The Xutian Ding is flat and round, with two eared and three feet, standing about four feet high and spanning roughly one zhang in diameter. At its apex sits a slightly domed circular lid, adorned with intricate carvings of insects, fish, animals, and various scenes of mountains, rivers, trees, and forests. Though it appears simple and somewhat rough, the carvings are vividly lifelike, evoking in Han Li a sense of primal, ancient wilderness. As soon as the Ding emerged from the cave opening, it began to emit a soft humming sound, which gradually grew louder. Simultaneously, the blue ice flames surrounding the Ding surged with a series of crisp "crack" sounds, swelling and expanding several times in height. Han Li and Xuan Gu, who had been standing near the entrance, reacted almost simultaneously, their faces pale as they hurried backward, falling into the air. Under the gentle glow of the pale blue light, the entire area within a dozen zhang of the altar was completely frozen solid. The only movement remained at the cave entrance, where the cluster of light gently swayed, and the blood-jade spider and its spider corpse, still active within their respective pools of bloodlight, near the If Han Li and Xuan Gu had flown a bit later, they would certainly have been frozen solid within it as well. Now, the altar seemed to be encased within a massive blue crystal. "Like this, how shall we retrieve the treasure?" Han Li, witnessing this astonishing scene of freezing, asked Xuan Gu with a sudden change in expression. Naturally, he had no idea how to proceed in retrieving the treasure given this phenomenon that seemed to freeze even the spiritual energy itself. "Don't worry," Xuan Gu said, gazing steadily at the blue flame without blinking, as if it were the most serious matter in the world. "I have a method to contain the dry blue ice flame outside the cauldron. My cultivated Xuan Huan Ghost Fire is also extremely cold and Yin, though it still falls short of this ice flame, it can temporarily isolate and hold it in place for a while. In the meantime, you simply pull the cauldron out of the opening and collect it." Though his tone was cool, Han Li sensed a subtle spark of excitement beneath it. Han Li's expression could not help but shift! To his surprise, the other party had proactively proposed that he face off against that extremely dangerous blue ice flame and take away the sacred cauldron. This truly astonished him, and he glanced at the other with a look of bewilderment. He would never believe that the old demon was so kind. Yet, the way the other party had acted seemed flawless—there was nothing amiss in it. Could it be that acquiring the Virtual Sky Cauldron was even more perilous? A subtle doubt arose in his mind. Of course, if the other had suggested that he confront the ice flame while he himself went to retrieve the cauldron, he would have refused outright. After a brief consideration, therefore, he made up his mind and agreed. Now was not the time to hesitate—he had to act on the spot. Should there be any issue with securing the cauldron, he would naturally prefer to forgo the treasure and ensure his own safety first. Once his plan was settled, he casually nodded a few times to Xuan Gu, indicating his agreement. Seeing this, Xuan Gu smiled warmly at him, satisfied. Then, with a look of strange wonder, he gazed at the ice-flame for a few moments before beginning to spin in midair. As he rotated, his ghostly aura formed a lush, emerald whirlwind of about one zhang in diameter, the surrounding air thick with dense阴mists and ghostly wails, mournful and piercing. The whirlwind then descended straight toward the blue crystal below. A tremendous roar echoed—like the whirlwind had been ignited—and instantly transformed into a roaring column of flame, surging upward to a height of over ten zhang. This flame was neither red nor white, shifting between deep black and vibrant green, cold and lifeless, radiating an intense chill. Han Li stared wide-eyed, fixedly watching as the strange flame plunged into the blue, ice-encased core. For a moment, the three lights interwove, producing a harsh, metallic clashing sound that made Han Li frown slightly. Yet, his furrowed brows quickly smoothed out. The black-green flame pillar indeed forged a clear path, rushing straight toward the azure flame at the center of the altar. Seeing this, Han Li grew tense and quickly established a connection between his mind and the Blood Jade Spider Scripture. As long as the other party truly possessed the ability to separate the Dry Azure Ice Flame from the Xutian Cauldron, he would immediately prompt the Blood Jade Spider to exert its power. Eventually, under the impetus of Xuan Gu, the flame pillar reached the entrance of the cavern. Facing the brilliant, flowing azure ice flame, it paused only briefly before bursting into fragments, instantly transforming into a massive black-green lotus that enveloped the entire azure flame and the Xutian Cauldron within it. At this sight, Han Li was suddenly struck with surprise. His first thought was that Xuan Gu might have changed his mind and intended to claim the Xutian Cauldron alone. With this realization, he immediately grasped the five-colored bronze ring once again, becoming notably more alert. But then another scene unfolded, easing韩立's mind and bringing him a sense of reassurance. A moment later, the massive lotus only wrapped the blue ice flame and carried it away, leaving the xutian ding seemingly ethereal, still in its original position, motionless.