The Nine Cauldrons

"She’s really pregnant?" When the High Priestess heard this, she rubbed her eyes involuntarily, acting as though she had gotten sand in them.

Seeing this, Pei Hao laughed inwardly. Whenever his niece was embarrassed, she would always rub her eyes.

At this moment, the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult was indeed embarrassed.

"This High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult is really..." Teng Qingshan laughed inwardly too.

However, the High Priestess’s attitude changed very quickly. As soon as she stopped rubbing her eyes, she looked at Li Jun with a surprised expression and scolded jokingly, "Little Jun, you didn’t even tell me you are pregnant. Do you still see me as your teacher?"

"Teacher, I was..." Li Jun replied awkwardly.

Back when they were in the headquarters of the Snowy Lotus Cult, the High Priestess had reprimanded Teng Qingshan. Teng Qingshan had talked back to her and immediately left with Li Jun. As such, Li Jun had not had the chance or time to tell the High Priestess that she was pregnant.

"Since you are pregnant, it is best for you to nourish yourself. I will allow you to resign from your position as the Substitute High Priestess temporarily. However, as soon as your child is born, you must return and be the Substitute High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult," the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult said. Then she shot a glance at Teng Qingshan and muttered, "Even if you are the husband, you have no right to decide on whether my disciple becomes the Substitute High Priestess."

Teng Qingshan only responded with a smile. The matter had yet to reach an extent in which he would hold a grudge against the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult.

"Brother Pei Hao," Teng Qingshan stared at Pei Hao and said, "I need to meet the Sovereign for something important. Please tell me where he is!"

"My father is in closed-door cultivation. Why do you want to meet him?" The High Priestess asked with a frown.

"Of course, it is for something extremely important." Teng Qingshan felt reluctant to make any further explanation. Even if he did explain, it would just be waste of time.

"You can’t meet him," the High Priestess refused to make things easy for Teng Qingshan and said agitatedly, "My father is in closed-door cultivation, and this is something that’s really important. If my father happens to be at a crucial point of his cultivation and you disturb him, can you pay for the loss?" As the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult spoke, Pei Hai hesitated as well.

Indeed, it would be troublesome if Huhe disturbed Pei San when he was about to achieve a breakthrough.

"Hmph!" Teng Qingshan’s expression darkened. He couldn’t be bothered trying to persuade her again as he said in a straightforward manner, "High Priestess, you know that... your father owes me a favor. He also promised me a precious reward."

Hearing this, the High Priestess, Pei Hao, and the others were stunned. After all, they all knew about this.

"I want your father to return the favor now!" Teng Qingshan said coldly, "Why... are you not letting your father return the favor?"

A debt of gratitude was the hardest to be repaid. Right now, Teng Qingshan wanted Pei San to pay back his debt of gratitude. As everyone present was of high status, they naturally wouldn’t respond shamelessly. For a moment, Pei Hao, the King of Beasts, and the God of Heaven, Su Mengte, exchanged glances.

In the end, Pei Hao grinned and said, "Since Brother Huhe needs the Sovereign’s help for something important. Alright then... Hm. Wu Hou, take Brother Huhe to your teacher."

The King of Beasts Wu Hou smiled as he walked over and said, "Huhe, please follow me."

Teng Qingshan smiled and nodded in response.

"Little Jun, let’s go." Teng Qingshan and Li Jun immediately climbed onto the back of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi, while the King of Beasts Wu Hou sat cross-legged on the end of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi’s back.

The Bladelike Chi’s back appeared to be slightly congested.

Fortunately, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were a couple, so the two snuggled up against each other.

"Roar~~" The Six Legged Bladelike Chi roared deeply and rocketed into the sky, flying northward.

...

The three remaining people raised their heads and watched the Six Legged Bladelike Chi leave. Then the God of Heaven Su Mengte left as well, leaving Pei Hao and the High Priestess in the courtyard with the Godly Thunderbolt Hawk remaining in the corner.

