The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-27

Teng Qingshan swept over the rest of the bandits and pondered for a while.“There are 80 bandits remaining, and the second I start killing them, they’ll flee in every directions. At most, I can kill ten to twenty bandits, but this wouldn’t help my clansmen. Instead, this would endanger them further.” Teng Qingshan looked at his clansmen.

His clansmen were simple hunters that normally went with him to hunt animals in the mountains, but today they suffered far more than they were used to. Some were injured, and others were even blinded.

Teng Qingshan’s heart burned with anger.

“Everything can be discussed?” Teng Yongfan came two steps closer and walked in front of Teng Qingshan. Looking at the group of bandits, he sneered, “If you want to save your boss, it’s very simple. Hand over all the valuables you have to compensate for my people’s losses. If it is enough, perhaps we will release your boss, otherwise…”

Teng Qingshan looked towards his father and didn’t say anything. The other clansmen also kept quiet.

In this era, death was prevalent and common. If they were hot-headed, the Teng Jia Village would have already met its doom. Sometimes, matters must be considered rationally. Killing more bandits wouldn’t give the Teng Jia Villagers any benefits and might even cause the bandits to become fixated on vengeance. If this were the case, perhaps more clansmen would be killed.

“Okay, no problem.” The handsome youth took out three pieces of silver from his bosom before turning around to look at his people while shouting, “Hurry up!”.

The bandits hesitated for a moment before taking out tael of silver one after another from each of their bosoms.

“Put everything together and throw it on the ground!” Teng Yongfan shouted.

Although the bandits were not very willing, they still threw all their silver and copper on the ground. Before long, a small mound piled up.

“Qinghu, you go and count how much there is,” Teng Yongfan ordered.

“Alright.”Teng Qinghu ran towards the heap and carefully counted before turning back his head and shouting, “Not including the copper, there’s a total of 323 taels of silver!”

“Only this much?”, Teng Yongfan sneered and looked at the handsome youth. “Your Tiger Hill’s boss is worth only this much?”

Hearing this, the handsome youth began to grow anxiously and, out of all these bandits, he was the most worried for their leader since he was the leader’s blood brother! The handsome youth turned around and stared at a lean robber. “Where is the bill money that my brother let you keep?” That bandit hesitated before saying, “That…that money was supposed to be given to White Horse Gang!”

“At this time, why would you still care about White Horse Gang? My brother’s life is on balance!” shouted the handsome youth.

It was obvious that this handsome youth held some prestige amongst the bandits.

“Alright.” The bandit took out a stack of bills from his bosom and unwillingly threw it on the ground.

After taking a look, Teng Qinghu turned and shouted, “Sixteen bills, each worth a hundred taels of silver!”.

“Humph, although it’s not much, it’s still adequate. Alright, you can leave now. However, he stays.” When Teng Yongfan pointed at that triangular-eyed bandit, the bandit immediately kneeled down from fright and instantly turned to plead at the other bandits, ”Fellow brothers….”

“He’s not one of us Tiger Hill bandits, just a swindler. Kill him if you want, but quickly release our boss,” the handsome youth said.

“Get lost.” Teng Qingshan kicked the ruthless bandit leader’s waist.

Flying in the air, the bandit leader fell heavily before the handsome youth.

“Let’s leave.”, the bandit leader whispered as he lifted himself upwards with much difficulty and led the bandits away.

“Let’s go!” The handsome youth supported the injured bandit leader and immediately ordered the other bandits to flee towards the distance.

“Honored brothers….” The triangular-eyed bandit was about to cry, but when he turned around to look behind him, he saw the angry Teng clansmen glaring at him. Shivers ran down his spine as he trembled in fear.

Teng Yongfan stared at the triangular-eyed bandit. “Tell us everything from beginning to end until everything is clear.”

The triangular-eyed man’s body trembled and he said, “Fellow heroes, this has nothing to do with me. Ah, I am just a messenger! My brother works for the Yangzhou salt merchant, Master Li. This time, his boss commanded him to find someone to deal with you. That boss seemed to have ordered from you and paid you 10000 taels of silver. My brother said…. that his boss didn’t even want to give you the money from the start..”

“Son of a b*tch. It’s that bastard,” Teng Qinghu roared.

