Chapter 118: The Starry Woman Strikes the Bell Seventeen Times, Unleashing an Invincible Divine Force to Suppress the Golden Lotus [Seeking Votes]

The Dao fruit shed its shell, transforming the innate swordsman into a Divine Sword Body.

It was a transformation that surged from the depths upward, permeating his entire being.

His body became a vessel for sword qi, allowing it to flow naturally from the soles of his feet upward—through flesh, spirit bones, meridians, dantian, inner elixir, and the sword furnace…

Every organ, every limb and bone seemed to undergo a metamorphosis at that moment, woven and connected into a seamless whole!

The sword qi was born spontaneously within An Le’s body, like the resonant strikes of an ancient bronze bell.

In the depths of his mind, An Le seemed to hear countless voices. Across heaven and earth, innumerable sword chants echoed, and he could discern the emotions each sword unleashed within those chants.

A surge of sword qi shot skyward, piercing the drifting clouds above, forming a circular wave of sword qi energy.

The ancient bell’s toll intertwined with three resounding sword chants, creating a profound roaring.

It was as if atop the solitary, razor-sharp peak piercing the clouds, an ancient bell hung suspended, struck thrice by an old swordsman wearing a bamboo hat.

Each strike brought a remarkable transformation to the swordsman.

It cleansed his soul, purified his flesh, washed his spirit anew!

The boundless eternity of all beings, accompanied by the sword chants, seemed to cause every swordsman’s blade to tremble involuntarily.

The sound spread from the Sword Pool Lake like a gentle spring breeze, carried by an endless, tender rain that fell upon every corner of Jinguan City.

Every citizen who bore a sword in Jinguan City was immersed in the sound; their blades seemed to hum in harmony with the sword chants.

In the verdant central lawn, An Le stood on a bluestone, motionless.

Zhao Huangting and Su Muzhe watched in disbelief. Even Zhao Huangting, who held great expectations for An Le, could not conceal the shock in his heart at this moment.

He harbored no doubt that An Le could strike the sword bell.

The bell would surely sound; inheriting the Green Mountain sword, even perceiving a mountain within a mountain, proved An Le’s undeniable talent in swordsmanship.

Yet how remarkable that talent truly was, Zhao Huangting could not yet say with certainty. An Le’s time in cultivation had been far too brief, and in such a short span, Zhao Huangting could not fully gauge his sword aptitude.

For An Le’s cultivation talent was also formidable—both spiritual refinement and physical forging were above average.

But today, he was truly shaken. An Le hadn’t even approached the sword bell, yet the bell floated above the stone platform and rang thrice!

Not even Su Muzhe, the native lord of Sword Pool Palace, had ever witnessed such a phenomenon.

It was as if the Sword Pool Palace had awakened at this moment.

Wave after wave of sword qi rose from within Jinguan City, from the palace itself.

Countless droplets of rain were sliced apart by sword qi, and one sword after another soared into the sky. The sword cultivators of Sword Pool Palace, clad in azure, carried their swords on their backs or rode upon them as if they were peerless sword immortals arriving in unison.

The roar of their passage shattered the ancient city’s silence.

Even the master swordsmiths pounding sword embryos over the palace’s forge using the earth-immortal fire paused their work.

Most were bare-chested, their hair brittle from years of exposure to the earth-immortal fire. They stepped outside, leaning against doorways with closed eyes, listening to the sword chant bell ringing that permeated all of Jinguan City.

They could discern differences in the bell’s tolls. As swordsmiths, they felt the emotions embedded within the sword chants.

“Incredible… this bell’s sound does not come from an external force striking it, but from an internal vibration, a self-generated resonance that exudes sword chants—rich, joyous, exuberant… each emotion distinct.”

“This is not a human strike; this is the bell ringing itself…”

“The sword fate here is truly marvelous.”

…

With eyes closed, the swordsmiths listened with rapture to this once-in-a-millennium bell sound, spontaneously ringing from within the sword bell itself. Many gained enlightenment and new inspiration for forging the embryos burning in the sword forge.

“Such an extraordinary phenomenon only appeared when the old palace lord once set foot in the terrestrial immortal realm… back then, the sword bell rang nine times, heavenly light descended in radiant beams, sword qi formed rainbows, and an immortal emerged from the heavenly gate, striking the sword and playing a celestial melody in celebration.”

