Chapter 158: Collecting the Cauldron, Collecting Yuan Yao!

Looking at the Void Heaven Cauldron in his hand and the Dry Blue Bead formed by the Dry Blue Ice Flame, Yan Taibai fell into deep thought under the envious gazes of Zhou Yuan, Yan Ruyan, and the others.

The Void Heaven Cauldron did not open from being "stimulated," and the Wolf-Headed Jade Ruyi inside did not run out either, which meant that he would at least need to fully refine the Dry Blue Ice Flame transformed from the Dry Blue Bead before he could open it and see the Wolf-Headed Jade Ruyi within.

"It really is troublesome. I don't know if I can refine it now, but there shouldn't be any problem. However, condensing the Nascent Soul is more important; other matters can be set aside for now."

After pondering for a moment, Yan Taibai chose to condense his Nascent Soul first. As for the Dry Blue Bead, his choice was simple: put it away with the Void Heaven Cauldron into his Storage Bag.

"Now is not the time to refine the Void Heaven Cauldron and the Dry Blue Ice Flame. You all go back first, then use the Void Heaven Remnant Map to take one treasure and leave the Void Heaven Palace. I still have one thing I need to do."

After temporarily dealing with the Void Heaven Cauldron and the Dry Blue Ice Flame, Yan Taibai spoke and gave instructions to Yan Ruyan, Zhou Yuan, and the others.

"Yes!"

Regarding Yan Taibai's words, whether it was Yan Ruyan, the women like Zhou Yuan, or the two Nascent Soul cultivators from the Star Palace, they all obeyed implicitly and dared not disobey at all.

As for what Yan Taibai was going to do, Yan Ruyan naturally had her guesses; nine times out of ten, it had to do with the map he had just obtained.

Subsequently, Yan Ruyan took the lead in leaving the Cold Li High Platform, returned along the original path, and then used the Void Heaven Remnant Map to leave the Void Heaven Palace.

As for the two remaining Nascent Soul elders of the Star Palace, they also dared not spy on what Yan Taibai was going to do and obediently left the Void Heaven Palace.

Meanwhile, Yan Taibai went on his own to the location of the Transmission Array on the map.

After placing Spirit Stones into the grooves of the Transmission Array, he disappeared from the array amidst a flash of white light.

When he reappeared, he was in a faint mist; it was somewhat damp and warm, and a faint, delicate fragrance assailed his nostrils.

Focusing his gaze, he saw that about a zhang away in front of him was actually a milky-white pool about ten zhang in size; that white mist and fragrance were emanating from this pool.

Beyond that, it was a scene of snowy-white, fragrant beauty that made one linger and loath to leave, but Yan Taibai's mind was exceptionally firm.

Just amidst the woman's exclamation, he did not blush, his heart did not race, and he asked indifferently.

"Fairy Yuan Yao, have the Soul-Nurturing Wood and the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk been obtained?"

"How does Brother Yan also know that there is Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk here?"

In the pool, after the exclamation, Yuan Yao, whose face was flushed and heart racing, feeling extremely shy, said cautiously.

It seemed as if she were terrified that Yan Taibai would kill her to seize the treasure.

"With such a large Spirit Eye Spring, if Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk could not appear, wouldn't it be a waste? Moreover, this is indeed the best place to cultivate the Soul-Nurturing Wood."

Yan Taibai's tone remained unchanged in the slightest.

"Brother Yan is right; there is indeed Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk here. If Brother Yan needs it, this little sister is willing to give it all to Brother Yan, only hoping that Brother Yan can agree to one request of mine?"

Yuan Yao requested pitifully.

"You want the Soul-Nurturing Wood?"

A smile appeared on Yan Taibai's face as he said.

"That's right, this Soul-Nurturing Wood concerns the life of Senior Sister Yan Li, so this little sister absolutely would not want to give it up, but I can give the roots to Brother Yan. What does Brother Yan think?"

