A Wind Rises Overseas: The Returners

“Bah!” Man Brutal Beard bellowed. A column of blood-red light shot from his mouth and struck the Blood Jade Spider.

With a muffled explosion, the beam burst upon contact with the spider’s body. A thick cloud of blood-colored mist materialized around the creature, enveloping it instantly.

The Blood Jade Spider let out a series of hisses, growing visibly agitated as if provoked.

Han Li watched this with growing resentment. “Berserk Technique”—just hearing the name told him it was a demonic secret art with serious aftereffects. These old devils hadn’t so much as mentioned it to him before applying it without hesitation, disregarding any consequences for the spider. They clearly didn’t regard a Core Formation cultivator like him as worth consulting. Though he had anticipated such treatment, being subjected to it still darkened his expression.

By now, the blood mist had been completely absorbed by the Blood Jade Spider. The creature’s originally translucent, crystalline body had turned a deep blood-red, as if it had become a giant scarlet gem. Seeing this transformation, Han Li recalled the time in the underground cavern in Tiannan when another Blood Jade Spider had gone berserk. The same all-red coloration—this was the spider’s rage state.

He sent a strand of divine sense toward it, only to receive back a torrent of violent, frenzied impulses; it seemed to be losing reason. Startled, Han Li was about to forcibly calm the spider when Man Brutal Beard abruptly shouted.

“What are you waiting for? Tell your spider to keep pulling! The Berserk Technique has a time limit!” Man Brutal Beard barked, glaring.

Suppressing his anger, Han Li had no choice but to order the Blood Jade Spider to continue. Fortunately, though enraged, the spider still obeyed its master. Its green eyes flashed bloody light, and its sharp legs scrambled backward, dragging the taut silk strands inch by inch.

A tremor, three times stronger than before, shook the platform, accompanied by low thunder from within the cave. Seeing this, Man Brutal Beard and the others exchanged pleased looks.

Suddenly, a blinding blue light erupted from the cave, shooting ten-odd zhang into the air above the altar. Han Li felt a chill, then a wave of warmth. A green protective barrier materialized around him. Surprised, he realized the Confucian-robed elder had magnified his own treasure’s radiance several times, extending the shield to cover Han Li as well.

“Be careful! When the Void Heaven Cauldron is lifted, it releases a cold surge several times stronger than before. Many treasure-seekers in the past have suffered grievously from failing to guard against this.” The elder’s tone was grave. Though his words seemed directed at Han Li, the elder’s gaze never left the cave mouth.

At that moment, Green Bamboo Hermit appeared extremely tense. Han Li felt a flicker of doubt: Had many people tried to lift this cauldron before? If so, why had they all failed? He knew this was not the time to ask. Turning back, he focused on the altar.

The Void Heaven Cauldron was clearly immensely heavy. Despite the spirit beasts’ full effort, it only moved a fraction at a time. The blue light at the cave mouth grew increasingly dazzling. Now, not only Extreme Yin and the others, but even Wu Chou and Xuan Gu below the altar watched without blinking. Wu Chou clenched his hands, his face full of excitement and greed. Xuan Gu’s eyes betrayed a complicated expression—part anticipation, part hesitation.

As the Void Heaven Cauldron was slowly dragged upward, everyone held their breath, staring at the cave mouth. Han Li, however, was not looking there. He was anxiously observing his Blood Jade Spider. After all, no matter how valuable the cauldron was, it would never fall into his hands. The spider, on the other hand, was something he had painstakingly nurtured.

His attention caught an unexpected detail: the originally milky-white silk threads were faintly tinged with a layer of blue light. Barely perceptible, but undeniably there. Before he could ponder this, a soft tearing sound came from behind.

In the dead silence of the platform, it was loud and clear. Han Li’s heart jumped, then he felt a secret relief as he quickly turned to look. The sound was exactly that of a barrier being roughly torn open—and it came from the direction of the stone steps.

Extreme Yin, Man Brutal Beard, and the others had heard it too. Man Brutal Beard cursed, then slapped his spirit beast pouch. A yellow streak shot out. When the light faded, a leopard-like beast covered in yellow spots appeared before him. It was several times larger than an ordinary leopard, with a third vertical eye on its forehead that flickered with yellow light.

The Confucian-robed elder turned and spoke coldly: “It’s Wan Tianming and his group. My Green Thorn Birds and Fellow Daoist Wu’s two corpse puppets have been destroyed. They really couldn’t leave us to take the treasure in peace, so they’ve come back.”

“Try to stall them as long as you can. The Void Heaven Cauldron is more than halfway out, but the suction will only grow stronger. It won’t be quick,” Extreme Yin said, his voice cold but not panicked. The return of the righteous path seemed to have been anticipated.

“As Brother Wu says!” The elder wasted no words. With a sweep of his sleeves, a flock of green light orbs swarmed out—over a hundred sparrow-sized Green Thorn Birds. These birds, no bigger than fists, with sharp beaks and steel feathers, floated silently above the elder’s head, an impressive sight.

On the other side, Extreme Yin made hand seals, and pitch-black demonic qi billowed around him. When it dissipated, a dozen-odd iron-armored green corpse puppets stood about. Man Brutal Beard cast them a cold glance but said nothing.

Wu Chou hurriedly stepped closer to the altar, looking uneasy. Xuan Gu’s eyes flickered, but he remained still, lost in thought. Han Li frowned at Xuan Gu’s behavior, then quickly smoothed his expression.

A few streaks of light shot toward them from afar, arriving at the altar in an instant. The radiance faded, revealing Wan Tianming and the other righteous path cultivators.

“Well, very well.” Wan Tianming swept his gaze over the Blood Jade Spider hauling the cauldron on the altar and the trembling blue light at the cave mouth, speaking with a calm that unnerved the demonic cultivators. They exchanged looks, unsure of his intent.

“Good? I’m fine. But if you hadn’t come, I’d feel even better,” Man Brutal Beard shot back, eyes glaring.

“Wan would rather not have to make this trip. But just after we left, I realized that this young friend possesses a Blood Jade Spider—a species long thought extinct. How could I simply walk away?” Wan Tianming said nonchalantly.

Then, he let out a strange low chirp. Before Man Brutal Beard and the others could react, a small blue beast the size of a rat suddenly appeared at Wan Tianming’s feet, darting up his arm. Only then did the Wanfa Sect leader smile mockingly at the demonic cultivators.

“Fossil Beast!” Green Bamboo Hermit exclaimed, recognizing the creature.

“Heh, without this beast hidden in the stone to keep watch, how else would I have arrived so timely? The Fossil Beast has no other talent, but once it burrows into rock, even you seniors wouldn’t detect it easily. It seems this backup was well worth it.”

“Now, I offer you two choices. First, let us kill that Blood Jade Spider and let the Void Heaven Cauldron sleep forever. Second, we split the treasure equally. I cannot allow you demonic path to monopolize the cauldron’s contents.” Wan Tianming stroked the beast on his arm, his gaze lingering on the Blood Jade Spider before he spoke slowly.

He seemed confident that Man Brutal Beard and the others would bend.