Chapter 378: Acquiring the Cauldron
Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing were not the only Underworld agents who chose to depart the Underworld after handing over souls, but their numbers were few—to be precise, extremely rare.
Consequently, after they exited the Underworld and once more set foot upon the Bridge of Helplessness, they encountered precious few Underworld agents along the way, a stark contrast to their arrival.
As they passed the stone pavilion where Meng Po resided, she cast a glance their way, but it was nothing more than a fleeting look. She then withdrew her gaze, returning it to the River of Oblivion flowing beneath the Bridge of Helplessness.
Just as upon their arrival, both still offered a bow to Meng Po as they passed her. Yang Haoran, for his part, took a rather open-minded view of this courtesy, a reflection of his pragmatic and realistic nature.
Xu Meijing, conversely, felt a strong aversion to it. She was proud and arrogant, unwilling to humble herself, even when facing someone whose strength and status far surpassed her own current capabilities. Her reluctance to bow was equally a core aspect of her character.
Of course, aversion was one thing, unwillingness another; she was not, after all, a single-minded individual. She knew what was appropriate and what was not.
Though proud and arrogant, she remained highly rational. Otherwise, upon their initial encounter with Meng Po, she would not have taken the initiative to remind Yang Haoran to pay his respects.
Meng Po offered no impediment to their departure, and the two smoothly exited the Bridge of Helplessness.
That previous glance from Meng Po, casual as it was, had nevertheless made them both feel a powerful pressure. Yet, as they had committed no unlawful or disorderly acts within the Underworld, neither displayed any hint of panic or unease.
Having descended the Bridge of Helplessness and ascended the Yellow Springs Road, Yang Haoran once more summoned the Ghost Gate.
In the mortal realm, he could summon the Ghost Gate from any location. However, upon stepping through it, he would only be transported to the Yellow Springs Road—never directly to the Bridge of Helplessness, nor straight into the Underworld itself.
Within the Underworld, should he wish to summon the Ghost Gate, he was compelled to come to the Yellow Springs Road. Only here could he manifest the Ghost Gate, and only a Ghost Gate summoned by his own hand would ensure his smooth return to his point of origin upon stepping through.
He could just as well step into Ghost Gates summoned by other Underworld agents and be transported through them. However, the ultimate destination of such a teleportation would invariably be the place from which the summoning Underworld agent had originated.
Naturally, Yang Haoran would never attempt such a thing without a compelling reason. The explanation was simple: should he be transported to another continent or region, it would pose an immense problem. With his current strength, even ceaselessly tearing through space, he would be utterly at a loss as to how long it might take him to return to Lecheng.
Once the Ghost Gate was summoned, they stepped through without a shred of hesitation. The Ghost Gate promptly vanished, and Yang Haoran and Xu Meijing reappeared in the conference room they had originally departed from.
Now back in the conference room, Yang Haoran turned his gaze to Xu Meijing, who stood by his side.
"Back in the Underworld, did you have something you wanted to tell me?"
Yang Haoran's question was, of course, prompted by Xu Meijing's subtle signal to him just before they decided to leave. Furthermore, he felt that the words she had spoken at the time carried an unspoken, hidden meaning.
While in the Underworld, there were certain things he couldn't openly articulate, and others he couldn't directly inquire about. He simply couldn't be certain whether their conversation might be overheard by others.
Now that they were back in the mortal realm, he naturally had to seek clarification, thereby confirming whether his inner suspicions were correct.
Xu Meijing nodded, then erected a barrier, and began, "By my estimation, our item should be ready. Rather than squander time in the Underworld, it would be more productive to return and attend to some proper business."
"The item is ready? " Yang Haoran's eyes brightened instantly. He, of course, perfectly understood the implication of Xu Meijing's words.
"According to the agreement I made with them, there should be no issue retrieving it at this hour. However, I cannot be entirely certain. Wait here for word from me; I shall return shortly."
As her words faded, Xu Meijing dispelled the restrictive barrier. Then, she tore through space, vanishing from the conference room.
After Xu Meijing departed, Yang Haoran's heart still pulsed with a measure of excitement. The 'item' the two of them had spoken of was, naturally, none other than the Soul-Refining Cauldron, capable of refining Soul Pills.
Compared to the Soul-Refining Cauldron, remaining in the Underworld to observe other Underworld agents engaging in martial arts sparring seemed utterly trivial.