Killing intent rose within Teng Qingshan’s heart. ”That cavalry leader should be called Qin San!” Although he really wanted to kill Qin San, Qin San worked under a large salt merchant, and furthermore, Teng Qinshan’s strength might be not enough…. As for now, Teng Qingshan was still not be strong enough to deal with the enemy. Right now, he could only endure!

“Honored heroes, just pretend to fart and let me go.” the triangular-eyed man begged.

(TL: This is an idiom. The triangular-eyed man basically wants them to see him as something unimportant)

Teng Yongfan moved the long spear in his hands.

“Puchi” The long spear pierced the triangular-eyed man’s throat, and his eyes widened as he stared at his wound. Then, his life dissipated, his body collapsing on the field.

“Let’s go,” said Teng Yongfan after pulling out his spear from the man’s throat.

Supporting their wounded members, the Teng clansmen quickly departed.

On the way back.

“Qingshan.” Teng Yongfan opened his mouth.

“Father.” Teng Qingshan looked towards his father.

“Could it be, that you think it was inappropriate for your father to take the money and let the bandit go?” Teng Yongfan sighed. “Your spear technique is good, and if I let you kill them, you would probably be able to kill some of them. However, they would also kill many of our clansmen. If we attacked, many of us would have perished.”

“Following the spur of the moment and leading our clansmen into a crisis is something we absolutely cannot allow.” Teng Yongfan was teaching Teng Qingshan important grains of wisdom on the road back to Teng Jia Village.

“Father, I understand.”

If Teng Qingshan was a real ten year old child, he might have been more impulsive. However, because of his past life, he understood when to be patient and when to act.

“Qingshan, right now you have a say within the family, and your words carry value. However, you have to remember that, in order to let Teng Jia Village survive in these chaotic times, you cannot get emotional!” Teng Yongfan continued, “You have to always remember that you carry the whole clan on your shoulder.”

“I understand, Father”, Teng Qingshan’s mind was somewhat in chaos.

It was not chaotic because of his father’s word.

But because… Xing Yi Martial Arts!

“It should almost be time to teach the clansmen Xing Yi Martial Arts.” Teng Qingshan continuously pondered in his mind. “When I was six years old, it was useless to speak within the family since it would have been a bit ridiculous to learn Xing Yi Martial Arts from a child. However, I’m currently the number one fighter within the Teng Jia Village, and everyone knows that I excel in spear arts! I just need to come up with a good lie, and the entire village will easily believe me.”

While walking home, Teng Qingshan pondered carefully and finally decided, “Ah, when we return, I will talk with Father and the chief.”

After the group finally returned to Teng Jia Village, their family members saw that Teng Qingshan’s group had many injured and were shocked. However, it was fortunate that no one died, since having injured members was easier to cope with than having dead members.

Inside Chief Teng Yunlong’s residence.

The elders of the clan along with several members of high status such as Teng Yongxiang and the one armed Teng Yonglei were gathered inside.

“Yongfan, you did well this time,” Teng Yun Long said. “I never thought that the cavalry leader was so narrow minded that after giving us a bill worth 10000 taels of silver, he actually told bandits to rob us!”

“To the cavalry leader, we were like ants that he could easily crush.” Teng Yonglei sneered.

“Didn’t the once strongest gang of Yi City, the Copper Tiger Gang, want to destroy my Teng clan 100 years ago? Luckily, we quickly fled towards the mountains, but half of the clansmen were killed.” Teng Qingshan’s Third Grandfather sighed. “In this chaotic era, a life is almost worthless.”

“Fortunately, everyone came back alive.” Teng Yunlong looked towards Teng Qingshan and Teng Yongfan. “Yongfan, Qingshan, you both should be tired. You should go back and rest early.”

“Yes, Master.” Teng Yongfan nodded.

“Grandfather!” Teng Qingshan suddenly called.

“Hm?”, Most of the people looked towards Teng Qingshan. The elders within the clan were very fond of him for being so young while having such a formidable strength. Having a master in the clan could only benefit it. For instance, if not for Teng Qingshan, fewer members of the hunting squadron would have made it back alive. Because of Teng Qingshan, not one person died, and they even forced the bandit to pay money as compensation.

Teng Qingshan looked towards the elders within the family. “Grandfather, I have something to tell you.”

“Tell me.” Teng Yunlong smiled.

“What’s the matter, Qingshan?” The Third Grandfather asked.

