105: The Secret of the Windwing Clan

Linn's gaze swept over these overlords of the Sky, who had now retracted their wings and assumed submissive postures. A lingering awe of Dragon Might remained in their eyes, alongside a sense of uncertainty about the future. His clear voice carried through the biting air of the plateau:

"Wind Wing, and warriors of the Wind Wing Clan," he declared loudly, ensuring every griffin could understand his words through mental telepathy or Wind Wing's interpretation. "I will lead you to a new home. There, you will find no natural enemies threatening your survival; the Sky is forever clear, and the earth is full of vitality. More importantly, the elemental concentration there far exceeds this place, providing immeasurable benefits for you to Breakthrough Bottlenecks, nourish your offspring, and expand your clan."

These words caused a slight commotion among the griffin flock. Many griffins looked up, their eyes flashing with curiosity and disbelief. No natural enemies? Intense elements? To them, struggling to survive on the barren plateau amidst potential threats, this sounded like a legend.

Wind Wing's body trembled as he looked at Linn in disbelief. As their king, he understood better than any of his kin what a safe, resource-rich habitat meant for the continuation and development of the clan.

"Master, are you speaking of...?"

"A demi-plane belonging solely to me, called the 'Breath of Life Demi-plane'." Linn didn't over-explain the concept of a demi-plane. Instead, he turned directly to where the silver glow had not yet fully dissipated. With a slight thought, he deepened his connection with the demi-plane once more. "Destiny, if you would be so kind."

The space in the air, which hadn't fully settled, rippled again. The Silver Dragon's exquisite and majestic figure did not fully manifest, but a wider, more stable silver light gate slowly unfolded in front of the griffin flock. Through the light gate, one could vaguely see a landscape different from the Northern Highland Plateau of Shattered Star Island... it was a corner of a lush forest filled with Spiritual Qi. The rich natural and elemental aura seeped out in strands even through the gate, refreshing the spirits of all the griffins and making their Bloodlines instinctively yearn for it.

"Through this gate lies your new home." Destiny's cold, ethereal voice rang directly within the Soul of every griffin, carrying an unquestionable guidance. "Enter in an orderly fashion. There must be no noise or commotion to disturb the creatures within."

Under the guidance of the Silver Dragon's will and Wind Wing's urging, despite the trepidation in their hearts, the griffins were more drawn by the yearning for that rich elemental aura. They began to form a queue and flew into the silver light gate one by one. Each passage caused a slight ripple in space, but the process was smooth and rapid.

Only after the last ordinary griffin disappeared into the light gate did Linn gesture to Wind Wing. "You go in too and familiarize yourself with the environment. Afterward, I have questions for you alone."

Wind Wing bowed respectfully and flapped his wings toward the light gate. However, just as he was about to enter, Linn's voice rang out again: "Wait, Wind Wing, stay behind."

The silver light gate remained stable under Destiny's control, but the Griffin King stopped his movement, turning back toward Linn with some confusion before landing in front of him.

Linn watched as the light gate slowly closed and finally vanished under Destiny's command, ensuring all other griffins had safely arrived at the Breath of Life Demi-plane. Only then did he turn his gaze back to the respectfully standing Griffin King.

Only the man and the beast remained on the plateau, the wind howling around them.

"Wind Wing," Linn said directly, his eyes sharp. "I have observed the overall situation of Shattered Star Island. Logically, the magic concentration and resources here are not enough to naturally nurture and support so many griffins reaching the Fourth-Order Peak, let alone birth a Fifth-Order existence like you. For your Wind Wing Clan to break the limits of your species and possess such strength, and for you to have stepped into the Earth Rank... this cannot be explained by talent and years of accumulation alone."

He paused, his voice lowering but carrying a penetrating power: "Tell me, what is the true reason you hold onto the Northern Highland Plateau? Besides so-called territory and freedom, is there... some other special reliance?"

