the nine cauldrons

Chapter 3: Yang Zhou City

Spring rain fluttered, the rain covered the ancient Yang Zhou citadel.

In the old citadel of Yang Zhou City, at a position against the window on the second floor of Willow Tea House, Bespectacled Teng Qing Shan was quietly sitting, placed on the desk in front him was a glass of milk and a bowl of dumplings. “My whereabouts was leaked, the killers might be able to find me within one to two upcoming days.” Teng Qing Shan was acquainted with the powerful energy of the first international intelligence organizations “Hand of Darkness”. An Yi County was just a small town under Yang Zhou. Last night he arrived in this urban area, which was only more than one hundred kilometers away from the county. It’s not that he could not escape. It’s just because he did not want to escape! Because, there was a person in Yang Zhou which he really wanted to see!

“Qing Jiang!”

Teng Qing Shan was looking at a two-story old house away from here.

After finishing his buns and milk, he ordered a cup of tea, and drank it while waiting. When his cup of tea was refilled the third time, it was already eleven o’clock ; however, Teng Qing Shan still did not find the person he wanted to see.

“Go back!”

Teng Qing Shan checked out, then he immediately left the teahouse and returned to his temporary residence in Yang Zhou. ……

This is a house in the west of Yang Zhou. The monthly renting fee of this type of house was only about 1,000 yuan and Teng Qing Shan only wanted to live there for approximately three months. However, he paid the owner 10,000 yuan. As a result, the owner did not ask for the identification of Teng Qing Shan. He paid them so much money, so they had no reason to be worried. In the living room, Teng Qing Shan had just made a cup of tea and lied back on the couch, then the phone rang.

Teng Qing Shan frowned. He just bought this phone and just intended to use it temporarily. There were only two people who knew his phone number, one was Lin, the other was Liu aunt at the orphanage. He decided to buy this phone with the only purpose was to keep in touch with the orphanage

“Hey, Teng Qing Shan, why don’t we go out having lunch today?” The voice sounded familiar.

Teng Qing Shan smile helplessly, shaking his head, then started to talk: “I’m sorry, Lin, I have now left the county to another place.”

“What,” Lin asked with a surprise in her voice.

“How did you move to another place? Yesterday you were still ……”- Lin was somewhat urgent.

“Lin, my brother called me yesterday and told me that my family had an urgent matter. I felt worried, so I returned home. It was late then, so I did not want to bother you.”

Teng Qing Shan had just made up an excuse as he did not want to let other people get involved in his life.

“Oh… “Lin lowered her voice, felt a little bit disappointed. After being silent for a while, she continued,”- Teng Qing Shan, where is your hometown? Perhaps I’ll travel there when I have time. ”

“My house is located in the remote mountainous area, you won’t be able to find it even if I gave you the address.” Teng said, “Lin, please wait for me till I come back to An Yi county. I will come meet you then. Oh, I need to go have lunch now, talk to you later. “- Teng Qing Shan then hung up the phone.

Teng Qing Shan had a self-deprecating smile on his lips. He flung the phone on the table.

Then he took out a small tripod hanging round his neck, which was about the size of a fingertip, gently cuddled the tripod, just like a man comforting his girlfriend.

“Little Cat, your man is so charming, isn’t he? I was followed by another girl just after a very short time.”- Teng Qing Shan was looking at the small tripod, and whispered to himself, “Cat, I lived near a town in An Yi County, I also saw Chief. She was as kind as many years ago. I have completed my wish, which is was meet Chief. Now, I have another wish- seeing my brother Qing Jiang. Qing Jiang is now living In Yang Zhou. I think, I should be able to see him. ”

“After I meet my brother Qing Jiang, I won’t have any regrets!”

“Then, I can travel everywhere, to the north and south of our country, pursuing martial arts. Of course, you will be with me all the time!”

Teng Qing Shan looked like a young man who had just graduated from the college, but in fact, he was nearly thirty years old. Many years of practicing martial arts had caused him some penance. The dead skin was then peeling off, and his body was rejuvenated. That’s why he looked much younger than his real age.

He picked up the backpack right next to him, took out a laptop from inside.

After connecting his computer to the power supplier, he turned it on, then opened the music player, and put the laptop on a table in front of him.