"Xuelian, what happened to you?" Seeing that there was no one around, Pei Hao frowned and scolded, "You know the rules... Where were your manners?" Although Pei Xuelian could be rude and unreasonable at times, she was still the High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult. With so many years of experience, she should know the rules.

"Fifth Uncle," Pei Xue scoffed and replied, "My manners? Hmph, do I need to respect this Huhe?"

"In the past, Father tried everything to persuade Huhe to join the Heavenly God Palace. However, Huhe rejected every single time," Pei Xuelian sneered coldly. She continued to expound, "I then appointed Little Jun as the Substitute High Priestess of the Snowy Lotus Cult to rope him in... As for the way I treated him even after he rejected us, at the very least I still smile when I speak to him.

"However—" A cold glint flashed in Pei Xuelian’s eyes as she said, "However, during the battle outside Hong Tian City, Huhe didn’t even command the Six Legged Bladelike Chi to use full force... If he had done that, Eldest Martial Brother wouldn’t have lost an arm."

Indeed. When Pei San and the Godly Thunderbolt Hawk was trying to stop You Tianchang, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi hadn’t fired its trenchant spikes with its full force. In the eyes of the Six Legged Bladelike Chi, Teng Qingshan and Li Jun were the only people that it considered as friends. With its intelligence, it knew that the people of the Heavenly God Palace were not on the same team as Teng Qingshan. Therefore, although it had helped at that time, it hadn’t used its full strength.

"Even if it did use its full strength, the trenchant spikes wouldn’t be able to penetrate the Hong Tian Godly Armor which You Shijin donned," Pei Hao argued.

"Regardless, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi didn’t use full effort," Pei Xuelian said with a smirk. "If it is just this matter, I would not be angry at him. However... when You Shijin was escaping, my father heavily wounded the Six-Eared Earth-Drilling Mouse. Later on, my father called the Six Legged Bladelike over for assistance. Yet, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi flew toward Huhe."

Pei Xuelian continued sneering as she exclaimed, "Huhe is just extremely selfish!"

"Since the beginning, he has never considered himself a member of the Heavenly God Palace. Although he seized the two sets of Godly Armor and gave my father one, he had acquired the Hong Tian Godly Armor! He obtained the armor that’s second only to the Transcendent Battle Armor!" Pei Xuelian said with disdain. "Since that time, I knew that Huhe had already distinguished himself from the members of the Heavenly God Palace. Moreover, because of the set of armor that he gave the Heavenly God Palace, he was promised a precious reward. Honestly, I just feel bad for my father."

Pei Hao was stunned by Pei Xuelian’s words.

"Fifth Uncle, how should we treat a person who has never had the intention to join the Heavenly God Palace and can’t benefit the Heavenly God Palace in any way? Should I continue faking a smile at a person like this? So what if I reprimanded him? Even if I don’t scold him, he still won’t join the Heavenly God Palace. Is he daring enough to go against the Heavenly God Palace if I scold him?" Pei Xuelian questioned with a sneer.

Pei Hao sighed inwardly... This niece of his knew clearly of what was going on.

Once she determined that Huhe would never join the Heavenly God Palace, her attitude had changed immediately. Her mentality was, ’If you are on the same team as me, I will protect you. If you aren’t on the same team as me, so what if I stomp on you?’

"Sigh. You will offend him like this. Your father said not to be his enemy," Pei Hao said, shaking his head.

"I just don’t understand why my father is afraid of him. He isn’t even an Emptiness Realm Culmination Expert. He just has a demonic beast. My father is a figure who commands several prefectures. Why is he wasting time on Huhe? Huhe has no intention to join or help the Heavenly God Palace," Pei Xuelian spoke while shaking her head. Then suddenly, Pei Xuelian smiled and asked, "Fifth Uncle, guess why he is looking for father?"

"Probably because of the attack on Yangzhou," Pei Hao answered.

"Indeed," Pei Xuelian grinned confidently as she expounded, "Huhe helped the Gui Yuan Sect several times. According to my cult’s information, Huhe owes the Gui Yuan Sect a favor. I am afraid Huhe thinks the Gui Yuan Sect is even more important than the Heavenly God Palace!"

