Ah Sha’s statement rendered everyone speechless. No matter how low your voice is, we can still hear it! What do you mean someone is living there?

Even the black shadow sensed her somewhat timid gaze probing in. He sprang to his feet, agitated to the point of incoherence. “I-it’s that little girl? Excellent! Excellent! Hahaha... The Eye of Shattered Illusions truly lives up to its name. That’s it! I must take her as a disciple! Whoever dares to snatch her, I will kill them. Ji Wujiu, didn’t expect it, did you! Not only am I not dead, but I’ve even found you a junior apprentice! Hahaha... On the day I return, I’ll make you beg for life and still deny you death!”

Outside, Ah Sha was taken aback. “Young Master, he discovered me! What a powerful being! Oh, he’s jumping up and down, he seems very happy! Huh, why is he getting angry again? How terrifying!”

Gu Han paled, almost covering her mouth. “D-don’t say anymore!”

He hadn’t expected Ah Sha to grow so formidable that she could uncover his greatest secret instantly. However, it seems she didn’t discover the Great Evolution Sword Scripture.

Catching the group’s odd gazes, he forced a smile. “Ahem... How could someone be living inside! Ah Sha must just be seeing things!”

Ah Sha nodded. “If he says that I’m seeing things, then I’m seeing things.”

Gu Han covered his face. This explanation is worse than no explanation!

Zuo Yang smiled. “Junior Brother, we didn’t hear anything.”

“Right, I was spacing out just now!”

“You have so many secrets, I can’t even be bothered to ask!”

The group wasn’t stupid. The bigger the secret, the more they shouldn’t pry as it would only bring endless calamity.

Gu Han felt touched and very grateful. Luckily, that fatty isn’t here.

Yang Ying pointed at the Dao Bell. “Stop stalling. You’re the only one left.”

Gu Han took a deep breath and fixed his gaze on the bell. “Alright!”

The gift for nine rings was far more bountiful than he had imagined. He silently drew his sword, which emitted a soft, continuous hum as if sentient.

Zuo Yang’s heart stirred. “It seems that senior really came specifically to impart the Dao to Junior Brother.”

Of course, he had heard about the earlier incident.

Ah Sha muttered softly, “That’s right. Young Master was too aggressive with that grandpa.”

Gu Han felt awkward and very guilty. By the time he regained his senses, the old man had left, leaving him no chance to express his gratitude and apologies.

He admonished himself internally, I can’t keep being like this! It’s not good, I must change!

Being overly suspicious and treating everyone as if they were the demoness would only hurt many.

Just then, the bell’s green light became slightly darker than before.

Murong Yan was stunned. “What’s going on?”

Zuo Yang shook his head. “I don’t know.”

Although he had read records, he only had a general understanding, so he wouldn’t delve into such subtle changes.

Before the group could figure it out, that green light grew even darker.

Yang Ying’s expression changed slightly. “The Dao Bell isn’t about to disappear, right?”

Gu Han grew anxious. “What?!”

If this tremendous opportunity disappeared right before his eyes, it would be a massive loss. He absolutely had to avoid that!

Without the slightest hesitation, the sword flashed, and nine strands of Great Evolution Sword Qi descended. Compared to before, the sword qi seemed vastly different. Not only was it much more agile and profound, he could even control them faintly. The old man’s strand of sword intent had obviously given him many insights.

Subconsciously, the same thought surfaced in everyone’s minds. Like Fatty, their confidence in Gu Han was stronger than anyone else’s.

Sure enough, the Dao Bell rang nine times consecutively, the booming chimes merging into one. It transformed into a wisp of ancient, heavy Dao Charm that spread out. Wherever it passed, the barren ground actually gained a hint of greenery.

The green light thickened even more. At the same time, the sky rumbled incessantly, and a green beam descended upon Gu Han.

As he looked into the light, a thought suddenly popped into his mind. The opportunity for nine rings is already this heaven-defying. Then what about ten rings?

Once this thought appeared, it stubbornly lingered in his mind, constantly urging him to do it. Maybe I should give it a try?

He licked his lips, feeling very tempted. Trying wouldn’t cost him anything. If it didn’t work, it didn’t work. If it did, the opportunity would definitely be unprecedented, surpassing everyone.

Instinctively, he raised the sword again, but did not bring it down. He sensed that nine rings was the best he could do. Gu Han looked up at the green light, now only a hundred zhang away from him, feeling somewhat unwilling. Is it really impossible?

Suddenly, his gaze fell upon the word ’one’ still remaining on the ground. In his mind, the old man’s mighty sword intent resurfaced vividly. He knew the old man had demonstrated it to guide him, not to be imitated.

