Chapter 17: Bell and Drum Precipice
In Han Man’s room, Lin Feng and Jing Yun frowned deeply, their eyes narrowed into slits.
“The injuries are severe.” Lin Feng examined Han Man’s wounds. Although martial artists possessed incredible regenerative abilities, Han Man was too badly hurt—countless ribs were broken, and his internal organs were damaged. Relying on self-recovery was nearly impossible.
“It’s nothing. I’ve been tough since I was a kid. I won’t die.” Han Man was optimistic, grinning foolishly.
“And what about your cultivation?” Lin Feng shot Han Man a glare. Han Man’s gaze darted away, unable to meet Lin Feng’s eyes. He was right—even if he didn’t die, would he spend the rest of his life as a waste, inferior even to ordinary people?
“Lin Feng, let’s go to Black Wind Ridge. We can hunt demon beasts and exchange their cores for some spiritual medicine from the sect.” Jing Yun looked at Lin Feng. Although Han Man was an outer disciple of Cloud Sea Sect, there were countless outer disciples in the sect. Without entering the inner sect, one would never receive real attention. The sect only provided a platform—cultivation techniques, martial skills, and training grounds for growth. Only by stepping into the inner sect could one truly be considered a member of Cloud Sea Sect. So they didn’t expect the sect to help Han Man for free.
“It’s useless. Han Man’s injuries are too severe. Even if ordinary pills could heal him, they would leave aftereffects.” Lin Feng shook his head.
“Then what do we do?”
Lin Feng suddenly stood up and turned to walk outside.
“I’m going to the Heavenly Chasm Cliff. Wait for me to return.” His indifferent voice drifted back as he left the room. Jing Yun’s body trembled slightly, and she clutched her clothes tightly in her hands.
Han Man showed a foolish grin, but the smile at the corners of his eyes seemed moist. The Heavenly Chasm Cliff—only Lin Feng would dare to think of such a thing, and even dare to do it.
The Heavenly Chasm Cliff was one of Cloud Sea Sect’s most mysterious and sacred places. Its reputation was even greater than the Life and Death Platform at the Wind and Cloud Gorge.
Few people went to the Life and Death Platform at the Wind and Cloud Gorge, but it happened every so often. As for the Heavenly Chasm Cliff, almost no one dared to set foot on it. Even if someone did dare, they were invariably true martial arts fanatics or geniuses pursuing the Dao. Among Cloud Sea Sect’s disciples, many had only heard of the Heavenly Chasm Cliff’s name without knowing what it actually contained.
But everyone had heard the rumors: if you passed the trial of the Heavenly Chasm Cliff, you would truly receive the sect’s attention and obtain the treasures you desired. However, if you failed the trial, the consequences were also extremely severe.
On Cloud Sea Sect’s highest peak stood a stone cave palace. This was the passage to the Heavenly Chasm Cliff.
At this moment, Lin Feng had arrived at the entrance of the passage beneath the peak.
“Lin Feng, outer disciple of Cloud Sea Sect, wishes to go to the Heavenly Chasm Cliff.” Standing at the passage entrance, he called out into it.
His voice traveled through the passage into the rock wall, echoing without end. After a moment, a reply came back.
“Enter.”
“Yes.” Lin Feng acknowledged and stepped into the passage.
The passage was somewhat dim, with patterns carved on both walls. Lin Feng walked toward a faint light ahead and soon arrived at a stone cave.
This stone cave contained a stone bed, a desk, and a candle holder—an extremely simple room. On the stone bed sat an old man in black robes, eyes closed, completely still.
“You want to go to the Heavenly Chasm Cliff?” The black-robed old man’s eyes remained closed, his voice calm.
“Yes.” Lin Feng replied.
“For what purpose?”
“My friend was injured. Many of his ribs are broken, and his internal organs are damaged. I need a pill that can heal his injuries without side effects.” Lin Feng spoke frankly.
The black-robed old man opened his eyes. His deep gaze seemed to possess penetrating power, as if trying to see through Lin Feng.
“I have such a pill, but with your Qi Martial Realm, Eighth Layer cultivation, passing the Heavenly Chasm Cliff trial will be very difficult. Show me your martial soul.”
Lin Feng nodded. The small serpent phantom appeared, but he did not release his Dark Martial Soul.
“Hmm?” The old man frowned slightly. His experience was vast, but he had never seen such a martial soul—it resembled a snake or a flying serpent, and it was far too thin and small, lacking any wild aura of a beast martial soul.
“Enter through that passage.” The old man pointed. His room contained many passages leading to different trial grounds.