“Today the bell tolled only thrice, yet the portent is extraordinary. Countless ancient swords and countless departed sword souls embedded within the bell seem to awaken at this moment…”

Deep within the Sword Pool Palace’s sword forge, an extremely aged elder slowly stepped outside.

His white hair was withered, each strand gleaming like a silver sword filament. His eyes were clouded, his face mottled with the marks of time.

“Jieliu, go see who has caused the sword tomb to ring itself… this person’s affinity with swords is the palace’s fortune. Perhaps… the ultimate sword in the forge has found its chance to be perfected.”

The elder murmured.

Beside him stood a bare-chested middle-aged man, who upon hearing this, became solemn and respectfully cupped his fists.

Without delay, he took a step forward, exhaled sword qi, and ascended swirling with sword energy toward Sword Pool Lake.

…

Outside the Sword Pool Palace, before the jade monument archway,

Wearing scholarly robes and holding an oil-paper umbrella, the Prince of Jiangling looked up, his gaze sharp, watching the numerous sword instruments flying above the palace and the cultivators seated upon them. A trace of solemnity lingered on his face.

Raindrops fell on the umbrella, each seemingly imbued with the sharpness of sword qi intent on slicing through.

The Second Prince Zhao Pei and the venerable Taoist Li Qingchuan of the Celestial Master’s Mansion followed at his side. The three walked together, listening to the three low, whale-like bell tolls.

“Did someone strike the sword bell?” the Second Prince Zhao Pei asked, puzzled. “Could it be that An Le, bearing the Green Mountain, entered the Sword Pool Palace and only tolled the bell thrice?”

Yet Li Qingchuan and the Prince of Jiangling both shook their heads, their expressions strange.

“I have struck the bell countless times at the Celestial Master’s Mansion, and I can tell these three tones are not external strikes upon the bell’s surface, but rather vibrations from within the bell itself,” Li Qingchuan said, his voice tinged with disbelief and complex admiration.

The Second Prince’s eyes flashed with surprise but quickly calmed.

“I remember the Sword Pool Palace judges sword affinity by the number of bell tolls.”

“Fewer than three tolls means some affinity.”

“Nine tolls means great affinity; the palace forges a third-rank sword for the person.”

“Eighteen tolls means extreme affinity; the palace forges a second-rank sword.”

“My old royal uncle once struck the bell eighteen times before Sword Pool Lake, wielding a tattered bamboo sword, seeking the Green Mountain’s sharpness. Even the old Sword Saint opened his eyes for the first time in a century and cast his gaze.”

“Now, there are only three tolls… but whether from inside or outside the bell, it doesn’t amount to much.”

The Second Prince spoke softly.

The Prince of Jiangling glanced at him, a faint, almost uncanny smile on his refined face.

“Just for your confidence alone, Zhao Shenyen, I would choose you.”

His words were ambiguous—neither clearly sarcastic nor fully complimentary.

The Second Prince Zhao Pei smiled without care, lightly touching the golden sand mark on his brow.

“Master Li, though the Celestial Master’s Mansion is of the Daoist path, it also carries a sword legacy. If I were to use the power of the Purple Qi Golden Lotus to strike the bell… do you think I could break eighteen tolls?”

The jade archway before Sword Pool Palace was silent, only the soft rain pattering on bluestones.

Li Qingchuan paused, then smiled wryly.

“The Purple Qi Golden Lotus is a rare treasure of the Celestial Master’s Mansion, so striking the bell should be easy. But surpassing eighteen tolls… I truly cannot predict.”

His frank words sparked excitement in the Second Prince’s eyes.

The Prince of Jiangling’s lips curved into an intrigued smile.

The three stepped forward, breaking through the misty rain to enter.

…

The stirrings around Sword Pool Lake finally roused Su Muzhe from her shock.

She turned to An Le, her eyes bright, then glanced at Zhao Huangting with a tenderness like flowing water.

“Husband, I believe in you now!”

Hearing this, Zhao Huangting stroked his beard and smiled. Though he was shaken, he maintained a composed demeanor.

