Chapter 20: The Momentum of the Sword
The sound from the Bell and Drum Precipice brought an unprecedented shock to the Cloud Sea Sect. Just as they thought the bell and drum sounds were the final echoes, the next chime would ring out once more.
When the seventh bell and drum sound rang out, the Cloud Sea Sect fell into utter silence, with only that sacred sound lingering endlessly.
The crowd of the Cloud Sea Sect even felt a strange sensation, as if the world had been reduced to nothing but this soul-stirring sound of bells and drums, a sound like the momentum of heaven and earth, enveloping the entire Cloud Sea Sect.
Nan Gong Ling stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the direction of the Heavenly Chasm Cliff. His long robe swayed in the gentle breeze. Around him, Mo Canglan, Mo Xie, the disciples of the Cloud Sea Sect, and even Chu Zhanpeng and Lin Qian all looked in that same direction, creating a dreamlike scene, as if they were on a pilgrimage.
At the Heavenly Chasm Cliff, inside the solitary peak’s stone cave, the old man in black robes stood there, looking up at the sky above, his eyes carrying a hint of solemnity and reverence.
The old man in black guarded the Heavenly Chasm Cliff. Few people in the Cloud Sea Sect even knew of his existence. Yet, even if the Sect Leader, Nan Gong Ling, met him, he would have to respectfully address him as Old Man Kong.
He had seen that Lin Feng was only at the Eighth Layer of the Qi Martial Realm, and his martial soul seemed very weak, so he had sent him into the most difficult trial, the Bell and Drum Precipice, hoping Lin Feng would back down. But Old Man Kong never expected that Lin Feng, relying solely on his weak cultivation, would actually strike the bell and drum sounds of the precipice.
What shocked Old Man Kong even more was that these bell and drum sounds came one after another, distant and prolonged, enveloping the heavens and earth of the Cloud Sea Sect. By now, the seventh sound had already rung out.
In the thousand-year history of the Cloud Sea Sect, no one had ever created such a miracle.
Moving his feet, Old Man Kong stepped into the passage leading to the Bell and Drum Precipice. Following the steps of the passage, he ascended step by step, his solemn expression as if waiting for the eighth bell and drum sound to ring out.
At this moment, atop the precipice, sword energy still raged wildly. However, the sword energy was no longer rampaging arbitrarily; instead, it moved with the long sword in Lin Feng’s hand. Wherever the sword pointed, the sword energy was unstoppable.
“Momentum. Where the sword’s momentum points, everything is annihilated.” A faint smile appeared on Lin Feng’s face. These eight-sided bells and drums were extremely peculiar. It seemed that only by breaking their momentum and attacking with a force stronger than the rebound momentum of the bells and drums could the bell sounds be struck. Just like Lin Feng now, he guided the momentum of the sword, using a sword momentum stronger than the rebound momentum to attack it, thus making it ring.
“I’ve already struck seven bells and drums. Adding this last one, all eight will ring together. This should count as perfectly passing the trial of the Bell and Drum Precipice.” Lin Feng thought to himself. Even now, he still believed this was the simplest trial of the Heavenly Chasm Cliff.
The long sword was drawn, and the killing sword energy merged into one, flickering with a cold gleam on the blade.
“Ring for me!” he shouted loudly. The sword energy transformed into a brilliant streak of light, crashing into the last bell and drum.
“Clang!” The eighth bell and drum sound trembled above the Cloud Sea Sect, lingering endlessly. Lin Feng’s martial soul disappeared behind him. He sat down directly on the ground, then lay flat.
“This way, I should be able to get the pill to treat Han Man’s injuries.” Despite having exhausted all his strength, a brilliant smile appeared on Lin Feng’s face.
A rumbling sound came from the stone wall. It split open, and a figure walked out from within. It was the old man in black robes.
Seeing the old man in black, Lin Feng scrambled back up and asked the old man, “Senior, have I passed the trial? Can I get the pill I need?”
Old Man Kong saw the clean smile in Lin Feng’s eyes and was momentarily stunned. Then, a strange emotion stirred in his heart, which had long been unmoved. Perhaps Lin Feng himself didn’t realize what he had done. What he wanted wasn’t this unprecedented honor, but merely a pill to treat his friend’s injuries.
