Chapter 493: Mysterious Bell Rings

When the seventh bell chime resounded, the entire Cangxuan Sect froze for an instant, then erupted into a tremendous roar of excitement and commotion.

Countless disciples stared, dumbfounded, at the mist-shrouded main peak.

Seven chimes! Seven bell chimes! Did that mean Zhou Yuan had truly passed all three stages of the trial?! Something countless disciples of Saint Genesis Peak had failed to achieve in the past, Zhou Yuan had finally accomplished today?! Was this young man truly such a prodigy?

On the dilapidated ancient square, the disciples from both Shen Taiyuan's and Lu Song's factions were frozen in stunned silence. When they finally snapped out of it, deafening cheers erupted.

Shen Taiyuan trembled with excitement, tears streaming down his face. Their Saint Genesis Peak had been in gradual decline ever since the ancestor's demise, to the point where they couldn't even reopen their mountain gate. Although it was still nominally the Seventh Peak, it might have been abolished entirely if not for the ancestor's legacy.

For the elders of Saint Genesis Peak, such a fate was utterly unacceptable.

Shen Taiyuan had therefore been striving relentlessly, but repeated past failures had gradually eroded his ambition, even pushing him to despair.

Because that hope had seemed too faint.

Reopening the mountain gate was an immense challenge.

When Zhou Yuan chose Saint Genesis Peak as the top candidate during the Mountain Selection Ceremony, Shen Taiyuan had initially only taken a chance. The significant attention and cultivation resources he subsequently provided to Zhou Yuan had placed him under immense pressure, yet his inherent stubbornness allowed him to persevere.

At this moment, Shen Taiyuan was immensely grateful for his stubborn disposition.

Had it not been for his obstinacy, this final glimmer of hope might have slipped away.

Elder Lu Song, standing nearby, also had reddened eyes. He looked at Shen Taiyuan and sighed, "Old man, I must admit, your foresight this time has truly convinced me."

He felt a twinge of envy; he had, in fact, had an opportunity to take Zhou Yuan under his wing back then. However, years of failures had left him disheartened, and he was reluctant to compete with the powerful Lu Hong faction, ultimately leading him to give up.

Had he only contended for it then, perhaps the glorious task of reopening the mountain gate would have fallen to his faction.

Shen Taiyuan broke into a smile, unable to maintain his usual stern expression; his furrowed brows smoothed out, clearly unable to conceal the joy in his heart.

In stark contrast to the jubilation of the two factions, the area around Lu Hong's faction was steeped in deathly silence. Every disciple wore an expression of utter disbelief, and Elder Lu Hong himself stumbled, nearly collapsing to the ground.

"How can this be? How can this be possible!"

Lu Hong mumbled, his aged face ashen. This outcome was a significant blow to him; it essentially severed his path entirely. The reopening of Saint Genesis Peak's mountain gate fundamentally signaled the complete loss of opportunity for their Sword Cometh Peak.

One could only imagine the fury Peak Master Ling Jun would feel.

"How could he possibly have done this!"

Lu Hong spoke with a tremor, sudden, boundless regret welling up in his heart. If only he had known, why would he have bothered to make things difficult for Zhou Yuan just to help Lu Xuanyin and the others vent their frustration? Had he simply taken him in as a disciple, none of these subsequent complications would have arisen.

And now, a single misjudgment on his part had directly led him into an abyss.

High above, in the sky.

Sect Master Qingyang and the five Peak Masters were also staring, transfixed, at the main peak from which the bell chimes resonated.

"Zhou Yuan actually managed it?" Peak Master Lianyi exclaimed, her rosy lips slightly parted in surprise. While she had previously claimed to favor Zhou Yuan, it had merely been a tactic to provoke Peak Master Ling Jun. Deep down, she had not truly believed Zhou Yuan could achieve seven Chimes of the Profound Bell, knowing full well the immense difficulty involved.

The other Peak Masters also wore expressions of astonishment, while Peak Master Ling Jun's face remained ashen, and he let out a low grunt.

The other Peak Masters exchanged a knowing smile. They understood that with Saint Genesis Peak's mountain gate reopened, all of Peak Master Ling Jun's machinations had come to naught. Furthermore, he had gratuitously forfeited a vast amount of cultivation resources from Sword Cometh Peak, making him, unequivocally, the biggest loser.

Just then, Sect Master Qingyang's gaze suddenly sharpened. "It's not over yet!" he declared.

The other Peak Masters froze at his words, then their pupils constricted slightly, unable to help but blurt out, "No way?"

It was the seventh chime, and it wasn't over yet? Did that mean it could reach an eighth chime?!

Eight Chimes of the Profound Bell were exceptionally rare, even during the Cangxuan Sect's most prosperous era!

And just as their voices faded, the eighth bell chime resonated once more, long and clear, from the main peak, simultaneously eclipsing the widespread clamor and excitement.

Countless disciples stood agape, as if their throats had been squeezed shut.

An eighth chime?

Their minds reeled, for according to all known history of the Cangxuan Sect, eight Chimes of the Profound Bell seemed to exist only in legends...

As the eighth chime reverberated, silence descended upon the heavens and the earth.

At this moment, many disciples found themselves at a loss for words.

High above, a brilliant light gleamed in Sect Master Qingyang's eyes. After a brief pause, he slowly uttered, "There's still one more chime."

The other Peak Masters' expressions were deeply moved.

The very next moment, the ninth chime resounded abruptly.

All the disciples were numb by now. They simply could not fathom what Zhou Yuan had done, or how he could possibly achieve such a feat?!

Was this even something a human could accomplish?!

Shen Taiyuan, too, was somewhat dazed at this moment. He gazed at the main peak, unsure what to say, as this outcome had far surpassed his wildest imagination.

In his view, Zhou Yuan achieving seven chimes would have already been an extraordinarily remarkable accomplishment.

But what did nine chimes even mean?

Confronted with such an unprecedented achievement, he found himself momentarily speechless.

Lu Song, standing beside him, was similarly filled with apprehension and doubt. He exchanged glances with Shen Taiyuan, and both could only gulp.

"This Profound Bell couldn't be broken, could it?" they asked with a hint of trepidation after a long pause.

"Nine Chimes of the Profound Bell..."

Sect Master Qingyang took a deep breath and stated, "How many years has it been since anyone in our Cangxuan Sect achieved such a feat..."

The other Peak Masters remained silent. Since the very founding of the Cangxuan Sect, those capable of achieving nine Chimes of the Profound Bell were exceedingly few. How had this young man, Zhou Yuan, possibly accomplished this?

"It seems a true dragon has emerged within our Cangxuan Sect."

Sect Master Qingyang gazed intently at the majestic main peak, then offered a slight smile. He raised a single hand before him and softly murmured, "May the Ancestor bless our Cangxuan."

As the entire Cangxuan Sect remained steeped in shock, at the grand hall situated at the foot of the mountain, Old Xuan also looked up at the main peak shrouded in mist. He sat on the stone steps, holding a bamboo broom, a faint smile gracing his extremely aged face.

This young man truly is full of surprises.

"Master... our Saint Genesis Peak is about to reopen its gate once more."