The Nine Cauldrons

"Teng Qingshan, that little rascal from the Gui Yuan Sect back then? He..." Numerous trains of thoughts ran through the Blind Swordmaster’s mind. Then his mind went blank. It was like he had been attacked by a multitude of lightning bolts, and his mind simply could no longer ponder about this. He just sat there foolishly with his legs crossed. After a long time, the Blind Swordmaster let out a deep sigh.

"Martial Ancestor, Martial Ancestor." Tie Pan sensed that something wasn’t right.

"Tie Pan," the Blind Swordmaster said with a hoarse voice, "It’s the end for Qing Hu Island!"

Tie Pan was stunned.

"We’re doomed, we’re doomed." The Blind Swordmaster’s voice rang out incessantly like he was chanting a curse. "Emperor Yu’s Hall sent three great Emptiness Realm Culmination Experts, as well as the fastest flying type demonic beast, the Wind Splitting Dragon Falcon, and the fastest ground-drilling demonic beast, the Six-Eared Earth-Drilling Mouse. Yet the result was a failure, and Shenhong Tu was burned to death while still alive. If even Emperor Yu’s Hall suffered such a great loss, how could my Qing Hu Island defend against that? Just how?"

Tie Pan’s complexion was deathly pale.

"We can only endure.

"To think that a 21-year-old Emptiness Realm Expert has been disguising his identity and didn’t even leak this information to his clan members," the Blind Swordmaster said, gnashing his teeth angrily. "Teng Qingshan... We can endure it, we can.

"No, if he wants to exterminate my Qing Hu Island, we’ll have to see if he can even swallow it, lest his stomach bursts!"

The Blind Swordmaster’s heart instantly made a decision. "Tie Pan, pass down my order..."

******

After seeing his parents in the Gui Yuan Sect, Teng Qingshan left during the night of that same day to see his grandfather, Teng Yunlong, and discuss matters regarding the Teng Clan. The next morning, numerous clansmen of Teng Jia Village rode their horses and headed toward the Great Yan Mountain. At the same time, a big party of Black Armored Soldiers followed.

At noon, the autumn sun shone on their bodies with a very comfortable warmth.

The men of the Teng Clan were currently advancing forward, forming a line as long as a dragon.

"You’re finally able to come home." Teng Yunlong’s elderly voice was filled with a carefree feeling. "It’s all thanks to Qingshan. Yongfan, you’ve raised a good son."

Teng Yongfan, who was sitting astride on a horse, smiled and glanced to the side at Teng Qingshan and Li Jun, who were also riding horses.

"Haha." As he leaned to the side, Teng Yongfan couldn’t resist laughing.

"I lived in the village since I was young, and my Teng Clan also has over a thousand years of history. Who would have thought that we’d have to leave our hometown while the clan was my responsibility?" Teng Yunlong had a misty-eyed gaze. "However, who would have also thought that... there’d be a day when my Teng Clan would be able to go back. Moreover, it’s to build an even bigger village."

That piece of land at the foot of Great Yan Mountain... was where the roots of the Teng Clan lied.

Many generations of the Teng Clan had resided there, so they had long developed an attachment for it. Although it was really good inside the city, with Teng Qingshan’s current power and influence, they would also be free from bandit attacks if they lived at the foot of Great Yan Mountain. With the prerequisite of safety already covered, the Teng Clan was naturally attracted to that place where many generations of their clan had lived.

While they were conversing yesterday evening, Teng Yunlong gained an understanding of Teng Qingshan’s status, and Teng Yunlong immediately brought up a matter.

When they came to know this information, the entire Teng Clan was in a state of jubilation.

...

As the sky darkened, the over two thousand members of the Teng Clan, who were riding hastily, finally arrived at the decayed Teng Jia Village. Although they hadn’t returned for many years, it was clear that the village’s buildings were extremely firm. The village did appear very decayed, but at least there weren’t many houses that had collapsed. Moreover, this time, they’d come with 1,500 soldiers of the Black Armored Army.

From today onward, there would always be a troop of men and horses stationed by Teng Jia Village.

