The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-24

A few thousand soldiers surrounded General Li. With the vigor of a few thousand soldiers behind him, General Li’s berating would probably intimidate even experts who had just attained the Innate Realm… Against an army of several thousand soldiers, even a Golden Dan Innate Expert would choose to retreat.

“Accomplice? Deadly offense?” Teng Qingshan smiled like the several thousand people were invisible. He grinned as he stared at General Li and said, “General, let me tell you one thing. Barging into my Jing Residence is also a deadly offense!”

General Li froze.

“If even one of your soldiers charges into my residence, I will take your life. Do you believe my words?” Teng Qingshan smiled as he spoke, acting as though he was casually saying something ordinary. However, the reality was that there were menacing soldiers equipped with weapons standing before him. One could even smell the blood on their armor and weapons.

Even before a great army, Teng Qingshan still uttered threats with a smile. The scene was hilarious.

However, no one dared to laugh! Teng Qingshan’s furious roars had already caused the hearts of many people to shudder.

“You—” General Li’s face became ghastly. He thought to himself, “Who is this mysterious and powerful expert? Just his furious roar alone possesses such force! He should be an Innate Expert. The Jing Residence… The Jing Residence. I know all the famous and powerful Innate Experts in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, but there seems to be no Innate Expert with the surname Jing.”

That was what General Li thought. However, to be safe, he still shouted out loud, “Who are you? Tell me your name!”

“Oh?” Teng Qingshan cast a meaningful glance at his disciple, Xue Xin.

Xue Xin immediately understood what Teng Qingshan meant. He then stepped forward and answered loudly, “My teacher’s surname is Jing, and his given name is Yi!”

“Jing Yi?” General Li pondered, “I have never heard of this name. Where did this person come from?” General Li wasn’t the only one feeling puzzled.

Beside him, Madame Zhao was also pondering about this. One should know that Madame Zhao was the core disciple of Qing Hu Island. She had seen the books which contained recorded information of the innate experts throughout the world. “There was no one named Jing Yi. I guess… this Jing Yi has just attained Innate Realm.”

“Jing Yi!”

General Li backed away slightly. Immediately, more soldiers gathered to protect him. He then declared, “Your disciple killed Qing Hu Island’s Representative of Foreign Affairs in the street! This is a major offense! As the teacher… you did not discipline your disciple well. Qing Hu Island will forgive you for that since there can be disobedient disciples. Now, if you choose to give us your disciple, we will let this slide. Otherwise, if this takes too long…”

Everyone knew that General Li was about to say.

If this fight took a long time, Qing Hu Island would definitely send some powerful experts to where they were, and it would be too late by that time.

“General,” Teng Qingshan stared at General Li and said with a smile, “I, however, can’t be bothered talking to you. You should just leave with your men. I don’t care if you wish to bring even more men or report this to Qing Hu Island later. As for this disciple of mine… no one is to touch him.”

With this, Teng Qingshan turned and headed inside the residence. Simultaneously, he commanded, “Xue Xin, close the door!”

“Yes, Teacher!” Xue Xin exclaimed loudly before the several thousand soldiers.

“You…” General Li was enraged by Teng Qingshan’s aloof manner and contemptuous attitude.

Madame Zhao, who was at the side, became furious. She hissed and reprimanded, “Jing Yi, I don’t care who you are! Your disciple killed my husband in the street! He killed Qing Hu Island’s Representative of Foreign Affairs! Yet, you’re, the teacher, still behaving so arrogantly. Why? Do you really think that there’s no one left in Qing Hu Island? Everyone, go and catch the disciple of Jing Yi! I will reward you with a million silver taels!”

A million silver taels?

That amount was probably equivalent to the entire property of a wealthy merchant.

Before General Li even passed down an order, Madame Zhao’s several hundred men roared as they rushed toward the gates of the Jing Residence.

“Brothers, attack!” Tempted by the great amount of money, many soldiers stormed over.

