324: Chapter 324 The Void Heaven Cauldron!

If there was anyone whose heart was the most shocked and incredulous at this moment, it was Layman Qingyi.

He remembered clearly that in the Blood Ice Forest, he had personally sensed the intense combat fluctuations from the Aura belonging to Old Ancestor Ji Yin and another mysterious, powerful Aura!

The violence of those fluctuations and their duration indicated it was a life-and-death battle, not a casual sparring match!

Afterward, Old Ancestor Ji Yin's Aura had vanished completely, as if it had never existed. No matter how he tried to sense it, he couldn't catch a trace.

He had almost concluded that Old Ancestor Ji Yin had fallen at the hands of that mysterious powerhouse, perhaps even failing to escape with his Nascent Soul!

At the time, he had secretly rejoiced that he hadn't rashly approached that battlefield, otherwise he might have met with misfortune himself.

Yet now, this person who should have been dead had appeared alive right before his eyes!

Furthermore, although he looked a bit disheveled, his Aura remained steady, clearly having suffered no fatal wounds!

Layman Qingyi's eyes, usually narrowed, were now wide open, his gaze fixed on the thin, black-clad figure as if trying to see right through him.

His fingers, clutching the bamboo slip, tightened involuntarily, his knuckles turning white from the force, and the edge of the bamboo slip even dug into his flesh.

A storm raged in his heart, and countless thoughts flashed through his mind—could he have sensed it wrong?

Were the two sides of that great battle not Old Ancestor Ji Yin? Or had Old Ancestor Ji Yin used some secret technique like a cicada shedding its skin to deceive that mysterious powerhouse and himself?

Or perhaps that mysterious powerhouse was Old Ancestor Ji Yin's accomplice, and the two had staged a play?

"Fellow Daoist Wu... are you... really alright?" Layman Qingyi couldn't help but ask, his voice tinged with undisguised suspicion and probing, his gaze scanning Ji Yin up and down, trying to find a flaw.

Lu Qiu, disguised as Old Ancestor Ji Yin, wore a perfectly timed wry smile on his face. That smile contained a hint of relief at having survived a disaster and a trace of imperceptible gloom, perfectly mimicking Old Ancestor Ji Yin's sinister and cunning temperament.

He coughed twice, as if he had really suffered serious internal injuries, covered his chest with his hand, and said in a hoarse voice: "I trouble Fellow Daoist Qingyi with my concerns. Sigh, don't mention it! In the Blood Ice Forest, I inadvertently encountered an incredibly powerful ancient ice beast. That beast had no idea how many years it had lived, and its cultivation was comparable to the Nascent Soul Early Stage. After a bitter battle, although I managed to kill it, I was wounded, and my magic power was severely depleted. What was even unluckier was that the aftermath of the battle triggered an ancient teleportation array hidden beneath the ice, which teleported me directly to a corner of this inner palace. It took a long detour to find my way here."

His explanation sounded reasonable, involving both a battle and an accidental teleportation, perfectly explaining why he had gone missing and why he suddenly appeared in the inner palace.

As for the Aura of the mysterious powerhouse, he had cleverly covered it up with the "ancient ice beast"; anyway, the ice beast was dead, and there was no evidence to prove otherwise.

While speaking, he deliberately rubbed his shoulder as if it were still aching, adding to the credibility.

Savage Beard heard the explanation from "Old Ancestor Ji Yin", and although he still harbored some doubts, feeling that things were too coincidental, he didn't pursue it further.

He was rough in character and disliked twists and turns; since the person was back, that was a good thing. He opened his mouth wide and laughed heartily, the sound echoing on the platform like muffled thunder. His fan-sized hand patted "Old Ancestor Ji Yin"'s shoulder with such force that Lu Qiu, in his disguised state, couldn't help but sway: "Hahaha! I told you! You old guy have always been tough, like a cockroach, how could you die so easily! It's good that you're alive! Next, let's see how Wan Tianming acts arrogant! This void heaven cauldron will ultimately belong to our Demonic Path!"

Although his words were crude, they revealed genuine happiness.

