Hearing Li Yan's words, a sweet feeling bloomed in Gong Chenying's heart. Li Yan's trust in her A'die was, of course, the greatest trust in her.
"Do you have to be the one to do this?"
"I have a way to withstand the 'Heaven's Eye Wind.' And to execute this seal, besides Fellow Daoist Hong Yin, I really don't trust anyone else. After all, it's a Buddhist magical treasure that counters yin-filth. Fellow Daoist Hong Yin would naturally have no problem wielding it. As for me, I've studied this magical treasure for many years since I obtained it. If I were to hand it over to someone else now, they would need a familiarization period to truly wield it, which would be too much of a waste of time."
Li Yan gently patted Gong Chenying's shoulder, signaling for her not to worry.
"How confident are you, really?"
"I should have a sixty percent chance of success. After all, we're just sealing it, not killing a Spirit Transformation realm Wind Beast. The two main concerns are: first, my seal must not conflict with Fellow Daoist Hong Yin's; second, will the 'Yin Mountain Beast's' true body awaken?"
A grave expression appeared on Li Yan's face. The two conditions he mentioned were crucial. If the two Buddhist seals couldn't merge, the sealing would fail. Hong Yin had already taught him a technique, but they would only know for sure after trying. Secondly, if the Fifth-rank Wind Beast were to awaken, Li Yan would be no match for it. Death could come in an instant. Fortunately, Hong Yin had given him a definite answer on this point. Even if it did awaken, it would likely be because its clone had forcibly woken it, which would cause its divine soul to be injured again. Hong Yin's seal would also suppress it, so it wouldn't be able to kill Li Yan from across the seal. As the one who personally performed the sealing, Li Yan still trusted Hong Yin's words.
"You mentioned two drops of 'Undead Nether Phoenix' Essence Blood last time. If you refine them, what level can you reach?" Gong Chenying suddenly asked another question.
"This..."
Li Yan instantly understood Gong Chenying's meaning. She was still worried about his safety and wanted him to quickly raise his strength to increase his chances of survival.
"You don't need to hesitate. I won't refine those two drops of Essence Blood. I have my own Immortal Fortune!" Gong Chenying's eyes flashed with determination as she looked at Li Yan with her clear pupils.
"It's impossible to refine two drops in a short amount of time. At my current Nascent Soul realm, I could probably refine one drop in about half a month. But to completely fuse with it might take three to five months. By then, my strength might be ableto reach the peak of the Mid-stage Nascent Soul. But that's the limit. The last drop can't be refined immediately after; the effect wouldn't be as great. After all, the next step is becoming a Late-stage Great Cultivator. The Late-stage Nascent Soul is a completely different existence from the first two stages. There's an insurmountable chasm between them that can't be crossed with just a single drop of Essence Blood."
Li Yan knew Gong Chenying's thoughts, but he was also telling the truth. The second drop of Essence Blood had to be refined at the right time to help him break through to the Late-stage Nascent Soul and exert its true effect. Ever since he had cultivated the "Qiongqi Purgatory Art" to the fifth layer, his bottleneck had loosened. Even without pills or other aids, Li Yan felt he could reach the peak of the Mid-stage Nascent Soul within three years with dedicated cultivation. But that would only be an increase in realm, certainly lacking the other enhancements that the "Undead Nether Phoenix" Essence Blood would bring, such as increased strength and defense.
He had told Gong Chenying too much about the wondrous uses of the Essence Blood, and Li Yan was starting to regret it. Now, it would be difficult to trick her into refining it. Li Yan was even beginning to suspect that Zhao Min was also deceiving him, not wanting to take his Immortal Fortune, but simply using a more tactful method by not refusing him on the spot. Li Yan still wanted to leave the "Undead Nether Phoenix" Essence Blood for Gong Chenying, but he couldn't force the matter, nor could he refine it for her.
After Li Yan answered, Gong Chenying nodded. "Alright then. You'll refine one drop of Essence Blood first. We can afford to wait half a year. Otherwise, if you go now, or if you lie to me and don't refine the Essence Blood, then don't discuss anything with me in the future. It's not like your decisions will change anyway!"
Li Yan felt a headache coming on. Both Gong Chenying and Zhao Min had personalities where, if he said ten things, they would agree to all ten. But once they made up their own minds, it was almost impossible for anyone to change them.
"Ahem, let's make it five months then!"
"Half a year!" Gong Chenying stared at Li Yan with her beautiful eyes, and Li Yan felt as if he were seeing his Sixth Senior Sister from the Wheel of Life and Death, giving him an order.
"Let's wait and see the final outcome of their talks, we can discuss this later!" Li Yan thought for a moment.
