The Nine Cauldrons

Chapter 28: Choice

In the central hall, Teng Yunlong and the others turned and looked at Teng Qingshan, Since the beginning, they never asked for Teng Qingshan’s opinion. In their opinion, although Teng Qingshan was gifted, he was still just a six-year-old kid. How well would a six-year-old boy know about the matters of the future?

How could they allow a child to make the decision?

“Qingshan.” Teng Yunlong said with a kind smile, “Gui Yuan Sect is the best sect in Jiangning County of Yangzhou.You will learn their secret technique and generate inner strength when you get there. When you have cultivated inner strength, you will be one of the very strong and courageous men in Yi City.

“I don’t want to go.” Teng Qingshan shook his head.

For now, Teng Qingshan did not have any good excuse. After all, he was still a six-year-old kid.

“Teacher, I think we should wait two more years. Teng Yongfan said as he still felt reluctant to let his son go.

“Hmph, Yongfan, you must think for his future!” Teng Yunlong’s face darkened as he scolded.

At the side, a silver-haired elder with grey hair and a wart on his forehead berated, “Yongfan, your son has boundless prospects. Don’t ruin his future.” This elder was the Third Grandpa, who was famous for being extremely strict. He was so strict that kids would be so scared to talk whenever they saw him.

“I don’t want older brother to go!” Suddenly, Qingyu started crying.

“Don’t cry, Qinyu.” Yuan Lan immediately carried her daughter.

“Little Yu, don’t cry. I am not going.” Teng Qingshan caressed Qingyu’s brightened face and turned towards the adults. “Grandfather, why must I go to Gui Yuan Sect? I don’t want to go!” Now, Teng Qingshan had no choice but to throw a tantrum.

“Qingshan, stop it!” shouted Teng Yunlong.

“Qingshan! You are still a kid. You don’t know anything. Just obey us!” The Third Grandpa berated.

Still, Teng Qingshan refused.

Even if Gui Yuan Sect had methods to cultivate the inner strength, Teng Qingshan wouldn’t dare to use that cultivation method. This was because the cultivation method of inner strength usually aim to open up the meridians and force the inner strength to travel around the body. This was a method to deepen the inner strength, which Teng Qingshan had read about in the “Millenium Chronicle”. Moreover, he also had the secret body art “Crossing Worlds”.

However, currently, he still has not open up many of his meridians.

If he had cultivated according to the secret method of inner strength cultivation and forcefully opened up the meridians, the impurities in the other meridians would clog up and it would very difficult to open up those meridians. If that had happened, he would lose his advantage as an Internal Martial Art Practitioner. Therefore, before he had opened up all his meridians with the cultivation of the Internal Martial Art, Teng Qingshan must not cultivate any secret inner strength cultivation methods or any other secret methods.

The cultivation of the Internal Martial Art does aid the opening of the meridians. Although the opening of the meridians would be slow in the beginning, the end result would be the opening of all the meridians in the body.

Therefore, the cultivation of those secret techniques would harm him instead!

However, Teng Qingshan couldn’t say these words!

“I am not going.” Teng Qingshan shook his head.

The Third Grandpa’s face blackened in anger as he roared, “Impudent child! You know nothing. Remember! Obey the adults! We are all doing this for your sake!”

“Qingshan.” Teng Yunlong appeared angry as well.

“Even if you all sent me to Gui Yuan Sect, I will not cultivate or practice any secret technique taught to me!” Teng Qingshan said, “When the one-year-period ends, Gui Yuan Sect will kick me out.”

The Third Grandpa pointed at Teng Qingshan. He wanted to scold, but he no longer knew what to say.

Indeed, if they had sent Teng Qingshan to Gui Yuan Sect but Teng Qingshan himself refused to cultivate the secret technique even in Gui Yuan Sect, they wouldn’t be able to do anything.

“Qingshan, you are too rebellious!” Teng Yunlong was furious. As the Village Chief, he couldn’t allow anyone to disrespect him. “I watched you grow. You have always been very obedient. Why are you so rebellious this time? Listen to us. You will understand my intention when you grow up.”

Yet, Teng Qingshan shook his head and remained silent.

This was a silent protest!

The adults in the hall were at a loss. Teng Qingshan has always been very obedient. In fact, he was famous for being a good child. Yet, he was so stubborn today. The more obedient a child, the more stubborn he would be.

“Disobedient. Yongxiang and Yonglei, take Qingshan out and lock him in the firewood storehouse!” Teng Yunlong ordered.

Teng Yongxiang and Teng Yonglei froze.

“Teacher…” Teng Yongfan said anxiously.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Teng Yunlong’s eyes widened in anger. Teng Yongxiang and Teng Yonglei could only choose to obey as they stared at Teng Qingshan. “I will go there myself!” Teng Qingshan didn’t say much as he strode outside the door. He didn’t need anyone to escort him there. He walked towards the firewood storehouse himself, which was unexpected.

“Father.” Yuan Lan became worried.

“Teacher.” Teng Yongfan stared at the Chief Teng Yunlong.

Teng Yunlong sighed and said, “I don’t know what’s wrong with Qingshan. He has always been very obedient. Why is he so stubborn today! Still, he’s just a kid… Maybe he will change his mind after being locked up for a few days. Lan and Yongfan, don’t let him out! Of course, you will still need to prepare three meals a day for him.”

“Yes, Father (Teacher).” Teng Yongfan and Yuan Lan agreed helplessly.

“Even adults can’t stand being locked up in a dark firewood storehouse for a few days. He’s just a six-year-old kid. He won’t be able to endure after a few days. Let him out when he is willing to obey.” Teng Yunlong said. At this point, Teng Yunlong had no other options.