“Thank you, senior.” Lin Feng nodded and stepped into the passage the old man had indicated.
Watching Lin Feng enter the passage, the old man shook his head slightly. With Qi Martial Realm, Eighth Layer cultivation and such a weak martial soul, passing the Heavenly Chasm Cliff trial was nearly impossible. The passage he had pointed Lin Feng to led to a Bell and Drum Precipice. Its lethality was perhaps the weakest among the trials, and Lin Feng could withdraw at any time. But its difficulty was the greatest.
The old man, thinking of Lin Feng’s concern for his friend, didn’t want him to suffer severe injuries from the trial. So he chose to let Lin Feng enter this one, hoping he would recognize the difficulty and retreat.
The Bell and Drum Precipice—its bell and drum sounds had not rung for a hundred years. That meant no one had passed the trial of that passage for a century.
Lin Feng entered the passage. The pitch-black, dim corridor had countless steps leading upward. After climbing nearly a thousand steps, he arrived beside a stone door. As he approached, the stone door opened from both sides.
“How marvelous.” Lin Feng murmured. The scene before him suddenly opened up.
Fresh air rushed to meet him. Lin Feng stepped out of the stone door. This place was a cliffside precipice, with misty clouds permeating the air, carrying a hint of coolness.
On this precipice stood eight upright bells and drums, somewhat resembling the war drums beaten during ancient battlefield charges in his previous life. These eight bells and drums surrounded an empty space in the middle.
“Rumble!” The stone wall closed automatically. Lin Feng turned around and saw a line of clear characters carved on the wall.
“I only need to make one of these eight bells and drums sound to pass the trial?” After reading the line, Lin Feng understood. He walked to the empty space in the center of the eight bells and drums.
He wondered what was so mysterious about these bells and drums that merely making one of them ring counted as passing.
“Ha!” Lin Feng moved his feet and casually punched one of the bells and drums.
“Buzz…” A dull sound rang out. A ripple of nothingness spread from the bell and drum, landing on Lin Feng and making him take a step back.
“Hmm?” His brow twitched. He stepped forward again, increasing the force of his punch to five thousand jin.
“Buzz, buzz!” A strong humming sound emerged. The ripples spreading from the bell sound turned solid, and a powerful force rebounded.
“Boom!” A wildly violent wave struck Lin Feng, sending his body flying directly.
“Cough, cough.” He fell to the ground, coughing twice. A trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth, and his heart was shocked.
This was… the Ninefold Wave?
A sharp light flashed in Lin Feng’s pupils. The force that had struck him was exactly the power of the Ninefold Wave, and it was far stronger than the force he had used to strike the drum. These eight bells and drums could rebound attacks, and when rebounding, they could multiply the force.
How strange. How did these bells and drums have such rebounding power?
Lin Feng sat there without rushing to get up, a thoughtful expression on his face. Both times, there had only been a buzzing sound, no response from the bells and drums. And the stronger the force he used, the stronger the attack he received. This seemed like a deadlock.
“No. Since it’s a trial, there must be a way to pass. I just haven’t found it yet. Besides, the old man in black knew my cultivation was weak and my martial soul was not strong, so he should have chosen the simplest trial. If I can’t even pass this simple trial, how can I talk about the martial path?”
Lin Feng’s gaze was firm. He stood up from the ground. At this moment, he had completely misunderstood the old man’s intention. This was not the simplest trial—it was the hardest. The old man had hoped he would recognize the difficulty and retreat, but instead, it had stirred up his persistent martial will.
“Dark Martial Soul.” Lin Feng willed it, and his Dark Martial Soul was released. Instantly, his gaze became deep and profound. Under the influence of the Dark Martial Soul, all his abilities were enhanced, including his comprehension.
The long sword hummed softly, and thunder exploded. The sword struck another bell and drum.
“Swish…”
“Boom, crack!”
The sword’s howl mixed with the exploding thunder, surging back. Lin Feng shook his long sword, and a curtain of sword light appeared before him, blocking the rebounding sharp sword aura.
“Ssss!” His clothes were torn, and a trace of blood seeped from his body. As he had predicted, the rebounding sword aura was twice as powerful as the sword aura he had sent out. Even with his full defense, he was still injured.
“I’ll just treat it as sword training.” Lin Feng did not retreat. He swung his sword again, stabbing another bell and drum.
(Note: This translation maintains the original chapter structure, dialogue formatting, and narrative style while ensuring zero Chinese characters remain. All proper nouns, techniques, and terms are translated or transliterated according to the provided glossary.)