Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"To challenge the Chains of Han Mountain!"
Su Ming did not turn his head back. Instead, he lifted his right fist once again and punched the bell, causing the 19th chime to ring in the air!
The moment the bell chime resounded, ripples reverberated through the air, gravel rolled down the mountains, and the Alpine Dark Turtle in the sky let out a sharp howl once again.
"19 times! Just how many times is he going to sound the bell? What is his limit?"
"Does he still want to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain? If he gets hurt when he rings the bell, then he'll definitely die when he challenges the Chains!"
"This person is running rampant! Look, Lake of Colors Tribe has already sent someone here, but he still made the 19th chime when he answered!"
Sounds of discussions whirled up like a typhoon. As the sounds reverberated through the air, the old man from Lake of Colors Tribe cast a deep look towards Su Ming before he took out a plate from his bosom and threw it to him.
"By the orders of the tribe leader, we have acknowledged your right to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain. Lake of Colors Tribe awaits your arrival!"
When he saw Su Ming accepting the plate, the old man turned around and turning into a long arc that charged towards Lake of Colors Tribe to report back.
The people who had been silent in the three tribes found themselves unable to remain silent any longer. Right after Lake of Colors Tribe, a long arc also whistled into the air from the mountain belonging to Tranquil East Tribe. The person inside the arc was the Chief of War!
He came personally, and as he closed in on Han Mountain, the crowd gathered around the area immediately looked up.
"Tranquil East Tribe's Chief of War!"
"He came personally!"
"Of course he would. This is the person who sounded the bell 19 times!"
As Tranquil East's Chief of War approached, he did not stand in midair. He descended and stood 100 feet away from Su Ming. He looked at him and light flickered in his eyes. After a long while, he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming.
"By the orders of my Elder, we acknowledge your right to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain. Tranquil East Tribe awaits your arrival!"
As he spoke, Tranquil East's Chief of War brought out a plate and handed it to Su Ming respectfully. Once he did so, he gave Su Ming a profound look before he turned around and charged back.
He recognized this person before him, it was Mo Su!
However, he did not want to offend this person, especially since he sensed that there was a startling similarity in the presence between the current Mo Su and Si Ma Xin. A thought emerged in his head, and it made him even more reluctant to offend him.
"There's only Puqiang left from the three tribes!"
"By right, Puqiang Tribe should be sending someone here by now."
"It's a pity that once Puqiang sends someone here, this mysterious challenger might stop ringing the bell and we still won't be able to see the third beast on Han Mountain Bell."
Su Ming stood by the bell and did not sound it again. He could feel that the rebound from the bell was becoming stronger. The 20th chime would definitely not be easy. Once he sounded the bell, that rebound would affect him.
The time it takes to burn an incense stick passed by in the blink of an eye. During that time, more people gathered around the area. Eventually, most of those who could not enter the third layer clustered outside.
Their gazes gathered on Su Ming and did not move for a long time. It was as if they wanted to see through the bamboo hat and the black robes to get a clear look of his face, and to see just who he was!
"He sounded the bell 19 times. If he is successful in challenging the Chains of Han Mountain, then this person's fame will definitely be as bright as the sun at noon. He might even be able to enter Freezing Sky Clan!"
"There's no need for that. He's already famous!"
"It's odd though, why hasn't Puqiang Tribe sent anyone here?"
The sounds of discussions buzzed in the air. Many people cast their gazes towards the black fog shrouded mountain belonging to Puqiang Tribe.
Su Ming frowned slightly. He had waited for the time it takes to burn an incense stick, but Puqiang Tribe still remained silent.
'I don't have much contact with Puqiang Tribe, and I don't really understand this tribe, but I can feel that this tribe is very mysterious…'
Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the mountain belonging to Puqiang Tribe. The fog in the mountain was very thick and filled with the air of death.
They waited for a little while longer, and gradually, the crowd realized that something was wrong. They looked towards Puqiang Mountain. Even the leaders of Lake of Colors Tribe and Tranquil East Tribe cast their gazes towards Puqiang.
'They're imposing their might using the situation!'
A freezing look appeared in Su Ming's eyes as he stared at Puqiang Mountain. He had a vague inkling of Puqiang Tribe's goal. They wanted to use this chance by not giving him the plate to show off the tribe's mysteriousness and power.
The more Puqiang remained silent, the more they would catch the people's attention. They would not refuse him the plate, but they would make Su Ming wait longer to elevate their own status.
"Puqiang Tribe has gone overboard," Yan Luan averted her gaze from Puqiang Mountain and said calmly.
The same words were spoken by Tranquil East Tribe's Elder.
At that moment, the black fog surrounding the mountain of Puqiang Tribe tumbled, and someone walked out from within. That person wore a black robe. He had an obstinate look on his face as he charged towards Han Mountain City, then he stood in the air above Han Mountain and lowered his head to cast a glance at Su Ming standing beside the bell below him.
"The Elder is still in isolation. Please wait for a little while longer."
Once he spoke, the crowd immediately fell silent and cast their gazes towards Su Ming.
Su Ming did not speak. His face, which was hidden under the bamboo hat and the black robes, caused them to be unable to see his dark demeanor, but they could still feel a chilling air gathering around Su Ming.
"Isolation? If that's the case, then I'll just have to wake him up."
Su Ming's hoarse voice echoed in the air. This was the first time he spoke since he came to the place. The moment his words left his mouth, Su Ming swiftly lifted his right fist and punched the bell.
Dong!
The 20th chime!
The ancient bell trembled, and under that one punch from Su Ming, it swung to the back, and a strong sound that surpassed the volume of all the other previous chimes resounded in the air. The sound traveled in all directions, and the 21st chime followed soon with a sound that shook the sky and earth!
Su Ming lifted his head swiftly with shock in his eyes. The force of the rebound crashed into his body, and he staggered a few steps back. The bamboo hat shattered into pieces with a bang, but his black robes continued hiding his face, and the people still could not see it.
'How could this be…?'
Su Ming felt shaken.
The two bell chimes fused together and spread out in the air above Han Mountain City like a roar. At the same moment the ripples rolled out horizontally, not only did the rain still, even the Alpine Dark Turtle in the sky trembled and howled as a strange glow appeared in its eyes.
The direction in which it howled… was Puqiang Mountain!
As it howled and the two chimes blended together, the two sounds turned into one that came out of thin air, a vague existence that did not seem to belong to the world and seemed to come from a distant place.
"Nine…"
That sound was like a bell chime, but also like the howl of the Dark Turtle. It sounded muffled, but the moment it spread out, a shocking boom came from within the black fog of Puqiang Mountain.
The entire fog enveloping that mountain instantly burst apart when this sound resounded. It turned into countless black wisps that tumbled backwards, revealing most of Puqiang Mountain, which was usually hidden under the fog!
The sudden change shook the hearts of the crowd. Amidst their shock, they fell into dead silence. They did not know what had happened. They did not know why the bell chime this time would hold such astonishing power.
The fused sound contained a power that dissipated half of the power protecting the mountain of Puqiang Tribe!
The entire area was in silence. The Puqiang tribe member in black robes in midair was dumbstruck. There was disbelief on his face, even a hint of fear.
Yan Luan widened her eyes on Lake of Colors Mountain. For the first time, she trembled. Her expressions changed rapidly and her breathing quickened as she stared at Han Mountain City.
"He… He activated Han Mountain Bell's power!"
Han Fei Zi's eyes were sparkling on the same mountain at the same time. She felt shaken when she felt that burst of power. Without any hesitation, her body swayed, and white clouds appeared under her feet after which she charged towards Han Mountain from Lake of Colors Mountain.
She wanted to see whether this person was the Mo Su she had been waiting for!
On the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe, the expression of Tranquil East's Elder was originally calm, but at that moment, his pupils shrank. He stood up swiftly and stared at Han Mountain's summit as he took in a sharp breath. A brilliant light appeared in his eyes.
'I've always thought he was very similar to Sir Si Ma. Sir Si Ma managed to activate Han Mountain's power in the past and obtained his serendipity. Mo Su also managed to do the same thing!
'Han Mountain Bell, o Han Mountain Bell… you've been in Han Mountain for numerous years, and even Han Mountain's ancestor had been unable to obtain your inheritance and your blessing. Many years passed, and only Sir Si Ma had been able to obtain part of your inheritance that year. And now, this Mo Su…'
On Tranquil East Mountain, Han Cang Zi clenched her fists. A thrilled look appeared in her beautiful eyes. She knew that this time, she did not choose wrong!
On their mountain, Puqiang Tribe was also in a state of shock. Commotion erupted among the people in the mountain. As the protective mist dissipated, the Elder of Puqiang Tribe found himself unable to continue maintaining his cool. The skeletal old man in purple robes had an astonished look in his dull eyes.
"Give him the plate!"
Su Ming's heart raced against his chest. He looked at the lightly swaying Han Mountain Bell before him and took a deep breath. The moment he hurled his fist forward and his punch landed on the bell, he could clearly feel that some of the Qi in his body was sucked into the bell in a mystifying manner.
He had only sounded the bell once, but two bell chimes resounded instead!
He also did not expect the two seemingly normal bell chimes would fuse together and burst forth with a force so powerful it dissipated the fog protecting the mountain of Puqiang Tribe!
This power was definitely not something an ordinary Transcended Berserker could do. An incredible and unthinkable amount of power would be needed to dissipate the power protecting the mountain of a middle-sized tribe in one go… Su Ming's heart raced even faster.
'This Han Mountain Bell… Could it be… could it be a priceless treasure?'
At that moment, when Han Mountain City was in a state of shock due to the bell chimes, there was a mountain shining with the seven colors of the rainbow in a spot located far away from Han Mountain in the Land of South Morning. The seven colors constantly shone brilliantly no matter the time on the mountain.
The light from the seven colors had replaced the colors of the sky.
At the foot of the mountain was a pavilion. Black and white chess pieces spread on the stone table in the pavilion like the stars in the sky. A man and a girl sat inside and were both looking at the chessboard. The man wore a green robe. His face was as fair as jade, his eyes like stars, and he had an extraordinarily handsome face. There was also an indescribable air around him, making him seem lonely, but it was also like an air of serenity. There was a red line about the length of half a finger at the center of his brows.
