However, Han Li somewhat underestimated these labyrinthine passages. Although most of the restrictions and puppets had been deactivated, the formations that suppressed spiritual sense were still in effect.
After repeatedly taking wrong turns and using his Brightsight Spirit Eyes to break through countless illusions, he finally found the teleportation array leading to the next level. No wonder even someone as powerful as Man Huzi, who had once dominated the other cultivators, had obediently followed behind the Venerable Jiyin and the others, temporarily suppressing his earlier arrogance.
Of course, along the way, after stowing away the Five Demons and puppets, he had already cleaved open the stone doors of several unactivated treasure chambers with a single sword strike.
Yet, he found neither treasures nor triggered any formations that would teleport him out.
It was unclear whether this was because he hadn’t used the Void Sky Fragment Map to open the doors or because the treasures had been sealed away outside the Void Sky Palace’s opening period. Even the spatial displacement formations had lost their effectiveness.
Unwilling to give up, Han Li meticulously searched every treasure chamber but had to admit that the formation masters who had designed the Void Sky Palace’s arrays far surpassed his expectations in terms of skill. Despite knowing that these places concealed profound restrictions, he still found nothing.
Reluctantly, he withdrew, abandoning his delusion of plundering all the treasures within the Void Sky Palace.
However, while this method proved ineffective, the most crucial control formation was usually located at the core of the structure. For the Void Sky Palace, that would naturally be the fifth level of the giant tower. Back then, the Venerable Jiyin and the others had avoided this level out of fear of its restrictions and their sole focus on the Void Sky Cauldron, never thoroughly searching it.
With his current cultivation and the power of his Brightsight Spirit Eyes, Han Li might just uncover something.
As for the tenth-grade Ice Phoenix, it had vanished using spatial techniques, but Han Li wasn’t the least bit worried that the demon could escape the tower—or even the Void Sky Palace—so easily.
He had already inspected the tower walls at the periphery and found over a dozen different restrictions embedded within them.
Most were unrecognizable to him, but among the few he could identify, there happened to be formations specifically designed to block spatial powers. Unless one used the palace’s special teleportation arrays, attempting to leave via spatial displacement was nothing but a pipe dream.
Moreover, even with his current cultivation, he could still sense the terrifying and unfathomable nature of the other restrictions on the walls. Otherwise, why would he bother searching for a control formation when he could simply blast his way out with brute force?
After teleporting through two levels, Han Li finally arrived at the fifth floor of the giant tower, standing before the Frost Li Platform where the Void Sky Cauldron had once been.
Come to think of it, the successive Grand Elders of the Small Extreme Palace had all been titled “Frost Li the Transcendent.” Could this be another shred of evidence linking the Small Extreme Palace to the Void Sky Palace?
However, the platform, now missing the Void Sky Cauldron, lay in ruins, bearing the scars of the fierce battle between the Venerable Jiyin, Wan Tianming, and the others.
To Han Li’s surprise, the silver-robed woman was already standing atop the platform, gazing thoughtfully at the altar from that day.
His arrival clearly startled her.
She turned abruptly, glanced at him, then transformed into a crystalline streak of light, darting away from the stone platform and vanishing into the maze of bluestone passages.
Han Li watched her departure calmly, making no move to stop her. Only when her figure had completely disappeared did he leisurely approach the altar, peer into the cavern where the Void Sky Cauldron had been, and begin searching the entire platform for clues about the control formation.
Before long, Han Li confirmed that there were no traces of the control formation on the Frost Li Platform. He then expanded his search outward from the platform.
Yet, whether the control formation was exceptionally well-hidden or he simply hadn’t found the right spot, Han Li remained empty-handed.
Days passed, and every corner of the fifth level bore signs of his search. But after more than half a month, aside from his increasingly grim expression, he had found nothing.
One day, emerging from yet another fruitless search, Han Li leaned against a nearby stone pillar, lost in thought.
Could it be that the Void Spirit Palace’s control formation wasn’t on this level but on one of the other four?
Just as he was mulling this over, a flash of white light erupted nearby, accompanied by a tearing sound as space split open. The silver-robed woman reappeared.
Han Li’s eyes narrowed as he silently studied her.
