Chapter 439: Virtual Heaven Cauldron, Sky Mending Pill

"That's not necessarily true," Patriarch Extreme Yin said, his brows furrowed deeply. He subconsciously glanced at Wan Tianming and his group, looking worried. "I heard that disciples from the Myriad Law Sect were searching everywhere for Golden Silkworms some years ago, but then news of their search suddenly stopped. I don't know if they've found them. If they have the help of such a rare insect, perhaps Master Wan might indeed set his sights on the Void Heaven Cauldron."

At that moment, the three Nascent Soul cultivators from the righteous path were sitting cross-legged on pillars, seemingly oblivious to their conversation.

"Hmph! It's not just Wan Tianming who might have Golden Silkworms," Barbarian Hu growled, casting a dismissive glance at Patriarch Extreme Yin. "I hear you, Extreme Yin, also acquired two mutant Fire Pythons on Fiery Flame Island. I'm afraid your ambition is quite grand this time, too!"

He seemed to hold Patriarch Extreme Yin's secretive actions in utter contempt.

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Extreme Yin's expression changed several times abruptly. But he quickly regained his composure, though inwardly he was cursing profusely.

There was no doubt that one of his trusted subordinates had leaked the information, allowing it to reach his opponent's ears.

This time, Barbarian Hu's visit to the Void Heaven Hall was likely a mere detour to obtain the Longevity Fruit; his true intention was probably to monitor Patriarch Extreme Yin's actions.

Despite his inner annoyance, Patriarch Extreme Yin, after a brief moment of surprise, spoke without changing his expression:

"Brother Barbarian, you jest. I, Wu, did indeed bring two mutant Fire Pythons this time. However, their cultivation is still quite shallow, and the hope of success is rather slim. I'll need Brother Barbarian and Brother Qing to lend a hand."

"Help you? What's in it for us?" the scholar-elder asked hesitantly, his heart stirred.

Patriarch Extreme Yin smiled faintly upon hearing this and stopped speaking openly. He transmitted his voice:

"According to the information left by the Void Heaven Hall's master, besides the most important Heaven Mending Pill, the Void Heaven Cauldron also contains several top-tier ancient savage treasures left by ancient cultivators. Their power will certainly be immense. How about I take the Void Heaven Cauldron and one Heaven Mending Pill, and the rest of the items are divided equally among you all?"

Greed flashed in the scholar-elder's eyes. After a moment of thought, he glanced at Barbarian Hu and transmitted his reply:

"I have no problem with that, but it depends on Brother Barbarian's intentions. After all, I wouldn't take such a risk without Brother Barbarian holding back Wan Tianming."

Patriarch Extreme Yin showed no surprise upon hearing this. He knew that this scholar-clad elder, known as "Layman Qingyi," was an old fox. Without roping in Barbarian Hu, he would never agree to such an uncertain venture.

So, Patriarch Extreme Yin turned to Barbarian Hu, transmitting his conditions with a smile before asking:

"I wonder, Brother Barbarian, what are your thoughts on my proposal? Are you interested in cooperating? After all, I don't need to tell you the value of the Heaven Mending Pill; I'm sure you're very aware! An item that can mend a person's five-element spiritual roots is probably unique in the cultivation world. Perhaps after consuming it, Brother Barbarian will find his cultivation greatly advancing, breaking through longevity limits once again!"

Patriarch Extreme Yin seemed completely unfazed by the earlier disrespect shown to him by the other party, continuously trying to persuade him.

"Hmph! You think you can set your sights on the Void Heaven Cauldron with just two Fire Pythons? I think you've lost your minds! Back then, countless Nascent Soul cultivators entered the inner hall, but all returned defeated. Do you think there's any hope of success by taking such an extraordinary risk? You should know that the inner hall's danger level is vastly different from the outer hall's. Even if we, Nascent Soul cultivators, enter, it's impossible to emerge unscathed. In past openings of the Void Heaven Hall, more than just one or two Nascent Soul cultivators perished in the inner hall," Barbarian Hu scoffed, his tone derisive.

"You don't need to worry about that, Brother Barbarian. I just want to ask: if Wan Tianming and his group truly intend to target the Void Heaven Cauldron, would Brother Barbarian genuinely not want to go in and see?" Patriarch Extreme Yin asked impassively.

The sneer on Barbarian Hu's face gradually receded after Patriarch Extreme Yin posed his question.

He narrowed his eyes, a cold glint flashing, before slowly speaking:

"If Wan Tianming is truly willing to brave such a risk and enter the inner hall, I will naturally follow him without you even having to say anything. After all, even if we in the Demonic Path cannot obtain the Void Heaven Cauldron, we cannot let those of the Righteous Path possess it."

He stated this with utmost certainty.