After all, Old Ancestor Ji Yin returning alive was undoubtedly a huge boost for their Demonic Path side.

With Old Ancestor Ji Yin present, they would no longer be at a disadvantage when facing those three Nascent Soul Cultivators from the Righteous Path, and might even have the upper hand.

Three against three, who was afraid of whom?

"Old Ancestor Ji Yin" heard this and also revealed a cold smile, one that carried Old Ancestor Ji Yin's unique cunning and ruthlessness. He nodded and his gaze swept over Immortal Master Xue Sha on the side without leaving a trace.

Immortal Master Xue Sha was also currently staring dumbfounded at the "resurrected" "Old Ancestor Ji Yin", his heart filled with shock and confusion.

He had clearly seen with his own eyes that Old Ancestor Ji Yin was killed by his master, his Nascent Soul taken away, and his corpse thoroughly looted. How could he be standing here safe and sound now?

Could it be that his master didn't kill Old Ancestor Ji Yin, but controlled him instead?

Just as he was feeling suspicious and uncertain, he felt the gaze that "Old Ancestor Ji Yin" had swept over.

That gaze carried a trace of the majesty and suggestion he was familiar with, belonging to his master, like a bolt of lightning striking his mind.

He understood instantly—this "Old Ancestor Ji Yin" before him was indeed disguised by his master!

To think his master could disguise himself so vividly that even a Nascent Soul Cultivator couldn't tell!

His awe for his master deepened a little more.

He quickly restrained the shock on his face, walked quickly to the front of "Old Ancestor Ji Yin", bowed, and said in a resonant voice with an extremely respectful posture: "Subordinate Xue Sha, greets Master! Congratulations on your safe return, Master! This subordinate has been worried about Master's safety, and now that I see Master is unharmed, the heavy stone in my heart has finally fallen!"

Savage Beard saw this, his brows furrowed slightly, and he felt a bit unhappy.

After all, he already regarded Immortal Master Xue Sha as his own subordinate and was counting on the Blood Jade Spider in his hand to help take the cauldron. Seeing him still so respectful to Old Ancestor Ji Yin, he inevitably felt a bit uncomfortable.

But he also knew that Immortal Master Xue Sha was originally Old Ancestor Ji Yin's man, so he couldn't say anything in front of Old Ancestor Ji Yin; he just snorted heavily and turned his head away, not looking at them anymore.

Just at this moment—

At the center of the high platform, that ball of dazzling blue light suddenly erupted with more violent activity!

Rays of even more piercing golden light, like sharp swords, pierced through the blue light, illuminating the entire high platform in golden splendor, even coating the faces of everyone in a layer of gold!

At the same time, bursts of low rumbling sounds, like muffled thunder, came from the center of the high platform, and even the ground beneath their feet began to tremble slightly, as if something was struggling to break free from that deep blue hole!

"Old Ancestor Ji Yin" narrowed his eyes, a look of well-timed surprise appearing on his face, his pupils widening slightly, and he blurted out: "This is... could that void heaven cauldron really be pulled up by Wan Tianming's Gold Silk Silkworm?! Does he really have such means?!"

Savage Beard's face also instantly became extremely gloomy, like the sky before a storm, overcast with dark clouds!

He turned his head abruptly, his gaze like two sharp swords, fixed on the area where the dazzling golden light and blue light intertwined at the center of the high platform, his eyes filled with greed and wariness!

That void heaven cauldron was his biggest goal for this trip; how could he let Wan Tianming get there first?

"Hmph! Dream on! With me here, how can I let you people of the Righteous Path take the void heaven cauldron so easily! Do you think I'm air?!" Savage Beard roared, his voice full of anger and dominance. No longer hesitating, he strode toward the white light barrier covering the high platform!

Every step he took made the ground tremble slightly, like an enraged rhinoceros.

He walked to the front of the light barrier, took a deep breath, his chest puffed out high, and the violent magic power in his body surged out like a raging tide, gathering on his right fist!

His fist was instantly covered in a layer of thick black light. The black light swirled like substance, emitting terrifying fluctuations that made people's hearts palpitate, and even the surrounding air began to distort!

