The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-26

It was in the early hours of dusk. The cold wind gushed, causing the calm surface of the Azure Lake to ripple with waves.

A strongly-built boatman, donned in a filthy robe, was slowly paddling the boat. His long hair draped over his shoulder. Finally, the boat stopped at the shore of Qing Hu Island. At this moment, a vague figure darted towards the boat. With a “Plop” sound, the vague figure descended onto the boat. It was the lone-armed Zhao Danchen.

“Gu Yong.” Zhao Danchen glanced towards the boatman.

“Elder Zhao.” A smile crept onto Gu Yong’s face.

Gu Yong was finally able to reveal his appearance. News of the previous “Island Lord” Gu Yong becoming a boatman had long been known by all.

“I will have to trouble you to ferry me across the lake.” Zhao Danchen smiled.

“Alright.” Gu Yong nodded while smiling, before starting to row the boat. Although Gu Yong rowed slowly, there was a unique and bizarre rhythm to it… This was his own method of paddling. The boat slowly accelerated, from a slow miserable crawl to the speed of a flying arrow.

“Shoooo!”

Gu Yong rowed peacefully as the boat rapidly propelled forward.

Gazing at the current Gu Yong, Zhao Danchen was secretly happy. “As expected, Gu Yong is making incredibly fast progress in his cultivation… Martial Ancestor’s method is really effective. Within a mere four years, Gu Yong has become much stronger! At the very least, the strength of the current Gu Yong is comparable to the strength shown by “Zhuge Yuan Hong” during the battle in the Great Yan Mountain.

Within the Qing Hu Sect, the person with the greatest potential to become an Emptiness Realm expert was Gu Yong!

“古雍。”赵丹尘忍不住开口道，“我看，你如今还是闭关潜修的好。如今划船……只是浪费你时间。”

“Gu Yong,” Zhao Danchen could not help but remark, “In my opinion, it would be better for you to enter close-door cultivation. Being a boatman is just a waste of your time now.”

“算不上浪费时间。”

“It is not a waste of time.”

Gu Yong gave a light smile that seemed to be able to instil tranquility into people’s hearts. “During every trip that I made ferrying people, I was able to sense the rising chaos of the world and I gladly endured it. However, Martial Ancestor had also said that the Nine Prefectures is currently in turmoil and that the Heavenly God Palace of Qingzhou harbours great ambitions, whom might dispatch some experts to assassinate me. Henceforth, I will have to cultivate in seclusion in three days so that I can achieve a breakthrough and attain Emptiness Realm.

Zhao Danchen smiled in response.

“Elder Zhao, where are you heading to this time?” Gu Yong asked.

“Wuan County City.”Zhao Danchen shook his head, “An unknown Innate expert emerged and had actually taken Guangzuo hostage.”

“Guangzuo? Oh.” Gu Yong nodded his head in response, “However, Elder Zhao, it would be better to be a bit more cautious. The Land of the Nine Prefectures is presently quite unstable. It would be better to be cautious.”

Zhao Danchen nodded in agreement, expressing his affirmation.

Suddenly, the boat began to decelerate and shortly after, slowly pulled towards the shore. X

We’ve reached the shore,” Gu Yong said joyfully.

Zhao Danchen raised his hands slightly. He leaped nearby and rushed towards the station established by Qing Hu Island. The station built by Qing Hu Island specifically provided horses. Of course… the station did not have horses like the Dark Demonic Horse. However, Wuan County City was not very far away from Qing Hu Island.

It was early morning.

Within the Jing Residence in Wuan County City.

“Elder Zhao, here it is.”

General Li disguised himself as an ordinary person. He stood at the corner of the street with Zhao Danchen, gazing towards the Jing residence from afar.

“Hoh, so that is the Jing Residence. Tsk tsk, I’ve heard that the master of this residence is an Innate expert.”

“Yes, the master of the house is extremely powerful, even the ten thousand strong city guards did not have the audacity to trespass into the residence. “

The people who walked on the street right before the Jing Residence would often point and comment on Jing Residence. To the ordinary people, Innate Experts were really too rare… In Wuan County City, the rumors were greatly exaggerated, leading to the master of the Jing Residence being elevated to being an undefeatable expert.

“Wait here, I will head inside to take a look,” Zhao Danchen instructed in a low voice.

“Understood,” General li respectfully replied.

Consequently, Zhao Danchen blended with the crowd of ordinary people and walked towards the corner of the walls that surrounded the Jing Residence. With a flash, he leaped into the Jing Residence.