That night, when Li Yan and Gong Chenying arrived at the "Heavenly Dawn Hall," the Great Elder and the others were already seated. After Li Yan and Gong Chenying sat down, Gong Shanhe immediately spoke. "We've reached an agreement with Yan San and the others. We will join forces to seal the 'Yin Mountain Beast'!"
A smile appeared on his face as he spoke. Joining forces with the Wind Beasts was an unprecedented event on the Wind God Continent.
As he spoke, Gong Shanhe waved his hand. The void rippled, and a scroll, shimmering with red light and faintly exuding a bloody aura, appeared in the air. Blood-red talismanic patterns flowed across the scroll, like layers of water constantly gliding over it. Gong Shanhe pointed, and the blood-red scroll slowly unfurled, revealing lines of small, blood-red characters that pulsed with a grim, murderous intent. Li Yan felt as if he were seeing streaks of blood-red lightning flickering, ready to leap from the scroll at any moment and kill everything around them.
He had brought Li Yan, the Third and Fourth Elders, and Hong Yin here to see and understand the contents of the Blood Contract made with the Wind Beasts...
A few dozen breaths later, Gong Shanhe looked at everyone. "The Blood Contract stipulates the joint sealing and various agreements preventing either side from attacking the other under any pretext. I ask all elders to be aware of this and immediately make arrangements to strictly prohibit the cultivators and soldiers at the front from provoking any conflict without cause."
As he spoke, he looked at the several elders. The Second Elder, having personally participated in the negotiations, was of course already aware of the contents but nodded immediately in agreement. The Third Elder's pleasant voice also rang out. "Of course, there's no problem. But we still need to have them raise their guard and remain on high alert as before!"
Gong Shanhe nodded and then glanced at Li Yan and Hong Yin. He had brought out the Blood Contract scroll mainly for Li Yan to see. Since Li Yan would be the one performing the final sealing, he wanted him to know there were no unfavorable terms against him.
Li Yan watched with a smile, saying nothing. Hong Yin remained silent as usual. Only then did Gong Shanhe put away the blood-red scroll. "Alright, I called Fellow Daoist Li over for one more thing, which is to see when we should set off for the swamp's depths. Then we can discuss the details."
The Great Elder finally spoke up.
"In half a year!"
But before Li Yan could answer, Gong Chenying's cool voice echoed in the hall. This was the first time she had spoken proactively in her several visits to the "Heavenly Dawn Hall" with Li Yan. This immediately drew everyone's gaze to her.
"Half a year? Does Li Yan need to prepare something?" Gong Shanhe was the first to ask.
"That Buddhist magical treasure has only just been refined, and I also have a more suitable technique to wield it. Although Little Junior Brother can activate it now, he's using a generic Evolving Treasure manual, which can't unleash its full power. We discussed this before. He needs half a year to familiarize himself with the new technique, as well as the method Master gave him to merge the two Buddhist magical treasures!"
Gong Chenying gave a straightforward answer, glancing at Li Yan who was about to speak. Hong Yin, upon hearing Gong Chenying's words, briefly opened her slightly closed eyes before closing them again.
"Oh? The seal's power can be increased even further?" Everyone's eyes lit up upon hearing this, and Gong Shanhe's voice held a note of surprise.
"Oh... yes!" Li Yan hesitated for a moment before nodding. Gong Chenying knew his personality too well. Once Li Yan was sixty percent sure of success, he would likely want to resolve the matter immediately. So she immediately answered first, pushing it back by half a year. Moreover, Gong Chenying knew Li Yan disliked others knowing his true strength, so she didn't mention that the half-year was for him to increase his power, using another reason instead.
But Li Yan's slight hesitation was noticed by everyone. They were all sharp people and immediately guessed that the reason Gong Chenying gave for the delay was likely not Li Yan's own intention. And Gong Chenying's behavior today was also uncharacteristically assertive, cutting off Li Yan's words.
"Hehehe... no problem, I'll go tell Yan San!" Seeing that Li Yan didn't object to the timeline Gong Chenying provided, the Great Elder chuckled. Half a year was a wait they could afford. But the sound of his laughter seemed a bit strange to Li Yan.
Beside them, Gong Shanhe was stroking his chin, his eyes sweeping over Li Yan and Gong Chenying. 'Yoho, A'Ying is quite something. This shouldn't have been Li Yan's idea! Hmm, she probably won't be bullied by this kid in the future...'
"Fellow Daoist Li, what do you think of the women of our Tianli Clan? Hehehe..." Just as Li Yan fell silent, the Third Elder's coquettish laughter echoed in his mind!
