The Nine Cauldrons

At the center of Yu City, the capital city, inside Emperor Yu’s Hall:

“I will bid goodbye to the three of you here.” Teng Qingshan’s expression was not at all pleasant as he glanced at Huang Tianqin and the others. “Don’t you forget our agreement. It will be bad if my Xing Yi Sect discovers that there are disciples in your Emperor Yu’s Hall who are cultivating the “Ninth Emperor Canon Fist”.”

When he finished saying this line, Teng Qingshan and the Undying Phoenix, Little Blue, turned into a stream of light, disappearing into the ends of the horizon toward the southeast.

Huang Tianqin, Yu Feng, and Liu Xia—these three Grand Supreme Elders—looked into the distance at the horizon.

“How did this happen? Why did the Honorable One help make a case for Teng Qingshan this time?” Liu Xia could not help but say with a frown after waiting for Teng Qingshan to leave.

“That’s right, it’s somewhat strange.” Huang Tianqin was puzzled. “Initially, I thought that the Honorable One would help us, but he made us agree to Teng Qingshan’s conditions instead… Then again, it’s right since all the legends about the Honorable One in the past have been written in books. And I’ve only had the occasional short chats with him, so I don’t know a thing about his personality.”

After all, the number of times the Honorable One had taken action since Emperor Yu founded the sect could be counted on one’s fingers.

“Elders, in my opinion,” Yu Feng said with a frown, “When the Honorable One received the command from the founder, Emperor Yu, back then… it was to protect our sect’s descendants! And not help us get stronger. So… at this kind of time, the Honorable One would rather keep the peace than get into a deadlock with Teng Qingshan. It’s the same as back then with how we treated the Heavenly Emperor of the Qin Mountains. We acted respectfully and presented gifts. That’s why back then, the Heavenly Emperor of the Qin Mountains didn’t eradicate us.”

“Mm.” Huang Tianqin’s and Liu Xia’s thoughts cleared up with a flash of understanding.

In actuality, the reason for this was very simple. It was just that they had always thought of the Honorable One as Emperor Yu’s Hall’s hidden trump card. However, they had forgotten… that the Honorable One was actually a free individual and not a member of Emperor Yu’s Hall. It was just that Emperor Yu had entrusted him with a task, and that was it.

“Let’s not talk about this matter anymore. This time, Teng Qingshan came over… and said our Emperor Yu’s Hall sent out people to rob and kill his Xing Yi Sect’s disciples. Furthermore, this was written very clearly in the testimony,” Huang Tianqin said with a frown. “However, I asked about this matter just now. Our Emperor Yu’s Hall did not do it at all. And I believe that Teng Qingshan wouldn’t go so far as to make up a story for this sort of thing.”

“Mm, something’s not right.” Liu Xia nodded.

“If it wasn’t our people, then who did it?” Yu Feng said while frowning.

“There must be some conspiracy on the inside,” Huang Tianqin said. His expression grew solemn and he instructed, “Yu Feng, pass down this order. Investigate thoroughly… these two people: Guo Jiexiu and Gan Zitao—find out why they would go rob and kill the Xing Yi Sect’s people.”

“Affirmative.” Yu Feng nodded.

“How dare they use our Emperor Yu’s Hall in their scheme.” Huang Tianqin’s gaze emitted a cold light—a glimpse of a murderous desire.

“Liu Xia, Yu Feng… I’ll leave Emperor Yu’s Hall in your care for the time being. I’ve just stepped into the Insightful Emptiness Realm, so I need to properly go into seclusion to refine my body, as well as familiarize myself with the Power of the World,” Huang Tianqin said with a smile. “When Teng Qingshan came over, he allowed for me to reach the Insightful Emptiness Realm. This is an unexpected joy.”

It was only at this point that Liu Xia and Yu Feng revealed slight smiles.

Insightful Emptiness Realm…

With another Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert in the sect, it was indeed a boost of confidence.

“Martial Uncle, after your body is strengthened and you’ve stabilized your realm, defeating Teng Qingshan will be cinch,” Liu Xia said with a grin.

“When the time comes, how can I continue letting Teng Qingshan run rampant?” Huang Tianqin sneered.

After giving out the instructions, Huang Tianqin began to go into seclusion, preparing to stabilize his realm and increase his strength.

The Xing Yi Sect in the Great Yan Mountain, Jiangning County, Yangzhou.