A violent fluctuation flashed through Wind Wing's dark gold eyes—an instinctive reaction to a secret being touched upon. However, the existence of the Soul contract made it impossible for him to lie to or deliberately hide things from Linn. His massive head lowered further, and his mental fluctuations carried a complex emotion of things finally settling, along with complete submission.

"Master is perceptive." Wind Wing's voice echoed in Linn's mind, tinged with memory and sentiment. "You are correct. The Northern Highland Plateau itself is indeed barren. The true secret behind my clan's development to this day... lies behind the plateau, in that 'Slumbering Sea of Forests' we have guarded for generations."

"Slumbering Sea of Forests?" Linn's brow twitched slightly.

"Yes. It is an ancient forest deep in the northern mountains, shrouded in a strange mist year-round. Deep within the forest, a peculiar type of crystal is buried." Wind Wing confessed honestly, transmitting clear images and information through mental fluctuations. "Those Crystals themselves are unstable and continuously emit exceptionally rich and active elemental energy of various types. It is precisely because of long-term exposure to this high-concentration elemental environment and absorbing the dissipated energy that our clan's growth speed and chances of breaking through Bottlenecks are far higher than ordinary griffins. I also only managed to Breakthrough to the Fifth-Order after cultivating near the largest Crystal Vein for a long time."

"Crystal Veins..." A thoughtful light flashed in Linn's eyes. To be able to continuously emit high concentrations of elements and promote the advancement of Demonic Beasts, these were definitely no ordinary minerals. "You have been guarding it to prevent other creatures from discovering it?"

"Yes, Master. That is the Foundation of our clan's strength and our greatest secret. We never allow any outsiders to approach the core area of the Slumbering Sea of Forests. Leaving the plateau means abandoning this Foundation, and the clan's strength might gradually decline." Wind Wing admitted frankly, "This was also one of the reasons I was unwilling to submit before, and even... wanted to eliminate you. I feared the secret would leak and draw endless conflict."

Linn nodded slowly; everything was connected now. The strength of the Wind Wing Clan, the Griffin King's vigilance and killing intent, their obsession with their territory... the root of it all lay in those strange Crystals beneath that sea of forests.

"How do you utilize those Crystals? Just by being near them to absorb the dissipated energy?" Linn pressed for details.

"Mainly by absorbing it nearby. We tried pecking at or crushing the Crystals directly, but that caused a violent eruption of elements that was extremely unstable; some clan members were injured because of it. So, most of us choose to nest and Cultivate near the ore veins." Wind Wing explained in detail, "The largest vein points are guarded in shifts by the strongest warriors of the clan."

"Very well." Linn had obtained the information he wanted, and he already had a plan in mind. This was undoubtedly an important resource point, its value likely far exceeding expectations. "From now on, this secret will be guarded by me and the Star Sea Territory. Your clan has moved into the Breath of Life Demi-plane, where the environment is sufficient to support your continued growth, perhaps even better. As for the Crystal Veins of the Slumbering Sea of Forests..."

He looked toward the north at the vaguely visible, even more towering and hazy mountain silhouettes.

"In a while, take me to see them." Linn made his decision. "Now, enter the demi-plane first, appease your clan, and lead them to familiarize themselves with the new environment. Remember, that will be your future Foundation; manage it with care."

"Yes, Master!" Wind Wing complied respectfully. Because Linn did not greedily press about mining the Crystals or directly seizing them, but instead arranged for their settlement first, his melancholy over "losing the Foundation" lessened slightly, replaced by an understanding of his new master's style and a faint sense of anticipation.

He flapped his wings again, this time flying straight into the small silver teleportation gate Linn had reopened specifically for him, and disappeared within.

Linn stood alone on the cliff edge of the Northern Highland Plateau. With the three-fold time flow of the Breath of Life Demi-plane, he wouldn't have to wait long. Once Wind Wing finished appeasing the clan, he prepared to head out and search for those strange Crystals.