Gong Shanhe looked towards Hong Yin. He had only heard from Gong Chenying that the Sixth Elder had been rescued and was likely taken into a Spirit-Storing Pouch, but they had yet to see the person. If his own daughter hadn't said it, he would never have believed it.
Now that Gong Chenying's matter was temporarily settled, the next step was naturally to confirm if the Sixth Elder was safe.
"I can release a sliver of her Divine Sense, but at most, it can only communicate with her storage space. It's impossible for her to wield a high-powered magical treasure, and it will only be for a single breath!"
Hong Yin nodded. After knowing that Gong Chenying was the other's daughter, the others naturally became less important. They could do whatever they wanted with the Sixth Elder.
However, for Gong Chenying to use a storage-type magical treasure, she had to have the power of Divine Sense.
Even at this point, although Hong Yin had settled some terms with Gong Shanhe, with her almost fox-like cunning, it was impossible for her to let her guard down on any small matter.
"Get ready!"
Hong Yin ignored the reactions of Gong Shanhe and the others and spoke to Gong Chenying beside her. Gong Chenying still wore that somewhat indifferent expression, giving a slight nod to indicate she was ready.
The next moment, Hong Yin flicked her finger, and a ray of spiritual light entered Gong Chenying's body. In an instant, Gong Chenying felt a long-lost, familiar sensation. Her Divine Sense appeared in her sea of consciousness, though it was very weak.
Without any hesitation, she instantly used her Divine Sense to connect with the Spirit-Storing Pouch at her waist. At the same time, with a flash of light, a person was already suspended in the air, and Gong Chenying simultaneously lost that familiar sensation of her Divine Sense.
Seeing this, a cold glint flickered in the depths of Li Yan's eyes.
Li Yan's disposition was a mix of righteous and evil. He was fundamentally uncomfortable with others placing restrictions on his loved ones.
Since he had guessed that Hong Yin was an ancient cultivator, even if he could poison her in an instant, he really couldn't be sure he could remove the restrictive seal on Gong Chenying.
Li Yan had taken note of this Hong Yin. With his personality, he would likely retaliate at the first opportunity. Whether he killed her or not would depend on whether Gong Chenying suffered in the end, but at the very least, he wanted Hong Yin to taste some bitterness.
As soon as the figure appeared, he first looked around in a daze, only to be forced to close his eyes by the long-unseen, dazzling sunlight. At the same time, he heard a familiar voice.
"Old Six, are... are you alright!"
The Sixth Elder infused his eyes with magical power and immediately looked in the direction of the voice. The next moment, his somewhat weak voice was also laced with pleasant surprise.
"Clan Chief, it's... it's you! This is..."
The moment the Sixth Elder saw Gong Shanhe clearly, he also saw the other people and the surrounding environment, but it was clear he was more concerned about his whereabouts.
"Hehehe... we're out, we're out! Look below you!"
Gong Shanhe said, pointing a finger at the empty space below his feet.
The Sixth Elder had only appeared for a short time and was still in a daze. Like a puppet, he followed Gong Shanhe's finger and looked down. He saw an endless black swamp, and it was only after several breaths that his body suddenly trembled...
A quarter of an hour later, atop the Cloud-Piercing Willow, Li Yan and Gong Shanhe stood at the front, while Hong Yin and Gong Chenying sat cross-legged slightly behind them.
After the Sixth Elder came out, he entered Gong Shanhe's Spirit-Storing Pouch. His cultivation was far inferior to Gong Shanhe's. Although he had taken some pills given by Gong Chenying, his body was so weak that his realm was on the verge of collapsing.
If he hadn't met Gong Chenying and the others, he probably wouldn't have lasted much longer, given the massive loss of qi and blood.
Previously, the Sixth Elder had also seen the Jade Slip left by Gong Chenying. He had thought it was all a dream, or that he was on the verge of death.
It was only when he came out and saw Gong Shanhe and Gong Chenying, and confirmed his surroundings, that he finally believed he had escaped that hellish place.
As for Li Yan and Hong Yin, Gong Shanhe only gave the Sixth Elder a simple introduction before having him rest in the Spirit-Storing Pouch.
Seeing this, Li Yan quickly took out some more pills to replenish qi, blood, and magical power. The pills he had were, of course, much better than Gong Chenying's.
The Sixth Elder knew his own condition. After a word of thanks, he entered the Spirit-Storing Pouch to meditate and recover. But his mood was completely different from the apprehension he felt before, which would also help him enter a meditative state better.
The external spiritual energy here was too thin. It was of course more suitable to recover using the spiritual energy in the Spirit-Storing Pouch. Moreover, this was still the territory of the beasts. If a fight broke out, he would be of no help.
However, he didn't know that the main reason Gong Shanhe had him enter the Spirit-Storing Pouch was because of the uncertain presence of Hong Yin.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yin, from your previous actions, it seems you are very familiar with those ghostly beasts below. I wonder if you could tell us a thing or two?"
