the surrounding, his eyes shone involuntarily. “If I could possess such power and authority that over ten thousand soldiers would obey my commands, then…”

Because of his childhood experiences, Yang Dong excessively craved power and strong martial force!

Hence, he had joined a gang of bandits.

“No. The general of a troop is nothing. Teacher is the truly powerful one and I must be like him. Teacher alone was able to strike fear into the hearts of the ten thousand soldiers.” Yang Dong recalled what happened one month ago. A furious roar of Teng Qingshan intimidated ten thousand soldiers and that scene had intensified the lust for power in Yang Dong’s heart.

I must be more powerful!

“I wonder what father is….” As Yang Dong thought about his father, a complicated feeling arose in his heart.

He occasionally felt an intense hatred towards his father Yang Wang. He hated his father for ruthlessly abandoning him in a poor village. However, occasionally, Yang Dong also missed his father, as his father was the only family he had.

“Father, you must return safely! You must!”

Yang Dong said to himself.

“Dong.” A sound rang nearby. Yang Dong turned and saw three figures walking over amidst the crowd at the mining site. Wherever the three walked past, the soldiers mining immediately displayed a very respectful attitude. These figures were Mu Yunji, Fu Dao, and Duan Shijin.

“Big Brother Mu, Mister Fu, Mister Duan.” Yang Dong hastily greeted them with a smile.

“Are you here to help your teacher survey the situation at the mining site?” Mu Yunji grinned and asked.

“I am just relieving my boredom.” Yang Dong shook his head and answered, “Teacher is cultivating with all his heart. He has no time to care about this. Plus, teacher trust you guys.”

At the side, Fu Dao rubbed Yang Dong’s head and said, “No matter how brave we are, we have no audacity to covet the portion that belongs to your teacher. Alright. Come with us to meet your teacher.”

“You guys?” Yang Dong froze briefly.

Mu Yunji, Fu Dao, and Duan Shijin had only visited Teng Qingshan on the first day of the mining.

Later on, Teng Qingshan himself said that he did not wish to be disturbed. Therefore, since the first day of the mining, Mu Yunji and the other two never paid a visit to Teng Qingshan’s residence.

“Yes, the Fiery Gilt Steel Ore Deposit is about to be fully excavated. We must talk to your teacher.” Mu Yunji answered with a smile.

“Oh.” Understanding the situation, Yang Dong said excitedly, “Let’s go quickly! Teacher will be very happy if he knows.”

……

It was already evening, and dusk was upon them when Mu Yunji and the other three arrived at Teng Qingshan’s residence.

“Yang Dong, we are just waiting for you to eat dinner.” Fu Yuping opened the courtyard door and said while smiling, “Big Brother Mu, Mister Fu, and Mister Duan, you guys are here too. What a coincidence! Uncle just came out of his close-door cultivation.”

A simple-looking rectangular wooden table was placed in the center of the courtyard, surrounded by a few small wooden chairs.Three dishes of delicious food were placed on the table.

“Oh. You guys are here.” Teng Qingshan and Li Jun each carried a dish as they walked out of the kitchen together.

“Mister knows how to cook too?” Fu Dao said in surprise.

“I can only help serve food. Little Jun was the one who cooked.” Teng Qingshan grinned as he replied.

“If I recall my previous experience correctly…Lady Li Jun has exceptional culinary skills. Tsk, tsk. Lady Li Jun’s culinary skills are comparable with the skills of the executive chefs in the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City. Mister Teng, you sure are lucky.”

Hearing this, Li Jun couldn’t help but blushed as she secretly flicked a glance towards Teng Qingshan.

Teng Qingshan laughed awkwardly and sat down. He stared at the three before him and asked, “Yunji, tell me why you guys are here.”

“Teacher, they said that the deposit is almost fully excavated.” Yang Dong interrupted.

“Almost excavated?” Teng Qingshan’s eyes brightened.

“Fiery Gilt Steel Ores are deeply related to the war equipment for the establishment of a powerful troop in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. To an authentic top quality troop, the significance of the war equipment is obvious.

“What’s the amount?” Teng Qingshan asked.

“Mister, you have made a profit, but the Rising Sun Trading Company has suffered a deficit.” Mu Yunji shook his head and said helplessly, “I kept thinking that if the amount of ores in this deposit were great enough that thirty percent of the total amount would be equivalent to one hundred thousand Jin, then the Rising Sun Trading Company would make great gains as Mister would only take one hundred thousand Jin. Unfortunately…”

Teng Qingshan frowned. Through Mu Yunji’s words, he could tell that…

This time, the thirty percent of ores were less than one hundred thousand Jin.

“Based on our calculation, the ore deposit will be fully excavated by tomorrow or the day after. We estimate that the total amount of ores would be around three hundred thousand jin.” Mu Yunji explained, “Even if there’s a difference between actual amount and the estimation, the difference will not be great.”

“According to our agreement, fifteen percent belongs to Fu Clan, twenty percent belongs to Duan Clan, thirty percent belongs to Mister Teng, and the Rising Sun Trading Company acquire thirty-five percent, then…”

“The Fu Clan will get around forty-five thousand Jin of Fiery Gilt Steel.”

“The Duan Clan will get around sixty thousand Jin of Fiery Gilt Steel.”

“The Rising Sun Trading Company will get one hundred and five thousand Jin of Fiery Gilt Steel.”

“As for Mister Teng, you will get ninety thousand Jin of Fiery Gilt Steel.”

Mu Yunji stared at Teng Qingshan with a helpless expression as he said, “Even I myself suspected that Mister knew the total amount of ores in advance, which was why you said one hundred thousand.” It is true that the amount of one hundred thousand Jin is very close to ninety thousand Jin.

A bright smile surfaced Teng Qingshan’s face. He was very satisfied with this number.

Since the Fiery Gilt Steel was a treasure that defied the heavens, being able to excavate a total amount of three hundred thousand Jin was already horrifying. Teng Qingshan himself would be able to receive an allocation of ninety thousand Jin.

If one battle armor could be forged with thirty Jin of Fiery Gilt Steel, then a total of three thousand Fiery Gilt Steel Armors could be forged! The Black Armored Army has only six thousand people. Therefore, an army with three thousand Innate Cavalrymen would be powerful enough.

“Nine is a good number.”Teng Qingshan smiled.

Suddenly—

“Rumble~~~~.”

The earth below Teng Qingshan’s feet trembled as a terrifying sound rang out. Bam! Bang! The plates on the wooden table fell to the ground and broke.

“Look there!” Yang Dong, stunned and astounded, stared into the northern direction.

Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, Mu Yunji, and the others also … northwards in astonishment.

A gush of fiery red magma rocketed into the sky. It was as if the God of War had pierced the horizon with his trenchant sword. The lava filled the sky with a red glow. Seeing this, Teng Qingshan and the others immediately understood what had happened—a volcanic eruption!

The mountains trembled intensely.

“Rumble~” Rumble~~” Rumble~~” ….

What caused Teng Qingshan to widen his eyes in shock was that when the mountain north of the Blazing Flame Territory erupted, other mountains also erupted successively. The terrifying pillars of magma shot skywards. The northern skies had become completely red. A great amount of dust flew towards them, and the acrid smell of sulfur filled the air.