"Break for me—!!!"

Savage Beard shouted violently, his voice like thunder, shaking the entire high platform until it hummed!

He punched the white light barrier fiercely!

"Boom—!!!"

An earth-shattering loud noise! The sound was so loud that it felt like the heavens were collapsing and the earth was cracking, making Immortal Master Xue Sha's eardrums feel a stinging pain!

That seemingly solid white light barrier, under this punch containing terrifying power from Savage Beard, was like a mirror, instantly covered with dense cracks, spreading like a spider web to the surroundings, and then shattered with a bang!

It turned into countless fine white light spots, like snowflakes, dissipating in the air!

Once the light barrier was broken, an even more terrifying, bone-chilling cold, as if it could freeze the Soul, swept out from the high platform like a burst dam!

The intensity of the cold made Immortal Master Xue Sha, standing below the steps, shiver involuntarily, feeling as if his blood was about to freeze, and even the breath he exhaled instantly condensed into white mist!

His face turned pale, and he hurriedly mobilized his magic power. His protective spiritual light lit up, and he barely managed to resist the chill, but he still felt his hands and feet were icy cold.

However, for the three Nascent Soul Cultivators, Savage Beard, "Old Ancestor Ji Yin", and Layman Qingyi, this bit of coldness naturally counted for nothing.

With just a thought, their protective spiritual light automatically lit up, easily isolating the chill, and not even the corners of their clothes moved.

"Old Ancestor Ji Yin" looked back at Immortal Master Xue Sha, who was a bit disheveled and pale, and casually took an awl-shaped ancient treasure that emitted a faint spiritual light from his Storage Pouch. The ancient treasure was silver-white all over, with fine runes engraved on the surface, emitting a sharp Aura. He casually threw it to Immortal Master Xue Sha: "Take this, inject magic power into it, and you can resist the cold. Keep up! Don't drag me down!"

Immortal Master Xuesha hurriedly took the ancient treasure. It felt slightly cool to the touch. He quickly injected his magic power into it, and the ancient treasure immediately shone with a silvery-white light. A sturdier protective light shield formed around his body, completely isolating the cold air and even significantly weakening the bone-chilling cold. Overjoyed, he quickly followed the footsteps of the three Nascent Soul Cultivators, not daring to be even the slightest bit negligent.

The four of them climbed rapidly up the hundreds of stone steps.

The stone steps were covered with a thin layer of frost, making them somewhat slippery, but for four high-level Cultivators, this was naturally not a problem. The closer they got to the top of the high platform, the more intense the cold became. Fine ice crystals even began to appear in the air, glittering with colorful light under the illumination, beautiful yet lethal. However, the four did not pause for even a moment, each step steady and powerful.

A moment later, they finally reached the top of the high platform. The view before them suddenly opened up, and they saw the scene at the center of the platform.

There, a small, raised altar stood. The altar was constructed entirely from a type of black stone, its surface covered in complex runes that seemed to flow slowly as if they were alive. On the altar, seven or eight dazzling golden light orbs were pulsing incessantly, like seven or eight small suns, emitting a scorching light.

In the center of those golden light orbs was a large hole emitting a blinding blue light. The opening was about a zhang in size, deep and unfathomable, as if it connected to another world, leading to unknown places. The blue light gushed out from the hole like a physical substance, carrying a heart-palpitating coldness.

Within those golden light orbs, there was actually a jade-green giant silkworm, several feet long, in each one!

These giant silkworms were entirely jade-green, as if carved from the finest emerald, crystal clear, with circles of golden patterns on their bodies like exquisite embroidery. Their heads were pale gold, and they were spitting out thumb-thick golden silk threads from their mouths. The threads refracted brilliant light under the illumination, stretching straight into that large blue hole!

Their bodies were swaying constantly, pulling desperately backward, as if they were dragging something incredibly heavy from that large blue hole! Every muscle was tensed; clearly, they had exhausted all their strength.

Every sway caused the blue light in the large blue hole to flash wildly, accompanied by a deafening roar!

The entire high platform trembled slightly with the roaring sound, as if it might collapse at any moment!

Beside the altar, three figures stood straight; they were none other than Wan Tianming, Tianwuzi, and Mutengzi, the three Nascent Soul Cultivators of the Righteous Path!

At this moment, they were clearly at a critical juncture in retrieving the cauldron. All their focus was poured into those golden silkworms and the large blue hole. Their faces were full of tension and gravity, and fine beads of sweat even seeped from their foreheads, condensing into tiny ice particles under the assault of the cold air.

They didn't even have the leisure to pay attention to Savage Beard and the others who had just ascended the high platform, focusing entirely on controlling those golden silkworms.

However, when Wan Tianming's gaze inadvertently swept over the four newcomers, his eyes suddenly froze!

His pupils contracted sharply! The expression of total concentration on his face was instantly replaced by shock!

"Ji Yin Old Ancestor?! He... he is actually still alive?! How is this possible?!" A monstrous wave surged in Wan Tianming's heart!

Hadn't Ji Yin Old Ancestor already fallen in the Blood Ice Forest?!

Then what was going on with this living, breathing Ji Yin Old Ancestor before his eyes?!

A sense of foreboding instantly welled up in Wan Tianming's heart!

If Ji Yin Old Ancestor was not dead, then the Demonic Path side still maintained their full combat strength!

For them of the Righteous Path, this was definitely not good news!

The original three-on-three situation had now turned into four-on-three. Moreover, both Savage Beard and Ji Yin Old Ancestor were established, veteran Nascent Soul experts whose strength could not be underestimated!

Savage Beard looked at Wan Tianming and the others who were pulling with all their might at the void heaven cauldron. A cold glint flashed in his eyes, and a sinister smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. He let out a cold snort, his voice like a booming bell, echoing across the entire high platform: "Hmph! Wan Tianming! This void heaven cauldron is a common treasure for all Cultivators of our Chaotic Star Sea; it is not something you of the Righteous Path can lay your hands on! Stop it, or don't blame me for being impolite!"

Having said that, his figure swayed, and like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, he lunged toward Wan Tianming and the others with a violent Aura! At the same time, he waved his large hand, and a black light flashed as he prepared to strike and interrupt their spellcasting!

However, facing Savage Beard's surprise attack, Wan Tianming and Tianwuzi seemed as if they had been prepared for a long time; there was not the slightest look of panic on their faces, and they didn't even lift an eyelid!

Wan Tianming didn't even turn his head, merely letting out a low whistle from his mouth. The sound was sharp and hurried, spreading through the air!

"ROAR!!!" A deafening Dragon roar suddenly erupted! The sound was filled with majesty and violence, causing people's eardrums to ache!

A huge white figure, like lightning, suddenly darted out from behind Wan Tianming! It was none other than a Cold Flood Dragon, covered in white scales from head to tail, with a single horn on its head, and emanating a biting cold!

This Cold Flood Dragon was several zhang long, as thick as a water barrel, baring its fangs and brandishing its claws, bringing with it a terrifying cold current as it lunged fiercely toward Savage Beard! It opened its blood-red maw, revealing sharp fangs, as if it wanted to swallow Savage Beard in one gulp!

At the same time, Tianwuzi also raised one hand, his movements extremely swift! A dark green light flashed, and a giant tortoise, pitch-black all over, with its back shell covered in sharp spikes and looking like a small mountain, crashed onto the ground with a dull thud, causing even the ground to tremble slightly!

The giant tortoise had limbs as thick as pillars and a ferocious head. Ferocious light flickered in its small eyes. Opening its mouth, it spewed out a dark green poisonous mist. The mist, carrying a pungent, fishy stench, swept toward "Ji Yin Old Ancestor" and Layman Qingyi!

"Cold Flood Dragon! Li Turtle!" Layman Qingyi's expression turned incomparably grave the moment he saw those two Spirit Beasts. His pupils contracted slightly as he blurted out, "This is the Myriad Laws Sect's Wan Sangu's Cold Flood Dragon, and also Tianyuanzi's Li Turtle! Unexpectedly, those two old monsters were actually willing to lend them to Wan Tianming and Tianwuzi! It seems they are determined to succeed in this trip!"

