The Nine Cauldrons

“Teacher,” a voice rang out from afar.

Pei San and Teng Qingshan turned to the source of the sound almost simultaneously and saw two people approaching at a fast speed. The cold-looking black-haired and white-browed man was the Sovereign of the Sword Sect, Li Chao. The other person who resembled a wild man had long hair, which draped over his shoulders, as well as a pair of fierce-looking eyes. He was the King of Beasts, Wu Hou, who had interacted with Teng Qingshan before.

Teng Qingshan and the others had descended in the courtyard of the temporary headquarters which the Heavenly God Palace had set up in Youzhou.

“Huhe, let’s talk about the cauldron later,” Pei San said to Teng Qingshan with the use of the Sound Transmission Technique. He then turned and looked toward his two disciples and said, “Ah Hou, it is probably your first time meeting Foreign Dignitary Huhe.”

“I see. So, it is you who married Little Jun,” Wu Hou said as he examined Teng Qingshan.

“I have long heard of the great name of the King of Beasts, Wu Hou,” Teng Qingshan said as he looked at Wu Hou.

Wu Hou could be considered as Li Jun’s teacher. Furthermore, Teng Qingshan had interacted with Wu Hou before and was quite fond of Wu Hou’s temperament.

“What great name? As the top of the 《Heavenly Ranking》? Haha, many years have passed and I still have not attained Emptiness Realm. What great name is this...? More like a bad name!” Wu Hou guffawed. Then immediately afterward, he began scrutinizing the two-Zhang-tall Six Legged Bladelike Chi, who stood beside Teng Qingshan. The Six Legged Bladelike Chi had a pair of blood red eyes, and its entire body was black with faint golden spots. “This must be that demonic beast. It does have a powerful appearance.”

Since Wu Hou was called the King of Beasts, it was obvious that he was extremely fond of demonic beasts.

“Roar~~” The Six Legged Bladelike Chi shot a cold glare at Wu Hou.

“Tsk, what a bad temper.” Wu Hou grinned.

“Let’s not stand here,” Pei San told them with a smile. Upon his instruction, Wu Hou, Li Chao, and the others moved to the living room obediently.

This time, Teng Qingshan was fervently welcomed by Pei San. The degree of welcomeness even shocked Pei San’s disciples, Li Chao and Wu Hou.

“This is unlike Teacher. Why is Teacher being so cordial to Huhe?” Wu Hou asked while he and Li Chao strolled beside each other in the garden. Wu Hou frowned and continued saying, “Elder Martial Brother, Huhe possesses a powerful demonic beast, but it doesn’t make sense for Teacher to treat Huhe this cordially... I am very confused.”

“Hm,” the cold-looking Li Chao nodded and replied, “Teacher might seem calm and indifferent, but he is a man who is full of pride. In this Land of the Nine Prefectures, only a few people are viewed as important by him. I don’t understand this either.”

......

This was Teng Qingshan’s first time meeting Pei San. Thus, he didn’t find Pei San’s cordiality weird. In fact, he gained the impression that Pei San was a person who always this friendly and cordial.

Inside Pei San’s study room:

“Sit, Huhe.” Pei San smiled as he poured some tea.

At this moment, Teng Qingshan and Pei San were the only ones in the study room.

“Sovereign...” Teng Qingshan said with a frown.

“Have you been curious about the cauldrons of the nine prefectures?” Pei San asked.

“Yes.” Teng Qingshan did not deny it.

Then Pei San lifted his teacup. He took a slight sniff and commented, “This tea is good. Let’s drink while we talk. In the Land of the Nine Prefectures, there are nine cauldrons. However, each cauldron possesses different remarkable abilities and contains spiritual qualities. It is rare for two cauldrons to come across each other.”

Hearing this, Teng Qingshan understood that Pei San knew about him possessing a Nine Prefecture Cauldron.

“Huhe, you know about the benefit given by the cauldrons, right?” Pei San asked.

“I don’t.” Teng Qingshan shook his head, acting as though he knew nothing.

