King of Creation Chapter 1740 - 1725: Chaos in the Ancestor God Temple

As the Inherited Divine Messenger stationed at Holy Spirit Peak, Ye Zhen held the ability to summon the war spirits residing there, provided the Ancient God War Spirit within the peak could achieve even a slight recovery from its grave injuries. He simply needed to employ a specific Secret Technique. With a renewed flow of his own Spirit Blood from his fingertips, Ye Zhen then proceeded to pour a barrel of Essence Blood, drawn from a Five-clawed True Dragon, onto the altar. Following this, he executed Hand Seals, causing Spirit Light to erupt for a full hundred breaths. Shortly after, another spectral silhouette emerged from the altar's jade pillar. Amidst the swirling Spirit Light, the phantom figure rapidly took shape. After several breaths, Ye Zhen could perceive its general appearance: a barbarian man, even more powerfully built than the Divine Archer Yiz Lie, standing nearly ten feet tall with exceptionally long arms, resembling a giant ape at first glance. The newly summoned War Spirit’s physical form quickly solidified, and the outline of a weapon gradually materialized. Upon recognizing the weapon, Ye Zhen’s expression momentarily faltered. "A Giant Bow? Another War Spirit, another Divine Archer?" Ye Zhen expressed a degree of surprise. Earlier, Yiz Lie had mentioned that if this recovering War Spirit were to fight in conjunction with him, their combined destructive and deterrent power would be significantly amplified. This led Ye Zhen to surmise that this particular War Spirit might specialize in coordinated assaults with Divine Archer Yiz Lie, perhaps excelling in close-quarters combat. To his unexpected discovery, it turned out to be yet another Divine Archer. "Is it surprising, Divine Envoy Ye?" Divine Archer Yiz Lie seemed to pick up on something from Ye Zhen’s reaction. "There is nothing more terrifying to enemies than facing two Divine Archers! If evading the sniping of one Divine Archer is already a formidable challenge, then attempting to dodge two simultaneously would be thrice, perhaps even four times as difficult!" Yiz Lie proclaimed. Hearing this, Ye Zhen was taken aback. He had never considered such a possibility before, always operating under the assumption that a Divine Archer would control the battlefield from a distance while melee combatants engaged the enemy. However, upon hearing Divine Archer Yiz Lie’s words, Ye Zhen found himself in complete agreement. He recalled his own experience: facing only Divine Archer Yiz Lie, he could engage directly. But confronting two Divine Archers like Yiz Lie would leave him with no option but to flee as far as possible, and even then, survival would depend on sheer luck. "Divine Envoy Ye, for what purpose have you summoned me?" the ape-like Divine Archer inquired as the Giant Bow he held solidified. At that precise moment, within the Barbarian Spirit Hall of Luoyi, Princess Changle picked up a transaction Jade Scroll. After a brief perusal, her expression shifted once more. Earlier, Princess Changle had sensed that the aura of another War Spirit within Holy Spirit Peak had diminished by a staggering ninety percent. This indicated that Ye Zhen had consecutively summoned two War Spirits. Princess Changle grew concerned, realizing that Ye Zhen summoning two War Spirits in such rapid succession likely signified he had encountered significant peril. She promptly retrieved a small Communication Transfer Formation to contact Ye Zhen. However, Princess Changle found her brow furrowed in frustration as she was unable to establish a connection. Ye Zhen’s side remained unresponsive, and the small Communication Transfer Formation showed no signs of activation. "What kind of trouble has Brother Ye run into?" Princess Changle appeared before Holy Spirit Peak, gazing intently at it, her delicate face etched with worry. As Princess Changle stood contemplating before the peak for a hundred breaths, something extraordinary occurred: the statue of the Yutu Barbarian Battle Spirit, enshrined beside Holy Spirit Peak within the Barbarian Spirit Hall, suddenly emitted a wave of obscure radiance. "Hmm?" Her expression changed drastically. Princess Changle was suddenly overcome by an ominous premonition. Her Divine Sense surged as she directed it towards the Yutu Barbarian Battle Spirit statue. Although Princess Changle was not the designated Inherited Divine Messenger for the Yutu Barbarian Guardian Battle Spirit, her frequent interactions with these enshrined war spirits as the Hall Master of the Barbarian Spirit Hall provided her with considerable insight. Upon merging her Divine Sense with the Yutu Barbarian Guardian Battle Spirit statue, her face underwent another dramatic transformation. Based on her extensive experience, she recognized that the War Spirit housed within the Yutu Barbarian Guardian Battle Spirit statue had also been summoned via a Secret Technique, its spiritual aura fluctuations exceedingly faint. Outside the Barbarian Spirit Hall, without any formal ceremony or her authorization as Hall Master, the only individual capable of directly summoning a War Spirit was a recognized Inherited Divine Messenger. And the Inherited Divine Messenger for the Yutu Barbarian Guardian Battle Spirit was none other than Ye Zhen! In less than a mere quarter of an hour, Ye Zhen had astonishingly summoned three War Spirits in succession.

