The Nine Cauldrons

Preparing Gold

“Even better news?” Teng Qingshan’s raised his eyebrows before he started smiling. “Sixth Elder, let’s sit over there and talk!”

By the Crescent Moon Lake, four delicately engraved wooden chairs were placed around a glossy stone table, while a wine pot was placed on it. Teng Qingshan and the Sixth Elder sat opposite of each other.

Putting the Reincarnation Spear to the side, Teng Qingshan smiled as he looked at the Sixth Elder. “I thought Sixth Elder was here to deliver the secret book of 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. However, Sixth Elder, you said there’s even better news! I’m just unable to guess as to what it may be…. Unless, it’s news concerning the Rising Sun Trade Company discovering the thirty-six stone inscriptions?”

“Of course not.”

The Sixth Elder presented a smiling face. “However, it isn’t that far off.”

“Oh?” Teng Qingshan glanced at at the Sixth Elder in amazement while simultaneously pouring himself and the Sixth Elder a cup of wine. “Sixth Elder, please be clearer. Don’t keep me guessing.”

“During last night…!”

The Sixth Elder smiled as he said, “Our Nanshan City’s other Trading Company, Situ Trading Company, transmitted news officially to every clan. It stated that their trading company had just received a business deal, and the noble customer had entrusted the trading company a set of the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets, which contained copies of some parts of the《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》. Furthermore, they’re having the Situ Trading Company hold a public sale! The date of the auction has already been decided. It’s on the 16th of August! That’s a month’s worth of time from now.”

“Auction? The《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》stone tablets?” Teng Qingshan was slightly startled. “Sixth Elder, please don’t make a mistake. Is that really one of the nine sets of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets?”

“The Situ Trading Company has already confirmed it carefully. It is indeed one of the nine sets of tablets!”

The Sixth Elder was very convinced. “That Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets were appraised by many antique proficiency experts, and it was confirmed that the tablets have existed for a few thousands years. They had even invited a Martial Saint Expert to judge them. Moreover, the engravings and words on the Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets contained a formidable aura.”

The nine sets of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets had actually been copied from the original thirty-six stone inscriptions. Thus, the engraved symbols, sizes, and the like would all be the same and would naturally produce a peculiar aura.

“Although this set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets definitely isn’t up to the value of the Thirty-six stone inscriptions, I’m afraid its value can’t even reach up to a single stone inscription. However, currently beneath the heavens, the thirty-six stone inscriptions can’t be found. Therefore, this set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets will definitely cause many clans to rush over and purchase it!” The Sixth Elder looked at Teng Qingshan and said, “After all, having this set of stone tablets will bring benefits to the clan’s disciples. That’s why when it’s time for the ‘public sale’, the bidding prices may be very high!”

Teng Qingshan felt a desire in his heart.

He was convinced that with his understanding of the “Dao”, he would be able to comprehend something out of the set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets.

“Sixth Elder, how high do you reckon the price of this set of stone tablets will be?” Teng Qingshan asked.

“I reckon the Situ Trading Company’s designated price will be thirty thousand taels of gold! Sixth Elder then shook his head solemnly as he said, “However, this is merely the lowest price! Currently, every clan is at war. Simultaneously, these clans also attach a lot of importance to guiding their descendants. The clans which want this set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets are definitely great in number.”

“I estimate… at the very minimum, it’ll be about a hundred thousand gold taels!”

“If all the parties were to take it forcibly… or let’s say, if two clans were in dispute with each other, I’m afraid the bidding price would rise frantically! In those kinds of situations, it’s very hard to guess what sort of price it would be,” The Sixth Elder said with a sigh. “Either way, this set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets will be the most expensive treasure in the near future.”

Teng Qingshan’s heart felt heavy.

According to what the Sixth Elder said, it was very likely that the price would rise up to tens of thousands of gold taels by then! For a small clan, for example the already extinguished Liu Clan of the Dark Steel River, these few tens of thousands of gold taels would practically empty their entire asset. However, for a commander of a few million people, or even the clans with influence over ten million people, a few hundred thousand gold taels would still be a big number, but it wouldn’t be too hard to bear!

A set of the Blunt Vanadium tablets would be sufficient for a clan’s descendants to produce a few powerful Axe-wielding Experts.

“Ai!” The sixth Elder shook his head. “If this set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets was given to my Rising Sun Trading Company to hold a public sale, then we would be able to help Mister a bit. Unfortunately, it was given to the Situ Trading Company to hold the public sale!”

Although the Rising Sun Trading Company was the greatest trading company under the heavens, there were some trading companies which were able to compete with them, despite being slightly weaker. This Situ Trading Company was one of them!

“Would Mister also like to participate in the public sale?” The Sixth Elder inquired.

Public sale had the same meaning as an auction.

“Yeah.” Teng Qingshan nodded.

“Is Mister vexed about not having enough money?” The Sixth Elder asked.

“This is a big number.” Teng Qingshan felt a bit worried.

The Sixth Elder knitted his brows and said, “Mister… How about this, you go and participate in the public sale. I reckon you have some gold too! Our Rising Sun Trading Company can lend Mister twelve hundred thousand gold taels. Within Nanshan City, our trading company can only offer up to this amount of gold. More than this would be impossible. After Mister has used it, there’s no need to return it urgently. It’s not too late if pay us back when you have the money.”

For a large trading company, their wealth was naturally astonishing.

However, within Nanshan City, the biggest city, the Rising Sun Trading Company was only able to transfer this much. A bit more and it would affect the operations of the trading companies.

“Sixth Elder, if I really have to use it at that time, I, Teng Qingshan, will definitely return it as soon as possible.” Teng Qingshan said.

