True to his promise to himself, Austin wouldn't let initial failures get the better of him. He made a new attempt at refining the omnipotent gas in the Omnipotent Pot.
Fortunately, things went well this time.
A manifestation of his hard work came about ten hours later when an old pot only as big as a soybean appeared.
One couldn't guess at first glance how special this pot was, for it had a simple pattern and even looked like a vintage piece.
In truth, though, the pot had formidable power, having been formed through Austin's spiritual sense and the omnipotent gas.
Austin surmised that despite its size, the pot could shatter even the void.
"This pot is amazing!"
Austin exclaimed.
He took his amazement even further and with a curious smile, Austin said, "I'd like to hear what the Flame Emperor has to say about this pot."
With laser-sharp focus, Austin was able to transport the pot into his Soul Sea.
However, the Flame Emperor screamed in horror upon its arrival!
His spiritual soul dashed into a corner and gaped at the sight of such a minuscule pot.
"What are you doing, you brat, huh? Are you trying to murder me?"
Austin was equally shocked and perplexed by the Flame Emperor's reaction.
"Get it out of here! Quick! If I stay with this pot for a while, my soul will be destroyed."
The Flame Emperor almost begged Austin to do his bidding.
'Seriously? Is this pot so powerful that it can ruin his soul?'
Austin wondered in his mind.
It took him a few seconds to recover from his shock and to withdraw the tiny pot from his Soul Sea. He then returned it in the Omnipotent Pot.
"What the hell is that pot, boy? I thought I was going to die if you didn't take it away soon. I'm just a soul, you know," the Flame Emperor said, patting his chest to calm himself down.
"I've never seen such a pot with a spiritual sense that's stronger than mine."
"Really?" Austin couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Yes, it's too powerful," the Flame Emperor confirmed.
"What was your cultivation base before you died?"
Austin asked.
"The premium stage of Emperor Realm."
The Flame Emperor still sounded exhausted even minutes after the pot was put away.
Austin's face, meanwhile, lit up as he slowly realized what the incident meant.
"So, it goes without saying that this pot's spiritual sense is more powerful than that of masters who have reached the premium stage of Emperor Realm, correct?"
"Yes, so don't put it into your Soul Sea again, unless you want to get me killed," the Flame Emperor lightheartedly suggested.
The Flame Emperor wasn't kidding, indeed.
Since he was just a soul now, his spiritual sense
s spiritual sense and smiled again.
As they got into town, the two blended with the sea of people, mostly cultivators who went by their respective undertakings.
Austin and Caroline wandered down a street for a bit before settling into a tavern. They booked a table and ordered food.
The duo couldn't eat in silence, though, as they could hear cultivators chitchatting loudly over drinks.
Dragon Immortal's mansion in the Black-wind Beast World was a hot topic, with the cultivators getting so fascinated about it showing up so suddenly.
It had become the most explosive news in the East Mainland.
Multitudes of strong cultivators from the three holy lands and the three prominent clans had already trooped to the old palace.
Besides them, the cultivators sent by the top sects and the royal family were on their way to Dragon Immortal's mansion for treasures.
Certainly, no one in the East Mainland would pass up on the chance to take the most precious items inside that residence and be given high regard for their treasure-hunting agility.
The competition of sorts had become stiff.
Word got out that the old mansion occupied a vast, almost immeasurable area.
Austin and Caroline had nonetheless enjoyed the nonstop tittle-tattle.
They found it shocking to hear from the cultivators themselves how the Immortal Transforming Realm great master's mansion became a tempting, if not, dangerous quest.
Austin and Caroline got out of the tavern fully loaded, both thanks to the great food and the valuable stories they had incidentally collected.
"Hey, guys! There you are.
I was just about to look for you, and here you showed up like you heard my call."
An enchanting and cheerful young woman suddenly paced towards Austin and Caroline.
It was Belle.