The Nine Cauldrons 607 The Disappearance of the Jade Annulus

Whoosh!

The black mist that enveloped Teng Qingshan's body produced a strong impact that broke through the blockade that was set up under the command of the Sovereign of the Sword Tower and broken pieces of rocks scattered, hitting the walls within the cave. This was not the first time Teng Qingshan had barged into the cave. 

Immediately, Teng Qingshan and the Six Legged Bladelike Chi went into the cave.

"Eh?" Teng Qingshan scanned the surroundings.

He had cultivated in seclusion for a long time in this cave. Thus, he knew this was the right cave.

However—

The cave was now completely dark. There was nothing on the wall of the cave. The Jade Annulus was nowhere to be seen.

The Jade Annulus had disappeared!

"There was a loud noise!"

"It was so loud. Which disciple dared to barge into the forbidden area to learn the secret sword techniques? Who dared to destroy the forbidden area?"

"He's still inside."

Teng Qingshan could clearly hear the quick footsteps approaching rapidly. Although the Jade Annulus had disappeared, the cave still stored countless of sword techniques that were several thousand years old. These sword techniques were created by the members of the Sword Tower who had held elite positions in preceding generations. Therefore, even without the Jade Annulus, the cave was still extremely important. Moreover, when Teng Qingshan blasted apart the rocks that blocked the entrance of the cave, loud noises thundered, attracting everyone's attention.

The elderly sword experts, as well as the young men and women with swords on their backs, rushed into the cave.

"What is that!"

The group of people immediately saw the red-eyed monster sitting in the cave. The monster had bladelike limbs. The cold glint that reflected from its metallic scales. The monster was terrifying. At the sight of the monster, the group of sword experts immediately knew that they were confronting an extremely powerful demonic beast. And this powerful demonic beast stood behind a white-cloaked young man.

"Who are you! How dare you trespass into the forbidden zone!" A grey-cloaked middle-aged man immediately roared in anger.

"Martial Brothers, take this man down."

Although they could sense that the white-cloaked young man was a powerful cultivator, they were used to acting this way. After all, the Sword Tower dominated the Bright Moon Island.

"Cling!""Clang!"

The swords were unsheathed. They were ready to capture the stranger dressed in the white cloak.

"Stop!" Suddenly, a white-haired elder with hunched back shouted.

"Elder?" Immediately, the group of sword experts looked over at the hunchbacked elder in confusion. A disciple of the Sword Tower, who entered the forbidden area, would receive a death penalty, not to mention an outsider. Why would it be wrong to seize the outsider who barged into the cave? 

With confused expressions, the group of sword experts stared at the hunchbacked elder. The elder, who stood at the side, moved a few steps forward and began scrutinizing the white-cloaked young man.

"You are…"

Suddenly, the hunchbacked elder's eyes widened as he cried out, "It's the demon!"

"The demon?"

The group of experts, who initially looked confused, had drastic changes in their facial expressions. Since the Sword Tower ruled over Bright Moon Island, it was recorded that the most embarrassing thing happened around thirty years ago. According to the historical records, a powerful and mysterious guy, who yielded a godly spear, arrived on the back of a godly bird thirty years ago and defeated all the members of the Sword Tower by himself.

The Sword Tower could only watch as the mysterious guy occupied the forbidden area.

The members of the Sword Tower secretly referred to that man with the spear as the demon! Whenever the demon was mentioned, the members of the Sword Tower would look terrified. However, thirty years had passed and the story of the demon became a legend. The younger generations of the Sword Tower had never seen the demon before.

Back then, only a few saw Teng Qingshan's real appearance.

"Did Huangfu Yujiang hide the Jade Annulus?" An apathetic voice sounded. The white-cloaked man turned over and scanned the people in the surrounding.

All the sword experts here had strong willpower, which was why they were allowed to enter the Forbidden Area to study and practice the sword techniques. However, as the eyes of the person, who was known in the Bright Moon Island as the demon, swept past them, they felt their spirits trembling in fear. They felt as though they would die at any moment. The fear caused their faces to turn pale white.

