Chapter 376: Three Attacks on Purple Mountain

The resonant tolls of the bell purified people's souls. Inside and outside the Divine City, silence first reigned, then an earth-shattering clamor erupted.

"Did it succeed or fail?""What's the outcome?"

This was the answer everyone desperately wanted to know. Emperor Wushi, a figure who resonated throughout history, had an inheritance that stirred the hearts of all.

Such was the influence of one man; even after many years since his passing, any news about him would overshadow everything else, becoming the sole focus.

Even the recent public revelation of an ancient king's bloodline, witnessed by everyone, paled in comparison to a single piece of news concerning him.

"Had Zishan been opened?""Had the secrets of the ancient Great Emperor surfaced?"

At this moment, people felt both nervous and expectant, all eager to know the outcome.

Those from the Holy Lands were the most anxious. They feared hearing devastating news; in fact, many were already uneasy.

This was because only in times of crisis would the Holy Lords use the Divine City's unique stone mechanisms to take refuge here. If Zishan had truly been opened and the inheritance obtained, they wouldn't have been in such a hurry.

"Could it be another failure?""Surely no Holy Lord has fallen, right?"

Many disciples from the Holy Lands were anxious, fearing loss, worried that bad news would arrive. If a Holy Lord were to fall, it would be a heaven-shattering disaster.

At this moment, the Holy Sons and Holy Maidens were the most nervous. If their sect's Holy Lord perished, it would very likely affect their current status.

Half an hour later, news spread, and the Divine City was shaken.

The Hundred Schools of Scholars from the Central Plains and the Holy Lands of the Eastern Wasteland joined forces and together deployed five Ultimate Dao Weapons, exceeding the four that people had previously speculated.

The Jiang Family's Hengyu Cauldron, the Ji Family's Void Mirror, and Yaoguang's Dragon-Patterned Cauldron—these three Ultimate Dao Weapons appeared simultaneously. Coupled with the two from the Central Plains, it was a sight that shook the entire world.

Even during the darkest eras in human history, when blood flowed like rivers and corpses piled up like mountains across the land, the number of Ultimate Dao Weapons deployed would not have exceeded this.

The might of five Ultimate Dao Weapons appearing together was simply unimaginable. People believed it was enough to pierce through heaven and earth, dry up oceans, and shatter mountains and rivers; there was nothing that could possibly withstand them.

However, the reported outcome left everyone dumbfounded: Zishan had not been razed to the ground; it still stood there.

This time, the activation of the five Ultimate Dao Weapons did indeed open Zishan, allowing people to enter.

However, it also triggered an even grander vibration from the Wushi Bell.

If they hadn't been protected by the Ultimate Dao Weapons, everyone would have been turned to dust, with no one surviving.

In the words of one Holy Lord, they almost suspected a Great Emperor was controlling the Wushi Bell, for how else could it have suppressed five Ultimate Dao Weapons?

"Is this true?"

When this news spread, everyone was astonished. The fact that five Ultimate Dao Weapons combined were still suppressed by the Wushi Bell's vibrations was truly shocking.

"Could it be another failure, with nothing gained?"

Everyone's heart skipped a beat. If this attempt failed, who knew how many years it would take to open Emperor Wushi's inheritance. Perhaps only the emergence of a new Great Emperor would allow someone to enter and retrieve his supreme scriptures.

"It's not yet certain that it's a failure..."

The Holy Lords from various powers retreated, having sustained injuries. However, the operation did not cease there; instead, it was handed over to a group of elderly individuals whose lifespans were nearing their end.

They were all retired Grand Elders, with only a few years of life left at most, but their strength was formidable, some even comparable to Holy Lords. They piloted the Ultimate Dao Weapons into Zishan, preparing for one last desperate gamble.

If they succeeded, there would be an immense opportunity; if they failed, they were destined to turn to dust.

"Aren't they afraid of losing the Ultimate Dao Weapons within Zishan?"

"The Holy Lands have made thorough arrangements to ensure they can recall the Ultimate Dao Weapons."

The arrangements made by the Hundred Schools of Scholars from the Central Plains and the Holy Lands of the Eastern Wasteland were almost identical: the leading figures withdrew, handing over command to the elders whose lifespans were nearing their end. Of course, all of this was voluntary.

"We believe there will be results soon..." People from the Holy Lands were all awaiting. This day was destined to be turbulent as they waited for earth-shattering news.

The assault on Zishan was still ongoing. No one had anticipated such an outcome; the major powers clearly intended to gain something and did not want to leave empty-handed.

People's biggest question was what power was controlling the Wushi Bell. Could it generate such terrifying bell vibrations on its own? This seemed somewhat unrealistic, as it had suppressed five Ultimate Dao Weapons.

The Divine City was bustling with commotion, and it was a long time before it slowly calmed down.

People believed that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, news from Zishan would surely emerge today! Whether the third assault on Zishan succeeded or failed, a clear result was imminent.

At the Ji Family's Stone Workshop, most people had not dispersed. After learning about the Zishan incident, they wanted to see how the stone gambling battle would conclude.

"Wuwu..." Heart-wrenching sobs, tender and mournful, arose. Every time the divine silkworm woke from its coma, tears streamed down in pairs from its large eyes.

It cried out in baby-like sounds, constantly searching in the stone garden, wanting to see the girl sealed in the wondrous source, crying incessantly in sorrow.

"Don't cry, little one..." the little nun in white gently advised.

Ji Ziyue also comforted it, taking out a few divine source beans and offering them to its mouth, softly whispering what had happened.

The golden little sprite ignored the divine source beans, sobbing and letting tears blur its eyes, as it murmured and softly called the girl's name, a primeval language no one could understand.

