The Nine Cauldrons

Teng Qingshan had a similar speculation himself, even before the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal advised him. The advice, however, did confirm his conjecture.

“Haha, it was just a reminder. You still need to comprehend the Dao of Heavens all by yourself.” The Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal continued with a hearty chuckle, “With Qingshan’s aptitude and intelligence, I believe that it is definitely possible for you to attain the Emptiness Realm within ten years! Mu Wang isn’t as powerful as you are, but I believe that he will attain the Emptiness Realm within ten years.”

“Great Elder Mu Wang will reach the Emptiness Realm within ten years?” Teng Qingshan asked, astonished.. Mu Wang’s ability was indeed much weaker than Teng Qingshan’s.

“Yes.” The Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal continued with a nod and a grin, “Several years ago, his state of cultivation was merely a single away from the Emptiness Realm, which was why I was so certain that Mu Wang was the best amongst experts ranked below the Martial Immortals. However, I then learned that you defeated him. Upon acquiring this information, I was baffled and wondered–Besides the one from the Tianfeng Clan and myself, who else in this Duanmu Continent could defeat Mu Wang?”

“Therefore, I sparred with you when we first met. Haha! I really didn’t expect that you were able to display the strength of an Emptiness Realm Expert without attaining the Emptiness Realm. If I didn’t see it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t even dare to believe it.” The Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal said with a guffaw.

Teng Qingshan responded with a grin.

The amalgamation of his physical strength and the Supreme Force reached a total strength of 1,600,000 jin! This was twice the amount of explosive force contained within Mu Wang’s Golden Dan of Innate Realm! Twofold! If there was a minuscule difference in strength between two experts in combat, the end result of the battle would be plainly evident.

Teng Qingshan possessed an explosive force that was 800,000 greater than that of Mu Wang!

With such disparity in strength, if Teng Qingshan still couldn’t win, then he himself wouldn’t be qualify to fight against Qing Hu Island.

If Teng Qingshan still couldn’t win, with such a sheer disparity in strength, then he wouldn’t be qualified to fight against Qing Hu Island.

Senior, if there’s nothing else, I shall take my leave now.” Teng Qingshan said cupping his hands.

Alright. Practice assiduously. Once you attain the Emptiness Realm, I still have matters to discuss with you.” The Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal uttered.

“Sure. I will certainly visit Senior when I reach the Emptiness Realm.” Teng Qingshan chortled and replied. Yet he was secretly thinking: Emptiness Realm? After I attain Emptiness Realm, I will leave Duanmu Continent and return to the Land of Nine Prefectures.

However, Teng Qingshan also felt puzzled.

Once he reached the Emptiness Realm, the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal had matters to discuss with him? What matters?

“From the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal’s words, he clearly needs to discuss something crucial with me when I reach the Emptiness Realm!” “However...”

“Based on the fact that he mentioned in advance, it shouldn’t be an unpleasant matter.” Teng Qingshan continued to ponder, “Yes. The Duanmu Continent currently has two Martial Immortals: The Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal of the Rising Sun Trading Company and the Tianfeng Martial Immortal in the northern areas. If I reach the Emptiness Realm, it might affect the current balance of the Duanmu Continent. The reason for wanting a word with me after I reach the Emptiness Realm is probably because he wants me to help him with something.”

After this brief round of rumination, Teng Qingshan concluded his speculating.

“Screech~~~”

The Whole Gale Eagle beneath Teng Qingshan emitted a sharp cry as it extended its wings and pierced through the sky, soaring towards the south-east.

......

After Teng Qingshan acquired the Dreamy Cloud White Fruit and returned to the Crescent Moon Lake near the Godly Axe Mountain, he resumed his normal schedule. The majority of his time was spent on analyzing the six stone inscriptions and some of the insights gained were transmuted into fist arts.

Although the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal asked Teng Qingshan to focus on comprehending one Dao, he did not comply.

Now, the eighth move of his《Earth Element Fist》was created. From what Teng Qingshan vaguely percieved, if he succeeded in creating the ninth move, then he would step into the Emptiness Realm! However...the《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》, especially the three successive inscriptions, all contained the Dao of Earth, the Dao of Metal, and the Dao of Fire mixed together.