During the pitch-black night, there were many lit torches on the training field of Teng Jia Village.

"Teacher!"

Teng Shou and Xue Xin had guided 98 youngsters to stand there respectfully. They had also received Teng Qingshan’s orders to rush over to Teng Jia Village. Fortunately, Teng Honghou knew the old location of Teng Jia Village, so they had managed to rush over easily.

"Have the houses been built already?" Teng Qingshan asked while looking at Teng Shou.

"Yes. After we arrived here this afternoon, we took many huge rocks from Great Yan Mountain and built numerous stone houses by the woods on the west side of the village. It should be enough for this group of youngsters to live in temporarily... We also brought a lot of food, so this group of disciples all had dinner," Teng Shou answered respectfully.

Teng Qingshan nodded with satisfaction. "Mm, let all the disciples rest for the night. There are many things still to be done tomorrow."

Tonight, the entire Teng Jia Village was really lively.

Each and every family was extremely happy.

Nighttime:

Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were snuggled up against each other on the bed.

"Things will be like this for now," Teng Qingshan said. "But tomorrow, when it’s daytime, I’ll pick a neighboring mountaintop beside Great Yan Mountain. On that mountaintop, I’ll arrange for people to begin constructing a palace hall. In the future... that will be the base of my branch of Internal Martial Arts. We’ll be living there as well.

"The mountain top I pick will be several Li away from Teng Jia Village. Like this, I can consider Teng Jia Village part of my branch of Internal Martial Arts."

In his plan...

Great Yan Mountain would become the root of his branch of Internal Martial Arts!

Meanwhile, Teng Jia Village would undergo an expansion, transforming the village into a castle or maybe a town. Teng Jia Village would become the sacred place of his branch of Internal Martial Arts!

"Qingshan, will your branch of Internal Martial Arts be as powerful and flourishing as the Buddhist and Daoist sects?" Li Jun asked softly.

"Of course."

Teng Qingshan said confidently, "I’m still young. I’ve got plenty of time. Moreover, my branch of Internal Martial Arts is not even a little bit weaker than the Buddhist and Daoist sects. Although my requirements for the aptitudes of my disciples are higher, once they succeed, their strength will be a lot stronger than those of the same ranking from the Daoist and Buddhist sects. Just on this point alone, my branch of Internal Martial Arts will be able to prosper.

"And what I want to do is to lay a foundation for my branch of Internal Martial Arts! I need a fertile land that can develop my branch of martial art up to great heights!"

******

During the early morning of the second day, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun, as well as the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal, went to Great Yan Mountain together and began looking for a suitable mountain peak. Yesterday night, Mu Tao, Little Blue, Little Blue’s mother, and the Six Legged Bladelike Chi had all rested in the woods to the west of Teng Jia Village.

"Qingshan, my boy, this Great Yan Mountain simply doesn’t have any particularly lofty peaks. They’re all small hills," Mu Tao said, shaking his head.

Teng Qingshan frowned as well as he stood on top of a 100-Zhang-tall mountaintop.

Looking around at his surroundings, he saw that the scope of Great Yan Mountain was rather large, but there weren’t any particularly lofty mountain peaks. It was simply impossible to let several tens of thousands of people stay on one of them.

"Qingshan, look." Li Jun’s eyes lit up as she pointed to the front, left, and rear of them. "This surrounding area has lofty mountain peaks of roughly a hundred or more Zhang, while the shorter ones are around several dozen Zhang tall. This area has a range of several Li of land. It has mountain peaks and canyons. The palace hall doesn’t necessarily need to be built on the mountain. It can be built just the same in a canyon! If we build all over this land with a range of several Li, it’ll be enough to accommodate several tens of thousands of people."

Teng Qingshan smiled and nodded.

"However, when we really want to cut into a mountain to set up the sect," Teng Qingshan said with a grin, "we’ll need to let the Demonic Dragon Violet Rain and the Golden Dragon Turtle know first."

Great Yan Mountain was a place Teng Qingshan had frequented since he was young.

So, now that he wanted to establish a sect, the first place he thought of to do that was Great Yan Mountain.