“You don’t?” Pei San said with a smile, “Based on what I know, the first Omnipotent Expert in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, Emperor Yu, forged the nine cauldrons. Later on, the nine cauldrons developed begotten spiritual qualities and disappeared. The second Omnipotent Expert, the Heavenly Emperor of the Qin Mountains, had a Nine Prefectures Cauldron as well. As for the third Omnipotent Expert Li Taibai, he used a Nine Prefectures Cauldron as a wine cup. There are no records of the fourth Omnipotent Expert, Martial Ancestor Shakya, wearing a Nine Prefectures Cauldron.

“I know that Hong Tian, the Northeastern King who conquered almost the entire world, also wore a Nine Prefectures Cauldron as a pendant.

“Additionally, over three thousand years ago, Liu Yi, a genius female expert from Emperor Yu’s Hall who had attained the Insightful Emptiness Realm, also wore a Nine Prefectures Cauldron as a pendant,” Pei San expounded while observing Teng Qingshan’s expression.

Teng Qingshan couldn’t help but show a shocked expression.

Out of the four Omnipotent Experts, one had created the nine cauldrons, and two of the other three had worn a Nine Prefectures Cauldron before.

“Th-This Nine Prefectures Cauldron?” Teng Qingshan was very astonished.

“Haha, Huhe, are you shocked? It’s not as crazy as you thought,” Pei San said as he burst out in laughter. “Indeed. Many of the heroic figures in the Land of the Nine Prefectures have worn a Nine Prefectures Cauldron. However, there are also many heroic figures who have never worn one. After all, there are only nine of these cauldrons!

“A person can only live for five hundred years! Let’s assume that the owners of the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons changed every five hundred years. Over six thousand years have passed, so the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons must have had over a hundred owners,” said Pei San.

“However, there were only four Omnipotent Experts. When Emperor Yu became the Omnipotent Expert, the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons did not exist,” Pei San explained, “So, most of the owners of the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons are merely Innate Experts.”

Teng Qingshan suddenly grinned.

The Nine Prefectures Cauldron that he possessed had been taken from a set of skeletal remains, and the previous owner of this cauldron had merely been an Innate Expert.

“My disciples do not possess the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons,” Pei San said. Then he expounded, “According to my investigation, the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons do possess some mysterious power. The people who possess the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons are able to cultivate faster and understand Dao quicker. However, it only increases the speed of the cultivation. You still have to break through some of the hurdles yourself!”

“For some people, even if they possess the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons, they could still be stuck at the Golden Dan of the Innate Realm. This is because they are unable to achieve a breakthrough,” Pei San said as he stared at Teng Qingshan. “Without the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons, one might have to spend 100 years comprehending Dao. However, with the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons, it would only take 30 to 50 years.”

Pei San watched Teng Qingshan and added, “Actually, many people in this world know about this secret.”

Teng Qingshan nodded.

“However, so what if they know?” Pei San shook his head and laughed. “The Nine Prefectures Cauldrons have minds of their own, and they choose their own masters. Even if someone forcefully takes a Nine Prefectures Cauldron, the Nine Prefectures Cauldron will vanish by itself. In the past, an Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert of the Ying Family once discovered a Nine Prefecture Cauldron. He forcefully took it from its owner. However, the next day, the Nine Prefecture Cauldron vanished and returned to its owner.”

“The Nine Prefectures Cauldrons are like naughty little kids.” Pei San gripped the little cauldron on his chest. “They choose their own masters. No one can intervene.”

“Haha, Sovereign,” Teng Qingshan laughed calmly. Then he touched the little cauldron on his bosom and said, “Since the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons have chosen to follow us, then we can’t disappoint them. During these past several thousand years, there have been many courageous and powerful heroes in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. Those people were able to attain the Insightful Emptiness Realm without the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons. As for us—”

Pei San’s eyes brightened and nodded fervently in response. “Yes! We possess the Nine Prefectures Cauldrons! Thus, we should naturally attain a higher level! I strive to be the fifth Omnipotent Expert in the Land of the Nine Prefectures!”

Teng Qingshan remained silent as he harbored the same desire.