During the flight, Gong Shanhe, despite having his suspicions, still asked. With such beasts appearing here, he naturally had to understand the situation.
And this Hong Yin before him should be knowledgeable, but why was she trapped at the bottom of the swamp? He could only rely on his own guesses. After a few breaths of silence, Hong Yin finally spoke faintly.
"That kind of beast is called the 'Yin Mountain Beast.' There is a Fifth-rank existence still in the ground. I told you not to pursue that red-robed man for your own good.
The red-robed man is just one of his avatars. When he was severely injured by you, his main body also suffered a backlash for a time. That was the best time to escape.
Otherwise, even if he is sealed, once the intense pain wakes him from his slumber, none of us would be able to escape..."
Hong Yin's first sentence sent shivers down the spines of Li Yan and the others. Although Gong Shanhe and Li Yan had their suspicions about the terrifying existence in the depths of the cave.
But to hear from Hong Yin that there was an existence equivalent to a human Spirit Transformation cultivator beneath the swamp still made the three of them feel as if lightning was coursing through their bodies.
In fact, Gong Shanhe had always felt that the terrifying existence had not yet taken that final step, and was most likely infinitely close to Spirit Transformation. Therefore, as long as the Grand Elder was present, along with others, there was no need to be too afraid.
But the truth was something he could not accept or believe.
"Fellow Daoist Hong Yin, are you certain that it is truly a Fifth-rank... 'Yin... Yin Mountain Beast'?"
Cold sweat beaded on Gong Shanhe's back. He immediately pressed for an answer. What a Fifth-rank beast meant was a disaster that could annihilate his entire clan.
"Certain? Of course, I'm certain. And it's a Mid-stage Fifth-rank existence at that. Because it was—sealed by my own hand!"
A look of reminiscence appeared in Hong Yin's beautiful eyes, and her voice became ethereal.
This time, it wasn't just Gong Chenying beside her whose expression was no longer cold but filled with shock; even Li Yan and Gong Shanhe's faces changed drastically. The terrifying existence underground was a Mid-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator, and this nun Hong Yin was even more unbelievable.
"You... you sealed... sealed it? Fellow... Fellow Daoist..."
A tempest raged in their hearts. No matter how they had thought about the nun before them, they had previously only considered that she might have been a Late-stage Nascent Soul Great Cultivator at her peak.
But she claimed to have personally sealed a Mid-stage Fifth-rank beast. Her strength...
Li Yan and Gong Shanhe couldn't help but swallow. This nun, whose figure was much smaller than the three of them, was actually a peerless expert.
Looking at Hong Yin's somewhat illusory figure, this soul they had been negotiating with was actually the soul of a Spirit Transformation cultivator.
Li Yan was secretly glad that he hadn't used a potent poison. Otherwise, the restriction on Gong Chenying would have been, nine times out of ten, impossible to remove.
As for their reactions, Hong Yin seemed not to see them at all, her voice low.
Perhaps because the "Red Whisk Temple" no longer existed, Hong Yin actually revealed some information. Although it was just a general overview, it was enough to send Li Yan and the others' minds reeling in astonishment.
This nun Hong Yin was a former Supreme Elder of the "Red Whisk Temple," and also a Mid-stage Spirit Transformation cultivator.
"Back then, the 'Red Whisk Temple' was the only sect within a million-li radius that could contend with the 'Yin Mountain Beast.' When the 'Red Whisk Temple' first chose this location, there were no beasts nearby.
This fact made the 'Red Whisk Temple's' location an object of envy for other sects. But at that time, besides myself, the temple had five Nascent Soul cultivators, nearly a hundred Golden Core cultivators, and over four thousand disciples!"
As she said this, Hong Yin's eyes grew even dimmer.
"Unfortunately, that was only our peak. As the 'Yin Mountain Beast' later emerged from the ground, our weakness was finally exposed.
In the early stages, even in a head-on clash with the 'Yin Mountain Beast,' they could only be at a disadvantage, unable to match us.
However, the number of female cultivators who would renounce the world and become nuns was limited. This made it extremely difficult to replenish our numbers after each disciple fell, while the beasts, due to the 'Heaven's Eye Pit,' were constantly being born.
Under these circumstances, the foundation that the 'Red Whisk Temple' had accumulated over generations was slowly lost in year after year of fighting against the 'Yin Mountain Beast'..."
As she spoke, a look of inexplicable sorrow appeared on Hong Yin's face. Even for someone as strong as her, the thought of those young lives being lost and the subsequent decline of the "Red Whisk Temple" filled her heart with guilt.
The "Red Whisk Temple" ultimately could not withstand the sheer numbers of the "Yin Mountain Beasts" that could be born madly underground. Until a certain year, the temple was left with only two Nascent Soul cultivators and less than ten Golden Core cultivators.
So, Hong Yin decided to completely eliminate the strongest of the "Yin Mountain Beasts," the Fifth-rank existence. She engaged it in a final decisive battle, flying into the nine heavens, even fighting into the chaotic flow of space, using every means at her disposal.