On the other side, Ye Fan was no less heartbroken than the divine silkworm. All that divine source had been snatched away by the monkey, and his heart was bleeding.

"Monkey, I'm not done with you!""Monkey, you owe me a massive debt!""Monkey, you've created a huge karmic bond with me!"

He was utterly distraught. The divine source, enough to envelop a human body, was an astonishing treasure, undoubtedly worth an astronomical sum.

At the same time, he harbored a trace of doubt: Why did his blood accelerate when facing the Battling Saint Ape? Did he experience a peculiar sensation, similar to facing a Divine Physique?

Or did the Battling Saint Ape's Nine Revolutions Heavenly Art hold some inexplicable attraction for the Saint Physique? He even thought of the "Dou" (Battle) character secret among the Nine Secrets; could there be some evolutionary connection?

Li Heishui was also irritated but felt an urge to laugh, saying, "You always trick others, but today you got utterly fleeced by a monkey! That trickster is truly despicable; someone should really chain it up and make it perform tricks!"

On the other side, Nangong Qi and others approached, pointing at Ye Fan with cold smiles. Ye Fan, still fuming, retorted, "Why are you pointing at me?"

"That monkey you cut out snatched away my astonishing divine treasures," Nangong Qi demanded. "The divine maiden, the fierce weapon, that huge piece of divine source... nothing was left! Can you compensate for it?"

Li Heishui grew furious upon hearing this and retorted, "We cut out the monkey, which means we won the stone gambling battle; everything is ours! This is our extreme loss, what does it have to do with you?!"

"You ignorant boy, although you cut out a monkey," Nangong Qi said coldly, "I also cut out a divine maiden, plus a peerless fierce weapon, which is worth even more!"

"Clang!" Ye Fan kicked aside the Immortal Tomb fragments and cut out a human head-sized piece of divine source. This was a remnant left within the Immortal Tomb, but it was still worth 500,000 catties of pure source.

This was a blessing in misfortune; at least he hadn't opened the Immortal Tomb for nothing, which brought him a shred of comfort.

"Your ancient insect divine source, the Qilin seed, and this piece of divine source are all ours!" several young disciples from the Ancient Source Technique Family declared as they stepped forward, about to seize them.

Li Heishui raised an eyebrow and said, "Do you have no shame, trying to snatch our treasures? Putting aside the monkey we cut out, even this Qilin seed alone is priceless and far more valuable than anything you have!"

Nangong Qi's lips curled into a cold smile. He was accompanied by three other elders who walked closer, and he declared, "Indeed, you lost, and you must hand over all your precious treasures to us."

Ye Fan calmly looked at him and said, "The treasure I cut out is more valuable than yours."

"Far from it. What I cut out was a divine treasure, many times more precious than yours," Nangong Qi said, shaking his head repeatedly with his hands clasped behind his back.

"Although you cut out a peerless wonder, it's still far inferior compared to what Grandpa Nangong got!"

Several young disciples from the Ancient Source Technique Family chimed in, agreeing, each wearing a cold smile.

"You lost the source technique duel, you must admit defeat!"

"Since your source technique was inferior to Grandpa Nangong's, are you now going to renege on the bet?"

Li Heishui heard this, laughed in fury, and said, "You're talking nonsense with your eyes wide open, twisting black and white! What do you have to compare with us? What I cut out is a living ancient king's bloodline! Can you compare to that?"

"Although you cut out a monkey," the people from the Ancient Source Technique Family retorted, their cold smiles deepening, "we also cut out a divine maiden, and a peerless fierce weapon. What do you have to compare with that?"

Most people had not dispersed; they all gathered around, chattering animatedly and discussing amongst themselves.

Ye Fan spoke, "Don't avoid the crucial point and focus on trivialities. The Battling Saint Ape I cut out is alive. Does the divine maiden you cut out have life?"

A young disciple from the Ancient Source Technique Family scoffed, "What value can a Battling Saint Ape have? It's merely a fierce beast. How can it compare to that Ancient Xuanyuan Spear? That is undoubtedly one of the few great artifacts beneath an Ultimate Dao Weapon!"

"Exactly! What use is a monkey? It will only cause trouble. Admit defeat and quickly hand over the Qilin seed!" another disciple sneered.

Li Heishui was enraged and said, "You truly have no shame, trying to turn black into white. And you're still stubbornly trying to get our precious Qilin seed? Aren't you afraid of being struck by lightning?"

"The Battling Saint Ape is an ancient king's bloodline; its future achievements could rival a Great Emperor," Ye Fan said coldly. "If tamed now, what would you say its value is?" He was also close to losing his temper; the Ancient Source Technique Family clearly intended to renege on the bet and seize his treasures.

"Who can tame it? Even powerful beings can't. It's useless, merely a fierce beast, with no value whatsoever," Nangong Qi himself declared.

"I respect you as a Grandmaster, but you're cheapening yourself. How can you even say such things?" Ye Fan sneered. "As a Grandmaster of Source Techniques, how could you not understand the value of an ancient king's bloodline?"

Li Heishui spoke to the people around him, saying, "Everyone, please judge for yourselves, aren't they being overly bullying?"

At this moment, a group of old men had not left. They were extremely eager for the ancient insect divine source and the Qilin seed, all wishing to obtain them to extend their lives.

An Miaoyi, Xu Heng, Jin Chixiao, and the various Holy Sons and Holy Maidens also remained, all watching the commotion.

In fact, many people were distracted, because the final outcome of the assault on Zishan would likely be clear in another hour or two.

"This old man believes that Brother Nangong's divine treasure is the truly valuable one," Li Yishui, a Grand Elder from the Palace of Illusion and Destruction, said, casting a mocking glance at Ye Fan.