The Nine Cauldrons

Teng Qingshan wasn’t an indecisive person. Since he had made up his mind to break off this relationship with the Heavenly God Palace, he no longer hesitated.

"How is it? Are you done choosing?" Pei San smiled as he stared at Teng Qingshan.

"Sovereign, the Gui Yuan Sect will never agree," Teng Qingshan stated with a slightly angry tone as he stared at Pei San. "Sovereign, I think you know that the Gui Yuan Sect has managed Jiangning County for over a thousand years. How could they be willing to give it up?"

"Hmph. To a rich man who has lost all his wealth is about starve to death, even a soured steamed bun is good!" Pei San said with a smile. "If not for you, the Gui Yuan Sect will only end in destruction. Now, I have given it a way to survive. Let the Gui Yuan Sect leave to Nanman County or Chu County and start all over again. If the Gui Yuan Sect isn’t satisfied with my offer, then it should be destroyed."

The coldness in Teng Qingshan’s heart grew more and more. However, on the surface, the hardened expression on his face changed to hesitation.

Teng Qingshan had always been skilled at pretending and disguising himself even in his previous life.

Pei San smiled as he stared at Teng Qingshan.

"Sovereign, I think what you said is reasonable. It is better to have a territory than to be destroyed," Teng Qingshan conceded, shaking his head. "However, the Gui Yuan Sect might not agree to this. I owe them a debt of gratitude. Thus, I have to repay them. Sigh... I have failed this time. I must go back and ask the Sovereign of the Gui Yuan Sect of his decision on this matter.

"If he agrees to move, then a battle will be prevented.

"However, if he doesn’t agree, I can only repay my debt of gratitude and be on the Gui Yuan Sect’s side."

Teng Qingshan’s voice still sounded slightly angry.

"I am leaving now, Sovereign." Teng Qingshan cupped his hands together and left immediately.

"I won’t bother to send you out," Pei San said, still smiling.

...

Outside the cave:

Teng Qingshan carried the Splitting Mountain Axe on his back as he walked out. Li Chao and the King of Beasts, Wu Hou, both grinned as they greeted Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan merely responded with a nod. Then he immediately pulled Li Jun’s hand and leaped onto the back of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi.

"Let’s go."Teng Qingshan said as he pointed southward

"Whoosh!"

The Six Legged Bladelike Chi pierced through the air and disappeared into the clouds.

Above the layers of clouds in the high altitudes, the sky was blue and clear. Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were seated on the Six Legged Bladelike Chi. However, at this very moment, Teng Qingshan was frowning.

"Qingshan, what’s wrong?" Li Jun asked softly.

"Little Jun." Teng Qingshan raised his head and gazed at Li Jun.

"Hm?" Li Jun was startled.

Teng Qingshan laughed bitterly in his mind. He felt very apologetic toward Li Jun. In the Heavenly God Palace, she had her teacher, as well as another teacher, Wu Hou, who had taught her the Language of Beasts. However, what Teng Qingshan had done earlier determined that Li Jun would have to break off her relations with the Heavenly God Palace, as well as her teachers and the other members of the sect.

"What’s wrong?" Li Jun asked hastily.

"Little Jun," Teng Qingshan said with a downcast tone, "I talked to Pei San earlier. However, he was determined and wouldn’t change his mind no matter what. I pleaded using the favor and the promise he owes me as a bargaining chip, but he only agreed to give Chu County or Nanman County to the Gui Yuan Sect."

"What? How is that possible?"Li Jun’s eyes widened as she responded, "Then that means he’s forcing you to..."

"Yes, I have no choice left!" Teng Qingshan exclaimed as his expression hardened. "Pei San’s decision cannot be changed. However, no matter what, I must protect the Gui Yuan Sect. Therefore, Little Jun, from today onward, you are no longer the Saintess of the Snowy Lotus Cult. You must break off your relationship with your teacher and the other members of the Heavenly God Palace." Teng Qingshan held Li Jun’s hands as he said that.

Hearing this, Li Jun bit her lips. It was apparent that she was struggling with this decision.

Teng Qingshan gazed at Li Jun silently.

