The Nine Cauldrons

Chapter 616: The Secular World

Teng Qingshan perambulated through the fields and crossed the rivers. He went wherever he wanted to go.

No one could see him!

As he watched the things that happened in the Land of the Nine Prefectures, he remained silent.

…

In the blink of an eye, the hot summer had arrived. Teng Qingshan entered the city of Chu County in Yangzhou. He wore a white cloak and walked barefoot. There was quite a number of pedestrians on the street. However, none of them could touch Teng Qingshan. Whenever some of them walked towards Teng Qingshan, they would turn unconsciously while thinking that they were still walking in a straight line.

“Eh?” Teng Qingshan suddenly turned and looked over at a huge mansion nearby.

Teng Qingshan moved one step and was instantly inside the mansion.

In the courtyard of the mansion, a chubby rich man dressed in embroidered clothes could be seen chasing after a woman wearing patched cotton clothing. At the same time, the rich man said and laughed creepily, “Li’s Wife, why don’t you just give yourself to me? Just yield to me and you will never have to mend and wash clothes or do any hard work.”

“Sir, have some respect for yourself!” The slim married woman, dressed in the cotton clothing, warned as she tried to dodge the wealthy man.

However, there was no way she could escape because the wealthy man had already locked the gate of the courtyard.

“Hey, I am just wondering. Where can you go?” The chubby middle-aged man felt intrigued as he continued chasing after the lady.

Wearing his typical white cloak, Teng Qingshan stood on the roof and watched everything that was happening in the courtyard.

“Huff… Huff.”

Soon, the chubby man started breathing heavily. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and guffawed as he said, “Li’s wife, you are really good at running. You are so sexy now and I love it! Come on! Run more!” The chubby middle-aged man said. Suddenly, he darted out and grabbed her clothing.

Rip!

Her clothing was torn, revealing her pale arm and almost one side of her body. Immediately, the middle-aged man’s eyes lit up with excitement. Li’s wife was from a poor family. She never lived a good life and her face was always pale. However, her paleness made her appear more delicate. If one paid close attention to her facial features, one would agree that she was charming.

She looked about thirty-years-old, but she had the unique charm of a young married woman. She wasn’t beautiful but she was charming enough to sexually arouse the middle-aged man.

“Old Master, please let me go. I don’t want your clothes mending money anymore.” Li’s wife pleaded. Her eyes turned red and teary. As she ran, she tried to cover her body.

“Money? I am wealthy. I have a lot of money!” The middle-aged man breathed heavily as he said, “Give yourself to me and I will pay you one hundred silver taels!”

One hundred silver taels was a lot of money.

“I don’t want your money. Master, just let me go.” Tears rolled down her face as she begged.

“Huff…Huff…”

The middle-aged man stopped. He started gasping for air. He cursed and exclaimed, “Bitch! You sure can run!” Whenever he went out, he traveled in a palanquin or carriage. When he was home, he had servants and maid attending to his every need. How could he outrun a poor married woman who had to do all kinds of work to make ends meet? Obviously, the wealthy man had become too tired to run.

“Servants.” The chubby middle-aged man shouted.

Whoosh!

Suddenly, the gate to the courtyard opened and two strong men rushed into the courtyard.

“Old Master.” The two greeted and bowed respectfully.

“Her.” The chubby middle-aged man was breathing heavily as he pointed at the woman whose clothing was ripped open. “You two…you two…” He gasped for air while saying, “Go catch her and tie her up. Send her to the room over there!”

“Yes, Master.” The two servants hastily said.

The two muscular men obviously had inner strength. Although they weren’t powerful, they were nimble and quick. One approached from the left and the other from the right; they then surrounded Li’s Wife. Although Li’s Wife tried to escape, she was caught within a blink of an eye. “Bang!” One of the muscular men jumped and threw himself forward, catching the woman.

“Let me go. Old Master, please.” The woman shouted grimly.

