Wu Chou, even back when the Wàn Tiān Míng’s Yuan婴 had taken the Complementary Heavens Pill, wasn’t a fool—he clearly sensed that Xuan Gu was far stronger than he was, not just slightly so, but seemed to know Xuan Yin inside and out. Each time Xuan Gu launched a technique attack, it was effortlessly deflected, as if he hadn’t exerted any real effort at all. This deeply surprised Wu Chou. But now that two Heavenly City妖尸 had joined him, Wu Chou felt a surge of confidence. Each妖尸’s strength was comparable to, if not superior to, that of a Jiedan中期 cultivator. With two such powerful allies now, Xuan Gu, no matter how skilled, could no longer be his match. He naturally intended to take this opportunity to thoroughly teach Xuan Gu a lesson. Thus, as the several elder cultivators departed from the platform one after another, Wu Chou immediately broke into a quiet smile, gazing at Xuan Gu with a teasing expression. Xuan Gu glanced at the stone steps toward the exit, then back at Wu Chou’s unkind gaze and the two妖尸 standing beside him. Suddenly, a calm "Han Li—this man is the sole descendant of Ji Yin, isn't he? If I eliminate him, I'm certain Ji Yin will suffer greatly." He turned to Han Li and said this with surprising candor. Han Li was momentarily stunned, but quickly regained his composure, calmly gazing at Xuan Gu, without responding to the remark. However, upon hearing these words, Wu Chou immediately became alert, his expression filled with suspicion as he turned to Han Li. At the same time, the two spirit corpses beside him, seemingly receiving an unspoken command, swiftly vanished from his side. "Han Li—have you been secretly allied with this man all along? That explains why the ancient jade如意 relic ended up with you instead of him. Now, hand over this treasure so that our ancestor may decide its rightful owner." With a sharp, cold gaze, Wu Chou directly accused Han Li. Hearing this charge of betrayal and the attempt to forcibly seize the relic, Han Li felt utterly speechless. It was clear that this man now saw him as having no further value, and thus had no longer any reservations. It's even possible that this entire move was secretly ordered by Jiyin before he departed. As this thought struck Han Li, a slight twitch crossed his lips, and the various flying swords within him began to jump and stir with eager anticipation. Yet at that very moment, Xuan Gu stepped in first. Raising his hand, a strange green serpent shot out of his sleeve and lunged suddenly toward an empty area. A heavy thud echoed, and then a green figure stumbled into view—a Tiandu Immortal Corpse. "A Tiandu Immortal Corpse? Remarkable indeed that Jiyin managed to cultivate so many!" Xuan Gu gave a dismissive smirk. Without pausing, he swiftly pressed a series of hand seals. The green serpent quickly coiled around the corpse several times, then Xuan Gu swiftly pointed at it with a gentle touch, causing a blooming green lotus to appear upon the corpse. The petals rapidly expanded, and the vast leaves instantly enveloped the entire corpse. Wu Chou, witnessing this, was deeply alarmed and immediately activated his own hand seals, desperately trying to free the corpse. Yet for some reason, the spectral corpse enveloped by the lotus completely severed its connection to its mind and spirit, and could no longer be controlled. Now, Ou Chou was drenched in cold sweat. As he prepared to summon the second one, the Xuan Gu suddenly flashed forward, materializing right before him. Ou Chou's face flushed with frustration, immediately releasing vast streams of Xuan Yin magical energy to shield his entire body. At the same time, his expression turned fierce; he opened his mouth and launched a black, slender sword at the Xuan Gu's face, swift and urgent. Even faster and more decisive! The Xuan Gu maintained a faintly mocking expression. Suddenly, his ten fingers became sharply pointed, growing several inches of vivid green fingernails, appearing both formidable and terrifying. Then, without hesitation, he extended his hand and grasped the black sword, which effortlessly slipped into his ghostly claws, showing no resistance at all. Ou Chou found it hard to believe what he was seeing, his face pale as he hurriedly tried to summon the sword back. Xuan Gu's two ghost claws, already revealing a grim demeanor, merely brushed together, and the small sword, which had been leaping about, instantly dispersed its shimmering light, as though its spirit had been severely weakened. At the same time, Wu Chou, whose life essence artifact had been damaged, turned pale, and without warning, spat out a clutch of black blood. "Impossible! You—!" Wu Chou's astonishment was evident, yet before he could finish his words, Xuan Gu surged forward, extending a ghost hand veiled in green qi that swiftly closed in with a lightning-fast grasp. Terrified, Wu Chou could hardly utter a word, his body's profound xuan-yin magical energy roaring forth to meet the attack. At the same time, he reached into his cloak, reaching for some precious object. A strange phenomenon unfolded: the fierce ghost claw across from him rapidly shifted between black and green light, and within an instant, the green hue transformed entirely into deep black. Then, as if it had passed through nothing, the ghost claw pierced straight through several layers of xuan-yin magical energy and