Gong Chenying understood the implicit meaning in the Third Elder's words. It was the hope that Li Yan could dispatch those extremely cold insect-type demonic beasts.
Whether it was their flight speed in the air or the restraining effect of ice on fire, the Snow Mosquitos were the perfect "candidates" to deal with the Wind Goose Beasts.
However, the Snow Mosquitos had also suffered considerable casualties in the last battle. They were too embarrassed to ask Li Yan directly. Once they entered the battle, it would be impossible not to have a large number of the extremely cold insects die.
That kind of demonic beast looked like a rare species at a glance, and Li Yan might not be willing to part with them.
Gong Chenying also pretended not to understand the Third Elder's words and did not show her attitude. For now, she would not make such a request to Li Yan either.
Seeing that Gong Chenying had no intention of asking him to act, Li Yan did not press the matter further.
"Take these things!"
As Li Yan spoke, with a flip of his hand, four items floated between the two of them: an exquisite jade bottle, an ancient Spirit-Storing Pouch, a storage ring, and a spearhead that flickered with an eerie red light.
Gong Chenying raised her delicate face and looked at the few items floating in front of her. She did not immediately take them. After her gaze swept over them, her beautiful eyes fell back on Li Yan.
"Inside the jade bottle are fifteen drops of 'Rongsun.' I believe you are already very clear about its effects."
"When your magical power is about to be exhausted, it can fully restore you in an instant. And most importantly, it has no impurities whatsoever, so there's no need to worry about the terrible situation of Pill Poison accumulation."
"It's just that I don't have much of this item on me, so I can only give you this much. That Spirit-Storing Pouch has a large space and is very suitable for you to use now."
"The storage ring is for Nascent Soul cultivators; it can let you store more things. I have never been able to find the origin of this red-glowing spearhead."
"However, its power is already capable of threatening Nascent Soul cultivators. If you refine it later, it can increase your strength considerably."
Li Yan pointed to each item one by one. The "Rongsun" went without saying; after giving these away, he only had about ten drops left.
The Spirit-Storing Pouch was a gift from Meng Zhiyuan. It was perfect for Zhao Min and Gong Chenying, one for each. A Spirit-Storing Pouch of the same grade was several times more valuable than a storage pouch or storage ring.
Especially the two Meng Zhiyuan had given; they could hold a thousand people. This was particularly useful for Gong Chenying. On the battlefield, she could take in as many injured clansmen as possible.
As for the storage ring, Li Yan had forgotten which Nascent Soul he had killed in the Chaotic Flow Space to obtain it.
The one he gave to Gong Chenying was the best one in terms of grade, even better than the storage ring of Qi Jinghong that he himself wore.
The Divine Sense Imprint on it had long been erased by Li Yan. Gong Chenying only needed to refine it a little to use it normally.
After hearing Li Yan's introduction, Gong Chenying nodded lightly. She stretched out her jade-like hand and waved, and all the floating items in front of her disappeared.
"My strength is still shallow right now. I need these treasures very much!"
She said at the same time, her crimson lips parting slightly.
Li Yan, on the other hand, smiled gently. These things were meant for her in the first place. There was no need for any pleasantries between them.
"You came here this time not only to find me, but also to obtain the subsequent techniques of the 'Qiongqi Purgatory Art,' right?"
After putting away the items, Gong Chenying asked directly, as straightforward as ever. This time, however, a half-smile appeared on Li Yan's face.
"I don't just want to obtain the later layers of the 'Qiongqi Purgatory Art,' I also want to obtain you!"
Upon hearing this, Gong Chenying's cold and stunning face showed little change in expression. She just shot Li Yan a sidelong glance.
"No cheeky talk!"
For a moment, Li Yan felt as if he were seeing that cold senior sister giving him his first mission again. He couldn't help but rub his nose.
"Sixth Senior Sister, you didn't reveal to the Great Elder that I have already cultivated that technique. This is different from what you said before about coming to the clan for an assessment. Why? I don't think I would fail the assessment now!"
Li Yan's expression also turned serious. This question had been circling in his mind for a long time, and he had not had the time to ask.
"Do you still remember the matter of 'Qing A Wang'?"
"Of course. You said that before becoming a 'Qing A Wang,' one must undergo the clan's assessment to cultivate it. If one has already become a 'Qing A Wang,' then one needs to have a Golden Core or higher cultivation to practice that technique."
Li Yan thought for a moment. Although about two hundred years had passed, he could still remember these words.