“Let you go?” With a protruding belly, the middle-aged man walked over. He caressed the woman’s face and smiled creepily. “There’s no rush. I will let you go after I unleash the essence of fire within you!”

While he was still talking, the two men had already tied the woman’s hands.

The ripped clothing exposed her white undergarment.

“Leave.” The chubby middle-aged man ordered.

“Yes.”

The two muscular men exchanged glances and quickly left. They knew their old master’s temperament well. “Creak~” The courtyard gate was closed and locked again. The chubby middle-aged man immediately held Li’s Wife, whose hands were tied up. As she was slim and weak, the middle-aged man didn’t think she was heavy at all.

No matter how the woman tried to break free from the rope, it was useless. The knots binding her were too tight.

The middle-aged man held the lady in his arms and laughed creepily as he entered the room. Teng Qingshan frowned as he stood on the rooftop and watched everything that had happened silently.

“I have seen things like this more than once.” Teng Qingshan sighed and said.

Ever since Teng Qingshan left the Great Yan Mountain and started traveling the world, he saw many things that happened in the secular world. There were times he really wanted to help. But then, he would remember that he had to always be an observer. Moreover, he realized that even if he did help, these things would still be happening. Whenever he had that realization, he would resist the urge to interfere.

Some things that happened were simply too cruel and agonizing. Teng Qingshan would only interfere when he could longer endure it.

Teng Qinghsan thought to himself, “He is sexually assaulting and abusing this woman. He is wealthy and has many wives. Why would he still harass a married woman?

“Help!”

“Help!” Suddenly, a woeful scream sounded in the room.

Teng Qingshan scanned the surroundings with the Power of his World and instantly noticed that the chubby middle-aged man had already started tearing and ripping at the woman’s clothes.

“Should I help?”

“But my role is to be an observer. Even if I do help, the same thing would still happen again.”

“But…”

Teng Qingshan frowned. It was not the first time he had encountered a crime like this. Still, he struggled.

Suddenly—

“Bang!” The gate burst open.

A skinny teenager, who looked fifteen or sixteen years old, appeared bravely with a butcher knife in his hand. As he charged into the courtyard, he began shouting, “Zhou Thief! Zhou Thief!” Three guards were chasing after him. However, this skinny teenager didn’t care. His red-rimming eyes were burning with madness as he dashed into the room.

“Ah! You impudent thief!” Someone screamed.

Immediately, a chubby middle-aged man could be seen running out from that room. At the same time, he was trying to apply pressure on the bleeding wounds on his arm. When he was out of the room, the guards who had arrived hastily asked, “Old Master! Old Master! Are you alright? Call the doctor!”

“What have you guys been doing!” The chubby middle-aged man shouted, “Catch that thief! I am going to skin him alive!”

At this moment, the skinny teenager, who held a butcher knife in his hand, was holding the woman’s hand. He said to the woman, “Mother, let’s go!” The woman’s eyes became red and teary. She simply could not believe that her son, whom she thought was just a well-behaved child, actually stormed into the courtyard and into this room during this crucial moment.

“Catch him.” The chubby middle-aged man screamed.

Immediately, three guards stepped forward.

“Go away! I will kill anyone who comes closer!” The skinny teenager’s eyes were burning with rage. Like a mad fool, he charged outside and slashed his knife outward and in random directions. For some time, the guards, who weren’t particularly strong, didn’t dare to approach at all. They just kept dodging and moving to the side. With courage, the skinny young man dragged his mother and escaped the courtyard.

“Useless! Useless!” The chubby middle-aged man shouted before he immediately covered the wound on his arm again.

“Old Master, he won’t be able to escape. There are many people guarding outside.” A guard hastily said.

Indeed, there were many people outside.

Teng Qingshan stood on the rooftop and looked ahead. He could see the skinny boy with the butcher knife in his hand. The boy held his mother’s hand tightly and ran with all his might. His mother was running too, trying not to be a hindrance. However, there were many guards around Zhou Family’s mansion and some of these guards were quite powerful.

