The Nine Cauldrons
chapter-70

"Master Hong Si was killed by Wang Tieshan with one strike! At the time, the situation was rather chaotic. The Second Leader of the Iron Mountain Gang, Wang Tiefeng, was killed by Master Hong Si during the battle," Teng Qingshan spoke. Although Master Hong Si's death was largely caused by himself, Teng Qingshan did not decide to say it out loud.

Saying it out loud would only be showing off. It was meaningless to Teng Qingshan.

"Retribution, retribution!!" Teng Yunlong burst out in laughter.

The other people in the hall also seemed very happy.

Teng Yunlong then smiled and said, "That Old Thief's death is really a great satisfaction, but Yi City would probably be unstable after his death."

"Grandfather, I think our clan needs to forge armor!" Teng Qingshan said solemnly, "During a battle, without the protection of armor, it would be easy to lose your life. However, if our clan members possessed armor, then the ability to fight would be a lot stronger." Just by looking at the White Horse Gang, every one of their men was dressed in heavy armor, and one charge could easily kill many people.

Armor was beneficial indeed, but its price was expensive!

Forging a suit of armor was a lot harder than forging knives and spears. A single set of armor that covered the entire body would cost at least one thousand taels of silver if forged from high quality materials. It was almost the price of a superior warhorse. If it was simple heavy armor, it would also cost at least two hundred taels of silver. This was the reason why the normal villages couldn't afford armor.

A few good suits of armor would make a village poor with no money in reserve.

As for the simple and thin armor, it was cheap, but the woodsmen could pierce through it with just one thrust of a long spear. The thin armor had no use at all. If a more complete protection was desired, heavy armor was necessary.

Of course, using precious materials such as Ten Millennia Coldsteel yielded light armor with good defense, but the price would be frightening since the materials needed for a full suit of armor would be in greater quantity than the materials needed for sabers and spears.

"Armor is expensive," said Teng Qinghu's father, Teng Yonghang. He felt his eyes brighten as he smacked his lips.

"Qingshan is right, though. It is time for us to forge heavy armor." Teng Yunlong had never been this excited. "Our Teng Jia Village can forge the heavy armor ourselves. We just need to buy the materials! We can choose the materials of one heavy armor ourselves. One suit of armor for one hundred taels of silver would be enough. We'll forge up to two hundred suits of heavy armor, which would cost twenty thousand taels of silver!"

"Twenty thousand taels!" Teng Yonghang was slightly surprised.

"We can do this!" Teng Yongfan stood up and said.

When Teng Qingshan went to Yi City to exchange the Ten Millenia Coldsteel for Star Pattern Steel, he brought six hundred taels of gold back. Teng Jia Village had sufficient money!

"Just forging this many suits of armor would take a long time!" Teng Yongfan said.

"Correct. When we begin forging, we will just find more clan members to help us. The forging of armor doesn't have high requirement for skills. Yongfan, even your disciples can forge it!" Teng Yunlong said, "Tomorrow, we expand our weapons warehouse and begin forging with those disciples. Try to forge the two hundred suits of armor as soon as possible."

"Grandfather, Father, forge two hundred?" Teng Qingshan asked.

Teng Yunlong laughed and said, "All the powerful men in our clan will wear them!"

The strength of the current Teng Jia Village was very formidable. Every since Teng Qingshan first taught the 'Tiger Fist,' the Tiger Fist became the martial arts practiced by every man of the Teng Clan, including the young adolescents. During these past six years, more than fifty of the clan members had generated inner strength within their body. Although the other clan members have not yet generated inner strength, Internal Martial Arts had the effect of strengthening the body, causing the strength of the clan members to increase greatly.

In the past, the general ability of Teng Jia Village's strong men was lifting three hundred Jin.

However, after six years passed, many could lift four hundred Jin.

There were also many that could lift five hundred Jin and were able to move freely even while wearing heavy armor.

"Grandfather, Father, I think there are more than fifty clansmen that possess inner strength. We should specially forge fifty heavy armor first. These fifty suits of heavy armor should use better materials as they will be given to the people that have generated inner strength," Teng Qingshan suggested.

"I think that's possible!" Teng Yunlong agreed. The six hundred taels of gold was equal to sixty thousand taels of silver, so they had enough money for materials.