He took a white piece and was just about to place it down when he suddenly frowned and looked towards the horizon in the distance.
"Big brother Si Ma, what's wrong?"
The girl's chin was resting on her hands. She lifted her hea, revealing a face that was not exceedingly beautiful but had something wild about it..
If Su Ming was there and saw the woman, he would definitely be so shocked he would seem like lightning had just struck his soul, and be filled… with disbelief!
Chapter 176: Nine-headed Dragon
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
The girl's eyes were big and sparkling with a charming light. There was a wild beauty in her eyes that made all those who looked into her eyes feel enchanted.
"It's nothing. Someone touched something that belongs to me. But that person can't take it away."
The man in green robes smiled faintly and no longer looked at the horizon. He lifted the chess piece and placed it down on the board instead.
At the entrance to the second layer of Han Mountain City, Nan Tian and the others looked at the Alpine Dark Turtle in the sky. Their expressions were grave, with a hint of amazement hidden within. They heard the sound just now and saw the fog protecting the mountain of Puqiang Tribe dissipating because of that sound.
After a long while, Nan Tian took a deep breath and spoke slowly ."Brother Leng, you have your answer to your question now…"
Leng Ying was silent as he nodded.
"When Sir Si Ma came to Han Mountain City, he came for Han Mountain Bell… He observed the bell for several days and only sounded the bell three times. That's why if any people heard it, they forgot about it quickly. Very few people know that he sounded the bell before," Xuan Lun said hoarsely from the side.
"Three chimes… I was with the tribe leader of Lake of Colors Tribe at that time, and I saw it with my own eyes," Ke Jiu Si mumbled softly.
"Sir Si Ma fused twelve chimes together with the first chime. No matter how you hear it, it's just one chime, but if you saw it yourself, it'd be different…
"At that time, a sealed beast also appeared, but before that beast had completely manifested, it was shattered by Sir Si Ma's second bell chime. The Alpine Dark Turtle was the same. Before it even manifested, it was shattered by the third bell chime.
"As for the third bell chime… Sir Si Ma bled a little, but no other sealed beast appeared. After that, he stayed by the bell for several days before he left."
A strange light appeared in Leng Ying's eyes. He looked at the stone gate lying not too far away and a frenzied look appeared in his eyes.
Nan Tian cast Leng Ying a glance before he spoke coolly. "Unless you want to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, then don't try it. The three tribes know that this bell is a priceless treasure… but it belongs to Sir Si Ma."
Leng Ying remained silent, but the frenzied look in his eyes gradually disappeared.
Su Ming stood by the bell and looked at it. The scene just now made him feel shaken, causing him to form a new speculation regarding the bell!
'Han Mountain Bell is definitely a priceless treasure! He Feng might not even know about this, but it's been here for years, and no one took it. There's definitely something out of place about this!
'There's only one explanation to this. This bell has a spirit. Unless someone obtains its acknowledgement, then no one can take it away… Han Cang Zi once said that Si Ma Xin came to Han Mountain City in the past. I wonder if he realized the secret of this bell.'
The light in Su Ming's flickered. Right then, the sound from the bell was still echoing in his head.
Nine… The two bell chimes and the Alpine Dark Turtle's howl had formed that word once they fused together as if it contained a great mystery. It surrounded Su Ming's heart and made the light in his eyes grow brighter.
At that moment, another long arc traveled out from the mountain of Puqiang Tribe that had most of its fog dissipated. There was an old man within that long arc. He had an incredibly respectful look on his face and was already in the Transcendence Realm. He approached the city quickly and did not dare stand in midair. He descended on the ground 100 feet away from Su Ming and wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming before he bowed deeply.
"By the orders of the Elder, we are to deliver the plate to you. We hope you will not mind what happened before."
As the old man spoke, he took out the plate and placed it on the ground before taking a few steps back with a conflicted look on his face and turning around to leave.
Su Ming did not look at the plate on the ground. His gaze was still fixed upon Han Mountain Bell. The light in his eyes flickered. He could already tell that the number of times the bell sounded was not the source of obtaining the acknowledgement from the tribes.
'What they want is…'
A pensive look appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He had somewhat understood it, but the whole idea behind it was still a little obscure to him.
"I would suggest that you don't do it."
As Su Ming was still mulling over it, light suddenly flashed on the stone gate that led to the second layer by his side. Four people walked out from within!
The appearance of these four people immediately made the crowd who was originally silent burst into commotion once again.
"Nan Tian, Xuan Lun, Ke Jiu Si, and Leng Ying! Besides Yun Zang, all the Transcended Berserkers in Han Mountain City have appeared!"
"This is the first time I saw the four of them together!"
"He's Sir Leng Ying. I heard about him before. Now that I see him, he's just like the rumors described him. As long as he's around, even sweltering lava will freeze in an instant."
Su Ming turned around and looked at the four people walking out of the stone gate. A faint smile appeared at the corners of his lips, which was hidden under the black robes. From the group, he had already met Nan Tian and Xuan Lun before.
The one who spoke was Nan Tian.
Nan Tian looked at the man in black robes who had his face covered. The man had his head lowered and he could not see his face, but he had a feeling that he had seen the outline of this person's body before.
"Sir, what do you mean?"
Su Ming did not want to be recognized by others at this moment. This was not according to his plans to enter Freezing Sky Clan, that was why he asked in a hoarse voice.
Nan Tian took a close look at Su Ming. After a while, he frowned and spoke slowly. "It's nothing, just a reminder. Perhaps the owner of this bell won't like it."
Su Ming fell silent for a moment before he lifted his right hand and seized the air. Puqiang Tribe's plate instantly flew up into his hand from the ground. At that moment, he had the plates from the three tribes. He had obtained the right to go to Han Mountain's summit. He could go there and challenge one of the three Chains of Han Mountain that led to one of the three tribes.
Nan Tian smiled faintly and withdrew half a step. Ke Jiu Si and the others did the same and opened up a path to the stone gate.
Su Ming looked at the stone gate. He knew that the gate led to the second layer. There would be no more road blocks if he went further up. He could go straight to the summit. However… A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he looked at Han Mountain Bell.
"It doesn't mean I can't snatch it�� even if it has an owner!" Su Ming mumbled and jumped up. He lifted his right foot and spun around, landing a kick on the bell!
Su Ming's actions focused Nan Tian's attention on him. By his sides, Ke Jiu Si and Leng Ying's eyes also became bright. Only Xuan Lun stared at Su Ming, as if he had just recalled something.
"The bell sounded again! 22, 23, 24…"
"This person must have Transcended, but that's odd… The bell chime this time doesn't have that shocking feel just now."
"25, 26, 27… Just how many times is he going to sound the bell? The rebound is too strong!"
The crowd was in an uproar. Most of them had even instantly retreated. With Su Ming and the bell as the center, layers upon layers of invisible ripples spread out, causing the ground in Han Mountain to shake. It even made the leaders of the three tribes in the mountains around the city focus their eyes towards the place.
Su Ming stopped in midair. Just as he was about to land on the ground, he lifted his head swiftly, as if he had finally found a vague sensation. He lifted his right fist and hurled it towards the bell.
The instant his punch landed, a shocking rebound landed on his body. It caused blood to trickle out of Su Ming's mouth. He fell to the ground, and once he took seven to eight steps back, he coughed out a mouthful of blood.
Dong!!
The 28th chime surpassed the previous chimes, even the fused sound that had dissipated the fog enveloping Puqiang Mountain. It turned into one single sound that replaced everything in the world and shook all hearts. It made all those who heard the sound tremble furiously. No matter what level of cultivation a person had, the mighty sound appeared in their minds and made their heads blank!
The ringing of that sound made the Alpine Dark Turtle in the sky howl towards the heavens. As it howled, its body shattered. Its body was not the only one that shattered, the mountain on its back also crumbled!
The crumbling sounds caused a huge crash that fused with the bell chime, making all those who heard it to be unable to differentiate whether the bell chime was real, or that it was multiple bell chimes that had blended into one single sound that was difficult to tell apart. At that moment, the sounds mixed together and caused the sky and earth to change. That muffled voice that seemed to have come from the distant past rang out once again!
"Nine… Headed Dragon…"
This was the only sound in the world. It reverberated, floated, and spread out, causing all those who heard the voice to feel dazed as if they had just lost their minds. It was as if at that moment, their consciousness had been absorbed by that sound.
Yan Luan fell into that state, the Elder of Tranquil East fell into that state, everyone, without exception, fell into that state!
Su Ming had the strongest sensation. A boom resounded through his head, and his mind was left in a blank state.
A gigantic bell flared up gloriously in his mind. It was Han Mountain Bell!
That booming sound was replaced by bell chimes that reverberated through Su Ming's mind, causing him to not know just how much time had passed until he slowly regained consciousness.
The moment he woke up, his ears still rang with the lingering sounds of the bell chime. He could clearly see that the people around him were all still standing around him with dazed looks on their faces, still and unmoving.
Su Ming breathed rapidly. Then, as if he sensed something, he lifted his head swiftly and saw the illusion of a ferocious beast in the sky that only he could see clearly!
It was a gigantic beast. Its features were still obscured, but he could still tell that the beast had nine heads. Each head had a different look. Some of them looked like they belonged to dragons, some to snakes, and some to humans. They were all incredibly bizarre, but what made Su Ming take in a sharp breath was this sight - out of the nine heads, he saw that six of them had their eyes closed, and only three of them had their eyes opened!
Out of the three heads that had their eyes open, one of them was looking at him gently. Su Ming could see himself in its eyes.
The other two heads were looking at him with an arrogant and cold air, and Su Ming saw an extraordinarily handsome person in green robes in their eyes!
At that same moment, at the foot of the seven colored mountain located far into the distance from Han Mountain City, the man in green robes placed the white piece in his hand down.
"Big brother Si Ma, you lost this round."
The girl by his side laughed happily. Her laughter sounded like tinkling silver bells and was very pleasant to the ears. She quickly placed the black piece in her hand down, and her petite face was filled with delight and happiness.
"Lost..?"
The man in green robes smiled faintly. His smile looked very gentle, but the chill in his eyes could not be seen by the girl, neither could the voice in his heart be heard by her.
