“I’m not entirely sure if this cauldron is the item Brother Shi mentioned. It might be, or it might not. But that’s not too important right now! What matters is checking whether the treasures we’ve collected truly contain what the two seniors are seeking.” Han Li chuckled as he spoke.
Seeing that Han Li was unwilling to elaborate, Shi Kun didn’t press further and simply nodded, dropping the matter.
Meanwhile, Liu Shui’er’s beautiful eyes remained fixed on the Void Heaven Cauldron. As soon as she heard the conversation between Han Li and Shi Kun conclude, she parted her lips and said, “Brother Han, please retrieve the treasures. The Void Spirit Pills are easily recognizable—we certainly won’t mistake them.” Her concern for the treasures inside the cauldron seemed even greater than the burly man’s.
Han Li naturally had no objections. With a flick of his sleeve, several formation flags shot out in streaks of multicolored light, vanishing into the surrounding void.
In an instant, a white light barrier emerged, enveloping an area of several dozen feet in radius—a simple restriction formation.
Han Li had set this up as a precaution, fearing unexpected incidents during the treasure appraisal.
Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun merely glanced at the barrier and paid it no further mind. To them, such a restriction could be broken effortlessly, so they harbored no suspicions toward Han Li.
Once the formation was complete, Han Li glanced at the small cauldron floating in the air, raised an eyebrow, and exhaled a stream of azure mist.
The azure radiance swept over the cauldron, and in a flash, the lid vanished mysteriously. A faint rumbling sound emanated from within, accompanied by flickering green light.
Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun immediately held their breaths.
Han Li, however, smiled faintly, raised a hand, and pointed a finger toward the small green cauldron.
The originally foot-long cauldron erupted with green light, spinning rapidly before expanding to a height of several feet.
At the same time, Han Li formed a hand seal with his other hand. With a muffled sound, a small orb of light, about the size of a fist, flew out from the cauldron. It was densely wrapped in green threads, its surface pulsating slightly.
“Open!” Han Li uttered a low command, flicking a spell into the orb.
Instantly, the green threads covering the orb shattered into specks of azure light, vanishing without a trace.
As the threads disappeared, a golden flash burst forth, and an object shot out.
Han Li’s eyes gleamed coldly as he swiftly reached out and grabbed.
A sharp whistling sound filled the air as an invisible force clamped down, freezing the object mid-flight.
Han Li’s gaze sharpened, revealing a dazzling golden gourd covered in intricate patterns, its spiritual light flickering erratically.
Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun observed the object with peculiar expressions but made no further moves.
Without hesitation, Han Li retracted his outstretched hand.
With a whoosh, the golden gourd flew toward him and landed in his palm.
The gourd seemed to possess a hint of sentience, trembling incessantly as if trying to break free.
Han Li raised an eyebrow and flicked his sleeve over the gourd. A white talisman flashed into existence, adhering to its surface.
Under the suppression of the white restriction, the gourd’s glow dimmed, and it ceased all movement.
Han Li calmly lifted the gourd for closer inspection, his eyes shimmering with blue light as a strand of divine sense swept over it.
After the time it took to drink a cup of tea, Han Li’s spiritual light faded, and without a word, he tossed the gourd toward the other two.
The object flew out as a golden streak, halting mid-air between Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun, where it hovered motionlessly.
“This isn’t a vessel for spiritual medicine but a rare metal-attribute set treasure. Aside from the gourd’s inherent abilities, it also contains several unnamed flying swords—though their exact power remains unknown,” Han Li explained slowly.
“So it’s a ‘Gourd-Seed Sword,’ a treasure only seen in ancient times. I’ve heard the method to refine such artifacts has long been lost across the continents. I’d love to examine it closely. Brother Shi, you don’t mind if I inspect it first, do you?” Liu Shui’er smiled at Shi Kun.
“Of course not, Fairy Liu, go ahead,” Shi Kun replied with a hearty laugh, appearing entirely unbothered.
With a faint smile, Liu Shui’er beckoned lightly, and the golden gourd obediently descended into her delicate grasp.
She released her divine sense and began scrutinizing the treasure carefully.
After a short while, she shook her head and tossed the gourd to Shi Kun.
