The Nine Cauldrons

Duanmu?

Night time…

The only sounds that could be heard were the undulations of the seawater. That little slave girl watched wide-eyed at the numerous bars of gold that tumbled out. Amidst the dark night, with the faint moonlight shining down, the gold bars were extremely eye-catching. She had never seen this many gold bars before!

“There are some books and maps in these three bags, but the main points of focus are the three large trunks filled with gold. However, because there are too many gold bars, the chests cannot contain all of them.” While saying this,Teng Qingshan poured out everything inside the three large sacks.

Three extremely heavy large metal trunks, many gold bars, books, and maps were poured out from the sacks.

“Big Brother Teng, where did these things come from?” Li Jun walked over, amazed. “Inside the chest—is it gold too?”

“Yes.”

As Teng Qingshan said this, he lifted the lid of one of the large metal trunks that contained gold. Inside, what could be seen were only numerous large bars of gold stacked neatly together and arranged in sucha way that it caused the entire large metal trunk to be filled to the brim. “It’s all gold inside the large metal trunks! By my guesswork, all the gold should roughly add up to be more than thirty thousand Jin in weight. To be more precise, it is probably around thirty-two thousand Jin. ”

With Teng Qingshan’s control of his strength, it was still considered fairly accurate.

“Thirty-two thousand Jin?” Li Jun was somewhat amazed. “Three hundred, two thousand taels of gold?”

To the ‘Goddess’ of the God of Heaven Mountain, three hundred and twenty thousand taels of gold were not really considered a lot! In the Land of the Nine Prefectures, it was not a difficult matter for an Innate Expert to make several hundred thousand taels of gold. The status of Goddess was even higher, and naturally, her wealth was astonishing.

For example, the Gui Yuan Sect, which had a lower status compared to the God of Heaven Mountain, could extract a terrifying value of gold and purple gold just from one gold mine each month.

Therefore, to this kind of super big forces, several hundred thousand taels of gold were truly not considered much.

However—

In the Land of the Nine Prefectures, who would bring several large trunks of gold on their journey? Everyone brought gold and silver notes! Having over thirty thousand Jin of gold placed before one’s eyes was still very shocking.

“Little Blue, Little Grey, these things can not be eaten.” Teng Qingshan smiled as he looked at the Blue Luan and the Whole Gale Eagle. At this moment, the Blue Luan and the Whole Gale Eagle were also wide-eyed as they looked at the gold before their eyes. Bright and dazzling, the gold was still rather shocking.

“Big Brother Teng, you still haven’t mention from where all this gold came from?” Li Jun asked promptly.

With large pure eyes, that little slave girl stared wide-eyed at Teng Qingshan as well.

“Little Jun,” Teng Qingshan said, “Previously, when we arrived on that island, the Chunshen Clan, which annihilated the Liu Clan of the Dark Steel River, had only just left by ship. Their warship is large, and on the sea, their speed is slightly slower compared to our Tungsten Wood Vessel.”

“And now, the distance between us and the Chunshen Clan is only several Li.”

“Earlier, I went up and took a stroll as well,” Teng Qingshan said.

Li Jun had a sudden realization.

“En, I reckon the Chunshen Clan had only just moved the hidden wealth of the Dark Steel River’s Liu Clan.” Li Jun nodded her head. “However, from what Little Ping said, the Black Iron River’s Liu Clan lost the battle. Could it be that the wealth of these families, which can contend for hegemony, is merely this much?”

Three hundred and twenty thousand taels of gold…

To the Gui Yuan Sect, it was not considered much at all.

“The value of gold in the Northern Sea Continent should be different from ours.” Teng Qingshan smiled. “Furthermore, I reckon that even under my threats, the Chunshen Clan’s people will not hand over all the gold. However, they would not dare to conceal too much either. After all, they are also scared of being found out by me. They fear that in my rage, I will have them all killed.”

When Teng Qingshan had just finished speaking—

“Uncle, did you already kill those people?” That little slave girl shouted quickly. Amidst the dark night, the others felt their hearts palpitate inadvertently at her crisp and melodious voice.

“Do you wish for them to die?” Teng Qingshan looked curiously at the little slave girl named, ‘Little Ping’.