Five months later, on a remote mountain peak in the northern part of the Tianli Clan's territory, within a formation shimmering with faint green light, Li Yan was supporting a descending Vajra-Hand Bodhisattva with one hand. Not far away, Gong Chenying, carrying a long spear that glowed with red light, and the somewhat hazy figure of Hong Yin stood one behind the other.
Hong Yin was the one controlling the four and a half Dharma Manifestations. She finally understood now what Gong Chenying's plan was five months ago. This Li Yan actually had a secret method to rapidly increase his strength, and her disciple wanted him to finish increasing his strength before going to the swamp's depths. Hong Yin was also curious. Usually, methods to rapidly increase one's cultivation, apart from having seventh-rank or higher auxiliary pills or some kind of heaven and earth exotic fruit, would all result in an unstable foundation, something not worth the risk...
Seven or eight breaths later, Hong Yin retracted her technique, and the "Vajra Sacred Mountain-Suppressing Formation" disappeared. Her gaze was filled with great astonishment. 'Li Yan must have a seventh-rank or higher auxiliary cultivation pill. His realm is now at the peak of the Mid-stage Nascent Soul. From how he's handling the Vajra Dharma Manifestation, I feel his strength has increased by more than ten percent compared to five months ago. And the cultivation method this kid practices is very special, it should be a top-tier water-attribute cultivation method...'
Hong Yin was shocked. First, she was certain that Li Yan possessed a seventh-rank or higher pill. Such pills were now very difficult to refine in the lower realm and were most likely obtained from ancient ruins. This showed that Li Yan's luck was extremely good. Cultivators placed great importance on a person's fortune. Second, Li Yan's water-attribute magical power was incredibly pure, as if it had been continuously refined by some cultivation method. With Hong Yin's former experience as a Spirit Transformation cultivator, she could tell from the way Li Yan cast his spells that he was still deliberately holding back and concealing his power. Otherwise, the power of his spells would be even greater.
This was also why Gong Chenying had invited her here. The bond between Gong Chenying and Hong Yin as master and disciple was growing deeper by the day, and some things were no longer hidden from her. Hong Yin was also extremely pleased with Gong Chenying. Both her aptitude and her state of mind were of the highest caliber, even surpassing her former disciple. Gong Chenying had invited her master over to confirm if Li Yan's cultivation had truly improved. If it hadn't, it either meant Li Yan was lying to her about the effects of the "Undead Nether Phoenix" Essence Blood, or he hadn't refined it at all and had just meditated for five months. In that case, she would be very angry!
Although Hong Yin had her own speculations about Li Yan's rapid increase in strength, she wasn't particularly moved. A seventh-rank pill was certainly precious to her, but it wasn't for nourishing the soul or recasting the body. She had been a Spirit Transformation cultivator before and had seen some seventh-rank pills. This wasn't enough for her to kill for wealth. Moreover, a few months ago, Gong Shanhe had passed on a message: the "Gui Qu Lai Xi" shop had said they had a lead on a fire-attribute Nascent Soul cultivator's physical body and were in the process of handling it. Including the time to deliver it across the continent, they promised to have it delivered within ten years.
Hong Yin was also very pleased with this news. She now knew what kind of existence "Gui Qu Lai Xi" was. It was a shop with an extremely powerful backing, possibly established in the lower realm by the Immortal Spirit Realm, and its reputation was highly guaranteed. She also didn't suspect the Tianli Clan of falsifying this news. Ten years was barely the blink of an eye for her. In such a short time, there was no need for them to deceive her, unless in these years, the Tianli Clan suddenly asked her to do something with a near-certain chance of death. That would mean it was bait.
Watching Li Yan walk over with a helpless look on his face, Hong Yin's voice sounded in Gong Chenying's mind. "Your little lover's realm has indeed improved. Peak Mid-stage Nascent Soul!"
Immediately, Hong Yin's figure flashed, and she gracefully departed. She didn't want to disturb her disciple. As a person of the cloth, it was better to stay away from such scenes.
Seeing Hong Yin leave, Li Yan could only let out a bitter smile and speak. "Sixth Senior Sister, is there a problem now? I did everything according to your 'orders.' Next, we should seal that Wind Beast as soon as possible."
But Gong Chenying shook her head. "I didn't give any orders, and Little Junior Brother didn't follow them either!"
Li Yan was stunned. "Didn't I refine the Essence Blood and increase my cultivation?"
"But I told A'die it would be six months!" A sly glint flashed in Gong Chenying's eyes. Then, her slender figure flashed, and she was already outside the green formation, flying high into the sky, leaving a dumbfounded Li Yan behind.