"Qingshan," Li Jun held Teng Qingshan’s hands and replied softly, "Since I left the Heavenly God Palace and sailed the seas with you, I decided that I would follow you for the rest of my life. A woman should follow whatever her husband orders. Qingshan, I just wish that you won’t kill my teacher or my Second Martial Uncle in the future."

In the Heavenly God Palace, Pei Xuelian and Wu Hou were the two people who were the kindest to Li Jun. Of course, if the members of the Heavenly God Palace knew that Li Jun had just begged the Foreign Dignitary Huhe not to kill Pei Xuelian and Wu Hou, they would think that she had just said the funniest joke in the world.

However, Li Jun knew...

This wasn’t a joke... because the true identity of the Foreign Dignitary Huhe was Teng Qingshan, a monster who had attained the Emptiness Realm at the age of 21.

"Don’t worry." Teng Qingshan nodded slightly and held Li Jun in his arms.

"Whew! Whew!" The fierce wind howled.

The Six Legged Bladelike Chi carried Teng Qingshan and Li Jun and quickly disappeared in the ends of the southern horizon.

In the cave of Songyang Mountain:

"Teacher, Foreign Dignitary Huhe seemed weird earlier." Li Chao and the King of Beasts, Wu Hou, came forward.

"Of course, he would seem weird. From today onward, Huhe is no longer the Foreign Dignitary of the Heavenly God Palace." Pei San’s words shocked Li Chao and Wu Hou greatly. However, Pei San smiled and continued saying, "Ah Chao, Ah Hou, let’s go to Qingzhou now."

"Teacher, you aren’t cultivating in seclusion anymore?" Li Chao was slightly surprised.

"Yes, let’s depart now," Pei San ordered.

With this, Pei San, Li Chao, and Wu Hou pierced through the air and rushed toward Qingzhou.

...

In Qingzhou, the sun had already risen high up in the sky. Near the garrison of the Immortal Guards, the Bloody Lotus Guards, and the Energy Destroyers, a gray flowing light descended from the sky. It landed in the courtyard where Pei Hao was. The light turned out to be Pei San, Li Chao, and Wu Hou.

In the courtyard, the God of Heaven, Su Mengte, and the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult rushed over rapidly.

"Let me announce a few things," Pei San said as he looked around at the people present.

Su Mengte, Pei Xuelian, Pei Hao, Li Chao, and Wu Hou listened attentively.

"Starting from today, Huhe will no longer be the Foreign Dignitary of the Heavenly God Palace," Pei San said, immediately shocking Pei Xuelian, Pei Hao, and the others. Then he continued, "This time, the Heavenly God Palace will be heading south to attack Yangzhou. Huhe will be on the Gui Yuan Sect’s side. Therefore—"

"Little Lian, Su Mengte," Pei San said solemnly.

"Father (Sovereign)," Pei Xuelian and Su Mengte responded as they obediently awaited the instructions.

"Let the Energy Destroyers, Immortal Guards, Bloody Lotus Guards be stationed here temporarily. As for the 800,000 soldiers that are gathering in Qingzhou, command them to stop gathering. Simultaneously, be mysterious and unpredictable. Relieve the garrison of these 800,000 soldiers in a normal manner. Su Mengte, help Little Lian with this. Make sure this is done well."

"Father, don’t worry. We are already reorganizing and relieving the garrison of the armies in Qingzhou. I am guessing that many sects have not noticed that we are assembling the 800,000 soldiers. Now that we are stationing them elsewhere, the other sects will be confused. It doesn’t matter if they suspect or notice something. In fact, they definitely won’t notice anyway," Pei Xuelian declared confidently.

The assembling of the soldiers had just started. If the assembling of the armies had already been going on for over a half a month, it would be impossible to hide it from the other sects.

"Mm," Pei San nodded and said, "Although the Bloody Lotus Guard, the Energy Destroyers, Immortal Guards are still gathered here, they only total 100,000 troops. Therefore, the other Supreme Sects won’t take notice of them. This is our plan for now. Starting today, the attack on Yangzhou will be going on hiatus. We must make the entire world think that we just wish to manage the lands of Qingzhou and Youzhou."

"Father, why...?" Pei Xuelian asked with bemusement.