Once he possessed the Soul-Refining Cauldron, he would, from that moment forward, be able to refine Soul Pills independently. This was akin to gaining a game-breaking cheat in a video game. With the Soul-Refining Cauldron in his grasp, the disparity between him and other veteran Underworld agents would swiftly diminish, even allowing him to surpass them and leave them far behind in his wake.
None of this was a mere dream; so long as he could truly possess the Soul-Refining Cauldron, every single one of these aspirations could be fully realized!
On this recent journey to the Underworld, he had keenly felt his own insignificance. Compared to the other Underworld agents, his current level of strength truly paled in comparison.
He yearned to swiftly enhance the Spirit Power circulating within his body. Soul Pills presented an excellent option, yet the quantity he could acquire from the Underworld Office was simply too meager to satisfy his burgeoning needs.
However, with the acquisition of the Soul-Refining Cauldron, the situation would be entirely transformed. Provided he possessed a sufficient abundance of materials, he would be capable of continuously refining Soul Pills. While this approach carried significant risks, its advantages were self-evident.
Considering the immense advantages the Soul-Refining Cauldron could bestow upon him, a surge of excitement within his heart was an entirely unavoidable outcome.
Xu Meijing did not remain absent for long. Less than ten minutes later, a ripple of spatial fluctuation permeated the conference room, whereupon a rift in space tore open, and Xu Meijing materialized within.
However, as Yang Haoran observed Xu Meijing's composed countenance, that lingering flicker of excitement within his heart promptly extinguished.
"It wasn't settled, then? " Yang Haoran offered a faint smile, his tone tinged with a humorous query.
Xu Meijing shook her head, exhaled a soft sigh, and only after erecting a restrictive barrier did she begin to speak: "The process of crafting the Soul-Refining Cauldron proved even more arduous than I had anticipated."
"Did they inform you how much more time would be required? " Yang Haoran inquired.
Xu Meijing had never disclosed who she had commissioned to craft the Soul-Refining Cauldron, yet Yang Haoran had refrained from pressing the matter, his trust in her being absolute.
In his estimation, Xu Meijing's statement likely stemmed from the fact that the allotted time had proven insufficient, and the artisans had failed to complete the work within the agreed-upon period.
Yet, upon hearing Yang Haoran's observation, Xu Meijing, to his surprise, shook her head once more.
"You must have misunderstood my meaning," she clarified. "What I meant was that the Soul-Refining Cauldron's crafting failed entirely, not that there wasn't enough time. It appears we must now find a way to search for Sunken Yin Stone once more."
Xu Meijing's pronouncement left Yang Haoran momentarily stunned. This outcome was far, far worse than anything he had anticipated.
The refining had failed, the materials rendered useless. For him, this was anything but good news. It would be no exaggeration to say that this piece of information was utterly disastrous.
If the materials for crafting the Soul-Refining Cauldron were relatively easy to procure, it would be one thing. Even if the materials were ruined, they could simply acquire more.
However, the Sunken Yin Stone—the crucial material for refining the Soul-Refining Cauldron—was anything but easy to locate. Forget the Sunken Yin Stone itself; even discovering a true Place of Extreme Yin was exceedingly difficult. Now that the existing materials had been rendered useless, finding another piece of Sunken Yin Stone would depend entirely on sheer luck. As for when such luck might manifest, no one could possibly say.
Though inwardly startled, and even experiencing a pang of disappointment, Yang Haoran swiftly regained his composure. His moment of stunned silence lasted but an instant, whereupon a smile once more graced his features, albeit one tinged with a touch of helplessness.
"You can still manage a smile? " Xu Meijing's brow furrowed slightly as she spoke with a hint of displeasure.
"It's quite alright. Since the ruination of the materials is now a definitive fact, I can only devise a method to procure more Sunken Yin Stone once I return to Lecheng. We certainly can't allow a single setback to leave us utterly dispirited, can we? " Yang Haoran replied with a smile.
"Your composure is truly remarkable; you certainly take things in stride," Xu Meijing remarked, a helpless expression on her face.
"Heh heh, I've endured far too many setbacks and disappointments. Had I not learned to embrace a more accepting perspective, I would likely have succumbed to despair and leapt from a building long ago. How could I possibly still be alive today?"
Upon hearing this, Xu Meijing let out a soft chuckle, then commented, "Reality may leave you feeling utterly helpless, yet you find yourself compelled to face it with a smile. Your current expression truly is quite remarkable."
After delivering these words with a faint smile, Xu Meijing, under Yang Haoran's astonished gaze, retrieved an item from her independent space: a cauldron, no larger than a fist.
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