# 1731
Chapter 1724: The Eastern Emperor Bell Rises
Dong——!
Dong——!!
Dong——!!!
The resonant bell toll rang from the Qilian Mountains, instantly sweeping across the boundless earth, echoing throughout the entire globe!
The Eastern Emperor Bell tolls!
"It's the Eastern Emperor Bell!"
"Has the Eastern Emperor Bell reappeared?"
"The bell's source is in Great Xia... Then why haven't we detected it all these years?"
"And now, who is ringing it?!"
Several divine silhouettes shot out from Heavenly Court, streaking across the sky toward the source of the bell. Mountain ranges stretched continuously in their field of vision, rapidly growing larger.
"What place is this?"
"The Qilian Mountains."
"The Qilian Mountains... What makes this place special?"
"Nothing, actually. We've never sensed any divine power here. In fact, barely any humans have set foot in this region."
While the Golden Immortals debated, their gazes simultaneously locked onto the mountain peak where the Eastern Emperor Bell resided. Above the snow-capped summit, an ancient and mysterious giant bell already hovered in mid-air!
At the same time, within the howling snowstorm, a figure in a mud-stained kasaya slowly emerged from behind the bell.
"Who are you? How do you possess the Eastern Emperor Bell?!"
"Wait... that face..."
"Lin Qiye?"
"How are you here?"
"不对... not Lin Qiye. Who are you really?"
The Golden Immortals had seen Lin Qiye before. Though this monk shared the exact same face, his aura was entirely different.
Fate Monk pressed his palms together in prayer, showing no intention of responding to them. Instead, he slowly extended his hand, pointing toward the sky above. "Worry less about me... You should be more concerned about what's up there."
The Golden Immortals turned simultaneously to look skyward. There, in the firmament, a burning lunar shadow was clearly visible!
"No good! It's the Moon Seal!"
Taiyi Zhenren's expression shifted dramatically. Without time to think, he immediately transformed into a stream of light and surged toward outer space. The other Golden Immortals followed close behind!
As the many Golden Immortals departed, Fate Monk slowly closed his eyes.
"The game... has begun."
Mist, at sea.
An exploration vessel pressed onward through churning waters, waves of retching and groaning emanating from the ship.
Dong—— Dong—— Dong——!!
The sonorous bell rang through the clouds. Almost simultaneously, brilliant [Covenant] radiance blazed at the ship's bow, enveloping Lin Qiye and Wu Quan within its glow.
Shen Qingzhu's expression shifted drastically. Mighty divine power surged outward, but before he could locate the enemy, the soaring white light gradually faded. Within the silent mist, nothing remained.
"Lin Qiye?! Wu Quan!!"
Shen Qingzhu discovered the two had vanished. Six massive grey wings rapidly unfurled from his back. Gale-force winds swept upward as he soared into the air to search carefully.
What on earth was that white light?!
The instant that white light flared, Shen Qingzhu had sensed an unprecedented temporal fluctuation... He suspected Lin Qiye and the others were likely no longer here, but even so, whoever cast that white light must still be nearby, right?
Shen Qingzhu circled the sky once but found no clues whatsoever. His expression turned grim.
Just then, as if sensing something, he abruptly looked up at the sky.
Grey mist shrouded the heavens, making it somewhat difficult to see clearly, yet a trace of burning azure still appeared in Shen Qingzhu's line of sight...
The instant he recognized the burning azure pattern, his pupils constricted sharply!
"Qiji?!"
Shen Qingzhu certainly recognized this pattern exclusive to [Nightfall]. During their time at Takamagahara, it was this symbol that had brought them together to annihilate the entire [Pure Land].
Could Lin Qiye and Wu Quan have been transported directly to the Moon by that white light?
The moment this thought flashed through Shen Qingzhu's mind, he turned and called down to the exploration vessel below:
"The exploration ship has recorded Great Xia's coordinates. Head there yourselves first. I have business to attend to!"
As the Knights stared in bewilderment, Shen Qingzhu violently flapped his wings and vanished into the sky as a streak of light.
"Mist..."
An Qingyu frowned, looking puzzled toward the direction from which the Eastern Emperor Bell's sound emanated.
Suddenly, an intense pain shot through his chest. He reached in and pulled out a white chess piece. After observing it carefully, his expression changed drastically. He crushed it to powder and let it scatter across the sea.
He gazed at the fading causal thread dissolving into the void, his expression gloomy, lost in thought.
"Mm?"
A faint azure glow ignited in the sky, drawing An Qingyu's attention.
"That is..." His eyes narrowed. Within those grey irises, the burning giant shadow on the Moon's surface was clearly reflected. His pupils slightly contracted. "The Moon... Why is it there?"
Thud——!
A dull thumping sound echoed from behind him. In the void, the faint outline of a portal rapidly took shape.
An Qingyu furrowed his brow and turned to look. Bathed in the light of that burning azure moon, from within that Gate of Truth came continuous thumping sounds, as if some terrifying existence was trying to break free.
"Go back!" An Qingyu hissed.
In the hazy mist, the portal's outline gradually faded into nothingness...
An Qingyu raised his head, taking a deep look at that azure pattern. After a moment's hesitation, he silently pulled up his hood and vanished soundlessly into the mist.
In the dead silence of darkness, a Heavenly Court vessel traversed the void at full speed, hurtling toward the burning moon!
"Is that Zuo Qing?"
Atop the highest palace of Heavenly Court, Lingbao Tianzun gazed at the burning azure pattern, his expression grave. "The Moon... Something major is about to happen."
"Where is Michael? Why hasn't there been any movement from Him?"
"I don't know, but this贫道 suspects... He may have met a grim end." Yuanshi Tianzun let out a long sigh.
"The only one in this world capable of slaying Michael is [Chaos]... But how did He perfectly conceal His presence so that we couldn't detect Him at all?" The Saint Lord's face was full of confusion.
The three Heavenly Lords fell into simultaneous contemplation.
"My Lord!" A streak of light rushed over hastily from the distance.
"What matter?"
Lingbao Tianzun turned to look. The one who had arrived was Skuld, the future goddess they had brought back from Asgard.
"She's awake!" Skuld exclaimed joyfully. "That sister is awake!!"
Lingbao Tianzun froze for a moment, then his pupils contracted sharply as he abruptly turned to gaze toward a certain location in Heavenly Court!
Heavenly Court, Spirit Spring.
A deep blue silhouette slowly rose from the clear spring water.
Barefoot, she stepped out from the spring. Tiny water droplets dripped from her ink-waterfall hair. Every gesture and movement radiated a faint presence of divine power...
"Where is this?" Her voice was full of confusion.
After a moment, as if sensing something, she raised her head to look at the azure pattern gradually approaching from the depths of space.
Her eyes swiftly brightened as she murmured to herself:
"The Eastern Emperor Bell has sounded... Will you come, Qiji?"