“You must trust your husband’s eyes.”

His tone was calm but carried an air of pride.

Su Muzhe smiled softly, watching the figures stepping on sword instruments or riding sword light as they approached. She raised her hand slightly.

Most of the sword cultivators did not come closer but sat calmly on their sword instruments, watching from afar.

Yet there were exceptions.

For example, the middle-aged man who had come by order from the elderly swordsmith, landing among the crowd. His gaze instantly fixed on An Le.

He was certain this youth had caused the sword bell to ring thrice.

“Oh, isn’t this Old Wan?” Zhao Huangting greeted with a smile.

The middle-aged man’s expression stiffened, glancing coldly at Zhao Huangting, seemingly annoyed by this troublesome fellow’s return.

“Wan Jieliu, after studying sword forging with Master Wang for so many years, have you produced anything notable? Show me a first-rank sword, if you have one.”

Zhao Huangting was unfazed, already accustomed to this man’s temperament.

“Who is this youth?” the bare-chested middle-aged man asked, eyes shining as he looked at An Le.

“Don’t you see the Green Mountain at his waist? I gifted it to him. He is my lifelong friend,” Zhao Huangting replied with a smile.

Wan Jieliu ignored Zhao Huangting, scrutinizing An Le as if inspecting a flawless sword embryo. His eyes grew intense.

“He has yet to strike the bell. The master eagerly awaits how many tolls he can produce, so he sent me to observe.”

Zhao Huangting and Su Muzhe were stunned. They had not expected that before even striking the bell, An Le had drawn the attention of the Sword Pool Palace’s elder swordsmith, second only to the old Sword Saint.

At this moment, An Le was gradually recovering from the Dao fruit’s transformation into the Divine Sword Body.

Because the innate swordsman Dao fruit was still trembling, An Le resolutely began to imbue his Dao fruit with the essence of time, prompting the transformation.

He sacrificed a strand of newly acquired golden time essence and the original Collapsing Sword Dao fruit.

The first strand of golden time essence was not very bright nor carefully observed, so he did not grudge sacrificing it.

As for the Collapsing Sword Dao fruit, he cared even less. Though not insignificant, he had already mastered its essence and could perform its techniques perfectly even without the Dao fruit.

Such sword-type Dao fruits, for one possessing the Eternal Genius and Innate Swordsman Dao fruits, might be useful initially but would soon become superfluous.

The Divine Sword Body Dao fruit changed An Le’s constitution and even his attitude toward the sword.

If the Innate Swordsman Dao fruit enhanced his perception of the sword, the Divine Sword Body made him into a magnet, attracting swords irresistibly.

The former was man toward sword; the latter, sword toward man.

It was a reversal of identity and position!

At this moment, An Le’s comprehension of swordsmanship leapt to a new realm.

The three sword melodies passed down by Zhao Huangting—Bamboo Branch, Fragrant Grass, and Youth’s Journey—were newly understood.

The clang of the sword furnace at his brow became vivid; the sword waterfall painting's meaning grew clearer; even the misty future sword qi vision of Green Mountain crystallized distinctly.

The future sword qi left by the Holy Master was faintly revealed to him.

It was as if his sword cultivation had transcended to a new level.

The Green Mountain and Ink Pool swords at his waist felt closer than ever, and An Le could sense the swords’ emotions beating within them like hearts.

Divine Sword Body—swords can reach divinity.

Su Muzhe had once tended over three thousand swords; An Le now felt the emotions between each sword and Su Muzhe’s heart.

Now he could feel the emotions of swords themselves.

This might be the intent of the Sword God.

Of course, An Le still fell short of true Sword God stature, but with the Divine Sword Body, becoming a Sword God was no longer a distant dream.

An Le opened his eyes; the sword qi in the world suddenly dispersed, returning into his body.

The sword bell, having rung thrice, seemed to have completed its welcoming ritual, settling back onto the stone platform, dust falling softly, and all returned to calm.

A gentle breeze swept over Sword Pool Lake, carrying the lingering chill of water and sword qi.

Those gathered around the sword bell who had been building their striking emotions now stood bewildered, uncertain why the bell had suddenly rung as it did.

Yet not everyone was ignorant of the cause.