Teng Qingshan continued, “Shortly after I joined the hunter squadron, we hunted a tiger. During the hunt, I carefully observed the tiger’s movement, and after coming back, I carefully pondered over it. If that Li Jia Village’s Li Jinfun can create a “Tiger Fist”, then so can I!”

“Tiger Fist?” The clansmen laughed.

Under the heaven of the nine prefectures, there was countless varieties of martial arts. In chaotic times, who didn’t want to know a few techniques?

“Qingshan is truly amazing.”Teng Yunlong praised him and didn’t saying anything else.

“However, when I practised my Tiger Fist and matched it with my breathing, I discovered that my body produced a mysterious power after a few days!” Teng Qingshan said.

“Your body produced a mysterious power?” The whole room fell silent, and shock appeared on their faces.

“What kind of power?” Teng Yunlong asked.

Teng Qingshan squatted down while saying, ”Grandfather look.” Teng Qingshan stretched his hand on a wooden bench and circulated his inner strength while keeping his body quiet.

“Crack!”

After an inner strength arrow shot out, everyone saw the wooden edge split up in pieces with a crackling sound.

Everything inside the room was dumbfounded and couldn’t even mutter a word as they watched the scene, stupefied.

“Inner Strength!!!”, the one armed Teng Yonglei shouted.

“It’s inner strength!” Teng Yongxian also began to shout full of excitement. “Indeed, it’s inner strength!”

“It’s real inner strength. I have seen it before!” Teng Yunlong was also full of excitement. The clansmen looked like a pack of hungry wolves seeing a lamb and stared towards Teng Qingshan, full of ecstasy.

“Qingshan actually developed inner strength! How can this be possible?!” Teng Yongxian exclaimed.

Teng Qingshan shook his head and pretended to be confused. “I don’t know either. I just imitated the tiger’s movements and felt that those movements could increase my physical strength. At the same time, I adjusted my breathing to coordinate with the movements. I didn’t expect to produce inner strength after a few months. In fact, I still can’t believe it.”

“Haha…..” Teng Yunlong burst out laughing. “What’s so strange about it? All of the world’s countless inner strength cultivation methods, weren’t they created by humans? If others can create their own cultivation method, then why can’t my Teng lineage, which has existed for thousands of years, produce a strong genius that can create his own cultivation method?”

One after another, they nodded their heads.

“With so many others creating their own unique methods, it should be normal for a genius to appear in our Teng clan.” Teng Yongxian burst out laughing.

“However, I only copied the movement and breathing of a tiger, so it currently has no further stages.” Teng Qingshan shook his head.

“That’s fine! Easy is good, and it’s better to create a cultivation method step by step.” Teng Yunlong was extremely happy. “That old man from Li Jia Village told me how proud he was that his grandson created the ‘Tiger Fist’. Humph, it was just a fake technique. My grandson’s Tiger Fist could generate inner strength and is much stronger than his technique.”

Teng Qingshan knew very clearly that the Three Postures of Xing Yi and Five Element Boxing seemed simple but in fact were the hardest techniques to cultivate successfully. Many Xing Yi Martial Arts masters continuously practiced the twelve Forms of Xing Yi, and it only after mastering the twelve Forms that they were able to gradually begin their research into the Five Element Boxing and Three Postures.

“An expert is better than a jack of all trades. Therefore, instead of teaching the twelve Forms, it would be better to teach them just the Tiger Form, which would give them a better chance to succeed,” Teng Qingshan thought to himself.

The so called Tiger Fist was in fact one of the twelve Forms, the ‘Tiger Form Fist’.

“Grandfather, I think the Tiger Fist should be taught to all the clansmen,” Teng Qingshan said.

“Good, good.” Teng Yunlong nodded.

“Haha, if we have inner strength, then who would dare to provoke the Teng Jia Village?” Teng Yongxian said excitedly. The nearby Teng Yongfan patted his son’s shoulder and said, “Qingshan, the thing that I, Teng Yongfan, am the most proud of is to be the father a son like you, haha…”

This group of clansmen were in ecstasy.

With the help of Tiger Fist, the strength of Teng Jia Village would change dramatically.

“You all have to remember,” Teng Yunlong looked in all directions and said, “The Tiger Fist that Qingshan created cannot be spread outside of the village and must be kept a secret. In the future, this will be my Teng Jia Village’s unique skill which no outsider can learn. We will only teach the men, not the women!”

“Yes, Village Chief!” Everyone nodded in approval.