"The Void Emperor Cauldron? Friend Xue Po, you're bringing out this item — could it be that this alone can easily break through the seal?" Han Li asked, somewhat surprised.
"Of course not. The shortcut I spoke of still requires you to lead the effort with the Void Heaven Cauldron to break the seal. I can only assist from the side with the Void Emperor Cauldron using a particular secret technique. This cauldron was personally forged by my original body, so a drop of my essence blood was incorporated into it long ago. Because of this, it can produce certain wondrous effects that an ordinary key simply cannot replicate," Xue Po replied respectfully.
"Since you're this confident that the two cauldrons together can break the seal, then let's give it a try. If it doesn't work, I'll use my Magical Power to attempt a forced breakthrough," Han Li said decisively after stroking his chin.
Xue Po naturally had no objections and nodded in agreement at once.
Without another word, Han Li tossed the small cauldron high into the air, then flicked his sleeve, from which a beam of azure light shot forth. It vanished in a flash, sinking into the small cauldron without a trace.
The next moment, the Void Heaven Cauldron swelled in the wind, instantly expanding into a colossal object over a dozen zhang tall. The relief carvings of birds, insects, fish, and other creatures on its surface began to emerge one after another with a low hum, circling and dancing ceaselessly around the massive cauldron.
Xue Po, watching from the side, acted without the slightest hesitation.
She raised the small cauldron in her hand, then opened her mouth and spat out several spheres of vivid crimson essence blood.
With a series of soft pops, the essence blood detonated upon contact with the wind, transforming into clouds of blood mist that seemed almost alive as they enveloped the small cauldron in an instant.
Next, Xue Po murmured an incantation under her breath, twisted her body, and her entire form dissolved into a hazy blood shadow that plunged directly into the blood mist.
The Void Emperor Cauldron emitted a clear chime and spun in place, drawing every trace of blood mist into itself. Then it wavered once in the wind, and its mouth suddenly spewed forth countless blood-colored runes. These gathered and condensed, ultimately coalescing into an eerie, beautiful female face — identical to Xue Po's own in every detail, except that it was utterly devoid of expression and shrouded in a faint crimson glow.
"Han Li, I only have enough power for a single strike. You must seize the right moment before you act," the beautiful face said in a flat, emotionless voice, then opened its mouth once more and released a spray of glistening blood threads.
These threads scattered with a sharp hissing sound and, impossibly, pierced clean through the five-colored light barrier as though it were nothing.
The beautiful face then let out a piercing shriek.
The blood threads flashed and burst apart, the dense blood mist that formed condensing into individual blood runes that embedded themselves across the five-colored barrier, giving it an incomparably eerie appearance.
Han Li's eyes lit up at the sight. He flashed forward to the front of the now-colossal Void Heaven Cauldron and pressed one palm down upon it.
A deep, bell-like tone resounded.
Myriad rays of azure light blazed across the surface of the great green cauldron. The ethereal images of birds, insects, and fish it had conjured swelled once more, then hurtled straight toward the five-colored barrier.
A chorus of muffled pops filled the air.
Upon striking the seal, each phantom passed through the blood-colored runes as though they were empty air, slipping inside without resistance.
The next instant, the surface of the great cauldron flickered wildly, and the five-colored barrier stretching for several li in every direction hummed with rising intensity. Wisps of white gas streamed from the blood-colored runes, and the moment they touched open air, they transformed into surges of peculiar energy that radiated outward in every direction.
Joy appeared on Han Li's face. It was clear that with their combined efforts, there truly was hope of shattering the seal.
But just then, a muffled groan came from the side. All the crimson light had drained from the beautiful face at some point, and it vomited a mouthful of black blood. The face contorted, its features blurring until they became indistinct.
"A backlash. No matter — leave the rest to me. Dispel your technique first," Han Li said after a quick glance, his brow furrowing. He flicked one sleeve, and a streak of azure light shot out and plunged into the center of the beautiful face's forehead.
With a low crack, the face shattered inch by inch, dissolving back into countless blood runes that flew back into the Void Emperor Cauldron.
A flash of crimson light emanated from within the cauldron, and a wisp of shadow drifted out. The light solidified, and Xue Po's figure re-formed behind Han Li.
Her complexion was strikingly pale now, and with a complex expression, she stole a single glance at Han Li's back.
Han Li, however, paid no attention whatsoever to what was happening behind him. He was forming a one-handed seal, and with a flash of golden light, a three-headed, six-armed golden dharma idol materialized behind him.
All six eyes of the dharma idol slowly opened in unison, and several of its arms flickered before each extended a palm that pressed down upon the surface of the great cauldron.
A tremendous rumble erupted. The azure radiance surging from the cauldron's surface blazed with blinding intensity, coalescing into what seemed like a miniature azure sun.
The five-colored barrier appeared to respond in kind — the blood-colored runes upon it flared with equal brilliance, and the streams of white gas pouring forth from them grew ever more numerous, ever denser, until at last, with a muffled crack, the entire seal shattered inch by inch, revealing a pitch-black passage beyond.