The Nine Cauldrons

“Damn it. The mosquitoes in Xuyang County seem to be more savage than those in our Jiangning County.” Teng Qinghu slapped his face, killing a mosquito. The worst thing about travelling at night during the summer was that there were way too many mosquitoes present.

“Sigh. We are already better off here. I heard that in the desolated lands in the south, the mosquitoes are really savage. There is even a type of poisonous mosquito. Even if a practitioner of martial arts is bitten once on the arm, their whole arm would turn numb! If the person gets bitten a few more times, they could even lose their life!” Du Hong lamented.

Teng Qinghu was astonished. “Such a potent poisonous mosquito exists?”

“You’d think that the desolated south is such an easy place to live in? There are almost no traces of humans there, allowing the growth of the thousand year old Lingzhi, the King of Ginseng, as well as many treasured herbs. There are also some unique mystical beasts, as well as secret manuals, weapons, and such valuables left behind by many martial art experts. With so many treasures, if it is easy to see why people venture to the desolated south, it is probably already filled people.” Du Hong said.

Teng Qinghu nodded in agreement.

Taking for example the Gold Silk Vest Teng Qingshan just obtained, the golden silkworm could only be found in the desolate south.

“The chances of finding mystical beasts and mystical herbs are higher in the deep mountains and aged forests where human traces are rare.” Teng Qingshan nodded to himself in agreement. Even the Great Yan Mountain next to his hometown could hide a Flood Dragon. How could there be no powerful mystical beasts in the vast lands of the desolate south where there were few traces of human?

“Everyone hurry up! Another twenty Li and we will reach the San Shi Inn. If you want to eat grilled meat and drink lots of wine, then hang on for a little bit longer. You can rest when we’ve reached the San Shi Inn!” Old man Wu Tan called out loudly.

“Everyone buck up and hang on for a little bit longer.”

Loud responses rang through the air as the guards started to excitedly discuss what they planned to eat and drink that night.

......

After about two hours, the group finally reached San Shi Inn.

“Dear guests, please come in!” Upon seeing that there was such a large band of traders outside, three to four waiters quickly popped out and served them passionately.

The butler Wu Tan instructed, “Waiter, bring these guards to the backyard of your inn. Prepare a few more tables there and let them order any good food and wine themselves!” Wu Tan turned back to the guards and spoke, “Everyone please take note not to drink too much.”

“Old Wu, please rest assured. This is not the first time we are staying at an inn. We will not cause any delays to the important business.” One of the leaders of the guards smiled and replied.

Immediately seven to eight guards led the large number of battle horses, chariots, and goods to the backyard of the inn. Afterall, goods and battle horses were expensive items. They would need to pay more heed, especially to the battle horses of the Black Armored Army.

“Brother Qingshan, let’s go and get some food first.” Zhu Chong Shi smiled and said to Teng Qingshan.

Zhu Chong Shi and his wives, children, as well as a few servants entered the inn together with Teng Qingshan and the Black Armored Army.

Once they stepped into the inn!

Teng Qingshan glanced across the room, and noticed that there were five tables of customers sitting at the side of the inn. Some of them were revealing their arms, while others their chest, as they drank large mouthfuls of wine and spoke with no restraint. Weapons lay on their tables or beside their chairs. There were about twenty odd people in total.

When Teng Qingshan and company, who were wearing heavy armor, stepped into the inn —-

The temperature in the inn seemed to drop. The men, who were initially chatting without restraint, lowered their voices. They glanced over as each of them started to touch for their weapons or placed them nearby where it was within reach.

When travelling outside, it was a common occurrence that when there were slight disagreements, fights and bloodshed would follow.

......

Teng Qingshan frowned. While the inn was not small, there were only ten tables. The other party had taken up five tables, leaving only five vacant. Everyone in the Black Armored Army was wearing their heavy armor, and four men would already take up one table. Even if they squeezed a little, the tables were apparently insufficient.

“You guys.” Du Hong, in his heavy armor, looked towards some of them coldly, “ Squeeze to the side a little and give up one table!”

“What did you say!” A topless lofty man smashed his hand down hard on the table as he stood up.

“Hu!”

Twenty men of the Black Armored Army turned their heads in unison, looking towards the group of men coldly.

The lofty man shivered.

Clank! Clank! ......

The twenty odd men immediately stood up with their weapons, every single one of them wary. They could tell that the other party were all in heavy armor and should they fight, they would be on the losing end.

“Don’t cause any trouble.” A stern man, with draping hair, sat down as he cupped his hands and said, “Dear fellow heroes, those five tables are definitely not sufficient enough for you. We will give up one table.” This man with long draping hair was obviously very dangerous.

While the other men were unwilling, they still gave up one table.

Even if there were six tables, Teng Qingshan and company could only attempt to squeeze together.

“Shopkeeper, quickly bring out the dishes and the wine.” Butler Wu Tan called out after picking the dishes.

“Of course, be right up.” The shopkeeper held the menu as he ran towards the backyard himself.

With Teng Qingshan and company taking up the six tables, the twenty-odd men at the side lowered their volume a lot when they spoke.

Very soon —–

Dishes of food and bottles of wine kept being served. Teng Qingshan and company were obviously eating much better food than those roaming men.

“Brother Qingshan, everyone can rest well after quickly finishing the food. It is not early anymore. We still need to continue on our journey tomorrow morning.” Zhu Chong Shi said.

Teng Qingshan nodded.

The sky was already pitch dark outside. The butler Wu Tan took out a silver needle and Lan Yun Pearl to check for poison. The men from the Black Armored Army also tested the food for poison before they dug in. One needed to be careful when roaming across the world, especially toward at inns located in the wilderness.

......

Over tens of people gathered in a big room at the rear court of the inn, with Boss Meng leading the pack.