Biting her lips, the little slave girl’s eyes were full of hatred as she said softly, “O-on the island, I was only a domestic slave. Only Big Sister Fang treated me the best and was my favourite… but Big Sister Fang is already dead! She was murdered by the people from Chunshen Clan! Uncle, have you already killed all those evil people of the Chunshen Clan?”

“No, but I’ve killed their leader,” Teng Qingshan said directly.

“Thank you, Uncle.” The little slave girl did not dare to offend Teng Qingshan, but there was still flash of slight disappointment in her eyes.

That group of evil thieves…

She had been hoping that all of them would die.

After hearing this, Li Jun walked over and stroked the little slave girl’s head softly. She said, “Big Brother Teng, that Chunshen Clan are simply inhumane to have massacred all the people on the island. It would not be a pity if those people died.”

“Two families going against each other. Presently, the Chunshen Clan has wiped out the Liu Clan. If the Liu Clan were strong, perhaps the Liu Clan would have annihilated the Chunshen Clan as well! Tell me, who’s right and who’s wrong?” Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun.

Li Jun was startled.

“Big Brother Teng, then why did you go there? For money?” Li Jun said quickly.

“Yes, for money.”

When he was done speaking, Teng Qingshan then turned around and faced north, without saying anything else.

Li Jun felt somewhat confused.

In her heart, Teng Qingshan was not the type that would simply kill people for money. “Big Brother Teng isn’t that sort of person! Yes, definitely—it’s definitely because he saw the island’s tragic state, and felt a little bit of pity for the people that died. That’s why he then chose to act against the Chunshen Clan. It has to be that!”

“Moreover, according to my investigation, at the time… Big Brother Teng had disguised himself as a merchant. He has never killed others indiscriminately. Furthermore, on the prairie, he had also treated the ordinary herdsmen extremely well. On Bright Moon Island, he had also been similarly amicable towards the ordinary people, like that fisherman, Shangguan Quan.” As Li Jun thought about it, the more certain she was in her heart. “Big Brother Teng still treats ordinary people very well. With regards to armies and some powerful experts, however, he would show no mercy!”

“Hmph. Those armies are just the same as bandits! Massacring, robbing, daring to do whatever… It would not be a pity if people like these died!” Li Jun had no favourable impression towards people who were the same as bandits.

This was the reason why she had thought previously that Teng Qingshan should completely kill everyone from the Chunshen Clan.

The bitter experience she’d had previously predetermined that she would hate this kind of people to the bone!

Early morning the next day, as the morning sun was rising…

White sea foam splashed as the Tungsten Wood Vessel sailed forward serenely. In the skies above the Tungsten Wood Vessel, the Blue Luan had just unfolded its wings and was flying overhead the sea. Faintly, its whole body had a seven colored radiance as the morning sun shone down.

In contrast, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were presently squatting on the deck.

“Big Brother Teng, we don’t understand these book and maps either.” Li Jun and Teng Qingshan were in the process of arranging those books and a large pile maps. There were various kinds of symbols within the maps, but Teng Qingshan and Li Jun could not read a single word at all.

“Wait till we reach the shore, then we’ll find someone to ask,” Teng Qingshan said.

“Yeah.” Li Jun was also extremely helpless.

It was indeed very vexing to be unable to read any of the words.

“I understand it!” A slightly timid voice rang out.

Simultaneously, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun turned their heads to look at the frail girl who spoke out somewhat timidly. The little girl had slept yesterday and changed into Li Jun’s clothes. Although the clothes seemed loose, the little slave girl named ‘Little Ping’ already became much more pretty.

“You understand it?” Teng Qingshan did not dare believe it.

“Say, Little Ping, you can read?” Li Jun did not dare believe it either.

A little slave girl, who was currently only nine and had been sold thrice, had probably been sold to others since she was very young. How could she have learnt how to read? Which family would have taught a slave girl how to read?

“I… When I was young, there was someone at home that taught me to read and write,” Little Ping said hurriedly “Although what I learnt wasn’t much, but I can still read some words.”

“Haha. Come here. Come quickly.” Teng Qingshan called out promptly.

