At the same time, in the "Wind Goose Beast" clan's territory, in a valley near the "Heaven's Eye Pit," stood a massive cave residence. Inside, Yan San was speaking with three Fourth-rank Wind Beasts.
"What on earth is the Tianli Clan up to? When we signed the contract, there was no mention of waiting this long! They say they need to delay, just giving the reason that they need time to prepare, but they won't say what they're preparing for. This just shows they don't trust us. What's the point of talking about full cooperation?" the Fourth-rank Wind Beast from the "Wind-Iron Beast" clan complained. For the past five months, they couldn't attack, nor did they know what the other side was preparing, which made them extremely uncomfortable.
"Brother Yan, they've been preparing this whole time. Could it be that there's a big problem with that sealing magical treasure?" the powerhouse from the "Wind Elephant Beast" clan asked. They had also participated in the negotiations that day and understood the situation, but the longer they waited, the more they felt that the Tianli Clan's confidence wasn't that high.
"Who can be certain of success when sealing a Fifth-rank Wind Beast? The fact that they need time to prepare, I actually think is normal!" Yan San shot a sideways glance at him. The Great Elder had told him they needed half a year for full preparation, which was actually reasonable. There was no room for error in such matters. It was just that Wind Beasts were naturally aggressive. After waiting for several months, the other Fourth-rank Wind Beasts would start overthinking things, and even he himself was speculating about various possibilities.
"Then can we snatch it from them and find a time to seal it ourselves?" another Fourth-rank Wind Beast asked, its eyes glinting. Yan San immediately looked at it as if it were an idiot.
"Let's not even talk about whether we can snatch it. The eye of the wind in your clan's 'Heaven's Eye Wind,' do you dare to face it head-on? Don't always think about devouring the other side. Unless you don't want to live long, and don't want to trade for cultivation resources with them in the future. If all you think about is snatching, we three clans wouldn't even be able to survive without the 'Heaven's Eye Pits.' Now with the appearance of that Li Yan, the decisive combat power between our sides is completely unequal."
Yan San felt that this "Wind-Iron Beast" must have reached this realm purely through innate talent. Its head was probably full of scrap iron. He was one who sought to tread the Way of Eternal Life. Last time, he had painstakingly reached some agreements with the Tianli Clan. If word of those agreements got out, it would shock other Wind Beast species. Both sides using spirit stones or unique materials from the "Heaven's Eye Pits" to trade for cultivation resources—if this kind of thing spread, the Tianli Clan would also be under immense pressure. After all, they were indirectly strengthening the Wind Beast species. But the Tianli Clan's Great Elder had also stated that they weren't colluding with the Wind Beasts to kill other living beings. On the Wind God Continent, survival depended on one's own abilities. In fact, for the sects and clans in every region, if you had the ability, you resisted the Wind Beasts there. If you didn't, and your sect was wiped out by Wind Beasts, you could only blame your own bad luck. Other sects didn't dare to send experts to the rescue, as that would leave their own rear flank exposed.
The only reason was that on the Wind God Continent, the overall strength and number of Wind Beasts far exceeded that of other species. You had no time to help others. Even with a relationship like Zhuo Lingfeng and Li Yan's, he would at most come alone and would not dare to mobilize other experts from his temple.
"Anyway, the half-year mark is almost here!" Yan San said. In truth, he was also anxious. The nature of Wind Beasts was to fight. After several months of inactivity, the clansmen below had become restless. Fortunately, the Tianli Clan had already traded with the three clans three times, releasing some cultivation resources, which had pacified some of the Wind Beasts after they received them. The Tianli Clan could even help them purchase resources from the outside world that they didn't have. The Tianli Clan had also obtained some raw materials from the Wind Beasts, reaping similar benefits.
Yan San and the others hadn't been in the mood to cultivate these past few months. They would often gather to drink and chat. As Wind Beasts themselves, the existence of that underground Wind Beast was undoubtedly a thorn in their side.
Just then, Yan San's expression shifted slightly. In his Divine Sense, a ray of light flew rapidly from the horizon, reaching the front of his cave residence in a flash. It then started flying around randomly within the formation's restriction. It was a Voice Transmission Talisman.
Inside the cave, Yan San made a beckoning gesture. A streak of light flew in through the entrance and was caught by him. The others immediately looked over. As Yan San infused it with magical power, an aged voice instantly echoed in the cave. "Fellow Daoist Yan, we depart tomorrow at the Hour of the Rabbit. On my side, it will be just me and Li Yan. You may arrange your own party as you see fit!"