Princess Changle, even if she were less perceptive, grasped the gravity of Ye Zhen's peril; his summoning of three War Spirits successively signaled a situation teetering on the brink of life and death.

Furthermore, it was highly probable that Ye Zhen's adversary was a Dao Realm Expert, or perhaps even more than one.

This was because even with some diminished power, the Divine Archer Yiz Lie possessed the combat prowess to contend with ordinary Dao Realm Experts.

Yet, Ye Zhen had summoned three War Spirits in an incredibly short span.

Consequently, Ye Zhen's predicament must be extraordinarily dire!

"No, I must devise a method to assist! I must take action!"

After a fleeting moment of contemplation, Princess Changle's delicate features turned remarkably grave.

"Someone, attend me!" At Princess Changle's sharp call, two Moon Priests materialized silently behind her.

"Sound the Barbarian Spirit Star-Gathering Jade Bell, let it peal one hundred and eight times!"

"Hmm?"

The two Moon Priests, who had been bowing and awaiting commands, were abruptly taken aback. They simultaneously lifted their gazes, questioning, "Hall Master, are you instructing us to strike the Barbarian Spirit Star-Gathering Jade Bell? Did I mishear?"

"Strike the bell, at once! Any who fail to arrive by the bell's final toll shall face death!"

Princess Changle's slender lips uttered the word "death," causing the two Moon Priests to flinch instantaneously.

With a swift movement, their figures blurred as they hastened towards the Jade Bell, intricately inscribed with numerous ancient Barbarian Clan characters, situated at the heart of the Barbarian Spirit Hall's main plaza.

Bong!

Unusual resonant tones, tinged with the essence of the Barbarian Clan, suddenly echoed.

The bell's sound was not overly loud, yet its penetrating quality was immense, rapidly disseminating and reverberating throughout the entirety of the Ancestor God Hall.

Almost in unison, the few Holy Sacrifices on guard within the Ancestor God Hall expressed their curiosity, "Whose hall's Jade Bell is this? Why would they strike the Jade Bell? Is there no disturbance within the Ancestor God Hall?"

Bong!

The peculiar cadence of the Barbarian Clan bell resounded once more across the Ancestor God Hall.

At the precise moment the third chime of the Barbarian Spirit Jade Bell rang out, countless Priests erupted in a state of frantic activity, their movements akin to those with burning eyebrows, as they surged from all sectors of the Ancestor God Hall, converging towards the Barbarian Spirit Hall.

"The Priests of the Barbarian Spirit Hall?"

"The Barbarian Spirit Hall actually struck the Star-Gathering Jade Bell? What significant event has transpired within the Barbarian Spirit Hall?" an astonished Day Priest exclaimed.

As the bell tolls persisted, an increasing number of Priests emerged from the Barbarian Spirit Hall. Meanwhile, other Priests within the Ancestor God Hall observed the hurried procession of their Barbarian Spirit Hall counterparts, their countenances etched with bewilderment.

Within each distinct hall of the Ancestor God Hall, a bell known as the Star-Gathering Jade Bell is housed. The bell belonging to the Barbarian Spirit Hall is also referred to as the Barbarian Spirit Star-Gathering Bell.

This particular bell is only sounded under two specific circumstances: firstly, during designated periods such as the Grand Sacrifice or Year Sacrifice at dawn, with the number of strikes varying according to established sacrificial rites.

However, these timings are rigidly fixed.

Should the Barbarian Spirit Star-Gathering Bell be struck outside of these predetermined times, it serves a singular, urgent purpose—a 'Star-Gathering' summons to confront an enemy!