"With your current realm, you actually wouldn't need an assessment, because the most difficult content of those assessments is targeted at the Golden Core realm. For you now, it would be no difficulty at all."
"Actually, when you had just reached Foundation Establishment, I planned to send a message to Father. But when I saw you again, in a single meeting, you and Min'er fell into the Devil's Cliff Crevice, and there was no news of you after that."
"Later, I simply stopped mentioning the matter. Now that you've come, there are some reasons I need to explain to you clearly..."
The Tianli Clan was mainly divided into four surnames: Gong, Miao, Wu, and Sikou, with some other surnames as well. Among them, the Gong and Miao clans had the most members. The Great Sacrificial Priest at that time was from the Miao clan, named Miao Qingqian.
Although Miao Qingqian was a woman, she was brilliant and had a sky-high cultivation. After reaching the Spirit Transformation stage, in order to restrain the fifth-rank beings among the three Wind Beast clans, she had chosen not to ascend.
This was the same as the previous generations of Great Sacrificial Priests, willingly giving everything for their clan, waiting for the next Great Sacrificial Priest to appear. When Miao Qingqian was in the clan, she did not practice nepotism, but instead chose the most capable person as the Clan Head.
At that time, there were three elders in the Tianli Clan: Great Elder Gong Shengguang, Mid-stage Nascent Soul; Second Elder Miao Youxian, Initial-stage Nascent Soul; Third Elder Sikou Zhanmei, Initial-stage Nascent Soul; and the Late-stage Nascent Soul Clan Head, Miao Bayu.
But in a major battle later, Miao Bayu fought against two peak fourth-rank Wind Elephant Beasts.
After a great battle, although Miao Bayu had cultivated the "Qiongqi Purgatory Art" to the peak of the sixth layer, his powerful physical body was shattered in this battle, and he was nearly killed.
The two peak fourth-rank Wind Elephant Beasts also ended up with one dead and one severely injured. It was this battle that caused the Wind Elephant Beast clan's strength to decline greatly thereafter.
At that time, the Wind Goose Beast clan had a fifth-rank Wind Beast, making it the strongest of the three clans. The Wind Iron Beast clan only had one peak fourth-rank beast, which was the one that later advanced to the fifth rank, but at that time, it was the weakest of the three clans.
After this battle, the Wind Elephant Beast clan lost the ability to advance a fifth-rank Wind Beast for a long time. The severely injured peak fourth-rank Wind Elephant Beast, although it survived the battle with Miao Bayu, had its realm directly fall, leaving it with only the combat strength of a Mid-stage Nascent Soul.
Miao Bayu also spent hundreds of years recuperating before barely recovering his cultivation. His realm had also fallen to the Mid-stage Nascent Soul.
Moreover, that battle had made it impossible for his cultivation to advance another inch. According to Miao Bayu's age, after this long period of seclusion, he only had about three hundred years of lifespan left. Barring any accidents, he would surely perish in the lower realm.
Thus, Miao Qingqian decisively decided to let him ascend to the Immortal Spirit Realm. Miao Bayu's injuries could not be completely healed in the lower realm, but the Tianli Clan also had ascended cultivators in the Immortal Spirit Realm who might be able to help him recover completely.
Coupled with the various incredible heavenly materials and earthly treasures of the Immortal Spirit Realm, there was hope for him to step onto the immortal path again.
Miao Bayu followed the order and entered the Chaotic Flow Space to find an ascension node. The position of Clan Head then became vacant.
After consideration, Miao Qingqian surprisingly did not choose the Second Elder from her own lineage as the Clan Head, nor did she choose the more highly cultivated Great Elder. Instead, she chose Gong Shanhe, who had just formed his Nascent Soul and become the Fourth Elder, to be the Clan Head.
At that time, this matter caused a huge uproar within the clan, but Miao Qingqian offered no explanation. Instead, she ordered that there be no more dissent on this matter within the clan, otherwise it would be questioning her authority.
The power of the Great Sacrificial Priest was supreme in the Tianli Clan. once she gave an order, even if you were dissatisfied in your heart, no one dared to oppose it.
Just like that, Gong Shanhe, who had just become the Fourth Elder, lost his position as Fourth Elder and became the Clan Head of this generation.
And subsequent facts proved that Miao Qingqian's judgment was excellent. Gong Shanhe not only managed the Tianli Clan in an orderly manner, but he also possessed extraordinary strategic thinking.