“Light the lamps!” Boss Meng calmly spoke out.

“Yes” The waiter dressed in a shirt nodded his head as he brought out an oil lamp. As he walked to the rear court, he exchanged glances with the shopkeeper and replaced the lamp that had gone out.

The lamp continued burning silently.

The man wearing a shirt took a look at the people in the hall and thought coldly to himself, “Now that you’ve reached the inn, all of you will be dead meat even without Boss Meng doing anything.”

......

The company of people were happily enjoying their food in the hall.

“Come, Qingshan, let’s toast.” Zhu Chong Shi smiled as he raised the cups in his hands.

Teng Qingshan also emptied his cup in one gulp. It was comfortable as a feeling of spiciness filled his stomach. Suddenly, he sniffed something and frowned.

One has to know that......

Teng Qingshan could even control the flow of his blood. He has long mastered the pinnacle of the Grandmaster, and with just a sniff, he could detect that there was a scentless and colorless substance in the air. This substance would numb one’s senses.

“Hold your breath, and use a wet towel to cover your mouth and noses!” Teng Qingshan shouted out. “Someone is attempting to poison us!”

“There’s poison!” A scene of ruckus filled the hall instantly.

Teng Qingshan stood up, holding on to his Reincarnation spear as he glanced across at the three waiters at the side.

“There’s really poison.” The first to lose consciousness was Zhu Chongshi’s youngest daughter, while the rest felt slight giddiness. Thank goodness they had only inhaled a small amount as Teng Qingshan had warned them quite early. If not, all of them would have lost consciousness.

The better the physique, the harder it was to be poisoned.

For instance, one would need to use an amount of anesthetic many times the amount for a human to anesthetize an elephant.

And Teng Qingshan has a much better physique than an elephant. It would still be hard for him to faint, even if he were to inhale a lot of the substance. If he were to control the flow of his blood, there is no way for him to be poisoned.

“Lieutenant!” All of them turned towards Teng Qingshan.

“Protect Ninth Master Zhu and head to the backyard!” Teng Qingshan commanded.

“Attack!” Loud shouts came from the backyard.

Suddenly loud cries came from the direction of the backyard.

“Haha, the reputable Lieutenant ‘Teng Qingshan’ of the Black Armored Army is definitely a top notch expert! To be able to detect the scentless and colorless “Drifting to Dreamland with the Wind” so quickly!” – a loud laughter came in, and more than ten more men charged in from the upper levels of the inn, each of them holding bows and arrows, raining arrows on the people below.

Teng Qingshan raised his head and looked towards the group of archers. “In a group battle, archers are the biggest threats. We have to get rid of them first!”

“Hmph!”

With one leap, Teng Qingshan reached the second floor.

“Kill him!” The archers drew the blades from their waists and slashed towards Teng Qingshan at the corridor of the second floor.

“Pu!”“Pu!”“Pu!”......

As if a sudden gust of whirlwind, Teng Qingshan killed over ten archers at the speed of lightning. At the same time, the rest of the Black Armored Army had already escorted Zhu Chongshi and his family out into the backyard.

After killing the ten-odd archers, he kicked open the doors of one of the rooms. Charging in, with a “bang” he smashed into a big window and leaped into the chaotic battle taking place in the wide courtyard.

Blood splashed across the place!

Tens of the guards were already lying down on the floor, a lot of them pierced with arrows.

Initially the guards had fallen into a disadvantageous situation. Fortunately the troops from the Black Armored Army rushed out from the front hall and started to engage the killers. The enemies had deployed a lot of manpower. There were close to hundred of them.

“Unexpectedly there are quite a few internal strength experts! This isn’t good. If this continues on, our Black Armored Army will face sacrifices of over half of our men!” Within just a short while, two of the men from the Black Armored Army had already fallen. Of course, there were more men from the other side who were dead by now.

Once in the courtyard, Teng Qingshan scanned the savage battle happening around and immediately set his sights on a few men.

“Pu!”“Pu!”“Pu!”......

Teng Qingshan’s skills with his spear were remarkable. Regardless of who it was, it would only take him one thrust to kill them! Teng Qingshan killed eight consecutive men in one hit. These eight men were all experts in internal strength, but they were completely defenceless against Teng Qingshan’s spear skills, the Pursuing Shadow.

“Good skills!” A loud voice shouted out.

“Rumble!”

A figure darted out from a room with lightning speed, to the extent of picking up a gust of strong wind. This was immediately followed by a glistening red slash.

Teng Qingshan could only feel suppressed by the pressure of the slash, as if he had plummeted into an ice cave.

“This expert is ten times stronger than Yue Song and Zhuge Yuan!” Just this slash alone sent the blood of Teng Qingshan boiling. “Finally I’ve met a real expert!”

“Hu!”

The spear whizzed, as if it was a Flood Dragon as it swallowed to the direction of the light from the blade.

Spear Skill Pursuing Shadow – Strength of Fifty Thousand Jin!

A strong power of fifty thousand Jin with just one strike!

“Clank!”

The expert easily dismissed Teng Qingshan’s spiracle power with his whirlwind-like skills and leapt onto the rooftop of one of the buildings as the blade and spear collided in midair. The Meng Tian was also astonished. “What horrifying spear skills! It was as if it had accumulated a unseen whirlpool. Even my slash was affected!”

“Come down!” Teng Qingshan bellowed, as he smashed his spear fiercely into the walls at the side.

“Rumble!”

The wall crumbled, as if it was made of paper, with debris and mud flying all over. Meng Tian took flight immediately.

Teng Qingshan’s gaze was sharp as a knife. With a thrust, the spear that had crashed into the walls swiftly turned into a thrusting stance. “Swish!” It pierced towards the Meng Tian who was in mid-air as if a flash of lightning.