“Tell me the names of each and every place on this map.” Teng Qingshan spread out a large map. Although Teng Qingshan could not read the words on the map, he could tell through the shapes of the drawings on the map that this should be a map of the entire Northern Sea Continent.

Little Ping inhaled deeply, seeming as though she was mustering strength for herself. It was true that the Uncle and Big Sister before her treated pretty well, so she wanted to repay them.

“Don’t be nervous.” Li Jun pulled Little Ping to her side.

“What do these three characters read, Little Ping?” Teng Qingshan asked whilst pointing.

Little Ping took a careful look and then said word by word, “River of Divine Waves.”

“En.” Teng Qingshan nodded his head as his smiled. Although he could not read the words, he could guess from the map that this was the name of a river.

“What are these three large characters?”

Once more, Teng Qingshan pointed at the three largest characters on the whole map. According to his conjecture, it should be the three words, ‘Northern Sea Continent’.

“Duan—Mu—Continent!” Li Ping said.

“Duanmu Continent?” Teng Qingshan’s eyes widened.

“Duanmu?” Li Jun looked at Teng Qingshan as well, and the both of them felt extremely doubtful.

Little Ping looked at the two people in surprise. “This is Duanmu Continent. What’s wrong? Uncle, I often hear you mention the Northern Sea Continent. Are you saying our Duanmu Continent is the Northern Sea Continent?”

Teng Qingshan suddenly realized.

Northern Sea……

As far as the people of the whole of the Nine Prefectures were concerned, the north of the ocean was indeed the ‘North Sea’. However, in the eyes of the people of Duanmu Continent, the ocean was actually in the ‘south’, and it was simply not possible for them to give their own Continent the name, ‘Northern Sea Continent’.

The Northern Sea Continent was just a name that Emperor Yu had come up with by himself.

With Little Ping knowing how to read, things were indeed simpler now. Although it could be said that Little Ping knew very little with regards to the entire Duanmu Continent (Northern Sea Continent), nevertheless, these books and maps contained many pieces of information that Teng Qingshan wanted to know.

“As it turns out, the ones with the highest status on this Duanmu Continent were: Godly Axe Mountain’s Godly Axe Deity, Yu the Great, from a very long time ago; and the other was the Thunder Blade Deity, Duanmu Yu, from three thousand years ago.” Teng Qingshan finally understood.

Although this Northern Sea Continent was not as good as the Land of the Nine Prefectures… Unexpectedly, they still had a Thunder Blade Deity, Duanmu Yu, as an Omnipotent Expert!

“In the Northern Sea Continent, Omnipotent Experts are known as Deities?” Teng Qingshan sighed inwardly. “That year when Emperor Yu was here, the population of the Northern Sea Continent was only a few million, and they were extremely united. Emperor Yu left behind all sorts of Cultivation Techniques, and the Northern Sea Continent’s people became even more powerful as well. Overcoming all kinds of dangerous situations and predicaments, their population grew bigger and bigger. It was to the extent that even an Omnipotent Expert had emerged, unifying the whole of the Northern Sea Continent. The entire Continent was then named as Duanmu Continent.

The Northern Sea Continent was only the size of two prefectures of the Nine Prefecture Continent.

Yet it could give rise to an Omnipotent Expert.

“Thunder Blade Deity?” Teng Qingshan exclaimed inwardly. Not one of the four great Omnipotent Experts of the Land of the Nine Prefectures used a blade. Yet, one who used a blade had appeared on Duanmu Continent.

“Duanmu Yu had a ‘Piebald Horse’ that could fly in the sky? A Thunder Blade that had a storage space and a supreme movement art, 《Nine Thunder Blade Scrolls》?” From one of the books which had an unofficial history of powerful experts,Teng Qingshan learned some tales about Duanmu Yu.

He was an absolutely and completely domineering, extremely strong person.

With the Thunder Blade in hand, he was unparalleled under the heavens.

“This Northern Sea Continent—oh, no, Duanmu Continent! It is perhaps even more brilliant than I thought.” Teng Qingshan’s heart was filled with expectations.

……

Nine days later…

The sky was clear and the air was fresh. Under Teng Qingshan’s control, the Tungsten Wood Vessel pulled up to the side of an overgrown seacoast.

They had reached Duanmu Continent!