# 2007
Chapter 1991: Umbrella
Shen Qingzhu, trapped inside the Eastern Emperor Bell, suddenly froze in place.
The moment this bell encompassed him, time seemed to be completely isolated from him—his body also stopped regressing to a smaller form.
"Wu Quan?! WU QUAN!!" The young Shen Qingzhu seemed to realize something, hammering against the inner wall of the bell with all his strength, roaring, "What are you doing?! Let me out!!"
The interior of the Eastern Emperor Bell formed its own space, so no matter how hard one struck the bell wall from within, it couldn't shake the bell in the slightest—it could only produce dull, muffled sounds.
In this downpour of time, the towering Eastern Emperor Bell stood like a giant umbrella, silently shielding Shen Qingzhu from all danger and suffering…
Outside the Eastern Emperor Bell,
Wu Quan, in his state of [Imperial Crimson Blood], emanated a terrifying aura, as if all things in the world were under his dominion!
"You…" [Key to the Gate] was about to say something when His eyes quivered violently again. He had no choice but to clutch His head with both hands, locked in a fierce battle with the soul that was counterattacking wildly!
Wu Quan stepping onto this battlefield also meant stepping into the domain of reversed time. The light of his [Imperial Crimson Blood] receded, and his cultivation realm plummeted from Human Apex at breakneck speed!
Wu Quan was younger than Shen Qingzhu, and his talent was greater—it had taken him only six or seven years to go from an ordinary person to Human Apex…
This also meant that in the reversed flow of time, his death would come even faster.
Hearing the sounds from within the Eastern Emperor Bell, a complex expression flickered across Wu Quan's eyes.
"Qingzhu-ge… the interior of the Eastern Emperor Bell has the effect of blocking the flow of time. Inside there, you can survive…"
"Leave the rest to me."
Wu Quan abruptly raised his palm and slammed it heavily onto the bronze surface of the bell below!
DONG—!
DONG—!!
DONG—!!!
As Wu Quan's realm plummeted, he had to strike the Eastern Emperor Bell with all his might to produce the bell's toll. The first time his palm struck, a deafening bell sound swept across the entire Earth!
The second time his palm struck, a blood-red handprint was left on the bronze surface. Compared to the first strike, the sound was only slightly louder;
The third time his palm struck, Wu Quan, now reduced to an ordinary person, had his palm shattered into blood mist by the rebounding force of the Eastern Emperor Bell. His internal organs were similarly ruptured, and he vomited a mouthful of blood, tumbling off the Eastern Emperor Bell!
DONG— DONG— DONG!!!
These three bell tolls echoed across heaven and earth. By the time Wu Quan's body fell, he had already reverted to that七八岁的小男孩…
"WU QUAN!" Shen Qingzhu's youthful voice continued to echo from inside the bell, his hands frantically hammering the inner wall of the Eastern Emperor Bell, trying to overturn it or lift it. But with his current strength and build, he couldn't possibly move this colossal object.
The boy Wu Quan leaned against the outer wall of the Eastern Emperor Bell, struggling to stand up from the pool of blood. Gushing blood flowed from his severed arm, and his face was deathly pale.
The furious roar of [Key to the Gate] echoed continuously from the distance. However, this sound grew weaker and weaker, until finally, this temporal domain that had blanketed the entire battlefield receded like an ebbing tide to His feet… the distance fell into absolute silence.
Wu Quan dragged his bloodied, broken body, leaning against the outer wall of the Eastern Emperor Bell. The light in his eyes gradually dimmed.
In a daze, he seemed to have returned to that scene of ashes swirling in the burning fire…
【Hurry and get them out… the ambulance will be here soon… not a single one of the younger brothers and sisters can be harmed…】
【If only… you could all come back to life.】
【Qingzhu-ge…】
【You saved everyone…】
In his memories, he faintly heard Shen Qingzhu calling his name inside the bell. He stared blankly for a long moment, then a smile appeared at the corner of his lips…
"The Eastern Emperor Bell rang… Qingzhu-ge, you saved everyone once again."
He murmured to himself.
As blood continued to pour from his body, Wu Quan's consciousness grew increasingly hazy. Leaning against the edge of the Eastern Emperor Bell, he slowly slid to sit on the ground.
After some unknown time, as if having made some decision, he softly said:
"Qingzhu-ge… Qingzhu-ge? Can you hear me?"
Shen Qingzhu's voice continued to come from within the Eastern Emperor Bell, still only repeating those same few sentences. Wu Quan sighed helplessly, "Can't hear it, huh…"
He had worked up so much courage for nothing…
He sat in the pool of blood, his gaze falling upon the corner of the Eastern Emperor Bell. After hesitating for a long while, he murmured once more:
"Then… I should at least leave something behind, right?"
Trembling, he dipped his small finger into a few drops of scarlet blood and began to paint something onto the ancient bronze surface, stroke by stroke… His eyes were filled with complete concentration.
As time trickled by, Shen Qingzhu continued his relentless hammering on the inner wall of the Eastern Emperor Bell. Outside the bell, that crimson pool of blood had already soaked the entire ground. Wu Quan's consciousness couldn't help but sink into darkness…
When he gritted his teeth and勉强画完最后一笔, a smile finally appeared at the corner of his lips…
"There… that's it…"
He gazed upon this crude, simple drawing, and the last glimmer of light in his eyes finally faded. His pale hand limp in the pool of blood…
His heart stopped beating.
The wind howled mournfully across the mountaintop. In this silent world, it seemed only Shen Qingzhu's hammering and shouting remained.
On the other side of the mountain peak, a figure was stumbling forward.
"Damn it… why did your soul suddenly become so powerful? You actually broke through my restraint??"
"The Third Covenant, Return to the Past… so that's how it is… was this also part of your plan…"
"You and I are fused as one… whether in the past or future… I can see everything, yet I cannot see you… you've been waiting for this day all along, haven't you?"
On the distant earth, [Key to the Gate] braced against a stone, barely stabilizing His form. His needlepoint pupils couldn't help but dilate.
On His ashen face, a vicious expression appeared,
"This covenant… won't suppress me for long… soon… I will return…"
"When my final fragment of consciousness descends… when everything is whole… that will be the moment your soul scatters… soon… very soon…"
Before the final words could even finish, that black-robed figure collapsed backward as if fainting.
Dozens of seconds later,
That figure slowly sat up.
"Phew…" He raised his hand, gently rubbing his temples. His expression was filled with exhaustion. "Finally back…"
He braced his body against the ground, struggling to stand. Just as he was about to take a step, his torso, which had been slashed into pieces, sagged down like a torn curtain… Had he still possessed internal organs, they would have spilled everywhere, killing him instantly.
He had to stop walking, brushing his fingers across those lacerations. Invisible threads immediately stitched the shattered body together, like patched-up clothing, restoring it to its original state.
Having done this, he wrapped his body with the black robe and walked directly toward the Eastern Emperor Bell.