"Did you not hear me?" Teng Qingshan stared at the hunchbacked elder as he stopped exerting strong psychological pressure upon the members of the Sword Tower.

The group of sword experts then retrieved their senses.

Back then, when Teng Qingshan escaped to the Great Prairie, he met the God of Heaven Su Mengte. Even while Teng Qingshan had achieved the Golden Dan of the Innate Realm, Su Mengte was still able to affect Teng Qingshan's mind and spirit with just a look. 

And now, Teng Qingshan became the powerful cultivator who was one step away from achieving the Culmination of the Insightful Emptiness Realm, while most of the people before his eyes were Postliminary Experts; there was only one Innate Expert.

With just a look, Teng Qingshan could affect their "Spirit."

If the Spirit dispersed, the person would die.

Teng Qingshan had formed his own world with the Niwan Palace. With such powerful Spirit, he could kill the ordinary experts by just looking at them.

"Senior." The hunchbacked elder took a deep breath as he tried to stifle the fear within him. "You might not believe it, but the Jade Annulus was lost. I, your junior, really do not know where the Jade Annulus is right now." The hunchbacked elder knew that the age of a powerful expert was not determined by his appearance.

Besides, the stronger one was bound to have a higher status. Thus, the elder addressed Teng Qingshan as the senior and called himself the junior.

"You might not know, but Huangfu Yujiang will know." Teng Qingshan said with a smile, "It has been thirty years. I can't believe that Huangfu Yujiang has already achieved the Emptiness Realm." Teng Qingshan scanned the area with the power of his world and noticed that Huangfu Yujiang, the Sovereign of the Sword Tower, was rushing over with the force of a trenchant sword.

"Huangfu Yujiang?"

"Who is Huangfu Yujiang?" Asked a young and handsome man standing among the group of sword experts.

"Junior Martial Brother, you don't know? He is the previous Sovereign of the Sword Tower. Now, he is the Grand Supreme Elder of the Sword Tower!" Immediately, someone scolded the young and handsome man, startling him. Huangfu Yujiang used to be famous. However, after the fight with Teng Qingshan, he abdicated his position and hid behind the scenes. When he attained the Emptiness Realm, he became the Grand Supreme Elder.

With such high status, he rarely appeared in public or helped with anything that happened in the Bright Moon Island.

The younger generations of the Sword Tower might know some stories of the previous sovereign, but many of them did not know the previous sovereign's name. After all, because Huangfu Yujiang held a very high status, the ordinary members of the Sword Tower dared not mention his name during a conversation.

...

On the mountain where the forbidden area was located, a beam of swordlight dashed forth with incredibly fast speed. It sped towards the cave situated halfway up the mountain.

With a clean-shaven and fair complexion, Huangfu Yujiang wore a purple cloak and carried a green godly sword on his back. Feeling confused, he thought to himself, "Who is this powerful cultivator who came to the Bright Moon Island?" 

Whoosh!

He dashed into the forbidden area.

Teng Qingshan carried his spear sheath and stood with a posture as straight as his spear. He treated the experts of the Sword Tower standing before him like they were invisible.

Whoosh! Suddenly, a purple-cloaked figure appeared in the cave.

"Huangfu Yujiang." Teng Qingshan smiled. Compared to thirty years ago, Huangfu Yujiang had not changed much in terms of appearance. He just emanated a fiercer aura.

"Grand Supreme Elder." The hunchbacked elder bowed and greeted.

"Greetings to the Grand Supreme Elder."

The other experts of the Sword Tower knelt quickly. In the Sword Tower, the Grand Supreme Elder was the only one who had the right to make the ordinary disciples kneel. However, in the Bright Moon Island, anyone who reached the Emptiness Realm would be considered a supernatural existence.

Numerous people dreamt of meeting the Grand Supreme Elder and kneeling before the Grand Supreme Elder.

The experts of the Sword Tower stared at Huangfu Yujiang with enthusiasm. 

"It's you!" Huangfu Yujiang glared and shouted, "Teng Qingshan!"

"Long time no see."

