The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-96

"Yes, you may leave." Zhuge Yuanhong said with a smile.

"Yes, Sovereign."

Teng Qingshan bowed slightly and walked out of the study room quietly. As soon as he stepped out of the study room, the door closed by itself.

"Eh? Did he just close the door from a distance?" Teng Qingshan glanced at the door with astonishment. "This is something I can't do. As expected, Innate Experts are extraordinary people." Although Teng Qingshan had incredibly great strength, he couldn't use this strength from a distance.

Immediately, Teng Qingshan stopped thinking as joy filled his heart at this very moment.

"I can finally go home!" Teng Qingshan was slightly excited. He didn't have parents in his previous life. In this life, he had lived in Teng Jia Village for so many years and really loved and yearned for that warm home. He had left home for only some time over two months, but the thought of returning home just incite this great excitement in his heart.

Home was indeed the warmest place in one's heart.

...

Teng Qingshan pushed the courtyard gate opened and looked towards his Teng Qinghu's house. Noticing that the window was still bright, he thought to himself, "Why isn't cousin asleep? As he thought to himself, he walked over and knocked on the door. "Elder Cousin, it's me!"

"Qingshan, come in." Teng Qinghu hastily responded.

Teng Qingshan opened the door and noticed that Qinghu was practicing the profound steps int the room and sweating profusely. Seeing this, Teng Qingshan smiled and complimented, "Elder cousin, the steps are the foundation of the >. You must practice these steps until it has become part of your muscle memory. If you are able to make the steps as smooth as the flowing water, then your cultivation of this Qing Gong will reach culmination."

The Qing Gong > was divided into three stages. The second and third stages could only be practiced by Innate Experts.

Now, Teng Qingshan only reached the first stage.

After the Yearly Sacrifice, Teng Qingshan taught Qinghu the first stage of the > so that he could have the means to survive. After all, Qinghu had very ordinary amount of both inner strength and physical strength. With such physical ability, he was still far from being a First Rated Warrior.

With this Qing Gong Body Art, he would have the means of survival.

However, no matter how powerful the cultivation manual, the result depends on the cultivator. Take Teng Qingshan as an example. He was a Grandmaster in his previous life and had extremely high understanding of the steps. Moreover, his pure physical strength already gave him a terrifying speed. With the attribution of the >, his Qing Gong became even more incredible. The result of his performance was much greater than the result of Teng Qinghu's performance.

"Qingshan, I have practiced these steps for over a month and I still feel weird and uncomfortable." Teng Qinghu finally stopped to rest.

"Weird and uncomfortable? That's because you haven't attain a high realm!" Teng Qingshan laughed and said, "When you are able to do these steps comfortably and even enjoy these steps, and if you are able to do it for the entire day unconsciously, you will feel no exhaustion. Instead, you will feel more awake. When this happens, it indicates that you have completed the foundation of the first stage."

Teng Qinghu widened his eyes and said, "Walk an entire day but feel no exhaustion? Instead, I will feel more aroused? Seriously?"

"Of course it is true." Teng Qingshan remembered when he first practiced the steps of the > , he was able to reach that state very quickly. The performance of the steps wasn't exhausting at all.

"Elder cousin, let me tell you a happy news." A bright smile appeared on Teng Qingshan's face as he thought about the possibility of going home.

"What happy news?" Teng Qinghu's eyes gleamed.

"In a few days, our troop will depart to Huafeng City to guard the gold mine! Huafeng City is very near Yi City. We will pass by Yi City when we are on our way to Huafeng City. By that time, we can go back home for a while." Teng Qingshan laughed as he said, "We can even go back occasionally when we are guarding the gold mine.

"Go home? Back to Teng Jia Village? Teng Qinghu was elated as he exclaimed, "Haha, that is awesome."

Whether it was Teng Qingshan or Teng Qinghu, both of them had been in Teng Jia Village almost their entire life. Therefore, they held a very deep love for Teng Jia Village.

"Alright, cousin. Practice another three hours and then rest." Teng Qingshan said. Immediately, he turned and left Teng Qinghu's house.

"Three hours? No problem!" Teng Qinghu had very high perseverance. When he was still a kid, he spared no effort training and building up his strength, and he could naturally do it now.

Teng Qingshan returned to his room and lit the oil lamp.

"Chi—"

With the oil lamp lit up the room, Teng Qingshan sat at the side and took the cultivation manual > out. There were four vigorously written characters "Ardent Flame Spear Art" on the cover and the sight of the book just gave Teng Qingshan a very good mood. Immediately, he began reading the cultivation manual. Even though the light wasn't very bright, Teng Qingshan had very good eyesight and could read the words very clearly.

Teng Qingshan was then immersed in the cultivation manual.

He read one page after another.

Some pages had words and some had pictures of spear art and pictures of the utilization method of inner strength in the meridians of the human body.

"I see. This is very similar to the >, which relies on the inner strength to stimulate the meridians and create an instant explosive force!" As Teng Qingshan read and compared it with the cultivation manual >, he immediately understood the principle theories of these spear arts and Qing Gong.

The meridians of the human body are marvelous!

Some acupuncture and massage stimulate the movement of the Qi and blood through the acupuncture points.

As for this cultivation manual, the acupuncture points were stimulated through the inner strength within the body. One should know that the acupuncture points of the human body were as many as stars. In addition, there were many hidden acupuncture points. The stimulation of the acupuncture points was an extremely dangerous process. Because every human body is different, the pressure the acupuncture points could endure was different as well.

If the acupuncture points experienced too much stimulation, it would damage the acupuncture points, which would result in either the destruction of one's cultivation, disability, or death.