“Hmph, Jing Yi is extremely arrogant.” General Li gazed at the Jing Residence and sneered inwardly. “With Elder Zhao here, lets see how he is going to act so rampantly this time. I really want to see Jing Yi be caught and become embarrassed!” Two days ago, General Li was the one that had been humiliated right before the gates of Jing Residence.

……

In the training field within the inner court of the Jing Residence:

Teng Qingshan was practicing the 《Earth Element Fist》. His moves then changed to the moves of the 《Metal Element Fist》. The Six Legged Bladelike Chi sat there, occasionally waving its two huge bladelike legs. The moves bladelike legs somewhat portrayed the essence of the 《Metal Element Fist》.

Xue Xin practiced the ‘Twelve Forms of Xing Yi’ arduously, He was like a ferocious beast and each of his moves evidently portrayed the essence of the Twelve Forms of Xing Yi.

“Eh?” Teng Qingshan stopped practicing his fist art.

“Roar~~” The Six Legged Bladelike Chi immediately emitted a deep-sounding roar of dissatisfaction.

“A member of Qing Hu Island actually sneaked in. He is quite cautious.” Teng Qingshan shook his head and shouted, “Xue Xin!”

“Teacher!” Xue Xin answered as he hastily ran over.

“Follow me.” Teng Qingshan did not explain himself any further before he immediately walked outside. Not only was Xue Xin grateful towards Teng Qingshan, he also admired Teng Qingshan. He didn’t ask any questions and obediently followed.

Without any choice, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi could only ponder upon its own ‘Blade Art’ by itself.

It was now early morning. The first glimmer of light shone. Most of the guards and maids in Jing Residence were still sleeping and only a few had woken up.

In the corner of the mansion, Zhao Danchen was clutching the throat of a guard with one hand.

“I really don’t know!” The guard hastily shook his head and said, “My master had bought this mansion recently. I have told you everything. I really don’t know anything else!”

“Oh, he bought this mansion not long ago?”

Zhao Danchen thought to himself, “He must have arrived in Wuan County City not long ago.”

“Do you know where your master hid Zhao Guangzuo, the County Official of Wuan County City?” Zhao Danchen questioned softly.

“I saw him in the inner court,” The guard hastily answered, “He’s tied onto a pillar.”

“Oh?”

Zhao Danchen nodded with satisfaction before smiling.

“Lord, please forgive me. Please strike me unconscious. I won’t tell a soul,” the guard plead hastily.

Zhao Danchen exerted force with his left hand. Crack! The guard’s eyes widened roundly and blood flowed out from his throat.

“This Jing Yi is extremely mysterious.” Zhao Danchen transformed into a gust of azure smoke as he paced back and forth within the mansion. “After he bought this mansion, he actually prohibited the maids and guards from entering the inner court. It seems like he’s hiding some secrets in the inner court.” The powerful ones are courageous. Although Zhao Danchen had lost his arm, he had achieved a breakthrough. Thus, he really wasn’t scared.

He was confident that he could be ranked top ten of the 《Heavenly Ranking》. Hence, why should he be afraid?

He knew almost all the Innate Experts that were weaker than him.

As for the possibility of him being the exceedingly terrifying Emptiness Realm expert? In Zhao Danchen’s opinion, the high-status Emptiness Realm Expert wouldn’t go against Qing Hu Island for no reason.

Whoosh!

With one leap, Zhao Danchen entered the inner court. The inner court was very spacious. There was a huge pond on the right side. Beside the pond were a pavilion and kiosk.

“Hm?” Zhao Danchen’s facial expression changed.

A person whose entire body was covered with blood was tied onto one of the pillars of the pavilion.

“This…” When Zhao Danchen drew close and observed, his eyes widened.

“Guangzuo! Guangzuo!” Zhao Danchen called out softly.

With difficulty, the person that was tied up could only see with the only eye he had left. However, because of the blood scab, he could barely see the person that approached. When he saw who the person was before him, he immediately emitted “Ah, ah” sounds in excitement.

“Eh?” When Zhao Danchen saw Zhao Guangzuo’s mouth and the other parts of his body, his face turned purple in rage. “This Jing Yi had actually cut off the tendons of his hands and feet, destroyed his inner strength, and turned him a mute. Now, Guangzuo has become useless. He’s of no use now.”