plunged directly into Xuan Gu's abdomen. The black-clad creature, startled, looked down at the ghostly claws embedded in his abdomen, his eyes filled with disbelief. Yet after a few trembling words, he was swiftly engulfed by countless green flames, turning into ash within moments. A large living being was thus reduced to ashes, leaving behind a black silk cloth, a ring, and a storage pouch. Without the guiding spirit of his master, a flash of black light revealed the second celestial corpse of the Tian Du demon at a distance of about ten paces behind Xuan Gu. However, this second corpse now stared blankly, motionless and lifeless—completely transformed into a mere object. Seeing this, Han Li felt a sudden chill, growing deeply afraid of the old demon. Indeed, the old demon had claimed to be well-versed in the weaknesses of Xuan Yin, and now it seemed true. When the black creature used Xuan Yin's magical energy to fight him, he offered no resistance at all. Yet why had the old demon chosen this very moment to eliminate the black creature? Was he not afraid of disturbing the peace and alerting others? He still felt as though Wu Chou's death had bound him to the war chariot, forcing him to assist in combating the extreme yin force. Han Li mentally braced himself, already gripping the ancient five-colored bronze ring relic in one hand. Should the opponent harbor any intent to strike him down, he might well have to engage this old demon in a fierce battle. At that moment, Xuan Gu had cleared away all the items dropped by Wu Chou and now gazed back at Han Li with a smile that was both amused and composed. "What are you waiting for? Quickly release your other blood-jade spider. Though those creatures have been diverted by the bearded man, they might return at any moment. Don't you wish to claim the treasures within the Xutian Ding?" The words struck Han Li with a sudden shock, his eyelids trembling as he realized that the secret he had carefully guarded—the existence of his second blood-jade spider—had been revealed instantly. "What other blood-jade spider? My spirit beast wasn't already eliminated by the Star Palace elder?" Han Li had no idea how the other person knew of this matter, and naturally would not readily admit it. He glanced at the blood jade spider corpse lying on the altar, long since deceased, and firmly denied. "Hmph! Young man, I don't have the time to waste with you. Let me tell you plainly. Back then, I too discovered a pair of blood jade spiders and entrusted them to Ji Xuan, another rebel, who had been feeding them. I had intended to wait until they reached a higher level, then bring these two beasts to the Xitian Hall to retrieve treasures. Yet, unbeknownst to me, they were later betrayed and suffered a great misfortune at the hands of Ji Xuan. Since you now possess that jade scroll, it's likely that these blood jade spiders also originated from Ji Xuan's original pair. But perhaps you're unaware of a peculiar trait of blood jade spiders: although a colony typically produces numerous eggs, only two of them are viable—while the rest remain dead. And these two must always be one female and one male. For blood jade spiders can only advance in rank and level when they form a pair of male and female. This observation, I've made after personally studying a After all, only by understanding their habits can one truly help them advance and evolve. Even the extremely skilled Xu Xuan, who once nurtured the Blood Jade Spiders, didn't know this—she thought I had merely by chance caught a pair of male and female spiders! Your spiders are already quite advanced; there must be another one out there. Now, please bring out the other Blood Jade Spider." Xuan Gu stared at Han Li, rapidly delivering a series of words that left him utterly stunned. Han Li was genuinely taken aback. He had no idea about these matters at all. It seemed that the five-colored skeletal remains from back then were likely none other than Xu Xuan. But then, how had the Overlord of the Ancient Dynasty acquired the Xuanyin Island's cultivation techniques? And what connection did that have with Xu Xuan? Han Li found himself filled with countless questions. Yet, after gently licking his lips, he remained composed and replied, "Indeed, even if I still have one Blood Jade Spider, why should I help you retrieve the Xitian Cauldron? Would you really be willing to divide your treasure in half between us? Moreover, the disturbance caused by retrieving the Xitian Cauldron has been so dramatic. Other Yuan-Ying stage cultivators would immediately return to this spot upon sensing the unusual changes here. Perhaps we will perish more swiftly! Moreover, thanks to the fire serpent's assistance earlier, the Blood-Jade Spider was able to gradually lift this cauldron. Now, relying solely on my spiders, I doubt we can manage it with any certainty." Speaking these words, Han Li maintained a calm demeanor. Though he was equally eager for the precious artifact—the Virtual Sky Cauldron—he firmly suppressed his inner excitement and passion, demonstrating a clear sense of self-awareness. He certainly didn't want to die from greed. Escaping now would be the wisest course of action. With this thought firmly settled, Han Li no longer hesitated. He didn't wait for Xuan Gu's response—he emitted a shimmering green glow and prepared to fly