The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-202

The night was black as ink. Torches were lit throughout the training field of Teng Jia Village, where a few hundred people were gatheredThe gate opened.

The gate opened.

The bodyguards from the Black Armored Army entered the training field. Teng Qingshan was the first to jump down his horse, with Qingyu following close behind.

“Grandfather,” Teng Qingshan was the first to rush to grandfather Teng Yunlong’s side.

“Qingshan, Qingyu, follow me,” Teng Yunlong pulled Teng Qingshan’s arm, leading him towards Teng Qingshan’s house as he spoke, “Your mother is sick. She is recuperating at home.”

“Sick?” When Teng Qingshan entered the village, he immediately felt that the atmosphere wasn’t right. The moment he heard that his mother was sick, he concluded that something even worse had happened! Just at the thought of that…….Teng Qingshan couldn’t help but feel his heart lurch. He had a small headache. No, such thing…..cannot happen! It absolutely won’t happen!

Teng Qingshan asked as he was walking on the road back home, “Grandfather, my father is fine, right?”

Teng Qingshan still refused to believe his deductions. While his conclusions were made by logical thinking, his heart and emotions refused to accept them.

“Grandfather,” Qingyu also looked at Teng Yunlong.

Teng Yunlong stopped to turn and look at Qingshan and Qingyu. There was a slight hesitation before he spoke, “You guys must have heard from Yonglei that your father was taken away by Qing Hu Island. Qinghao came back this evening!”

“Brother Qinghao came back? What about my father?” Qingyu hastily questioned.

“Qinghao said that Qing Hu Island ordered to kill all the hunters in the evening! Yongxiang desperately threw Qinghao out of the encirclement and was killed……As for your father, Yongfan, he was encircled by a group of Silver Dragon Soldiers at the time. Qinghao did not see Yongfan die,” Teng Yunlong answered.

“Father……”

Qingyu’s face instantly lost all color and burst out in tears.

Teng Qingshan was finding it difficult to remain standing as he held his head in his hands and closed his eyes. After a long while, he opened his eyes, his eyes slightly red.

“My father has not returned?” Teng Qingshan asked in a deep voice.

Teng Qingshan knew the abilities of both the Silver Dragon Soldiers and his father. He could clearly imagine the situation in which his father died. The possibility of his father’s escape was zero! If his father really did escape, he should have returned to the village by now, since Qinghao had already returned to the village that evening.

“He has not returned,” Teng Yunlong said.

“Not back?” Teng Qingshan felt his heart tying itself up into a knot inside his chest, as the veins on his forehead bulged.

For a second——

Teng Qingshan felt his mind go blank!

“Father is dead?” Teng Qingshan held his head with his fists, his body violently trembling. His heart was aching.

It was like they said, you don’t know what you have until it’s gone.

Teng Qingshan had no parents in his previous life, as he was an orphan! Therefore, he cherished the parents in this life even more! He was very obedient to his parents and enjoyed the warm feeling in his heart when his parents cared for him… These were all things he lacked in his previous life; therefore, it was the most precious thing he valued in this life!

Father! Mother!

When Teng Qingshan was very young, he had sworn to protect his parents, to let them live a good life, and most importantly, to make his parents proud!

Because of this, Teng Qingshan had endured, and did not act out when the gangs in Yi City had bullied Teng Jia Village, no matter how angry he felt! It was all for his parents and his kind clan! It was all to prevent his parents from facing danger due to his rashness! If those mounted bandits posed any kind of threat to his clan, he would attack secretly…And when he attacked, he would kill them all! This was so that his clan would not be in harm’s way!

He killed Master Hong Si!

He killed the men of the White Horse Gang!

He killed all of them for the same reason!

No one could ever harm his parents! No one!

“I will never allow it! I will never allow anyone to harm my parents, no matter who they are!” Veins popped out of Teng Qingshan’s forehead as he thought this. In this life, Teng Qingshan had never felt this angry ever since his birth. This fiery anger had burned away all of Teng Qingshan’s rational thoughts and a strong killing intent appeared in the bottom of his heart.

Kill them!

Kill them!

Kill all of them!

These voices continuously roared in Teng Qingshan’s mind and caused the waves of anger to surge!

“Qing Hu Island! Qing Hu Island!!!” Teng Qingshan’s eyes were like the terrifying eyes of a feral wolf .