The Priests of the Ancestor God Hall are structured hierarchically into Day, Moon, and Star classifications. In accordance with the doctrines of the Ancestor God Hall, each priest is regarded as a celestial body within the grand structure.

Consequently, when the Star-Gathering Bell of any hall tolls outside the regulated seasonal schedules, it signifies that all Priests affiliated with that hall, provided they are within the Ancestor God Hall's precincts, must assemble at their respective halls by the conclusion of the tolling, irrespective of their current activities.

Those who neglect this summons or arrive belatedly face, at a minimum, strenuous labor, but more commonly, the ultimate penalty is execution!

Under typical conditions, the halls resort to activating the Star-Gathering Bell exclusively when faced with external assault or calamitous events of major significance.

Therefore, the abrupt activation of the Star Gathering Bell by the Barbarian Spirit Hall caught numerous individuals entirely off guard.

It had plunged the long-tranquil Ancestor God Temple into a state of profound disarray.

What proved even more critical was that, owing to the protracted peace within the Ancestor God Temple, the Star Gathering Bell was seldom sounded outside of its prescribed occasions. Thus, when it initially began to reverberate, a portion of the Barbarian Spirit Hall's Priests were caught unprepared.

By the time they registered the urgency, half of the bell's resonant duration had already elapsed.

This circumstance amplified the ensuing chaos; many Priests from the Barbarian Spirit Hall were observed scrambling towards their hall, hastily donning their attire, their hair disheveled, presenting a picture of utter disarray.

It is widely understood that the internal expanse of the Ancestor God Temple is sufficiently vast to comfortably accommodate Priests from all halls without any spatial constraints.

Typically, the majority of priests from the various halls, unless engaged in missions or dedicated cultivation, remain within the Secret Realms of Spirit Veins within the Ancestor God Temple for their secluded cultivation.

The Barbarian Spirit Hall alone boasts over 150,000 priests, with a usual contingent of at least 120,000 residing within the Ancestor God Temple's confines.

Imagine 120,000 priests in a frantic exodus amidst the sustained clangor of the Barbarian Spirit Star-Gathering Bell – the sheer chaos must be unimaginable.

During this tumultuous escape, countless priests were sent sprawling or collided with one another. In the midst of the pandemonium, hasty apologies and angry curses mingled in the air.

After the Star Gathering Bell had tolled several dozen times, the frenzied flight of the populace had transformed the entire Ancestor God Temple into a scene of utter disarray.

This sudden mayhem swiftly alerted some of the more powerful priests, even directly notifying the Great Chief Priest himself.

Within the Ancestor God's primary hall, as the imposing figure of Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang materialized, the irate bellow of the Second Grand Power Sacrifice reverberated through the chamber, demanding, "What is going on?"

"What is the Barbarian Spirit Hall playing at?"

"After a mere six months of tranquility, such a disturbance arises again; it's as if they're intent on dismantling our Ancestor God Temple – utterly outrageous!" The Second Grand Power Sacrifice, Tongna, seized this opportune moment to vehemently declare!

Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang's brow furrowed. He, too, could observe the chaotic spectacle unfolding within the Ancestor God Temple. Indeed, this time, the Barbarian Spirit Hall had certainly overstepped their bounds.

Nevertheless, the act of tolling the Star Gathering Bell by the Barbarian Spirit Hall falls within the prerogatives of the Spirit Hall Master. Even for the chief priest, any form of criticism requires careful consideration.

Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang had consistently lent his support to Princess Changle, acting as her protector. Yet, on this particular occasion, even he found himself harboring a degree of displeasure.

Having plunged the Ancestor God Temple into such disorder, it appeared that Changle had indeed pushed things too far this time.

Before long, the designated Day Priest, dispatched to ascertain the reason from Princess Changle, returned with a rather perplexed expression adorning his features.

"Speak swiftly! What significant event has transpired within the Barbarian Spirit Hall that necessitated the tolling of the Star Gathering Bell, plunging the Ancestor God Temple into such pandemonium?" Second Grand Power Sacrifice Tongna barked with palpable impatience.

The rotative Day Priest paused, then gave a wry shake of his head, a faint smile playing on his lips. "No major incident has occurred in the Barbarian Spirit Hall!"

"What?"

