“Senior Brother Hanli, are you alright?” The middle-aged man in the blue robe hesitated for a moment before finally speaking up in mid-air.
“It’s nothing, just a failed attempt!” Frost Li the Transcendent let out a bitter laugh as he stood up. The radiant lotus beneath him suddenly shattered, dissolving into countless specks of spiritual light that vanished into thin air.
Then, he drifted lightly down onto a massive boulder below.
“What a pity! Fellow Daoist Hanli was clearly just a bit short in divine sense; otherwise, this breakthrough would have succeeded. Regardless, the secret technique you devised is indeed a viable method for advancing to the Deity Transformation stage,” the elderly woman sighed softly, her tone full of admiration for Frost Li’s technique.
“Thank you for your kind words, Madam Flood Dragon. Though this method is effective, aside from this rare opportunity, it would be extremely difficult for anyone else to gather so many cultivators possessing extreme cold flames in the future,” Frost Li replied calmly, his expression returning to normal.
“That’s true! Not only is it hard to find fellow cultivators who practice extreme cold flames, but one must also possess such flames themselves and locate a place as frigid as the Profound Jade Cave. It’s an almost impossible task. Still, there’s much to learn from Fellow Daoist Hanli’s methods,” the gray-robed monk added with a smile.
Hearing this, Frost Li’s lips twitched slightly, and he could only shake his head helplessly.
Then, he stretched out his hands, gazing at the smooth, elastic skin. The Grand Elder of the Small Extreme Palace seemed lost in thought, his eyes flickering uncertainly.
“Fellow Daoist Hanli, since the ritual is over, shouldn’t we stop the formation and allow us to return to the stone chambers to recover our energy?” Han Li frowned, his eyes scanning the reappearing light barrier around them.
“There’s no hurry. I still have some matters to attend to. Once they’re settled, we can stop the formation,” Frost Li replied indifferently, not even lifting his head.
Meanwhile, the middle-aged man in the blue robe and Bai Mengxin exchanged glances before floating silently above Frost Li, their expressions unreadable.
“Fellow Daoist Shi, what do you mean by this?” Sensing something amiss, the monk’s face darkened. Though the old woman said nothing, her expression turned wary, and her hands, hidden in her sleeves, seemed to grip something tightly as she coldly stared at the three members of the Small Extreme Palace.
“There’s no need for alarm, fellow Daoists. I bear no ill will—I merely wish for Brother Han to return something that belongs to our palace,” Frost Li finally lowered his hands and looked up at Han Li. The sixteen silver blades on his body suddenly hummed before detaching and shooting backward. His eyes gleamed with a golden light, as if his spiritual power had fully recovered.
“Return something?” The monk and the old woman couldn’t help but glance at Han Li, surprise flashing across their faces.
“Are you joking, Fellow Daoist? This is my first time at the Small Extreme Palace. When could I have taken anything from you?”
At Han Li’s words, Frost Li’s expression turned strange. After a brief silence, he flipped his hand, revealing a sphere of blue light—inside which hovered a small cauldron.
“The Dry Blue Cauldron?” the gray-robed monk exclaimed, instinctively reaching into his sleeve and pulling out an identical cauldron. His eyes darted between the two, his face filled with shock and confusion.
“Master Mojiu, don’t be alarmed. Yours isn’t a fake—it’s also a genuine Dry Blue Cauldron. However, this artifact was never singular; it was always a pair. Moreover, both are mere replicas of another treasure. What I seek from Fellow Daoist Han is the true treasure—the Void Heaven Cauldron, a Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure. It’s on your person, isn’t it?” Frost Li’s tone was casual as he stared at Han Li.
“A Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure? Fellow Daoist Han possesses such a treasure?” The old woman gasped, her gaze turning incredulous and greedy. The monk was equally stunned, unable to resist scrutinizing Han Li.
Before arriving, the two had inquired about Han Li’s background and learned he hailed from the Heavenly South. For a cultivator from such a remote place to possess a Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure was beyond shocking.
“Ah, the Void Heaven Cauldron! So that’s it. I don’t mind your question, Fellow Daoist Hanli, but before answering, I’d like you to clarify something for me. How can you be so certain I have this cauldron? And what is the connection between your palace’s Void Spirit Hall and this artifact?” Instead of denying it outright, Han Li wore an enigmatic smile.