Off to the side, as Teng Yunlong saw the angry fire in Teng Qingshan’s eyes, the bulging veins on his forehead, and the terrifying murderous intent in his eyes, he immediately shouted, “Qingshan, Qingshan!”

“Grandfather” Teng Qingshan looked at Grandfather. Unless his vitals were hit, then Teng Qingshan, someone that had experienced hardcore assassin training, would rarely lose control of his emotions. However, he had lost control of his emotions just now. Of course, when Teng Qingshan realized that, he quickly withdrew the anger that burned to the heavens, and suppressed it deep down his heart!”

This anger should not be shown to my family! This anger should be shown through the punishment of my enemies!

“Qingyu, no more crying,” Teng Yunlong held his granddaughter’s hand and said, “Let’s go see your mother. Remember, don’t cry and just comfort your mother, got it?”

“Yes,” Qingyu nodded as she sobbed.

Teng Qingshan nodded his head silently. He clearly knew….that the relationship between his mother and his father was very deep. Ever since father’s incident, Mother should be the one that was suffering the most.

……

In the nostalgic courtyard and house.

“Go gently comfort your mother,” Teng Yunlong instructed and pushed the door open.

“Creak!”

The door opened, showing a room that was dimly lit by a flickering oil lamp. A woman dressed in a red cotton jacket sat beside the bed as she cared for Yuan Lan, who was currently laying unconscious on the bed. Teng Qingshan and his sister walked into the room.

The moment Teng Qingshan saw his mother, his heart ached.

Her face and lips were pale, many cold drops of sweat beaded up on her forehead, and many white hairs could be seen. It had only been six months since he saw his mother last; however, …Mother had greatly aged in such a short time.

“Mother,” Qingyu burst into tears.

Lying in bed, Yuan Lan moved her brows and gradually opened her eyes. When she saw her two children in the room, she stretched out her hand and opened her mouth, “Qingshan, Qingyu.” Teng Qingshan and Teng Qingyu immediately went beside the bed and held their mother’s hands. Yuan Lan then stared at her two children for a long time……

“Cough, cough……” Yuan Lan suddenly coughed. Her face was paling beneath a sick redness.

“Mother,” Qingyu shouted in shock.

Teng Qingshan immediately took out the wine gourd from the bag behind his back and requested, “Grandfather, please give me a wine cup.”

“Okay,” Although Teng Yunlong did not understand, he still went to the living room and took out a wine cup. He handed the cup to Teng Qingshan and Teng Qingshan immediately filled half of the cup with Scarlet Fruit Wine.

“Mother, drink this,” Teng Qingshan said.

Yuan Lan looked at her son, a faint smile appearing on her pallid face. She then drank the Scarlet Fruit Wine. The medicinal effect of the Scarlet Fruit Wine was not strong and brought no harm to the body. However, Teng Qingshan was worried that her body was too weak to absorb the nutrients; therefore, he gave her only a small amount of wine.

Yuan Lan’s face was soon filled with healthy color, and even her yellowing hair turned back into its previous black color, making her seem a lot younger.

“Yes, I feel much better,” said Yuan Lan, forcing out a smile.

“Mother…….” Teng Qingshan felt his heart ache again.

Despite the fact that Mother’s face and physical body seemed to have improved, Teng Qingshan realized that… it was extremely hard to cure someone that was sick at heart! Seeing her hopeless eyes that were devoid of any life, Teng Qingshan understood one thing! He understood that no matter how powerful an expert was, if that expert gave up all hope, to the point that he was both mentally and physically weak, then he would soon die.

Among both of the vitalities, Qi and Spirit of human body, Spirit was the more important one.

If the Spirit of a person was ever destroyed, then that person would die.

The Scarlet Fruit Wine did change the physical quality of the body; however, his mother was already both mentally and physically weak due to the utter sadness within her heart.

“I am so happy to see you two.” Yuan Lan smiled as she tried to speak, “However, Qingshan…I have no other request to ask of you. I just wish that your father’s body will be able to return. When I think of your father’s unburied body eaten by beasts in the field, I feel worried……. However, Mother can’t do anything.” Thinking about it, Yuan Lan burst out in tears.

“Yes, mother. I will bring Father’s body back,” Teng Qingshan hastily nodded as tears welled up in his eyes.