Yuan Yao nodded her head slightly, having thought of a compromise.

"Naturally that is fine; the roots and the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk will belong to me. However, your Senior Sister Yan Li had better hurry and find a suitable body; otherwise, even with the Soul-Nurturing Wood, she won't be able to hold on for long." Yan Taibai nodded and agreed under Yuan Yao's pleading gaze.

"Many thanks, Brother Yan. This little sister naturally knows. If this little sister is willing to serve Brother Yan for life, could Brother Yan ask your sect to help find a suitable body?"

Yuan Yao was as beautiful as rosy clouds, extremely shy, and her voice was like a mosquito's.

Although she had said the same thing once before on the Molten Rock Road of the Ice Fire Path, she still couldn't help but ask one more time.

"Fine! That's acceptable, I promise you. Furthermore, you don't need to worry about the Qingyang Sect anymore. If there are no accidents, the righteous and demonic paths are about to establish the Anti-Star Alliance, attempting to overthrow the rule of the Star Palace. In such a situation, there will inevitably be countless battles, so finding a suitable body will not be a difficult task. Fairy, please rest assured."

Yan Taibai chuckled and agreed.

"Many thanks, Brother Yan. If Brother Yan does not mind, this little sister is willing to give my primordial yin to Brother Yan right here."

Yuan Yao blushed, her beautiful eyes filled with affection as she stared at Yan Taibai with exceptional firmness.

This expression of being ready to face death made Yan Taibai smile a bit more, and he shook his head, saying.

"There is no rush for this matter, and you don't need to worry that I will regret it. Since I have promised, I naturally will not go back on my word. You should put on your clothes first and just give me the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk and the Soul-Nurturing Wood roots; other things are not needed for now, it won't be too late to do them after returning to the Miaoyin Sect. I am not a man of such urgent desires."

"Many thanks, Brother Yan, this little sister was reckless." Yuan Yao's cheeks were almost burning, her shyness reaching its peak, yet she still stood up directly and put on her clothes under Yan Taibai's appreciative gaze.

Then, she brought over the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk and the Soul-Nurturing Wood roots and handed them to Yan Taibai.

"Alright, it is time for us to leave. It just so happens that you also have a Void Heaven Remnant Map, so you can still obtain one more treasure."

After obtaining the Ten-Thousand-Year Spirit Milk and the Soul-Nurturing Wood roots, Yan Taibai smiled and said.

"This little sister understands, many thanks, Brother Yan."

Hearing this, Yuan Yao naturally understood the meaning of Yan Taibai's words and nodded her head slightly.

"By the way, may I ask if Brother Yan has obtained the Void Heaven Cauldron?"

"Naturally, I have obtained it. Moreover, I wiped out those four Nascent Soul Stage cultivators: Wan Tianming, Tianwuzi, and Qingyi Jushi. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get this Void Heaven Cauldron, but I still need to go out and refine it; now is not the time for refining."

Yan Taibai admitted it directly.

For him, there was nothing that needed to be hidden.

"This little sister congratulates Brother Yan on obtaining this number one treasure of the Chaotic Star Sea. With this treasure, I believe that no one in the entire Star Sea will be able to do anything to Brother Yan."

Hearing this, Yuan Yao immediately curtsied and offered her congratulations.

"Hehe! I hope so!"

Yan Taibai chuckled, not taking it too seriously.

"Alright, we must leave this place. It is a pity that I cannot control the entire Void Heaven Palace; otherwise, it would be the best place for disciples to train. What a pity."

Yan Taibai shook his head and sighed, then wrapped his arm around Yuan Yao's slender waist and left the place.

……

Half an hour later, two figures appeared in a vast expanse of sea, one man and one woman.

The man was handsome and heroic, his aura like a rainbow, as if an immortal had descended to the mortal world; the woman was as beautiful as a flower, extraordinarily stunning, like an ethereal fairy and yet also like a soul-snatching enchantress.

