Chapter 1104: The War Begins

As he spoke, the monk suddenly raised his hand, and a ball of blue light shot straight toward Han Li.

It was none other than the Qianlan Cauldron.

“Mo Jiu, what are you doing?” Frost Li the Transcendent roared in fury.

Though unsure why the monk had suddenly intervened to help him, Han Li was not one to refuse a treasure delivered to his doorstep.

With a light flick of his sleeve, a wave of azure mist swept out, intending to draw the cauldron into his sleeve.

Seeing this, Frost Li’s expression darkened. He swiftly formed a hand seal with one hand and pointed at the small cauldron.

With a *poof*, the previously calm cauldron paused mid-air, its lid flying open as raging blue flames erupted from within. The cauldron then abruptly changed direction, shooting back toward Frost Li.

“So you *did* tamper with it!” the gray-robed monk snorted coldly, already prepared. He made a grasping motion in the air, and a massive green hand materialized above the cauldron, reaching down to seize it.

He intended to suppress the cauldron once more!

“*Break!*” Frost Li’s pupils flashed with golden light as he uttered the word like thunder.

A deafening roar followed as the green hand twisted violently at the back, where a golden ancient character suddenly appeared. With a thunderous *boom*, the character exploded, its golden radiance erupting with astonishing force, obliterating the hand entirely.

“The *Hao Ran Chang Ge Jue*! You actually cultivate Confucian techniques!” the monk exclaimed in shock.

Frost Li paid him no heed. With a beckoning gesture, the small cauldron resumed its flight toward him.

But in that instant, a strand of azure silk shot out from the void nearby. In a flash of green light, it coiled around the cauldron and yanked it back, giving no one else a chance to react.

Frost Li was startled but had no time to think. He formed hand seals with both hands and shouted “*Break!*” several times.

Several golden ancient characters detonated along the azure silk, their explosions deafening. Yet the strands merely wavered slightly before reforming, delivering the cauldron into another’s grasp.

This person had another ancient cauldron, several inches in size, floating before him. Covered in drifting runes, it bore a striking resemblance to the Qianlan Cauldron—and the azure silk had shot from it.

“The *Void Heaven Cauldron*!” Frost Li murmured at the sight.

Naturally, this was Han Li, who had summoned the Void Heaven Cauldron!

Seeing the Qianlan Cauldron secured in his grasp, Han Li flicked a finger toward the Void Heaven Cauldron before him.

A soft *clang* rang out as several strands of azure silk sprayed forth, wrapping the Qianlan Cauldron into a glowing green cocoon. With a sweep of his sleeve, Han Li stored the cocoon away before lifting his head to gaze coldly at Frost Li, a faint smirk playing on his lips.

“Good, very good! You’ve resorted to the Void Heaven Cauldron so quickly. But with your cultivation, you’ve likely only mastered the first layer of its control technique. At best, you can only wield a fraction of its power. As for you, Master Mo Jiu—I never expected you to make such an unwise choice. Are you forcing me to turn on you as well?” Frost Li sighed lightly, his tone calm despite the loss of the Qianlan Cauldron.

“Venerable Frost Li and I have been acquainted for over a century. My actions are merely self-preservation. I have no desire to be silenced after your palace disposes of Fellow Daoist Han. Given the gravity of a Heaven-defying Spiritual Treasure, you never intended to let me leave alive, did you? Unlike Fellow Daoist Long, who has ties to your palace, I am but a wandering cultivator.” The gray-robed monk retrieved a glowing green wooden fish from his sleeve, his expression unreadable.

“Master Mo Jiu, what do you mean by that?” The elderly woman, who had retreated earlier, narrowed her eyes coldly.

“Why continue the pretense? Others may not know, but I am well aware. The Willow Verdant Sect under Fellow Daoist Long’s leadership is but an external branch of the Small Extreme Palace. In truth, Fellow Daoist Long is one of your palace’s outer elders—am I wrong?” The monk’s voice was firm.