Teng Yunlong had no other choice.

He couldn’t use corporal punishment.

Convincing was useless.

Locking up Teng Qingshan was the only temporary choice.

******

Kids love to have fun. They wouldn’t be able to endure being locked up. Although Teng Yunlong and the other adults did think highly of this young genius, they only expected Teng Qingshan to endure for a few days. Yet, none of them expected Teng Qingshan, a six-year-old child, to remain calm and quiet after being locked up in the firewood storehouse for a total of six days.Teng Qingshan stayed quietly in the firewood storehouse. Whenever he was asked if he had changed his mind, he would still give the same answer—”I don’t want to leave Teng Jia Village!”

Now, even Teng Yunlong was at a loss!

He couldn’t lock Teng Qingshan up forever. If he had locked Teng Qingshan up for a long time, it might negatively affect his temperament. Teng Yunlong love this grandchild from the bottom of his heart. He wanted to send his grandson to Gui Yuan Sect because it was for the sake if his future.

…

In the firewood storehouse…

Teng Qingshan was repeatedly practicing the Three Postures in the narrow space. The Three Postures was known to be the origin of the Xing Yi Martial Art. Although Teng Qingshan has already attained the Grandmaster realm, the Three Postures was still unfathomable to him. In fact, he would occasionally be enlightened by the Three Postures.

Being locked up in the firewood storehouse didn’t annoy Teng Qingshan at all. Instead, he was able to practice as much as he like because he was being locked up.

As a hitman in the previous world, he had gone through many types of suffering. In Teng Qingshan’s opinion, being locked up wasn’t even a punishment.

“Eh?” Teng Qingshan’s ears pricked. Immediately, he stopped cultivating. He sat down and leaned on the wood nearby.

Teng Qingshan would stop cultivating whenever he heard someone approaching.

“Qingshan.” A voice sounded.

“Third Grandpa.” Teng Qingshan replied. Worrying that Teng Yongfan and his wife would secretly release Teng Qingshan and nullifying the effect of the detention, the Third Grandpa himself guarded the firewood storehouse.

“Qingshan, let me tell you. Staying in Teng Jia Village is a waste of your talent. You are a genius that rarely exist in the Teng Jia Village since thousands of years ago. You can’t act like a kid at this crucial point in life.” In the beginning, the Third Grandpa was quite cool. He did get mad, but when he showed his anger, Teng Qingshan would just respond with silence.

After a long while, the Third Grandpa had no choice but to exhort with good words.

Teng Qingshan at least would reply if he was exhorting nicely.

“Qingshan, are you still not willing to go?” The Third Grandpa asked.

“Third Grandpa, I already said that I refused to leave Teng Jia Village, at least not now! Even if you all locked me up for six months, I still won’t change my mind.” Teng Qingshan replied with a calm tone. However, the words he said sounded very decisive and determined.

The Third Grandpa, who stood outside the firewood storehouse, couldn’t do anything.

Even as a six-year-old kid, he was able to remain calm after being locked up for six days. With such temperament, he will definitely achieve great things in Gui Yuan Sect.

“Creak.” The door of the firewood storehouse opened.

“What’s wrong?” Teng Qingshan looked over in astonishment.

Third Grandpa stood outside the firewood storehouse. Unknown of whether to laugh or cry, he stared at Teng Qingshan with a helpless smile. “Alright, Qingshan. You are very determined. Both I and your grandfather concede! From now on, we will not force you to go to Gui Yuan Sect! We will send you there whenever you wish to go!”

No matter what, Teng Yunlong and the other adults love Teng Qingshan very much. It was impossible to lock up Teng Qingshan forever.

Teng Yunlong and the other adults had agreed to set the time limit to six days. If Teng Qingshan still wouldn’t give in on the sixth day, then they would have no choice but to concede.

“Third Grandpa.” As Teng Qingshan saw the tiredness showed on the Third Grandpa’s face, he felt apologetic. He knew that the elders of the village are acting this way because they hope that he would make great achievements. However, he couldn’t tell them his reasons.

Even though he had won this fight, this experience gave him the chance to see the love the elders of the village had for him.

“Third Grandpa, don’t worry. Even if I stay in Teng Jia Village, I won’t disappoint you guys.” Teng Qingshan said.

“Haha… You have been locked up for six days. Yet, you are still calm and patient. You are only six-years-old! Haha! I have never seen a kid like you. Even I myself am unsure of how great your future achievements would be.” The Third Grandpa could only accept the result—Teng Qingshan would be staying in Teng Jia Village.

A while later, many people, including Teng Yunlong, gathered in the courtyard.

Teng Yunlong stared at his grandchild and smiled helplessly before he turned and looked toward Teng Yongfan, saying, “Yongfan, your son is usually obedient, but when he is stubborn, there is nothing I can do.”

“The kid is too disobedient. He doesn’t understand that you are doing all these for his sake.” Teng Yongfan could only console the Chief.

“Qingshan.” Teng Yunlong looked towards Teng Qingshan and asked, “Tell me what you want to learn. Whatever it is that you wish to learn, I will find the best teacher to teach you.”

“I want to learn the cultivation of spear art!”

Teng Qingshan answered. This had always been part of his plan.

“Spear?” Teng Yunlong frowned and said, “Qingshan, many people in the village cultivate the spear art. However, these are merely skill used for farming and skills and experiences accumulated from generation to generation. Moreover, the spear is the hardest weapon to practice. One would have to practice ten years to be able to wield is very skillfully. One would need to cultivate for an entire life. I have never heard of any powerful spear expert in the region of Yi City. It will be very difficult. Why don’t you choose another weapon?”

“I just want spear.” Teng Qingshan said.