Chapter 119: Elixir Births Innate Essence, Spirits Raise Rosy Clouds, Bells Toll Thirty-Six Times, and Swords Hang Throughout the City

The Purple Gold Lotus of the Celestial Master’s Mansion is a truly extraordinary object, a wonder born from the dynasty’s destiny gathered through the secret arts of the Mansion, floating within the pool of destiny atop the mountain.

Although the Great Zhao Dynasty has never officially recognized the Celestial Master’s Mansion as the state religion, the ties between the Zhao imperial family and the Mansion are exceptionally deep. It can be said that ever since the Founding Ancestor of Zhao established the Great Zhao Dynasty, the Mansion and the imperial court have been inextricably linked. The imperial family sends its bloodline to the Mansion to cultivate, and the Purple Gold Lotus has always been held exclusively by those of royal descent.

The Second Prince obtained the Purple Gold Lotus; were he to return to Lin'an Prefecture, he would undoubtedly attract a large number of officials to his cause, dealing a significant blow to the First Prince’s faction. However, the First Prince’s faction is supported by Qin Lishi, a powerful court official, so even with the Purple Gold Lotus, the Second Prince cannot be said to hold an absolute advantage. The Second Prince has his own plans: if he can build momentum at the Sword Pool Palace and perhaps even secure the support of the entire palace, he would surely gain an absolute advantage in the struggle for the throne in Lin'an.

But to gain the recognition of the Sword Pool Palace, striking the millennia-old Sword Bell is the key. Eighteen tolls is the benchmark for gaining the attention of the palace. If one can exceed eighteen tolls, even that legendary land-immortal-level master swordsman would emerge from seclusion for him!

Second Prince Zhao Pei came with this intention. He planned to use the power of the Purple Gold Lotus to strike the bell eighteen times in one go, asserting his presence within the Sword Pool Palace. If he could draw out that legendary land-immortal, his future succession to the Great Zhao throne would be undisputed. He unleashed the Purple Gold Lotus, intending to use its overwhelming aura to force An Le off the stone platform, thereby bolstering his own momentum to ensure the eighteen tolls.

Yet, Zhao Pei never imagined that the Purple Gold Lotus would be suppressed, and that the one thrown off the platform would not be An Le, but himself!

"Invincible momentum..."

Falling from the stone platform, Second Prince Zhao Pei watched as the glow of the Purple Gold Lotus dimmed under this suppression, his face turning ashen. He realized what the heaven-defying, soaring dragon-like aura he had sensed was.

Invincible momentum! The invincible momentum of a white python transforming into a heavenly dragon!

This youth had actually condensed his invincible momentum to such a degree! Once he breaks through to the sixth stage, this momentum will fuse into his soul and body, making his foundation unimaginably solid. His future path to the seventh and eighth stages would be easier than anyone else's! Why is Li You'an's cultivation speed so fast? It is because he once gathered such invincible momentum, carving out a legendary path that became famous throughout the world. After the sixth stage, he was unstoppable, his Dao heart firm and impenetrable. Only when crossing from the eighth to the ninth stage would he encounter obstacles.

Zhao Pei had not expected to see such spirit in An Le. When An Le was making a name for himself in Lin'an, he was still in seclusion at the Celestial Master’s Mansion, attempting to reach the dual sixth stage simultaneously while plucking the Purple Gold Lotus to build a solid foundation. Alas, unable to break through both, he abandoned the attempt, intending to use the Lotus to nourish his strength for a stable breakthrough later. Thus, he only knew that An Le had drawn his sword before the Tianxuan Palace to cut off the hand of a Zhao family emperor, thwarting the Emperor's plan to seize the Heart Sword. He did not know that the youth’s invincible momentum had condensed so magnificently, even manifesting as a heavenly dragon!

While the Second Prince stood there, his face dark and his heart burning with rage, he couldn't help but wonder: how could mere invincible momentum blast him away when he was wielding the Purple Gold Lotus?

On the stone platform, An Le ignored him entirely, not even casting a second glance.

The second deafening toll of the Sword Bell exploded!

An Le’s figure hovered in the air, his blood boiling. Within his inner elixir, mysterious intent spontaneously manifested. The phantom of an ancient demon tiger appeared, roaring at the stars. Ancient scriptures seemed to shimmer on An Le’s body as he struck the massive, heavy bell with a tiger-style palm!

*Dong—*

The deafening roar of the tiger, fused with the explosive waves of the bell, spread in all directions like ripples. It looked as if the corner of a thin sheet of paper were being held, fluttering violently in a hurricane. The sound of the sword, the roar of the tiger, and the bell’s resonance seemed to merge into one. The sheer scale of the sound made all the cultivators sitting around the platform feel their scalps tingle. Invisible shockwaves surged, bending the frost-grass—which was enhanced by sword qi—to the ground!

