Chapter 38

What Do You Understand Now?

Clang, clang, clang—

As the bell rang a second time, everyone in the Thousand Autumn Valley looked up.

Some still looked confused, but others looked thoughtful…

In just a day, they actually heard the sound of the bell ringing twice. It sounded throughout the huge Thousand Autumn Valley and rang in everyone’s ears indiscriminately!

This time round, it sounded different from the earlier bell chime.

The previous chime had sounded melodious and mellow, as if it was imbued with pensive memories and conveying a faint sorrow.

This time, the ringing of the bell was much faster and louder. At first, it sounded like some kind call to battle, causing the air to freeze. Every disciple of the Thousand Autumn Valley felt their hearts surging.

“The seven rings… of the bell!”

“The seven rings of the bell! It indicates that there’s a major event that concerns the survival of the Thousand Autumn Valley!”

A few disciples quickly understood the meaning behind it and their expressions changed. Someone could not help but whisper excitedly, “The seven rings of the bell. Could it be that the Sect Master has come out of seclusion, so he wants to gather all the disciples in the valley?”

Every disciple of the Thousand Autumn Valley knew…

The number of times the bell rang represented the urgency of the event.

The last time the bell rang seven times was nearly 50 years ago. That most powerful member of the royal family had come alone and almost destroyed the entire Thousand Autumn Valley!

If not for the fact that that expert had been scared off by the trump card of the Thousand Year Valley at the critical moment, the Thousand Year Valley might no longer exist on the current map of Xuanwu Kingdom!

“Even if the Sect Master comes out of seclusion, there shouldn’t be a need for the bell to ring seven times…”

A few other disciples shook their heads with particularly solemn expressions. “Could it be related to the bell chime that happened not long ago?”

Of course, there were also other disciples who were stunned at first when they heard the bell, before joy flashed across their faces.

“The seven rings of the bell, it’s actually the seven rings of the bell!”

“It’s been 30 years… It’s already been 30 years! It’s the moment I’ve been waiting for! Are we finally going to launch the ultimate attack?”

“It must be! There’s no mistake! It’s been three years after three years, it’s time for this previously most important holy land to come to an end!”

The bell rang seven times and the sound spread like an invisible tide. In just a few moments, it swept through the entire Thousand Autumn Valley.

As the bell stopped ringing, a few elders and officials had already rushed towards the Thousand Autumn Hall located in the depths of the sect.

As suggested by its name, the Thousand Autumn Hall was a very lazy… no, very convenient hall.

It was named after the Thousand Autumn Valley, and was also a place to receive important guests and handle important matters.

In the past 700 years, almost every decision that concerned the fate of the Thousand Autumn Valley had been decided in the Thousand Autumn Hall before being conveyed to everyone in the valley.

“Sect… Sect Master, are you gathering the elders and officials now to announce this matter?”

After silently executing the old man’s orders, Liu Chuanyuan then asked hesitantly, “But if we announce this matter now, I’m afraid it will cause a lot of panic…”

He had chosen to use a relatively more tactful phrase.

The truth was, once the news was fully exposed, just causing a lot of panic would be the mildest outcome.

If they were not careful, the unity of the entire sect might be lost. If that was the case, there was no need for the Xuanwu Kingdom’s royal family to come knocking on their door. The Thousand Autumn Valley would just die a natural death on the spot.

“Before the royal family comes knocking on my door, the Thousand Autumn Valley will destroy itself so that the royal family would be unable to destroy it… Well, in a way, it can be considered an invincible countermeasure?”

Seeing that they did not mind him and Zhu Youniang being around, Feng Xia could not be bothered to move. Instead, he continued to rub his chin and observed the Sect Master’s actions.

Liu Chuanyuan had asked the same question he had in his heart.

Although he had already perfected his Sword-Heart Integration and his overall strength was no less inferior to certain Dao Platform Realm cultivators, this old man was definitely more experienced than him.

Whatever problem they could think of, the old man would definitely have already thought of it.

The countermeasures that they could not come up with, the old man might already have one.

“Naturally, I can’t say it in a straightforward manner.”

Hearing what Liu Chuanyuan said, the old man stroked his beard and smiled as he shook his head. “Not everyone has a powerful Dao heart like yours. Some people are either opportunists or have already secretly sided with the royal family of Xuanwu Kingdom.”

Liu Chuanyuan’s expression changed slightly.

However, he did not retort.

This was because the old man was speaking the truth. After all, the current Thousand Autumn Valley was not the former holy land of the old, and it was no longer as imposing as in the past. Naturally, there would be people who wanted to “find another way out”.

“Of course, we have all taken oaths before joining the sect. Therefore, most of these people are just observing the situation and haven’t really betrayed the sect.”

The old man shook his head calmly, as if he was talking about something trivial. “So, there’s only one thing I have to do—give them a reason to stay!”

Hearing this, Liu Chuanyuan widened his eyes in disbelief. Then, he looked ecstatic. “Could it be that Sect Master’s cultivation has already…”

The old man nodded and said calmly, “Although I’ve just stepped into the realm, it should be enough to stop that person.”

After receiving the confirmation, Liu Chuanyuan immediately perked up.

“In that case, let me chair the meeting to announce this exciting news!”

He quickly bowed and left. Only then did the old man slowly turn around. When his gaze swept past Zhu Youniang, a faint light flashed in his turbid old eyes. Then, he fixed his gaze on Feng Xia.

Feng Xia gave him a smile in return and said suddenly, “Senior, you didn’t actually have a breakthrough, right?”

The old man kept a straight face. He only sized Feng Xia up and smiled. “Why do you say that… young friend?”

Feng Xia shrugged and recalled the contents of the Floating Dream Three Lives Technique. He smiled faintly and said, “Primal Core Realm cultivators use their own Dao Platform as a furnace to condense their True Essence, stabilize their Yin and Yang, and forge their Golden Core. Once they succeed, their Primal Core will constantly cleanse their bodies, greatly extending the lifespan of these divine beings. I can’t feel any active blood essence from you, Senior. This means that Senior… you haven’t actually broken through your cultivation.”

“If I deliberately hide my blood essence, even that person from the royal family can’t see through it. You mean you can actually feel my blood essence?”

As he heard everything, the old man was finally moved. He cried out in surprise, “And… using the Dao Platform as a furnace, condensing True Essence, stabilizing Yin and Yang, forging a Golden Core…”

“Stabilizing Yin and Yang, forging the Golden Core… I understand now… I understand now! So this is the step I’ve been missing all along!”

At this moment, it was Feng Xia’s turn to be dumbfounded.

You, you, you…

What the heck do you understand now?

“So I see, so I see!”

As the old man muttered to himself, tears suddenly streamed down his face. He bent his aged body and bowed deeply to Feng Xia.

“Young friend… No, fellow practitioner! I can’t thank you enough. If the Thousand Autumn Valley can survive this calamity, if ever you need me, I will definitely be there, come hell or high water—”

…

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