In order to gain insights upon the Dao of Earth, Teng Qingshan needed to acquire a similar understanding of the Dao of Metal and the Dao of Fire!

Of course...

Teng Qingshan could also choose not to rely on the four stone inscriptions and create the ninth move by comprehending the Heavens and Earth without any assistance. However, there were advantages and disadvantages to this route.

If he chose not to analyze the four stone inscriptions, there would be no more shortcuts in his cultivation of the Dao and it would progress much more slowly. However, because one would only be focusing on the cultivation of the Dao of Earth and not wasting any time on the Dao of Fire and the Dao of Metal, it would save a lot of time as well. It was difficult to draw a comparison between the two cultivation methods because it was impossible to figure out the fastest method between the two cultivation methods.

From his analysis of the four stone inscriptions, Teng Qingshan attained understanding in three Daos. The three Daos could complement one another. This cultivation method was time-consuming, but it might not be slow.

If I didn’t acquire the four stone inscriptions, I would choose to cultivate one Dao with full concentration and reach the Emptiness Realm first! However, since I do possess four stone inscriptions....I might as well analyze the other two Dao assiduously.” Teng Qingshan has made up his mind. One must understand that Emperor Yu was a truly powerful expert, as he was able to divide one move into several moves.

It also needed to be said that Teng Qingshan, being a Grandmaster in his previous life, was currently adept in fist arts and possessed an exceedingly broad outlook and extremely high intelligence.

Both the teacher and the student were extremely capable.

With the combination of these two factors, Teng Qingshan naturally progressed at an astoundingly fast speed.

A month after Teng Qingshan came back from the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City.

As snow fluttered down from the sky, people would be seen walking to and fro on the official road below the Godly Axe Mountain. As one of the four main roads in the vicinity of Nanshan City, the largest major city of the continent, there were still a great number of travellers on it despite the heavy snowfall.

A bamboo stick in hand, a chubby teenager was walked with great difficulty through the accumulated snow on the official road. He wore a cotton coat and a grey felt hat with a dagger carried on his back. After walking for a long time, he looked up at the Godly Axe Mountain and mumbled to himself, “Beside the Crescent Moon Lake in the forest north of the Godly Axe Mountain?”

Immediately, the chubby teenager gripped the bamboo stick tighter and left the official road, advancing toward the nearby forest.

......

Today was a rare occasion, Teng Qingshan came out of the cavern and Li Jun cheerfully prepared a tableful of food. With the heavy snow falling outside, Teng Qingshan and the others indulged themselves on hot dishes of food inside the house.

“Big Brother Teng, when can we return to the Nine Prefectures?” Li Jun asked.

“It’ll be 18 months at least, not longer than two or three years.” Teng Qingshan answered with a smile.

With a perplexed expression, Little Ping asked while carrying a rice bowl, “Uncle, how far away is the Nine Prefectures in the south?”

“It’s quite far, even farther away than the island that the Liu Clan of the Dark Steel River resided on. However, if we travel quickly, we will arrive within ten to fifteen days.” Teng Qingshan grinned as he answered. He added to himself, “The ten to fifteen days is the time needed to travel on the back of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi!”

Indeed, Teng Qingshan planned to travel back to the Land of the Nine Prefectures on the back of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi!

With the Six Legged Bladelike Chi’s astonishingly long body, there would be more than enough space for over a dozen people. The Six Legged Bladelike Chi was also much faster than the Whole Gale Eagle, therefore, it could easily travel 10,000 Li a single day. A journey of over 100,000 Li would indeed take ten to fifteen days.

It took Teng Qingshan about a year to reach the Duanmu Continent.

However, it would only take him ten to fifteen days to return to the Nine Prefectures.

“Ten to fifteen days.. That is quite far. This Island with nine prefectures must be over 10,000 Li away from the Duanmu Continent.” Little Ping remarked emotionally.

“Island?” Hearing this, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun exchanged glances and grinned.

If the Land of Nine Prefectures was an “island”, then the Duanmu Continent must be a very small island.

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun did not tell Little Ping and Teng Shou the details of the Nine Prefectures. They only told them that...they came from a place located to the south of the Duanmu Continent called the Nine Prefectures and that travelling there would take around ten to fifteen days.

