Cultivating for a hundred lifetimes to ascension Chapter 1560 - 843: Qinghuang Bell, Encountering an Old Friend in the Rift Valley (Part 2)

Right away, the silver-white pill broke apart, with innumerable sparkling shards dropping down, igniting into fire the instant before they hit the floor, and then disappearing completely.

In that instant, a profound and majestic aura emerged without warning, swiftly wrapping around the entire secluded chamber.

Zhao Sheng's grin vanished, his face turning utterly grave. A slight flick of his sleeve allowed a precious mirror to silently slide into his grasp.

"Ha ha, my judgment of you was spot on! You've really pulled it off."

Accompanied by hearty laughs, an elder sporting a young visage and silver locks, clad in flowing Daoist robes, materialized out of thin air.

When he spotted the arrival, Zhao Sheng's eyes shrank to pinpoints, his features betraying deep shock.

Qi Tian Ancestor!

Stunned, Zhao Sheng quickly bent in reverence, offering salutations, "Junior Zhao Sheng offers respects to Senior Qi Tian."

Qi Tian Ancestor beamed widely while eyeing him, laughing, "You rascal, you've astonished me beyond measure. I figured it'd drag on for ages, but it's just been a handful of years!"

Zhao Sheng abruptly realized the "Golden Core" had been forged by Qi Tian Ancestor himself.

He had earlier believed the "Golden Core" came from fellow Artifact Refiners to gauge his skills in crafting artifacts.

Now, it dawned on him that he'd misjudged the gravity of it all—this was far from ordinary and demanded utmost care.

Qi Tian Ancestor went on, "You rascal, your prowess in artifact crafting is terrifyingly advanced! You're merely the sixth soul in almost twenty thousand years to unravel the Tao Forbidden Pearl successfully. Impressive, impressive!

There's a worry plaguing me that only you might solve. Would you lend a hand with this issue?"

Hearing those words, Zhao Sheng's countenance grew profoundly stern; he gave a subtle nod, "Junior is ready. However—"

Qi Tian Ancestor cut in abruptly, "Wonderful that you've consented! This affair promises you immense rewards. Behold this."

With those words, Qi Tian Ancestor thrust his right hand into his own belly, rummaging around briefly until he extracted a dull, fractured, and battered... Bronze Bell!

Zhao Sheng possessed remarkable visual acuity, and the moment his eyes fell on the Bronze Bell, he knew it was no ordinary item.

Should that bell be restored to wholeness, it would surely rank as a world-shaking ultimate treasure.

Qi Tian Ancestor toyed with the Bronze Bell for a moment before tossing it over with evident reluctance.

Zhao Sheng caught the bronze bell on reflex, as Qi Tian Ancestor's voice rang out: "This artifact bears the moniker Qinghuang Bell. Once, it was my dearest companion. Sadly, in the fierce clash of No Return Heaven seventy thousand years past, this ruined bell took wounds too severe to mend while shielding its master.

For seventy thousand years, I've scoured for an Artifact Refiner capable of mending this bell, yet none succeeded. That is, until your emergence..."

Finishing his words, Qi Tian Ancestor fixed Zhao Sheng with a telling gaze.

Right then, Zhao Sheng paid no mind to Qi Tian Ancestor's stare; his entire consciousness was drawn to this worn-out bronze bell.

The very second the bronze bell touched his palm, a faint spiritual fluctuation surged into the Purple Mansion Soul Sea, echoing oddly with the Primordial Spirit.

The Primordial Spirit quivered, rendering the vast Soul Sea pristine like a still pond, which mirrored a Phoenix Divine Bird with shattered wings and a broken neck, its plumage shed away.

This "Phoenix" resembled a flickering ember on the verge of extinction, dimly perceptible, nearly faded to nothing.

Yet, this Spirit Treasure True Spirit held an astonishing will to endure, preserving its final spark of spiritual core across tens of thousands of years until it reached Zhao Sheng's possession.

Gripping the Ancient Bell, Zhao Sheng lifted his gaze to Qi Tian Ancestor and declared firmly: "Junior vows not to disappoint Senior's charge!"

"Splendid, splendid! I seldom err in assessing character. Your Qi fortune climbs skyward; a grand fate awaits you. With Qinghuang in your care, rebirth through nirvana is certain.

Zhao Kid, accept this!"

As he uttered those lines, Qi Tian Ancestor flung an object his way.

Zhao Sheng extended his hand to seize it, finding what appeared to be a plain Eight Diagrams Compass.

"This compass serves as my emblem. Should troubles arise down the line, present it in Jiuxuan City. My aid will ensure even a heavenly tribulation poses no real threat."

At these words, Zhao Sheng tucked the object securely against his chest.

While Qi Tian Ancestor's claims sounded boastful, they held a kernel of truth!

Qi Tian Ancestor himself was a Primordial Yang Spirit Treasure on par with a Unification Realm Expert, supported by a Tribulation Crossing Realm Venerable.

Within the Taiyi Spirit Realm, he truly qualified as a "Big Shot".

Securing Qi Tian Ancestor's pledge meant Zhao Sheng had essentially acquired a safeguard for his life.

Naturally, this hinged on his flawless "repair" of the Qinghuang Bell.

Even without Qi Tian Ancestor spelling it out, Zhao Sheng grasped the implication fully.

Zhao Sheng, of course, made no firm promise on mending the Qinghuang Bell; what lay ahead rested on his efforts.

Having handed the Qinghuang Bell to Zhao Sheng, Qi Tian Ancestor displayed no desire to stay and soon departed.

Soon after, Zhao Sheng, clutching the Qinghuang Bell, entered the Haoyang Mirror Realm, emerging back into the real world from the Mirror Realm only after seven or eight months.

…

The heavens stretched blue and unmarred by clouds.

That day, streams of Qingyun lifted from spots across Jiuxuan City, all converging on the southern district.

Qingyun settled under the vast canopies of ancient banyan trees, heralding the successive arrivals of various "Big Shots" on the fourth floor of Qunxian Residence.

"Taoist Zhao, there's no need to see me out. Farewell!"

Smiling, Zhao Sheng guided the Yuan Family's Supreme Elder from the cavern dwelling, observed their exit, and promptly greeted another Divinity Transformation True Monarch from a prestigious Immortal Gate entering the residence.

In short order, this Divinity Transformation True Monarch, brimming with enthusiasm, left the cavern dwelling, issuing an invite for Master Shaoling to grace their domain sometime.

Zhao Sheng responded offhandedly with a couple of phrases, sending them away just as yet another "major patron" arrived unbidden.