This man and woman were none other than Yan Taibai and Yuan Yao, who had been transported out of the Void Heaven Palace.

The transmission was almost random; that the two could be together was naturally because of Yan Taibai.

"Brother Yan, shall we return to Heavenly Star City now, or first rendezvous with the other sisters before returning to Heavenly Star City together?"

Now that Yuan Yao was already a concubine of Yan Taibai and the one who had joined last, she naturally considered herself the "younger sister."

"No need to rendezvous with them; with their strength and divine abilities, nothing will happen to them."

Yan Taibai smiled faintly and said.

"Let us return to Heavenly Star City first! Calculating the time, the Anti-Star Alliance of both the righteous and demonic paths should have emerged by now. Returning at this time, I believe the Heavenly Star Sages will be very welcoming. When the time comes, asking for a suitable body for Miss Yan Li will be effortless."

"As for my killing of Wan Tianming and Tianwuzi at Hanli Terrace, I presume those two, the Heavenly Star Sages, must already be aware. I trust they will not do anything foolish."

Yan Taibai's smile did not fade as he said this, full of confidence.

"I just don't know if they will cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light to deal with me. If so, that would be seeking their own deaths. Hehe!"

"Isn't this 'Yuan Magnetic Divine Light' the number one divine art of the Chaotic Star Sea? How could it be seeking one's own death?"

After patiently listening to Yan Taibai's words, Yuan Yao's jade face was filled with astonishment as she spoke.

"Because to successfully cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light, one must possess the Five Elements Spiritual Root. Do you think that is possible? Those two, these two Heavenly Star Sages, could they possibly be people with the complete Five Elements Spiritual Root?"

Yan Taibai smiled with ill intent.

"Possessing the complete Five Elements Spiritual Root—let alone breaking through to the Nascent Soul Late Stage to become a Great Cultivator, even Foundation Establishment is almost impossible. What exactly was the senior who created the 'Yuan Magnetic Divine Light' thinking? Could it be that they wanted to make it impossible for future generations to cultivate it?"

After hearing Yan Taibai's explanation, the look of shock on Yuan Yao's jade face could hardly be dispelled.

She could not imagine how a cultivator with the complete Five Elements Spiritual Root could possibly break through the Nascent Soul Stage, let alone become a Great Cultivator of Nascent Soul Late Stage.

"That is not the case; in this world, there actually exists a Spirit Root Completion Method. It is just that they do not know of it. This is also the reason why they cannot cultivate it successfully."

Yan Taibai chuckled and explained.

"The Spirit Root Completion Method, what are the benefits of this? There must be some use for it, right? It isn't just for cultivating the 'Yuan Magnetic Divine Light'?" Yuan Yao frowned slightly and pressed for an answer.

Moreover, she had asked the key question immediately; clearly, being able to escape from the hands of the Qingyang Sect Young Sect Master, Yuan Yao was naturally no mere vase.

"Correct. This method of completing the Spirit Root does not exist in the Human World; it should be a matter of realm. You should know that after a Spirit Severing Stage cultivator undergoes Ascension, the next realm is the Void Refinement Stage, which can absorb the Five Elements Essence and have infinite lifespan, right?"

Yan Taibai asked with a smile again.

"Indeed. Could it be that completing the Five Elements Spiritual Root is related to the Void Refinement Stage?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Yao understood the meaning behind Yan Taibai's words, though she dared not be certain.

As for how Yan Taibai knew this, it was not important at all. Even if Yan Taibai said he was a cultivator from the Spirit World who had descended, Yuan Yao would believe it without doubt.

After all, how could an ordinary Golden Core Stage cultivator kill the likes of Wan Tianming, who was at the Nascent Soul Mid-Stage Peak, as well as Tianwuzi, the Old Farmer, and Qingyi Jushi?

Not to mention Man Huzi, or the fact that he could make Liudao Jisheng fearful enough to offer the head of his own disciple, Wen Tianren, as an apology.