"We will soon attack Yangzhou. I am guessing that he is worried about the Gui Yuan Sect. And so, he came to beg my father," Pei Xuelian sneered again. "Fifth Uncle, tell me. How is it possible for this kind of person to join the Heavenly God Palace? ...Even if he did, it would be to be a spy."

Pei Xuelian was right. Teng Qingshan didn’t consider himself as a member of the Heavenly God Palace. For the sake of future associations between him and the Heavenly God Palace, it would be best to draw a clear distinction. If the relationship between Teng Qingshan and the Heavenly God Palace was unclear, both sides would be humiliated once Teng Qingshan conquered Yangzhou and opposed the Heavenly God Palace in the future.

If Teng Qingshan were cunning and treacherous, he could just join the Heavenly God Palace now. He could mingle, rise to the top, and gain the trust of the Heavenly God Palace.

Then when he was fully fledged, he could kick the Heavenly God Palace away and conquer Yangzhou. Things would be much easier. However... Teng Qingshan couldn’t do something like this. He had to draw that clear distinction between him and the Heavenly God Palace now.

...

In the morning, the region of Youzhou was very foggy, and the Six Legged Bladelike Chi was flying amidst this thick fog.

"Look. It’s that tall mountain ahead. It is called Songyang Mountain. That is the place where Teacher is cultivating." The King of Beasts pointed at the tall mountain which appeared blurry in the fog. However, as the Six Legged Bladelike Chi flew rapidly forward, the tall Songyang Mountain appeared bigger and bigger.

"Eh? Brother Li Chao is here as well?" Teng Qingshan said in surprise. He could feel the auras of the two Emptiness Realm Experts in Songyang Mountain.

"Yes," Wu Hou sighed and said, "Eldest Martial Brother lost an arm, which affected his sword art. He is in closed-door cultivation with Teacher to alter his sword art into a sword art that is more suitable for the one-armed." Before the King of Beasts Wu Hou even finished his sentence, the Six Legged Bladelike Chi had already landed at a spot halfway up Songyang Mountain.

Encircled by clouds and mist, the sceneries of Songyang Mountain were very beautiful.

Autumn had just arrived. Yangzhou, located in the south, was still slightly hot. However, Youzhou, located in the north, was already very cold. Frost could be seen faintly on the mountain plants.

Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, the King of Beasts—Wu Hou, as well as the Six Legged Bladelike Chi, walked toward the location where Pei San and Li Chao were cultivating. Even before they arrived at the location, they had already sensed the fierce aura of the sword. The surrounding trees had already collapsed. Plants were broken in half, and stems flew everywhere...

In this spacious area located on the waist of Songyang Mountain, a lone-armed white-browed man with black hair could be seen performing sword art.

The moves of his sword weren’t fast. Neither did he instill the moves with his True Origin. However, his moves were so fierce and sharp that it was as though they could tear the heavens and earth apart. Streaks of sword aura appeared in the surrounding spaces.

"Whew!" The one-armed white-browed man with black hair sheathed his sword and glanced at the several people walking over. He laughed and said, "Brother Huhe, why are you here... Oh, congratulations!" Li Chao said, shooting a surprised glance at Li Jun. "It has only been a few days and now you are becoming a father."

Upon the mention of this, Teng Qingshan naturally felt an immense joy as he turned and looked toward Li Jun with a smile.

"Brother Li Chao, I need to meet the Sovereign for an important matter. Is the Sovereign...?" Teng Qingshan asked as he stared at Li Chao.

"Teacher is in closed-door cultivation. Uh..." Li Chao replied hesitantly.

Then suddenly—

"Haha, Huhe. You are going to be a father. Why did you come here instead of waiting at home for the birth of the child? You must have come because of something important." Dressed in a loose moon-white robe and with his hair draped over his shoulder, Pei San walked out of the gloomy cave. He then stared at Teng Qingshan with a bright smile on his face.