The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-424

There were only three great Martial Immortals in the entire Duanmu Continent. Even for the prideful Tianfeng Clan, they would have to lower their heads when facing Teng Qingshan without the Tianfeng Martial Immortal around! At this moment, it was not the time to put on airs and be unyielding. If they resisted, it would be too late to regret it once Teng Qingshan burned down the Helian Residence.

“Helian Haotong, you trash. You are, after all, one of the members of our Helian Clan. Even if you die, you must die standing. Look at your current state, everyone in the clan now looks at you with contempt!” A robust bearded man shouted.

Helian Haotong was embracing a broken woven mat. His face was pale, and his body was trembling. After he was forcefully lifted to his feet by several soldiers, he raised his head and glimpsed at the robust, bearded man. Shivering, Helian Haotong held onto the bearded man’s thigh, and with tears pouring down, he shrieked, “Third Uncle, I beg of you, please. I do not wish to die. I don’t want to die!”

“Look at you.”

“It is you who created this mess.”

“Look at him crying! He has really marred the reputation of our Helian Clan. It would’ve been better if he had been killed by that Yang Wang right there and then.”

The Helian Clan members standing around Helian Haotong harbored no goodwill toward him… as someone had invaded their home yesterday because of him. Over 170 members had lost their lives. Today, he had even managed to provoke a Martial Immortal Expert! Yang Wang from yesterday did not matter to Tianfeng Clan in the slightest.

However, a Martial Immortal was an existence which mattered to all the clans of Duanmu Continent.

“Mister Teng, over here!” The robust, bearded man looked upward and shouted.

“Swoosh!”

The Blue Luan flapped its wings and flew over, descending unhurriedly. Teng Qingshan walked down with Yang Dong who was carrying the corpse.

“Him, it’s him.” Yang Dong’s gaze was extremely terrifying, like he wanted to devour someone alive.

“Helian Haotong.” Teng Qingshan walked over with none of the Helian Clan members daring to obstruct his path.

As Teng Qingshan stepped before Helian Haotong, the latter, who had a tattered woven mat in his embrace, shivered as he raised his head to look at Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan’s glaring gaze chilled Helian Haotong to the bone, and cold sweat inevitably oozed from his forehead as he continued to tremble.

“H-Have mercy on me. Have mercy on me. I-It’s none of my business.

“Yang Wang... It wasn’t me who killed him. It wasn’t me.”

Confronted with an imminent death, Helian Haotong collapsed completely. What about his clan? His reputation? All of it amounted to dog shit. Now that he was knocking on death’s door, why would he care about these trivial affairs?

“Yesterday, I had no part in cutting the flesh off his corpse.” Helian Haotong was on the brink of tears.

“I never thought that in this lifetime, Old Wang would end up being destroyed by the hands of someone like this.”

Teng Qingshan sighed inwardly. This Helian Haotong was totally a hedonistic son of rich parents. He did not have even the slightest bit of integrity. To think that Old Wang had died because of these people... It was truly not worth it. Simultaneously, Teng Qingshan’s right hand turned into a mirage. Then in an instant, he lashed out five strikes toward Helian Haotong’s body, dislocating all four of his limbs as well as breaking his Dantian.

“Ah~!” Helian Haotong’s face turned paper-white, and his four limbs drooped down powerlessly. As that woven mat fell to the ground, Helian Haotong’s eyes filled with fear.

“The Tianfeng Martial Immortal is so slow,” Teng Qingshan sneered coldly.

Before he entered Tianfeng City, Teng Qingshan had consciously integrated his ‘Spirit’ with the Fire Elemental Power and controlled an area of 30 to 40 Li. This area of 30 to 40 Li included the areas eastward, westward, southward, and northward, as well as the areas in the sky and the underground.

With an Emptiness Realm Expert at its core, anything within the perimeter of 30 to 40 Li, be it the surface, the underground, or the skies, everything would be in his perception.

According to the Dreamy Cloud Martial Saint’s words, this range was referred to as ‘domain’!

Evidently… the Tianfeng Martial Saint had yet to appear within Teng Qingshan’s domain.

“Let’s go.” Teng Qingshan grabbed Helian Haotong’s clothes and lifted him up as he leapt onto the Blue Luan along with Yang Dong.

