Chapter 7: The Bell Tolls, Severing the Dust of Fate

Fang Xing would naturally not take out the large item at this moment, but would respectfully bow to the visitor, appearing very proper.

The sounds of congratulations from a group of young Taoist disciples came from behind, each one appearing to be deeply emotional, with a heavy sense of parting

After the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror entered its own body, each time it appraised a treasure or assessed a person's cultivation, it required the consumption of a small amount of spiritual energy from Fang Xing. The higher the spiritual energy of the item being appraised, the more of its own spiritual energy it would consume.

The clear dew has not yet dissipated, the bronze bell is chillingly cold to the bone, and it is exceedingly heavy. When I pushed it slightly, it surprisingly remained completely still

The Clear Heart Bell has rung; has another Taoist apprentice cultivated spiritual energy?

Is this the place? With over ten thousand disciples, whoever cultivates spiritual energy can ring this bell and be promoted to an outer sect disciple

However, usually, Fang Xing kept his thoughts to himself, and it was not until yesterday when he mentioned preparing to ring the Qingxin Bell that others realized he had already cultivated spiritual energy

Buzz ... ...

The young disciples all smiled awkwardly, expressing their skepticism towards the methods suggested by the other party

Indeed, during his time here, I have been so anxious that I dare not sleep too soundly at night

Is that all?

An ancient voice emanated from the attic. Upon hearing this, the young Taoist pushed Fang Xing, causing him to immediately tumble inside.

Alright, gentlemen, I am leaving now, no need to see me off

Hey, I don't know if it is truly exceptional talent or just another waste of space

Upon opening one's eyes, one finds oneself soaring towards a mountain peak. The Qingyun Sect boasts countless extraordinary peaks, among which the Seven Peaks stand the tallest, situated amidst the green mountains. They appear to be haphazardly arranged, yet they actually embody the principles of heaven, firmly establishing the spiritual veins, thus forming the Seven Main Peaks of the Qingyun Sect

Fang Xing boldly cast a glance at the old man, yet unexpectedly, the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror failed to discern his cultivation level

Ling Tian extends only to the foot of the green mountain, beneath an ancient pine tree, there is a stone platform made of blue stone slabs. Ascending the stone platform, one finds a blue bronze bell that appears to be of great antiquity, about the size of a grinding disc, yet there is no wooden mallet beside it. Next to the stone platform stands a stele, resting on the back of a stone-carved Bixi, with the inscription: Qingxin Bell. Beside the bell, there are two lines of poetry, elegantly inscribed in a dragon and phoenix style:

Fang Xing was somewhat puzzled. He turned the wooden sign over and saw that it was engraved with the character "Ding".

Hmm? I actually cannot see through his cultivation level...

At this moment, the young Taoist was heading towards one of the temples.

Sigh, it is yet another one who seeks to take shortcuts with the transformation grass. Well, being able to discover the marvelous uses of the transformation grass is indeed your fortune. I shall grant you the status of an outer disciple of the Qingyun Sect. This token I give you is a symbol of your identity as a disciple of the Qingyun Sect. Later, take this token to the Qingmu Hall, and there will be someone to arrange a place for your cultivation, bestowing upon you the Qingyun Sect's robe, magical tools, and cultivation techniques

The bell tolls, severing the ties of dust and fate, as one strides smoothly through the azure skies

The heavy bell suddenly trembled, and a muffled sound of the bell rang out, spreading far and wide, startling a flock of roosting birds in the mountains

However, when the shadow of the square-shaped figure became invisible, the group of young disciples suddenly straightened their backs, with shifty eyes and furtive expressions. They wiped the tears from their faces and sighed deeply, saying: "Heaven has eyes; it has finally sent this little demon away..."

Life has finally returned to tranquility, thank you, dear heavens

Wang Zhi spoke sincerely, his eyes appearing somewhat red, while the little freckled girl began to sob uncontrollably

Fang Xing stood outside the attic, somewhat in a daze, not expecting it to be this simple

Although the ordinary Taoist disciples are unaware of the marvelous uses of the essence grass, the elders within the Taoist sect, who diligently cultivate their practices and study pharmacology, certainly understand its significance. However, the Taoist tradition places great emphasis on innate talent, and the Qingyun Sect is even more representative of the principle that talent reigns supreme. Therefore, while they possess the means to enable someone incapable of cultivation to generate spiritual energy, they would not choose to do so.

Amidst the green mountains, many people are disturbed from their peaceful dreams; some pay attention, some scoff, while others simply turn over and continue to sleep

That method... is indeed... rather strange... however, we will remember it!

Regardless of the circumstances, the Ding grade is certainly not a good level; even in the Ling Tian, the Ding grade area is the worst

Fang Xing knocked three times and then stopped, waiting for the gatekeeper to come and receive him

Fang Xing kicked out with one foot and laughed while scolding, "Crying like a woman, what are you crying for? I have leveled up, not heading to my death. You bunch of idiots, remember the secret method I told you yesterday; it is a hard-earned secret that I have researched. As long as you practice diligently, you will definitely be able to cultivate spiritual energy. When the time comes to enter the outer sect, I will still take care of you!"

Master Fang, you are truly not an ordinary person. Upon entering the outer door, you will ascend to great heights in one step. I hope you will remember us, your brothers...

Fang Xing instinctively wanted to curse, but before he could speak, he suddenly felt himself being stared at by a stern gaze

Qingyun Sect, our side has arrived

The young man nodded, grabbed Fang Xing's arm, and swiftly darted up the mountain like a flash of lightning

Although they see Fang Xing diligently cultivating every day, they merely believe it to be a common affliction among newcomers to the Qingyun Sect. Every disciple who enters the Qingyun Sect will strive hard to cultivate for the first year or even two years, hoping to step onto the path of immortality and ascend in one leap. However, as time passes, they gradually give up, come to terms with their own aptitude, and begin to accept their role as an ordinary person

Let him in

Disciple ... ... Disciple ... ... consumed the transformation grass ... ...

