The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-407

The Wintry Vanguard was the cream of the Tianfeng Clan, but now they had fallen into terror.

“Quick, quick!”

Liu He, a centurion of the Wintry Vanguard, was lucky. He escaped death when the Blue Luan sent forth its sheets of flame, because he was stationed to the rear and had cover from the mountain. At present, he was leading a group of several dozen of the Wintry Vanguard toward the Steel Sword Martial Saint.

It was at this time--

“Wu, Dong, Tantai, Yan, Xiahou Clans, your five armies had better leave quickly. Otherwise, don’t blame me for being merciless.” A resonant, and firm voice reverberated amidst the mountain greenery. Liu He who was escaping raised his head, and when he noticed the man who was standing on the bird-typed demonic beast’s back, he could not help but felt his heart tremble.

Soon, Liu He had already lead his subordinates down to the core area amidst the army.

“Sir, sir.” Liu He rushed over.

Steel Sword Martial Saint, Dong Clan’s Great Elder, Wu Baiwei, Female Martial Saint, Yan Baishou, Xiahou An, Patriarch of Tantai Clan, all of whom had assembled, showed awful expressions as they gazed upon the man speaking from the back of the eagle.

“Liu He?” The Steel Sword Martial Saint still had knowledge of the upper echelons of the Wintry Vanguard’s military officials.

“How many casualties?” Steel Sword Martial Saint inquired. The importance of Wintry Vanguard to the Tianfeng Clan was great.

Liu He’s face revealed a tinge of pain, “Dead...too many have lost their lives.The men who led the charge practically all died, the number of men who jumped from the summit also mostly died. There is a huge amount of heavily injured! Of our 900 brothers, less than 100 survived. Sir...it’s too terrifying there is no way we can go on.”

The Steel Sword Martial Saint’s face seemed to have been covered in a layer of frost.

"Kill!"

“Kill!!!”

At the battle line in the western region, amongst the soldiers who were immersed in the massacre, only a few noticed the situation at the southern mountains. As for Teng Qingshan’s words...the battlefield was cacophony, their ears were greatly shaken, and they could hear only faintly, and were to lazy to be bothered.

The seven highest ranking members of the five major clans were assembled.

“Ceasefire!” The Steel Sword Martial Saint said with a heavy tone.

The other six looked toward him.

“We’re just giving up like this?” Yan Baishou tightened his fists, feeling somewhat unresigned. “There must be a limit to the demonic beast’s fire power. It cannot possibly release it forever!”

“Brother Yan is right.” Wu Baiwei felt eager as well, “Our troops have suffered so many casualties, how could we return empty handed? To watch as the Duan and Fu Clan gain such a large benefit? Hmph! I do not believe that a demonic beast would possess the ability to overturn the entire battle situation.”

“Let’s stop,” a gloomy voice flowed out from the lips of the Female Martial Saint, “The Most Powerful Martial Saint, Teng Qingshan, would never do anything he’s unsure of. Since he dared to pull this move, he definitely has support. Let us hear him out first… we could also probe to find out the authenticity of that fiery Divine Bird’s strength.

Since ancient times, it was absolutely impossible for Innate Martial Saints to contend against an entire army.

A similar occurrence happened in the past. The demonic beast, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi was one which had fought against an entire army over a thousand years ago! As for the Fiery Divine Bird, none in the Duanmu Continent have seen it before.

……

Teng Qingshan stood on the Whole Gale Eagle, overlooking the imposing and boundless enemy troops. A large army consisting of over 300,000 men, even if the Blue Luan had an endless supply of flames… it would still take an extremely long period of time. However, Teng Qingshan was clear that once he had instilled fear into the enemy troops, then they would definitely crumble of their own accord later!

“Big Brother Teng, they’re still attacking.” Li Jun turned to look at Teng Qingshan.

Evidently, the decision makers of the opposing party did not share the thought of halting the war.