“I was a wolf from the north, walking in the wilderness, howling in the mournful northern breeze ……”

The melodies of the song “Wolf” echoed in the room. It was his most favorite song, as during two decades, he had the only name – Wolf!

Same like the woman he loved, she also had the only name – Cat!

Since the day being taken to Siberia, Qing Shan had become his past name. Only after many mortal trainings and harsh screenings, could he stand out from the pile of dead, and receive an official nick name- “Wolf”!

Seven years ago, he was carefree, and was just an orphan children in the orphanage.

When he was seven years old, he got adopted. He thought his life would get better, but actually it was just a hell. He became a potential killer candidate. In the first round of screening, a large group of children fought with each other for just a little food. Only 113 among 360 children could survive. Then he was sent to the horrible Siberia training camp.

When he was ten years old, there were only 38 people among 113 people that were still alive. He overcame everything thanks to his strong will, and was finally given a nick name- “Wolf”! In the same year, he met his mentor, a master of Xing Yi Quan “Teng Bo Lei”. Teng Bo Lei accepted four practitioners, there other people were just normal disciples, only he was Teng Bo Lei’s closest disciple! Even the killer organization could not know that secret.

Sixteen years old, he returned to that killer organization, and became a true killer. Camouflage, hiding, etc., all of those skills he had learnt during his mortal journeys, and he kept learning all the time.

During those long days, a girl who was same age with him, “Cat”, was always besides him. They came from a same group of 360 people, and they experienced mortal screenings, trainings; they studied with master Teng Bo Lei, worked in the killer organization together… They supported each other, helped each other.

One day in their long journey, they realized that they could never live without each other.

They made a plan. When the time came, they would quit that organization, and could have a free life together.

But, when he turned 29, a nightmare suddenly came up.

The flame from an explosion pushed Teng Qing Shan into a totally despair situation. His other half, “Cat”, was dead! That was his most beloved woman, the only reason of his presence in this life! The death of “Cat” turned Teng Qing Shan into an absolute madness. He became a lonely and crazy “Wolf”, who didn’t care of anything but revenge!

Kill, kill all the top senior managers of that organization, who designed that plan! He was ready to die in that avenge battle; however, in the last instant, his skills of using knifes saved him. He even could escape from the headquarters.

…

“Cat”‘s death made Teng Qing Shan mood completely changed. He came back to his hometown this time with hope to have chance to meet Chief “grandmother” and his younger brother Qing Jiang. After those two wishes of him being completed, Teng Qing Shan would have no worries and could spend his whole strength and soul to pursue martial arts.

…

Teng Qing Shan finished listening to the song. He took a deep breath, then carefully put the small tripod back into his collar, closed the music player, and get accessed to the internet. Teng Qing Shan opened a foreign website. All the articles there were written in English.

He was very familiar with it. He then skillfully entered the letters.

“Every time I want to contact Elena, it is always so troublesome, this “beetle” software needs to be re-downloaded again and again.” After Teng Qing Shan finished downloading “beetle” software, he installed it on his computer. That software was a chat tool similarly to Yahoo, QQ chat.

However, the beetle software was written by “Elena”- one of Teng Qing Shan closest friends.

While QQ had millions of user accounts, that “beetle” chat software had only two users – one was Elena, the other was Teng Qing Shan. This software was programmed just simply because they wanted to chat with each other.

He started to run that software.

The entire screen suddenly became dark. There were only two poignant drops of blood appearing on the screen. Then came a sign-in box which allowed the users to enter their user names and passwords. He then logged in. “Elena!”- Teng Qing Shan entered that English world, waiting for a response from the other person.

Just a moment, the other responded. “Wolf! Oh, now I should call you Teng Qing Shan, shouldn’t I?” At a place very far away from there, in a villa located the suburb of London, Europe, a beautiful blonde haired barefoot girl who was wearing a nightgown, was tapping the keyboard. Her eyes showed that she was so excited.

“Elena, last time you told me that there was an orphan called Qing Jiang, and he was now living in Yang Zhou, right?” Asked Teng Qing Shan.

“Of course, are you suspecting my intelligence? He was called Qing Jiang when he was living in an orphanage. Later he was adopted and was renamed “Qin Hong” by his adoptive parents. After graduating from high school, he entered the army and then acceded to a special department. Now he is managing Yang Zhou area. The address I gave you absolutely has no problem. ”

Elena was really confident.

