Sacrificial Artifact System: From Bell-ringer to the Ancestral Patriarch of the Sect-Chapter 177 - 142: Test (Request for Monthly Ticket)

Chen Bell Platform.

Bai Yun and Chai Shao were practicing Sword Stabbing Fist, with Liu Ming watching and occasionally offering pointers.

Li Qian sat in a chair, flipping through a book recorded in demon text.

Although he recognized many demon texts, reading this book was still somewhat challenging for him.

He had to repeatedly ponder and understand the meanings.

And it might not even be accurate.

Thus, he had flipped through this demon text book countless times, yet there were still many questions and puzzles.

It served as his leisure activity.

Constantly cultivating could feel boring over time.

"Master..."

Bai Yun, who had just finished practicing, walked over and asked softly.

"Uh... What is it?"

Li Qian didn’t look up.

"Can Senior Brother Chai and I go down the mountain to the Inner Sect?"

Bai Yun asked.

"Go if you want."

Li Qian waved his hand.

"That’s great..."

Bai Yun was very pleased.

"Senior Brother Chai, let’s hurry."

She quickly spoke to Chai Shao.

"I don’t want to go."

Chai Shao shook his head.

"Why?"

Bai Yun asked curiously.

She wanted to go down to the Inner Sect to meet two good friends she knew.

"I just don’t want to... You go by yourself."

Chai Shao shook his head and walked to the side, starting to ponder over the movements of Sword Stabbing Fist.

Seeing this, Bai Yun didn’t care much and ran down the mountain.

After a long time, Li Qian put down the demon text book, got up, and walked into the bell tower.

A few minutes later, the clear sound of the bell resonated far away.

After striking the bell, Li Qian picked up his sword and began to practice.

A few days ago, he had gone out and raised his cultivation to the Late Stage of the Heavenly Human Realm.

Since the upgrade of the Chen Bell, his cultivation speed in all areas had significantly improved.

Due to the constraints of time, how long it would take to improve a stage was still something he needed to explore.

By noon, Bai Yun had returned from the mountain.

In the kitchen.

Bai Yun and Chai Shao were busy.

In the past few days, the two were cooking, with Liu Ming not looming over them.

"Senior Brother Chai... do you know what I found out in the Inner Sect?"

Bai Yun whispered.

"What?"

Chai Shao was holding a knife, slowly cutting vegetables.

Bai Yun said, "All the Inner Sect Disciples, even those without masters... they have all begun practicing Internal Cultivation Methods, and some have even developed Inner Qi and become entry-level Martial Artists."

Chai Shao said, "That’s normal."

Bai Yun said, "But we... are still practicing Sword Stabbing Fist, why doesn’t Master teach us Internal Cultivation Methods?"

Her two friends had already started formal inner cultivation, making her embarrassed to say that she hadn’t really practiced any inner strength techniques at Chen Bell Platform; instead, she was still practicing Sword Stabbing Fist, typically taught to servant disciples.

Chai Shao said, "Master must have his reasons, we just need to practice diligently, look at Brother Liu... although he’s a servant disciple, he has already reached the eight level of the Postnatal Realm."

Though he was only a couple of months older than Bai Yun, he thought more and understood more, although he also wondered why Master didn’t teach Internal Cultivation Methods, he always felt there was a deeper meaning.

Moreover, having the fortune to be a disciple of a Grandmaster, he needed to seize this rare opportunity.

"But how long do we need to practice?"

Bai Yun pouted.

"I don’t know, we just keep practicing."

Chai Shao shook his head, "Junior Sister Bai, hurry and wash those vegetables."

"Oh oh oh..."

Bai Yun quickly rolled up her sleeves to help.

...

The low conversations of the two registered disciples naturally couldn’t escape Li Qian’s ears.

Even Liu Ming could hear everything clearly.

"Senior Brother Li, why do you insist they practice Sword Stabbing Fist?"

Liu Ming asked curiously in a low voice.

"Didn’t you start your cultivation with Sword Stabbing Fist too? What are your thoughts?"

Li Qian said lightly, smiling.

He had already used his True Qi to prevent the sound from escaping, so the two registered disciples couldn’t hear them.

"It’s too hard to practice, it feels very difficult to persist..."

Liu Ming said.

Without the nourishing soup porridge at Chen Bell Platform, which provided sufficient Qi and blood making his Sword Stabbing Fist progress alright, if he were still at the Hundred Herbs Garden, he couldn’t imagine how long he could have persisted?

"Sword Stabbing Fist is hard to practice, but it, similarly, builds a solid foundation... With a good foundation, subsequent cultivation will be much easier."

Li Qian spoke calmly, "It’s not just you; I also started this way. Without suffering some hardships, how could they understand the difficulties of cultivation? If they can’t even endure this, better they leave Chen Bell Platform sooner."

Practicing Sword Stabbing Fist may seemingly waste precious time.

But it’s different at the Chen Bell Platform.

Following the upgrade of Chen Bell, the first sound of the bell every day meant immense benefits for the two registered disciples.

Recently, Li Qian had been using the Sensing Spirit Technique to observe them, and their Hidden Bones seemed to manifest traces of activation, probably due to the bell sound.

Even without his direct activation, through prolonged exposure to the bell sound, the Hidden Bones of the two could be activated, revealing their true Root Bone potential.

Thus, their delay in practicing Sword Stabbing Fist for a year or two didn’t matter.

Practicing within the Chen Bell Domain was entirely different from practicing outside.

It could only be said that these two registered disciples were fortunate to have encountered the upgrade of Chen Bell.

Ultimately, it would depend on their perseverance.

Can’t hold on, then one can only leave the Chen Bell Platform and miss out on a great opportunity.