“So, you do possess it! As for how I knew, it’s no secret. The Purple Apex Flames you cultivate—they’re fused with the Dry Blue Ice Flames attached to the Void Heaven Cauldron, aren’t they? Aside from our palace’s replica Dry Blue Cauldron, the only other source of such flames in this world is the Void Heaven Cauldron. Coincidentally, I recently refined my Dry Blue Ice Flames to their peak, making me extremely sensitive to weaker traces of them.” Though he had been nearly certain, hearing Han Li’s implicit admission still ignited a fervent glint in Frost Li’s eyes.
“So, the moment we first met, you already knew I had the Void Heaven Cauldron?” Han Li frowned.
“Precisely. But I didn’t expect you to admit it so readily—that was unexpected. Some of my prepared arguments are now unnecessary. The Void Heaven Cauldron was the personal treasure of our founding ancestor, Fairy Ice Soul. After she traveled the world with it, the cauldron vanished upon her return a century later. The Void Spirit Hall was built afterward. I won’t ask how you obtained it, but it rightfully belongs to our palace. Hand it over, and we’ll let you leave unharmed.” Frost Li spoke each word deliberately, his expression grave.
Han Li first looked enlightened, then chuckled darkly, staring at Frost Li without a word.
Seeing Han Li’s brazen demeanor, Frost Li’s pupils contracted, his gaze turning icy.
“I’ve heard from Mengyao of your extraordinary abilities, Fellow Daoist Han. Despite being only at mid-stage cultivation, your power rivals late-stage cultivators—even the Silver-winged Nightfiend couldn’t subdue you. Under normal circumstances, our palace might indeed be powerless against you. But now, you’re trapped in this formation, sealed within the Profound Jade Cave, with at most thirty percent of your spiritual power remaining. Meanwhile, my secret technique’s effects haven’t faded—my body and magic are at their peak. Need I spell out the odds?” The golden light in Frost Li’s eyes intensified.
The middle-aged man in the blue robe and Bai Mengxin watched Han Li warily, their expressions tense.
“So, my assistance in your breakthrough attempt was merely a ploy? Is this how the Small Extreme Palace repays kindness?” Han Li smirked coldly.
“Didn’t I compensate you? I shared our palace’s refined cold flame technique and the secret method I spent centuries devising for breaking bottlenecks. Besides, wasn’t your main reason for helping to witness the technique’s effects for your own benefit? Hardly an act of betrayal.” Frost Li snorted dismissively.
“Is that so? A fair point, perhaps. But I’m not the only one trapped here. The matter of a Heaven-reaching Spiritual Treasure is grave—are you planning to silence all witnesses?” Han Li glanced meaningfully at the monk and the old woman.
Their expressions darkened, especially the monk’s as he stared at the small cauldron in his hand, his gaze turbulent.
“Tch, no need for such tactics, Fellow Daoist. These two and I have been acquainted for years—they won’t fall for your provocations.” A flash of murderous intent crossed Frost Li’s face before vanishing.
“This is between Fellow Daoist Han and your palace. I’ve no interest in getting involved.” The old woman shot Han Li a cold look before vanishing, reappearing at the edge of the light barrier, distancing herself from the conflict.
Han Li’s eyelid twitched slightly at the sight.
“Fellow Daoist Han came here to aid Fellow Daoist Hanli’s breakthrough. If the Void Heaven Cauldron truly belongs to your palace, why not return it in exchange for suitable compensation? At our level of cultivation, harmony is paramount,” the monk suggested after a moment, attempting mediation.
“Given our palace’s current troubles, I’d prefer not to antagonize Fellow Daoist Han. Hand over the cauldron, and I’ll reward you with enough spirit stones to last a lifetime,” Frost Li said, his tone softening.
Han Li responded with a cold laugh, tilting his head skyward in silence.
Frost Li’s face darkened. With a slight shudder, the blue flames around him flared, engulfing him in a massive azure fireball.
The middle-aged man and Bai Mengxin formed hand seals—one summoning a dozen crystalline flying swords, the other releasing two dark short halberds that whirled before them, emitting eerie wails.
The monk sighed, murmuring a Buddhist chant before flying toward the barrier’s edge, evidently choosing neutrality like the old woman.
But mid-flight, he abruptly changed course, darting straight toward Han Li.
Before Han Li could react, the monk’s voice whispered into his ear, leaving him momentarily stunned, his expression turning peculiar.
“Brother Han, take this Dry Blue Cauldron. When the fight begins, I’ll assist you!”
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