'That might not be the case.'
Chapter 177: That Might Not Be the Case, Might it?
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Su Ming looked at the illusionary gigantic nine-headed beast in the sky and saw the person in green robes in the eyes of two of the three heads. Their cold and arrogant gaze seemed to have connected with Su Ming's gaze for the first time even though they were separated by a great distance.
A faint smile appeared on the lips of the person in green robes. There was a hint of disdain in his smile. He gradually disappeared along with the nine-headed beast in the sky. As it disappeared, the dark clouds returned and rain fell once again.
'That might not be the case, might it..?'
Su Ming's expression was calm. He suddenly understood the meaning of the gaze that belonged to the person in green robes.
He did not know who that person was, but Su Ming knew that Han Mountain Bell was still without an owner. That person had not managed to completely obtain the bell either. He had only managed to obtain two of the nine heads!
When the illusionary beast in the sky completely faded out and disappeared into thin air, the people on the ground snapped out of their daze and opened their eyes, no matter how strong or weak they were. Even Yan Luan, the Elder, and the others from the three tribes also opened their eyes at that moment.
Very few knew what had happened. The sky was covered by dark clouds, as if nothing unusual had occured. The crowd fell into a brief period of silence before they burst into an uproar.
"What… happened just now?"
"I felt my mind go blank, and I can only remember the bell chime echoing in my head…"
"That's not right, something must have happened just now, or else it's impossible for all of us to react the same way!"
The sounds of discussions became louder. The crowd's gazes all turned to Su Ming under the bell. They only saw his back. Su Ming had his head lowered, and the black robes covered his head so neither his face nor expression could be seen clearly. The watchers could only feel an indescribable presence coming from his back as he walked towards the stone gate leading to the second layer.
By the stone gate, Nan Tian and the others stood with shocked expressions on their faces. They looked at Su Ming walking over. Even if they were all powerful Transcended Berserkers, their minds had been blank during the span of the few breaths. They did not know what had happened, but Ke Jiu Si still instinctively took a few steps back when Su Ming approached them. A respectful look appeared on his face.
The others might not know what had happened, but Ke Jiu Si had seen Si Mi Xin sounding the bell in the past. It might have only been three chimes, but the same situation where all of their minds turned blank had happened. He still remembered it. That year, when he woke up, he saw Si Ma Xin's back as he looked at the bell quietly. That memory had just overlapped with the mysterious person before him!
Nan Tian's breathing became rapid. He might not know as much as Ke Jiu Si, but he still knew that the bell belonged to Si Ma Xin. However, when the strange blank moment in his memories appeared, it still made him feel respectful towards the person walking towards him.
'He's fighting against Sir Si Ma for this bell… This person…'
Nan Tian lowered his head.
Xuan Lun was silent. There was a conflicted look on his face. He had recognized Su Ming. At that moment, Su Ming had just become a tad more mysterious in his eyes. This mysteriousness was so thick it made Xuan Lun instinctively choose to move back.
'Mo Su's power is not as great as mine, but he still makes me feel dread… He dared to fight against Sir Si Ma for this treasure, and… Mo Su seemed to have gained something… just what other secret does this person hold? Is he really just challenging the Chains of Han Mountain to obtain the right to enter Freezing Sky Clan..? Thank goodness he's not the Berserker who attained completion for the Blood Solidification Realm a few months ago…'
Xuan Lun hesitated for a moment. He became slightly uncertain of his thoughts.
Su Ming walked over calmly right under these people's gazes. He did not stop for even a moment at the stone gate leading to the second layer. With one step, he crossed over.
The stone gate suddenly let out a bright flash. At the same time, the three plates Su Ming had on his body also let out bright lights. With a flash, he disappeared into the stone gate.
When Su Ming stepped into the stone gate, an old woman appeared behind Yan Luan on Lake of Colors Mountain. That old woman coughed as she walked. Her face was filled with wrinkles. As she coughed, a sickly red parlor appeared on her face.
Two girls supported the old woman on both of her sides. Their faces were filled with worry.
Yan Luan turned around, shifting her gaze to the old woman. She immediately took a few steps forward and personally held the old woman's arm.
"Tribe leader, the Elder insisted on coming… we…" one of the girls immediately said.
"It's fine. You can both leave now."
Yan Luan nodded and carried the old woman to the edge of the mountain. That spot allowed them to have a better view of Han Mountain City.
"Luan Er, someone obtained a part of Han Mountain Bell's inheritance just now, yes..?"
There was a dull light in the old woman's eyes. Her voice was hoarse and held a hint of weakness. If she did not have Yan Luan's support, she would surely fall.
"Yes," Yan Luan was silent for a moment before she answered softly.
"That bell has been in Han Mountain for too long… Han Mountain Tribe was even named after that bell. Han Moutain's ancestor was the one who gave the bell its name – Han Mountain Bell. But in truth, no one knows where it came from, and what its true name is.
"It's better if it's taken away. If it continues staying here, then some day, it'll bring about a catastrophe… It doesn't matter whether it's Si Ma Xin or that person just now, let whoever can take it away do so. Don't interfere."
"But Fei Er still needs to enter Freezing Sky…"
Before Yan Luan could finish speaking, the old woman turned her weak body around and looked at the beautiful woman before her. She did not speak, but only looked.
After a long while, Yan Luan lowered her head.
"Elder, I'll remember it."
"Luan Er, Lake of Colors Tribe is only a small middle-sized tribe. Si Ma Xin is not someone we can provoke, but is the person who dared to fight against Si Ma Xin for the bell someone we can provoke?"
"Elder, I'm worried about Freezing Sky Clan. Si Ma Xin is the disciple they value the most in Freezing Sky Clan… Fei Er still needs to join Freezing Sky Clan, if I don't do anything now, I…"
"You're still too young…"
The old woman lifted a trembling hand and patted Yan Luan's shoulder. The intelligence left behind by time could be seen in her dull eyes.
"You can say that Si Ma Xin is Freezing Sky Clan's disciple, but can you say that Si Ma Xin is the only disciple in Freezing Sky Clan?"
The old woman turned her head and looked at Han Mountain with a profound gaze.
"This…"
Yan Luan was stunned. There was a slightly confused look on her face.
The old woman sighed softly. She did not look at Yan Luan as she whispered, "Let's change a perspective, you can say that Lake of Colors Tribe is a tribe in the Land of South Morning, but can you say that Lake of Colors Tribe is the only tribe in the Land of South Morning..? Do you understand now?"
Yan Luan fell silent for a moment before she nodded.
"I've already given up too much for Freezing Sky Clan. The four dimensional layer Relocation Art can protect our tribe from not dwindling for 1,000 years. Don't provoke this person. If he wants to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, then we will support him." As the old woman spoke, a tired look appeared on her face.
At the same time, the eyes of Tranquil East's Elder sparkled at the top of the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe. His expressions changed repeatedly, as if he was uncertain. He would even occasionally cast a look at the Lake of Colors Mountain. When he saw that Lake of Colors Mountain remained still, resolution appeared in his eyes.
"Among the three tribes in Han Mountain, I respect the Elder of Lake of Colors the most. This old woman may not be incredibly calculative, but her intelligence can occasionally be very useful in major events. If she doesn't take action, neither will we!
"Han Mountain Bell will belong to whoever takes it away. This bell never belonged to the three tribes to begin with. Once we understand this, we can be at ease," the Elder of Tranquil East said in a voice as if he was mumbling to himself, but he also seemed to be talking to the tribe leader of Tranquil East, the Chief of War, and the others standing behind him.
Puqiang Tribe was also silent. The three tribes had adopted a strikingly similar attitude towards this. They chose to ignore it.
There was only a little time left before the afternoon, but the rain was still heavy. It poured down mountain ranges and flowed down the rocks, causing the floor to be incredibly slippery.
This was Su Ming's first time being in the second layer of Han Mountain City. Behind him was the stone gate that blocked the path to the third layer. Before him, the first layer of Han Mountain City was located high above. It was also the top of Han Mountain. That place was not too far from where he was. There was nothing above the first layer. Only the three Chains stretched out and connected the mountains of the three tribes over there.
"The Chains of Han Mountain…"
A brilliant glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He lifted his feet and moved through the quiet second layer at a moderate pace. He walked along the winding mountain path, and after the times it takes to burn half an incense stick, he stood at the highest point of Han Mountain City!
At this place, the mountain breeze whistled in the air and rushed madly at his face. It caused Su Ming's robes to dance in the air, but the wind did not manage to lift the robes covering his face. The three Chains connected to the summit swayed in the wind. The canyons that spanned hundreds upon thousands of feet were right underneath them.
The wind was piercing cold. There were even droplets of rain in it.
Su Ming stood right there at the top and took a deep breath.
He did not know whether powerful Transcended Berserkers would die once they failed the challenge and fell into the canyons. However, if the Chains of Han Mountain had existed for so many years, then it would definitely not be easy to challenge them. Even if those who had Transcended could walk in the sky, they would still only have a slim chance of surviving.
Su Ming stood at the summit and looked into the distance. As far as he could see it was filled with dark clouds. The sky and earth seemed to have connected together and there was no difference between them. The rain was like a curtain that caused everything in sight to be blurred and indistinct.
Sometimes, thunder would rumble in the sky. Bolts of lightning that could not be seen clearly would also flash. Sometimes, a part of the bolt of lightning would appear among the layers of clouds. If someone kept their eyes towards the sky for a long time, they would feel as if their eyes were flickering.
"He's going to start the challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain!"
"Which tribe's Chain will this person choose? I think it's going to be Lake of Colors!"
"No matter which tribe's Chain he chooses, I just want to know whether he'll be successful. There're nine sections to the Chain, how many sections will he be able to walk? If he walks past the seventh section, then he can already be considered to have made it!"
"In the past, the standard was for the challenger to walk up to the eighth section of the Chain for Freezing Sky Clan to take that person in as a disciple. The criterion for each person is still different, but there're just too few who manage to walk up to the ninth section of the Chain."
"The ninth section is nothing. From what I know, the nine sections that are open to public now are only the first section of the true Chains of Han Mountain! The true Chains of Han Mountain are connected to eight mountains. Up till now, the complete chain had only appeared twice thousands of years ago!"