At his peak, using strategy, he nearly exterminated the Wind Elephant Beast clan within nine days.
It was only when they attacked the Wind Elephant Beast's main camp, that deep pit, that the Second Elder and others strongly opposed going deeper into the "Heaven's Eye Deep Pit," which finally gave the Wind Elephant Beasts a chance to recover.
Now, the Tianli Clan's Fourth to Sixth Elders were all those who had been promoted successively later on.
Li Yan listened quietly to Gong Chenying's description. He calculated that Gong Shanhe had been the Clan Head for about four hundred years, which was before he was born, and he couldn't help but be surprised.
'Three more Nascent Soul cultivators appeared within four hundred years. If we exclude the possibility of them having other immortal fortunes, the 'Qiongqi Purgatory Art' is even more powerful than I imagined.'
Li Yan now also knew that the "Qiongqi Purgatory Art" was divided into a simplified version and an original version within the Tianli Clan. The simplified version could even be cultivated by the clan's mortals. Although it couldn't reach the point of cultivators moving mountains and rivers, it was still a first-rate martial art for strengthening muscles and bones.
However, not long after Gong Shanhe became the Clan Head, an unexpected change occurred. The peak fourth-rank Wind Beast among the Wind Iron Beasts broke through to the fifth rank in one fell swoop.
Thus, the Great Sacrificial Priest Miao Qingqian had no choice but to sacrifice herself and enter the endless domains with the two fifth-rank Wind Beasts, and there has been no news of her since.
At this point, Gong Chenying's beautiful eyes became even clearer and brighter. Miao Qingqian had always been the goal she pursued. Her personality and motivation for cultivation were largely influenced by this legendary Great Sacrificial Priest.
And after the Great Sacrificial Priest disappeared, although the Tianli Clan still resisted the three Wind Beast clans, there was no one who could completely command the entire clan.
Slowly, some disagreements began to arise internally, forming a faction that supported Gong Shanhe, and another faction led by the Second Elder who wanted to revive the Miao lineage.
The Great Elder Gong Shengguang, as the current top expert of the Tianli Clan, saw this but was helpless.
His perspective was the same as Gong Shanhe's: the entire clan could not become a heap of loose sand. Otherwise, once the Tianli Clan split, its strength would be greatly weakened, and it would soon be an exterminated clan.
The Second Elder, Miao Youxian, on the other hand, was constantly making moves. It was just that his strength was not as great as the Great Elder's, and he couldn't replace the Great Sacrificial Priest. So, he could only find helpers to strengthen his own power, constantly winning over other clans in secret.
However, at this time, Gong Shanhe's prestige in the Tianli Clan had reached its peak, and with the Great Elder in charge, the Second Elder was unable to make any big waves for a while.
Now, with Gong Shanhe having been missing for more than ten years, the Second Elder had hinted several times in clan meetings that Gong Shanhe had been missing for too long and the clan could not remain leaderless. The implication was self-evident.
This made the Great Elder very angry, but thinking of how Miao Qingqian had treated the other surnames back then, the Great Elder was still holding back. He also proposed sending more people out to find Gong Shanhe and the Sixth Elder.
But in the end, this was rejected by the Second Elder and others on the grounds that the Wind Beasts were currently making unusual moves and the battle situation was intense.
However, what the Second Elder said was also true. For the past ten-odd years, the Wind Beasts' attacks had indeed been very unusual. The Great Elder really couldn't arbitrarily send out clan experts again, as that would leave the clan truly vulnerable.
"Within the clan, the Miao and Wu surnames are closer, while we are closer to the Sikou surname. So, the Third Elder has a better relationship with us."
"The Fourth and Fifth Elders are both from the Wu lineage and are close to the Second Elder. The Sixth Elder is from a small clan surname, but he has a very good relationship with Father."
"So, this time, Father went out with him, and there has been no news of him to this day, which has caused their branch's strength to be much weaker than before."
Gong Chenying briefly explained the situation within the clan and then looked at Li Yan.
Li Yan nodded slightly. The last time, he had felt that the peerlessly beautiful Third Elder had a good attitude towards him. It turned out there was this layer of relationship.
He also remembered the scene on the battlefield where the Second Elder had desperately protected the Fourth Elder, while the Third Elder had faced two Wind Beasts of the same rank alone.
Apart from the Third Elder's cultivation being higher than the Fourth Elder's, there must have been a distinction based on closeness here as well.