The next day, in the sky before the Tianli Clan's defense line, the sun had not yet risen. The sky still had a bluish-grey tint, and some stars twinkled in the dark cyan expanse, making the scenery both hazy and imbued with the crispness of early morning.
Gong Shanhe and Gong Chenying were talking with Li Yan. The Great Elder stood alone in the void to the side, leaning on his glossy walking stick, gazing at the hazy distant mountains and stars, as if reminiscing about his youthful days. There were no other elders present, only the four of them.
As they were talking, a black streak of light suddenly flew rapidly from the horizon. In another flash, it had arrived before them. Then, the black-robed Yan San appeared, his face as indifferent and unapproachable as ever.
Just as Li Yan and the others stopped talking, the Great Elder had already retracted his distant gaze, his face wreathed in smiles. "What, are you going alone?"
Yan San's eyes were still cold, his tone devoid of much emotion. "Would it be useful for others to go?"
"Hehehe, you have a point, Fellow Daoist Yan!" The Great Elder was not angered by his attitude and continued to speak with a smile.
"Can we go?" Yan San said coolly, then looked toward Li Yan. He seemed completely unconcerned that there were more people here than mentioned in the Voice Transmission Talistan.
"Senior Sister, we should be back in about a month!" Li Yan said to Gong Chenying. Though Gong Chenying's face remained coolly beautiful, worry appeared in her eyes.
Just now, the three of them had been discussing matters. Gong Shanhe had also wanted to go. His idea was that after getting close to the eye of the wind, either he or Li Yan would enter a Spirit-Storing Pouch, and the other would carry them to the eye of the wind. If help was needed during the sealing, they would come out directly. However, Li Yan had refused, stating that the space near the eye of the wind was unstable, and using a space-type magical treasure could lead to unpredictable situations.
Li Yan had too many secrets and didn't want others to see them. As his strength grew, he was beginning to understand just how heaven-defying the late-stage techniques of the Five Immortal Sects were, but their characteristics were also becoming more obvious. If something went wrong on this trip, he could hide in the "Earthen Patch." Then, as long as he was blown away from the eye of the wind by the "Heaven's Eye Wind," he still had a high chance of escaping. His greatest fear was that the "Heaven's Eye Wind" would blow him in the opposite direction, into the eye of the wind. That situation would be the most terrifying. Even a Spirit Transformation cultivator might not return from the depths of the "Heaven's Eye Pit." He couldn't hide in the "Earthen Patch" forever.
Beforehand, they had confirmed many details about the depths of the "Heaven's Eye Pit" with Yan San. The wind direction there was chaotic, but in most cases, it blew upwards and outwards, which was good news. As long as he wasn't blown back into the bottom of the pit, Li Yan was confident he could escape on his own, but he definitely couldn't bring anyone else.
Now, Li Yan told Gong Chenying it would take a month for the round trip because Yan San would be using his refined flying magical treasure, which was said to be not much slower than his own flight. The "Flying Goose Beast" clan was known for its speed, so one could imagine the speed of a flying magical treasure from a peak Fourth-rank Wind Beast.
"Let's go now!" Li Yan replied without hesitation when Yan San's gaze swept over him.
Yan San said no more. With a wave of his hand, a black feather floated out, instantly expanding to over ten zhang in size. Without another glance at the others, he stepped onto it. The next moment, Li Yan and the Great Elder flew up, their figures blurring as they too landed on the black feather. Then, without a backward glance at Gong Shanhe and his daughter, Yan San tapped the feather with his foot. In an instant, the three of them became a black dot in the distant cyan sky, leaving the two of them standing alone.
Gong Shanhe frowned in thought. Gong Chenying gazed at the now-empty horizon, focused and lost in thought, like a solitary shadow in the early morning...
In the void, the Great Elder and Yan San conversed in low voices at the front, while Li Yan sat cross-legged alone at the back. The way the two at the front were talking, no one would have guessed that just a few months ago, they were mortal enemies, the kind that would fight to the death. Although Yan San was still cold and aloof, he would now answer every question the Great Elder asked.
"We need to protect Fellow Daoist Li as much as possible as we approach the eye of the wind, so he uses his defensive magical treasures less and conserves their power," the Great Elder said. Although they didn't know what other trump cards Li Yan held, they figured it was a defensive magical treasure similar to the "Primal Qi Grand Clarity Formation." Once activated, it would be continuously consumed. The Great Elder naturally wanted Li Yan to use it as late as possible.