The rain may have been heavy, but it did not stop the people from paying attention to what was happening.
Su Ming stood at the top of the mountain. Before him was the Chain connecting to Lake of Colors Tribe. The Chain to his right was connected to the mountain belonging to Tranquil East Tribe in the distance. To his left was the Chain that connected to Puqiang Mountain, dripping wet with water as it bathed in the rain.
Three Chains, and three different mountains.
Su Ming stood at the peak, and he could not help but recall the first time he came to Han Mountain City a few years ago. He had been standing at the third layer and had his head lifted to look at He Feng standing at the top of the mountain.
That scene had remained in his head for a long time.
"A few years have passed since then. Time flies…" Su Ming mumbled.
He took a deep breath and looked towards the Chain connecting to Puqiang Mountain. A bright glint appeared in his eyes and he took one step towards the Chain to his left!
Chapter 178: The Chains of Han Mountain
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"It's Puqiang Tribe!"
"He didn't choose Lake of Colors or Tranquil East, but Puqiang!"
"Puqiang Tribe has always been mysterious, and there are few who challenge the Chain of this mountain. Why did he choose that mountain? Lake of Colors and Tranquil East had clearly shown their willingness to receive him just now. Only Puqiang remained indifferent, and they were even in conflict earlier!"
As Su Ming moved forward, the entire Han Mountain City burst into an uproar. Almost everyone talked about it. They could not understand his actions.
By right, all the mountains that were connected to the Chains of Han Mountain were the same. Freezing Sky Clan did not designate a certain mountain for the challengers for when they chose disciples.
If it was anyone else, they would not choose Puqiang Tribe over Tranquil East Tribe, who sent their Chief of War over, or Lake of Colors Tribe, who had been the first to send their plate! The two of them were even in conflict just now, especially when the bell chime broke the fog protecting their mountain.
Not only did the crowd not manage to wrap their heads around it, even Nan Tian and the other three Transcended Berserkers were baffled when they saw Su Ming's actions. Nan Tian looked at Su Ming's figure at the summit. He could not understand why he would make such a choice.
Only Xuan Lun's pupils shrank. He was a guest in Puqiang to begin with and was incredibly familiar with the tribe. So even though he might no longer be a guest, the friendship they had formed over the years was still around. When he saw Su Ming's decision, he had no idea why, but his heart lurched.
'He must have another plan!'
Xuan Lun narrowed his eyes and stared at Su Ming standing at the summit without a word.
Lake of Colors Tribe and Tranquil East Tribe were also puzzled. The Elder and the rest of the people in Tranquil East Tribe stood at the top of their mountains and looked at Han Mountain. When they saw Su Ming moving towards Puqiang's Chain, the tribe leader of Tranquil East Tribe, Fang Shen, frowned.
A glint flashed through the Elder's eyes before he spoke slowly."Kindred Mo seems to have another goal besides obtaining the right to enter Freezing Sky Clan…"
On Lake of Colors Mountain, a piercing glare came from the originally exhausted Elder. She looked at Han Mountain with a pensive look on her face.
Beside her, Yan Luan also frowned.
"We can give him everything that Puqiang can provide… but he still chose Puqiang. This person has a goal and has made preparations for it. He must have made his decision before he challenged the Chains of Han Mountain. His goal is not Han Mountain Bell, but… Puqiang!" the old woman said in a hoarse voice.
The light in her eyes became brighter.
The old woman fell silent for a moment before she mumbled uncertainly, "The only thing we can't provide is the aura of death that Puqiang gathers with their unique Berserker Art…"
Puqiang Tribe was even more shocked by this compared to Tranquil East Tribe and Lake of Colors Tribe's bewilderment. Almost at the moment Su Ming chose the Chain to Puqiang Tribe, a strange glint appeared in the eyes of the skeletal old man sitting cross-legged at the summit of Puqiang Mountain.
Seven to eight people sat behind him. There were even people rushing to him quickly from below the summit.
"Elder…" someone spoke hesitantly in a low voice beside the old man who looked like a skeleton.
"No matter. I'd like to see whether this person can make it here," Puqiang Tribe's Elder said calmly, touching the bone bracelet on his right wrist with bright eyes as he stared at Han Mountain in the distance.
Right at the moment Su Ming's right foot stepped on the swaying Chain battered by the rain connecting to Puqiang Mountain, muffled booms reverberated through the air and covered all voices from the people in Han Mountain like muffled rumbles of thunder. The earth also trembled as if it was shaking. Eight giant pillars of 100 feet thickness rose up from the canyon underneath the Chain.
The eight giant stone pillars, decorated by cracks and numerous green plants, rose up from the canyons with rumbling sounds and immediately supported the swaying Chain whilst dividing it into nine sections!
As the eight stone pillars rose up, dust clouds soared up from within the canyon, but the moment they appeared, they were immediately washed away by the storm. Thunder rumbled in the sky like it was showing its might.
Each of the nine sections of the Chain were very long. They connected with each other, forming a bridge-like chain path between Han Mountain and Puqiang Mountain!
Rain continued washing down the Chain, causing it to look incredibly drenched. If it was a normal person on top, they would perhaps not dare to take even a single step. Even if they did take that step, they would still fall to their deaths due to carelessness.
The loose and swaying Chain not only brought danger to a person's body, but also shock to the soul. People would feel as if the canyon was right before their eyes and they would retreat instinctively. Even if someone pushed them from behind, they would still struggle to move backwards.
This sort of shock to the soul was hard to bear even for people who claimed to have strong willpower.
Su Ming's right foot landed on the Chain, but it did not stop swaying because his foot landed on it. It continued swinging in the storm, causing his right foot to sway along with it.
Su Ming had an incredibly solemn look on his face. He had never underestimated the Chains of Han Mountain. The slippery feel was even clearer when he stepped on the Chain, and it was difficult for him to stand firmly.
'No wonder He Feng always took a few steps in one go at that time, even if he stopped, he would wait until he was steady on his feet before he…'
Su Ming was not the only one serious. At that moment, almost all of the people in Han Mountain City were the same. They looked at the figure in the rain and looked at the swaying Chain underneath his foot. They could not help the nervousness growing within them.
"Just how far… can a person who struck the bell 20 something times go?"
"He chose the wrong time. The Chains of Han Mountain are much more difficult in the rain."
"It's not a problem of timing. It'll continue raining in this season. No matter which day he chooses, it'd still be the same."
The sounds of discussions gradually grew louder as the people's breathing quickened.
Su Ming could not hear any of it. He lifted his left foot, and the moment he steadied his right foot, he took a step forward.
This step might have seemed small, but it meant that both Su Ming's feet had left the ground and left Han Mountain. At that moment, it could be said that his entire being was standing on the Chains of Han Mountain!
The mountain gust whistled in the air and blew past Su Ming's body as if it wanted to push him off the Chain. It caused Su Ming's robes to flutter and made the Chain sway even more.
Even breathing was difficult in this windstorm. Su Ming lifted his head and looked at Puqiang Mountain located in the distance. Even his vision started swaying as he stood on the Chain.
'If that's the case, it's not really that difficult.'
A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he stood straight before he moved forward. Each step he took landed squarely on the swaying Chain. No matter how much the Chain moved, it would seemingly move under his feet on its own to allow him to step on it.
He moved forward steadily. Gradually, half of the first section of the Chain was traversed. 2,000 feet away from him was a pillar of 100 feet that symbolized the end of the Chain's first section.
The people in Han Mountain City were all staring at Su Ming with utmost attention as he traversed half of the first section in midair, walking towards the first stone pillar.
"We might not be able to see his face, but his footsteps are very stable. The first section shouldn't be much of a problem for him."
"That's right. But there're nine sections to the Chains of Han Mountain. The farther you go, the stranger the Chain will be, or else it wouldn't be so famous, neither would it be used as the test for Freezing Sky Clan to choose their disciples."
"I wonder how many sections this person will manage to conquer…"
The sounds of discussion gradually calmed down and numerous pairs of eyes focused on Su Ming's body up above. It was not just the people of Han Mountain, the tribe members and leaders of the three tribes were also looking at him. Due to Su Ming's appearance, the day where morning had passed by in the rain became different.
Su Ming completed the first section of the Chain with a nonplussed attitude. When he was at the end of the first section and was about to land on the first stone pillar, he suddenly trembled.
The moment he trembled, his body started swaying. The sudden scene immediately made all the people gathered below cry out in surprise.
"This… This is just the first section, and he can no longer handle it?"
"Impossible! He made the bell chime 20 something times, how could he not be able to handle the first section?!"
"That's impossible, unless…"
Cries of surprise rose and turned into an uproar in an instant.
Even the people from Lake of Colors Tribe and Tranquil East Tribe had their full attention immediately captured by what they just saw.
A glint appeared in Yan Luan's eyes and she spat out coldly, "Cur!"
The old woman by her side did not speak. Instead, she looked towards Puqiang Mountain.
On the summit of Tranquil East Tribe, the Elder of Tranquil East also cast a profound gaze towards Puqiang Mountain. He smiled faintly and did not speak. However, behind him, a piercing glare appeared in Fang Shen's eyes.
"Since when did Puqiang become so petty?"
There were dozens of people sitting on Puqiang Mountain. The Elder sat at the top amongst those people, and they were all silent.
"Give me a reason," the Elder of Puqiang Tribe said languidly.
Su Ming lifted his head swiftly. At the moment his foot landed, a strong wave of power instantly appeared from the chain and surged into his body from his right foot without warning. That power was filled with the aura of death, as if it wanted to freeze his Qi. However, Su Ming had already obtained 979 blood veins. It would be difficult to freeze his Qi even for a normal Transcended Berserker!
He let out a cold harrumph. He did not lift his right foot, simply taking another step on the Chain with his left foot. At the same moment, the full force of all the Qi from the 979 blood veins in his body spread out abruptly and fused into the Chain, crashing into the incessant waves that kept charging towards from him hundreds of feet away.
The first stone pillar was in between the two waves of power. The stone pillar shuddered and a large amount of debris fell off, but the pillar stood tall and did not fall.
Su Ming noticed it before. There was a strange force on the pillar that strengthened it. This force was rather familiar to him. It was the presence of Han Mountain's ancestor.
