The Nine Cauldrons

Thinking it through

It was a pitch-black and late night when over ten thousand soldiers searched the Great Yan Mountain with torches in hand. In the deeper areas of the Great Yan Mountain, Zhuge Yuanhong was speaking between the two armies of Qing Hu Island and the Gui Yuan Sect, causing many innate experts to nod involuntarily. Many of them were convinced.

“Gu Yong, am I right?” Zhuge Yuanhong smiled calmly as he asked.

With a gloomy countenance, Gu Yong casted a deep glance at Zhuge Yuanhong, “Zhuge Yuanhong, I will only ask you one question!” Gu Yong’s eyes were as sharp as knives and seemed to have pierced through Zhuge Yuanhong’s eyes. “Qing Hu Island’s army stationed in the Great Yan Mountain. Why didn’t you come in the beginning, but only came just now?”

“Regarding Emperor Yu’s Treasure, the Gui Yuan Sect doesn’t have a covetous heart, but Gu Yong, this Great Yan Mountain belongs to the Gui Yuan Sect. Why does Qing Hu Island have the right to station an army of thirty thousand men here for a long time? If the Gui Yuan Sect sent a great army into Qing Hu Island’s territory, would Qing Hu Island remain indifferent?” Zhuge Yuanhong’s facial expression turned cold as he spoke.

“Hmph, deceiving yourself and others!” Gu Yong said and sneered, “I am not going to say such nonsense with you now. Everything will be known later!”

In front of the formation of the army of Qing Hu Island, Gu Shiyou, Zhao Danchen, and others also gathered here.

“Elder Zhao, what Zhuge Yuanhong said made sense. Maybe there is a big conspiracy behind this,” Gu Shiyou whispered. Zhao Danchen casted a glance at him and sneered again, “Do you think your father won’t know these? Just watch and you will soon know everything.”

Zhao Danchen understood Island Lord Gu Yong’s thoughts. Someone did intentionally leak the information of Emperor Yu’s Treasure, and it was most likely the remaining members of Tie Yi Hall! The remaining members of Tie Yi Hall were not important. Now, the most important thing Qing Hu Island needed to do was to kill the person that disguised as Qin Lang and take the two cauldrons!

As for Teng Qingshan……

Even if he was not Qin Lang, he would still be a great threat in the future. Qing Hu Island’s constitution was now greatly undermined, thus, it would be better to grasp this chance and kill Teng Qingshan through this justification!

If Teng Qingshan was really Qin Lang, then in terms of ability, his potential would be even more terrifying than Xiang Fanchen since Teng Qingshan, a seventeen year-old, could kill a True Dan innate expert with one move! As for the hatred, the reason why Qing Hu Island lost so many elders without even obtaining a single cauldron would be all thanks to Teng Qingshan! If this was really the case…..Qing Hu Island must kill Teng Qingshan!

Regardless, Teng Qingshan must be killed!

……

In the Gui Yuan Sect’s camp, Teng Qingshan was watching silently behind a great number of soldiers. As he saw the lonely and proud figure talking with a smile, he was touched. He was touched by his solicitude.

“Big Brother Qinghu.” A clear voice rang out. Teng Qingshan turned to look and saw Zhuge Qing, who was wearing a suit of light green armor, walk to Qinghu’s side. Zhuge Qing’s eyes were bloodshot and her face looked pale. With the skinny and weak body, one couldn’t help but worry that she might just faint on the spot…. However, no one managed to convince Zhuge Qing.

“Lady Qing.” Qinghu turned and looked.

“Is there any news of Big Brother Teng?” Zhuge Qing asked very softly.

Qinghu hesitated slightly and still shook his head as he replied with a sigh, “None. If there is, I believe the Sovereign would tell you first.”

“I heard that the Island Lord of Qing Hu Island told my father that eight of their Law Enforcing Elders died! Even many experts of the Ying Family and other supreme sects died.” Tears could be seen in Zhuge Qing’s bloodshot eyes as she said, “He even said everyone alive came out from the underground.”

