Nine Dragons Saint Ancestor-Chapter 1199: The Trap

Ge Wanli's bewildered gaze conveyed to the many Elders of Demons Mountain that the matter was not leaked by him, leaving everyone looking at Yun Xiao with a hint of doubt.

It's important to know that the Soul Transference Technique is a secret technique passed down exclusively within the lineage of the Mountain Master of Demons Mountain. Other than their own sect, even within Demons Mountain, only those who have ascended to the position of Elder are qualified to know.

Yet, this young man, said to have come from the Hidden Dragon Continent and dressed in coarse clothing, had unequivocally revealed the method being employed by the Mountain Master. How could this lad, who hadn't been here long and likely hadn't seen the Mountain Master more than a few times, know?

"Why are you all looking at me like that? Do you really want Demons Mountain to change its Mountain Master?"

Yun Xiao, however, didn't entertain such thoughts. He frowned slightly, glancing at the Elders of Demons Mountain, before turning his attention back to Hou Tianlie. His tone became somewhat urgent.

"Great Elder, I believe in Yun Xiao!"

Upon hearing this, Ge Wanli couldn't help but think of some of Yun Xiao's extraordinary methods. He gritted his teeth and spoke to the Great Elder Xiao Bailin, knowing that once Xiao Bailin nodded, the other Elders wouldn't object.

"It seems you still haven't figured out what kind of place that really is!"

Seeing the Elders still hesitating, Yun Xiao pointed his finger toward where the two humans and one demon were, and his words left the Elders of Demons Mountain in bewilderment.

"Isn't that the Spirit Suppressing Land?"

Meng Liyang muttered, and as soon as his words were spoken, he was met with a faintly amused gaze from Yun Xiao, causing Meng Liyang to fall silent, his old face slightly flushed.

Nearly three years had passed since they last met, and Meng Liyang suddenly realized that the young man who once dominated the younger generation of the Hidden Dragon Continent had grown to a level he couldn't fathom. From that glance, he sensed a trace of gentle ridicule.

"It's indeed the Spirit Suppressing Land, but do you know what spirit it suppresses?"

Yun Xiao withdrew his gaze from Meng Liyang and looked around at the Elders of Demons Mountain. His words raised both a thoughtful mood and a seemingly unbelievable notion among them.

On the Tenglong Continent, all things have spirits, but for human cultivators, the only thing with the prefix "suppressing" is likely the Strange Spirit Clan, the mortal enemy of humans.

Upon realizing this, the hot-tempered Third Elder still felt indignant and retorted in a gruff voice: "That's impossible! If there truly were strange spirits underground, how could we in Demons Mountain have never discovered them?"

In response, Xiao Bailin and others nodded. The Strange Spirit Clan is indeed the mortal enemy of humans. If they truly existed beneath Demons Mountain, it would be impossible for them to remain entirely still for thousands of years, and it wouldn't have eluded every Elder and even successive Mountain Masters.

The Elders of Demons Mountain have always believed that the area beneath them was solid ground. How could it conceal strange spirits? Perhaps only Xiao Bailin, who had heard of the changes at Xuanyin Hall, harbored a subtle anxiety in the depths of his heart.

"Just because you haven't discovered them doesn't mean they aren't there. It simply means your abilities are limited!"

Yun Xiao chuckled sarcastically, then turned to focus on the Mountain Master Hou Tianlie, saying, "If you believe me, pull him away; otherwise, in another fifteen minutes, his Cloud Realm cultivation will be irreversibly wasted, and it will be mysteriously beyond rescue!"

His light words seemed devoid of any smoke or fire, yet they struck the Elders of Demons Mountain like a heavy hammer, leaving their expressions unusually complex.

"Alright, we'll trust you this once!"

A moment later, sensing Hou Tianlie's aura growing increasingly weak, Xiao Bailin gritted his teeth and turned his head, saying, "Elder Ge, pull the Mountain Master away!"

"Wait!"

Just as Ge Wanli respectfully prepared to obey, Yun Xiao stepped forward and blocked his path, causing everyone's expression to change, thinking that this lad was up to some mischief. Didn't he just say to pull the Mountain Master away?

"Had you gone just now, it might have been fine, but now, with your Middle Stage of Earth Bending Realm cultivation, you'd only end up getting trapped yourself, continuing to provide nourishment for the strange spirits underground!"

Yun Xiao calmly explained, then turned his head to speak to Great Elder Xiao Bailin: "Now only you can pull him out, hurry up!"

It seemed Yun Xiao had long realized Hou Tianlie's situation. Otherwise, why would he have said so much? He could also sense that Xiao Bailin was a Heavenly Rank expert, so he directly designated the task.

"Alright then!"

Having already chosen to trust Yun Xiao, Xiao Bailin, not one to dally, quickly stepped forward. Heavenly Rank Meridian Qi surged from his body as he grabbed Hou Tianlie's shoulder.

"Hmm?"