韩立's heartbeat quickened, and a flush of excitement spread across his face. On one hand, he silently admired the marvel of Xuan Gu Magistrate's technique; on the other, his excited consciousness stirred immediately, and he urgently instructed the blood-jade spider to pull with all its might. The already taut, delicate silk threads began to sing with a clear, resonant sound. After a sudden, vigorous tremor, a miracle occurred—the heavy, seemingly weighty ding, which had appeared so solid, now shot swiftly toward韩立, as if it had become as light as air.韓立 was first delighted, then struck by a sudden sense of alertness. He, not daring to act hastily, quickly raised both hands, and a pair of faintly emerald swordlights shot forth from them. Yet midway, the lights suddenly transformed into two slender emerald cords, which instantly wound around the two ears of the Shitian Ding. Then, with a simultaneous exertion of force. The furnace immediately halted, settling neatly at a distance of three or four zhang from Han Li. Seeing how effortlessly he had controlled the Shitian Ding, Han Li himself stood stunned. He had a vague feeling that the smooth reception of the treasure was undoubtedly closely related to the separation of the Qianlan Ice Flame from the furnace's surface. Yet this thought passed through his mind only briefly. Without further contemplation, he merely shook the emerald cords formed by his sword qi, and the furnace immediately began to drift slowly toward him, enveloped in a sphere of emerald true energy he transmitted. Then, as a low, rhythmic incantation unfolded, the Shitian Ding rapidly shrank in the emerald light and gently settled onto the palm of his hand. Everything unfolded smoothly, with no unexpected occurrences at all. Han Li gently rubbed the lid of the cauldron with his fingers, still unable to believe that the famed virtual heaven cauldron, hailed as the first treasure of the Lunxing Sea, had truly come into his hands! "Is this cauldron not a fake?" Han Li focused intently on the miniature cauldron in his hands—only the size of a clenched fist—and suddenly found himself thinking this odd thought. But at that moment, a burst of laughter interrupted his unusual thoughts. "Ha ha! Dry-blue ice flame, xuan-hun shadow fire, and divine-protecting thunder—all three together truly merge into one! Now I can cultivate the legendary War Saint Fire! I've never been mistaken at all. Ha ha…" The voice was unmistakably that of Xuan Gu, yet now it sounded filled with self-satisfaction and joy. Han Li felt his heart sink, and without knowing why, a chill crept over him. He tightened his grip on the small cauldron, narrowed his eyes, and gazed steadily at Xuan Gu, who remained expressionless. To his surprise, what he saw there startled him slightly—the massive black-green lotus had vanished completely. In its place was a massive luminous sphere, held in the hands of Xuan Gu. At first glance, the sphere still appeared black and green, but upon closer inspection, a blue flame was slowly burning at its core—though encased in a black-green outer shell, it seemed restless, constantly shifting and pulsing. Even more astonishingly, dark electrical arcs continuously burst from the surface of the sphere, shooting off in all directions and emitting a steady, faint thunderous sound. Han Li's face changed. Could it be that Xuan Gu's true intention was...? Before Han Li could fully ponder what this scene meant, Xuan Gu began to slowly rise, holding the sphere, and approached him. When he stopped about fifteen paces away, his gaze settled firmly on the celestial tripod clenched tightly in Han Li's hands. "Well, you've also obtained the Celestial Tripod. It seems my plan has indeed been flawless," Xuan Gu said, his eyes expressing a touch of unusual wonder. Han Li listened to this, huffed softly, and stared at Xuan Gu with cautious vigilance, yet said nothing. "From your expression, it seems you've already guessed something. Though I'd like to explain, you'll be dead before I finish. My time is running short—I think it's more comfortable for you to remain a simple fool." Xuan Gu smiled gently and spoke calmly. Han Li was struck by the clarity of Xuan Gu's intent—to seize the treasure and kill him. He immediately decided to spare words and avoid further explanations. With a serious expression, he took the initiative. Lifting his hand, the five bronze rings that had been held in his grasp were swiftly cast into the air. A flash of霞light revealed them gone—then, moments later, they were neatly encircled around the old demon's neck and limbs.