Chapter 2017: Refining the Cauldron

The azure giant ship plunged into the sea without the slightest pause, continuing to race forward at full speed.

At the same time, the Spirit Tribe and human cultivators aboard the ship were silently meditating in their respective rooms, preparing to conserve their strength for the infiltration of the Demon Realm.

Everyone was well aware that despite their extensive preparations, the dangers of this journey were unprecedented in their lives.

A single misstep could easily lead to the entire group perishing in the Demon Realm—a scenario that was far from unlikely.

Thus, all remained exceptionally quiet, each making their final preparations before entering the Demon Realm.

In a room on the lowest level of the ship, multicolored restriction lights flickered on the walls, while three identical “Han Li” figures sat cross-legged in a row.

One of them glowed with golden light, another shimmered with green radiance, and the last was enveloped in swirling black mist.

These were Han Li’s true body, his spirit vessel avatar, and the Vajra Body controlled by his second demonic infant.

Originally, when Han Li was pursued by the three avatars of the Blood Light, Qu’er, who was possessing the spirit vessel, and the second demonic infant had to be temporarily released as decoys.

One managed to escape using the spirit vessel’s innate abilities, while the other self-destructed its infant form with a secret technique, allowing a wisp of its demonic soul to barely escape.

By the time Han Li returned to Tianyuan City, he had already attempted to summon them back using secret arts.

However, due to the demon army besieging the city, the spirit vessel and demonic infant dared not return recklessly and had to remain hidden on the outskirts.

Only after Tianyuan City repelled the demon army did the two stealthily reunite with Han Li’s true body while he was in seclusion recovering from his injuries.

Thanks to the demonic infant’s intimate knowledge of Tianyuan City’s restrictions and the stone tower’s defenses, their return went unnoticed.

The spirit vessel and Qu’er were unharmed during their time away and had even slightly improved their cultivation.

The second demonic infant, however, had suffered significant damage after self-destructing its infant form. Although its remnant soul had reformed a new infant body, its vitality was severely depleted.

For an ordinary Body Integration cultivator, this would have been an extremely troublesome setback, requiring decades or even centuries of arduous cultivation to fully recover.

But for Han Li, who possessed countless rare elixirs, it was no issue at all.

After consuming a large batch of spirit-nurturing pills, the second demonic infant recovered seventy to eighty percent of its lost vitality in just half a year.

Though it still couldn’t match its peak condition, it was now capable of controlling the Vajra Body in battle once more.

Han Li’s true body, however, paid no attention to the two avatars beside him, focusing entirely on a small purple cauldron floating before him.

The cauldron, only a few inches in size, was adorned with intricate, ancient patterns and densely inscribed with profound runes. It was currently enveloped in wisps of azure flame exhaled by Han Li.

Han Li stared unblinkingly at the cauldron, his fingers flicking rapidly as he sent spell incantations into the flames, his expression grave.

Amid the flickering azure flames, faint buzzing sounds emanated from the cauldron, and a blurry gray-white ribbon of light appeared—half submerged in the cauldron’s lid and half writhing outside.

The ribbon, no thicker than a finger, thrashed wildly within the flames, as if terrified of the azure fire.

Han Li’s expression remained unchanged, but his spellcasting grew more urgent. The azure flames he exhaled suddenly took on faint golden streaks.

With a *pfft*, the gray-white ribbon could no longer endure the refining flames and shot out, condensing into a white orb that burst through the azure fire, attempting to flee.

Han Li, however, was prepared. Calmly, he flicked a finger.

A golden lightning bolt flashed out, striking the white orb, which instantly dissipated with a mournful wail.

“Success at last! After all this time, I’ve finally forced out that old demon’s remnant thought. Now, with a blood sacrifice, I can fully control this treasure,” Han Li murmured with relief and satisfaction.

He formed a hand seal and spat out a mouthful of crimson blood essence, which dispersed into a mist and seeped into the cauldron.