Teng Qing Shan nodded. Today he was waiting for a long time. Though he did not meet his brother, that does not mean he is not living in Yang Zhou now.

“And, Wolf, I have to remind you again! The poweful Redmayne family will not allow you to live. What you did was tantamount to a fierce slap on their face. Death Scythe organization had been hired to kill you. Two super-strong killers already sneaked in China. You have to be extremely careful. When your whereabouts are leaked, it is necessary that you immediately flee away. ”

” Oh, two super-strong killers of Death Scythe ? Are they “sharpshooter” Magosawa and “broken body aircraft” Dole Goth Grove? “-Teng Qing Shan was tapping the keyboard to respond.

“You are very smart. Yes, it’s them. Those are the two s-class killers. None of them is weaker than you, you cannot be careless.”-Elena reminded.

Teng Qing Shan eyes lit up: “Except for those two killers, I really don’t worry about anyone else in Death Scythe. If they come here, I will fight them! ”

“So arrogant? Gee, you are indeed the “Flying” lone wolf. Everyone knows that your ability is not worse than them at all. However, there are two of them. A melee, together with a distant attack, will double their power. Wolf, as a friend, I have to tell you one more time, once your whereabouts are leaked, you must run away immediately. “-Elena persuaded him.

Your reminder was late. My whereabouts was leaked yesterday. “-Teng Qing Shan face was showing a special smile. Since his wife “Little Cat” ‘s death, Teng Qing Shan had paid much attention to Martial Arts. Having a chance to fight with a super-strong killer was what he had been dreaming of.

“What? “leaked”? You’d better run away now! “-Elena urged.

“Haha, why I have to run away? I’m now in Yang Zhou, waiting for them to come… to fight! “Teng Qing Shan’s look became sharp. His wife was dead. He had nothing to worry about. What should Teng Qing Shan be afraid of?

No matter how many people might come, he would be willing to welcome all of them.

In this small Yang Zhou city, he was waiting for the arrival of the world’s super-strong killers. If one came, he would kill one. If two came, he would kill a pair!

“I want to know who can kill me! “-Teng Qing Shan’s look was sharp like knife.

Chapter 3: Yang Zhou City

Spring rain fluttered, the rain covered the ancient Yang Zhou citadel.

In the old citadel of Yang Zhou City, at a position against the window on the second floor of Willow Tea House, Bespectacled Teng Qing Shan was quietly sitting, placed on the desk in front him was a glass of milk and a bowl of dumplings. “My whereabouts was leaked, the killers might be able to find me within one to two upcoming days.” Teng Qing Shan was acquainted with the powerful energy of the first international intelligence organizations “Hand of Darkness”. An Yi County was just a small town under Yang Zhou. Last night he arrived in this urban area, which was only more than one hundred kilometers away from the county. It’s not that he could not escape. It’s just because he did not want to escape! Because, there was a person in Yang Zhou which he really wanted to see!

“Qing Jiang!”

Teng Qing Shan was looking at a two-story old house away from here.

After finishing his buns and milk, he ordered a cup of tea, and drank it while waiting. When his cup of tea was refilled the third time, it was already eleven o’clock ; however, Teng Qing Shan still did not find the person he wanted to see.

“Go back!”

Teng Qing Shan checked out, then he immediately left the teahouse and returned to his temporary residence in Yang Zhou. ……

This is a house in the west of Yang Zhou. The monthly renting fee of this type of house was only about 1,000 yuan and Teng Qing Shan only wanted to live there for approximately three months. However, he paid the owner 10,000 yuan. As a result, the owner did not ask for the identification of Teng Qing Shan. He paid them so much money, so they had no reason to be worried. In the living room, Teng Qing Shan had just made a cup of tea and lied back on the couch, then the phone rang.

Teng Qing Shan frowned. He just bought this phone and just intended to use it temporarily. There were only two people who knew his phone number, one was Lin, the other was Liu aunt at the orphanage. He decided to buy this phone with the only purpose was to keep in touch with the orphanage

“Hey, Teng Qing Shan, why don’t we go out having lunch today?” The voice sounded familiar.

Teng Qing Shan smile helplessly, shaking his head, then started to talk: “I’m sorry, Lin, I have now left the county to another place.”

“What,” Lin asked with a surprise in her voice.