"Heh heh, that's all I needed to hear from Brother Barbarian. As long as Brother Barbarian is willing to act when the time comes, my previous proposal will naturally include a share for you. And of course, if Madam Wen is also willing to lend a hand, I, Wu, would be even more pleased," Patriarch Extreme Yin said with a light chuckle, glancing at the beautiful woman.

"I'm here to gather some spiritual herbs and then return. The inner hall is too dangerous. I will not go," Madam Wen coldly refused, not even bothering to listen to Patriarch Extreme Yin's conditions.

A flicker of disappointment crossed Patriarch Extreme Yin's face.

It was well known that although the beautiful woman was only a Nascent Soul early-stage cultivator, her husband, the Six-Paths Extreme Saint, was the Demonic Path's foremost grand demon. Even Barbarian Hu considered himself inferior in his presence. Failing to get her to join them was naturally somewhat regrettable.

However, he naturally dared not force this woman into the inner hall and simply gave a slight smile, letting the matter drop.

After all, their group of three was already holding their own against the righteous path cultivators. There was no need to displease the woman further.

After the demonic path cultivators finished their discussion, Wan Tianming and his group on the other side remained silently still, eyes closed, meditating. It was unclear if they were supremely confident or if they had already formulated a counter-strategy.

In the corner, Han Li observed all of this.

Although the distance was too great and most of Patriarch Extreme Yin's group's conversation was conducted via voice transmission, Han Li could still guess they were discussing countermeasures against the Myriad Law Sect master and his group, judging by their occasional unfriendly glances toward the righteous path cultivators. This secretly delighted Han Li.

Only if these Nascent Soul old monsters got entangled in their own disputes could he fish in troubled waters more safely.

It would be even better if Patriarch Extreme Yin was too preoccupied to pay attention to him!

As Han Li was pondering how to further muddy the waters, two white-robed elders appeared in a flash at the hall entrance and walked in.

Their hair and beards were like silver, and their robes fluttered, making them appear like immortals.

As soon as the cultivators in the hall saw them enter, their gazes instantly fixed on them, but then expressions of understanding and deference appeared on their faces.

Some cultivators, who had been holding their breath, finally let out a silent sigh of relief!

However, when the old monsters from both the righteous and demonic paths saw them, they showed complex expressions.

There was envy, as well as a hint of disgust and helplessness.

One of the two white-robed elders, a benevolent-looking man, smiled faintly when he saw everyone looking at them and spoke with extreme cordiality:

"For this expedition to the Void Heaven Hall, our two Holy Lords are in secluded cultivation and thus unable to preside over this treasure hunt. Therefore, we, two Enforcement Elders, will represent the Star Palace to oversee this grand event."

"The rules for this treasure hunt remain the same as in previous sessions. Anyone who arbitrarily bullies the weak or attempts to kill others for their treasures during the hunt will be stopped by us, and subsequently pursued and eliminated by our Star Palace. However, our Star Palace's supervision is limited to the outer hall of the Void Heaven Hall. We will not enter the inner hall, nor will we interfere with any matters within it. Therefore, if any of you feel uncertain, it's best to stop outside the inner hall. Furthermore, we will not intervene to assist any fellow cultivators due to the Void Heaven Hall's inherent dangers. Even if a fellow Taoist perishes right before our eyes, we will not bat an eyelid. I have made myself very clear; you should all understand our intentions by now."

After the white-robed elder finished speaking, his gaze, sharp as lightning, swept across the cultivators in the hall. Others lowered their heads and backed away slightly when his eyes came their way. Only Wan Tianming and Barbarian Hu met his gaze directly, without flinching.

This made the white-robed elder pause, then frown, murmuring under his breath,

"How did these two monsters also show up? This makes things a bit tricky."

The other cold-faced elder beside him also showed a slight shift in expression, but a cold snort quickly restored his icy demeanor.

Subsequently, the two Enforcement Elders from the Star Palace sat down cross-legged on either side of the hall entrance, no longer paying attention to any commotion caused by their words within the hall.

The other Core Formation cultivators wore various expressions, some happy, some troubled!

Han Li, witnessing this, couldn't help but marvel inwardly.

He wondered about the true intention behind the Star Palace's thankless actions. Was it merely to establish the Star Palace's authority in the Scattered Star Seas?

Just then, Reverend Xuan Gu's voice sounded in his ear.

"Be careful, kid! The people from the Star Palace are not to be trifled with! As far as I know, whenever the Demonic Path gains too much power, the Star Palace suppresses them. When the Righteous Path becomes too strong, they suppress the Righteous Path. They simply don't allow either side to grow too powerful. Moreover, during every expedition to the Void Heaven Hall, more than a few cultivators from both the righteous and demonic paths die mysteriously. It might very well be the Star Palace's secret doing. Although you don't belong to either the righteous or demonic side, you should still watch out for yourself. I don't want the helper I finally found to mysteriously kick the bucket."

Reverend Xuan Gu's voice was quite cold, but the content of his words startled Han Li.