The Nine Cauldrons

Book 7 Chapter 53 A New Home

“Stone inscriptions of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》?” The Second Elder and Sixth Elder glanced at each other. They were both surprised.

This was because….

Previously, they had heard from Mu Wan that this powerful Mister Teng wielded a long spear. Why would an expert who wielded spear be interested in the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》?

“Why? The majestic Rising Sun Trading Company doesn’t even have information about the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》?” Teng Qingshan scanned the two people before him.

“Of course not!” The Sixth Elder said hastily.

At the side, the Second Elder laughed and said, “Mister Teng, you should know that the stone inscriptions of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》were lost a few thousand years ago. Generations have come and gone, yet no one has been able to collect all thirty-six stone inscriptions. And now, these stone inscriptions are scattered all over the world. They may be in the hands of some great clans or hidden forces. Or they may be lost in unknown and dangerous areas.”

“I know about all these.”

Teng Qingshan said immediately, “Now, I just hope you two can tell me how we can obtain the thirty-six stone inscriptions.”

“That’s impossible,” The Second Elder answered without any hesitation and continued saying, “Even the Thunder Blade Deity wasn’t able to do that in the past. Three thousand years have passed since then… It is also impossible for the Rising Sun Trading Company to accomplish that.”

“What if I just wanted one or two?” Teng Qingshan asked again.

“Then that’s simple.”

The Second Elder smiled and said, “The first method is to tell the world that you are willing to offer a great amount of riches for the inscription. Clans with financial difficulties may be willing to sell their stone inscriptions. The second method is to find all the clans and ask them for it! Of course, these two methods have a very small possibility of success. Even if the clan has it, they wouldn’t tell you. You can’t keep killing armies, can you?”

Teng Qingshan furrowed his brows.

The Second Elder and the Sixth Elder looked at each other, and both of them smiled.

“Mister Teng.” The Second Elder continued saying, “If you wish to see the《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》, it is not difficult. The 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》 only showed the moves and nothing else. Although it is said that..….this technique is the exceptional technique of the Godly Axe Deity, and the clans which possess this exceptional technique have kept it well hidden..…. the Rising Sun Trading Company does possess the secret record of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. There are a total of thirty-six pictures showing the moves of the axe art. If Mister wishes to see it, we can lend you the secret record!”

“Oh?” Teng Qingshan was slightly tempted.

Although because of the difference in the skills of drawing, it was impossible for the thirty-six drawings in the secret record to convey the the entire concept of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. However, seeing it would be good too.

“Then I will have to trouble the Trading Company.” Teng Qingshan smiled.

“It’s no trouble,” The Second Elder shook his head and said with a smile. “However, the secret record of the《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》is not located in Nanshan City. It is located in the Western Tang Region. Therefore, we will have to send out an order…… Additionally, the Western Tang and Nanshan Regions are very far away from each other. Even at the fastest speed, the round trip would still take four to five days!”

“I am not in a hurry.”

Teng Qingshan smiled and said, “I am very thankful to the Trading Company for giving me the chance to inspect the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》.”

The Second Elder and the Sixth Elder laughed. In order to have a closer relationship with Teng Qingshan, such investments were worth it.

Actually, the axe art《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》is very powerful, but it doesn’t have the mnemonic chants for mental cultivation, nor did it have any detailed explanations. It only had the thirty-six drawings, and thus, it was extremely difficult to practice this powerful axe art! However, the axe art was similar to Teng Qingshan’s spear art! The shape of the spear was not that important; the concept was the most important thing!

“Mister Teng, when the secret record arrives, where should I deliver it to?” The Second Elder inquired.

“I will look for a place to live near the Godly Axe Mountain,” Teng Qingshan said as he pondered. “Just deliver the secret record to me when the time comes.”

“Sure.”

The two elders were very straightforward people. Since they knew the area Teng Qingshan would be living in, with the Rising Sun Trading Company’s strength, finding Teng Qingshan’s dwelling place would be extremely easy.

“Can I ask why Mister Teng is so interested in the axe art?” The Sixth Elder asked curiously.

“There are connections between the spear art and the axe art,” Teng Qingshan answered simply.

At the side, the Second Elder spoke, “Mister Teng, please forgive me for talking too much! However, the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》only has thirty-six drawings. It is almost impossible to practice the axe art with just the drawings. In the past, the Godly Axe Mountain also possessed the copies of the thirty-six stone inscriptions of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》 printed on nine sets of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets. With the use of the rubbing techniques, the nine sets of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets were forged. If one were able to study the stone tablets, the learning and practice of the axe art would probably be easier.”

“Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets?” Rubbing technique?” Teng Qingshan was shocked.

“In the past, when the Godly Axe Mountain was still extremely powerful, the thirty-six stone inscriptions were placed in a forbidden area and couldn’t be seen easily. A disciple of the Godly Axe Mountain learned the axe art by studying the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets!”

“Whether it’s the carvings or the word ‘Dao’ on the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets, everything looks the same as the thirty-six inscriptions.”

“The only difference was that the thirty-six inscriptions possessed an odd and peculiar power.”

“Because the inscriptions on these nine sets of stone tablets which were copied from the stone inscriptions through stone rubbing… That year when the Godly Axe Mountain was attacked, the nine stone tablets were also taken forcibly. It’s only two hundred years ago that news about one of the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets was heard.” The Second Elder shook his head as he said, “Considering the quality of the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets, they should still exist even though numerous thousands of years have passed.”

Hearing this, Teng Qingshan could only shake his head.

Teng Qingshan couldn’t obtain both the thirty-six inscriptions and the nine sets of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets.

