“To know the details, you can ask your sect leader.”
As he spoke, Pang Bo’s father headed towards White Cloak Nunnery.
Linghu An’an didn’t stop him, as she was eager to learn the truth, given it concerned her young lady’s safety.
Upon arriving at White Cloak Nunnery, they didn’t beat around the bush and directly informed the sect leader about the current situation in Elephant Mountain Valley.
They also told her that Linghu Yueyue had taken the gourd into the lake.
Initially, Pang Bo, Linghu An’an, and Pang Bo’s father thought the sect leader would know the secrets of that place.
But to their surprise, upon hearing the details, even the White Cloak Nunnery sect leader was shocked, even displaying fear.
“Such a drastic change?”
“That girl, how could she be so foolish?”
“Sigh, it’s my fault. I shouldn’t have sent you two to retrieve that item at this time.”
The sect leader’s face was filled with regret and self-blame.
“Sect Leader, it’s too late to say that now.”
“Please tell us, where did that gourd come from, and what exactly did you instruct my young lady to do?”
Linghu An’an pressed, deeply concerned for Linghu Yueyue’s safety.
The sect leader didn’t hide anything and explained the situation to Linghu An’an, Pang Bo, and his father.
Though the sect leader was the head of White Cloak Nunnery, in the eyes of the Cloud Spirit Clan, she was insignificant. White Cloak Nunnery and the Cloud Spirit Clan were simply not on the same level.
Her connection to the Cloud Spirit Clan stemmed from an event about thirteen years ago.
Thirteen years prior, an elderly man appeared outside White Cloak Nunnery.
He was sitting at the foot of the mountain, looking exhausted, as if he had overexerted himself in cultivation or had been through a fierce battle, appearing somewhat weak.
Out of kindness, the sect leader offered him a bowl of clear water.
That water was actually a specially refined medicinal liquid, tasteless like water but effective in relieving fatigue.
Unbeknownst to her at the time, that elderly man was a martial cultivator of unfathomable strength.
Such a figure, with extraordinary power, naturally possessed many treasures.
The clear water prepared by the sect leader wouldn’t have helped him much.
But because of her kind gesture, the powerful elder gifted her two treasures.
One was a green porcelain bowl.
The other was the gourd later used by Linghu Yueyue.
Afterwards, the elder took the sect leader to Elephant Mountain Valley.
He placed the green porcelain bowl in the palace of the Spirit Spring.
Once the bowl was placed, the flow of the Spirit Spring inexplicably increased.
This delighted the Cloud Spirit Clan, who had guarded the Spirit Spring for years but could never influence it.
Yet, with just a porcelain bowl, the elder had increased its flow, naturally thrilling them.
However, the elder clearly told the Cloud Spirit Clan’s leader that the bowl belonged to White Cloak Nunnery and was merely stored there.
Surprisingly, the usually fearless Cloud Spirit Clan leader agreed to this request without hesitation.
He even promised that White Cloak Nunnery could retrieve the bowl anytime, and they would not obstruct.
The elder then led the sect leader out of Elephant Mountain Valley and taught her a technique.
He also told her something else.
He instructed her to retrieve the bowl eight years later and use the technique he taught to activate it for cultivation.
Additionally, the elder warned her.
If she ever heard that the Spirit Spring in Elephant Mountain Valley underwent a change or that cracks appeared in the valley, it would mean danger was imminent.
The sect leader would need to leave immediately.
In a crisis, she could use the gourd’s power.
The gourd could keep her safe.
However, why the bowl could be used for cultivation after eight years, or what kind of danger might appear in Elephant Mountain Valley, the elder didn’t say.
After that, the elder left and never appeared again.
Over a decade had passed, and the bowl could have been retrieved long ago.
But the sect leader, lacking ambition, hadn’t gone to collect it for cultivation.
She thought that since the bowl increased the Spirit Spring’s flow, it was a good thing, benefiting the Cloud Spirit Clan and those from far and wide seeking the spring.
But when she learned of the changes in Elephant Mountain Valley, she suddenly recalled the elder’s words.
So, she ordered Linghu Yueyue and Linghu An’an to retrieve the bowl.
Though she didn’t know what caused the valley’s changes, from the elder’s words, she sensed the situation might be serious.
Thus, she gave the gourd to Linghu Yueyue.
She taught her how to activate it and told her that if danger arose in the valley, she should use the gourd to protect herself and Linghu An’an.
But even the sect leader hadn’t expected that the Spirit Spring would be flooded with toxic water, forming a lake.
And that ancient creatures were now appearing there.
Now, she finally understood why the elder had warned her.
Clearly, he had known about this place and foreseen the danger.
She just hadn’t realised how truly perilous it would become.
“Senior, do you know the name of that mysterious elder?” Pang Bo asked curiously.
Not just him, but his father and Linghu An’an were also intrigued.
They could tell the mysterious elder was no ordinary figure, likely knowing far more than what they’d seen.
With Elephant Mountain Valley now in crisis, finding that elder might yield a way to control the situation.
“He didn’t tell me his name,” the sect leader shook her head.
“What did he look like? You could draw him, and I can inquire about his identity,” Pang Bo continued.
But the sect leader shook her head helplessly.
“Senior, are you saying you didn’t see his face?” Pang Bo asked.
“No, I saw him. He didn’t conceal his appearance,” the sect leader replied.
“Then did he forbid you from revealing his appearance?” Pang Bo asked.
“No,” the sect leader shook her head again.
“Then why…”
Pang Bo, his father, and Linghu An’an exchanged glances, their eyes filled with confusion, wondering why the sect leader wouldn’t simply describe the elder’s appearance.
Seeing their puzzlement, the sect leader finally spoke.
“It’s not that I don’t want to say, nor did he forbid me.”
“But after parting with him, I couldn’t recall his appearance.”
“I remember every word we exchanged, and I clearly saw his face, but later, I completely forgot what he looked like.”
“Not just me, but the Cloud Spirit Clan’s leader and others there experienced the same thing.”
Hearing this, the three finally understood.
The sect leader and the Cloud Spirit Clan members had their memories erased.
But only the elder’s appearance was erased.
They remembered his words and actions, but his face was forgotten.
“It seems that elder was a true hidden master,” Pang Bo’s father sighed.