“I will kill anyone who obstructs our path!” The skinny boy shouted fiercely.

Teng Qingshan stood on the rooftop and looked down. He could tell that the skinny boy had learned the ‘Tiger Form Fist Art.’ In the Land of the Nine Prefectures, the ‘Tiger Form Fist Art’ was considered the most popular martial art. Many poor people were able to learn this technique. The cultivation form for this technique costs a hundred silver taels. However, it was affordable because people in a poor village would buy it together and make multiple copies for everyone.

The Qingshan Enterprise didn’t stop them from making multiple copies.

And so, the cultivation of the ‘Tiger Form Fist Art” became more and more popular in the Land of the Nine Prefectures

“Thief, do you think you can still escape?” A tough-looking guard roared lashed out with his huge machete. The skinny boy had just dodged the first attack when the tough-looking guard turned and struck the skinny boy from behind with his machete.

“Bang! The skinny boy went three steps back and spat a mouthful of blood.

“Liang! Liang!” The woman started panicking.

“Old Master, please! Old Master, I beg you! Please forgive my son. Please let him go.” Li’s Wife hastily begged the chubby middle-aged man, who was surrounded by the guards.

The chubby middle-aged man looked cold. A murderous glint flashed in his eyes as he said furiously, “This brat had the audacity to slash at me with his knife! He wanted to die! Beat him harder! Kill him! If I don’t skin him alive, I can’t resolve my feelings of resentment.”

“Yes.”

The guards answered simultaneously.

After numerous savage beatings, the skinny boy spat a mouthful of blood again and collapsed on the side of the pathway.

“Thief Zhou! Thief Zhou!!!” The skinny boy gnashed his teeth in rage and glared at the chubby middle-aged man. However, he could not stand up.

“Hmph.”

“Beat him to death.” The chubby middle-aged man said.

“Old Master Zhou, who are you about to beat to death?” A voice sounded.

Immediately, it became completely silent.

Several city guards had entered the house. The head of the city guards was a man with a square face. The man scoffed and said, “This area is governed by the Gui Yuan Sect. You are not allowed to beat anyone to death in the city. While I was on the street, I heard that you are about to kill someone. And so, I had to interfere.”

The chubby middle-aged man looked slightly awkward and embarrassed.

“Boy, aren’t you leaving?” The head of the city guards cast a glance as he said.

The woman hastily helped her son up. She expressed her appreciation and gratitude to the city guards and left.

“Old Master Zhou, don’t do such things anymore. Otherwise, we will really have to put you into prison.” The head of the city guards said.

The chubby middle-aged man grinned pleasingly as he tried to flatter the city guards.

“I still have errands to run, so I will leave first.” The head of the city guards waved his hand and said. He turned and notified the other city guards. They all then left in a swaggering manner.

As the chubby middle-aged man watched the city guards leave, his face looked horrible. He cursed and said softly, “Did that brat befriend a city guard?” Old Master Zhou was very angry. He turned to one of his tough guards and whispered, “You! Bring a few guys over to Li’s house and beat that boy to death! Then, throw his body into the river. Don’t leave any evidence!”

“Don’t worry, Old Master.”

…

Teng Qingshan hovered in mid-air and watched silently. After a long time, he sighed deeply and disappeared into thin air.

This was just one side of the secular world.

Teng Qingshan continued his journey. Good things, bad things, joyful things, tragic things happen every single day. Still, Teng Qingshan tried his very best to remain as an outsider who only observed.

He left Yangzhou and went to Qingzhou. He then sailed the East Sea and toured the islands in the East Sea….

As time passed, Teng Qingshan became able to completely resist the urge of interfering with the things that happen in the world.

He watched the births of many babies.

He watched the deaths of many elders.

He saw many happy occasions.

He saw many tragedies.

All these things that happened were just like tiny ripples of waves in the vast ocean—Insignificant in the Land of the Nine Prefectures.