Han Li and company followed suit and stood up after Arctic Dragon. The old dwarf then took several steps forward and muttered an incantation before striking the cauldron with a blue spell seal.

The huge cauldron let out a series of hums and glowed brightly with blue light. Then it quickly shrank to the size in the fist as it floated in midair.

In the area beneath the cauldron, a black hole strangely appeared beneath it, revealing a stretch of crystalline stairs heading below.

Arctic Dragon beckoned to the small cauldron and took it into his sleeve before leading the way down.

Bai Mengxin and the middle-aged man closely followed after him.

The old woman and the monk exchanged a glance before trailing after them as well.

Han Li looked at the hole with narrowed eyes for a moment before heading down with a mysterious smile.

Not long after, light began to shine within the dark passage.

Everyone could clearly see the profound ice that formed the passage all around them. The light originated from egg-sized moonlight stones embedded in the walls, making for fairytale-like appearance.

After climbing down for about three hundred meters, they had reached the end of the stairs and the passage began to even out.

Although this was the first time the three outside cultivators entered this passage, they didn’t appear particularly surprised by its appearance. Rather, they carried on with a rich familiarity.

After the time it took to finish a meal, they finally walked out from the passage and into an underground hall. It was created from ordinary jade and appeared ancient in style.

But when Han Li and company looked at the end of the hall, they found a huge white stone gate that reached over a hundred meters tall. There were unknown ancient patterns, layers of talisman characters, and spell formation on top of it, causing it to flicker in light.

But what startled Han Li was the group of seven cultivators standing in front of it. All of them possessed Nascent Soul cultivation, most of them at early-stage.

Bai Yaoyi stood among them at the very front.

Han Li blinked and unconsciously glanced at the others in his group.

The three belonging to the sect appeared calm, but the monk and the old woman unconsciously frowned, surprised betrayed from their eyes.

“Fellow Daoist Arctic Dragon, these are...?” The monk asked.

Arctic Dragon turned around and smiled, “Please don’t be alarmed. They are the palace elders. Their assistance will be required to enter the Profound Jade Cave in Spirit Void Hall! The extremely cold Qi in this hall is required to increase my odds of success.”

“Spirit Void Hall?” The monk asked in alarm.

The old man’s eyes lit up, even Han Li’s face stirred.

The azure-robed middle-aged man smiled and said, “What you saw outside was the three Spirit Void Halls. Although their names are all identical, they all have their own mysteries. The Profound Jade Cave is one of them, and it is the true entrance to Spirit Void Hall. Furthermore, each of the three halls all lead to an underground passage.”

Han Li had already taken notice of this man. Although Master Arctic Dragon hadn’t introduced him, he knew that the azure-robed man was the other North Night Palace Elder that cultivated an ice flame. He had a common appearance, but his face appeared sullen as he observed the others.

At that moment, Bai Yaoyi and the others welcomed them.

A grey-haired old man stepped forward from the crowd of elders and saluted Arctic Dragon, “Grand Elder, you’ve truly decided to open Spirit Void Hall? Isn’t this breaking our laws? Although past generations have opened it, it was only on the verge of catastrophe.

Furthermore, you even brought along foreign cultivators to enter the Profound Jade Cave, something without any precedent.”

Han Li was stunned, ‘A Mid-nascent Soul cultivator dared to be so rude to Arctic Dragon despite their vast difference in cultivation?’

Not only Han Li, but the old lady and monk also wore odd expressions.

As if having already expected this, Arctic Dragon slowly said, “Elder Ye, think it over. Although Spirit Void Hall is something to only be opened during a crisis, past generations never mentioned that it couldn't be opened during a time of peace. Not to mention that many disciples have already reported information that groups of demons are gathering near the island. It is a suitable occasion to open the hall. Moreover, the three halls aren’t being opened all at once. Are you telling me that my position as the Grand Elder isn’t enough?”

