Yan Che's eyes widened as he listened, and he asked impatiently,

"And then? Did you go up the mountain to search?"

The high shaman shook his head, then nodded, a gesture that completely baffled the two of them.

"Actually, we went to Cangyun Mountain early the next morning, but strangely, a mysterious red light shield suddenly appeared at the foot of Cangyun Mountain. Our people couldn't get in at all and could only watch helplessly."

The shaman's expression turned somber. "Back then, the eighteen villages united and sent their most capable men to guard the outside of the light barrier day and night. After waiting for fourteen days, the red light barrier suddenly disappeared, and our people were finally able to enter Cangyun Mountain."

The high shaman seemed a bit tired, so he sat down and continued speaking.

"At that time, we sent a total of twenty people up the mountain, all of whom were top-notch experts. According to their report, the Black Cloud Mountain and the Sacred Cave hanging on the peak of Cangyun Mountain could no longer be seen at all. Instead, a small lake suddenly appeared in a flat and low-lying area halfway up Cangyun Mountain. The lake water was as smooth as a mirror, so we named it Mirror Lake."

"With Wuyun Mountain gone, we naturally couldn't find the missing high shamans and elders either. So they quickly descended the mountain, and just as we reassembled our forces to prepare for our second trip, the red light shield of Cangyun Mountain miraculously returned. We had no choice but to stop."

The great shaman sighed, "After some time, we finally figured out the pattern of the light barrier. Every half month, the light barrier will disappear for one day, and only on that day can people freely enter and leave Cangyun Mountain."

The shaman's words ended there. Yue Qi listened quietly to the shaman's explanation, but a big question remained unanswered in his mind.

"Excuse me for saying this, but it seems that the Zhang family's old residence doesn't exist in your story—yet the Zhang family's old residence is the only building complex on the entire Cangyun Mountain. With such a large area, can't you see it?"

Yue Qi was quite certain that the Great Shaman knew about the Zhang family's old residence. It was just that, for some reason, the Great Shaman had always been very wary of it.

Sure enough, as soon as he asked the question, the great shaman couldn't help but sigh again. Not only that, but he seemed to have all his energy drained away.

The atmosphere became awkward, and neither side spoke directly.

In the end, it was the Great Shaman who couldn't sit still any longer. He looked at Yue Qi, and a few more wrinkles suddenly appeared on his aged face.

"Young man, I didn't expect you to be so calm."

Yue Qi smiled faintly, "Great Shaman, you simply have something to ask of us. As the only group of adventurers who have all survived, we are far more useful to your village than we realize. — So, am I right?"

The great shaman suddenly burst into laughter, his face crinkling into a beautiful flower shape. His praise for Yue Qi was completely undisguised.

"That's right, I do need your help. So, how about we make a deal?"

Yue Qi bowed his head modestly, "I'm all ears."

"As far as I know, the Asura Netherworld Token is currently in the Cangyun Mountains. I hope you can bring it to me. In return, I will safely escort you out of the instance."

Yan Cheteng stood up abruptly. "A dungeon? You know we're in the Rules of the Strange Dungeon?"

“Of course!” The Great Shaman laughed again. “Not only do I know you are adventurers venturing into the ‘Zhang Family Old Residence’ dungeon, but I also know that no one on this Cangyun Mountain can clear the ‘Zhang Family Old Residence’ dungeon unless I personally escort you out.”

"Why?" Yue Qi couldn't sit still any longer. "What evidence do you have to prove that you can send us away?"

The high shaman's expression changed, and he instantly exuded an aura of unapproachability. The words he spoke sent a chill down everyone's spines, as if they had fallen into an ice cave.

"Because this so-called Zhang family ancestral home simply doesn't exist. I don't know if you remember that fateful prophecy—'Gods die, demons emerge.' The Zhang family ancestral home is nothing more than a bizarre toy for a Gold-Rank titled individual. Here—"

He pointed to where he was, his entire being radiating an undisguised desolation.

“Deep within the Ten Thousand Mountains, the Cangyun Mountain more than a hundred years ago was the very place where the Gold Rank title was mysteriously born! — All of you were destined to die from the very beginning.”

"What?!!"

"What?!!!"

Yue Qi and Yan Che stood up simultaneously. They never expected that the so-called "divine death and mysterious emergence" mentioned by the clan leader would mean this.

They actually barged directly into the strange headquarters of the Gold Rank title holder.

No wonder Wen Jiajia said before that this dungeon far surpasses a five-star dungeon. So this is the root of the nightmare-level dungeon.

However—he remained skeptical.

"Great Shaman, what makes you so sure you'll send us away?"

The shaman did not speak, but silently untied the black cloth covering his eyes.

The next moment, even someone as calm as Yue Qi couldn't help but gasp.

"This is... an ancient guardian contract?"

The great shaman's eyes were densely covered with golden Buddhist mantras, appearing at first glance like countless fine golden threads. These intertwined golden threads formed a terrifying, menacing golden statue.

"A head like a camel's hump, wings on its back, an ugly face, a huge body, and holding a massive iron fork—this is a Yaksha? No, that's not right!"

Yue Qi recognized it at a glance; the small golden statue in the Great Shaman's eyes was indeed a Yaksha. However, unlike the usual Yaksha image, although the golden statue was ugly, it was covered in the seven treasures of Buddhism, and its expression was extremely compassionate.

"This should be the legendary Yaksha King, one of the Eight Heavenly Dragons who is in charge of guarding the Nine Hells of Reincarnation. He is a deity who has attained enlightenment in Buddhism for a long time."

As a disciple of the Xuanmen sect, he was naturally familiar with the Eight Heavenly Dragons and Yaksha Kings. It is said that after the Eight Heavenly Dragons and Yaksha Kings attained enlightenment, they were sent by the Goddess Houtu to suppress the Nine Hells, specifically to punish those who committed heinous crimes.

As servants of the gods, the ancient guardian contract on the Great Shaman's eyes could indeed draw upon the power of the gods, enabling them to successfully leave this instance.

The shaman then retied the black cloth strip, instantly transforming himself back into his unremarkable self.

"As a disciple of the Xuanmen sect, you should be very clear about the ancient divine guardianship contract. Therefore, I am fully capable of leading you away from here. Besides—"

The Great Shaman added casually, "Aren't you curious about why the world of strange tales based on rules has descended upon us?"