The Blue Luan spread its wings, and with a shake, it soared rapidly into the skies like a streak of flame, vanishing into the southern horizon.

“Too powerful.” Within a particular restaurant within Tianfeng City, a waiter looked up with admiration in his eyes at the streak of flame as the Blue Luan vanished. “You people do not have the qualifications to negotiate with me… It was just like what the shopkeeper had said to me. Yet this person actually dared to speak of the Tianfeng Clan in this way. Moreover, the Tianfeng Clan didn’t dare to resist and handed the target over obediently...?”

“If in my lifetime, there is a chance for me to be so well-regarded... even if it’s just for a day... I can die without regrets.”

The server’s eyes shone fervently.

“Hurry up and take the dishes upstairs. What are you doing standing there foolishly?” The shopkeeper’s voice called out to the server again.

“Oh, I’m coming.” The server pouted dejectedly and went back to work.

……

Teng Qingshan had ridden the Blue Luan here, and the scene of him forcefully coercing the Tianfeng Clan had been witnessed by thousands. More than half of the population within Tianfeng City had heard Teng Qingshan’s voice. The Tianfeng Clan was the number one clan under the heavens and yet they had suffered such an insult... Many people were shocked.

They gasped at the strength of the person who rode the divine bird and all asked around about the identity of this person referred to as ‘Mister Teng.’

Although the Strongest Martial Saint, Teng Qingshan, had a great reputation, there were too few among the common folk who knew him. However, this time around, Teng Qingshan’s name had become a household name within the Tianfeng City. Additionally, news of this matter would spread rapidly from Tianfeng City throughout the entirety of Duanmu Continent.

In the skies above Tianfeng City, an enormous condor was soaring, and two individuals were standing on the back of this enormous condor. One of them was donned in a silver robe while carrying a black steel sword. He was the Steel Sword Martial Saint, Helian Haoyan. The other person was a grave and stern, black-robed and silver-haired man; he was the Tianfeng Martial Immortal who possessed terrifying strength.

“Teacher, the Fiery Blaze Divine Bird isn’t down below,” the Steel Sword Martial Saint said as he looked down attentively.

“They have already left.” The Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s expression darkened.

He could not feel Teng Qingshan’s aura within the city.

“Go down with me.”

The enormous condor swooped downward and entered the forbidden premises of the Helian Clan—the Tianfeng Palace Hall. This was the residence every successive Tianfeng Martial Immortal would use when they returned home. During normal occasions, only the Clan Lord and the Great Elder had the right to enter it.

Inside the Tianfeng Palace Hall, the Clan Lord, Helian Haofan, was waiting alone in silence. He knew that the Tianfeng Martial Immortal would definitely return.

When Helian Haofan laid eyes on the person who had just arrived, he immediately greeted, “Martial Immortal!”

As the Tianfeng Martial Immortal and the Steel Sword Martial Saint walked in together, the former said in a deep and low voice, “Haofan, what did Teng Qingshan do?”

Almost immediately, Helian Haofan explained, “Earlier, that Teng Qingshan rode that weird fiery bird here…” He recounted the entire matter in detail.

“He threatened to burn down the Helian Residence?” The Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s expression grew heavy. “He even forced you to hand over someone?”

“En, I honestly had no choice.” Helian Haofan lowered his head.

Beside him, the Steel Sword Martial Saint was bursting with anger and said furiously, “Master, this Teng Qingshan has gone too far. He coerced our Helian Clan with such great fanfare… I’m afraid that the matter has already been made known to the entire Tianfeng City. At this moment, thousands or even tens of thousands of civilians must be talking about our Helian Clan!”

The Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s ears twitched, and soon, both the voices and conversations within a distance of several Li from him flowed into his ears.

As he listened, the Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s expression became even uglier.

As the one who wielded the most power within the Tianfeng Clan, when the Tianfeng Clan got disgraced, it was akin to him losing face! Teng Qingshan’s actions were no different to giving him a merciless slap.

“Teng Qingshan!” The Tianfeng Martial Immortal suddenly smacked the chair next to him. “You’ve gone too far!!!”

“Teacher.” The Steel Sword Martial Saint looked at him and said, “What should we do now? He must’ve left for the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City already.”

The Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s eyes flashed with a cold chill, “What should we do? We’re not going to let this matter rest, of course. Hmph! This Teng Qingshan, along with that old man, Mu, are on the same side. After this incident, there will be no easing of this matter between both clans.” He pondered and soon came up with a decision. “You two stay here. I’ll head to the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City.”

“Teacher…”

“Martial Immortal…”

Helian Haofan as well as the Steel Sword Martial Saint were taken aback.

However, the Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s figure vanished in an instant.

In the skies of the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City, the black-robed, silver-haired Tianfeng Martial Immortal looked over the city from above. Sucking in a deep breath of air, he yelled, “Teng Qingshan!”

“Teng Qingshan!

“Teng Qingshan!

“Teng Qingshan!”

His voice reverberated amidst the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City.

……

Inside the Eastern Flower Garden of the Rising Sun’s inner castle in the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City, Teng Qingshan’s crew were in a bad mood due to Old Wang’s death. Suddenly, a roar, which seemed like heavenly thunder, lashed down from the outside. Teng Qingshan quickly left the hall with the others in tow, and once they were outside the house, they looked up at the skies.

“It’s the Tianfeng Martial Immortal.” Teng Qingshan looked into the distance. The Tianfeng Martial Immortal appeared extremely tiny in the high skies.

“Teng Qingshan, you’re a Martial Immortal as well? That’s simply dishonoring the words ‘Martial Immortal’.”

The deep, resounding voice carried down incessantly from the high heavens and resonated throughout the entire Dreamy Cloud Ancient City. The words of the Tianfeng Martial Immortal astonished the millions of residents in the city, and an endless chatter broke out amongst them.

“Never would I’ve thought that you’d be so shameless as to take advantage of when I was cultivating at Tianfeng Canyon to cause havoc in my clan. Haha… Why, is it that fun pushing ordinary people around? Does it exhibit your, Teng Qingshan’s, awe-inspiring might? Why don’t you come have a battle with me instead? I’ll be waiting right here!”

Teng Qingshan watched the Tianfeng Martial Immortal silently.

“Hu!” In the Eastern Flower Garden, even the Dreamy Cloud Martial Immortal had emerged.

“Qingshan, you must not go.” The Dreamy Cloudy Martial Immortal was most afraid that Teng Qingshan would be unable to bear the provocation.

“It’s alright.” Teng Qingshan raised his head as he continued to watch the Tianfeng Martial Immortal. “I want to see just what else he wants to say.”

In the sky, the Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s voice continued to spread down below, “Previously at the Ox-Head Mountain, you had fled early like a cowardly mouse. This time around, you went to flaunt your might in my Helian Clan, and when I arrived, you ran again, retreating to the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City. Haha… Now that I’m here, you can’t even take a breather… Haha, if you have the ability to do it, continue hiding in your shell.”

“Helian, don’t act so impudently in my territory.” From within the city, an infuriated shout was transmitted toward the heavens; it belonged to the Dreamy Cloud Martial Saint.

“Old Mu,are the grievances between me and Teng Qingshan any of your business?” Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s voice was like surging thunder as he continued saying, “Teng Qingshan, it looks like you can only hide behind Old Mu. Haha… You’re as cowardly as a mouse. All you know how to do is push ordinary people around. You are a Martial Immortal, yet you use the title, ‘Most Powerful Martial Saint.’ A single move was all it took for you to defeat my disciple, the Steel Sword Martial Saint. Was that gratifying?

“If a Martial Immortal isn’t able to defeat a Martial Saint in a single blow... Now, that would be weird. All you did was bully a Martial Saint. Is it that impressive? Haha, how ludicrous!

“Since your courage only amounts to this much, forget about it. Just treat it as I’ve made a wasted trip.”

“However, from now on, don’t even think about showing off in my clan because from today onward, I will be living at the Helian Residence. If you have the ability, by all means come. I’ll take on your challenge at any time.

“But… for a coward like you, I’m afraid that you don’t have the courage to challenge me at all. Haha…”

The Tianfeng Martial Immortal’s laughter resounded throughout the sky as he rode that enormous, black-colored condor and flew toward the north. Meanwhile, his brazen laughter continued to echo within the Dreamy Cloud Ancient City.