Teng Jia Village could afford to be extravagant, but the best steel should be used to make the edge of the knife, while gold and silver should be used on more practical things.

"Qingshan, Qinghu." Teng Yunlong stared at the two. "I know you two decided to join Gui Yuan Sect. Qinghu didn't manage to get married this time. Never mind, Qinghu, you will find another woman. I would like to ask, when do you two plan to join Gui Yuan Sect? "

Teng Qingshan and Teng Qinghu glanced at each other and answered.

"Grandfather, let's wait for the circumstances in Yi City to settle down. Since we have waited for so many years, it wouldn't matter if we wait one more year." Teng Qingshan was still slightly worried.

"Yes." Teng Qinghu also nodded in agreement.

Early the next morning, as the sun shone brightly, Teng Jia Village was already bustling with excitement. Teng Yongfan immediately arranged for people to order the materials for the sets of heavy armor. Many of the young clansmen were taking down the walls around the weapons warehouse to begin the expansion. Two hundred suits of armor were about to be forged, and the workload was a lot greater than forging 182 Frost Jade Sabers.

In the yard at Teng Qingshan's house…

"Exhale!""inhale!"

The strong and deep breathing coordinated with his moves. Teng Qingshan was practicing the Three Postures of the Xing Yi Martial Arts. It might have seemed slow like a millstone, but his strikes were like lightning and produced the sounds of explosions. The wind rose in the entire yard as Teng Qingshan became completely absorbed in the Three Postures of the Xing Yi Martial Arts, his feet planted on the ground like roots.

His hands turned as he combined quick and light with slow and heavy.

As Teng Qingshan practiced rotating his hands, he could actually feel the concepts of Yin and Yang revolving around him.

After being absorbed in this sensation for over two hours, Teng Qingshan stopped to rest.

"Let's go check out the training field." Teng Qingshan held the Reincarnation Spear and arrived at the training field very quickly.

The training field was bustling with noise. Many figures were practicing Spear Arts, training their strength, practicing the Tiger Fist, and competing with one another. The entire training field had over one hundred men, all of whom were seething with enthusiasm. Many women and children were beside the field, chatting and looking at the field with smiles on their face. Every one of them seemed very happy.

"Why do the men in the clan work hard and put their lives at risk? Isn't it just to let the clan members live a good life?" Seeing this unity and happiness, Teng Qingshan felt a warm sensation in his heart. The image before his eyes was what his clansmen were trying to protect!

"Brother!" A clear and melodious voice rang through the air. Teng Qingyu, dressed in calico clothes and with two ponytails, ran towards Teng Qingshan excitedly.

"What are you looking at? Looking at them practice Tiger Fist?" Teng Qingshan smiled.

"They wouldn't fight as good as you," Teng Qingyu held Teng Qingshan's shoulder and said sweetly.

"Look at you being naughty like a boy. Little Yu, you are almost an adult and will marry soon. If you don't learn how to be gentle and quiet, who would marry you?" Teng Qingshan purposely scolded his sister. However, Teng Qingyu wrinkled her nose and whined, "Hmph, Brother...can't you see how many people come to our house to ask for marriage? But....those suitors. Hmph. I don't like any of them. If my man in the future isn't as powerful as you are, he must at least be half as powerful as you."

When Teng Qingshan heard this, he couldn't help but laugh.

Looking up at the sky, the sun had already reached the center.

"Little Yu, it's almost lunch time; let's go back for now," Teng Qingshan spoke. The moment Teng Qingshan finished his words, the earth began to tremble.

Teng Qingshan furrowed and looked towards the entrance of the Teng Jia Village. He saw blurry images of many men mounted on horses, dashing forward from the distance. The entire training field immediately became silent, and many clansmen grabbed their long spears. Many of the clansmen yelled hastily, "The mounted gangsters are here!"

The sound of yells resounded in the sky above the Teng Jia Village. Large numbers of clansmen came from all directions,and ran towards the training field with long spears and bows and arrows in hand.

"White Horse Battalion?" Teng Qingshan's eyebrows furrowed.

The mounted gangsters and their horses were covered with armor. The dark mass of gangsters caused the hearts of the clansmen to tremble involuntarily. Teng QIngshan had seen the soldiers of the White Horse Battalion and obviously knew from one glance that the one hundred mounted gangsters belonged to the most elite 'White Horse Battalion' of the White Horse Gang.