“So you even know of this! Elder Long, there’s no need to wait any longer. Let us act together!” Frost Li fell silent for a moment before finally dropping all pretense.

“Heh! It seems I can no longer stand idle. However, Grand Elder, you never mentioned the Void Heaven Cauldron to me beforehand. Must even us outer elders be kept in the dark?” The old woman’s face darkened as a yellow glow flashed in her hand, revealing a dragon-headed staff over ten feet long. She glared at Frost Li.

“I acted out of necessity for secrecy. Regardless, we must capture these two and seize the cauldron. With it as our palace’s guardian treasure, no enemy, no matter how formidable, will dare challenge us.” Frost Li sidestepped the question.

“Leave Master Mo Jiu to me. The three of you deal with that Han brat and retrieve the Void Heaven Cauldron!” The old woman’s wrinkled face twitched with displeasure, but she nodded nonetheless.

“Very well!” Frost Li wasted no time. With a flip of his hand, a pale blue formation disk appeared, and his other hand began weaving seals.

“Not good—he’s activating the formation! Stop him!” The gray-robed monk’s expression changed. He hurled the wooden fish forward, which emitted a deep, resonant *bong*—a sound like a distant temple bell, disorienting to the soul.

But those present were no ordinary cultivators. The old woman recovered instantly and slashed her staff toward the wooden fish, unleashing a thick yellow sword beam.

The monk abandoned his sonic assault, pouring his magic power into the wooden fish, which swelled to ten feet in size and collided with the sword beam in a series of explosions.

Meanwhile, Frost Li’s hand seals never ceased, the formation disk now glowing blindingly.

Han Li exhaled softly.

He had no intention of letting Frost Li complete his spell. Raising a hand, he flicked his fingers, sending over a dozen azure sword beams streaking toward Frost Li.

Mid-flight, however, white sword beams and two black streaks intercepted Han Li’s attacks—courtesy of Bai Mengxin and the blue-robed middle-aged man.

Seeing his sword beams shattered, Han Li frowned but did not press further. Instead, he shook his sleeve, releasing dozens of golden flying swords that formed a protective barrier around him. His cold gaze remained fixed on Frost Li.

A thunderous *boom* erupted beneath him. Han Li’s body flashed as he leaped upward, just as the purple pillar beneath him vanished, replaced by a glowing circular formation.

A tremendous force yanked him downward, his body suddenly weighing a thousand pounds. Before he could react, the scenery around him warped—he now stood in a blizzard, surrounded by endless ice.

“An illusion? Interesting.” Han Li chuckled dryly, though his face betrayed no amusement.

The suppression on him intensified, but thanks to his King Ming Physique, he bore it easily—though it was nothing compared to the gravity of the Golden Magnetic Wood.

With a thought, the golden swords around him sliced through the force, allowing him to rise once more.

His gaze swept the frozen wasteland, his eyes gleaming with blue light.

The others had vanished—only he remained in this boundless white expanse.

Above, snowflakes fell endlessly.

Suddenly, his eyes flared with blue light. With a low shout, over a dozen golden beams shot toward an empty patch of sky.

A series of explosions erupted as golden and crystalline lights clashed, revealing a dozen tiny, translucent swords hidden in the snow.

They had been stealthily closing in on Han Li, only to be exposed and repelled.

“Hmm?” A surprised voice—Bai Mengxin’s—echoed from nowhere.

The crystalline swords vanished once more into the storm.

Han Li’s brows rose. Without hesitation, he formed a seal, sending a dozen golden swords flying outward. Each clashed with an invisible foe, forcing the hidden swords to reappear.

Under Han Li’s control, the golden and crystalline swords engaged in a fierce battle.

A vicious glint flashed in Han Li’s eyes as he uttered an arcane incantation.

A pained groan sounded from the blizzard as a white-clad woman—Bai Mengxin—materialized, clutching her head in agony.

She had fallen victim to Han Li’s *Soul Piercing Spike* technique.