"Don’t ask why," Pei San frowned and said, "Also, from today onward, the Saintess of your Snowy Lotus Cult is deposed.

Pei Xuelian was stunned as she asked, "Do you mean Little Jun?"

"Yes, after the Saintess is deposed..." Pei San continued, "Spread the news naturally. Ask the guards to intentionally gossip about how the relation between Huhe and the Heavenly God Palace has broken off, and that the Heavenly God Palace now has two Foreign Dignitary instead of three. Just spread it out slightly, and the spies that the other sects have planted in the Heavenly God Palace will know."

Hearing this, all the others nodded.

"Huhe..." Pei San thought, "Do you think I won’t be able to kill you just because you are supported by the Undying Phoenix? All is well. I will pause the attack on Yangzhou. I will tell the world that you have broken off your relationship with the Heavenly God Palace and that Li Jun has lost her position as the Saintess of the Snowy Lotus Cult. The other Supreme Sects will soon know.

"Then Emperor Yu’s Hall will take their revenge. They were worried about us, and so, they haven’t taken revenge.

"However, your relationship with the Heavenly God Palace is now broken, and we have yet to attack Yangzhou. Therefore, Emperor Yu’s Hall definitely won’t mind killing you to take the Hong Tian Godly Armor away.

"So what if the Undying Phoenix comes?

"An Emptiness Realm Demonic Beast that doesn’t understand the languages of humans won’t know the intentions and motives behind all these actions," Pei San said to himself with ice-cold emotions. "Since you have chosen to be my enemy, then you must prepare yourself to deal with this first wave of attacks. If you can’t even survive this first wave of attacks, then you are not qualified to be the stepping stone of my cultivation."

Pei San’s first few actions aimed to kill using the strength of another.

...

During the next night:

"Walla!" A carrier pigeon from Qingzhou flew to Emperor Yu’s Hall.

After a short while, at midnight, someone left Emperor Yu’s Hall and then departed from Yu City. The person went on to arrive in the Blind Bear Mountain Range outside Yu City, and they handed a secret letter to an Emptiness Realm Expert of Emperor Yu’s Hall.

On the vast and endless North Sea far away:

"Walla~"

As the waves undulated, the radiance of the sun shone on the glittering surface of the sea. A flowing light appeared in the distance, rapidly approaching on the surface of the sea.

"Whew!"

"Eh?"

The flowing light stopped and transformed into a figure. It was a sturdy elder wearing a snow-white leather coat and a felt hat. He also carried an enormous wolf-headed war saber.

"I didn’t expect that I would leave Duanmu Continent and advance all the way south on the surface of the sea toward the Land of the Nine Prefectures, where there are many Emptiness Realm Experts. This journey to the Land of the Nine Prefectures has not only improved my mental state, but it has also helped me comprehend another Dao. Now, I only have 10% of Dao left to cultivate before I attain the Culmination of the Emptiness Realm."

The sturdy elder paced on the surface of the sea. He gazed southward and thought to himself, "Yes, according to Brother Qingshan, Duanmu Continent and the Land of the Nine Prefectures are over a hundred thousand Li apart. I have only advanced half of that distance. I think there’s an island ahead. Let’s rest first."

The sea was vast.

To an Emptiness Realm Expert, it was easy to walk on waves. However, the long journey was mentally exhausting. Therefore, rest was necessary.

"Eh?" As the elder with the enormous wolf-headed war saber approached the island ahead, he remarked in surprise, "Eh, I can sense the powerful aura of the Undying Phoenix, Little Blue, the demonic beast that was with Teng Qingshan. There’s also a very powerful aura beside Little Blue."

"Yu~~" A loud cry rang out from the island.

As the elder noticed the Undying Phoenix, the Undying Phoenix, Little Blue, also noticed him.

"Whoosh!"

A streak of fiery light flew over from the island and stopped before the elder.

With flames prancing around its body, the Undying Phoenix, Little Blue, hovered in the air.

"Haha... It has been a long time," the Elder laughed and said, "Since you are inviting me, I will visit you."

Immediately, the elder followed the Undying Phoenix, Little Blue, and entered Phoenix Island.