So what if an Innate Expert was powerful?

There was nothing to be afraid of!

No matter how powerful an Innate Expert could be, he would still be alone. How many people could he kill at the same time? If one thousand people charged over at the same time, the one who could catch this ‘Disciple of Jing Yi’ would earn one million silver taels! Then that person would really be considered rich!

“Hmph.” Teng Qingshan’s expression darkened.

“Whoosh!”

A blurred image appeared instantly beside Zhao Xi’s wife. While Madame Zhao was stunned, Teng Qingshan clutched her neck.

“Whoosh!”

Then the blurred figure disappeared.

Teng Qingshan appeared at the threshold of the Jing Residence’s gates, still gripping onto Madame Zhao’s neck. The group of people who pursued them were still three to four Zhang away from the threshold. Through this situation, one could see just how fast Teng Qingshan was!

“Stop! Stop!” Madame Zhao immediately cried out pathetically.

Madame Zhao’s bodyguards and servants, who had dashed to the frontmost area, froze as they watched Teng Qingshan grip Madame Zhao like an eagle clutching a small chick… The soldiers behind the bodyguards and servants were stunned as well.

Madame Zhao was the one who had offered a reward earlier. If Madame Zhao died, from whom could they ask for the reward if they caught the disciple of Jing Yi?

“Stop!” General Li shouted nervously.

Teng Qingshan smiled as he looked at General Li. He then commanded, “Ask your men to back away.”

“Back away! Everyone! Back away!” General Li shouted hastily. The many bodyguards and soldiers staring blankly at Teng Qingshan retreated at that moment. Cold drops of perspiration covered General Li’s forehead… Zhao Xi’s death was just a trivial matter. However, if Madame Zhao died, then things would become troublesome.

The reason why Zhao Xi had been able to become the adopted son of the Zhao Clan and the sworn brother of General Li was because of this woman!

This woman was someone who could aid one in rising to the highest level of Qing Hu Island.

“Jing Yi, I think you should let Madame Zhao go.” General Li forced a smile and tried persuading Teng Qingshan, “Madame Zhao’s husband died. She’s only acting this way because of the grief and indignation she feels. You have to understand! She is just a woman… Jing Yi, you are a superior Innate Expert, so please just let her go. We can discuss about the other issues.”

Teng Qingshan turned his head and exchanged a glance with Xue Xin, who was beside him.

Discuss?

Even if General Li wanted to end this with a negotiation, Teng Qingshan wouldn’t.

“If I discuss with you, how am I going to mess with Qing Hu Island?” Teng Qingshan thought to himself, “Zhao Guangzuo, the County Official of Wuan County, should be coming soon. A few thousand soldiers have gathered here. This is a major incident… How can he, the County Official, pretend not to know about all these?”

Previously, Teng Qingshan had deliberately made it so that they would be noticed entering the Jing Residence.

Otherwise, if Teng Qingshan had wanted to kill Zhao Xi, he could have done it secretly, and no one would know.

However—

Teng Qingshan’s intention was to provoke Qing Hu Island!

“Discuss?” Teng Qingshan chided coldly before the army of several thousand soldiers, “The Jing Residence is not a place where those soldiers can trespass… Since this woman was the one that issued the order, her life will be spared, but she must still be punished for her offense.” As Teng Qingshan spoke, his right arm exerted slight strength and Madame Zhao flew up into the air.

“Ah!” Madame Zhao emitted a painful cry in the midair while holding onto her stomach.

“Madame! Madame!”

Many servants and bodyguards hurried to catch Madame Zhao, who was still holding onto her stomach. She turned and shot resentful glares at Teng Qingshan as she cried out loud, “You-You have destroyed my Dantian!” A martial cultivator had to learn to sense the aura of inner strength before they could cultivate and acquire a great amount of inner strength.

Inner strength could make one strong, as well as prevent a woman from aging.