Just as Xiao Bailin touched Hou Tianlie's shoulder, his expression changed abruptly because he suddenly sensed an extremely strong force pulling on him from within the Mountain Master, seemingly trying to devour all his meridian qi entirely.

At this moment, Xiao Bailin couldn't help but believe Yun Xiao a little more.

At least he knew that if it were truly under the control of Hou Tianlie or the Snow Stepping Flying Horse, his Meridian Qi would never be so uncontrollable. Something unknown must have happened invisibly.

Fortunately, unlike Hou Tianlie, Xiao Bailin was prepared in advance and had not been gradually consumed by that special devouring energy. So, upon sensing that force, his entire body's Meridian Qi burst forth.

"Open!"

A deep shout emerged from Xiao Bailin's mouth, and soon after, everyone saw energy erupting from his body, ultimately causing the Mountain Master's body to fall backward. They all breathed a deep sigh of relief.

Even the slowest responders could sense something was amiss. If they truly intended to pull someone out, there would be no need to exert such effort—it was illogical.

"Great Elder, thank you... very much!"

Hou Tianlie, nearly tumbling like a rolling ball, struggled to his feet, gasping for air before nodding slightly toward Xiao Bailin. However, his aura was extremely weak.

"Um..., Chairman, you should thank Yun Xiao instead!"

Hou Tianlie's expression of gratitude caused Xiao Bailin to have a rather embarrassed look on his face. He pointed to the simply dressed young man beside him.

Many Elders of Demons Mountain nearby had heated expressions. They realized they had just misunderstood Yun Xiao and might have caused the Mountain Master to lose more Meridian Qi due to their obstruction.

"Yun Xiao? Are you the one who discovered the Holy Grade Heavenly Spirit in Xuanyin Cave?"

Hou Tianlie had some impression of the name Yun Xiao, especially after coming back from Xuanyin Hall. It was rumored that it was this young man named Yun Xiao who first discovered the Holy Grade Heavenly Spirit that had escaped.

Moreover, with Xue Tianao and Lu Yanji holding Yun Xiao in high regard, Hou Tianlie did remember the boy he had never met before, never expecting their first meeting to occur under such circumstances.

"I say, even as a dignified Heavenly Rank Beast Vein Master, couldn't you see that it was a trap set by a Strange Spirit? Yet you rushed right in?"

Facing the supreme Mountain Master, Yun Xiao showed no fear. His words contained a hint of reproach, nearly provoking the irritable Third Elder into scolding.

"A trap? What trap?"

However, after the previous incident, Xiao Bailin trusted Yun Xiao a bit more, capturing the keywords in Yun Xiao's words. A look of confusion appeared on his face.

"Ah, I just realized it myself. This time, I was indeed reckless!"

Despite Yun Xiao's impudent words, Hou Tianlie didn't become angry but rather showed a hint of resentment, turning his head to look at Xu Hongzhuang and the Snow Stepping Flying Horse, speaking softly.

"Mountain Master, what is going on here?"

Xiao Bailin, full of questions, couldn't help but ask, glancing at Yun Xiao beside him. He thought to himself that this boy seemed to know quite a lot.

"Great Elder, Hongzhuang and the Snow Stepping Flying Horse have been in this state for more than half a year, right?"

Instead of directly answering Xiao Bailin's question, Hou Tianlie asked another. After seeing the latter nod, he continued, "Even I can only withstand it for one or two hours. Why do you think Hongzhuang could endure for so long with her level of Cultivation?"

"Do you mean that the Strange Spirit deliberately refrained from fully consuming Hongzhuang and the Snow Stepping Flying Horse's energy, waiting for you to attempt a rescue?"

The Demons Mountain Elders present were not fools. Xiao Bailin instantly understood, expressing his shock aloud. He was confident that his guess was almost certainly correct.

The disparity in Cultivation between Xu Hongzhuang and Hou Tianlie was extremely significant. In just a little over an hour, Hou Tianlie's Meridian Qi had been mostly consumed. This was highly unusual.

To think that a Heavenly Rank Cloud Realm expert's Meridian Qi could be nearly devoured within such a short time frame. Xiao Bailin and the others understood that if the Strange Spirit truly wanted Xu Hongzhuang's life, she and the Snow Stepping Flying Horse would already have been drained dry.

Therefore, there could only be one explanation: the Strange Spirit hiding underground required even more powerful energy. In the entire Demons Mountain, whose energy was the strongest?

This might also explain why Xu Hongzhuang and the Snow Stepping Flying Horse had survived until today. Hearing Xiao Bailin's words, everyone looked at the simply dressed boy with a different kind of gaze.

A Great Elder of Demons Mountain had not discovered this for over half a year. Upon returning to the headquarters, Mountain Master Hou Tianlie also failed to notice, nearly becoming ensnared himself.

This cunning Strange Spirit was already akin to those humans with exceptional intellect. None of the previous Demons Mountain Elders had noticed anything, which spoke of how hidden it was.