He didn’t believe she would seek him out without reason and was curious about her intentions.
After all, she hadn’t been seen on the fifth level for days. Had she found an exit elsewhere?
“So, Fellow Daoist Han, have you found a way out?” the silver-robed woman asked leisurely.
“If I had, would I still be here? Judging by your tone, have you made some discovery?” Han Li replied calmly, as if no enmity existed between them.
“I’ve surveyed this place thoroughly. To forcibly break through the restrictions and escape, we’d need at least two or three Deity Transformation cultivators working together. With just the two of us here, it’s out of the question,” she said, her bright eyes shimmering like autumn waters.
“That much is obvious,” Han Li replied, inwardly startled but outwardly indifferent.
“Hmph! Aren’t you searching for the control formation here?” she snapped impatiently, her phoenix-like eyes flashing coldly.
“I am indeed looking for the control formation. Does Fellow Daoist Phoenix have any advice?” Han Li admitted without hesitation.
“Good! I’ve found the control formation, but leaving won’t be so simple. Before that, I have two questions for you. What is this place’s connection to the Ice Soul Fairy? And is that cauldron in your possession the Void Sky Cauldron?” She took a deep breath, her expression darkening.
“The Ice Soul Fairy? Who is she? As for the cauldron, if you say it’s the Void Sky Cauldron, then so be it,” Han Li replied, feigning ignorance with a laugh.
The silver-robed woman stared at him, her gaze icy. After a long pause, she said, “The Ice Soul Fairy was an ancient cultivator who created the Dry Blue Iceflame and founded the Small Extreme Palace. You truly know nothing of her, do you? But let’s be clear about the Void Sky Cauldron. If you have it, we’ll need it to activate the control formation. If not, you’re useless to me, and I’ve no reason to tell you anything.”
A flicker of surprise crossed Han Li’s eyes. After a brief consideration, he said decisively, “Since you put it that way, I’ll be frank—it is indeed the Void Sky Cauldron. Now, where is the control formation?”
“Good! Since you’ve admitted it, follow me. This time, we’ll have to work together to leave. Until then, let’s set aside our grievances. Otherwise, neither of us will escape alone,” she replied coolly, showing no surprise at his answer. With that, she transformed into a streak of crystalline light, speeding toward a bluestone passage.
Han Li frowned but quickly followed as a green streak of light.
Yet, after only a short flight, his expression turned to astonishment.
The crystalline light ahead was unmistakably heading back toward the Frost Li Platform—the very place he had searched countless times. How could there still be something hidden there?
But the Ice Phoenix showed no hesitation, forcing Han Li to suppress his doubts and follow.
After the time it took to finish a meal, the crystalline light circled above the platform before landing on the altar, revealing the silver-robed woman’s graceful figure.
“Fellow Daoist Phoenix, are you sure this is the right place? The control formation is here?” Han Li couldn’t help but ask as he landed beside her.
“Wrong place? Heh, I could find the control formation here even with my eyes closed!”
“What do you mean? Have you been here before?” Han Li was startled.
“Of course not. But the place where our Ice Phoenix clan resides has an identical stone platform. In fact, the cauldron you hold now has ties to our lineage.” Without waiting for his reaction, she suddenly floated upward and solemnly pointed at several spots in the air above the altar.
Crisp, porcelain-like shattering sounds rang out as several blinding white dots appeared in the void. The dots trembled, rapidly expanding until they were the size of cartwheels, resembling miniature white suns flickering in the air. They then merged into a single colossal orb that slowly rotated.
Han Li’s lips pressed together, unable to hide his astonishment.
The silver-robed woman glanced at him indifferently before continuing her spellwork, her fingers flying as she sent one incantation after another into the orb.
With a thunderous boom, the orb exploded into over a dozen snow-white formation flags, each five or six feet long and embroidered with obscure ancient runes.
The flags spun in midair before transforming into dazzling white streaks that shot in all directions, vanishing into the ground.
Watching this, Han Li’s eyes flickered with dawning comprehension.
At that moment, the entire Frost Li Platform trembled violently, emitting a deep rumble. Centered on the altar, an enormous formation spanning nearly the entire platform emerged, its surface shimmering with multicolored spiritual light.
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage