The Prodigies War

Chapter 1736: Shocking Secrets

While staring at the Worship of All Spirits carving on the stone wall, memories flashed across Lin Xun’s mind.

When the Dao Lantern Festival in the West Infinity World came to an end, a king-grade herb appeared and acted like a rogue to Lin Xun.

But it was precisely because of its appearance that Lin Xun learned something about the Dao Ruleless Bell.

The king-grade herb once said, “The Dao Ruleless Bell was the lifework of many Saints in ancient times.”

“The ring of the bell represents the gathering of the Power of All Living Beings, which can change the universe, force ghosts and demons to retreat, and exhibit other mysterious effects. Whoever holds it can control the lives of all sentient beings!”

It also mentioned, “The Dao Ruleless Bell represents the power of sentient beings. When the Saints successfully crafted it, they suffered a heavenly punishment because it violated a taboo. Even if you had gotten your hands on their treasure, you won’t be able to use it.”

“To control this treasure, you need the Power of all Living Beings!”

“The Power of all Living Beings is related to the wishpower of all beings. Only the great sages who have successfully carried out the Saint Path Ritual can gather that power!”

Lin Xun still remembered the rumor that when Saints imparted the dao upon the world and educated sentient beings, they would naturally gain their worship, and that would condense to form a mysterious power called wishpower!

It was similar to the solemn and pious atmosphere in the temples of the secular world, where the common people burned incense and worshiped the statues of gods all year round.

That kind of atmosphere was the most basic kind of wishpower.

The so-called wishpower of cultivators was different—it referred to the grand vision of cultivation. Every true Saint or Sage would set their own noble ambition.

For this reason, some Saints chose to enter the secular world, educate sentient beings, promote their ambitions, and gain the worship and approval of all beings. Then, they would receive a steady stream of wishpower from all sentient beings.

Similarly, some Saints chose to leave the secular world and confirm their vision with the myriad daos of all heavens. When they opened up a new path of cultivation or created a new dao art, they also could obtain wishpower.

That kind of wishpower was also known as great dao wishpower.

Whether a Saint chose to enter or leave the world, the ritual of transforming from a Saint to a Sage, the Saint Path Ritual, was destined to be inseparable from wishpower.

Lin Xun still remembered that the mysterious golden cicada had made a wish that would shock the world in the Mulberry Woodland of the Blood Kill Battlefield.

May one day, all spirits in the world ascend to become Saints!

It was a grand and noble ambition and vision.

Thinking of this, Lin Xun couldn’t help but recall the many attempts that Lu Xuanji had made to receive the recognition of the stone wall.

Lu Xuanji believed that the Worship of All Spirits drawing was the key to the Power of All Living Beings. Once he controlled the power, he would be able to undergo the Saint Path Ritual and become a true Sage.

There was only one word difference between Sage and Saint, but there was a world of difference between them.

Only those who have successfully completed the Saint Path Ritual could be called Sages, manipulate the Power of All Living Beings and one day, become Saint-Kings of the Supreme Path!

Therefore, Lu Xuanji had made many attempts, but he still failed in the end.

Recalling some past events and comparing them with what Lu Xuanji had said, Lin Xun was more and more confident that the bell in the Worship of All Spirits carving was the Dao Ruleless Bell.

“Only through the Saint Path Ritual can one become a Sage. The word ‘sage’ distinguishes one from other Saints in the world.

“As the saying goes, when you see a Sage, you are inspired to become like them. This suggests that both the cultivation and power of Sage transcends those of a Saint.”

Lin Xun drifted into deep thought. He had already reached the perfect Intermediate Big Saint Stage, so he was well aware of the difference between a Saint and a Sage.

Only a Sage had hopes of becoming a Saint-King on the Supreme Path!

Saints might be able to advance to the Saint-King Stage, but they have no chance of reaching the Supreme Path.

Originally, Lin Xun planned to only think about transforming into a Sage once he reached the perfect advanced Big Saint Stage.

But now, he was presented with such an opportunity!

Lin Xun drew a deep breath and decided to give it a try.

Shua!

His spirit sense spread outwards and poured into the Worship of All Spirits carving on the stone wall. All of a sudden, his body and mind trembled, and a majestic and resounding bell seemed to ring in his mind.

Faintly, he seemed to see a bell drifting in the ancient years. The boundlessly huge body was a bronze hue and covered with ancient dao runes.

As it swayed, the ring echoed throughout the nine heavens. All natural disasters, calamities, evils, and sufferings in the world were dissipated with the sound of the bell, like mist disappearing into the air.

Filled with gratitude, countless beings knelt on the ground and bowed devoutly...

Wisps of wishpower rose endlessly from the sentient beings, like the smoke of praying incense and absorbed into the bell.

Boom!

Very quickly, such scenes faded, leaving only the bell floating in the river of time, ringing with ancient and desolate sounds.

The sound of the bell represented living beings, and the ring of the bell represented the will of all living beings. The power it generated could turn the universe upside down and eliminate calamities!

At the same time, many insights and comprehension emerged in Lin Xun’s mind.

Saints represented a cultivation state.

When one used their powers to enlighten sentient beings and gain their recognition and worship, one could control the Power of All Beings. Only then could one be called a Sage!

Similarly, when one set grand ambitions and visions for the great dao and confirmed it with the myriad daos of all heavens, opened up a new path of cultivation or created a new dao art, they could also control wishpower and be called a Sage.

In short, there were two ways to become a Sage: One was to control the wishpower of sentient beings, and the other was to control the wishpower of the great dao.

“I have been cultivating to this day in search of an unprecedented dao path in the world. This is tantamount to opening up a new path for the future generations.

Lin Xun’s dark eyes shone with wisdom. “I created my own dharma art at the Saint Stage, which is unheard of and tantamount to creating a brand new dao art for future generations...

“Once I reach the perfect advanced Big Saint Stage, I will be able to wield great dao wishpower and undergo the ritual to become a Sage!”

After figuring this out, when Lin Xun looked at the stone carving again, his mind became clear and empty, desiring nothing.

For Lu Xuanji, the stone carving that contained the Power of All Living Beings could be considered an ultimate fortune.

But Lin Xun was completely indifferent.

He had never imparted the dao to educate sentient beings, therefore, he was indifferent to gaining their recognition and worship.

In other words, he had no intention of representing all living beings and so he would not covet their wishpower.

He was only curious as to why a carving of the Dao Ruleless Bell would appear in one of the Nine Secrets of Kunlun?

Could it be that the bell was passed down from the Kunlun Dominion?

While Lin Xun was pondering, a voice sounded in his mind—

“Little friend, why don’t you use the Dao Immeasurable Bottle to absorb the Power of all Living Beings?”

The voice was as powerful and resounding as a bell!

“Who is it?”

It startled Lin Xun, and then the image of a bronze bell emerged in his mind, ancient and majestic, and surrounded in a mysterious ultimate aura.

“Don’t be alarmed, my little friend. The Nine Secrets of Kunlun contains nine treasures, all of which were born from the Treasure Refining Origin Furnace. Long ago, those nine treasures were taken away one by one by nine fated cultivators.

“And I am a wisp of will of the Dao Ruleless Bell.”

The melodious sound of the bell transformed into words and rang in Lin Xun’s ear.

His heart pounded. It is indeed the Dao Ruleless Bell!

Lin Xun couldn’t help but wonder, “Treasure Refining Origin Furnace? Could it be the treasure refining furnace that turned into the Treasure Refining Land?”

He still clearly remembered that he had obtained a Black Copper Piece on the inverted mountain of Treasure Refining Land and from it, he saw some unbelievable scenes.

For example, the copper piece was a part of the Treasure Refining Furnace.

Moreover, the Treasure Refining Furnace gave birth to nine Emperor weapons!

The nine Emperor weapons were precisely a divine sword, a battle spear, a bronze lamp, a battle flag, a dao seal, a jade bottle, a set of armor, a circular jade plate and a divine blade.

“That’s correct.” The voice rang again, “The Treasure Refining Origin Furnace forged the nine Emperors weapons to defend Kunlun, but it also violated a taboo and triggered an unprecedented tribulation, which destroyed the Treasure Refining Origin Furnace.

“And those nine Emperor weapons were buried in nine secret places. In the years that followed, they were discovered one after another by fated cultivators.”

Understanding dawned on Lin Xun’s face.

The Treasure Refining Land was formed after the Treasure Refining Origin Furnace was destroyed, and the nine Emperor weapons that were produced by the furnace had been buried in the Nine Secrets of Kunlun since then!

Unfortunately, those Emperor weapons had been taken away in subsequent years…

“On you, I detect the aura of the Dao Immeasurable Bottle, one of the nine Emperors weapons. It was originally hidden in the Immeasurable Great Lake, one of the Nine Secrets of Kunlun, and it was later discovered by a successor of Fangchun Mountain called Li Xuanwei.

A successor of Fancun Mountain!

Li Xuanwei!

Lin Xun was dumbstruck. Isn’t he one of my senior brothers?

“Li Xuanwei is a very interesting person, broadminded and carefree. When he left, I went with him to the Ancient Wasteland Domain via the power of the Cangwu Tree...”

The sound of the Dao Ruleless Bell rang again. “Later, Li Xuanwei and his senior and junior brothers left the Ancient Wasteland Domain to go beyond the starry sky to ascend the dao.

“Before leaving, Li Xuanwei left the Dao Immeasurable Bottle on Cangwu Mountain, saying that one day, a successor of Fangchun Mountain would come, and the Dao Immeasurable Bottle would be a gift for his junior brother.”

Lin Xun was utterly dumbfounded.

He remembered the Dao Lantern Festival that had kicked off on Cangwu Mountain!

He remembered the Dao Immeasurable Bottle, which he had obtained in the second test of the Dao Lantern Festival.

When the test came to an end, a group of men and women appeared and bid farewell to him, addressing him as ‘junior brother’!

Lin Xun distinctly remembered a dashing, confident and elegant young man called Senior Brother Li, who said to him, “Everyone who enters the sect are brothers and sisters regardless of age. Junior Brother, we will meet again on the path of cultivation. Until then, take care.”