Teng Qingshan smiled calmly and said, "Sovereign Huangfu, I am genuinely surprised… Oh wait, I should call you the Grand Supreme Elder now. Back then, I just wanted to see the Celestial Jade Annulus. You did not have to hide the Celestial Jade Annulus."

"Hmph."

Huangfu Yujiang frowned and said coldly, "The Celestial Jade Annulus is the precious treasure of the Sword Tower. It can't be simply seen by an outsider." While Huangfu Yujiang was speaking, he glanced over at the Six Legged Bladelike Chi, the terrifying demonic beast, beside Teng Qingshan. Somehow, Huangfu Yujiang sensed that this Emptiness Realm demonic beast was very powerful. 

"The peculiar appearance and the strong aura… Everything tells me that this Emptiness Realm Demonic Beast is incredibly powerful. Why is Teng Qingshan so lucky? When he came last time, it was with a powerful male eagle. This time, he came with an Emptiness Realm Demonic Beast." Huangfu Yujiang sighed as he thought to himself, "I am not confident that I can take these two on."

Teng Qingshan smiled and said, "Huangfu Yujiang, please lead the way. I want to see the Celestial Jade Annulus for some time."

In Teng Qingshan's opinion, Huangfu Yujiang should know what is best to do. He came as an Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert and brought along the Six Legged Bladelike Chi. Unless Huangfu Yujiang was a fool, he should know enough to make the right choice.

"I can let you see the Celestial Jade Annulus…"

Huangfu Yujiang stared at Teng Qingshan fiercely as he continued saying, "But on one condition."

"One condition?" Teng Qingshan was slightly confused. "Tell me."

"It is simple."

With a belligerent glint in his eyes, Huangfu Yujiang said, "I want a duel. If you win against me, you can then study the Celestial Jade Annulus of the Sword Tower for however long you want. I will even order the members of the Sword Tower to prepare food for you and host you well. If you lost, you will have to leave. Will you accept this challenge?"

"What?" Teng Qingshan froze in astonishment.

A duel?

Huangfu Yujiang had just attained the Emptiness Realm. He had not even achieved the culmination of the Emptiness Realm. When he was coming to the Forbidden Area, he was drifting on the ground. Did he just challenge an Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert? 

"Huangfu Yujiang, you are not kidding, right? Are you trying to play hide-and-seek with your speed?" Teng Qingshan said with a frown. 

"Hmph, I, Huangfu YUjiang, am not a shameless person!"

Huangfu Yujiang stared at Teng Qingshan and scowled, "Why? Teng Qingshan, are you afraid? I would like to know how much you have improved for the past thirty years."

"The Grand Supreme Elder will win!"

"Our Grand Supreme Elder will win this demon."

The experts of the Sword Tower did not dare to make any noises. They only dared to shout internally while their eyes sparkled. One should know that there had only been a few who attained the Emptiness Realm! There were times when the Bright Moon Island did not even have one Emptiness Realm Expert. Therefore, the disciples of the Sword Tower revered anyone who attained the Emptiness Realm and became the Grand Supreme Elder.

In their opinion, the status of the Grand Supreme Elder represented the Emptiness Realm and was considered an unrivaled existence.

Unfortunately for the Sword Tower, there had never been an Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert in the Bright Moon Island. Therefore, the experts of the Sword Tower was unfamiliar with the aura of an Insightful Emptiness Realm Expert. When Huangfu Yujiang noticed that Teng Qingshan's aura was like a black hole, he assumed that Teng Qingshan was cultivating a special kind of Dao.

"Haha! Okay."

Teng Qingshan burst out in laughter and responded, "I accept your challenge. I think we should choose a place with only the two of us."

"This will allow the disciples of the Sword Tower to watch a duel between you and I. The duel of two Emptiness Realm Experts has never happened before in history. Why should such a major event happen in an uninhabited area?" Huangfu Yujiang roared and said, "Elder Li, command all the disciples of the Sword Tower to come to the training field at the bottom of the mountain."

"Yes, Grand Supreme Elder." The hunchbacked elder's face flushed with excitement as he responded loudly.

Chapter end