“Hmph!” Teng Qingshan watched as countless soldiers lost their lives below. He took a deep breath, his chest expanding before a powerful stream of air burst forth from his mouth, “Everyone, stop right this instant!!!” This bellow was so powerful that it made the atmosphere before him distort and shudder.

“Stop right this instant!”

“Stop right this instant!”

“Stop right this instant!”

...

As sound like divine thunder reverberated ceaselessly through both heaven and earth.

“Ah!”

“My ears!”

Most of the soldiers covered their ears, their faces turning white. Among the nearly limitless, densely crowded soldiers affected, many had fallen to the ground. A mere shout had caused both parties to halt their advance..

Teng Qingshan’s body was the strongest body in this human world. Ever since he reached the final stage of the Supreme Force, his internal and external organs had reached perfection. One could only imagine how powerful Teng Qingshan’s internal organs were! In cooperation with the protection of the Supreme Force which submerged in every areas of the body, his roar could shatter a gigantic rock into pieces!

This was akin to the attack of a sound wave!

Fortunately, Teng Qingshan had not targeted an individual . The roar, however dispersed, managed to to stupefy the soldiers.

At the location of the leaders of the five major clans.

The Steel Sword Martial Saint and the other six were startled by Teng Qingshan’s roar and exchanged glances with one another. Amidst them, the Dong Clan’s Great Elder said helplessly, “Teng Qingshan’s furious roar was enough to intimidate our soldiers and cause our army’s esprit de corps to reach rock bottom, not to mention the attacks of the fiery divine beast.

“This roar…” The Steel Sword Martial Saint raised his head to look at the skies, toward Teng Qingshan who stood on the eagle’s back. “Even the roars of those who have cultivated our Tianfeng Clan’s 《Roaring Gale Secret Codex》are no match against this furious roar.”

The technique that consisted of hurting enemies by the means of soundwaves existed in both the Land of Nine Prefectures and the Duanmu Continent!

However Teng Qingshan, who could reach the level where a 300,000 man army’s faces was rendered ashen, was simply too incredible. This shout… is definitely louder than thunder.

“Even if you guys don’t want to cease the war, the war had already stopped.” The Steel Sword Martial Saint shook his head, “Teng Qingshan’s roar had already disburdened our troops of their morale. Without morale, this war will not be able to go on.”

The outcome of a war depends on the morale of the troops!

When the soldiers on one side had become fearful and nervous, how would they be able to fight a battle?

……

When the 5 allied clans’ troops morale had plummeted to its lowest point, the Duan, and Fu Clan’s confidence had reached its summit. Expressions of joy were plastered on the soldiers’ faces. They knew that the expert who was standing on the eagle’s back seeming like an undefeatable Martial Immortal was on their side.

“Mister Teng.” From the Five Allied Clans, a firm voice had been transmitted over, belonging to the Steel Sword Martial Saint.

“Helian, do you guys still want to continue the war?” said Teng Qingshan who stood on the eagle’s back as he looked over the canyon floor, toward the Steel Sword Martial Saint that was in the middle of the army.

“Mister Teng, the Fiery Gilt Steel Ore Deposit is not something we will allow the Dian and Fu clans to possess.” The voice of the Steel Sword Martial Saint had been transmitted over, “Even if the people on your side could excavate this Ore Deposit, the major clans of the Eastern Flower Region would not stand by and allow this treasure to be in your possession. If that were to happen, you would become the target of a multitude of arrows from every side!”

“As the saying goes, the good grown in the tree that stands above the rest of the forest will be struck by the wind. In my opinion, it would be better for everyone to have a discussion.” The Steel Sword Martial Saint said.

“Haha, Helian, you need not worry about these matters anymore.”