The degree and order of the stimulation of the acupuncture points and the effect produced by the stimulation of certain acupuncture points, etcetera were very complicated

Over the course of numerous years, countless talented and gifted experts experienced Qigong deviation for the sake of creating cultivation manuals. Some had their power eradicated and some died.

"Compared to the >, the > had a simpler and weaker stimulation of the acupuncture points." Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "However, even though it is simple, it is not a spear art I can create." Teng Qingshan really cherish this cultivation manual. After all, this was his first spear art cultivation manual.

It was indeed not easy to create a spear art that used inner strength.

The power of every move of this spear art seemed fine. I will try practicing the eighty-one technique first." Teng Qingshan immediately walked out of the house and came to the courtyard.

He held his Reincarnation Spear and began practicing according to the cultivation manual of the >.

"Whew!"

"Chi!"

As he began performing, sounds of the air exploding could be heard. The seemingly easy spear art actually unleashed a great power. For example, when a back thrust was done in coordination with the inner strength, the stealthiness and explosive power immediately improved and the force increased by multiple times.

Teng Qingshan learned each of the eighty-one moves conscientiously and could remember most of the moves after practicing once.

He then performed the eighty-one techniques at one go.

He didn't stop as he performed the eighty-one techniques again. The third performance was obviously much easier and seemed much more proficient. Teng Qingshan then practiced the fourth time. After the fourth practice, his performance of the > became very skillful and he could easily get into the state and mood required for the techniques of this spear art.

He then withdrew his spear and stood up straight.

"I used up 30% of my inner strength after this practice." Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "However, the power unleashed by the combination of the inner strength and moves are really great! I might be able to use some of the principles in the Five Element Spear Art!"

For now, the Five Element Spear Art, created based on the Five Element Fist had only three techniques.

Of the three techniques, the Pursuing Shadows spear art was the best technique to use during group combat. When this technique was performed, it was as quick as the phantom and the moves flowed smoothly.

The Transmutation Unity Qi spear art had an incredibly great defense.

The Toxic Dragon Drill was the most terrifying technique. It was a technique that could pierce the scales of the flood dragon.

However, Teng Qingshan's spear art couldn't stimulate the acupuncture points.

"I can use the «Ardent Flame Spear Art»'s method of increasing speed through the circulation of inner strength on the Pursuing Shadow Spear Technique and increase the speed of the Pursuing Shadow Spear Technique!" As Teng Qingshan thought about this, he felt great joy in his heart. "This > actually has eighty-one techniques. Most of these techniques have similar concepts and could be completely combined into new moves."

After practicing so many times, Teng Qingshan had an extremely high understanding of the concepts.

After a few practices, he realized that the moves of the > were repetitive and could absolutely be used to create new techniques.

As Teng Qingshan thought about it, time passed and it was soon late at night.

As night fell, Teng Qingshan rested and slept. However, as dawn came, he woke up and began studying the >. What he wanted to do sounded easy, but was extremely hard to achieve! Teng Qingshan could easily see that the eighty-one techniques of the > had five-to-six concepts.

However, it was very difficult to combine these concepts into one move.

...

On the school grounds during morning training.

Teng Qingshan stood at the edge of the school grounds alone with the Reincarnation Spear in hand. He occasionally thrusted his spear several dozen times and extremely fast before he would shake his head and continue pondering.

What is Brother Qingshan doing?"

"I have no idea. I called him, but he never responded. He is obsessed with studying spear art.

Indeed, once Teng Qingshan was immersed in a certain matter, he would be really obsessed with it. Besides eating and resting, he spent the rest of the time on studying the spear art. He studied every move assiduously and tried to understand the concept again and again.

"The concepts of the eighty-one techniques of the > could be divided into five main concepts. I might be able to merge these five concepts!" Teng Qingshan stood in his courtyard during evening. As he thought about it, a bright smile appeared on his face. "Right. These five concepts are all fire elemental concepts! If I am able to merge these five concepts, I should be able alter my Cannon Fist into a spear art!"

As Teng Qingshan focused on studying, he realized that the more he studied the >, the higher his understanding of the fire elemental Cannon Fist.

It was mutually promotive!

Teng Qingshan was able to study the > so thoroughly because of his high achievements in the cultivation of the Cannon Fist.

...

Soon, three days passed.

It was night time.

Chi! Chi! Chi…

In the dark courtyard, streaks of cold light appeared. Under the moonlight, the concentrated streaks of cold light covered a region of three chi. The great amount of cold light formed a blooming fiery flower.

Teng Qingshan withdrew his spear and stood straight.

Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "Finally! With the five concepts of the >, I finally created the first technique! This is the most illusionary and alluring technique. This technique shall be called 'Silver Flower of the Flaming Tree!'" After researching for three days, and in addition to the achievement on fire attribute Cannon Fist, Teng Qingshan finally created the first technique—Silver Flower of the Flaming Tree!

"Qingshan." Teng Qinghu walked out of the room.

"Cousin." Teng Qingshan said with a smile, "Why aren't you asleep?"

"I have just practiced the steps. By the way, we are setting off to Huafeng City. We are going back home! I am so excited that I can't sleep." Teng Qinghu said with great excitement.

"Departing tomorrow? Who said it? Why don't I know? Teng Qingshan asked with bemusement.

"They announced it during morning training. The Commander said it in front of everyone. You didn't hear it?" Teng Qinghu asked puzzledly.

"They announced it this morning?" Teng Qingshan said with a smile.

He was immersed in the thought of the spear art for the entire day. He was thinking about it when he was eating, thus, he never heard what people were saying. Unless someone approached and disturbed him, Teng Qingshan ignored all things. Thus, Teng Qingshan naturally didn't hear the announcement.

"Oh, we are departing tomorrow."