……

Beside the courtyard, in the room that Teng Qingshan used to live in.

Teng Qingshan and Teng Yunlong were inside.e

“Your mother’s health is bad,” Teng Yunlong sighed as he said, “In the past, when my Teng Jia Village was bullied by the mounted bandits, after the death of some men, their loved ones would then feel so sad that they would die of sadness. Love-sickness has no remedy.” Teng Yunlong had seen too much.

Such love-sickness that resulted in death would cause a wounded heart! Only medicine of the heart could ever hope to cure the wounds in one’s heart. Yuan Lan, who is suffering from a broken heart, is an example. She would only get better if Teng Yongfan appeared before her. The heart can only be cured if it wants to be cured.

“I understand,” Teng Qingshan said in a deep voice, “Grandfather, prepare to move the entire Teng Clan to Jiangning County City.”

“What?” Teng Yunlong was surprised.

“It is much safer in the city, as it is the territory of Gui Yuan Sect.” Teng Qingshan took out a goat-skin bag and fished out a wad of gold notes as he said, “Grandfather, this is ten thousand taels of gold notes! If we buy some stores in the city and rent them out, it would be enough to support the clan members.

Teng Yunlong stared at the wad of gold notes in surprise. Ten thousand taels of gold was ten million taels of silver! It was an astronomical figure!

“Also, this is the Scarlet Fruit Wine which I prepared for the clan,” Teng Qingshan took out the wine gourd and said, “A cup of this scarlet fruit wine can give even an emaciated lady the strength of a thousand Jin. If a cup of this wine was given to a strong man, it would increase the man’s strength by thousands of jin.”

Teng Yunlong couldn’t believe it.

……

When Teng Yunlong drank a cup for himself, his strength increased by three thousand Jin. Teng Yunlong was astonished and immediately viewed this Scarlet Fruit Wine as the precious treasure of the clan. Actually, with Teng Yunlong’s physical qualities, his strength could increase by six to seven thousand Jin. The reason it did not was because he only drank a bit.

During the night, Teng Yunlong immediately assembled the clan members and ordered the clan members to prepare to move overnight.

However——

There was too much thing to do as it was over two thousand people moving away. However, under Teng Yunlong’s strict request, the members of Teng Clan did not bring any pots, pans, and bowls, but only some clothes and the ancestral memorial tablets. Before dawn arrived, the villagers pulled some belongings with the bodyguards’ horses, and all two thousand plus people finally gathered together.

The sky lit up as morning arrived.

The villagers were all very sad, as all of them felt slightly reluctant to leave this place that generations and generations of their people had inhabited.

“Don’t be sad, people!” Teng Yunlong shouted, “Even a sect could be obliterated one day. Our Teng Jia Village would be in a state of anxiety in this place. When we move to the city the civilians would never be touched, even if a war between the sects happened. Let’s go….This is a very good thing!”

Everyone understood that moving to the city was a very good thing.

They just couldn’t bear to leave.

……

The people of Teng Jia Village began advancing towards the east. With the protective force of a few hundred strong men and the bodyguards of the Black Armored Army, any mounted bandits would be too afraid to attack. In the region of Jiangning County, who didn’t know the Black Armored Army? No one would dare have the audacity to rob the Black Armored Army Jiangning County.

Even Qing Hu Island wouldn’t dare!

Since Qinghu Island knew the trump card of the Gui Yuan Sect, it wouldn’t provoke Gui Yuan Sect easily.

At the crossroads.

“We will be out of the region of Great Yan Mountain soon, and we will see no more men of Qing Hu Island. Qingyu, take care of Mother on the way there.” Teng Qingshan said.

“Brother, what about you?” Qingyu asked worriedly.

“I still have something to do. I need to find uncle’s and brother’s bodies.” Teng Qingshan answered. How could he return to Jiangning County like this? The anger that was suppressed deep down his heart had already caused Teng Qingshan’s head to explode. It was impossible for Teng Qingshan to endure this crazy and burning anger.

“Okay.” Qingyu nodded.

The reason Teng Qingshan sent the clan members out of the Great Yan Mountain was to protect them from the men of Qing Hu Island. However, he did not see even one silver Dragon soldier on the way.

The two thousand plus people advanced towards the east slowly.