Zhao Guangzuo absolutely wouldn’t be able to continue holding the position of the County Official of Wuan County City.

“Jing Yi, you are courting death.” Zhao Danchen’s eyes beamed coldly as he muttered to himself.

However, at this moment…

“You actually dared to barge into my residence. Do you wish to die?” A white-cloaked figure carrying a sword on his back approached. The person following behind the white-cloaked figure was Xue Xin.

“You are Jing Yi,” Zhao Danchen said as he glared at the white-cloaked man coldly.

“You… Lone-armed? You must be Zhao Danchen.” Teng Qingshan gazed at the person before him. He secretly felt emotional as he recalled how he had escaped in an embarrassing manner when he faced the Golden Dan Innate Experts in Great Yan Mountain. And now, the so-called Golden Dan Innate Experts of the past were like infants before him, a person who had attained the Emptiness Realm.

Zhao Danchen’s heart grew alarmed, “This man knows that I am Zhao Danchen, and yet, he isn’t the slightest bit worried?”

He immediately had a bad premonition.

“Who are you?” Zhao Danchen shouted coldly, “You are not Jing Yi! There are no powerful experts named Jing Yi.”

“Haha… There are numerous experts in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. Have you, Zhao Danchen, seen all of them?” Teng Qingshan shook his head as he scoffed. Before the large sect Heavenly God Palace had revealed its own existence to the world, none of the sects in the Land of the Nine Prefectures knew of the existence of the Gods of Heaven.

“Then why are you going against Qing Hu Island?” Zhao Danchen barked.

“Zhao Danchen, you are just a Golden Dan Innate Expert. How dare you make a big fuss right before me?” Teng Qingshan scolded as he shook his head and smiled, “I really don’t know how that disgusting blind man in Qing Hu Island disciplined their disciples.”

Zhao Danchen’s face flushed red in anger. “How dare you…”

The Blind Swordmaster was called the ‘Heavenly Sighted Swordmaster’ by everyone in the Land of the Nine Prefectures. No one even dared to call the Heavenly Sighted Swordmaster ‘disgusting blind man.’

“Why? I can’t scold that disgusting blind man?” Teng Qingshan said with a smile as he darted towards Zhao Guangzuo, who was tied up.

“Hm? Perhaps this Jing Yi is trying escape after seeing me? Therefore, he deliberately spoke such arrogant and daunting words, and now, he’s going to flee when there’s a chance?” Zhao Danchen couldn’t help but recall that there had often been incidents of people intentionally fooling others with arrogant words in order to escape.

“In the entire Land of the Nine Prefectures, there are only a small number of Emptiness Realm experts and most of them are in the headquarters of their own sect, protecting it.” As Zhao Danchen pondered, he calmed down.

“Hmph, such arrogant words.” Zhao Danchen scolded, “Then let me see how powerful you are.”

Before his words even faded, Teng Qingshan had already walked to Zhao Guangzuo’s side.

“Bwah!” He smacked Zhao Guangzuo’s chest.

“Ah—” Zhao Guangzuo’s bloodstained body shuddered forcefully. His head drooped.

“Now that he’s dead, he will not have to suffer anymore.” Teng Qingshan turned and faced Zhao Danchen as he spoke.

“How dare you!” Zhao Danchen was greatly enraged. He shouted out in anger. The godly sword in his hand shone intensely. The light of the sword was as bright as the radiance of the sun. It was just a beam of light, which shot directly towards Teng Qingshan’s head.

Teng Qingshan’s face darkened and he moved in a strange manner.

Chi!

A blurred figure appeared beside Zhao Danchen and launched a kick towards Zhao Danchen’s chest, sending Zhao Danchen flying into the air and tumbling on the ground.

“My-my Dantian…” Zhao Danchen held his stomach. His face was pale white. He gazed at Teng Qingshan in terror as he muttered, “You-you—” Teng Qingshan was far more powerful than him. Instantly, he knew the status of the person before his eyes.

Teng Qingshan said indifferently, “You shouted and made a fuss in front of me just now. And then, you had even thrusted your sword towards me… Hmph, I will visit that blind man in Qing Hu Island and ask him how he disciplines his disciples. I’ll ask him why his disciples are so disrespectful.” With this, Teng Qingshan lifted Zhao Danchen up and disappeared from the inner court, leaving an afterimage.

“Xue Xin, I am going to Qing Hu Island to visit that blind man. You should stay here,” Teng Qingshan’s voice resounded in the inner court.

……