Zhuge Qing bit her lips as she tried not to cry and asked, “Qinghu, Big Brother Teng will be safe, right?

Qinghu nodded quickly, “I give you my word for this.”

With this, Zhuge Qing left. At this moment, she didn’t expect that Teng Qingshan was only ten Zhang away from her.

Qinghu turned to looked towards Teng Qingshan and asked softly, “Don’t tell Lady Qing?” Teng Qingshan shook his head silently in response and watched the skinny and weak figure disappear in the midst of the crowds. Seeing Teng Qingshan this way, Qinghu said to himself softly, “Lady Qing’s feelings are real now…….”

Teng Qingshan remained silent.

When he saw that skinny, weak, and tired Zhuge Qing and her bloodshot eyes…..Teng Qingshan felt his heart ache as an urge to held Qing Qing in his arms rose in his heart.

“What am I thinking?” Teng Qingshan furrowed his brows.

The reaction told Teng Qingshan that his heart did tremble for Qing Qing. Maybe when Zhuge Qing shouted out “I will wait for your return” publicly without caring for her reputation on that day Teng Qingshan was departing to Yanjiang City with the Black Armored Army, which was a time of life or death, it had melted Teng Qingshan’s ice-cold heart.

“What am I thinking? Thinking about Cat?”

“And not get married or have kids? That would meant wronging my parents and Qing Qing. The previous life….. Those were the matters of the previous life. They should be forgotten and should disappear with the wind.” After the precarious experience of the fight for the treasure, Teng Qingshan suddenly thought it through. Was it meaningful to cling onto the previous life? That would only cause more pain to himself.

That could also cause pain to others!

As for Qing Qing, Teng Qingshan felt his heart move for her. If he married Qing Qing, his father and mother would be happy, his teacher would be happy, Qing Qing would be happy……Even his own heart would feel better.

“After this ends, when I return to the Gui Yuan Sect, I will stay in the Gui Yuan Sect. I will marry Qing Qing, and it would be good if I could have three or four kids. Father is paralyzed, but he can play with the grandchildren in the future while I can train the martial path peacefully and teach the kids when I am free. I can also take care of my parents……” As Teng Qingshan thought of this, he felt a calmness that he has never had before.

A life like this was very fulfilling.

Wasn’t this what he had dreamt of in his previous life?

To have a loving wife, children, parents and sister…..

“Yes, a life like this will be very happy. Everyone will be happy.” Teng Qingshan said to himself softly.

Maybe Cat couldn’t be forgotten easily, but he could only hide all of this in the bottom of his heart.

Life couldn’t be perfect, after all.

We can’t change the past, we can only seize the future.

If one can live happily, then that’s good enough.

……

Teng Qingshan’s heart was peaceful, but Qing Hu Island and the Gui Yuan Sect were constantly on guard. They didn’t even dare to relax even a tiny bit.

“Island Lord!” A figure dashed towards Gu Yong.

Gu Yong turned to look at the figure and ordered in a deep voice, “Speak.”

The general of the Silver Dragon Army reported respectfully, “Island Lord, we found six Silver Dragon Soldiers’ corpses. The cause of death of all six of these corpses was penetration through the forehead. This cause of death was the same as how the Golden Scale Guards were killed in Yanjiang City. Both of them should be killed by the same concealed weapon. Our army has searched the surroundings carefully, but nothing could be found! And now, in the areas thirty Li away from the corpses, only the location of the Gui Yuan Sect’s camp has not been searched!”

“Concealed weapon? Same as the one in Yanjiang City?”

Gu Yong turned to look at Zhuge Yuanhong and asked in a deep voice, “Sovereign Zhuge, did you hear that?”

“I heard very clearly. However, the areas around the Great Yan Mountain is wide, and it is night time right now. If the killer really did hide within the Great Yan Mountain, he wouldn’t be easily found,” Zhuge Yuanhong said with a smile.

“Hmph.”