“Do you think that my trading company won’t trust mister?” Sixth Elder said with a smile.

Commoners were only able to earn up to ten or so silver taels in a year if they put their utmost effort into it. Whereas, Teng Qingshan, who was a peak Innate expert, had an identity that was worth twelve hundred thousand gold taels.

“16th of August!” Teng Qingshan remembered this date in his heart.

After the Sixth Elder left, Teng Qingshan used an astonishing speed to rush toward the coast of Duanmu Continent by himself on the night of that same day! Although the location where he had hidden the tungsten wood vessel was no less than two thousand Li away from Nanshan City, Teng Qingshan’s speed while dashing was much faster than the speed of three large Dragon Horses!

However, that wasn’t strange at all. The strength of Teng Qingshan’s body had now exceeded eight hundred thousand Jin, and the strength of his body was comparable to that of a Golden Dan Innate Demonic Beast!

His speed was faster than the speed of a Dark Demonic Horse, so it wasn’t strange at all.

A Dark Demonic Horse could travel five thousand Li per day. Back when Teng Qingshan had been out in the sea, in the dreadful Chaotic Territorial Waters, Teng Qingshan had dragged a large ship and swum three thousand Li every day and night to pull the ship out of the Chaotic Territorial Waters. Even though he had been dragging a ship throughout the waters, he had still been very fast.

On dry land, one could imagine just how fast he would be!

“Swoosh!”

The people he passed by could only feel a gust of wind blowing by, while Teng Qingshan had already reached seven to eight Zhang away from them. With another movement of his body, he had disappeared from the scope of their sights.

……

During the night, the moon was hazy, and the stars were bright. On the sand, there was a layer of misty cotton silk.

“Hua hua~~” The sea water smacked against the coast.

Teng Qingshan was currently on top of a large hole in the sands.

“Hei!” Teng Qingshan pulled up two chests from the hole and then immediately filled the entire hole with a large amount of sand. Right after, he acted like nothing had happened, making it hard for others to make out what he had been doing.

“Including these two chests, there’s a total of thirty thousand Jin worth of gold taels. That would equal thirty-two hundred thousand gold taels! This should be enough to buy the set of Blunt Vanadium Stone Tablets. If it still isn’t enough, there’s another twelve hundred thousand gold taels!” Teng Qingshan was wealthy, but he took it lightly.

Wealth was a necessity, however, for Teng Qingshan, earning money was simply too easy.

He could just go directly to some wicked clan with a bad reputation or bandits and steal from them!

“Let’s go!” He said while carrying the two large chests.

Carrying twenty thousand Jin of weight, Teng Qingshan left the sand beach immediately. Although Teng Qingshan could carry twenty thousand Jin, he was unable to be as fast as he had been when he rushed over.

Naturally, even though he was a bit slower, his speed was still faster than that of a war horse.

Before the sunrise of the second day, Teng Qingshan carried the two large chests of gold and returned to the Crescent Moon Lake beneath the Godly Axe Mountain, located outside of Nanshan City.

“Peng! Peng!” The two large chests was placed on the grass, and Teng Qingshan let out a breath of relief.

“Teacher!” Awkward sounds came from the lakeside. As Teng Shou practiced the Three Postures, he stared at Teng Qingshan with a respectful expression. Although he had only been studying under Teng Qingshan for two to three days, Teng Qingshan had no choice but to admit… this Teng Shou was an absolute genius at Xing Yi!

Perhaps…… before he studied Xingyi Martial Arts, Teng Shou had already comprehended the true concept of Xing Yi Martial Arts.

Teng Qingshan had only demonstrated the Twelve Forms of Xing Yi once, and Teng Shou had barely studied for an hour. Yet his accomplishment within it could be said to have already reached the peak.

“Big Brother Teng, you’re back.” Li Jun walked over.

“Yeah.” Teng Qingshan smiled with a nod, while he pointed at the two chests simultaneously and instructed, “Ah Shou, put the two chests inside the house!” While speaking, he pointed toward the interior of the house.

Teng Shou couldn’t understand Teng Qingshan’s words, but he could understand Teng Qingshan’s gestures.

“Yes, Teacher.”

Teng Shou’s left arm exerted force and carried one chest, then his right arm exerted force as well and carried the other one. A deep footprint was left behind in the ground after only a few steps. Just carrying the two chests of gold inside the stone house caused Teng Shou to use up a lot of strength. When he came back out of the stone house, Teng Shou looked at Teng Qingshan with an even more respectful gaze.

Teng Shou had only carried it… how far?

Yet Teng Qingshan had actually dashed twenty-three thousand Li!

“Continue with your practice,” Teng Qingshan reprimanded, and Teng Shou obediently returned to his practice.

Teng Qingshan changed his dirty clothes, which were covered with dust, into a clean, short garment and went to do his morning practice too.

……

Teng Qingshan, Li Jun, Teng Shou, Little Ping, and coachman Old Wang were eating breakfast at the table. The early morning was chilly, and a fog shrouded around the Crescent Moon Lake, causing it to look like a wonderland.

“Mister Teng,” A familiar voice was heard yelling from a distance.

Teng Qingshan turned his head and looked over. The gray-haired Sixth Elder came over to Teng Qingshan with a smile and a few of his subordinates following behind him. “Last night, this book of the 《Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms》 arrived, so I came to deliver it to Mister as early as I could,” He said as he pulled out a book wrapped in a golden cloth and handed it over.

“Thank you very much, Sixth Elder!” Teng Qingshan got up and accepted it with a smile as he unwrapped the golden cloth.

A thin book, covered with black leather and wrapped in a string, emerged before his eyes. The book had four large words—‘Thirty-six Splitting Mountain Forms’!