Stirrings Beyond the Seas – Claiming the Cauldron

Chapter 499: Stirrings Beyond the Seas—Claiming the Cauldron (Wang Yu Wishes Everyone a Happy New Year!)

The Void Heaven Cauldron was squat and round, with two ears and three legs. Standing about four feet tall and ten feet in diameter, it was not particularly large.

Its slightly domed top bore a circular lid, engraved all around with scenes of fish, insects, beasts, mountains, rivers, and trees. Though the carvings appeared rough and crude, they were astonishingly lifelike, even giving Han Li the sensation of a primordial, ancient aura rushing toward him.

The moment the cauldron emerged from the opening, it began to hum softly. The sound grew steadily louder. At the same time, the blue ice flames surrounding it flared up with a series of sharp hisses, swelling several times in height.

Han Li and Xuan Gu, who had been standing near the entrance, both paled and flew backward in haste.

Within a radius of over ten zhang around the altar, everything was utterly frozen solid under the reflection of the pale blue radiance.

Only the ball of flame at the opening continued to sway slowly. The Blood Jade Spider and the spider-corpse refinement not far from the entrance remained mobile within their two patches of blood-colored light—one large, one small. Everything else was completely congealed. Had Han Li and Xuan Gu delayed their retreat by even a moment, they too would have been sealed within.

Now, the altar looked as though it had been encased in a giant blue crystal.

“How are we supposed to retrieve the treasure like this?” Han Li asked Xuan Gu, his expression shifting at the sight of such astonishing frozen devastation.

This eerie spectacle seemed capable of sealing even spiritual power itself. Han Li had no idea how to approach the cauldron under these conditions.

“Don’t worry. I have a way to collect the Azure Ice Flame from outside the cauldron. The Profound Soul Ghostfire I cultivate is also a substance of extreme yin and extreme cold. Though it cannot compare to this ice flame, I can still separate it and bind it briefly. During that window, you must pull the cauldron out of the opening and claim it,” Xuan Gu said, staring at the blue flame without blinking. His tone was one of extreme solemnity.

Despite the coldness of his words, Han Li detected a trace of excitement within them.

Han Li’s expression flickered.

The old fiend was voluntarily offering to deal with the dangerously powerful blue ice flame and letting him claim the treasure cauldron? That was highly unexpected. He couldn’t help but glance at the old ghost with a strange look.

If he believed the old fiend was simply being generous, Han Li would never accept it.

But on the surface, there seemed to be no flaw in the proposal.

Was claiming the Void Heaven Cauldron even more dangerous? A sliver of doubt rose in Han Li’s mind.

Of course, if Xuan Gu had proposed that he handle the ice flame while the old ghost took the cauldron, Han Li would never have agreed.

After a brief deliberation, Han Li steeled himself and decided to accept.

This was no time for hesitation. He would have to adapt as events unfolded. If something felt wrong during the claiming process, he would rather abandon the treasure than risk his safety.

Having made his decision, Han Li gave Xuan Gu an almost imperceptible nod of agreement.

Xuan Gu smiled with satisfaction at this.

Then, with a peculiar look in his eyes as he gazed at the ice flame, his form began to spin rapidly in midair.

The ghostly qi around him followed the rotation, coalescing into an emerald-green whirlwind over a zhang in diameter. The air around it grew dark and cold; faint wails of spectral lamentation could be heard from within.

The whirlwind then pressed down toward the blue crystal below.

With a thunderous roar, the moving whirlwind seemed to ignite, transforming into a raging pillar of fire that rose over ten zhang into the air.

This pillar was neither red nor white. Its color shifted between black and green, carrying no warmth whatsoever. Instead, it gave the impression of extreme yin cold.

Han Li stared wide-eyed as the bizarre fire pillar plunged into the blue frozen expanse.

In an instant, the three energies wove together, producing a grating, rasping sound like metal grinding against metal. Han Li’s brow furrowed involuntarily.

But almost immediately, his frown relaxed.

The black-green fire pillar had truly carved a path through the ice, charging straight toward the blue flame at the center of the altar.

At this sight, Han Li tensed as well. His mind quickly connected with the Blood Jade Spider.

If the old ghost could truly separate the Azure Ice Flame from the Void Heaven Cauldron, he would have the Blood Jade Spider exert its full strength immediately.

Finally, the fire pillar, driven by Xuan Gu’s power, reached the opening.

Facing the dazzling, flowing blue ice flame, it paused only briefly before bursting apart. In the blink of an eye, the fire pillar transformed into a giant black-green lotus, enveloping the entire mass of blue flame and the Void Heaven Cauldron within it.

Han Li’s heart jolted.