But their strengths were equal, and they were evenly matched. Seeing that she could not kill her opponent, in the end, Hong Yin thought of the same method as the current Great Sacrificial Priest of the Tianli Clan.
That was to unleash the full power of a Spirit Transformation cultivator, violating the rules of this world, to leave this continent with her opponent, even if it meant perishing in an unknown place.
But that Fifth-rank "Yin Mountain Beast" foresaw Hong Yin's intention a step ahead. It burned its lifespan without hesitation to use a life-saving divine ability. At a heavy cost, it also severely injured Hong Yin.
Hong Yin was also fierce. Seeing that her opponent had forced her into a dead end, and that the "Red Whisk Temple" could no longer withstand the frenzied attacks of the "Yin Mountain Beast" after she was severely injured.
So, she uprooted the entire "Red Whisk Temple," transformed herself into a sarira of the Bodhisattva Marici, and, with the help of all the votive power of the "Red Whisk Temple," directly sealed that Fifth-rank "Yin Mountain Beast" deep underground.
From then on, she fell into an eternal slumber, until not long ago when Gong Chenying arrived in her vicinity carrying the "Red Whisk Crimson Dragon Spear." Hong Yin was finally awakened by the stimulation of the familiar aura.
But she only saw a patch of darkness. The sarira that her physical body had transformed into was gone, but she could still feel its faint aura.
However, the aura of that Fifth-rank "Yin Mountain Beast" showed faint signs of constant reawakening. It was clear that the sarira of her physical body had become the final barrier, continuing the suppression.
And if she had not awakened this time, even her soul would have, in its slumber, turned into a sealing barrier after a number of years, completely disappearing from this world...
Although Hong Yin only gave a simple account of the cause and effect, it made Gong Shanhe's expression change several times, finally becoming extremely solemn.
His clan was already having a hard time resisting the three clans of beasts. If the so-called "Yin Mountain Beast" clan were to appear, and one with a Fifth-rank beast at that, how could the Tianli Clan possibly cope?
For a time, Gong Shanhe fell silent. A bleak look also appeared in Gong Chenying's beautiful eyes. Although Li Yan was not a member of the Tianli Clan, he could naturally see what kind of catastrophic consequences this news brought to the Tianli Clan.
"Then, Fellow Daoist, do you know how soon that 'Yin Mountain Beast' will awaken? I would be extremely grateful!"
Gong Shanhe looked at Hong Yin solemnly.
"It shouldn't be more than twenty years. At the earliest, it could break through in ten years! Underground, I can roughly sense how much of the seal's power remains."
For a time, the group fell silent again.
"It's nothing. At worst, we'll just migrate again!"
After several dozen breaths, Gong Shanhe let out a heavy breath, regaining his previous composure.
After Hong Yin finished speaking, she had been watching the group. Seeing Gong Shanhe say this, she also nodded in her heart.
'This person is not pedantic. If he only cares about guarding the clan's foundation, given the special circumstances of the Wind God Continent, then this Tianli Clan will really perish in his hands...'
Hong Yin certainly knew what the beasts meant. Indecisiveness would inevitably lead to future troubles.
"After returning to the clan, I will convene the Grand Elder and the others to discuss this matter!"
Gong Shanhe also sighed deeply in his heart. Although he said it lightly, for such a large clan with tens of millions of mortals, how could they just migrate on a whim?
Not to mention anything else, just finding a suitable place would take an unknown amount of time. As far as he knew, all the good places on the Wind God Continent had long been occupied by others. Were they supposed to go and seize them by force?
If it really came to that, he could only choose to attack sects with which he had a bad relationship or a bad reputation.
From Gong Shanhe's words, Li Yan could hear the urgency of the matter. When Gong Shanhe returned, he probably wouldn't even have time to tend to his unhealed injuries, but would first have to discuss this major issue.
And in this somewhat oppressive atmosphere, Gong Chenying suddenly spoke.
"A'die, Li Yan is my Little Junior Brother from the same sect!"
Her words were abrupt, stunning Gong Shanhe who was lost in thought. He turned to look at Gong Chenying, his eyes filled with confusion.
"I know that. Daoist Li explained his identity as soon as we met!"
He didn't understand what his daughter meant by saying this. Besides, when they had just met underground, Gong Chenying had also called out "Little Junior Brother." He was neither deaf nor stupid, so why was his daughter reminding him of this?
Hong Yin, sitting cross-legged beside Gong Chenying, heard this and swept her gaze over Li Yan again.
'This kid's cultivation is probably on par with a Late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator, while Gong Chenying is only at Late-stage Golden Core. This pair of senior sister and junior brother from the same sect is truly peculiar. Could it be that this kid is actually much, much older than Gong Chenying, a case of an old cow grazing on tender grass?...'
Hong Yin was judging Li Yan's age in her heart.
Li Yan didn't know what the others were thinking, but as soon as Gong Chenying spoke, he knew what his senior sister meant.
Some things had to be clarified now. Otherwise, when Gong Shanhe foolishly returned to the clan, there might be some fun to be had then.