“Qinghao.” Teng Qingshan stood beside the road and yelled.

“Qingshan.” Teng Qinghao walked towards Qingshan as he answered. Teng Qingshan asked with a soft voice, “Where are uncle and my father’s bodies?”

“At the Gourd Valley in the southwest area of Great Yan Mountain. It’s a near bottomless pit. Do you remember that hole that we walked past when we went into the mountain to hunt?” Teng Qinghao asked. Teng Qingshan nodded……. At that time, Teng Qingshan was the leader of the hunter squad, and he was the leader for six years.

He was very familiar with the Great Yan Mountain.

There are quite a few Bottomless Pits in the Great Yan Mountain, and Teng Qingshan had never really cared about it. He had seen many of these Bottomless Pits in his previous life. Because of the movement of the earth’s crust, some mud would sink, and such holes would appear. Teng Qingshan had never ventured into any of these Bottomless Pits.

“The Bottomless Pits in Gourd Valley.” Teng Qingshan’s eyebrow furrowed, “What is Qing Hu Island searching the Bottomless Pit for?”

Teng Qinghao hastily said, “Those Qing Hu Island bastards caught a bunch of hunters. First they asked us if we have ever seen a palace in the Great Yan Mountain, but we replied that we didn’t know. Then they asked us if we knew about any deep holes or pools that lead to the underground, and so we, the hunters, led them there.”

“Underground palace?” Teng Qingshan could deduce the reason easily.

……

Teng Qingshan went along the Great Yan Mountain, all the way west until he saw the Teng Jia Village. When Teng Qingshan saw the emptied Teng Jia Village, he felt saddened.

When he was six years old, he had lifted the one hundred Jin rock in the training field of Teng Jia Village. At that time, his father was so excited that he drank too much liquor. The group of villagers had then argued whether they should send Qingshan into the Gui Yuan Sect.

He hunted a Snow Ferret and Wolf King during the first time he went hunting in the mountains, and when he had returned to the village, the cheers of the villagers rang into his ears.

When he was fourteen, the second leader of the Iron Mountain Gang attacked, but he moved and defended his people, frightening the second leader.

These scenes could not be forgotten.

“This is the root of my Teng Clan! We must move today because of……Qing Hu Island!!!” It was all because of Qing Hu Island! Teng Qingshan had never thought that Qing Hu Island would capture simple country folks. “Father is dead, and Mother…..” Teng Qingshan knew clearly.

If this continued, then his mother would be so mentally and physically weak that she would die soon.

Father! Mother!

In this life, Teng Qingshan valued his parents more than his life! And all of these were taken because of Qing Hu Island!

“I can endure anything for my parents! But all this is gone!” The suppressed anger in Teng Qingshan’s heart was roaring, and a faint redness was seen in his eyes. In Teng Qingshan’s previous life, the death of his wife, Little Cat, caused him to go crazy, and he was so angry that he obliterated the entire Red organization!

And in this life, Teng Qingshan’s anger was as great as the anger he felt from his previous life!

This was his weak point!

They just offended someone who shouldn’t be offended!

Everyone has a thing that is most important to them. When this thing is taken, then even the most gentle person would go crazy. Plus….. Teng Qingshan had always been a lone wolf that had long since withdrawn its sharp claws! In his previous life, he became a wolf that lived in the midst of massacres since the age of seven!

Coming this point, there was no more need to endure!

Teng Qingshan’s only thought was——Kill! Kill! Kill!!!

Use the assassin skills he had learned in his previous life, and kill with all means!

Kill with the special powers gifted to him by the internal martial arts!

Desperately……do anything to kill!

Release all the anger in the bottom of his heart! There was no need to endure anymore! There was just the need to kill!

“Qing Hu Island…….” Teng Qingshan opened his bag and took out the items within. He wore the human skin mask that showed the knife-scarred face of a middle-aged man, along with the Heavenly Hawk Claws. Sounds came from his bones and Teng Qingshan’s height decreased from seven Chi six Cun (1.9 meters) to seven Chi two Cun (1.8 meters). His whole body also became a lot more muscular.

Teng Qingshan’s eyes were cold as he looked up to the mountains like a lone wolf!

It was just him alone!

With no concern for anything else!

“Let’s begin!” Teng Qingshan sprinted forth, instantly disappearing into the forest.