"No need for repeated reminders. I will do my part. My goal is to seal that thing, and I won't forget it!" Yan San said. The Great Elder just smiled and proceeded to explain this time's plan in detail.
Of course, if the two sides hadn't come to an agreement, Li Yan had planned to activate the "Primal Qi Grand Clarity Formation" on the "Cloud-Piercing Willow" himself, and then use other means to replace it once he got close to the eye of the wind. But since Yan San was here, he certainly couldn't just let him watch. It was better to follow the plan they had agreed upon, and he could conserve his own magical power.
...
Half a month later, deep beneath the swamp, below them lay a boundless, pitch-black space. Li Yan and the other two descended. Everything was as it was before, with chaotic pillars of wind dancing and churning, but they posed no threat to the three of them.
The three descended in silence, channeling magical power to their feet to descend even faster. They just wanted to reach their destination as quickly as possible.
A day later, they arrived at that place that looked distinctly separated. The three of them hovered in the air. Below was an area of wind pillars swaying in a regular pattern.
"Is this where that Fifth-rank Wind Beast is sealed?" the Great Elder asked, this being his first time here.
"Yes. As we continue to descend, we'll be attacked by fiercer wind pillars. The further down we go, the stronger they get. We might also attract an attack from that Wind Beast's clone. This is all related to Fellow Daoist Hong Yin's seal," Li Yan said.
"After passing through these regular wind pillars, we'll reach the mouth of the 'Heaven's Eye Wind' at the very bottom. But the core of the wind's eye isn't necessarily right below us," Yan San added.
"Then how do we find the eye's location?" The Great Elder's Divine Sense probed downwards, but it was quickly shredded by the wind pillars below.
"We go wherever we sense the wind pillars are strongest!" Yan San pursed his lips. Didn't he understand such a simple principle? The Great Elder just chuckled.
"Alright, let's go down. Fellow Daoist Li, if you feel we need the three of us to defend together, you just need to send a voice transmission," the Great Elder said tactfully. The implication was that when Li Yan felt his own defenses were failing, he and Yan San would step in to help, so he wouldn't have to use the power of his magical treasures.
"Thank you, fellow daoists!" Li Yan said calmly, giving them a slight bow.
Then, Yan San shot down like a black line, heading directly for the rhythmically swaying wind pillars below. The Great Elder and Li Yan exchanged a glance, then hesitated no more and plunged downwards...
About three hours later, Li Yan was surrounded by a chaotic, extreme cold. In those three hours, the trio had flown downwards, sensing where the wind pillars below were strongest. At this moment, the feeling of palpitations in Li Yan's heart had become so intense that his Sea of Consciousness was unstable. This was the result of constantly walking the line between life and death, a special sense he had for death. Normally, this was an extremely rare and even proud trump card for any cultivator, one that could save their life at a critical moment. But now, it had become a burden. Li Yan had to constantly suppress it, while his Sea of Consciousness was continuously sending out signals of extreme danger. Yet, he still had to force himself to descend toward the most dangerous place.
Under normal circumstances, he would have likely ascended rapidly and left after descending a certain distance, just like last time, and broken the surrounding wind pillars...
The wind pillars here had become very fine, no longer able to envelop a person. At the same time, large black snowflakes appeared. These snowflakes didn't drift down from above but were blown up from below like an endless flurry of crushed flowers. Each black snowflake was the size of a bowl. They still looked as light as catkins, but when one landed on Li Yan and the others, it would stick to their bodies without melting.
When he first saw these snowflakes, Li Yan thought they would cover his entire body and quickly envelop him. Then, either more cold qi would accumulate and seep into his body, or they would directly cut at him like blades. But after just a few breaths, he realized he was wrong. After covering his body, these black snowflakes actually began to spin, as if countless black flywheels had been activated on the outside of Li Yan's body. As the flywheels spun, they would merge with nearby black flakes, slowly becoming larger black flywheels...
Soon, Li Yan knew the consequences of these black snowflakes. As the black snowflakes on his body spun rapidly, the magical power within Li Yan's body became somewhat uncontrollable, darting about in his meridians. The magical power no longer circulated according to the heavenly cycle, but was influenced, darting east and west, like countless mice in a long tube, constantly ramming against the sides, trying to escape their confinement at the fastest speed. Once his magical power was out of control, the protective light shield on Li Yan's body immediately became fragile!