Many disciples of the Sword Pool Palace and the geniuses of the Dali Star Chart sat cross-legged, their robes pressed against their bodies, their hair whipping backward. They widened their eyes, remaining seated to stabilize themselves, feeling the bell’s waves to cleanse their bodies, enhance their sword qi, and comprehend sword intent!

"Two."

As the sound of the sword, the tiger's roar, and the bell’s waves dissipated, a low voice echoed. The white-clad youth on the platform, cleansed by the bell’s waves and sword qi, felt his bones crack and pop as he gathered his momentum once more.

The mysterious intent born within his inner elixir fully manifested. Before the Sword Bell, An Le practiced the long-lost *Classic of the Five Ancient Demon Birds*, using the sword intent contained within the bell for tempering. The mysterious intent became increasingly real; within his inner elixir, an ancient demon tiger seemed to stand upon the earth, roaring at the stars above.

Then came the ancient bear stance; An Le stood as if holding a pill, his blood swelling. He appeared like a mountain, as steady as a Buddhist Immovable Wisdom King, his eyes wide, his voice like thunder. Both palms struck the bell simultaneously, causing ten thousand swords within the bell to resonate in unison, and the bell’s waves exploded once more!

The sword-humming grew higher and higher, and the bell’s waves continued to stack upon one another! The ancient sound waves surged toward the sky, billowing the clouds as if they were propping up a giant canopy! In the Sword Pool Lake, giant waves rose a full ten feet high, white, churning crests packed with turbulent sword qi, crashing against the cliffs by the shore. The sound was immense, yet it could not compare to the bell’s resonance!

Using the five mysterious intents of the ancient demons to strike the bell, one style flowed into the next, wave upon wave. On the lake, each wave rose a foot higher than the last. The entire Sword Pool Lake seemed like a giant bowl filled with water, rocking from side to side. The sword-humming carried the bell’s waves, sweeping out from the stone platform as the center!

"Five!"
"Six!"
"Seven!"
...

Every time the sword-humming and bell waves subsided, the youth’s firm, resonant voice echoed! The majesty of the bell’s waves and the high-spirited nature of the sword-humming caused everyone’s expressions to change. Such a massive bell sound far exceeded the seventeen tolls of Lu Ziwei and the fifteen of Lü Shisan!

To see one toll is to know the entire momentum! With such a high starting point, it was clear that the momentum was surging; it seemed he would truly strike eighteen times!

Suddenly, a great wind rose in the heavens and earth. On the bluestone path, Su Muzhe, Zhao Huangting, and Wan Jieliu stood still, their faces full of astonishment. Even Wan Jieliu, who was usually expressionless, had his eyes widened, faint traces of sword intent weaving across his bare torso.

"The momentum of the first three tolls is unprecedented!"
"This youth might break the eighteen-toll mark of the Sword Bell! No, I cannot guess how many times he will strike it!" Wan Jieliu’s low voice cut through the sword-humming and bell waves.

Su Muzhe’s eyes shone, and Zhao Huangting, standing beside her, wore a complex expression. Years ago, he had stood on this platform and struck the Sword Bell eighteen times, shocking the entire Sword Pool Palace. Time had flowed on, and the youth he had given to the Green Mountain to raise now stood on that same platform, striking with a momentum greater than his own! Looking at the waves of sound crashing one after another, the white-haired Zhao Huangting, his long eyebrows flying, couldn't help but reveal a knowing smile.

These bell waves were like the waters of a river. One wave pushed another, each stronger than the last. The youth’s future would certainly be... even more magnificent than his own!

Very good.

On the distant bluestone road, the Daoist Li Quanchuan of the Celestial Master’s Mansion was shocked. He had seen the Second Prince, who held the Purple Gold Lotus, suppressed and pushed off the platform by the white-clad youth.

How incredible! The Second Prince carried the Purple Gold Lotus, a wonder of heaven and earth that only blossomed once every two hundred years after gathering the destiny of the world. If he could perfectly absorb its power, he could reach the peak of the eighth stage without disaster and have the qualifications to challenge the ninth! Yet, he had been suppressed by that youth!

"Impossible! Even with invincible momentum, this shouldn't be possible!"
"There is something strange about this boy!" the Daoist Li Quanchuan said firmly.

Beside him, the Prince of Jiangling, holding an oil-paper umbrella, had profound eyes fixed on the white-clad youth, a strange look flickering across his elegant face. As An Le tempered his body with the Five Ancient Demon Birds, a massive demonic aura erupted from his flesh and blood. That aura stirred the heart of the Prince of Jiangling. He stared at the youth, whose handsome features carried an eerie charm, and couldn't help but extend his tongue to gently lick his crimson, alluring lips.