Seeing her reaction, Shi Kun’s face betrayed a hint of disappointment, but he nevertheless caught the gourd and examined it intently, his eyes gleaming.
“Indeed, it’s a metal-attribute treasure. Given its placement in the golden cauldron, its power must be considerable. How do you two propose we handle this?” Shi Kun sighed after a moment, sounding somewhat regretful.
Liu Shui’er glanced toward Han Li and chuckled softly.
“Since this isn’t what our masters sought, why not let Brother Han hold onto it for now? We can decide its fate after all the treasures have been retrieved.”
Shi Kun pondered briefly before nodding. With a flick of his wrist, he tossed the gourd back to Han Li. “Since Fairy Liu suggests it, I agree. Since this isn’t what our masters explicitly requested, let’s leave it with Brother Han for now and distribute it later.”
“If that’s your wish, I’ll keep it for the time being,” Han Li replied without hesitation. A sweep of his sleeve sent a wave of azure light through the air, and the golden gourd vanished without a trace.
He then formed another hand seal, reactivating the Void Heaven Cauldron. Amidst flickering green light, another object wrapped in green threads emerged.
After Han Li dispelled the threads, a new treasure was revealed—a cyan jade box adorned with shimmering golden runes.
With a casual gesture, Han Li drew the jade box into his hand.
Upon seeing it, Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun perked up, their eyes fixed intently on the box.
Han Li made no attempt to conceal anything. He blew a breath of spiritual energy onto the box, and the lid opened on its own.
A quick glance inside caused Han Li’s expression to flicker slightly.
Within lay two identical emerald-green foals, each the size of an egg, exuding a rich medicinal fragrance. A single whiff sent a surge of pure spiritual energy coursing through his lungs.
However, the two foals lay motionless in the box, their eyes closed, devoid of any signs of life.
Han Li’s pupils contracted momentarily before returning to normal. A flash of green light enveloped his palm holding the box.
The two foals trembled and flew out, splitting apart as they shot toward Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun.
“These two spiritual herbs must be the Jade Spirit Grass your seniors mentioned. To think their forms have already taken shape—they must be of great use to them. Since there are two, you may each take one,” Han Li said calmly.
Upon hearing this and seeing the lifelike forms of the foals, Liu Shui’er and Shi Kun were overjoyed, though a trace of disappointment lingered in their hearts.
Regardless, witnessing Han Li unhesitatingly hand over such rare spiritual herbs dispelled their last remaining doubts about him.
Shi Kun laughed heartily in thanks, snatching the emerald foal with a wave of his hand. After a brief inspection, he carefully stored it in a jade box.
Liu Shui’er also examined her foal meticulously before expressing her gratitude to Han Li with a satisfied smile. She then tucked the herb into her sleeve, where it vanished instantly.
Han Li nodded indifferently and tossed the now-empty jade box aside, ensuring the other two saw there was no third herb inside. He then resumed activating the Void Heaven Cauldron.
The next two items to emerge were a hexagonal formation disk and a golden pagoda, both radiating profound power. Han Li temporarily stored these as well, deferring their distribution.
However, the subsequent treasure retrieved was another rare material specifically requested by Cai Liuying and Duan Tianren. After Han Li divided it between the two, Liu Shui’er’s eyes flickered with faint anxiety, and Shi Kun’s expression darkened slightly.
They had clearly seen the limited number of golden light clusters Han Li had stored earlier. With no sign of the Void Spirit Pills yet, their unease grew.
No matter how many other treasures they obtained, failing to secure the Void Spirit Pills would render this expedition a failure.
At that moment, the green cauldron emitted a low hum, and another green-thread-wrapped treasure emerged.
Once the threads dispersed, a small purple-gold vial was revealed, only a few inches tall, its surface mirror-smooth and wreathed in swirling white mist.
The astonishing spiritual energy radiating from the vial brought a look of delight to Shi Kun’s face, while Liu Shui’er’s eyes shimmered with excitement.
Han Li observed the slowly rotating vial with an inscrutable expression, though the corners of his lips curled slightly.
Suddenly, he raised a hand and pointed at the vial from a distance. With a soft pop, the lid flew off, and the vial inverted, releasing a stream of golden spiritual flame.
A clear cry rang out as the flames coalesced, forming a golden firebird in mid-air.
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