Chapter 414: Farewell, Wind Sleeve

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Just then, over a dozen immense bell tolls, shaking heaven and earth, suddenly resounded. The sound was deep and far-reaching, each toll seemingly echoing across more than half of the Three Thousand Dao States.

Undoubtedly, these were the chimes of the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell.

The disciples surrounding Xu Yang exchanged bewildered glances, unsure how to proceed. Xu Yang, however, simply spread his hands with a helpless smile.

“Now do you understand?” Xu Yang said. “I’m not the one who killed your sect master. I’m merely someone who came to visit after passing a trial. If I’m not mistaken, those from the Northern Jin Sword Alliance are behind this conspiracy. You’ve got it all wrong!”

The young Daoists exchanged glances, unsure who to believe. Yet, seeing Xu Yang’s calm demeanor, he didn’t seem like someone who would engage in deceitful schemes. More importantly, the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell was resonating powerfully at that moment, making it impossible for Xu Yang to be manipulating it—unless he had accomplices!

“Then how can you prove you came up the mountain alone?”

Xu Yang quickly gestured around him, intending to point out the two Daoist cultivators who had greeted him, but he found that the two gatekeepers were gone.

“Damn it!” Xu Yang exclaimed. “Judging by their aura, those two gatekeepers were spies from the Northern Jin Sword Alliance who infiltrated by disguising themselves. If you’re willing to trust me, take me to the Bell and Drum Tower. I can prove to you who the true mastermind is.”

Xu Yang’s sincerity finally swayed the bewildered sect disciples. They immediately rushed towards the location of the Bell Tower.

However, as they approached within a hundred meters of the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell Tower, an incredibly powerful domain aura spread out. Countless formidable sword lights manifested in mid-air, instantly annihilating dozens of young disciples from the逍遥 Dao Sect in a single encounter.

“Indeed, this sword energy truly belongs to the Northern Jin Sword Alliance!”

Xu Yang instinctively furrowed his brow. “Don’t act rashly. The Sword Alliance seems to be coming with great force this time; their strength appears to be even greater than before.”

Xu Yang and Feng Xiu had clashed more than once. Although Xu Yang had crushed his opponent completely each time, he had to admit that Feng Xiu’s shrewdness and terrifying obsession made him a rare opponent in the entire Three Thousand Dao States. If Xu Yang didn’t intervene, Feng Xiu might even be capable of unifying all the imperial dynasties across the Three Thousand Dao States.

As Xu Yang finished speaking, he soared into the air, flying towards the Bell Tower.

His aura was immensely powerful; the unique, potent killing aura of the Asura Path instantly manifested. A black mist enveloped his entire body, making him utterly fearless of the sword energy killing formation surrounding the Bell Tower.

“Xu Yang, I never thought you’d give me such a huge surprise. It’s truly incredible that you managed to emerge alive from the Asura Tomb.”

“What? He, he’s Xu Yang?”

The Daoist cultivators were utterly stunned.

“Feng Xiu,” Xu Yang said, “I know this is just a wisp of your soul. You wouldn’t risk coming here yourself. Are you trying to probe the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell’s true nature? Don’t waste your effort, because I’m here today to inherit this treasured artifact. This is my inherent privilege as the one who cleared the Asura Tomb.”

Hahaha!!

Within the biting sword energy domain, Feng Xiu’s unique tyrannical aura intensified even further.

“The Three Thousand Dao States now have no order to speak of,” Feng Xiu proclaimed. “Only the powerful can do as they please and obtain everything they desire. You will absolutely not get your hands on this Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell.”

Xu Yang wasted no words. In front of the surrounding disciples of the逍遥 Dao Sect, he stepped directly into the incredibly powerful sword potential domain.

“My heavens,” one exclaimed, “his black aura can completely block the biting sword edges within this sword potential domain! Just how profound is this person’s cultivation?!”

“They are all Tribulation Transcending Realm experts,” another said, “not beings of our level that we can fathom. Now that the sect master has been harmed, it seems that young man’s words were true. Our real enemy should be the one creating the sword potential domain, hidden inside the Bell Tower!”

“Third Senior Brother, what should we do now?”

The middle-aged man leading these young disciples of the逍遥 Dao Sect had an extremely cold expression.

“Watch and wait!” he commanded. “My order is to leave three groups of disciples here on constant guard. The rest of you, follow me to handle the sect master’s funeral arrangements. Furthermore, thoroughly investigate the entire sect. Any unfamiliar faces found among us are to be executed immediately. We must not allow the tragedy of the Qianyun Sect to repeat itself here!”

“Yes, Third Senior Brother!”

It must be said that this Third Senior Brother, as a direct disciple of the current逍遥 Dao Sect Master, possessed considerable leadership talent. Thanks to his swift deployment, the逍遥 Dao Sect, which should have been in chaos, quickly restored its original order. However, the Bell Tower itself seemed to have become a death zone, with only Xu Yang daring to approach. Even the disciples remaining nearby to observe dared not take another step forward.

They knew very well that such a place was beyond the reach of those at their level.

Rumble!!

As Xu Yang took his final step, he broke free from the powerful sword potential domain and entered the inner space of the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell.

Before him appeared to be an internal illusion unique to a divine artifact, exactly as he had imagined. Looking up at the sky, it felt as though one could reach out and pluck stars. However, Xu Yang understood that the more dazzling the scenery, the more intense the hidden killing intent.

Indeed, soon, meteor after meteor with magnificent auras began to appear in the sky’s backdrop. These meteors seemed incredibly distant, yet in a mere instant, they pressed down before him, bringing with them a terrifying pressure, as if stars themselves were falling, engulfing the space in front of Xu Yang.

Even Xu Yang, now an unparalleled expert at the peak of the Tribulation Transcending Realm, dared not relax in the slightest.

After all, the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell was reputed to be the foremost defensive divine artifact in the Three Thousand Dao States, and among the top defensive artifacts across the entire continent. The internal environment of such a divine artifact was certainly not something anyone could casually trespass upon!

From the moment Xu Yang decided to step in, he had been prepared for anything.

In fact, Xu Yang wasn’t particularly concerned about the pressure from the environment itself. What he cared about was the hidden location of Feng Xiu’s soul wisp.

“I’m surprised,” Feng Xiu’s soul voice resonated from the void. “Your strength seems to have made a leap forward since our last encounter. Could it be that you’ve already broken through to the seventh stage of your Heaven-Defying Demonic Cultivation?”

“Speaking of which,” Feng Xiu continued, “I have the enlightenment I gained from our previous battle to thank for entering the seventh stage ahead of time. Although I am merely a soul wisp right now, it doesn’t mean you can easily erase me!”

Xu Yang didn’t bother to argue. With a calm expression, he continued to observe the brilliant starry sky above.

“If I’m not mistaken,” Xu Yang stated, “the trial to gain the Nine-Colored Qiankun Bell’s legacy is hidden within this nebula! And just like me, you are hiding in some dark corner, searching for that answer.”