As his incantation changed, the azure flames surged, swirling around the cauldron.

This was the “Purple Word Cauldron” Han Li had seized from the Blood Light Saint’s avatar.

In the hands of the Blood Light avatar, this treasure had been incredibly formidable, even giving Han Li a headache. It was another fragment of an Xuantian Treasure.

However, the cauldron had harbored the remnant thought of another ancient demon, preventing Han Li from refining it immediately. He had to slowly purify it with his true flames.

The demonic thought, having developed a trace of sentience, stubbornly resisted from within the cauldron, even leveraging the treasure’s power to hold out.

It took Han Li years to finally expel and destroy it today.

Now, with a blood sacrifice, the Purple Word Cauldron would become a formidable weapon in his arsenal.

In terms of versatility, the cauldron surpassed even the stolen Xuantian Blade fragment—a case of losing the east but gaining the west.

Han Li spent seven days and nights refining the cauldron. On the eighth day, he flicked his sleeve with satisfaction.

A wave of azure light swept out, and the flames vanished.

Opening his mouth, Han Li inhaled sharply, and the cauldron shrank to the size of a thumb before adhering to his forehead.

Closing his eyes, Han Li began deciphering the cauldron’s myriad uses as it pulsed with faint purple light.

Three more days passed before Han Li opened his eyes with a laugh—he had mastered most of the cauldron’s abilities.

Tapping his forehead, he stored the cauldron away.

After a moment of contemplation, Han Li’s eyes flashed strangely. He raised an arm and exhaled sharply.

A streak of azure light circled his sleeve, shredding it to reveal a bronze arm marked with a faint yellow sword scar—the imprint of the sealed Xuantian Sword.

Han Li stared at the scar, hesitating for a long while before gritting his teeth and pressing his other hand onto the mark, channeling his spiritual power.

Golden light surged from his body as waves of energy poured into his arm.

Under the stimulation of pure spiritual power, the once-inconspicuous scar grew clearer, shifting from yellow to green, then deepening into an eerie emerald glow.

From a distance, it looked as though a translucent emerald sword had been embedded in his arm.

Han Li’s expression grew more solemn as he continued channeling energy.

After a full incense stick’s time, the emerald sword suddenly trembled and began writhing within his arm as if alive.

Startled, Han Li released his grip, and the golden energy dissipated.

The moment the sword moved, his entire arm had seared as if scorched by fire, his meridians screaming in agony as if on the verge of shattering.

Without the energy infusion, the emerald sword returned to its original position, its glow fading back into obscurity.

Han Li frowned at the scar, flexing his arm after a long pause.

A flash of azure light restored his sleeve seamlessly.

With a wry smile, he muttered, “It seems Body Integration late-stage cultivation isn’t enough to wield this Xuantian Treasure. Still, it’s better than before—forcing it yields some response. To truly control it, I’ll need Great Ascension cultivation.”

After a moment of contemplation, Han Li closed his eyes and resumed meditation.

Two months later, the azure giant ship lurched to a halt in the void.

Han Li opened his eyes, sensing the change.

Almost simultaneously, Patriarch Long’s voice echoed in the chamber: “Brother Han, we’re nearing the predetermined node passage. This ship is too conspicuous—we’ll proceed on our own from here.”

“Understood,” Han Li replied calmly, rising and flicking his sleeves.

Dozens of colorful array flags materialized in the air before vanishing into his sleeves.

In a flash of azure light, he exited the room.

Emerging outside the ship, he found Patriarch Long, Sage Qianqiu, and the others already assembled.

Han Li wasn’t the last to arrive—shortly after, the disheveled Lin family cultivator and the Spirit Tribe’s elderly scholar followed.

The scholar chanted an incantation and pointed at the giant ship.

In a blur, the vessel shrank rapidly, transforming into a foot-long greenwood staff before vanishing into the scholar’s robes.