Chapter 1800: The Hundred Races of the Spirit Realm — Retrieving Treasure from the Cauldron

The object was likewise brilliant with golden light, rectangular in shape, with a dragon's head carved at one end — it appeared to be some sort of seal-like artifact.

After letting his gaze sweep halfway around the object, Han Li shifted his eyes downward and glanced over toward Liu Shui'er.

The woman naturally understood what Han Li meant. With a calm gesture she raised one palm, and between her fair fingers, an item glowing with golden light appeared as well.

At first glance, it looked extremely similar to the one in the big man's hand — roughly the same size, equally long and slender — but instead of a dragon's head, one end was engraved with a vividly lifelike golden phoenix head.

After taking it all in, a contemplative expression flickered across Han Li's face.

At that moment, Liu Shui'er began to explain:

"These two objects are called 'Exquisite Keys.' They should be the only means of opening this golden cadron — both are indispensable. Although neither of us knows what the situation inside the hall is, my master once said that whatever these Exquisite Keys can open is, nine times out of ten, where the Void Spirit Pill is stored."

"Indeed, my master said the same thing," Shi Kun admitted bluntly, seeing that Liu Shui'er had already revealed everything and making no further attempt to hide anything.

"In that case, why don't you two open the cadron and see whether the item your respective masters sought is truly inside? Oh, I wonder how many Void Spirit Pills there are. If there are two or more, there's no need for the two of you to fight over anything — just split them evenly," Han Li said with a smile, looking perfectly indifferent.

After hearing this, Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun exchanged a glance, both with somewhat peculiar looks in their eyes.

"Han Brother makes a fair point. The treasure cadron will have to be opened sooner or later. Fellow Daoist Shi, let's each insert our Exquisite Keys into the cadron. The Void Spirit Pill seems like there should only be one, but if by chance there really are two or more, we truly wouldn't need to fight over anything." Liu Shui'er didn't deliberate for long and addressed the big man in a calm, even tone.

"There's no problem opening the cadron immediately, but I think — instead of doing that, how about we both hand our Exquisite Keys to Brother Han here, and let Fellow Daoist Han retrieve the treasures from within, and then we decide together how to distribute them? What does Fairy Liu think of this proposal?" Shi Kun seemed to have come to a realization of his own, and with a broad grin, he said something that made the cloaked woman pause in surprise.

For a moment, she didn't quite know how to respond.

"What's the matter? Does Fairy Liu perhaps not trust Brother Han?" A peculiar look crept across the big man's face.

"Brother Han's abilities are vast. Having him help us retrieve the treasure, this little sister naturally has no objection. Brother Han, catch this Exquisite Key from my hand." Liu Shui'er's reaction was quick enough — after a rapid flurry of thoughts, she immediately let out a light laugh and made her decision, raising her hand as she spoke.

The phoenix-headed Exquisite Key shot toward Han Li in a streak of golden light.

From the other side, Shi Kun let out a cold snort and, without the slightest hesitation, flung his own object through the air as well.

Han Li swept his sleeve, and with a flash of cyan light, both Exquisite Keys landed in his palm simultaneously.

He eyed the two objects in his hand and couldn't help but let out a wry smile.

"You two really do think highly of me, doing something like this."

"Ha ha, of course we do! Only by handing the treasures over to Fellow Daoist Han first will Fairy Liu and I avoid immediately getting into a dispute. No matter who goes to retrieve the treasure first, the other one wouldn't be able to rest easy," Shi Kun declared with a hearty laugh.

"This little sister trusts Brother Han completely as well." Liu Shui'er's eyes glimmered as she too broke into a lovely smile.

"Heh heh, but holding these things, I can only say they feel rather hot in my hands." Han Li weighed the two Exquisite Keys in his palm, put on a helpless expression, and shook his head.

Still, he made no move to return the items to either of them. After a brief moment's thought, he took a step forward and walked directly toward the golden cadron.

His composure was, of course, rooted in his confidence that his strength was more than sufficient to overpower the other two combined. In the face of absolute power, there was sometimes truly no need to overthink things.

Seeing Han Li's actions, both Liu Shui'er and Shi Kun showed a flicker of tension in their eyes, but they were perceptive enough to stay put, not moving a single step from where they stood.

When Han Li was about ten feet away from the golden cadron, he stopped once more. After sweeping his gaze across the two grooves on either side of the cadron, he suddenly channeled a torrent of Magical Power into the objects in his hand, then flicked his wrist.

Both Exquisite Keys shot forward, but mid-flight they let out a clear, resonant cry and transformed amid a burst of golden light into a golden flood dragon and a golden phoenix.

The two circled the cadron once before darting toward the grooves on either side and vanishing into the body of the cadron.

In the next instant, after a flash of golden light, two objects of exactly the right size and shape appeared in the grooves.

Both Exquisite Keys slid most of the way in, leaving only the dragon and phoenix sculptures protruding from their ends. The fit with the grooves appeared flawless — not a single gap could be seen along the edges.

The very moment both objects settled into the cadron, a deep, resonant sound — like the cry of a dragon — emanated from within.

Then the golden light blazed to full brilliance, and the spiraling patterns on the surface began to rotate as though come to life. The golden light radiating from the cadron itself took on a bizarre vortex-like shape.

Han Li watched for only a moment before he felt his mind sway, as though those swirling vortexes were about to pull his consciousness directly inside.

His heart tightened with alarm!

But this cadron was ultimately an inanimate object with no one directing it — there was no real reason for him to fear it.

The Great Development Technique circulated rapidly within his body, and at the same time a flash of blue light flickered in his eyes. The discomfort vanished without a trace.

Simultaneously, Han Li let out a low shout, formed a seal with one hand, and a cyan-gleaming incantation seal shot from his fingertips, vanishing into the cadron in the blink of an eye.

The next instant, the dragon-like cry emanating from the cadron changed, transforming into the melodious cry of a phoenix.