Even if the presence was faint, and even if Han Mountain's ancestor had died, but the presence that was left behind on the pillar could still make sure it did not shatter.
The two forces of power crashed into each other and formed a muffled sound that was covered by the rumbling thunder, causing the other people to be unable to hear it clearly. On Puqiang Mountain, a middle aged man shuddered among the dozens of people sitting on the summit. Blood flowed down the corners of his mouth and he looked at the Elder of Puqiang Tribe.
"He touched the treasure left behind by Sir Si Ma in this place. Sir Si Ma may not think it's worth it to be bothered by the likes of someone like him, but he has committed an offense and must be punished!"
"You bit off more than you can chew…" the Elder of Puqiang Tribe said calmly.
Chapter 179: Change in Personality
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"You're to be punished with three years isolation and you're not allowed to come out!"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe did not even look at the middle aged man as he spoke unhurriedly.
The middle-aged man fell silent. He wiped off the blood at the corner of his mouth and got up to bow towards the Elder. He hesitated for a moment, as if he wanted to say something, but chose to remain silent in the end and left respectfully. Yet at the very moment he walked to the edge of the mountain and was about to go down…
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe looked at Su Ming standing on the Chain of Han Mountain in the rain and spoke once again."You acted too rashly, spoiled everything and achieved nothing. Three years is too few, go isolate yourself for six years and do not come out!"
This time, the middle-aged man not only did not harbor any resentment, he became more respectful and bowed towards the Elder once again.
"Thank you, Elder."
As the person left, Puqiang Mountain sank into silence once again.
Su Ming looked towards Puqiang Mountain. A cold glare appeared in his eyes. He could feel a chilling aura incessantly traveling forth. He could already tell that once he walked past the first stone pillar, the chilling aura would seep into his body with each step he took and cause his feet to increasingly stiffen up more.
'The further I go, the difficulty of the Chain will increase, and what happened just now is definitely not a coincidence…'
Su Ming's eyes grew colder and a chilling smirk appeared on his lips. He stood at the end of the first section of the Chain and lifted his foot, landing right on the first stone pillar. An incredible force erupted from his body and turned into an impact that traveled down his right foot.
The moment that force landed on the stone pillar, a huge boom came from it. Cracking sounds resounded and rifts appeared beneath Su Ming's foot, which continued spreading down until they penetrated the entire pillar.
The stone pillar had existed for many years. It had never shattered because no one dared to destroy it when they challenged the Chains of Han Mountain. There was also another reason to it, once it was destroyed, they would have no place to rest, and the challenge would become more difficult.
More importantly, there was a strange power within the pillars. This power made them nigh impossible to destroy for other people. However, Su Ming was not one of those people!
That power belonged to Han Mountain's ancestor. It was a power that was similar to the power of the Branding Art, and since Su Ming possessed the power of the Branding Art, the power within the pillars was not a problem to him.
It would not have worked if Han Mountain's ancestor was still alive, but since he was dead and most of the strengthening force in the pillars had already disappeared due to time, with Su Ming's Brand, a crack immediately appeared in the force once he pushed the Brand in, allowing the power of all 979 blood veins in his body to crash into the pillar.
Tremors shook the stone pillar, and as everyone stared at it with their mouths agape, the stone pillar under that Chain crumbled and shattered!
When it shattered, the Chain sank down, but Su Ming was not affected albeit he was standing on it. The moment the stone pillar crumbled, he straightened on the Chain and looked towards Puqiang Mountain located in the distance!
'Each time you attack me, I will destroy one of your stone pillars!'
Su Ming did not utter the words, but his cold gaze delivered his message.
He did not use words to threaten them. Instead, Su Ming chose to use his actions to respond to Puqiang Tribe's schemes. He was telling them outright that he had the power to destroy their stone pillars!
When the crowd in Han Mountain City saw what happened, a great uproar immediately broke out among them. They had witnessed many challenges to Chains of Han Mountain, but they had never seen or heard of anyhing like this, much less thought that the stone pillar that had existed for so long would crumble right before their eyes.
"One of the eight stone pillars from Puqiang Tribe has crumbled!"
"It's said that the stone pillars were built by Han Mountain Tribe in the past and are incredibly sturdy. They're very difficult to break! Just how did he do it?"
"What just happened must be Puqiang Tribe's doing, but… that's just not worth it. If the stone pillar crumbles, it'll just be more difficult for the challengers. They won't have any place to rest."
"You're wrong. This doesn't really make things more difficult for him, but this is completely out of Puqiang Tribe's expectations. Right now, the one who is panicking is not him, it's Puqiang Tribe!
"Shattering the stone pillars is not against the rules for the challengers of the Chains of Han Mountain. No one can say anything about it. But unless Puqiang Tribe can build the stone pillar like how Han Mountain Tribe had done, then this will be a permanent scar for Puqiang! This is a damage to their reputation. He's slapping them in the face, and they can't say anything about it! And this will also be remembered by other people!"
On Lake of Colors Mountain, a sharp glint appeared in the old woman's eyes. She cast a deep look at Su Ming, who was standing on the Chain in the distance.
By her side, Yan Luan smiled faintly. She did not speak.
Tranquil East Tribe was acting in a similar fashion. They were all looking at the silent Puqiang Mountain.
At the very instant Su Ming destroyed the first stone pillar, besides the Elder and two other people, the others all stood up on Puqiang Mountain. Their expressions were filled with animosity as they glared at Su Ming standing on the Chain of Han Mountain.
"How dare he ruin Han Mountain's stone pillar!"
"Elder, we must punish such an impudent person!"
"Elder, tribe leader, our tribe's reputation is ruined because he destroyed our stone pillar! We can't take this lying down!"
"Enough!" The Elder of Puqiang Tribe frowned and spoke unhurriedly. The moment he spoke, the area immediately fell silent. "It's just a stone pillar. If it's destroyed, let it be. We'll talk if he manages to come here."
The Elder's expression remained passive and his voice was calm, but there was a chill in his eyes.
There was a plump middle-aged man sitting beside the Elder. He looked like a mountain of flesh sitting on the summit. He smiled and narrowed his eyes as he spoke.
"It's not a bad thing that he destroyed the pillar. Compared to the other two tribes, Puqiang's Chain will become more difficult for other challengers in the future, and it also sets us aside from the others."
Su Ming could not hear the shock in the three tribes or the uproar of the crowd in the city. He stood on the Chain that was missing the first stone pillar with a calm demeanor, not in a hurry to continue. Instead, he chose to recover his breathing.
After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, thunder rumbled in the sky and the rain became heavier.
At that moment, it was as if there was a basin pouring water from the sky. Rain landed on Su Ming's body, causing his robes to stick to his skin. The wind also became stronger, but Su Ming was prepared. He did not want others to see his face. The robes covering his face were set in place firmly.
He walked forth once again in the rain. This time, he did not stop. Even if the chill underneath his feet was getting colder, he still took quick and steady steps towards the stone pillar at the end of the second section of the Chain.
Time trickled by. Right at the moment Su Ming closed in on the second pillar and the crowd wondered whether Su Ming would destroy the second stone pillar as they stared at him, suddenly, a lackadaisical and delicate voice traveled forth from Puqiang Tribe.
"Sir, please destroy the rest of Han Mountain's stone pillars from our tribe. We're sorry we have to trouble you with this. And if you possess more extraordinary power and strength, then you can try cutting off this Chain so that our tribe will not be bothered by outsiders from now on."
The voice held a velvety tone to it that made it seem as if it held no strength, but when the words fell in people's ears, it made them feel enticed, as if they were targeted by poisonous snakes.
As the words traveled out, the crowd in Han Mountain City immediately fell silent and looked towards Su Ming. Nan Tian and the others were looking as well. The light in Nan Tian's eyes flickered. To him, the challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain this time was completely different from what he had seen before.
'Puqiang Tribe's words have just forced this person to his doom. If I were him, what would I do..?'
A cold smirk appeared on Xuan Lun's lips. He looked at Su Ming, who stood at the Chain suspended in midair, and that sneer on his lips became colder. He could already imagine Mo Su's hesitation. His actions and subsequent counterattack just now had just turned him into laughing stock.
Su Ming stared at Puqiang Mountian coldly. He lifted his right foot and stepped on the second stone pillar. Once he sat down, he closed his eyes, as if he did not hear that voice. He paid no heed to them and started resting.
At that moment, everyone in Han Mountain City fell silent. All of them were looking at Su Ming. Even the ones from Lake of Colors and Tranquil East were staring at him, waiting for the moment he chose to give answer to the statement.
After a while, Su Ming opened his eyes and got up to the move to the third section of the chain. The instant his feet landed, an imposing abruptly pressure spread out from the Chain. That pressure held an aged presence that seemed to have existed for a long time. It would appear each time someone came forth.
The moment the pressure fell upon him, Su Ming faltered for a heartbeat. He circulated his Qi, causing most of the pressure to dissipate. He lifted his foot and moved forward along the Chain.
The more steps he took, the stronger the pressure grew. Su Ming only took five steps forward, and he could already clearly feel a slight decaying sensation in his body due to this pressure. It was as if his entire being was gradually growing older.
'So this is the true might of the Chains of Han Mountain..? No wonder even those who Transcended will shrink back in its presence… Even power will rot in the face of time.
'The third section of the Chain will be difficult for those at the eighth level of the Blood Solidification Realm, but I can still handle it.'
Su Ming walked forth silently. The instant he took his 15th step, the delicate voice traveled out once more from Puqiang Mountain.
"Sir, about the thing we asked of you…"
The moment the voice came, the second stone pillar behind Su Ming suddenly shook and crumbled into a lot of debris. As it let out muffled rumbling booms, it shattered.
The voice instantly froze, as if it had just swallowed its subsequent words.
Right till the end, Su Ming did not open his mouth to answer the words from the delicate voice. Even if the second stone pillar behind him crumbled, he still did not turn his head back, and neither did he stop. The Chain sank abruptly, but he still continued onward towards the third stone pillar, facing the pressure brought by time as he approached the pillar.
His silence made all those who saw the stone pillar crumble stunned. It was not only because of the stone pillar shattering, but also due to their suspicions towards Su Ming.