Wan Sangu, Grand Elder of the Myriad Laws Sect, a great Cultivator at the Late Nascent Soul Stage! Tianyuanzi, also a top-tier powerhouse at the Middle Nascent Soul Stage! Both these people were famous figures in the Chaotic Star Sea, and their Spirit Beasts were naturally also renowned far and wide!

Although this Cold Flood Dragon and Li Turtle were still only at the Seventh-level Demonic Beast level, their Bloodline was extraordinary, and their combat power far exceeded that of Yao Beasts of the same rank. They were extremely difficult to deal with; even Nascent Soul Cultivators dared not underestimate them!

"Ji Yin Old Ancestor" watched the Cold Flood Dragon lunging over and the Li Turtle spitting poisonous mist, but his heart was completely calm, and he even felt like laughing. With his true cultivation level and strength, these two Seventh-level Demonic Beasts could not threaten him at all; he could kill them with a casual wave of his hand. But at this moment, he was playing the role of Ji Yin Old Ancestor, so naturally, he could not appear too strong, or it would arouse suspicion.

His face immediately revealed a perfectly appropriate look of apprehension, and he even subconsciously took a half-step back, brow furrowed, as if he were quite wary of these two Spirit Beasts. He said in a deep voice, "Fellow Daoist Savage Beard! These two beasts are not easy to deal with! My Tiandu Demon Corpse was severely damaged in the last battle and cannot be driven for the time being! Otherwise, I would definitely show them!"

Upon hearing this, Savage Beard frowned deeply. While nimbly maneuvering against the Cold Flood Dragon, dodging its lunges and claw strikes, he shouted loudly, his voice tinged with a hint of anxiety: "Damn it! Ji Yin, if your Tiandu Demon Corpse cannot be used, then just stall for now! Layman Qingyi, release your Green Thorn Bird! Entangle these two beasts first! When I free up my hands, I will deal with them!"

Upon hearing this, a look of difficulty appeared on Layman Qingyi's face. He was just about to open his mouth to explain that his Green Thorn Bird had also been injured in the previous battle and had not yet recovered. Just at this moment—

"BOING!!!" A crisp sound, like a broken zither string, suddenly came from the center of the altar! Although the sound was not loud, it clearly reached everyone's ears!

The seven or eight golden silk threads that had been pulled taut and were desperately dragging something from within the large blue hole suddenly snapped! The golden silk thread danced in the air and then fell limply. Immediately after, as if a chain reaction, "Boing!" "Boing!" "Boing!" Several more crisp sounds followed, and the remaining golden silk threads snapped one after another! Those golden threads, like tentacles that had lost their lives, all went limp and fell to the ground.

Those golden silkworms that had been pulling backward with all their might, due to overexertion, all fell backward the moment the silk threads snapped, making a "pfft, pfft" sound. Some even rolled a few times, looking utterly disheveled, and let out a series of mournful cries.

And within that large blue hole, the phantom of the void heaven cauldron, which had been almost pulled out and was emitting dazzling light, also sank abruptly as the silk threads snapped, like a giant rock falling into an abyss, submerging once again into that deep blue light and disappearing! Only a patch of gradually calming blue light remained.

The cauldron retrieval had failed!

Wan Tianming's face instantly turned incomparably gloomy, as if it could drip water! He clenched his fists tightly, his fingernails almost embedding into his palms, and the veins on the back of his hands bulged! His eyes were filled with unwillingness and anger, and his teeth ground together, making a clacking sound! Just a little more! Just a little bit more! He would have succeeded! But now, all his efforts had gone down the drain!

When Savage Beard saw this scene, he was stunned for a moment, as if he hadn't reacted, and then a look of wild joy appeared on his face! He laughed up at the sky, his laughter filled with gratification and smugness, causing the entire high platform to echo! "Hahahaha! Wan Tianming! It seems that even the heavens are not helping you! This void heaven cauldron is destined not to be something you can lay your hands on! You had better obediently leave it to me!"