The grey-haired old man swept his gaze past Han Li and company and unyieldingly said, “Even so, Spirit Void Hall is a restricted area of our sect. I feel ill at ease with three outsiders entering it! As the palace’s overseer elder, I disagree with this matter.”

When the three heard this, they couldn't help but inwardly frown. The old woman even snorted and wore a displeased expression.

Arctic Dragon calmly replied, “With Junior Martial Brother Ye’s overseer treasure, you do have the ability to deny my decision. But if I can win over two-thirds of the sect elders, your objection will be overruled.”

Han Li raised his brow at the mention of the overseer treasure. Even Arctic Dragon seemed to hold it in some fear, much to Han Li’s surprise.

Could it be the overseer treasure was a Divine Spirit Treasure or a replica? In that case, even a mid-Nascent Soul cultivator could fight against a late-Nascent Soul cultivator.

Furthermore, the old man had ties to another faction of the palace that allowed him to contend against Arctic Dragon.

The grey-haired old man’s heart sank. He grimaced, but he still maintained his calm. “I was wondering why Junior Martial Brother Jin and the others had been deployed to the outside. You’ve been planning this from the beginning! In that case, I won’t be a bother. I hope you will truly be able to break through your bottleneck! I will go patrol up above and make sure no demons catch us unaware.” The old man then took large strides to the passage above.

Arctic Dragon didn’t block him and simply glanced at him as he disappeared alone.

“Junior Martial Brothers, prepare to open the seal!” The azure-robed middle-aged man commanded.

The North Night Palace Elders each took out identical jade pendants and sent them into the sky,

Han Li was startled when he saw the jade pendant, but he maintained an indifferent face. The magic tool appeared exactly the same as the pendant that he returned to Arctic Dragon when his ten days at the Hidden Scripture Pavilion were over. He glanced at the old dwarf, but he had yet to take out the pendant.

Under the lead of the azure-robed middle-aged man, the elders began to utter incantations and soon the pendants began to brightly shine, turning into pulsing balls of light. Under the control of the incantations, the light flew into the air and soon condensed into a rainbow-colored phantom.

The phantom was a slender woman with a vague face, but her shining eyes were like stars against the night sky.

As soon as the phantom appeared, the North Night Palace cultivators bowed to it with the utmost respect, Arctic Dragon included.

When the three outsiders saw this, they realized that the woman was most likely the ancient cultivator who established the sect. Otherwise, they couldn't possibly be so respectful of the phantom.

But the appearance of the phantom came as a shock to Han Li. He couldn't help but think she was somehow related to the Heavenvoid Hall in the Scattered Star Seas. He had no doubt they had something to do with one another. Besides, there was also the appearance of the Celestial Ice Flames in both locations. It was a likely possibility.

Just as Han Li thought this, the palace cultivators willed the woman to slowly floated towards the stone gate.

The phantom touched the gate, only for her to rupture, scattering rainbow light that disappeared a moment later.

Light and talisman characters on the huge stone gate soon disappeared and became dim and absent of Qi.

Then, a violent tremor shook the ground, followed by the appearance of many jade pendants appearing at the top of the gate only for them to lifelessly fall to the ground. The North Night Palace cultivators waved their arms to hastily beckon the jade pendant into their grasp.

Arctic Dragon smiled when he saw this. He took several steps forward and brushed his sleeves towards the stone gate.

A blue mist swept past them and an azure wind struck the gate, silently opening it with ease.

Before the interior of the gate could be seen, Arctic Dragon withdrew from his original position and sternly shouted, “Everyone, be careful!”

Suddenly, a deafening rumble came from the interior, and countless beast howls roared. A gust of ice swept out, covering every surface it touched with a sparkling frost. Thunder seemed to sound from the icy Qi itself.

The weaker cultivators were knocked a meter back. Those stronger were able to hold their ground with either barriers of treasures.

White icy winds filled the entire hall.