Teng Qingshan who was on the eagle’s back, swept his gaze across the individuals beside the Steel Sword Martial Saint, “I do not mind people desiring the Fiery Gilt Steel Ores. It would only be weird if someone disliked a treasure like that. However, I have some advice for you people. If one wishes to possess a treasure, one must have the strength to keep it. Otherwise…” Teng Qingshan looked toward Li Jun who was situated beside him.

Li Jun flashed a slight smile, and softly instructed the Blue Luan with the language of birds.

“Screech~~~”

The Blue Luan flapped its wings, and soon, a sky-full of fire rained downward. It covered the gap, the middle ground of both factions exactly. The terrifying, blazing-hot fire sent the soldiers who were at the front lines scuttling back with fear.

Tss~~ Tss~~

An empty space nearly 100 Zhang long by several Zhang wide was scorched clean. The soldiers who were in the midst of battle on the hill to the south had not seen the devastating situation, but now, they bore witness to this horrifying scene. When they pictured themselves being in the fire, they could not help but turn ashen-faced.

“Dead… We’re going to die if we get burned by these flames.”

“What kind of demonic beast is that?”

“I’ll not fight anymore even if I die, I’m not fighting anymore!”

The soldiers at the frontlines were soaked through with cold sweat and had what little was left of their fighting spirit extinguished thoroughly. The reason as to why they joined the army was to fill their bowl with food. The cream of the elites like the Wintry Vanguard or the Divine Blade Guardians would not be able to rush into the torrent-like sea of fire, not to mention these ordinary soldiers.

“I do not wish to take any lives today. But if you people raise your weapons once more, then I have no other choice.” Teng Qingshan’s lips curled up into a slight smile.

The Five Allied Clans noticed Teng Qingshan’s smile, which made their teeth itch with hatred.

Raising weapons?

Even if they commanded the troops to move forward, having seen this terrifying scene caused by the Blue Luan, the soldiers would definitely choose death over war.

“Brother Helian, we…” Xiahou An and the others cast their gazes toward the Steel Sword Martial Saint.

All they could do now was to pin their hopes on the Tianfeng Clan!

“There’s no other way, let’s retreat.” The Steel Sword Martial Saint said stonily with a cold expression.

……

As the troops belonging to the Five Allied Clans retreated, Teng Qingshan who was aloft in the sky grinned as though a heavy load had been lifted off him. In the entire Fiery Gilt Steel Ore Canyon, the soldiers of the Duan and Fu Clans cheered in joy.

“Invincible!”

“Invincible!”

“Invincible!”

The soldiers stared at the figure on the eagle’s back, blood boiling in their veins, and cheered. At this moment… In the very depths of their hearts, the soldiers knew even when they reached their dotage, they would still recount tales of this day’s battle to their descendants with pride, telling of the time they went to war under the banner of the Most Powerful Martial Saint!

……

In the war of the Fiery Gilt Steel Ore Deposit of Ox Head Mountain, having gone through a battle between several clans, while in the end under direct threat by Teng Qingshan, the Divine Fire Bird, and the Duan and Fu Clan’s near 100,000 strong and unyielding defense, The other five clans had no choice but to retreat. They knew...

An army without any positive morale will lose, even if it outnumbers its foes 300,000 to 100,000!

Afterall, a war is not won by numbers alone..

The hills in the south:

Four men, Teng Qingshan, Mu Yunji, Fu Dao, and Duan Shijin, stood shoulder to shoulder, looking over the great canyon below.

“This Fiery Glit Steel Ore Deposit belongs to us now.” The high-spirited Mu Yunji pointed downward, and chortled out loud, “When I recall the Five Allied Clans, and that Steel Sword Martial Saint’s unresigned manner as they pulled their retreat, it sure feels great!”

Duan Shijin had a slight smile, “This time, it’s all thanks to Mister Teng.”

“At the western front the Yunji’s Dreamy Cloud Guardians and the Duan clan would have been able to stand, even without me.” Teng Qingshan laughed, “Alright, let’s not talk about these matters, hurry up and get to mining, the earlier we all get the ores the better.”