Elder Gao, the person has arrived

Is it true that many have discovered the wonderful uses of the herb Huajingcao?

How did you cultivate spiritual energy

He approached, his eyes sweeping over Fang Xing as if a cold electric shock had struck him, and he asked in a deep voice: "Are you the one who rang the Clear Heart Bell? What is your surname and given name?"

In less than ten breaths, a green shadow flashed like lightning from within the mountain gate ahead. It was a young man with a fair complexion and a slender figure, dressed in a green Daoist robe. His hair was gathered in a bun secured with a black wooden hairpin. He appeared to be in high spirits, yet his face bore an expressionless demeanor, resembling that of a corpse.

The old man seemed somewhat disappointed. After inquiring about Fang Xing's name, he took a drop of his blood and infused it into a small black wooden plaque, casually tossed it to him, and sent him on his way

Fang Xing turned his head to look, only to see an old Taoist priest with a face resembling orange peel. His gray-white hair hung down on both sides, and the morning light streamed in through the window, illuminating half of his face while the other half remained shrouded in darkness. However, his pair of eyes were equally bright, with a sharp gaze fixed on Fang Xing, as if he could penetrate any secret, instilling a sense of dread that made one hesitant to utter even a half-truth.

Fang Xing quickly turned the matter over in his mind and decided that it would be best to speak the truth, so he put on a look of sincere fear and replied

Alright, follow me

Their expressions were a mix of admiration and envy, as they never expected that this fierce and domineering young man would cultivate spiritual energy in just three months, about to ascend to greatness and become an outer sect disciple

Focusing intently on the clock, the yin-yang spirits in my mind began to operate, and the characteristics of this copper penetrated deeply into Fang Xing's heart

Fang Xing's heart resonated as he walked up the steps, his palm gently caressing the surface of the bronze bell

In the eyes of the other disciples, such individuals are all extraordinary talents, the favored ones of heaven

In the morning breeze, five young Taoist disciples—Wang Zhi, Little Speckle, the Hanged Ghost, the Rat Spirit, and the Circle Ghost—stood in a line in front of the wooden house to bid farewell.

President Fang let out a long sigh, channeling the spiritual energy within, and suddenly struck the bell with a forceful blow

I respectfully bid farewell to Mr. Fang, wishing him a future as bright as brocade and a smooth ascent to success

The Clear Heart Bell, a spiritual artifact of the lower tier, does not resonate when struck with mundane wood or common copper; however, when struck with spiritual energy, its sound travels for ten miles

As Fang Xing walked, he felt the wind rising beneath his feet, and the sound of the wind whistled in his ears. The strong wind made his face ache, and he could barely open his eyes. He inwardly cursed the person with the deadpan face, wondering if they were showing off their abilities in front of him. Had he really greeted them for nothing? However, he soon realized that he had been foolish; why hadn't he circulated his spiritual energy to resist it? With a thought, he began to circulate his spiritual energy, and immediately felt much better.

Following the winding path, one can exit Ling Tian and approach the back entrance of Qing Yun Sect. From this vantage point, one can catch a glimpse of the true appearance of Qing Yun Sect, which is indeed shrouded in celestial clouds, with towering peaks rising one after another. Ancient and serene Taoist temples are nestled within the valleys. At an unknown moment, a gentle breeze sweeps through, parting the mountain mist, revealing a cultivation cave that resembles a fairyland.

At this moment, the inability to see through the old man's cultivation only indicates that Fang Xing's spiritual energy is still insufficient to activate the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror to assess his cultivation level

Early in the morning, Fang Xing packed his belongings into a bundle and slung it over his back, bidding farewell to the group of young disciples.

However, the Daoist sect also emphasizes the importance of fate and enlightenment. Therefore, even though the Daoist disciples cultivated through refining essence and grass may generally possess poor aptitude, the Qingyun Sect will still grant them the status of outer disciples. As for what achievements they will attain in the future, it depends on their individual fortune

The Qingyun Sect boasts a vast expanse of spiritual fields spanning ten thousand acres, with a thousand young disciples. With such a large number of individuals, it is only natural that talents will emerge. Although the sect has only imparted the most basic technique, the Qingyun Qi Refining Method, to these young disciples, and has provided no further guidance or assistance in their cultivation, each year, among these thousands of disciples, one or two outstanding individuals do manage to cultivate spiritual energy through their own comprehension.

Then let us begin, Xiao Jianming, the leader of the tenth bandit group of Ghost Smoke Valley has arrived

Immortal Way, Laozi has arrived

The young Taoist approached a pavilion at the waist of Qifeng Mountain and respectfully reported to the inside

After all, such individuals possess inadequate qualifications; even if they reluctantly embark on the path of cultivation, there is little prospect for their future

Dare to push me?

Brothers, I am leaving now. Sometimes I will come back to visit and drink together!

Greetings, Senior Brother. I am Fang Xing, a disciple from the third district of the Bing character. I pay my respects to you, Senior Brother

However, at the moment of bowing, I cautiously took a glance at this person and noticed that he possessed the cultivation of the fourth level of spiritual movement, indicating that his strength was not weak

Fang Xing waved his hand, turned around, and walked along the narrow path into the depths of the green mountains

Fang Xing smiled slightly and did not say anything further. He had already shared the method with them, and whether these people believed it or not was up to them.

The aged voice resounded once more, its tone heavy and solemn, as if sound waves were striking Fang Xing's forehead