Ever since Teng Qingshan and Little Blue began to leave for Emperor Yu’s Hall early in the morning, every single one of the Xing Yi Sect’s higher ranked members had been waiting anxiously in Dong Hua Park the whole time. After all, their sovereign, Teng Qingshan, had gone out this time to punish Emperor Yu’s Hall as an example to others, like killing the chicken to warn the monkey!

This was a big matter, so there was a risk of danger.

“Don’t you jinx it. The Sovereign has the Undying Phoenix with him. He’ll definitely be fine.”

“I was just talking about it.”

The elders’ conversations irritated Li Jun to the extent that her brows knitted together as she swept a glance over at them. The Substitute Sovereign, Yang Dong, shouted in a deep voice, “Everyone, go sit over at one side. Don’t use such loud voices noisily.” Immediately after, he turned toward Li Jun and the sister-brother pair, Hongwu and and Honglin, to say with a smile, “Madam, in my opinion, Teacher will probably come back at any moment. Let’s drink a cup of tea. Perhaps he’ll have arrived by the time we’re done drinking.”

“Mm.” Li Jun nodded.

“Father… Hurry up and come back.” Hongwu bit her lip while staring fixedly toward the northwest.

Teng Qingshan served as the support!

He was this family’s pillar, as well as the pillar of the Xing Yi Sect. How could everyone not be worried or concerned?

“Sis…” Hongwu opened his mouth to console his sister.

“Father’s back!” Hongwu immediately yelled loudly as she pointed at something in the distance to the northwest.

Crash!

In a uniform manner, almost everyone raised their heads to look into the distance toward the northwest only to see a stream of fire-red flowing light streak speedily across the horizon. It was approaching at an astonishingly fast speed, immediately streaking across to form an arc, and then falling directly into the courtyard in the East Flower Garden. The fire-red light then transformed into a white-robed young person and a huge divine bird that was shrouded in flames.

“Father!” Honglin was the first to throw herself into Teng Qingshan’s embrace.

“It seems everyone’s here.” Teng Qingshan smiled as he looked around him.

“Teacher!” Teng Shou, Xue Xin, and Yang Dong—the three of them greeted Teng Qingshan respectfully.

“Sovereign!” The elders who had been waiting on the sect road also greeted him in succession.

Teng Qingshan laughed and then let his gaze fall on Li Jun. It was only at this moment that Li Jun showed a slight smile. She walked over and said softly, “You’re fine, right?”

“Take a look. Does it look like something happened to me?” Teng Qingshan grinned.

“Elders and Law Enforcement Elders, there are many matters within the sect that need you. You should all retire for the night,” Teng Qingshan said with a smile. “Qinghu, Ah Shou, Xue Xin, and Ah Dong—you guys stay!” The ranks inside the Xing Yi Sect were decided upon after consulting the Gui Yuan Sect. Those who had attained the Grandmaster Realm and the Innate Realm would be conferred with the status of Law Enforcement Elder.

“Alright.”

The elders were all chuckling as they left. The only ones remaining were Teng Qinghu and Teng Qingshan’s three disciples.

“Teacher, how did it go?” Yang Dong blurted out.

“That’s right. Qingshan, tell us quickly,” Qinghu couldn’t help but urge. Currently, Qinghu was equivalent to a General in the Xing Yi Sect’s Blood Wolf Army. He held a very high position.

Teng Qingshan laughed. “Do you really need to ask?”

As he said that, Teng Qingshan pulled out two secret manuals, which were packed in a wooden box, from his bosom and placed it on a stone table at the side. “Have a look.”

“What is this?”

Teng Shou, Yang Dong, and the others, including Teng Qingshan’s son-and-daughter pair, all ran over in succession to open up the wooden box.

“”Heavenly Central Core Codex”?”

“”Light-Gleaming Lens”?”

Including Li Jun and the others, those who saw these two secret codices all got a big shock. Emperor Yu’s Hall had a very long history, and so their most coveted Heaven Class Secret Codices were naturally famous far and wide.

“They’re Heaven Class Secret Codices?” Yang Dong said with pleasant surprise. “That’s great! With these Heaven Class Secret Codices, if the many disciples who cultivate Daoism in our Xing Yi Sect cultivate until they reach the Innate Realm, then they’ll have the highest quality Heaven Class Secret Codices to cultivate with. These are much better than the Tianfeng Clan’s secret codices.”