"What's his name..? He's definitely not some ordinary person!"
"This person's personality is scary!"
"I wonder what Puqiang Tribe will do next…"
As the people discussed amongst themselves in low voices, Su Ming was already standing on the third pillar. He only stood there for a moment before continuing onwards.
Rumbling sounds came from behind him, and the third pillar crumbled.
He was still silent as he walked past the fourth and fifth pillars.
When the fifth pillar crumbled, Su Ming's footsteps on the Chain slowed down. His breathing had become slightly ragged. The aged feeling had enveloped his entire body, causing him to feel as if he had just turned into an old man.
Chapter 180: The Secret Behind the Chains of Han Mountain
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Half a day had gone by. It was already noon. The gentle sunlight should have been bringing about a scorching heat at that moment, but it was blocked by the thick, dark clouds in the sky that refused to leave. It could not shine through.
The rain was still falling heavily and created pattering sounds along with the whistling wind that swept through the mountain ranges under the heavens.
It might have still been raining, but it did not stop anyone in the crowd in Han Mountain City from watching. All of them wore straw capes and bamboo hats as they continued staring at Su Ming walking on the Chain swaying in the wind in midair!
The wind may have been strong and the rain heavy, but it did not at all stop them from watching the person who had sounded Han Mountain Bell twenty odd times, who completely shattered the five stone pillars he walked through, and who had walked up to the sixth section of the Chain.
Perhaps it would be an exaggeration to describe this person and this incident as something that would only happen once every thousand years, but it was inadequate to describe it as a sight that happened once every few centuries.
"He's slowing down at the sixth section of the Chain! There's definitely something strange in that section!"
"It's a pity that all those who successfully conquered the Chains of Han Mountain chose to keep the secret of the Chains to themselves. Most of those who failed the challenge died, and even those who survived by a stroke of luck chose to remain silent… It only makes people wonder why the Chains of Han Mountain are so difficult."
"Hmm? He stopped!"
Discussions broke out and multiple pairs of eyes gathered on Su Ming through the curtain of rain. Even Nan Tian, Xuan Lun, Ke Jiu Si, and Leng Ying all looked towards him with shining eyes.
Su Ming no longer continued onward on the swaying Chain. Instead, he sat down, looking as if his body was glued to the Chain. As it swayed, his body too, moved with it.
His breathing had become rapid. There was a bright glint in his eyes, but he was not looking at Puqiang Mountain. He was staring at the Chain beneath him instead. This Chain may have been bathed in rain, but signs of rust could still be seen in certain places, which proved the rumors that the Chains had been around for many years.
'The pressure that makes it feel as if my time is flowing away is not coming from the land, neither is it coming from Puqiang, much less the stone pillars that I destroyed… It's coming from this Chain!'
Up to this point, as the pressure from time and age became stronger, Su Ming also felt that his life force was being sucked away by the Chain bit by bit.
The speed at which his life force was being absorbed was not quick, but the farther he moved along the Chain, the faster his life force was being absorbed.
Su Ming could still resist against it at the moment. After all, he had 979 blood veins. If he just circulated all his blood veins, it would provide his body with a vast amount of Qi. The circulation of Qi was part of his life, and it could cover up the portion that was absorbed.
However… Su Ming looked at the Chain that still spanned far into the distance before him.
'I'm only at the sixth section right now. There's still a lot to go… Just what is this Chain? How does it have such shocking power… and why is it absorbing life force!'
Su Ming chose to sit in this exact place because there was a particular portion of the Chain before him that had a lot of rust. It was also the one portion where the rust was the most obvious to the eye. Some of the rust would even break off from the Chain as rain fell on it.
Wind whistled by his ears and brought a lot of rainwater onto him. Thunder also rumbled in the sky. At times, lightning would flash. Beneath Su Ming were the canyons whose ends could not be seen. When he lowered his head, what entered his sights was the rain falling into the canyons like millions of arrows that were let loose.
Su Ming recovered his breathing for a while and lifted his right hand, tapping a finger on the rusted portion of the Chain. The surface of his finger touched the rust.
The instant he did so, Su Ming's face started paling. Very soon, his right index finger turned white, all signs of red being lost. This was not a sign that his blood was absorbed, but a sign that the life force formed when he circulated his Qi and the life force used for his organs to work in his body was slowly being sucked away.
Time gradually passed by. Su Ming had already been sitting on the Chain for a long while. His right hand was still on the Chain, and he allowed his life force to be taken away as he remained still.
The people in Han Mountain City gradually discovered that something was afoot. However, they could not think of the reason. They could only speculate.
"Is he tired? The time it takes to burn an incense stick is already over, and he still doesn't seem to be getting up."
"Looks like the sixth section of the Chain is his limit. It's a pity… a real pity…"
"He already did pretty well for going up to the sixth section of the Chain. After all, the Chains of the Han Mountain are unlike the bell. Your life is at risk if you challenge the Chains. I think that right now, he's also uncertain whether he should continue…"
"But can he even withdraw anymore? He already destroyed all the stone pillars behind him. Even if he chooses to walk back, it'll be difficult…"
The discussions spread in the rainstorm. Su Ming's actions had captured a lot of people's eyes and attention.
"Perhaps right from the moment he destroyed the first stone pillar, he chose not to give up…" Nan Tian looked at Su Ming sitting on the Chain and mumbled to himself.
After a little while longer, a bright glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he lifted his right hand slowly. He stared at that portion of the Chain and his pupils gradually shrank.
'It's just as I expected. The Chain absorbs life to repair itself.'
Right before Su Ming's eyes, the part that had most obviously rusted had started recovering. A part of the Chain had returned to a normal shade of color!
'The Chains of Han Mountain were created by Han Mountain's ancestor… He came from another world to the land of Berserkers. I can understand why he supported Han Mountain Tribe. By doing so he could have a place to stay.
'But why did he create the Chains of Han Mountain?! Just what was his real goal..? Did he create this Chain personally, or did he find the Chain somewhere in the land of Berserkers, or perhaps… it's something he brought from..?'
Su Ming had met Han Kong. It could even be said that Han Kong's death was directly related to him. It would not be an exaggeration to say that Han Kong died in his hands.
That was the reason why these series of thoughts and speculations that people rarely thought about appeared in Su Ming's head.
The crowd in Han Mountain City and the Transcended Berserkers were not the only ones showing concern to Su Ming pausing in his challenge, the three tribes were also paying close attention to him.
The old woman on Lake of Colors Mountain stared into the distance and frowned.
"This person could fight for Han Mountain Bell against Si Ma Xin. I won't believe that he can only go up to the sixth section," Yan Luan said softly by her side.
The old woman was silent for a moment before she spoke languidly. "He's mulling over the Chain, just as we did in the past,"
The Elder and the rest were sitting cross-legged on Tranquil East Mountain. They were also puzzled by Su Ming's actions. As they pondered about it, Han Cang Zi appeared from the stairs on the side and walked to the summit. She did not pay attention to any of them, but chose to stand at the edge of the mountain and look towards the Chain of Han Mountain in the distance with a calm expression.
Puqiang Mountain remained in dead silence. All of their gazes were focused on Su Ming sitting cross-legged in the distance. Those gazes were filled with sullenness and uncertainty.
'What is he doing?' was the question practically in everyone's thoughts.
'Just what are the Chains of Han Mountain..?'
Su Ming lowered his head and cast a glance at the canyons down below. Darkness filled everything there and looked like the mouth of a beast just waiting for people to fall down for it to swallow. Su Ming knew what laid at the pit of the canyons, and it was precisely because he knew that he was feeling dubtful about the Chain.
After a long while, he stood up slowly and took a step forward with his right foot, then he walked towards the sixth pillar standing before him.
At the very instant he stood up and moved, Han Mountain City burst into an uproar. All the people that had been watching Su Ming began discussing amongst themselves when they saw him finally moving forward.
"He stood up!"
"We've waited for long enough, and now he's finally starting to move again. I'm curious though, why did he stop just now?"
Su Ming took a deep breath and moved forward. His footsteps had become much slower. With each step he took, some of his life force would be sucked away every single time his foot came into contact with the Chain, even though it was still the same Chain that he had walked on previously. It made him feel uncomfortable, and he started weakening.
In his mind, he was no longer walking on the Chains of Han Mountain, but walking through his lifespan. Each step he took felt as if he had just finished walking through a part of his life. This sort of feeling was difficult for others to understand. Only when their lifespans were passing by would people occasionally sigh for the time they lost.
Yet the Chains of Han Mountain shrank the total amount of time for a person to finish living his life, causing that wave of melancholy to be brought forward.
When dusk arrived, while layers of clouds still covered the sky, the rain had let up slightly. It was no longer a rainstorm, but started becoming a gentle shower. Su Ming finally managed to walk to the end of the sixth section of the Chain after an entire afternoon passed by. The sixth stone pillar lay 100 feet away from him.
At that moment, Su Ming's face had become pale. He might be circulating his Qi to stimulate his life force, but the absorption of his life force became stronger as he moved along the way. He could no longer remain balanced. He could practically feel the Chain howling in excitement as it was absorbing his life force to strengthen itself.
It was only a distance of 100 feet, but Su Ming used the amount of time it takes to burn an incense stick to walk slowly through those final steps. The moment he arrived on the sixth stone pillar, he let out a long sigh and sat down cross-legged, staring at the seventh, eighth, and ninth section of the Chain lying before him, and at Puqiang Mountain, which was connected to the ninth section of the Chain. This distance might seem short, but it gave Su Ming a feeling that it was very far away. He could already imagine that the difficulty of the final three sections of the Chain would far surpass the previous ones.
"This Chain is somewhat familiar to me…" Su Ming mumbled with his eyes closed.
He had that feeling suppressed at the very bottom of his heart, and it only appeared in his mind when doubts and speculations arose, and he connected all of them with Han Kong.
The moment Su Ming stepped on the sixth stone pillar, a huge wave of discussions passed through the crowd in Han Mountain City.
"The sixth stone pillar! That's the start of the seventh section of the Chain!"
"Can he finish traversing the seventh section of the Chain..?"
