"Well… back then, my memories hadn't fully unsealed yet, which is why I mistakenly identified the Void Heaven Cauldron as the real key. But I can guarantee that if this key truly cannot open the Heavenly Cauldron Palace, I would never dare ask you to force your way inside, Senior. However, once we do get inside, I believe the treasures within will not disappoint you, Senior Han." Xue Po said with some embarrassment.
"You've already told me a great deal about Perfected Heavenly Cauldron's affairs from back then. As the cave abode left behind by an ascended True Immortal in the lower realm, it's certainly enough to tempt me. But even setting aside those treasures, since I once promised to rescue your main body, I won't easily go back on my word. Rest assured — with my current abilities, even without any key, there would still be a slim chance of forcing my way into the Heavenly Cauldron Palace. Now that we have the Void Heaven Cauldron as a key, our odds of getting inside should be over ninety percent." Han Li looked at Xue Po for a moment, then suddenly chuckled.
"Thank you so much for your great kindness, Senior Han. Once my main body comes out, this junior will definitely…"
"Enough — save the thanks for after we've truly rescued Daoist Bing Po. However, since the Heavenly Cauldron Palace has more than one key, and back then Daoist Bing Po and the others once forged many replica keys using the Golden Palace Jade Book's secret technique, there will likely be no shortage of powerhouses converging on this mountain range. I imagine that Lady Wanhua and her companion, whom I encountered in Blood Crane City, sought out that Blood Bone Sect's Supreme Elder for this very matter." Han Li pondered for a moment and said.
"What? Senior has already met with the Blood Bone Sect's Mahayana cultivator who guards Blood Crane City? I recall now — among those who broke into the Heavenly Cauldron Palace with my main body back then, there were indeed Blood Bone Sect powerhouses. It wouldn't be strange for the Blood Bone Sect to still possess one or two keys. If the Blood Bone Sect moves en masse into the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range, that would be quite troublesome." Xue Po's expression changed upon hearing this.
"The Supreme Elder in Blood Crane City doesn't strike me as the type to widely invite his fellow sect members. Otherwise, outside Mahayana cultivators wouldn't have sought him out directly. He likely kept the matter of the Heavenly Cauldron Palace and the keys to himself. The others who hold keys probably think the same way. So aside from those who possess keys, most of the others heading into the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range are probably people who recently caught wind of the news. No matter how many of them there are, if they can't get inside the palace, they won't pose any real threat to us." Han Li shook his head and replied.
"But in that case, the others probably won't sit idly by and let key-holders enter the Heavenly Cauldron Palace without a fight." Zhu Guo'er couldn't help but interject from the side.
"Before we enter the Heavenly Cauldron Palace, there will certainly be a bloodbath. But with me here, what is there to fear? However, there may well be dangers inside the palace itself. Shi, you and Guo'er stay here and wait for Xue Po and me to come out. Be careful not to let anyone discover you. Anyone who dares enter the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range at a time like this is no ordinary person." Han Li instructed calmly.
Zhu Guo'er and Patriarch Shi felt a chill upon hearing this and immediately answered respectfully.
"Daoist Xue Po, according to what you said, the Heavenly Cauldron Palace should be appearing soon. When it truly emerges, the Void Heaven Cauldron will sense it and guide us to the exact location. That's correct, isn't it?" Han Li turned to ask Xue Po.
"That's correct, Senior. The reason even replica keys are fought over is mainly because of this function." Xue Po replied with certainty.
"Good. What we need to do now is rest and conserve our energy, and wait quietly for the Heavenly Cauldron Palace to emerge." Han Li nodded and said leisurely.
Xue Po naturally had no objections at all, nodding repeatedly in agreement.
And so Han Li's party settled down temporarily in the cave abode.
Days passed one by one. The Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range, originally not heavily populated by cultivators, gradually grew lively.
News of the Heavenly Cauldron Palace's imminent emergence truly spread throughout Blood Crane City.
Cultivators of some capability from the surrounding regions immediately set out upon hearing the news and began converging on the mountain range.
However, because Blood Crane City was closest to the range, the first wave of cultivators to enter were mostly from this city — eight or nine out of ten.
Blood Bone Sect disciples made up a considerable proportion among them.
But as time passed, people from other regions gradually appeared near the mountain range, and with each passing day, outsiders surged in ever greater numbers.
Still, the Ten Thousand Moon was one of the largest mountain ranges in the vicinity, so no matter how many people entered, it went largely unnoticed — like a clay ox dropped into the sea, vanishing without a trace.
Yet some who were confident in their strength and those with short tempers began slaughtering anyone they suspected of carrying a key.
Although most of these skirmishes proved futile, one day, after a mid-level confrontation ended, a victor actually found a small cauldron on a slain opponent's body. This immediately ignited an even grander killing frenzy throughout the mountain range.
And even farther from the range, more people from the Blood Sky region who had caught wind of the news were still making their way toward the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range.
But these people wouldn't make it in time.
Merely a month and a half later, in an unnamed pool deep within the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range, a mysterious pillar of five-colored light suddenly shot into the sky, then transformed into countless runes and vanished into the void.
Almost simultaneously, Han Li, who had been meditating with his eyes closed in a secret chamber deep within the mountain, felt a sudden shift. His sleeve moved, and a small cauldron radiating brilliant azure light flew out.
"Xue Po, get ready. It's time to set off." Han Li stared at the bizarre runes that had newly appeared on the surface of the azure cauldron and sent his voice out without hesitation.
Xue Po, who had been sitting in meditation in another room of the cave abode, immediately stood up, her face full of excitement.
Moments later, a streak of azure light over a dozen zhang long shot out from deep within the mountain and rocketed toward a specific location in the Ten Thousand Moon Mountain Range.
Similar scenes played out at over thirty other hidden locations throughout the range.