A blue-robed woman from the Dali Kingdom’s Star Ranking, Lu Ziwei, seemed to realize something. She turned toward An Le, her eyes flickering.

Nearby, a man clad in Sword Pool Palace disciple robes turned to look, sword qi emanating from him, as if struggling to contain surging emotions.

“An Le, you three should go to the lakeshore. Don’t rush to strike the bell; sit around the stone platform and cultivate your striking emotions.”

“Each toll of the sword bell carries immense significance. It helps refine one’s cultivation and deepen one’s sword understanding, but the bell must ring continuously, without pause. Therefore, nurturing the right emotions and striking the bell in one breath is vital.”

Zhao Huangting spoke to An Le, Lin Qingyin, and Lin Zhuifeng.

Though mainly addressing An Le, Lin Qingyin and Lin Zhuifeng were merely along for the ride.

Lin Qingyin, a refined young lady, was not skilled with the sword and disliked fighting.

Lin Zhuifeng carried a firewood stick at his waist and naturally had no fondness for swords.

Zhao Huangting held no expectation that they would ring the bell, but he was full of hope for An Le.

Having caused the bell to ring before even approaching, what if An Le truly began to strike it—could he approach the record set by the old Sword Saint?

An Le cupped his fists in farewell to Zhao Huangting, Su Muzhe, and the bare-chested man who had appeared.

Under the gently falling spring rain, the three walked toward the sword bell.

Many Sword Pool Palace disciples and Dali Kingdom’s Star Ranking cultivators watched them approach.

The blue-robed Lu Ziwei stared at An Le, sensing a sharp sword qi emanating from the youth, as if he were a living sword.

The azure long sword resting on her lap seemed to rejoice at his approach.

At this moment, all around the bell, the crowd suppressed their spirits to restrain their swords, preventing the weapons from rushing toward the youth and causing embarrassment.

An Le found a clean spot on the lawn, smiled warmly at those around him. His handsome, striking features caused many female disciples of Sword Pool Palace to blush.

The fine rain soaked his white robes, bringing a hint of moisture.

An Le closed his eyes slowly, beginning to smooth the turbulent energies within his body caused by the transformation into the Divine Sword Body.

The world seemed to grow quiet.

After the initial excitement, the crowd began to regulate their breath and cultivate their emotions.

Though the atmosphere was calm, everyone knew the true uproar and explosion were yet to come.

Lu Ziwei’s slender, fair hands gently caressed the azure sword, her eyelashes trembling as she sensed the sword’s surging emotions.

She rose slowly, her blue gauze skirt flowing like starlight cascading down.

As she stood, she drew many gazes.

This first-ranked prodigy of the Dali Kingdom’s Star Ranking, with her special status, naturally bore great fame.

Step by step, she ascended the stone platform.

The immense ancient sword bell, seemingly forged from countless sword instruments, exuded a heavy aura of time as it loomed before her.

The woman raised her hand; the azure sword blossomed with a flicker of sword flower in her palm, then reversed grip by the hilt and struck the sword bell fiercely.

Invisible ripples of sword qi radiated from the bell’s surface.

The frost-covered grass bent sideways in the blast.

Her blue skirt fluttered as the sword bell finally lifted, as if the countless swords forged within collided, emitting a deep, resonant sword chant bell toll!

The calm surface of Sword Pool Lake rippled with white waves that spread far into the distance.

The woman had struck the sword bell—and that was only the beginning!

Even Zhao Huangting, Su Muzhe, and other experts fixed their gaze on her.

Her black hair cascaded like a waterfall, with starlight seemingly floating among its ends.

She reversed her grip on the sword again and thrust her palm forward; sword qi exploded like a vortex in her palm, striking the bell’s surface.

The swords inside clanged together, ringing out another toll.

Her skin, pure as jade, seemed to tremble with the bell’s resonance.

The sword qi within boiled; her mind and blood were cleansed at different levels.

Dong, dong, dong…

One toll after another echoed, shattering the heavens and earth.

The lake’s surface churned like a white dragon, waves piling high and crashing against the sheer cliffs, splashing cold water laced with sword qi.

After seventeen tolls, the sword bell floated two inches above the stone platform!

Dong!