Regarding Yan Taibai's various battle records, countless Golden Core Stage cultivators throughout the Chaotic Star Sea were familiar with them and were incredibly envious, wishing they could take his place.

Yuan Yao was one of them.

"Correct. In the Spirit World, to break through to the Void Refinement Stage, one must possess the complete Five Elements; only then can one break through. Of course, if you have a variant spiritual root, that is an exception."

Now that Yan Taibai was in a great mood, he told Yuan Yao these secrets without any reservations.

After all, compared to others, Yuan Yao had a greater chance of ascending to the Spirit World in the future; she had no choice but to have this kind of fortune.

"So that is how it is. I never imagined that Brother Yan would know so much about the affairs of the Spirit World."

After hearing this, the enlightened Yuan Yao said, both surprised and delighted.

"It's alright. Let's go! We should return. If there are no accidents, the two Heavenly Star Sages should already be waiting for me!"

Yan Taibai took out the Heavenly Moon Divine Boat and brought Yuan Yao onto it.

"The matter of the Anti-Star Alliance is enough to give them a headache. I just don't know if they will actually cultivate the Yuan Magnetic Divine Light. If they don't, I could leave Heavenly Star City to deal with Liudao Jisheng and Wan Sangu. If they do, it will be troublesome. They might even ask me to take action and kill Liudao Jisheng and Wan Sangu."

"However, even if they don't ask, Liudao Jisheng and Wan Sangu must die. Not to mention Liudao Jisheng, Wan Tianming died at my hands, and Wan Sangu must already know. She will definitely not let me off."

Inside the Heavenly Moon Divine Boat, Yan Taibai and Yuan Yao continued to talk.

"Could it be that the Star Palace will betray Brother Yan?"

Yuan Yao said, feeling alarmed.

This was the only possibility she could think of.

"That is not it. It is because Wan Tianming had a Spirit Beast of Wan Sangu's in his possession, and a wisp of Wan Sangu's Nascent Soul was attached to the Spirit Beast, so she naturally saw the scene of me killing Wan Tianming. Therefore, the Star Palace does not need to betray me for her to know. But, wanting to avenge Wan Tianming, she certainly cannot do it alone; she will definitely join forces with Liudao Jisheng. I just don't know when they will make a move against me, or if I will need to take the initiative to find them and wipe them both out."

Yan Taibai's relaxed and easygoing manner left Yuan Yao feeling both astonished and fortunate.

Her decision to give herself to him was not wrong at all. The only wrong decision in her life was the Qingyang Sect Young Sect Master, which had caused her Senior Sister Yan Li to almost pay with her life.

However, she was also lucky to have met Yan Taibai in the Void Heaven Palace. The latter had heard of her situation, felt pity, and took her in.

As for whether he had his eyes on the Qingyang Sect's bounty, she was not worried at all.

With the meager bounty of the Qingyang Sect, it was impossible for Yan Taibai to be tempted.

"This concubine feels that Brother Yan should wait for the Star Palace Sages! I believe that if they cannot leave Heavenly Star City, they will certainly not mind paying a sufficient reward to invite Brother Yan to take action. However, if the Anti-Star Alliance is gone, then the Miaoyin Sect will inevitably become a great threat to the Star Palace. At that time, it will be a trouble all the same."

Yuan Yao thought for a moment and began to devise strategies for her dao companion.

"That is natural. If they want me to take action, without a hundred or eighty Metal Attribute Spirit Stones and mineral veins, they shouldn't even think about it."

Yan Taibai licked his lips and said.

After all, if he wanted to break through the Nascent Soul Stage, he not only needed the Nine-Curved Spirit Pill refined from the Nine-Curved Spirit Ginseng, but also vast resources that gave him a headache.

Therefore, this aspect could only be left to the Star Palace.

As for the resources needed after condensing the Nascent Soul and advancing to the Nascent Soul Stage, he would have to think of other ways.

(End of this chapter)