“This… At the time, my memories had not yet fully unsealed, which is why I mistakenly believed the Void Heaven Cauldron to be the true key. But I can assure you, if this key truly cannot grant entry to the Heaven Cauldron Palace, I would never dare to ask you to force your way in. However, if we do manage to enter, I believe the treasures inside will not disappoint you, Senior Han.” Xue Po replied somewhat awkwardly.
“You’ve already told me much about the affairs of Heaven Cauldron True Immortal back then. As the legacy of an ascended True Immortal left in the lower realm, it is indeed enough to pique my interest. But even if not for these treasures, since I promised to rescue your true form, I won’t easily go back on my word. Rest assured, with my current abilities, even without any key, there’s still a slim chance I could force my way into the Heaven Cauldron Palace. Now that we have the Void Heaven Cauldron as a key, the odds of success are over ninety percent.” Han Li looked at Xue Po for a moment before suddenly chuckling.
“Thank you for your great kindness, Senior Han. Once my true form is freed, I will certainly—”
“Enough. Save your gratitude for when we’ve actually rescued Fellow Daoist Bing Po. However, since there’s more than one key to the Heaven Cauldron Palace, and Fellow Daoist Bing Po and others once refined many imitation keys using the Golden Jade Tome technique, it’s likely that many powerful figures will gather in these mountains. I suspect the two from the Wanhua Sect I encountered in Blood Crane City were also there to discuss this matter with the Blood Bone Sect’s Elder.” Han Li mused.
“What? You’ve already met the Blood Bone Sect’s Mahayana cultivator guarding Blood Crane City? Now I recall, among those who entered the Heaven Cauldron Palace with my true form back then, there were indeed experts from the Blood Bone Sect. It wouldn’t be surprising if they still held one or two keys. If the Blood Bone Sect enters the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains in force, that would be quite troublesome.” Xue Po’s expression darkened.
“The Elder from Blood Crane City didn’t strike me as the type to rally his sect. Otherwise, outsiders wouldn’t have sought him out. He likely kept the matter of the Heaven Cauldron Palace and the keys secret. Others with keys probably did the same. So aside from those who possess keys, most of the people entering the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains are likely those who’ve only recently caught wind of the news. No matter how many there are, if they can’t actually enter the palace, they pose no threat to us.” Han Li shook his head.
“But in that case, others might not be willing to let those with keys enter the Heaven Cauldron Palace so easily.” Zhu Guo’er couldn’t help but interject.
“There will undoubtedly be a bloody struggle before entering the Heaven Cauldron Palace, but with me here, what is there to fear? However, there may be risks inside the palace. Hua Shi, you and Guo’er should stay here and wait for us to return. Be careful not to be discovered. Those daring to enter the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains at this time are no ordinary individuals.” Han Li instructed calmly.
Zhu Guo’er and Hua Shi exchanged glances, their hearts tightening, and immediately bowed in agreement.
“Fellow Daoist Xue Po, according to you, the Heaven Cauldron Palace should appear soon, and the Void Heaven Cauldron will sense its emergence and guide us to the exact location. Is that correct?” Han Li turned to ask Xue Po.
“Exactly, Senior. The reason imitation keys are also sought after is primarily for this purpose.” Xue Po confirmed firmly.
“Good. Then all we need to do now is rest and wait for the Heaven Cauldron Palace to appear.” Han Li nodded leisurely.
Xue Po naturally had no objections and nodded repeatedly in agreement.
Thus, Han Li and his party settled temporarily in the cave dwelling.
As days passed, the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains, which had previously been sparsely populated by cultivators, gradually grew lively. News of the Heaven Cauldron Palace’s imminent appearance spread widely in Blood Crane City. Cultivators of some strength from nearby regions began flocking to the mountains.
However, since Blood Crane City was the closest, the majority of early arrivals were its residents, with a significant proportion being Blood Bone Sect disciples. Over time, outsiders from other regions began appearing near the mountains, their numbers increasing daily.
Yet, given the vastness of the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains, even large groups of people entering were like drops in the ocean, disappearing without a trace. However, some overconfident and hot-tempered individuals began targeting those suspected of possessing keys, leading to bloodshed.
