The Nine Cauldrons

Zhuge Yuanhong

In the early morning, the light from the sunrise fell upon the entire school grounds.

However, the six thousand Black Armored Army turned it into an icy, deep black-watered pool. It made the entire school ground seemed cold and gloomy. Along the way, the more than 300 people that were previously talkative immediately quieted down. Under this atmosphere, nobody dared to speak.

“Huh?” Teng Qingshan felt as if his chest was pressed against a rock, and only after slightly adjusting his breathing, did he manage to return it to normal.

“I don’t fear any of those within this Black Armored Army; however, with six thousand of them in the same place, their imposing manner is already completely suppressing me even from this distance.” Teng Qingshan didn’t speak and followed the crowd. They walked towards the school grounds together. Along the spacious path paved by blue stones, the crowd of more than 300 people entered the school ground.

Among the six thousand soldiers of the Black Armored Army, many turned their heads to take a look. Their eyes were filled with self-confidence, and some were even filled with provocation.

To be able to become a sergeant in the Black Armored Army was something worthy of being proud.

“Haha……” laughter suddenly broke the silence in the sky over the school grounds. When Teng Qingshan followed the source of the sound, he saw that in the distance of the school ground, four people, dressed in black gowns, were walking parallel towards the front of the school grounds. The one laughing was one old man amongst them.

This old man wearing a black gown had a hooked nose, silver hair and sharp eyes.

“Qingfeng. I heard that there were nine First Rated Warriors during the entrance examination this time. Is this true?” This silver haired old man said from far away. “I don’t know how many of the eight vacant centurion positions those nine people will take. If they can’t even take one of them, then it would turn out to be quite interesting.”

The middle-aged man wearing the grey gown who was leading Teng Qingshan’s group immediately bowed slightly and said with a smile, “Second martial uncle, among those nine First Rated Warriors, there are several fierce ones. You should let the centurion under your command to take care.”

Among the four people wearing black robes, except for the silver haired old man, there were two men and one woman. One of the men was nine Chi tall (2.25m) and had extremely sturdy body. His face radiated a metallic glow, as if it was made of metal.

The other man was nearly eight Chi tall (2m). He looked younger, and his eyes were swift and fierce. When his eyes gazed at the Black Armored Army underneath him, those sergeants would lower their heads, afraid to make eye contact.

As for the fourth person wearing the black gown, she was the only female amongst them. Because she wore that black gown, her body couldn’t be seen clearly, but she was over seven Chi tall and (1.75m) as a woman, it would be considered very tall. She had fair skin, and knife like ice-cold eyes that made people shiver in fear.

“Martial brother, although they are the eight weakest centurion among my Black Armored Army, however they are not people who those First Rated Warriors could easily defeat.” That guy with the nine Chi body and brawny stature replied. His voice would continue to echo within people’s chest.

Exactly at that time, these four people in black arrived at platform above the school ground.

On the platform, there were five chairs and these four people in black scattered before sitting down, only leaving behind the central seat vacant.

“Pay your respects to the commanders!” Suddenly, a low and deep sound issued this order among the Black Armored Army.

Immediately afterwards, bang!

The six thousand soldiers of the Black Armored Army knelt down on one knee, their heavily armored bodies making a strong impact after crashing down. This six thousand soldier of Black Armored Army then shouted simultaneously, “We pay our respect to the commanders!” However, about a dozen people standing at the edge of those six thousand soldiers only bowed slightly, and didn’t kneel down.

“Get up.” The silver haired old man wearing black opened his mouth.

The six thousand soldiers of the Black Armored Army simultaneously stood up.

“These four ……” Teng Qingshan carefully observed the four people standing on the platform. “They should be the four commanders of the Black Armored Army! They are the true powerhouses that have already reached the extremes of the Postliminary Realm, and ordinary First Rated Warrior can’t compare with them.”

A hint of fighting spirit appeared in Teng Qingshan’s heart.

Being able to lift a boulder of 10,000 Jin was a boundary!

Once this boundary was reached, one would be a First Rated Warrior and called being at the ‘Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm’.

However, as long as someone had a good secret technique to cultivate inner strength, reaching the Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm after a decade or so wasn’t too difficult. That was why ……there were too many people who had reached the Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm!

The three brothers of the Wang Clan that created the Iron Mountain Gang had reached the Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm!

Master Hong Si had reached it as well!

That Li Yanshan who was killed by Teng Qingshan had also reached the peak!

Such a small place like Yi City already had this many. In sects, there were even more that had reached the Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm.

From the entrance examination this time, there were nine First-Rated Warriors! With this, one could imagine that there were numerous experts who reached the Pinnacle of the Postliminary Realm on the Nine Prefectures. However……Everyone’s power was not of the same level because of inner strength techniques and uncanny talented people.

Some were able to burst forth ten thousand Jin strength instantaneously!

For example, Teng Qingshan. Although he hadn’t yet reached the Innate Realm, and was only a powerhouse of the Postliminary Realm, he could easily slaughter a herd of First Rated Warriors with his inhuman strength.

“Inside the Black Armored Army, the commanders have the highest status! Though, I’m not sure how their strength will compare to mine.” Teng Qingshan didn’t dare to be too arrogant.

After all, the history of the Nine Prefectures could be traced back several thousands years. The use of inner strength had already reached the pinnacle. Like Master Hong Si of the White Horse Gang, who once blocked Teng Qingshan’s stone, it was difficult to predict what kind of techniques the four commanders, who were stronger than Hong Si, would use.

Just when Teng Qingshan pondered over his thoughts in this short time, another three figures were walking at the distance, before sitting high above the four commanders of the Black Armored Army. The commanders immediately stood up and slightly bowed in respect, “We pay our respects to the sovereigns!”

“Pay our respect to the sovereigns!” The middle-aged man in grey, the dozens of others, and the sergeants of the Black Armored Army near the edges also immediately bowed.

“We pay our respects to the sovereigns!” The six thousand soldiers of the Black Armored Army completely kneeled down.

These three people were being led by a middle-aged man wearing a long, white gown. On his face, he revealed a happy expression and his skin was fair and clear. While walking along the way, it seemed as if he was floating in the air. By his side, there was a young man and woman. The young man wore a green silk cloth and his eyes wandered around, as if he was thinking some evil thoughts.

The young woman was wearing a light yellow yarn robe that fluttered in the wind, like a goddess that didn’t exist in this world. Her eyes were so pure that they didn’t have any impurities and there was even a trace of a smile on her mouth. While walking, she showed an unusual exotic flavour that moved peoples’ hearts.

Had a goddess come down to earth?

“What a beautiful girl.” Even with Teng Qingshan’s state of mind, he could barely stand her beauty, and his heart trembled after seeing this girl.

Teng Qinghu, as well as the rest of the crowd, were already staring at her completely dumbfounded.

This middle-aged man in white led the pair directly up to the platform and sat on the chair in the center, while the young man and woman stood behind him.

This middle-aged man in white casually said a few word to the four commanders while smiling, “Everybody get up!”

“Thank the sovereign.”

This person was the absolute ruler of Jiangning County and the sovereign of Gui Yuan Sect: Zhuge Yuanhong!

“My Gui Yuan Sect’s Black Armored Army will recruit foreign experts every six months! This time, there are nine First Rated Warriors and thirty eight Second Rated Warriors. What gave me the most surprise was…… that there was actually a First Rated Warrior who is only 16 years old!”

After Zhuge Yuanhong’s remark, the Black Armored Army, who possessed amazing discipline, still couldn’t hold in their shock and started to discuss in a low voice.

“16 years old? How is it possible?”

“The same kind of genius as the Young sovereign?”

“Humph.” Among the five people sitting on the platform, the cold young man sneered and the Black Armored Army immediately quieted down.

This Zhuge Yuanhong said with a smile, “Second martial uncle, you should manage the following centurion competition.”

“Yes, sovereign.” That silver haired old man in black immediately stood up and looked below before announcing, “My 6000 Black Armored Army is divided into four troops, and has a total of 60 centurions! Every 6 months, from each of the fifteen centurions among the four troops, the weakest two from each troop will be dismissed!”

“Out of the four troops, there are eight centurions being called out to compete with the nine First Rated Warriors for these eight centurion positions.” The words of the old man in black caused the crowd of more than 300 people to start discussion in a low voice.

Teng Qingshan finally understood the rules for the centurion competition.

Among the people inside the active duty, the weakest eight centurions will compete against the nine of them for the positions.

“These seventeen people will compete for these eight centurion positions, and the defeated will become sergeants!” The old man wearing a black gown looked down indifferently. “Niu Zhan! Hong XingYang! Xia Shuo! Situ Ning……” with one breath, this old man in black continuously recited the eight people’s names.

“You eight, bring up your cyan treading in snow horses, as well as your hematite armor” said the old man in black indifferently.

Immediately, from the edges of the six thousand soldiers of the Black Armored Army, eight people walked out. These eight people were each pulling a warhorse with a set of dark-red armor stacked on top. The complexions of these eight people were not very pretty, since they had obviously lost a lot of face.

“The nine First Rated Warriors also come forward.” The robe old man in black ordered.

“Go. Gather together with the eight centurions.” That middle-aged man wearing a grey gown urged Teng Qingshan’s group.

The indifferent and cold Gong Yangqing, the mischievous Wu Man, and Teng Qingshan, who was shouldering his long spear …… the Nine First Rated Warriors have also arrived at the front of the Black Armored Army, and lined up parallel to the eight centurions.

“These eight people are the weakest eight among the 60 centurions!” The old man in black swept over Teng Qingshan and the others. “However, even if they are the weakest eight, how many of you can win against them? If you want to become a centurion of my Black Armored Army, then without some skill, it simply won’t be possible.”

As a First Rated Warrior, who wasn’t arrogant?

Without comparing, who would admit defeat?

Teng Qingshan and the others were silent as they stared at the eight centurions with fighting intent.

“The competition is very simple!”The old man wearing the black gown explained. “Within the school grounds there are eight arenas. Niu Zhan, Hong Xingyang and the others will go inside one arena each.

“And you, the nine First Rated Warriors, can challenge them. If you win the challenge, you will become the master of the arena, and the person who lost can challenge another one! You 17 people each have only two opportunities to challenge one another! When the challenge ends, the eight who are the master of their respective arenas will become the next eight centurions!”

“Remember, this is a competition challenge and you are not allowed to take other people’s lives. Intentionally killing others will be punished by death!” the old man said indifferently.

There were many experts present, and whether a death was an accident or not could be easily seen through.

“Good, Niu Zhan. You eight go on the ring.” The old man in black ordered indifferently. At this moment, the eight centurions observed the nine First-Rated Warriors and walked towards the eight arenas.

Teng Qingshan’s eyes fell upon the brawny man that looked like a black bear.

Because……

He was an acquaintance! It was that centurion of the Black Armored Army who once upheld justice in the Canvass Lunar Restaurant, ‘Xia Shuo’.

“Brother Xiong,” said Teng Qingshan, as he walked towards him with a smile.

“You are ……” Xia Shuo suddenly stared at him with huge round eyes. “The day before yesterday, you were that youngster in Canvass Lunar Restaurant…..you are actually a First Rated Warrior?”