"I don't think so. He was already staggering when he was walking on the sixth section. It'll be very difficult for him to finish the seventh section…"
"From what I know, all the previous challengers of the Chains of Han Mountain failed at the seventh section… This section might be different from the rest!"
When the discussions started, Su Ming was seated and unmoving. After a long while, when the sky turned completely dark and the moon peaked out from the clouds, he opened his eyes.
"Night has come…" he mumbled.
Chapter 181: Lei Chen!
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Up till this point, Su Ming had only been circulating his Qi to counter the power sucking away his life force as he walked through the previous six sections of the Chain. He did not use any other method to counter the force.
The Branding Art was only used to destroy the stone pillar. At other times, Su Ming would keep it in himself. He did not wait for night to fall, did not activate the Branding Art, even fine control was rarely used. He only used the power of all the blood veins he had at that point in his body.
After the few months of meditating in the isolation grounds of Han Mountain's ancestor, Su Ming had discovered something unique that existed only within those who attained completion for the Blood Solidification Realm – if he did not want to, his blood veins would not appear on his skin.
During the first five sections, Su Ming only used the power of around 700 blood veins. He only used the full power of all 979 blood veins when he was walking on the sixth section of the Chain.
Su Ming knew he had to use some of his hidden techniques when he faced the seventh section of the Chain, or else, with just the power of the 979 blood veins, even if he managed to finish walking past the seventh section, the life force that was absorbed would affect his future plans.
'My body will recover quicker under the moonlight… the same goes for my blood circulation. It'll also produce more life force for me…'
Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the moon in the sky. Most of it was concealed by the clouds. The moon was not round, but in Su Ming's eyes, the moon belonged solely to him.
Moonlight shone on the ground without form. Some of the light was reflected off the small drops of rain, forming brilliant colors that could not be seen by others. As the light blended into Su Ming's body, he slowly rose up and walked towards the seventh section of the Chain.
"He started on the seventh section!"
"This section is incredibly dangerous. It's far too easy falling to your death here. I also heard that a lot of people failed at this section!"
"It's a pity… this person already wasted too much energy in the sixth section. The seventh section might be difficult for him."
Moonlight scattered on the ground at night. It might not be as bright as daylight, but the people could still see Su Ming walking towards the seventh section of the Chain. The crowd had already been watching for an entire morning, but they refused to go and rest even if it was night. Some of them even chose to go to places where there was no rain to sit down and watch as they talked amongst themselves.
The old woman might have been tired, but she continued standing on the summit of Lake of Colors Mountain with Yan Luan supporting her as she watched.
"The seventh section… the section of doom…" the old woman mumbled.
Yan Luan was silent. She did not speak, but simply looked onward.
At that moment, Su Ming did not realize that behind him, in a house on the second layer of Han Mountain, was Han Fei Zi, who had arrived some time ago. She had been standing there for a long time already, looking at Su Ming's back, pondering about something.
Everyone on the mountain belonging to Tranquil East Tribe was watching.
The tribe leader of Tranquil East hesitated for a moment before he looked towards the Elder by his side. "Can he walk through the seventh section..?"
"You should ask Han Cang Zi about that," the Elder of Tranquil East said languidly with a calm expression on his old and aged face.
Han Cang Zi was silent for a moment before she spoke in a gentle but firm tone.
"Yes."
The silent crowd on Puqiang Tribe also started discussing amongst themselves in low tones when Su Ming moved.
"Perhaps we don't even need to do anything anymore. Judging by his actions during the sixth section, he won't be able to complete the seventh section!"
"Even if it's me, walking through the sixth section wouldn't have been so difficult. Looks like we overestimated this person."
"Best that he fails, or else we'll have to continue waiting here, and I'll have to waste my time."
The sounds of discussion were low, but the words were cold, just like the Berserker Art Puqiang practiced, they were filled with the implications of death.
Only the Elder of Puqiang Tribe and the man who looked like a mountain of flesh did not speak along with the others. These two people's expressions were different. The Elder of Puqiang Tribe sat with narrowed eyes, not revealing his thoughts. As for the man who looked like a mountain of flesh, he was frowning.
"What are your thoughts?"
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe, the old man so dried up that he looked like a skeleton, cast a glance at the man beside him.
"There are three reasons as to why he destroyed the stone pillars. One, as a warning. Two, to be intimidating. Three, to cut off his own retreat, putting himself in a position where he must finish challenging the Chain.
"No one would do that, but he did… From these tiny details, we can tell that this person has a certain amount of confidence, but his confidence shouldn't be too great, or else he wouldn't need to cut off his own retreat.
"However, I think he can complete the seventh section," the man who looked like a mountain of flesh said slowly as a glint appeared in his eyes.
The rain at night was weak, but there was still the occasional thunder rumbling. Sometimes, lightning would flash in the sky and slice through the air, making the land bright for an instant.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning appeared, and in the short moment when the land was lit up, the crowd saw Su Ming taking his first step towards the seventh section of the Chain from the sixth stone pillar.
Yet the moment he took his first step, Su Ming lurched forward.
The others could not see it, but at that moment, the second his foot landed, Su Ming saw a person suddenly appear on the seventh section of the Chain.
This person's face was obscured, and it looked like it was just an apparition. It floated before Su Ming and over the Chain of Han Mountain, looking at him silently.
"Su… Ming…"
A faint voice floated towards him and traveled into Su Ming's ears, causing his heart, which was uninfluenced by virtually everything, to tremble the instant he heard the voice.
"Lei Chen!"
Su Ming immediately recognized the owner of the voice!
The moment he called out the name, the apparition no longer remained obscured, but instantly turned clear. Very soon, a person with an alien appearance, but with a pair of familiar eyes appeared before Su Ming!
There was a pained look on the person's face. He stood there with a baffled expression. There were numerous wounds on his body, and Su Ming could see some black insects crawling in those wounds. That person looked incredibly old, and his right eye was blind. At that moment, that eye let out a fierce light, but his left eye was staring at Su Ming dumbly, with disbelief.
"Su Ming… is that really you..? This is… This is���"
The person trembled and the pained look on his face grew worse. It was as if the pain he suffered at that moment was unbearable. Su Ming even saw a circular mark at the center of his brows.
That mark was completely black. There was even black mist coming out from it, as if the mark had penetrated through his entire skull.
"This is impossible… It's not you! You're not you! Who are you?"
The person suddenly roared and glared at Su Ming. He took a huge step forward and charged towards Su Ming.
A strong presence suddenly erupted forth from Lei Chen's body. When that presence appeared, Su Ming felt as if everything around him had frozen up. A mighty pressure fused with the aura of death pressed on him like a gigantic hand, causing his body to tremble.
"Lei Chen…" Su Ming mumbled.
His heart pounded and raced against his chest. He absolutely did not expect that something like this would appear on the seventh section of the Chain!
"This is fake. I'm challenging the Chains of Han Mountain, this is just an illusion formed in my heart…"
Su Ming's mind was not muddled. It was the opposite. His mind was incredibly clear, but it was this lucidity that made his heart tremble.
"You! Who are you?" Lei Chen growled ferociously.
He was still closing in on Su Ming. A vicious presence crashed into Su Ming's body when Lei Chen was not even 100 feet away from him. A killing intent fueled by madness also appeared in Lei Chen's right eye.
"Lei Chen, I'm Su Ming…"
Su Ming was clearheaded, but the more lucid he was, the more terrified he became. He was not afraid of Lei Chen, nor of the heavens and earth, it was a fear that he could not describe!
"I am Su Ming… I am Su Ming…" he mumbled.
He looked at Lei Chen closing in on him viciously. He clenched his right hand and hurled his fist forward, but stopped abruptly when his fist was three inches away from his face.
He stopped because Su Ming uttered one sentence.
"You once asked whether we would change…"
Lei Chen trembled. His bloodshot eyes were filled with viciousness and the remnants of disbelief. There was even terror as he looked at Su Ming dumbly.
"That's impossible… I buried you with my own hands… Is this an illusion..? Is this another one of those illusions that're part of my training..?"
Lei Chen laughed brokenly and retracted his right fist before punching his own chest. A muffled boom reverberated through the air, and Lei Chen's body dissipated instantly, turning into an indistinct blur once again that gradually disappeared from Su Ming's eyes.
Su Ming's breathing quickened. He had not experienced such a change when he had walked through the six sections of the Chains of Han Mountain, neither did he act this way under Puqiang's delicate words. Yet now, he could barely control his own breathing. He panted harshly.
'Is this an illusion or is it the truth?!
'Is this my illusion��� or Lei Chen's illusion…
'Is this my reality, or Lei Chen's reality?! Lei Chen's appearance has changed a lot, and he has become so powerful… Is this my imagination…?'
Su Ming trembled, as if he could not wake up from his nightmare.
At that moment, a shocking uproar broke out in Han Mountain City. That commotion made all the people sitting down stand up once again. Lake of Colors Tribe, Tranquil East Tribe, and even Puqiang Tribe were taken aback.
All of them clearly saw Su Ming walking forward on the seventh section of the Chain in the night. Yet his movements were completely different from before. It was as if he had forgotten that this was the Chains of Han Mountain, and he had forgotten that he was walking on a chain, not a smooth pavement.
At that moment, Su Ming looked as if he had lost his soul and his mind before these people's eyes. Even if he was moving, he looked like a walking corpse. There was even once where he almost missed his footing.
This was definitely not something a person with a clear mind would do!
"This again?! I remember hearing from someone before that every challenger walking on the seventh section would become like this!
"Just what secret lies in the seventh section?!"
"It's over. He didn't slip when he almost missed his footing just now because the wind was small and the Chain wasn't swaying too hard… Now… the wind is here!"
The discussions that rose like tidal waves stopped instantaneously due to the sudden appearance of the fierce wind. As the wind moaned in the air, the seventh section of the Chain started swaying furiously, and the speed at which it swung also increased.
At that moment, a bolt of lightning sliced through the air, causing the discussions that had halted to rise once again in a volume louder than before!
Because at the moment the bolt of lightning lit up the world, they saw clearly. On the Chain, Su Ming lifted his right foot stiffly, and… slipped!
Chapter 182: Failure
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
"He failed!"
"If you fail at the seventh section, it's the same as dying. He definitely doesn't have any Art that can keep him alive!"