"If no significant event transpired, then why ring the Star Gathering Bell?"

"Preposterous! To treat the Star Gathering Bell as mere child's play, is it?" The faction rallied behind Tongna swiftly exploited the prevailing chaos to voice their condemnations.

"Great Chief Priest, such conduct cannot be overlooked!"

"They must face severe repercussions!"

At this juncture, even the usually composed Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang was visibly annoyed. This time, Changle had truly incited widespread discontent, making even his continued support a challenging endeavor.

With a darkened expression, Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang commanded, "Has the Spirit Hall Master offered an explanation?"

"Yes, and more than a single explanation!" the rotative Day Priest responded.

"Proceed!"

"Princess Changle declared that the Barbarian Spirit Hall's decision to toll the Star Gathering Bell was in simulation of our Great Zhou Army's military exercises!"

The very instant the rotative Day Priest concluded his statement, the faction loyal to Tongna erupted once more into a cacophony of criticism and outcry.

"Utter falsehoods!"

"The Star Gathering Bell cannot be employed arbitrarily for military drills; are they not concerned about triggering a false alarm?"

"This is effectively a mockery of our temple's established regulations!"

"The Star Gathering Bell is an artifact of critical importance; how can it be so casually activated?"

"Great Chief Priest, the Barbarian Spirit Hall warrants stringent punishment, lest our Ancestor God Temple's rules and inherent dignity be utterly eroded!" The faction aligned with Tongna swiftly rose to their feet, indignantly advocating for severe penalties against Princess Changle.

It became abundantly clear that, by seizing this unexpected opportunity, they intended to deliver a significant blow to Princess Changle this time around.

However, the rotative Day Priest's expression grew increasingly strained, a picture of growing awkwardness.

Only when the furious voices of the assembled Power Priests began to subside slightly did he manage to interject, "Reporting to the Great Chief Priest, Princess Changle further elaborated that the mere simulation of military exercises using one hall's Star Gathering Bell resulted in such profound chaos within the Ancestor God Temple. She questioned, should a genuine foreign invasion occur, leading to similar disarray even before combat commences, would this not signify a stark omen of decline and inevitable defeat?"

"Hmm?"

"Uh?"

"Ah?"

The concluding remarks, delivered by the rotative Day Priest on Princess Changle's behalf, struck the frantically agitated Power Priests of Second Grand Power Sacrifice Tongna's faction like a pair of immense hands abruptly constricting their throats.

Each of them stood frozen, rendered utterly speechless, unable to utter another sound.

The formerly zealous Power Priests fell into a collective silence, particularly after Princess Changle’s words, “sign of decline and defeat,” struck them like resounding slaps to their faces.

Tongna’s aged countenance, in particular, felt as though it had been directly struck.

Yet, Princess Changle’s reasoning was impeccably clear and undeniably direct.

A mere military drill conducted by the Barbarian Spirit Hall had managed to sow disarray within the Ancestor God Temple, causing alarm to the Great Chief Priest and numerous Power Priests.

If a genuine foreign invasion were to occur, accompanied by the simultaneous ringing of Star Gathering Jade Bells by multiple halls, would the Ancestor God Temple not descend into utter chaos, like a boiling pot of porridge?

In such a dire situation, would any battle strategies prove effective?

Even Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang, who had been indignantly chastising Princess Changle for her perceived unreasonableness, found himself slightly embarrassed.

He considered himself fortunate not to have become overly incensed, otherwise, he would have been thoroughly disgraced by the few simple words Princess Changle had uttered.

"Great Chief Priest, Princess Changle further suggests that due to the prolonged peace within the Ancestor God Temple and the consequent lack of rigorous training, it is proposed that commencing today, each hall should consider scheduling exercises with the Star Gathering Bells to enhance combat readiness and mitigate any potential hidden risks!” the rotating Day Priest announced.

After a brief pause, Great Chief Priest Bai Xiang declared, “This proposal… is outstanding!”

As for the Power Priests aligned with the Second Grand Power Sacrifice Tongna faction, who had been vociferously protesting earlier, none dared to voice their opposition any longer.

Their faces felt as though they had been thoroughly slapped by Princess Changle’s few casually delivered words; how could they possibly dare to object?

Furthermore, with the ongoing disturbances outside, who would dare to oppose?

And who would possess the audacity to do so?