away. Yet, Xuan Gu had evidently anticipated Han Li's intentions, and thus suddenly spoke a sentence that caused Han Li's rising form to pause, halting his flight entirely. (To be continued) ------------ Volume IV: Winds Rising Beyond the Sea Chapter 488: The Treasure Cauldron Reappears "Han Xiao, you don't intend to consolidate your Yuan婴 stage? The true power of the Pu Tian Dan lies in refining the innate spiritual roots of Jin Dan stage cultivators, making it easier for them to advance toward the Yuan婴 stage. Xuan Gu suddenly said coldly. "Refining spiritual roots? Do you think I'm a three-year-old child? In this world, is there any such miraculous herb?" Han Li remained silent for a moment, then turned to face him, his eyes slightly narrowed as he spoke. His face was filled with disbelief! "Haha, believe it or not—though, truly do you think I've just been living in vain all this time? Back then, I personally captured a cultivator of Star Palace elder rank and used the soul-searching and spirit-pressing technique to extract this very information from him. As for the widespread rumors that this pill can break through the Yuan婴 stage bottleneck, significantly enhancing both spiritual power and lifespan—those are entirely false. Indeed, a former Palace Master of the Star Palace once personally took and consumed a pill of Pu "With the Nine-Bend Ling-Shen you already possess, if the Bu-Tian Dan's effects complement it, the chances of successfully condensing your Yuan-Infant could reach as high as three or four out of ten. Should you miss this opportunity to collect the treasures, even if you obtain the Bu-Tian Dan three centuries later, you'll have little chance for the Dan's effects to truly take hold. For the Bu-Tian Dan isn't easily transmuted—its full transformation through the process of refining the spirit root typically requires at least a century. You must carefully consider this." Xuan Gu spoke calmly, with a touch of indifference on his lips. "Three or four out of ten chances?" Han Li was struck with renewed excitement. Seeming to sense Han Li's thoughts, Xuan Gu smiled slightly and added: "As for your concern that the gathering of treasures will be too disruptive—don't worry at all. Even if the platform experiences a collapse of heaven and earth, those outside will only be able to witness the events with their eyes. They will not be able to sense any disturbances through their spiritual awareness." Otherwise, how come the Tian Gang Shield, so renowned in ancient times, has gained such a distinguished reputation? And if you're worried that a single Blood Jade Spider might fail in retrieving the treasure, you should remember—my master is of the extreme Yin nature and has specialized in the path of spirits and ghosts. He is proficient in corpse-transformation techniques; how could I not be as well? As soon as she finished speaking, Xuan Gu instantly opened her mouth and expelled a glowing orb the size of a clenched fist, which shot straight toward the Blood Jade Spider corpse on the altar. In an instant, the light orb expanded into a dense, pale green mist that completely enveloped the corpse. The green mist was swiftly absorbed by the body, leaving not a trace. A moment later, the two previously motionless segments of the corpse gradually reconnected and merged. Then, at the site of the break, a bright green light surged forth, and a fully restored Blood Jade Spider wobbled and stood upright. Watching this scene, Han Li's face remained calm on the outside, yet his mind was filled with profound astonishment. Indeed, the immortal realm is full of wonders—there truly exists a spell that can instantly transform a corpse into a living being. "My corpse-reanimation technique isn't bad, is it? Though this spider corpse can only move for a short time and its abilities are considerably weaker than when it was alive, it works perfectly in conjunction with your blood-jade spider for retrieving treasures. After the treasures are taken, I won't take a single Pupillary Healer Pill from the cauldron—every single one is yours. I can also share half of the ancient treasures stored within the Void Sky Cauldron with you, but the Void Sky Cauldron itself must remain mine. How does this arrangement sound?" Xuan Gu served the spider corpse, guiding it to walk a few steps before turning to Han Li, speaking with confidence. I merely wanted to negotiate a bit more. So, smiling warmly, Xu Gu quickly said, "Han Li, you're being far too modest! If my judgment isn't wrong, should we truly go all out, the outcome would likely be a dead heat—neither of us would be able to secure a decisive victory in a matter of moments. During a time when others might return at any moment, do you really think I'd be foolish enough to engage you in a prolonged struggle? Of course, as long as you agree to help me retrieve the treasures, I'll immediately hand you over the alchemical formula for the Nine-Curve Spirit Root—this, then, shall be my sincere pledge of cooperation." Upon saying this, Xu Gu didn't hesitate, flipping his hand and producing an ancient, elegant white jade scroll, which he then tossed toward Han Li. Han Li swiftly raised his hand, gently beckoning the scroll as it came. A flash of green light followed, and the white scroll was gently enveloped in a shimmering green glow, landing smoothly into his palm. Seeing