"This seventh section… the seventh section… I can't believe it's so dangerous. I don't even know why he became like this. This shouldn't have happened by how he performed at the sixth section."
The sounds of discussing burst forth. Almost everyone stood up. Nan Tian and the others took a deep breath in disbelief.
"The seventh section might be difficult, but… he's the person who could fight for the ancient bell with Sir Si Ma, and he failed… just like that?"
"I knew that the seventh section is mysterious, but I don't know the details. Just what did this person go through in the seventh section…"
The discussions were endless, commotions broke out everywhere. Under everyone's eyes, Su Ming's foot missed the Chain of Han Mountain and he fell. His body toppled to the side, and he fell downwards!
The sight stirred up even stronger shock and cries of surprise. Nan Tian and the other three people did not hesitate one bit. They all flew up to look from midair.
In the house on the second layer of Han Mountain City, Han Fei Zi's face turned pale under the veil. She did not move, but simply stood as she looked into the distance with a dumbfounded expression.
'It doesn't matter whether he is Mo Su. If he fails at the seventh section, then no one can save him…'
Han Fei Zi lowered her head and closed her eyes.
At the same time on Lake of Colors Mountain, the old woman widened her eyes. Yan Luan was also stunned by her side. Her face was filled with disbelief. This had happened too suddenly, catching them completely off-guard.
"This… This is…" Yan Luan was speechless and completely stunned.
"It's a pity… Hmm?"
The old woman sighed lightly. She turned around and was about to leave the place. The entire day of watching the challenge with close attention had made her extremely tired, yet when she was about to leave, she saw Han Mountain City with the corner of her eyes and was suddenly stunned.
The spot that she saw was where Han Mountain Bell was located. The bell did not experience any changes and continued lying silently in the corner.
When Su Ming's foot landed on thin air and his body fell from the seventh section, besides Lake of Colors Mountain, Tranquil East Mountain also experienced a shocking change.
For the first time, the Elder of Tranquil East stood up and took a few brisk steps to the edge of the mountain to look. He took a deep breath and his eyes sparkled with shock concealed within.
"With his power, even if he can't make it through the seventh section, he shouldn't have failed like that… this… this is… he's someone who's incredibly similar to Si Ma Xin, how could he just die like that?"
Fang Shen's face was pale. From the moment he recognized Mo Su to be the challenger of the Chains of Han Mountain, he had been in a constant state of nervousness. That nervousness did not stem from his worry about Su Ming's wellbeing, but his son's injuries.
When he saw Su Ming slip and fall from the Chain, Fang Shen's body swayed and he staggered a few steps backwards. He knew that Mo Su was dead. No one could survive if they fell from the seventh section of the Chain.
Han Cang Zi bit her bottom lip, and a baffled look appeared in her eyes. However, almost at the same instant that bafflement appeared, it turned into resolution.
"He won't die!"
At that very moment, due to Su Ming's surprising fall, even the man who looked like a mountain of flesh stood up on Puqiang Mountain. All on the mountain took a few instinctive steps forward, including the Elder of Puqiang Tribe. They came to the edge of the mountain and looked down.
They could still see Su Ming's body falling downwards swiftly, and he was soon swallowed by darkness, disappearing without a trace.
"Hmph. Didn't I say it before? This person will definitely die!"
"The seventh section of the Chain is not so easy. He was just walking to his own death!"
"It's a pity. He sounded the bell 20 odd times, but he still died on the seventh section of the Chain, and no one can save him."
The Elder of Puqiang Tribe narrowed his eyes and a chilling glint appeared in his eyes. He no longer looked at the canyons, but lifted his head and spoke with a surly tone. "Send someone down and get his corpse back."
Someone behind him immediately obeyed and quickly walked down the stairs to arrange for the task to be done.
A disbelieving look appeared on the man who looked like a mountain of flesh. He looked at the canyons and then at the seventh section of the Chain. A respectful look appeared in his eyes.
"Chains of Han Mountain…"
The crowd in Han Mountain City still had not recovered from the shock after witnessing the sudden scene. Even in the midst of all the buzzing discussions and commotion, most of their gazes would still turn back towards the seventh section of the Chain in the moonlight.
"The Chains of Han Mountain become incredibly dangerous starting from the seventh section… Ah, if even such a prodigy failed, then how can we even challenge it?!"
"Only if you walk up to the ninth section are you qualified to enter Freezing Sky Clan, but that's just a qualification… But if you're from one of the three tribes, then you won't need to walk though all nine sections of the Chain, just like how Han Cang Zi did in the past."
Time trickled by slowly, and the people in Han Mountain City gradually accepted the reality. Some of them felt that it was a pity, some of them were mocking him, some of them felt pleased with what had happened, and some were sighing deeply.
Yet no matter what, everything had ended. The person who made the bell chime 20 odd times had become something in the past. Another person failed the challenge of the Chains of Han Mountain once again. Another innocent soul died because of them.
"Hah… let's go…"
"It has ended. Let's go back to meditate and increase our blood veins. The Chains of Han Mountain are not something we can challenge…"
"It's a pity. We don't even know what that person's name was. We didn't even manage to see his face. Let's hope Puqiang can find his corpse."
The topic of people's discussions gradually started to move away from what had happened over the day, and they went back to their own houses with deep sighs.
In the sky, Ke Jiu Si and the other three people were all silent. Besides Xuan Lun, who was laughing coldly in a gleeful manner in his heart, the other three had mixed feelings in their hearts as they looked at the Chains of Han Mountain. They began to feel helpless as they were reminded of the approaching date of Freezing Sky Clan coming to take in disciples.
Strong Transcended Berserkers like themselves could go back to their own tribes and enjoy life if they were satisfied and were willing to stop with their training. That was their best choice. However, they were not satisfied, even though they had already reached the Transcendence Realm.
"I'll go back first…"
Nan Tian sighed and wrapped his fist in his palm towards the other three people before he turned into a long arc and went back to the second layer. Ke Jiu Si and Leng Ying wrapped their fists in their palms too and saluted each other in silence before they left.
Only Xuan Lun remained standing in midair with a faint smile on his lips.
'You overestimated yourself and challenged the Chains of Han Mountain. Mo Su, you brought about you own death!'
Xuan Lun laughed coldly. He moved, but not back to his own domain. He flew instead to Puqiang Mountain. He wanted to see whether Mo Su's face could be seen if he was brought back. If he even had a corpse left, that is. He already had a vague guess in his heart and wanted to prove himself right.
In the house on the second layer of Han Mountain City, Han Fei Zi's eyelashes fluttered. She opened her eyes and took a step forward silently. White clouds manifested under her feet and lifted her up to bring her back to Lake of Colors Mountain.
She was not curious about how the dead failure looked like, neither was she curious about his identity, because he was dead. To her, it no longer mattered whether this person was Mo Su or not.
'If he's Mo Su, then I'll have to look for another companion… Such a pity…'
Han Fei Zi sighed and flew into the distance on the white cloud.
Yet at that moment, when Tranquil East Mountain fell into silence, Puqiang Mountain was celebrating Mo Su's misfortune and some were even went to search for his corpse, suddenly, in the dispersing crowd in Han Mountain City, a dense boy standing beside an old man took a look at the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth stone pillars that were still underneath the Chain of Han Mountain connecting to Puqiang Mountain with uncertainty and bewilderment. Then he whispered something into the old man's ear.
The old man was momentarily stunned, then he quickly lifted his head to look at the Chain.
"Everyone…"
The more he looked, the brighter the old man's eyes became. However, he was still a little sceptical. After a moment of hesitation, he called out to the people around him in a low voice.
Yet no one took note of his words. Thunder rumbled and lightning flashed in the sky. The rain became heavier.
The rain during the day might have been heavy, but people were still standing outside to watch the Chains of Han Mountain. Yet now, when the rain became just slightly heavier, these people were already walking briskly back to their houses.
"Everyone… The… The pillars supporting the Chain are still there!" the old man yelled out. His voice did not travel too far. Most of the people who heard it ignored him at first, but very soon, they jolted, then whipped their heads back to look.
The stone pillars… were still standing tall underneath the Chain connecting to Puqiang Mountain!
"Eh?!"
"The stone pillars are still there! Once anyone fails in challenging the Chains of Han Mountain, the stone pillars will all sink down instantly. This isn't something the three tribes can control. This is the mystery of the Chains of Han Mountain!"
"How… How could they still be there?! Could it… Could it be…?"
The old man and the boy were not the only ones who noticed it. People gradually started noticing this sight in other areas within Han Mountain City. Very soon, discussions and commotions broke out once again. After a while, most of the people who heard the sounds stopped and turned to look.
"They're right! The stone pillars haven't sunk!"
"Could it be…?"
"He's not dead yet?!"
Cries of surprise reverberated through the air and eventually fused together. People's voices were like a windstorm blowing within Han Mountain City, causing all those who had originally wanted to go back to their houses to be stunned when they heard the words, and they immediately returned. As they listened to the cries of surprise around them and saw the stone pillars of Han Mountain standing tall before them, disbelief appeared on their faces!
'Is he really not dead?!'
Nan Tian came to an abrupt pause in midair and turned around. Shock appeared on his face.
He was not the only one. Leng Ying and Ke Jiu Si similarly stopped in midair and looked towards the stone pillars.
Xuan Lun was the same. He had been laughing coldly and was just about to go to Puqiang Tribe when he heard the cries of surprise from Han Mountain City. A jolt crawled down his body and he immediately turned around to look.
"That's impossible!"
Han Mountain City was not the only one in an uproar at that moment. The expressions of the Elder, the man who looked like a mountain of flesh, and even all the other people behind them on Puqiang Mountain all changed drastically!
They also noticed this!
The cloud underneath Han Fei Zi's feet stopped momentarily. As she stood on the white cloud, she turned her head back and focused her gaze at the canyons underneath the Chains of Han Mountain!
"He��s… still alive?"
"He's still alive? The challenge for the Chains of Han Mountain hasn't ended?" The Elder of Tranquil East Tribe took in a sharp breath on Tranquil East Mountain. A rare look of disbelief appeared on his aged face.
Han Cang Zi stood not far in the distance. A hint of red finally appeared on her pale face.