“Of course you can.” The old man in black nodded. He took a bottle of pills from his body and tossed it to Lin Feng, saying, “Inside are some healing pills. One is enough to treat your friend’s injuries. As for the rest, keep them for yourself. You might find them useful later.”
“Thank you, Senior.” Lin Feng was a bit surprised. Based on the old man in black’s words, one pill was enough to treat Han Man’s injuries, which showed how precious these pills were. Yet the other party had given him an entire bottle. Lin Feng didn’t doubt the old man’s words. With his status and strength, would he need to deceive him with such means?
“This is what you deserve for passing the trial. But you must remember: don’t tell anyone about passing the Bell and Drum Precipice trial.” Old Man Kong instructed. Lin Feng had struck all eight bells and drums at the Eighth Layer of the Qi Martial Realm. Regardless of how he did it, Lin Feng’s talent, which had broken the history of the Cloud Sea Sect, was undeniable. Old Man Kong didn’t want Lin Feng to be targeted by those with ill intentions.
In the Snow Moon Kingdom, it wasn’t uncommon for various sects to secretly hunt down talented but not yet fully grown disciples from other sects. And today, Lin Feng had sounded the bell of the Cloud Sea Sect’s rise, which would undoubtedly make him a primary target for some sects.
“Alright.” Although Lin Feng didn’t understand why the old man in black wanted him to do this, he still nodded.
The old man in black raised his head and said into the distance, “Old Man Bei, take him back.”
Lin Feng was stunned. This place was a cliff, and as far as the eye could see, there were only mountain cliffs. But the old man in black clearly wasn’t talking to thin air.
“Alright, old ghost. You go back.” A voice came from the mountain cliff. Lin Feng looked up and saw a black dot leaping down from the sky. This black dot had a pair of huge wings, pure white dreamlike wings, which were the feathers of a crane.
“Martial arts experts can traverse the void and fly through the air. I didn’t expect there to be such a strong expert in the Cloud Sea Sect.” Lin Feng’s heart yearned for it. Then he felt a gust of wind sweep over, nearly making him lose his footing.
Sand and gravel flew. The crane’s figure landed on the precipice, causing Lin Feng’s pupils to contract. It was him!
Lin Feng recognized this figure. It was the old man who guarded the Star Pavilion. Now, there was no trace of his former decadent and lazy appearance. His eyes sparkled with sharp light, faintly revealing a spirit that could swallow dragons and serpents.
“The guardian of the Star Pavilion is indeed extraordinary.” At this moment, Lin Feng’s guess was further confirmed.
“Kid, let me introduce you. This old ghost is one of the sect guardians of the Cloud Sea Sect. You can call him Old Man Kong. As for me, I’m the same as him, a sect guardian. You can call me Old Man Bei.” The old man seemed to be in an exceptionally good mood. Sect guardians held an extraordinary status within the sect. Even the Sect Leader had to treat them with respect when meeting them.
And those who could become guardians had a loyalty to the sect that far surpassed others. In their hearts, there was only the sect. Lin Feng had struck these eight bells and drums, so how could Old Man Bei not be happy?
“Old Man Bei, Old Man Kong.” Lin Feng smiled at the two of them. Two sect guardians should be considered the top existences in the sect, right?
Old Man Kong nodded silently, then turned and walked toward the stone wall. After a moment, the stone wall split open, and Old Man Kong’s figure disappeared into the darkness.
“This old ghost stays in that broken cave all day, barely speaking a few words in days. He’s already used to being cold and aloof.” Old Man Bei shook his head, grabbed Lin Feng, and said, “Let’s go too.”
The phantom of the crane martial soul appeared again, and a gust of wind swept through the space. Lin Feng felt his body lift into the air. Looking down at the void beneath his feet, he had a dreamlike feeling. In his previous life, who would have dared to imagine soaring through the sky without relying on flying objects?
But on the Nine Heavens Continent, powerful strength allowed martial artists to look down upon the heavens and the earth.
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