Gu Yong’s eyes instantly became sharp as he roared, “Zhuge Yuanhong, the concealed weapon used by this killer is the same the concealed weapon the Gui Yuan Sect used to kill my Golden Scale Guards? Yet, you still argue? Secondly, the killer found the entrance of the Bottomless Pit easily. If it wasn’t because he was extremely familiar with the Great Yan Mountain, how would he find it that easily! Plus, now I don’t care whether that killer is Teng Qingshan or not! But there is one thing you should know. Qing Hu Island will kill this killer at all cost. Whoever stops Qing Hu Island will be Qing Hu Island’s enemy forever!!!”

“Didn’t you say that the killer isn’t Teng Qingshan? If so, the Gui Yuan Sect shouldn’t be protecting him.”

“Now, I want to search your camp and inspect each soldier of the Gui Yuan Sect! If you are really innocent, then let us inspect!”

Gu Yong’s words caused Zhuge Yuanhong’s face to turn cold as he replied, “Gu Yong, the Gui Yuan Sect is also a sect that has existed for thousand years. If I let you check my entire army just because of your words, would the Gui Yuan Sect have any face left? Hmph. Even if inspection is necessary, it would be by my own men! No matter what, it wouldn’t be Qing Hu Island’s turn to examine!

“Sovereign Zhuge, just move a step back.” The Noble Wang of the Shooting Sun God Mountain in the distance said as he grinned.

“Zhuge, just do something so that Gu Yong can give up. It’s just an inspection.”

The innate experts of the other supreme sects also sided with Gu Yong.

Actually, none of them were helping Gu Yong. They only wanted to help themselves. This group of people……desired the last two cauldrons of the Elixir of the North Sea.

“Haha…..” Gu Yong was so furious that he laughed, “Zhuge Yuanhong! This time, eight Law Enforcing Elders of Qing Hu Island died. This event couldn’t even be kept a secret. With such great retribution, how could Qing Hu Island not take revenge? Whoever the killer is, whatever sect the kills belongs, Qing Hu Island will not let him go!”

“You said reputation? Alright!”

Gu Yong stared at Zhuge Yuanhong, “ I, Gu Yong, hereby, announce in front of the numerous soldiers and the innate experts of the supreme sects! If Qing Hu Island does not find the killer Teng Qingshan in the military camp of the Black Armored Army, I, Gu Yong, will prepare a great gift personally during this yearly sacrifice. I will take the great gift alone and visit the Gui Yuan Sect to apologize to you, Zhuge Yuanhong. What do you think now?”

As soon as Gu Yong’s words were spoken, the surroundings were in a complete silence. The chittering chattering innate experts of the other supreme sects stared at Gu Yong in shock.

These words were way too determined!

During the day of the yearly sacrifice, taking the great gift alone and visiting personally to apologize! With the identity as the head of one of the Eight Supreme Sects, this was…..too shocking.

“Father!” Gu Shiyou, who was at the back, shouted in shock.

Zhao Danchen frowned, “Gu Island Lord is going to abdicate?” He could guess that if the killer wasn’t found, it would be impossible for Gu Yong to visit personally to apologize as the Island Lord. If the killer wasn’t found, the next thing Gu Yong would have to do was to abdicate. Qing Hu Island would have a new Island Lord, while Gu Yong would visit personally to apologize as a Law Enforcing Elder.

Although it was very embarrassing to Gu Yong himself, it wouldn’t affect Qing Hu Island greatly. Nevertheless, It was absolutely impossible…..for the Island Lord to apologize personally.

“Zhuge Yuanhong, the Gui Yuan Sect’s reputation won’t be ruined now, right? If you still don’t agree, then you really harbour intentions that can’t bear daylight.” Gu Yong said as he stared at Zhuge Yuanhong.

Zhuge Yuanhong stared at Gu Yong for a long time and opened his mouth, “Haha……Then I shall look forward for the time when you, Island Lord Gu Yong, visits personally to apologize!”