But at this point, the woman’s sword qi was exhausted, unable to continue.

She held the now tranquil azure sword and gracefully stepped off the platform onto the grass, closing her eyes to nurture her gains, the sword qi weaving about her.

Aroused murmurs rippled among the crowd around the bell.

The disciples of Sword Pool Palace showed astonishment. Seventeen tolls surpassed all the young generation in the palace, placing her at the pinnacle.

The Dali Kingdom’s Star Ranking prodigies smiled in excitement but felt the woman’s achievement well deserved.

Seated on the lawn, a young man clad in blue from Sword Pool Palace stood.

He stepped forward; sword qi rippled from his feet.

Innate energy swirled around him; his spirit opened and closed between his brows, his mind like a stormy lightning dragon racing across evening clouds.

“Lv Thirteen of Sword Pool Palace, today I strike the sword bell.”

The man spoke, but his gaze was fixed on the still-closed-eyed blue-robed Lu Ziwei.

Step by step, he ascended the stone platform. His sword sheathed behind him suddenly unsheathed, surging upward like a dragon, crashing thunderously against the sword bell.

As Sword Pool Palace’s young sword chief, this was Lv Thirteen’s first time striking the bell—he had felt the timing immature before.

He had nurtured his emotions for a long time, now exploding today.

The woman’s seventeen tolls spurred him on!

“Dang—”

The sword bell rang without question.

The explosive bell sound stirred the white waves on Sword Pool Lake.

The sound surpassed nine tolls, continuing unabated.

The disciples’ spirits soared, but after the fifteenth toll, Lv Thirteen could go no further.

He sighed, drifting off the platform, sword qi resounding, settling to cultivate and gather his gains.

Fifteen tolls—still two short of the woman’s count.

Lu Ziwei finally opened her eyes, looking seriously at Lv Thirteen.

To toll fifteen times was no small feat; Sword Pool Palace had its own talents among the young generation.

Yet her gaze shifted and ultimately settled on An Le.

The youth who earlier caused the bell to ring thrice on his own…

Lv Thirteen understood her meaning and also looked at An Le.

There was no rivalry, only a peaceful exchange as if debating the Way through the bell’s sound.

Under their gazes, An Le smiled, drawing on the bell tolls from both.

The turbulent sword qi within him calmed, his blood surged, and the sword furnace at his brow rang unceasingly.

He no longer nurtured emotions; the Divine Sword Body’s restless sword qi surged through every fiber, compelling him to rise slowly.

The youth’s white robes fluttered like spring breezes.

Step by step, he ascended the stone platform where the ancient sword bell rested silently.

Suddenly, unrestrained laughter rang out.

On the distant bluestone path,

Three figures hurried forward.

The Second Prince Zhao Pei, clad in splendid robes, his golden sand mark on the brow gleaming.

Each step spanned dozens of meters, and in only a few strides, he seemed to float down gracefully onto the sword bell platform.

Zhao Pei’s aura surged, the golden sand mark seeming to come alive.

“I wish to strike the bell. You step down.”

He looked at An Le with a bright smile, his words carrying an unshakable command.

As the words fell,

The golden sand mark on his brow burst forth brilliant golden light, like a golden lotus quietly blooming atop a heavenly pool.

Purple qi swirled and coiled around Zhao Pei like a dragon.

A mighty pressure descended, seeking to force An Le off the platform and reduce him to a laughingstock, ruining his mood to strike the bell.

Yet at this moment, An Le’s Divine Sword Body sword qi was near explosion.

Facing the oppressive purple qi golden lotus,

He was like an enraged dragon!

Roar!!!

A long-missed invincible aura surged around An Le, baring fangs, and roaring at the blooming golden lotus.

Endless sword qi burst forth from his Divine Sword Body, merging into the invincible aura.

The dragon-shaped aura flicked its tail, sweeping the purple lotus qi and the dismayed Second Prince off the platform.

The dragon aura, fused with the sword qi, slammed fiercely against the sword bell.

The bell instantly rose nine inches!

An explosive roar of bell and sword qi rippled outward, stirring the still waters of Sword Pool Lake into towering waves!

At the same time, on the platform, the white-robed youth began to chant brightly.

“One.”

***

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(End of chapter)