Teng Qingshan glanced over and saw that Li Jun’s lips had gotten dry. Smiling, he said, "Li Jun, after running for so long, you must be thirsty. I’ll go get some water for you." As he said this, Teng Qingshan’s right hand transformed into a light sword, immediately slicing through a bamboo tree on a big mountain. He casually made a bamboo tube that was capable of holding water. Sparks appeared under his feet and then became a strike of lightning, sweeping toward a waterfall that was 100 Zhang away.

Li Jun watched this scene with a wide smile on her face, showing hints of sweet bliss.

...

Rumbles rang out by the waterfall. Then a several-dozen-Zhang-tall curtain of water poured down from the sky, smashing ruthlessly into the deep water and throwing up white splashes of water.

Teng Qingshan crouched down and used the bamboo tube to scoop up some water. He drank it first to have a taste.

"Seems rather refreshing and sweet." Teng Qingshan smiled and nodded.

Then he filled the bamboo tube completely with water and turned around to head toward Li Jun However, out of the corner of his eye, Teng Qingshan suddenly realized... the pool of deep water collected at the bottom of the waterfall flowed slowly into a mountain creek. On the two sides of the mountain creek, there were many weeds and plants, while fish and prawns could be seen in the water itself. There were also ants and other insects on the banks of the creek.

"Eh?"

Teng Qingshan’s heart was moved by this scene in an indescribable way.

"Water?"

"Water is soft yet extremely tenacious; dripping water penetrates the stone... So I utilized the drilling energy of water to create the move Toxic Dragon Drill." Ever since Teng Qingshan comprehended the Dao of Death, he began to reject the Water Elemental Dao. This caused him to recreate the eighth fist of the "Water Element Fist". However, regardless of what he did, he was always unable to gain a thorough understanding of the Water Elemental Dao.

Teng Qingshan squatted down and his hand transformed into a light sword and slashed out.

Hua~~~

His hand blade slashed across the surface of the water, and the water was naturally split open. However, after the hand blade passed it, the water merged back together again.

"If one drew a blade and sliced the water, the water would continue to flow. I understand this Dao.

"But the Water Elemental Dao isn’t this superficial."

Teng Qingshan gazed at the fish and prawns inside the creek water, and then at the plants on the banks of the creek.

"Water is the same as the earth.

"It provides moisture for all living things and benefits all living things.

"It can enter the unbroken earth, rinsing and cleansing all living things.

"It amasses at the deep, natural pond. The water seems clear and shallow, but it is actually deep and unmeasurable.

"This is water. It seems ordinary and common, but it is something that exists in every living thing in the world." Teng Qingshan suddenly felt that water was the closest existence to Dao. "To be benevolent is to be like water. Water benefits all living things without contest." As he thought about this, Teng Qingshan placed the bamboo tube in his hand aside and began trying to practice the fist art.

Due to the influence of the Dao of Death, the concept of the"Water Element Fist" had become relatively fierce.

Teng Qingshan comprehended it somewhat, but after using the "Water Element Fist" again and again, he still had no way of making a breakthrough.

Rumble~~ The waterfall was still pouring down incessantly, smashing against the surface of the water and splashing up a great amount of mist.

Teng Qingshan caught a glimpse of this scene out of the corner of his eye and reacted with divinely inspired intelligence.

"Clouds and mist!

"Rainwater!

"Cold ice!

"Solid, liquid, gas. It changes states irregularly from one to another. It’s impermanent, switching out whenever. However, the essence of it all is still water. This is water... It benefits all things but has no fixed form. It accepts all living things. All rivers run into the sea, it’ll be as big as it can contain... These are all water. It’s a kind of all-inclusive substance, merging together every living thing on earth." After punching out the eighth fist, Teng Qingshan automatically punched out the ninth fist.

The moving fist, which was like a mirage of clouds and mist, seemed gentle.

It seemed to hold everything it could, preventing people from thinking it through completely.

"This is water!"

A hint of a smile emerged on Teng Qingshan’s face. "I have to thank Pei San. His advice was indeed very important!"