Han Li's careful and attentive manner, Xu Gu only smiled lightly, saying nothing. As for Han Li— He had already scanned the content of the jade scroll with his spiritual awareness. Though he didn’t have time to carefully examine the authenticity of the formulas, the scroll clearly looked genuine. It indeed mentioned the Nine-Curve Spirit Root, a rare medicinal herb, and also included a few auxiliary ingredients that he had never heard of before. After a brief thought, Han Li promptly tucked the jade scroll into his storage pouch and looked up at Xuan Gu, his eyes fixed and direct. "Very well," he said firmly, "I accept this deal. Let’s begin retrieving the treasures right away!" Once he had decided to act, he wouldn’t hesitate to prolong the risk. He then struck the surface of one of the spirit-beast storage bags, and a beam of white light shot out, revealing a blood-zircon spider before him, its form fierce and imposing. "Excellent," Xuan Gu beamed with excitement, and stepped onto the platform to issue instructions. He commanded the spider to first release its web, preparing to lift it and secure it in place. Han Li remained calm and issued commands to the Blood Jade Spiders, causing them to simultaneously emit a milky-white web that enveloped the Heavenly Cauldron beneath the entrance. "We don't have much time. Although my cultivation technique limits me from employing the furious technique, I can still use several supporting spells—though their effects are slightly less powerful." Xuan Gu's consecutively cast a series of spells of varying colors onto Han Li's Blood Jade Spiders, explaining the situation to him. Immediately, the second Blood Jade Spider entered a state of frenzy, its body glowing with a vibrant red hue while black and green lights interwove and flowed continuously, creating an oddly striking appearance. Han Li slightly furrowed his brow but said nothing. After all, without these supporting spells, the Blood Jade Spiders truly couldn't pull the Heavenly Cauldron. Then, the Blood Jade Spider and the Spider Corpse simultaneously exerted their strength, beginning to pull outward. The high platform shook violently, and streams of blue light burst forth. With no protective spell from the senior scholar-official anymore, they had to rely on themselves. Han Li quickly cast a layer of fire-based protection around himself, fully activating the power of Lingxi's technique, making his entire form seem bathed in a radiant, intense white glow. He also opened the inner layer, revealing the Qingyuan Sword Shield. A shimmering green aura shield now pressed tightly against his body, with faint golden hues subtly interwoven within the green streaks. On Xuan Gu's part, a surge of green energy was equally prominent, dense and thick ghostly qi enveloping him completely, shielding him from any external disturbance. That was acceptable! Though under the relentless assault of the blue, cold air, Han Li still felt a sharp, biting chill, he managed to withstand it adequately thanks to the full power of the Qingyuan Sword Technique circulating within him. This experience deeply highlighted the significant difference between Yuan婴 (Metamorphic) and Jie Dan (Condensed) stage cultivators. The elderly scholar, dressed in a fine robe, had merely cast a casual protective aura, expelling all the coldness outside—leaving not a single trace of chill. Han Li sighed, focusing most of his mental energy on the entrance of the cave, while keeping a small portion constantly vigilant over Xuan Gu. After all, no matter how eloquent the old demon might be, Han Li still needed to remain especially cautious. Under the strenuous, desperate efforts of the blood-jade spider, the Xutian Cauldron once again enacted the scene from when it had been pulled up earlier. It rose slowly, inch by inch. For some reason, compared to the previous time, Han Li found this process of retrieving the treasure to be extraordinarily lengthy. Each inch of the spider's silk seemed to take a considerable amount of time to pull. This growing sense of impatience made Han Li restless. What if the old demons returned for dinner before the task was completed? The Xuan Gu, immersed in the green mist, appeared remarkably composed. Yet as the blue light at the entrance grew increasingly bright, a growing fervor began to shine in his eyes. Under the watchful eyes of the two, time passed slowly, and the Xutian Ding was gradually pulled higher and higher. It remained unknown where the wild barbarians had led that group of old masters—no one had returned to this place since. This kept Han Li constantly on edge, yet also filled him with quiet relief. Suddenly, Han Li and Xuan Gu both rose into the air, intently focused on the entrance. Finally, the blue flames reached the opening, and the massive blue blossoms burst forth, transforming the entire towering structure into a world of blue ice. Han Li stared fixedly at the blurred silhouette within the blue ice flames, his heart pounding with anticipation. Previously, when the Ding first revealed its opening, Han Li had been constantly monitoring the movements of the old demons and had not paid close attention to the Ding itself. Now, he had the rare opportunity to truly observe its true form. Though only a portion of the Ding was visible, Han Li had already fully captured its appearance in his eyes.