“How did you move to another place? Yesterday you were still ……”- Lin was somewhat urgent.

“Lin, my brother called me yesterday and told me that my family had an urgent matter. I felt worried, so I returned home. It was late then, so I did not want to bother you.”

Teng Qing Shan had just made up an excuse as he did not want to let other people get involved in his life.

“Oh… “Lin lowered her voice, felt a little bit disappointed. After being silent for a while, she continued,”- Teng Qing Shan, where is your hometown? Perhaps I’ll travel there when I have time. ”

“My house is located in the remote mountainous area, you won’t be able to find it even if I gave you the address.” Teng said, “Lin, please wait for me till I come back to An Yi county. I will come meet you then. Oh, I need to go have lunch now, talk to you later. “- Teng Qing Shan then hung up the phone.

Teng Qing Shan had a self-deprecating smile on his lips. He flung the phone on the table.

Then he took out a small tripod hanging round his neck, which was about the size of a fingertip, gently cuddled the tripod, just like a man comforting his girlfriend.

“Little Cat, your man is so charming, isn’t he? I was followed by another girl just after a very short time.”- Teng Qing Shan was looking at the small tripod, and whispered to himself, “Cat, I lived near a town in An Yi County, I also saw Chief. She was as kind as many years ago. I have completed my wish, which is was meet Chief. Now, I have another wish- seeing my brother Qing Jiang. Qing Jiang is now living In Yang Zhou. I think, I should be able to see him. ”

“After I meet my brother Qing Jiang, I won’t have any regrets!”

“Then, I can travel everywhere, to the north and south of our country, pursuing martial arts. Of course, you will be with me all the time!”

Teng Qing Shan looked like a young man who had just graduated from the college, but in fact, he was nearly thirty years old. Many years of practicing martial arts had caused him some penance. The dead skin was then peeling off, and his body was rejuvenated. That’s why he looked much younger than his real age.

He picked up the backpack right next to him, took out a laptop from inside.

After connecting his computer to the power supplier, he turned it on, then opened the music player, and put the laptop on a table in front of him.

“I was a wolf from the north, walking in the wilderness, howling in the mournful northern breeze ……”

The melodies of the song “Wolf” echoed in the room. It was his most favorite song, as during two decades, he had the only name – Wolf!

Same like the woman he loved, she also had the only name – Cat!

Since the day being taken to Siberia, Qing Shan had become his past name. Only after many mortal trainings and harsh screenings, could he stand out from the pile of dead, and receive an official nick name- “Wolf”!

Seven years ago, he was carefree, and was just an orphan children in the orphanage.

When he was seven years old, he got adopted. He thought his life would get better, but actually it was just a hell. He became a potential killer candidate. In the first round of screening, a large group of children fought with each other for just a little food. Only 113 among 360 children could survive. Then he was sent to the horrible Siberia training camp.

When he was ten years old, there were only 38 people among 113 people that were still alive. He overcame everything thanks to his strong will, and was finally given a nick name- “Wolf”! In the same year, he met his mentor, a master of Xing Yi Quan “Teng Bo Lei”. Teng Bo Lei accepted four practitioners, there other people were just normal disciples, only he was Teng Bo Lei’s closest disciple! Even the killer organization could not know that secret.

Sixteen years old, he returned to that killer organization, and became a true killer. Camouflage, hiding, etc., all of those skills he had learnt during his mortal journeys, and he kept learning all the time.

During those long days, a girl who was same age with him, “Cat”, was always besides him. They came from a same group of 360 people, and they experienced mortal screenings, trainings; they studied with master Teng Bo Lei, worked in the killer organization together… They supported each other, helped each other.

One day in their long journey, they realized that they could never live without each other.

They made a plan. When the time came, they would quit that organization, and could have a free life together.

But, when he turned 29, a nightmare suddenly came up.

The flame from an explosion pushed Teng Qing Shan into a totally despair situation. His other half, “Cat”, was dead! That was his most beloved woman, the only reason of his presence in this life! The death of “Cat” turned Teng Qing Shan into an absolute madness. He became a lonely and crazy “Wolf”, who didn’t care of anything but revenge!

Kill, kill all the top senior managers of that organization, who designed that plan! He was ready to die in that avenge battle; however, in the last instant, his skills of using knifes saved him. He even could escape from the headquarters.