“How could Emperor Yu’s Hall bear to hand over secret codices of this grade?”

“Teacher, where did you get these from?”

Several people asked very excitedly.

A very important advantage of Internal Martial Arts was that it could be cultivated simultaneously with a branch of Daoism, just like back when Teng Qingshan cultivated the “Reckless Bull Power Burst”. Inside the Xing Yi Sect, there would certainly be many people cultivating two cultivation methods simultaneously. There would also definitely be those who would depend on the Daoism side to reach the Innate Realm.

With the Heaven Class Secret Codices, this would allow for any one of the Xing Yi Sect’s disciples to obtain the best secret manual.

“Naturally, they belong to Emperor Yu’s Hall. Do you still need to ask?” Teng Qingshan shook his head with a smile. “All right, Ah Dong. Go and personally make a copy of these two secret manuals. After you’re done, place the copy in the Hidden Martial Palace Hall. As for the original, return it to me.”

“Yes, Teacher.” Yang Dong bowed in acceptance of the order.

“After this matter, the other sects in the Land of the Nine Prefectures will definitely have a rough idea of the matter! Perhaps there won’t be any more sects that will dare come steal our secret manuals again,” Teng Qingshan said with a frown. “However, Ah Dong, when the Five Element Fists are being taught, we must be extra vigilant. They must not be passed on to the wrong people!”

“Yes, Teacher.” Yang Dong felt a great pressure on his shoulders.

Teng Qingshan frowned as he said, “Actually, when I went to Emperor Yu’s Hall, I realized something… Perhaps, the ones who robbed and killed our Xing Yi Sect’s people previously truly have nothing to do with Emperor Yu’s Hall.”

“What?”

The several people present were all shocked.

“Dad, if it has nothing to do with Emperor Yu’s Hall, then this matter… must be due to someone playing tricks,” Hongwu deduced.

“Mm, I also feel that this is a conspiracy.” Teng Qingshan nodded.

He had discovered that among the three people from that incident, two of them were from Emperor Yu’s Hall, while the last person was from Qing Hu Island.

“Could it be Qing Hu Island?” This thought flitted across Teng Qingshan’s mind, and his brows knitted together. “That’s not right. It has been 17 years already, and there hasn’t been a single sign of movement from Qing Hu Island. Is it possible that they, who have already been scattered and smashed with great damage dealt to their vitality, would still dare to come provoke me so recklessly?” However, after their sect got wiped out, the surviving members should logically be recuperating.

…

After returning, Teng Qingshan gave out many orders. Then he began to go into seclusion with the desire to reach the Insightful Emptiness Realm.

Meanwhile in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, many sects—including the Heavenly God Palace—all received the news about Teng Qingshan killing his way to Emperor Yu’s doorstep. With the sects’ intelligence networks, they managed to find out many pieces of information very quickly. All of the major sects were shocked by Teng Qingshan’s insanely violent behavior…as well as the fact that Teng Qingshan didn’t actually kick up a fuss, turning the sky and the earth upside down.

All of the major sects could also guess that Emperor Yu’s Hall possessed powerful hidden trumps that outsiders didn’t know about.

Inside a serene residence in a small, ordinary town within the borders of Yanzhou:

“Sir, this is a secret letter sent from Youzhou.” A black-clothed man respectfully pulled out a letter.

A mysterious, gold-masked man who had long hair draped loosely over his shoulders and wore a loose, hemp robe took the letter. He waved his hand, dismissing the black-clothed man. “Leave.”

“Yes, Honorable One.” The servant withdrew quickly.

This mysterious, gold-masked man walked to a stone table and sat down beside it. Only then did he open the letter and read it.

“Last time, the robbing and killing failed. And this time, Teng Qingshan actually returned to the Xing Yi Sect unscathed… Why is the Emperor Yu’s Hall so useless?! They’re a sect that has existed for 6,000 years and yet they don’t even have a single powerful expert? They let Teng Qingshan returned unscathed?” The mysterious man suddenly slapped the letter in his hand onto the stone table hatefully, causing the table to shake slightly.

Crash~~

Then the entire stone table, including the secret letter, immediately turned into grains of sand and powdery fragments, slowly flowing down onto the ground of the courtyard. Under the sunlight shining down, the radiance reflected off that golden mask, however, gave off a feeling of bitter disappointment.