His first thought was that Xuan Gu had reneged on their deal and intended to take the Void Heaven Cauldron for himself. With that thought, he immediately grabbed the Five-Colored Copper Ring again, growing exceedingly vigilant.

But what happened next eased Han Li’s mind.

Moments later, the giant lotus swept the blue ice flame away. The Void Heaven Cauldron remained in place, unmoved, as if it were an illusion.

Han Li’s heartbeat quickened. A flush of excitement rose to his face.

Privately marveling at the profoundness of Xuan Gu’s arts, he sent a mental command to the Blood Jade Spider, ordering it to pull with all its might.

The taut, slender spider silk suddenly emitted a loud, clear hum. Then, after a violent tremor, a miracle occurred.

The cauldron, which had seemed to weigh ten thousand jin, flew toward Han Li like an arrow as the Blood Jade Spider pulled with all its strength. It felt as light as if it weighed nothing at all.

Han Li’s initial joy was followed by a surge of wariness.

Not daring to be reckless, he quickly raised both hands. A pair of azure sword beams shot forth from his palms, only to transform mid-flight into two azure cords that coiled around the two ears of the Void Heaven Cauldron. With a simultaneous pull, the cauldron obediently halted in place, three to four zhang away from Han Li.

Han Li himself was stunned to have gained control of the Void Heaven Cauldron so easily.

He vaguely felt that the smooth retrieval must have had much to do with the Azure Ice Flame being stripped from the cauldron.

But this thought only flashed through his mind.

He did not dwell on it. With a flick of his hand, the azure cords of sword energy sent a mass of azure true essence to envelop the cauldron, slowly drawing it toward him.

Then, under a low chanting incantation, the Void Heaven Cauldron rapidly shrank within the azure light, settling gently onto his palm.

Everything had proceeded so smoothly. Not a single hitch.

Han Li lightly rubbed the cauldron’s lid with his finger, still unable to believe that the Void Heaven Cauldron—the most famous secret treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea—was truly in his hands.

“It can’t be fake, can it?” The bizarre thought suddenly rose in his mind as he stared at the fist-sized miniature cauldron in his palm.

But at that moment, a burst of wild laughter interrupted his strange train of thought.

“Haha! Azure Ice Flame, Profound Soul Ghostfire, and Evil-Repelling Divine Lightning—the three together can truly merge. This way, I can cultivate the legendary Asura Holy Flame! I was right after all. Haha…” It was unmistakably Xuan Gu’s voice, but his laughter now was filled with smugness and wild exhilaration.

Han Li’s heart sank. For some reason, a chill ran down his spine.

He tightened his grip on the miniature cauldron, narrowed his eyes, and expressionlessly turned to look at Xuan Gu.

What he saw made him frown slightly.

The giant black-green lotus was nowhere to be seen. In its place, Xuan Gu was holding a massive sphere about a foot in diameter in both hands.

At first glance, the sphere still appeared black-green. But upon closer inspection, one could see a ball of blue flame burning slowly at its center. Though wrapped in a layer of black-green shell, it still seemed eager to break free, darting back and forth.

More strangely, black arcs of electricity crackled and danced across the sphere’s surface, accompanied by a faint rumble of thunder.

Han Li’s expression changed.

Had the old fiend Xuan Gu been scheming for this all along…

Before he could fully ponder what this development meant, Xuan Gu, sphere in hand, floated slowly toward Han Li. He stopped about ten zhang away and fixed his gaze on the Void Heaven Cauldron in Han Li’s grip.

“Excellent. You’ve retrieved the Void Heaven Cauldron as well. It seems my plan has worked without a hitch.” Xuan Gu stared at the cauldron, a strange look in his eyes as he spoke.

Han Li snorted coldly at this, eyeing Xuan Gu warily but saying nothing.

“That expression on your face suggests you’ve guessed something. I would very much like to explain it to you, but you’re about to become a dead man. I don’t have much time left, either. I think it’s more satisfying to let you die with your questions unanswered.” Xuan Gu spoke with a faint, unhurried smile.

Han Li’s heart shook. The old fiend’s intent to seize the treasure and kill him could not have been more obvious.

Without wasting his breath on asking for reasons, and even less on pointless talk, Han Li’s expression darkened as he struck first.

With a flick of his wrist, the copper rings he had already been clutching shot forth. With a flash of light, the rings vanished from midair. The next moment, they were firmly in place around Xuan Gu’s neck and limbs!

(Heh, I finally managed to finish this chapter in time to watch the New Year's Eve gala! Wang Yu wishes everyone here a very happy New Year, all the best, family togetherness, and good health!)

(End of Chapter)