"Open the gate!" Booming shouts came from among the mounted gangsters.

Open the gate or not?

The guardians of Teng Jia Village and many clan members all stared at Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan opened his mouth and said, "Open the gate."

Immediately, the village's huge gate opened, and the over one hundred cavalrymen of the White Horse Battalion entered the training field.

"The White Horse Gang and the Iron Mountain just went through a life-and-death battle yesterday. The White Horse Gang had so many of their members dead or wounded, so it would be impossible to return overnight. They probably departed from the location of the Iron Mountain Gang this morning, which means that the men and horses of the White Horse Battalion didn't have time to return to the White Horse Lake. Instead, they came straightly to our Teng Jia Village." Teng Qingshan also noticed as he exclaimed in surprise, "Eh! Not all of them belong to the White Horse Battalion!"

When he glanced from afar just now, it seemed that all of the men were wearing armor, but now that he drew closer and looked, he noticed that among this large mass of people, there are twenty people without armor.

"Who is the Chief of your Teng Jia Village?" The leader of the White Horse Battalion shouted coldly as he sat on his warhorse at the forefront of the group. More than one hundred men and horses were wearing armor. This large dark mass seemed to have frozen the ambience of the whole training field. Because of the previous day's battle, these mounted gangsters of the White Horse Battalion still smelled of blood, which caused people to be even more afraid. Many of the clan members didn't dare to breathe loudly, and the children stared at the large mass of mounted gangsters in fear.

"It is I." At this moment, Teng Yunlong walked out of the crowd, and Teng Qingshan immediately followed behind his grandfather.

The clan members all stood behind the chief with their weapons in hand. The moment their chief gave the order, they would battle at all costs.

"Who is Teng Qingshan?" The leader asked loudly.

Teng Qingshan walked a step forward and stood next to his grandfather. He cast a smile and said, "I am Teng Qingshan. You, my lord, must be the leader of the White Horse Battalion, correct? I wonder what affair you might have that would force you to visit our Teng Jia Village?"

The leader's indifferent eyes swept past Teng Qingshan. He smiled and spoke. "You are Teng Qingshan? Rumors have it that you are the number one warrior in Teng Jia Village. Yes, I know nothing of your ability, but at least...you are brave. Today, I came to your village to present you all with a wonderful gift."

"A wonderful gift?" Teng Yunlong was slightly confused.

A cavalryman beside the leader immediately shouted, "You all, listen carefully. This is the Young Master of our White Horse Gang! After a few days, he will be the new Great Master of our White Horse Gang! Today, the young master have came to recruit true warriors into our White Horse Battalion!"

Confused noises immediately sounded at the side of the Teng Jia Village.

White Horse Battalion?

The most elite team of the White Horse Gang?

"Young Master? He didn't die?" Teng Qingshan was secretly shocked. Next to him, Teng Yunlong also casted a confused glance at Teng Qingshan.

Last night, Teng Qingshan clearly said that the Young Master had already died!

"If he is the Young Master, then who was the man I killed?" Teng Qingshan cast a glance at the weapon held in the hand of Young Master. It was the same trenchant saber that belonged to Master Hong Si, the leader of the White Horse Gang. "The person I killed yesterday was also the leader of the White Horse Battalion and used the same sword technique as Master Hong Si." Although Teng Qingshan didn't know who was he had killed, he understood....

The one he killed wasn't the Young Master, because the Young Master was standing right before his eyes.

"The men that have the ability to lift five hundred Jin are qualified to join White Horse Battalion! If one joins, then the annual tribute will decrease by twenty percent. If two join, the annual tribute will decrease by forty percent....If five of your men are qualified to join the White Horse Battalion, Teng Jia Village will be free of the annual tribute!" The cavalryman shouted.

Immediately, loud discussions rang in the training field. The Young Master, Hong Zhenjie, sat on his warhorse and scanned the crowds like an emperor eyeing the commoners beneath him.

"Eh?" Hong Zhenjie's eyes fell on a beautiful girl behind Teng Qingshan. Her calico clothes seemed simple, but her face looked fair and bright as if water could be squeezed out of it. She seemed young and even had ponytails. Although she appeared slightly immature, this beautiful girl had already matured physically, possessing a tall stature as well as full and round breasts.

Seeing this girl, Hong Zhenjie's eyes brightened involuntarily.