Ultimately, this was a test designed by Li Qian for them.

Just like Liu Ming choosing to leave the Chen Bell Platform, he essentially lost the opportunity to advance to the Innate Realm.

With Liu Ming’s root bone qualifications, it was impossible for him to step into the Innate Realm.

Even consuming Innate Pills and becoming a Pseudo Innate had a low chance.

But staying on the Chen Bell Platform, receiving the daily immersion of the Chen Bell’s sounds, would make things completely different.

However, Liu Ming had been at the Chen Bell Platform for over twenty-one years. From an ordinary servant disciple, he cultivated up to the Late Stage of Postnatal Realm, thoroughly altering his destiny.

Therefore, Li Qian would not remind him, nor would he stop him from leaving.

It was his own choice after all.

....

Divine Sword Hall.

Heavenly Person Xiao Wendao returned from the Taiwu Dao Mansion.

He gathered the high-ranking officials of Divine Sword Sect, including Guiyi Peak Master Hou Shuwen who also rushed back from the Divine Sword Army Camp.

"Great Uncle Master, are you saying that Taiwu Dao Master is at the Heavenly Phenomenon Level?"

Hou Shuwen was utterly shocked.

So were the other high-ranking officials present.

The news was too astounding.

Who doesn’t know what a Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestial represents?

That is an invincible celestial.

Initially, Old Emperor Wu suppressed the entire world by himself, with none daring to disobey.

Later, when Empress Dowager became a Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestial, she forced a million rebels to gather at Jade Capital, fighting a desperate battle.

One could imagine the deterrence of Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestials.

"Yes, this is the conclusion we reached after many celestials experienced it themselves."

Xiao Wendao nodded and sighed.

"Great Uncle Master, Shu River Path and Kunwu Road have both added a guardian district. What forces will take charge of these two guardian districts?"

Sect Leader Feng Shaoyu curiously asked.

"This time Taiwu Dao Master brought no less than six celestials over, so it’s very likely that his subordinates will be assigned to guard them."

Xiao Wendao stated.

Taiwu Dao Master’s actions were essentially claiming territories from various powers as his own.

Faced with the powerful Taiwu Dao Master, no one dared to oppose.

"This Taiwu Dao Master, just what is his background, so domineering... It seems our days ahead will be even tougher."

A Peak Master commented.

"There are disadvantages and advantages, at least with such an invincible celestial stationed at Taiwu Dao, if a major disaster strikes, it can be handled immediately."

Sect Leader Feng Shaoyu said.

He could only console himself this way.

The Divine Sword Sect has lost nearly half of its territory in Xuanzhou.

It was a considerable loss.

Next, the Xuanzhou Branch will have to be withdrawn, and the disciples stationed across Xuanzhou counties also need to be recalled.

Even recruitment cannot be done from Xuanzhou anymore.

This would result in a huge loss of disciple sources.

Moreover, this Xuanzhou involves the interests of many elders within Divine Sword Sect, which will definitely need to be redistributed afterward.

Otherwise, those elders who lost benefits from Xuanzhou certainly wouldn’t agree.

Thinking of these difficulties, Sect Leader Feng Shaoyu felt his head swell.

....

Chen Bell Platform.

Li Qian had just finished cultivation when he saw his master Zhou Buping returning from the mountain’s base.

However, Zhou Buping remained silent after his return and directly walked towards the wooden hut.

Usually, when he saw his two disciples practicing Sword Stabbing Fist, he would definitely give some pointers.

Li Qian was curious. Did his master encounter something troubling?

At mealtime, Zhou Buping finally sighed and said, "Our Divine Sword Sect has lost control over Xuanzhou."

"Master, what’s the situation?"

Li Qian curiously asked.

"The newly-appointed Taiwu Dao Master has divided the entire Taiwu Dao into fifteen guardian districts..."

Zhou Buping briefly explained.

"With so many forces’ interests damaged, would they agree?"

Li Qian was extremely surprised.

Zhou Buping spoke gravely: "Whether they agree or not, what can be done? I heard that Taiwu Dao Master is a Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestial..."

Li Qian said, "Master, isn’t it said that there isn’t even a Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestial in Great Chang these days?"

"I don’t know where he came from."

Zhou Buping shook his head.

As a retired elder of Divine Sword Sect, he definitely felt displeased that Divine Sword Sect suddenly lost control over a territory.

Li Qian had a thought. Could it be due to the Demon Race appearing, the real powerful presence behind various countries finally showing itself?

Actually, he wasn’t particularly surprised by this situation because it was just a matter of time.

But he was very curious about how this behind-the-scenes force had remained hidden.

Normally, no matter how well hidden, as long as there is activity in this world, traces must be left.

Unless... the behind-the-scenes force was not in the Human World at all?

Thinking of this, Li Qian had a guess.

It seems that from now on, not to mention Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestials, even Martial Saints... Maybe in the near future, they might appear too.

As for Divine Sword Sect losing a territory, Li Qian wasn’t too concerned.

Since the Taiwu Dao Master had parachuted in without extra territories, he had no choice but to carve out territories from existing powers.

Who could blame him when he was strong enough?

Even if he had the strength to intervene, he wouldn’t.

The risks were too high.

Now with the situation in Great Chang becoming increasingly complex, and the powers behind-the-scenes beginning to interfere in the Human World, no one knows what powerful forces are hidden behind Taiwu Dao Master.

Merely a Heavenly Phenomenon Level Celestial, within his own little territory, he might be able to protect himself... but if he ventured out, it wouldn’t be so certain.

Unless absolutely necessary, he wouldn’t want to expose his existence.

....

PS: Second update, seeking monthly ticket!!!!