…

“Cat”‘s death made Teng Qing Shan mood completely changed. He came back to his hometown this time with hope to have chance to meet Chief “grandmother” and his younger brother Qing Jiang. After those two wishes of him being completed, Teng Qing Shan would have no worries and could spend his whole strength and soul to pursue martial arts.

…

Teng Qing Shan finished listening to the song. He took a deep breath, then carefully put the small tripod back into his collar, closed the music player, and get accessed to the internet. Teng Qing Shan opened a foreign website. All the articles there were written in English.

He was very familiar with it. He then skillfully entered the letters.

“Every time I want to contact Elena, it is always so troublesome, this “beetle” software needs to be re-downloaded again and again.” After Teng Qing Shan finished downloading “beetle” software, he installed it on his computer. That software was a chat tool similarly to Yahoo, QQ chat.

However, the beetle software was written by “Elena”- one of Teng Qing Shan closest friends.

While QQ had millions of user accounts, that “beetle” chat software had only two users – one was Elena, the other was Teng Qing Shan. This software was programmed just simply because they wanted to chat with each other.

He started to run that software.

The entire screen suddenly became dark. There were only two poignant drops of blood appearing on the screen. Then came a sign-in box which allowed the users to enter their user names and passwords. He then logged in. “Elena!”- Teng Qing Shan entered that English world, waiting for a response from the other person.

Just a moment, the other responded. “Wolf! Oh, now I should call you Teng Qing Shan, shouldn’t I?” At a place very far away from there, in a villa located the suburb of London, Europe, a beautiful blonde haired barefoot girl who was wearing a nightgown, was tapping the keyboard. Her eyes showed that she was so excited.

“Elena, last time you told me that there was an orphan called Qing Jiang, and he was now living in Yang Zhou, right?” Asked Teng Qing Shan.

“Of course, are you suspecting my intelligence? He was called Qing Jiang when he was living in an orphanage. Later he was adopted and was renamed “Qin Hong” by his adoptive parents. After graduating from high school, he entered the army and then acceded to a special department. Now he is managing Yang Zhou area. The address I gave you absolutely has no problem. ”

Elena was really confident.

Teng Qing Shan nodded. Today he was waiting for a long time. Though he did not meet his brother, that does not mean he is not living in Yang Zhou now.

“And, Wolf, I have to remind you again! The poweful Redmayne family will not allow you to live. What you did was tantamount to a fierce slap on their face. Death Scythe organization had been hired to kill you. Two super-strong killers already sneaked in China. You have to be extremely careful. When your whereabouts are leaked, it is necessary that you immediately flee away. ”

” Oh, two super-strong killers of Death Scythe ? Are they “sharpshooter” Magosawa and “broken body aircraft” Dole Goth Grove? “-Teng Qing Shan was tapping the keyboard to respond.

“You are very smart. Yes, it’s them. Those are the two s-class killers. None of them is weaker than you, you cannot be careless.”-Elena reminded.

Teng Qing Shan eyes lit up: “Except for those two killers, I really don’t worry about anyone else in Death Scythe. If they come here, I will fight them! ”

“So arrogant? Gee, you are indeed the “Flying” lone wolf. Everyone knows that your ability is not worse than them at all. However, there are two of them. A melee, together with a distant attack, will double their power. Wolf, as a friend, I have to tell you one more time, once your whereabouts are leaked, you must run away immediately. “-Elena persuaded him.

Your reminder was late. My whereabouts was leaked yesterday. “-Teng Qing Shan face was showing a special smile. Since his wife “Little Cat” ‘s death, Teng Qing Shan had paid much attention to Martial Arts. Having a chance to fight with a super-strong killer was what he had been dreaming of.

“What? “leaked”? You’d better run away now! “-Elena urged.

“Haha, why I have to run away? I’m now in Yang Zhou, waiting for them to come… to fight! “Teng Qing Shan’s look became sharp. His wife was dead. He had nothing to worry about. What should Teng Qing Shan be afraid of?

No matter how many people might come, he would be willing to welcome all of them.

In this small Yang Zhou city, he was waiting for the arrival of the world’s super-strong killers. If one came, he would kill one. If two came, he would kill a pair!

“I want to know who can kill me! “-Teng Qing Shan’s look was sharp like knife.