“Eh, someone is approaching.” Teng Qingshan’s ears twitched as he said, “Ah Shou, open the door.”

Teng Shou immediately opened the door.

Whew~~~

As the door opened, the wind brought a flurry of snowflakes into the house. Looking out the door, Teng Qingshan and the others could see a chubby teenager beside the forest. The teenager carried a bamboo stick and walked amidst the snowy ground, forming deep and light footprints.

“A teenager?” Teng Qingshan was baffled.

“It seems like he doesn’t have inner strength.” Li Jun was also puzzled. The teenager walked with difficulty through the snow, thus, it was obvious that he didn’t possess any inner strength.

“Big Brother Teng, is he here to be your disciple?” Li Jun chuckled and said, “No matter how much I examine him, I don’t think he has reached the Innate Realm.” Many people in Duanmu Continent wanted to acknowledge Teng Qingshan as their instructor and many people knew of the one requirement–if anyone wanted Teng Qingshan to be their instructor, they must be an Innate Expert!

Due to the high requirements, Teng Shou was Teng Qingshan’s only disciple.

“Not once has a silly teenager come to ask me to be his teacher.” Teng Qingshan chortled. The people that knew that Teng Qingshan lived near the Crescent Moon Lake were all well-informed and somewhat capable.

“You all..you all....” The teenager, whose cheeks were red due to the freezing weather, stuttered out. He walked over and stared at Teng Qingshan and the others with wide eyes.

“Who is Mister Teng?” The teenager enquired nervously.

“Uncle, he’s really here for you.” Little Ping said giggling. Teng Qingshan also looked at the teenager in surprise. He smiled at him and asked, “Little boy, why are you looking for me?”

The chubby teenager scrutinized Teng Qingshan. His face had an expression of joy on it as he asked, “Are you Mister Teng?”

“Yes, I am. Who are you?” Teng Qingshan grinned and asked.

The teenager took a deep breath before answering, “I am Yang Dong.”

“Yang Dong?” Li Jun, Little Ping, and Teng Shou were all bewildered as they asked each other, “Who is Yang Dong?”

Teng Qingshan was also puzzled because he didn’t know anyone named Yang Dong.

“My father asked me to come here and look for you.” The teenager added in a nervous voice.

At the side, Li Jun smiled and asked, “Little fella, who is your father?”

A thought struck Teng Qingshan at that very moment.

“My father’s name is Yang Wang.” The teenager answered.

“Yang Wang?” The four people were shocked. Although the Coachman Old Wang that followed Teng Qingshan was said to be called Wang Yang, but he expounded in the letter that he left and stated that his real name was Yang Wang!

“Yang Wang?” The four of them were shocked. This was the real name of the coachman that followed Teng Qingshan, Old Wang! Though he initially told them his name was Wang Yang, he later revealed to them in his letter that his real name was Yang Wang!

“You are Yang Wang’s son?” Teng Qingshan stared at the teenager in astonishment

“Old Wang’s son?” Li Jun was astounded and proceeded to ask, “You little fellow, don’t you know how chaotic the world is? Weren’t you afraid that bandits might murder you while you were travelling alone? Quick, come in! It’s snowing heavily outside and it’s very cold. Quickly now! Come in!” Li Jun hurriedly brought the chubby teenager into the house.

Since the teenager was able to state the name ‘Yang Wang,’ it proved that he was someone trustworthy.

Teng Qingshan and the others were the only people that knew that Old Wang’s real name was Yang Wang.

“Where is your father?” Teng Qingshan hastily asked.

The teenager, Yang Dong, had just sat down. When he heard Teng Qingshan’s questions, he promptly took out a neatly folded letter and uttered cautiously, “Mister Teng, my father asked me to give this letter to you!”

“Old Wang’s letter?” Teng Qingshan stretched his hand and took it.

“Since you’re already here, why are you still holding onto that bamboo stick?” Li Jun grabbed the bamboo stick out of Yang Dong’s hand and was about to throw it out.

“Little Jun, don’t throw it away. That’s the boy’s weapon.” Teng Qingshan said, smiling.

“Weapon?” Li Jun was astonished.

The eyes of the seemingly cute and simple teenager named Yang Dong involuntarily revealed a slight bit of surprise.