That senior’s sword is the embodiment of his life’s experiences and realizations. I cannot learn it, nor should I. But what is my own sword?

At this moment, he forgot about the Dao Bell, the blessing, and everything else, leaving only one question in his heart. What exactly is my sword! One? One-Word Sword?

He seemed to vaguely grasp something, yet couldn’t see it clearly. Subconsciously, his arm lowered gently, performing a swinging motion. The sword tip made contact with the bell’s profound qi, eliciting another deep, lingering chime.

Unlike before, the ring seemed to possess endless penetrative power—traversing space, distance, and everything. It resounded within the minds of countless living beings across the continent.

***

Beyond the sky veil, within the endless void. Although the black-robed old man appeared dejected, he still refused to give up, searching tirelessly. As time passed, the disappointment in his eyes deepened, and he nearly lost hope.

Suddenly, a deep, lingering bell chime sounded. Even though it was extremely faint, he still managed to catch it.

He was taken aback. “Hm? Where did this bell chime come from in this void?”

At that very moment, the black jade emitted an extremely faint glimmer of dark light.

The old man’s pupils constricted, flashing with excitement. “Alive! Still alive! Hahaha, Heaven blesses the young lady and her husband!”

He abruptly looked up, searching all around. “Where exactly did that bell chime come from?”

Suddenly, his gaze instantly fixed on a point in the endless distance. “There seems to be a sky veil?”

***

At this moment, across the continent, countless living beings were filled with confusion. Be it ordinary mortals or pinnacle, taboo-level powerhouses, no one could figure out why this bell chime had appeared in their minds, except for one person.

Within the Wild Forest, Luo Wushuang immediately stopped in his tracks. For the first time, the smile vanished from his face, replaced by a trace of solemnity.

He sped up, murmuring, “Has it appeared...?”

***

The toll of the bell broke Gu Han’s reverie. Three chi from him, the hazy green light halted abruptly, suspended above.

He was taken aback. “What... Did I do that?”

He had absolutely no recollection of that last sword strike.

Murong Yan stammered, “T-ten... rings?”

Shen Xuan swallowed hard, unable to form a sentence. “Junior Brother...”

Even someone as composed as Zuo Yang was at a loss for words. “You... you actually... impossible...”

The Dao Bell had manifested multiple times throughout history. However, from ancient times to the present, no one had ever made it ring ten times. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to, it was simply impossible! Regardless of talent, foundation, fortune, or destiny, nine rings was the limit.

Ten rings? How did he do it?

Only Ah Sha, who was completely unaware of what this meant, could remain rational. “Young Master, you are so amazing!”

Gu Han felt a bit inflated by her praise and looked at the bell again. Its profound qi churned violently, faintly revealing the mottled bell body, as if brewing something.

His spirits lifted as he burned with anticipation. “Ah Sha, this must be the unimaginable heaven-defying opportunity!”

Ah Sha gazed at him with admiration. “Young Master, you are the best!”

Suddenly, the green light above Gu Han’s head vanished completely.

Gu Han was stunned and a bit panicked, but he comforted himself. It’s fine, it’s fine. Maybe the Great Dao thinks this blessing is too small and will send a bigger, better one later.

Immediately after, the world turned dark. A heavy Dao Pressure descended, pressing down on everyone’s hearts, almost suffocating them.

Gu Han’s was taken aback. Okay, maybe this is a bit too much...

Lightning flashed and thunder roared across the heavens and earth. Streaks of bloody lightning intertwined, almost shattering the entire sky.

He could no longer console himself. That was certainly not a sign of a blessing’s appearance. Where’s the Dao essence! Where’s the celestial music! Where’s the green light! Where did they all go!

In the next moment, the heavy sky veil high above suddenly twisted. It transformed into a colossal eye of unimaginable size, sweeping its gaze over the continent. In just an instant, it locked firmly onto Gu Han and the black shadow was locked on.

Faced with that majestic heavenly might, the shadow—mere remnant soul that it was—had not the slightest power to resist.

He cursed furiously in the subspace, “You little bastard! You son of a bitch! All you do is bring disaster and calamity upon me!”

Gu Han’s heart turned ice-cold. It’s over! I’ve played too much! This blessing is too special and unprecedented! I don’t think I can handle it!

Heaven and earth were plunged into darkness. Suppressed by that heavenly might, the group could hardly breathe. They failed to notice that a hundred li away from them, a cluster of ancient buildings flickered in and out of existence.

Among them, a half-damaged plaque hung above the largest palace. Having endured the endless passage of time, the only two remaining ancient words were already blurred and indistinct. If one strained to make them out, the first was “Profound,” and the second was “Pill.”