The members of Rising Sun Trading Company had successfully invited Teng Qingshan to be their guardian, and thus, they then naturally returned to the Nanshan City. As for Teng Qingshan and the others, they searched around the Godly Axe Mountain and found a place to reside temporarily.

In the deeper areas of a peaceful forest located north of the Godly Axe Mountain, there was a crescent-shaped lake.

“From today onwards, we will be living here!” Teng Qingshan stood by the lake and announced with a smile.

“There’s not even a place to live,” Little Ping mumbled.

“Time to work!”

Teng Qingshan carried the Reincarnation Spear and began building the new home. He chose some enormous rocks from the Godly Axe Mountain and hollowed out the enormous rocks, adorning them into the appearance of a house.

“Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!”

Then the shadow of a spear covered the sky, and the tip of the Reincarnation Spear pierced into an enormous rock. A great amount of crushed rock flew out, and with the use of the Reincarnation Spear, the enormous rock was carved into a pretty rock house. Even the rooftop was carved into the shape of tiles. Teng Qingshan might have an ordinary carving ability, but his control of the spear was too great.

The carvings on the rock house might appear slightly crude, but it was still rather beautiful.

“Hyah!” Teng Qingshan carried the Reincarnation Spear on his back. Like a god, he lifted the rock house with both hands and darted down the mountain rapidly to the Crescent Moon Lake like a huge ape.

“Bang!” The rock house landed beside the lake.

Li Jun and Little Ping stared at this beautiful, carved rock house with astonishment.

“Little Jun and Little Ping, this is where you two will live.” With this, Teng Qingshan headed back up the mountain.

He went to and fro many times.

Teng Qingshan built three rock houses. Li Jun and Little Ping dwelled in one house, while Teng Shou and Coachman Old Wang dwelled in one house, and Teng Qingshan dwelled in the last house. The three rock houses surrounded the Crescent Moon Lake like stars surrounding the moon. Teng Qingshan and his cohorts then went into the city and bought many daily accessories. The three rock houses were then fully furnished and decorated.

……

On the morning of the second day, Teng Qingshan was by the lake, practicing each move of the 《Earth Element Fist》while occasionally changing to the 《Water Element Fist》. Due to the practice of these two fist arts, the surrounding forces of the heavens and earth vibrated. A series of explosive sounds came from within the air, and a wave of air oscillated and undulated.

The dream-like existence, Divine Bird Blue Luan was at the side, watching Teng Qingshan’s fist art.

The ferocious and beastly teenager, Teng Shou, crouched on the ground like a beast as he watched Teng Qingshan’s fist art. The man and the demonic beast sat beside each other as they watched Teng Qingshan.

After a long time……

It was resolved!

“Instructor!” Teng Shou pronounced the words with difficulty.

Teng Qingshan looked over and immediately scolded coldly, “Stand up!”

Teng Qingshan had scolded Teng Shou with the words ‘stand up’ more than once. Upon hearing the scolding, Teng Shou immediately stood up straight! Teng Shou had lived like a beast for dozen of years, and thus, he would crouch on the ground whenever Teng Qingshan wasn’t paying attention.

“Little Jun!” Teng Qingshan shouted.

“I’m coming, I’m coming I was busy eating breakfast.” Li Jun chuckled as she ran over and asked, “Big Brother Teng, are you going to teach Ah Shou Fist Art?”

Teng Qingshan nodded.

“From today onwards, I will be teaching you fist art!” Teng Qingshan said. “You do whatever I ask you to do.” As Teng Qingshan spoke, Li Jun, who was at the side, emitted roars. Teng Shou understood the words and immediately replied slowly and resolutely, “Yes…… instructor!” Teng Shou only knew an extremely small number of words.

However, he did learn the few words ‘Instructor’ and ‘Teng Shou’.

“Look carefully.” Teng Qingshan began teaching the only disciple he had, and immediately began practicing the Three Postures!

The Three Postures might seem very easy and simple.

However, this simpleness contained a peculiar concept.

“Since Ah Shou has reached the realm of bone synchronization, he should be able to sense the concept of the Three Postures. I will just let him practice the Three Postures for a month and teach him the 《Earth Element Fist》.” A plan to nurture Teng Shou already existed in Teng Qingshan’s mind. Teng Shou had good foundation. The only issue was that he didn’t understand many words, and Li Jun needed to be at the side to help explain and translate.

Teng Qingshan taught, and Li Jun explained, while Teng Shou learned.

That was the relationship between the three people.

……

On the third day of their lives by the Crescent Moon Lake at the bottom of the Godly Axe Mountain…

“Mister Teng! Mister Teng!” A shout came from afar.

At this moment, Teng Qingshan was only wearing a thinly layered pair of long pants and a long gown. His hair was not tied up, and he wasn’t wearing any shoes. With the Reincarnation Spear in his hand, he practiced his spear art by the lake. Each and every move appeared simple, yet they contained the Dao of the Heavens and Earth. On a branch of a tree nearby, Blue Luan was seen looking down at Teng Qingshan.

As he thrusted the Reincarnation Spear, he withdrew his spear and stood up straight.

Teng Qingshan looked toward the source of the shout from afar and saw over a dozen people pulling their War Hous as they walked over. The one at the front was the Sixth Elder who had silver hair and a thin appearance.

“I didn’t expect to see Mister cultivate.” The Sixth Elder laughed.

“Sixth Elder, you came here because…?” Teng Qingshan then said with expectation, “Perhaps the secret record of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》has arrived? Didn’t you say that it would take several days? Only two days have passed.”

“Haha, the secret record has not arrived, but I have better news to tell Mister.” The Sixth Elder said mysteriously.