It was already considered good if an ordinary woman managed to live till the age of 60-70. However, an expert who had reached the pinnacle of their cultivation in inner strength could live to the age of 120-130. They might even live to the end of their lifespan, which was the age of 150. If they could attain the Innate Realm, then their appearance would remain the same forever. Even if they were over a hundred years old, they would still be able to retain the appearance they had when they stepped into the Innate Realm.

Now that Madame Zhao had lost all her inner strength, she would age very quickly.

Women valued their appearances the most. Therefore, how could Madame Zhao not hate Teng Qingshan?

“This woman will definitely hate me too. She will criticize me in front of her teacher,” General Li thought. Thus, he felt even more angry at Teng Qingshan.

“Jing Yi, you…” General Li was infuriated.

“Hm, do you think the Jing Residence is a place where you and your men can behave atrociously?” Teng Qingshan glanced at General Li and asserted, “I believe General Li is fully aware that… if I wish to take your life, it would be as easy as retrieving an item from my bag. You should just behave yourself and get lost. Otherwise, I really don’t mind destroying your Dantian as well.”

With this, Teng Qingshan turned and headed into the mansion. He didn’t even bother looking at General Li. As Teng Qingshan walked into the mansion, Xue Xin immediately prepared to close the gate.

“Xue Xin. it’s okay. There’s no need to close the gate.” Teng Qingshan’s calm voice resonated within the mansion. His voice rang in the ears of every soldier. “I would like to know who would have the audacity to barge into the Jing Residence and seek death!”

General Li was so enraged that his face flushed red. He gnashed his teeth and exclaimed, “Intolerable! Intolerable!!!”

……

In the mansion:

In the pavilion situated at the front courtyard, Teng Qingshan was leisurely reclining in a chair. His disciple, Xue Xin, stood beside him. Xue Xin’s face was flushed red, while his eyes beamed. He was excited and nervous at the same time. “Teacher, what we’ve done is equivalent to smacking General Li’s face and trampling on his body a few times. Will they just let it go like this?”

“It will be better if they choose not to let it go,” Teng Qingshan replied.

“Teacher…” Xue Xin wasn’t aware of Teng Qingshan’s plan, so he was very confused.

“You will know later,” Teng Qingshan said.

Simultaneously, Teng Qingshan could distinctly sense that within his domain another group of people were galloping rapidly toward his mansion. “Yes. It’s most likely the county official of Wuan County, Zhao Guangzuo. Now that I have stirred up such a commotion, how can he, the county official, not show up?”

According to Teng Qingshan’s plan…

He was just waiting for Zhao Guangzuo to appear.

Teng Qingshan’s ears pricked up as he heard the sounds coming from the entrance of the Jing Residence.

“Uncle Zhao, you have to avenge me!!! My Dantian was destroyed by that Jing Yi! Ah Xi was also killed in the street by that bastard’s disciple! You have to avenge me and Ah Xi!” Madame Zhao cried.

“Rest assured. No one can remain carefree after offending Qing Hu Island,” a deep voice rang out.

When Teng Qingshan heard this, he grinned and stood up.

“Teacher?” Xue Xin appeared slightly surprised as he did not hear the voices outside.

“Follow me to the main gate,” Teng Qingshan said with a smile. Although Xue XIn was confused, he still did as told and followed Teng Qingshan to the main gate.

The main gate of the Jing Residence was wide open. However, the several thousand soldiers in the street had no audacity to barge into the mansion.

When Teng Qingshan and Xue Xin appeared at the main gate, they attracted the attention of over a thousand people.

“Eh?” Xue Xin suddenly fixed his eyes upon the tall and sturdy middle-aged man, who was encircled by a great number of guards. Murderous intent immediately flooded into Xue Xin’s heart, and he roared, “Zhao Guangzuo!”

“My dear disciple, the second one is finally here,” Teng Qingshan asserted as he smiled.