“Huhe,” Pei San called out suddenly.

“Hm?” Teng Qingshan froze.

“Let me remind you. You must always remember this even if a hundred years have passed,” Pei San said solemnly.

“What?” Teng Qingshan was shocked by Pei San’s serious expression.

“No matter what, don’t learn the Four Great Divine Codices. If you are comprehending Dao according to ways of the divine codex, you need to stop now,” Pei San warned gravely. “Don’t analyze any of the divine codices. You must create a Dao that belongs to you.”

“This might be difficult, but you must do as I say,” Pei San urged earnestly.

Teng Qingshan was stunned.

Although he had used the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》as a reference, he hadn’t copied them entirely. He had analyzed the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》and transformed the contents into his own knowledge, expressing it through his fist arts.

Back then, Teng Qingshan had only dared to analyze the Celestial Jade Annulus for half day. He never dared to go too deep.

If he had, he would have become trapped in the Dao of the Sword, unable to cultivate the Dao of the Spear ever again.

“You may have already learned the Dao of the seniors. You would indeed improve at a faster speed this way,” Pei San said with a sneer. “For example, Emperor Yu’s Hall relies on the 《Heavenly Book of the Nine Cauldrons》. It will take less than 100 years for Emperor Yu Hall’s Emptiness Realm Experts to achieve culmination. However, all of them follow the path that Emperor Yu prepared for them. It’s the fastest and most convenient way.”

“Don’t ever think of taking the quicker path,” Pei San warned seriously. “You are cultivating so quickly. You must be following the old path of some seniors, right?”

Teng Qingshan froze.

Old path...?

No one had attained the Emptiness Realm through fist art or the Dao of the Spear.

“I won’t speak of this anymore, but remember to walk your own path. This might be difficult in the beginning. It might be difficult to leave the path you are on right now. However, it will benefit you in the future.” Pei San finished speaking, waved his hand, and told Teng Qingshan, “I have said everything. You may leave.”

“Thank you, Sovereign.” Teng Qingshan cupped his hand and left immediately.

Pei San watched Teng Qingshan’s distancing back and muttered to himself, “I have said all I can. I hope you won’t disappoint me, Huhe.”

Time passed by in a flash, and half a month had elapsed since Teng Qingshan’s arrival in Youzhou. During this half a month, both armies of the Heavenly God Palace in the south and the north were cooperating well, and the morale of the soldiers rose continuously. In the region of Youzhou, only the land of one county was left unconquered. It was Hong Tian County. The Northeastern King, Hong Tian, had risen to power in the land of Hong Tian County, so Hong Tian County was controlled by Hong Tian City.

“Pei San’s words make sense.”

“I was using the Splitting Mountain Axe and practicing the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. My entire being was immerse in the Dao of the Axe, which resulted in a discomfort when I analyzed the Dao of the Spear. If Pei San didn’t say anything, I wouldn’t realize why. I see now... If one wishes to reach the epitome, one can only cultivate one Dao.” After realizing this, Teng Qingshan spent most of his time in Youzhou cultivating his fist art.

He practiced the Three Postures everyday.

“Whew!”

“Chi!”

Even as an Emptiness Realm Expert, Teng Qingshan still felt that the Three Postures, the origin of the Xing Yi Martial Art, contained a Dao which could be comprehended.

On one side of the training field, Li Jun was bringing tea over with a smile on her face.

Then suddenly—

Boom!” A huge sound of an explosion rang out in the distance.

“Eh?” Teng Qingshan stared southward.

“Huhe, quickly! Come here with the Bladelike Chi. That old thief of Xiao Yao Palace has appeared,” Pei San’s voice was transmitted into Teng Qingshan’s ears.

Teng Qingshan’s facial expression turned grim. Immediately, he called out, “Bladelike Chi!”

“Whoosh!”

The Bladelike Chi emerged. Then Teng Qingshan retrieved the Splitting Mountain Axe by controlling the air and leaped onto the Six Legged Bladelike Chi. As he pointed southward, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi transformed into a black phantom and vanished from the training court.