Most of these conflicts were futile, but one day, after a mid-scale battle, a victor actually retrieved a small cauldron from a fallen opponent. This sparked an even greater wave of slaughter across the mountains.
Meanwhile, further away, more Blood Sky cultivators who had heard the rumors were rushing toward the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains—though they would arrive too late.
Just a month and a half later, a mysterious five-colored pillar of light shot into the sky from an unnamed pond in the mountains before dissolving into countless runes and vanishing. At the same moment, Han Li, meditating in a secluded chamber within the mountain, suddenly stirred. A small cauldron glowing with dazzling cyan light flew out from his sleeve.
“Xue Po, prepare yourself. It’s time to depart.” Han Li observed the strange new runes on the cauldron’s surface and immediately sent a message outward.
Xue Po, seated in another room of the cave dwelling, stood up at once, her face alight with excitement.
Moments later, a cyan streak over a hundred feet long shot out from the mountain, streaking toward a specific location in the Ten Thousand Moon Mountains. Similar scenes unfolded in over thirty other hidden spots across the mountains, with figures—some alone, some in groups—flying toward the same destination.
Their conspicuous movements naturally alerted other Blood Sky cultivators hidden in the mountains, who immediately gave chase. Some, with exceptional speed, even caught up to the frontrunners, leading to fierce battles.
Han Li, finding Xue Po’s speed too slow, had already enveloped her in his own cyan light, merging their flight into one. His speed was so great that even if others spotted his trail, catching up was nearly impossible. Most only saw a flash of cyan before the streak vanished into the horizon, leaving behind only the fading sound of its passage.
Witnesses were left stunned, abandoning any thoughts of pursuit and turning their attention elsewhere. However, given the bold and arrogant nature of Blood Sky cultivators, there were always those who dared to challenge the impossible.
As the cyan streak passed over a particularly wide canyon, a loud hum erupted from below. Countless Sanskrit characters surged forth, rapidly forming an intricate light array.
“Fellow Daoist, hold a moment! I wish to discuss something with you!” A booming voice echoed from the array. Though the words were polite, the speaker had already acted without hesitation. The array spun, releasing a powerful suction force aimed at the cyan streak.
Han Li, angered, ignored the request. Instead, he extended a hand from his sleeve and lightly pressed downward. A force ten times stronger than the suction descended upon the canyon.
With an earth-shaking boom, both the suction and the light array were obliterated. A several-mile stretch of the canyon collapsed instantly, crushing the hidden cultivator—a powerhouse far beyond his peers—into a bloody mist, his nascent soul destroyed before it could escape.
The cyan streak didn’t pause, flashing past the canyon and disappearing into the distance.
Later, several blood-red lights emerged from a nearby hill, circling above the ruined canyon before revealing their forms—a group of seven or eight individuals of varying ages and appearances, all exuding extraordinary auras. Their expressions darkened as they surveyed the bloodstained wreckage below.
“What now? Should we pursue and avenge Fellow Daoist Ya?” a green-robed girl asked abruptly.
“Don’t joke. Fellow Daoist Ya chose the wrong opponent—a Mahayana elder. He brought this upon himself,” a disheveled man retorted coldly.
“Indeed. Brother Ya’s cultivation was on par with ours. Even against a Mahayana elder, he should have held out for a while. For him to be killed in one strike means his opponent was among the top-tier Mahayana experts. Dealing with us would be effortless. If Fairy Ye wishes to avenge him, go alone. My brothers won’t interfere,” an ugly-faced old man added, his face twitching.
“I was merely speaking carelessly. If none of you dare provoke such a foe, I certainly won’t court death. But with things as they are, we can’t stay here. We must hurry to the Heaven Cauldron Palace and see if we can profit from the chaos.” The girl forced a dry laugh.
After brief discussion, the group also took to the skies, heading in the same direction.
…
A dull thud echoed as a towering giant blocking the path had his head and nascent soul obliterated by a mere flick of Han Li’s finger from within the cyan streak. The headless corpse toppled from the sky.
The dazzling streak then pierced through several more figures behind the giant, splitting them in half before vanishing into the void beyond.
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