The Nine Cauldrons

"Tie Pan, can you think of a solution?" the Blind Swordmaster asked in a deep tone. A hint of expectation could be sensed as he spoke.

Tie Pan froze and smiled helplessly.

What solution was there?

In terms of Emptiness Realm Experts, the Gui Yuan Sect definitely won against Qing Hu Island.

In terms of elite army, Qing Hu Island won. After all, the Long Gang Guards of Qing Hu Island was a terrifying existence on the Land of the Nine Prefectures.

The Gui Yuan Sect’s only weakness was that they didn’t have enough manpower! They didn’t have enough people to conquer more territories. But now, their army of 200,000 men had emerged. Moreover, the Gui Yuan Sect wasn’t greedy at all; they moved steadily and worked one step at a time. Whenever they conquered a territory, they would wipe out any antagonizing existences and attempt to gain full control of the territory.

"There’s nothing we can do." Tie Pan shook his head.

The Blind Swordmaster sighed softly before he asked, "You have made arrangements for the hidden ’seeds,’ right?"

"Yes. Since the day we left Qing Hu Island, I have deployed many elite disciples all over the Land of the Nine Prefectures." Tie Pan shook his head as he spoke. "However, Teng Qingshan is only twenty-two years old. As long as he is still alive, Qing Hu Island can never rise again. With him here, it meant that Qing Hu Island would never be able to make a comeback within the next 500 years.

Even before the rise of the sect, Qing Hu Island was already considering the consequences and the possibility of failure. None of the sects in the Land of the Nine Prefectures would allow their sect to die forever. They would always leave several members to pass on the legacy of the sect.

"22 years old!" the Blind Swordmaster mumbled, and he couldn’t help but feel a sense of despair.

A 22-year-old Emptiness Realm Expert who could fight an Emptiness Realm Culmination Expert head-on!

Moreover, this monster had only lived for 22 years. His lifespan of 500 years had just begun. At this age, he was still rising and would become even more dazzling in the future!

"There will be no chance for Qing Hu Island to rise again." The Blind Swordmaster had hoped that greed would control Gui Yuan Sect to try to conquer the seven counties ruled by Qing Hu Island. This way, Qing Hu Island could use treacherous methods to kill all the Long Gang Guards... With only Emptiness Realm Experts, the Gui Yuan Sect would never be able to conquer the entirety Yangzhou.

If the Long Gang Guards were obliterated, it would be very hard for the Gui Yuan Sect to move and conquer places. Unfortunately for Qing Hu Island, Gui Yuan Sect had been very careful.

Winter left and spring arrived. Soon, spring left as well and summer came.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the beginning of summer.

Teng Jia Village was now a small city. Beside the pond in an extremely big mansion located in the southern part of Teng Jia Village, Li Jun could be seen leaning on Teng Qingshan as she watched the fish in the pond.

"Qingshan, do you think our child is a boy or a girl?" Li Jun asked as she caressed her tummy.

With a smile, Teng Qingshan looked at Li Jun’s stomach. Her tummy had become very big and round. She had to lean back whenever she walked... According to the doctor, the due date of the baby was the middle third of May.

"Time passed really fast. It’s already April. My child will be born soon."

Occasionally, Teng Qingshan would head to the seven counties in the south and try his luck on finding the Blind Swordmaster. However, he spent most of his time in Teng Jia Village. As the due date approached, Li Jun’s temperament became slightly weird. As what his mother had said, all pregnant women would act weirdly. His mother even instructed him to spend more time with his wife.

"My child is about to be born, but at the same time, the battle between the Gui Yuan Sect and Qing Hu Island had reached a critical point."

Teng Qingshan couldn’t help but feel worried and anxious. "As long as that Blind Tie lives, we will always worry that he might stir up trouble at any time. Little Jun is now pregnant. It would be bad if she miscarried because he came looking for trouble!" A pregnant woman couldn’t bear to suffer from any impact. Even if Teng Qingshan could block the Blind Swordmaster’s sword, the strong movement of air caused by the strike of the sword would still injure Li Jun. In fact, it might even kill the unborn child in Li Jun’s tummy.

"Hmm—"

"No matter what, it is best to get rid of the Blind Tie," Teng Qingshan thought to himself. Suddenly, he had an idea.

For the sake of the soon-to-be-born child, Teng Qingshan had to kill or at least capture the Blind Tie as soon as possible.

"Little Jun," Teng Qingshan said.

"Hm?" Li Jun was still imagining the life with the baby. She then asked, "Qingshan, what is it?"

"I am leaving soon. I am afraid that I won’t be able to accompany you for some time," Teng Qingshan said in a serious manner.

"For what?" Li Jun hastily asked.

Teng Qingshan then explained, "Tie Wu, the Blind Swordmaster of Qing Hu Island, is still hiding. As long as he is still alive, I will never rest in peace! I am worried that he might stir up trouble in Teng Jia Village. Although the Six Legged Bladelike Chi is guarding the village, the speed of a demonic beast isn’t as fast as the strike of a sword. I am just worried about you. I am worried that he might—"

Li Jun’s facial expression changed as well. "The baby..." She wasn’t worried about herself. She was just worried about the baby.

After being pregnant for such a long time, Li Jun already had feelings for the baby inside her body.

"Therefore, I am going to search everywhere for that Blind Tie," Teng Qingshan said in a deep tone.

"Qingshan, but I thought you tried and you couldn’t find him," Li Jun said with a frown.

"True. I didn’t find him." Teng Qingshan shook his head as he replied, "However, I was searching very quickly during that time! This time, I will search very slowly for Tie Pan and Gu Yong! If I can find Tie Pan and Gu Yong, I might be able to find that Blind Tie..." Since Teng Qingshan couldn’t find Tie Pan, he decided to try other methods to achieve his goal.

"Tie Pan and Gu Yong must be hiding very carefully. Moreover, it takes more time to find them," Li Jun hastily said.

"Yes."

Teng Qingshan nodded and explained, "If I were to search for an Emptiness Realm Expert, I could ask Little Blue to fly at her fastest speed. However, if it was a search for the Innate Experts, Little Blue would have to fly much slower. It would take several seconds to search each area of 34 Li. Yangzhou has a length of over 2000 Li. Whenever I move from the top of Yangzhou to the bottom of Yangzhou or vice versa, I will be able to search an area with the width of 60 Li and a length of over 2000 Li!

"I will have to traverse the entire length of Yangzhou 40 times!

"Because I have to search carefully, my speed will reduce. It will take me around four hours to go back and forth the entirety of Yangzhou, which would most likely be a total of over 4,000 Li! It will take me 20 hours to go back and forth five times in a day! If I really want to search the entirety of Yangzhou, I will need eight days," Teng Qingshan said. A day has 24 hours. I will spend 20 hours searching and four hours resting and keeping Li Jun accompanied.

Teng Qingshan had to accompany Li Jun. If he didn’t accompany her for a long time, Li Jun, who was pregnant, would worry about Teng Qingshan and would then be emotionally affected.

"A total of eight days?" Li Jun nodded her head slightly.

Normally, a Golden Dan Innate flying demonic beast would be able to fly a distance of over 10,000 Li within 12 hours. They could cover a distance of 2000 Li within an hour. The undying Phoenix was an Emptiness Realm Expert and also a queen of speed. Even it didn’t fly at its fastest speed, it could still cover a distance of 20,000-30,000 within two hours.

To the Undying Phoenix, spending four hours flying a distance of over 4,000 Li was considered very slow.

"It might take more than eight days." Teng Qingshan thought to himself. "Tie Pan and Gu Yong might not be in Yangzhou. They might be hiding in the other prefectures!" It would take eight restless days to look through the entire Yangzhou for the Innate Experts. Searching for the Innate Experts in the nine prefectures, excluding the Desolate Land, the Western Region, and the Great Prairie, would take almost 72 days.

Teng Qingshan didn’t say anything. He didn’t want his wife to think too much and worry too much.

As Teng Qingshan didn’t want his wife to think too much about this, he didn’t say anything.

After all...

Yangzhou was a convenient location to pass on orders to the other hidden members of Qing Hu Island. Moreover, the forces of Qing Hu Island were deeply-rooted in this prefecture. Therefore, it was most likely that Tie Pan and the others were hiding in Yangzhou.

On the third of April...

"Yu~~"

The Undying Phoenix flew several thousand Zhang in the sky while Teng Qingshan moved on the vast grounds of Yangzhou, leaving a flowing streak of light behind.

As Teng Qingshan was on the ground, his search range was larger than that of the Undying Phoenix, who was searching from a high altitude.

This trip of over 4,000 Li would take them four hours. Teng Qingshan, who had attained Emptiness Realm, could easily travel at a speed of 1,000 Li per hour.

"If I am lucky, I might be able to find Tie Pan and Gu Yong within a day," Teng Qingshan thought to himself. He took a step forward and immediately arrived on a hill far away from his previous location. He strode forward again and was then seen standing on the surface of a river a distance away. Teng Qingshan had begun searching every inch of Yangzhou. He could even detect the things situated 34 Li beneath the surface of the ground.

Teng Qingshan continued dashing on the ground, while the Undying Phoenix flew high up in the sky, maintaining the same speed as Teng Qingshan.

If Teng Qingshan really did find Blind Tie, he would need the Undying Phoenix’s help to trap the Blind Swordmaster.

...

During the evening, Teng Qingshan accompanied Li Jun and ate dinner with her. The Six Legged Bladelike Chi and the Undying Phoenix could be seen in the courtyard.

"Are you still going out tonight?" Li Jun couldn’t bear to see Teng Qingshan toiling himself for three days straight. Recently, Teng Qingshan only comes back to eat and chat with her before he continued searching busily throughout the entirety of Yangzhou.

"Yes, I will still go out."

Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "Little Jun, I must admit. The members of Qing Hu Island are really capable... I have been searching every area of Yangzhou, but I haven’t found them. It has been three days! However, I know I will find them soon. It’s getting late. I have to go." Teng Qingshan hugged his wife gently and walked out of the courtyard.

"Little Blue."

He exchanged a glance with Little Blue. Little Blue, who was very intelligent, immediately understood, and it rapidly soared into the sky.

Whoosh! Teng Qingshan also disappeared, leaving only a flowing streak of light.

...

Five days had passed since Teng Qingshan had begun his search for the Innate Experts.

In the afternoon of the sixth day:

"Huhu~~"

It was only the beginning of summer. However, as Yangzhou was located in the south, the weather was already scorchingly hot during noon. Gusts of wind blew, bringing along the warm air from the south.

Somewhere south in Yangzhou, a quiet house could be spotted in Lu City. Even though the weather was extremely hot, the study room in this peaceful house still had its doors and windows shut.

"What should we do?" Tie Pan muttered. His eyes were bloodshot as he perused the numerous secret letters on his table. These letters recorded the engagements between Qing Hu Island and the Gui Yuan Sect. At this point in time, the form of engagement between the two forces had changed. The battle between Qing Hu Island and the Gui Yuan Sect was no longer overt. Unfortunately, the Gui Yuan Sect had now gained the upper hand. The guards of some cities ruled by Qing Hu Island had even surrendered to the Gui Yuan Sect.

"16th of February, Gui Yuan Sect had taken two more counties from us. Currently, Qing Hu Island only has the land of three counties!"

"If Gui Yuan Sect continues their conquest at this speed, they will definitely take the remaining three counties at one go in one or two months. By that time, all of Yangzhou will be in possession of the Gui Yuan Sect. As for me, I will be the Lord of a fallen sect." Tie Pan thought to himself. Anxiousness and nervousness could be seen on his face. During these past six months, he had been worrying about Qing Hu Island and exerting his every effort to save Qing Hu Island.

However, because of Zhuge Yuanhong’s careful strategy and plan, only a few of his schemes and tricks worked. None of the things he tried to do had affected the current situation at all.

Suddenly—

Creak! The door of the study room opened.

"Who is it? Didn’t I order that no one is allowed in here without my permission!?!" Tie Pan was filled with rage. Before he even looked, he had begun scolding the person who had come into the room. However, when he realized who it was, he froze.

A young man dressed in a white cloak could be seen. As he stood there with a smile, some dust could be seen on his cloak.

"You—" Tie Pan instantly felt a chill down his spine. He had seen the portrait of the person standing before him. It was because of this person that Qing Hu Island had fallen into such a state.

"Island Lord Tie, you seem to be very angry," the person before him said with a smile.