Deep within the Sword Pool Palace, at the door of a square house, an old man leaned against the frame. Inside, heat waves rolled; above the sword-casting furnace, the earth-immortal fire seemed to roar and flourish under the impact of the bell’s waves! The old man with silver hair pursed his lips and closed his eyes, enjoying the sound of the bell. His gullied face folded into a long-lost smile.

"The sword souls in the Sword Tomb are cheering; every molten sword seems to be bursting with a clanging sound, as if responding to the youth’s strikes..."
"The swords are lifting this youth, wanting to carry him to the heavens, to a divine throne!"

The old man tilted his head and continued to listen to the increasingly high-pitched bell waves, every inch of his flesh and blood trembling in rhythm.

"Good, good, good."

Inside the room, the sword-casting furnace seemed to roar, the rising flames morphing into a twisted face, devouring the red-hot sword embryo suspended over the furnace! The sparks that flew out illuminated the darkness of the room.

...

The spring rain, falling like oil, was shattered. The puddles gathered in the pits of the bluestone streets of Jinguancheng rippled in concentric circles. Countless citizens gripped the swords at their waists. They walked onto the streets, looking toward the depths of Jinguancheng, toward the direction of the Sword Pool Palace, with shock and reverence. Whether they were peddlers, scholars, laborers, or singers in brothels, they all wore swords. At this moment, their swords were trembling in accompaniment to the surging bell waves. They gripped their weapons tightly, awe climbing onto their faces.

Meanwhile, before the Sword Pool Lake, An Le had already fallen into a state of deep immersion. His blood was boiling, and his God-Connecting Sword Body was, at this moment, almost completely linked to the Sword Bell. As the bell waves and sword-humming washed over his body, his entire frame seemed to distort slightly. Sword qi penetrated every corner of his body, and the impurities in his blood, meridians, and spirit bones were shaken out bit by bit, washing his body until it became increasingly perfect and flawless, like a clear, precious jade!

These impurities turned into sweat, which was then shattered by the bell waves into a misty spray, making An Le appear like an immortal descending from the heavens!

An Le could feel his physical tempering stage constantly climbing! His body, already enhanced by the Green Mountain Ancient Scripture, was rising even higher. The mysterious intent within his inner elixir flowed—the demon tiger’s roar, the fierce bear’s growl, and the demon ape’s cry all erupted unceasingly! Vaguely, the scriptures of the ancient text seemed to leap before his eyes, causing An Le’s blood to boil and radiate waves of heat!

The fifth stage of physical tempering is "Innate"! To produce a breath of innate qi is to step into the fifth stage! An Le felt that, amidst the swirling mysterious intent, his inner elixir was about to squeeze out a strand of extremely pure qi, like the breath nurtured in the womb!

However, this strand of innate qi had yet to appear!

The five mysterious intents surged, and the Green Mountain Future Sword Qi intent also surfaced. On the stone platform, An Le was completely lost to the world, his massive blood-qi burning like fire, his spine roaring like a dragon. He swung his arms, striking the Sword Bell!

One more!

"Thirteen!"
"Fourteen!"
"Fifteen!"

Around the stone platform, the bell waves became more majestic. Second Prince Zhao Pei’s expression grew increasingly grave; he was actually swaying under the impact of these waves! His face darkened; it was one thing to be thrown off the platform, but now, he couldn't even withstand the waves generated by An Le’s striking of the bell?!

Impossible!

Second Prince Zhao Pei stood with his hands behind his back, his face cold and lonely, standing proudly as he slammed into the bell waves! The frost-grass on the lawn had long since completely flattened, unable to stand, as if crushed by a giant wheel.

Many disciples of the Sword Pool Palace were horrified and shocked.
"He surpassed it! He passed fifteen tolls, he passed Senior Brother Lü!"
"He hasn't stopped! He continues with such high and surging bell waves!"
"How terrifying, to start with such high momentum and still be able to ring it continuously; what kind of monster is this!"

Many disciples of the Sword Pool Palace did not recognize An Le, but at this moment, they were all stunned by this youth!

Lü Shisan sat cross-legged on the ground with his sword across his lap. His face was flushed red, but there was no sense of defeat or disappointment at being surpassed. Fifteen tolls was decent, but it was not a significant record in the Sword Pool Palace. So what if he was surpassed? Listening to the bell waves, using them to cleanse his sword qi and comprehend sword intent—this was what he should be doing! Self-pity was for the mediocre. Geniuses seize every opportunity to strengthen themselves!

Lu Ziwei, her blue dress clinging to her cross-legged figure and her black hair flowing behind her like a waterfall, stared intently at the white-clad youth. She had looked at him earlier and felt he was quite extraordinary, but she had never imagined he possessed such depth and spirit.

This thick, high-pitched bell resonance... she knew that the moment the youth struck the first toll, she could not compete.

*Hum, hum, hum...*

The Star Sword, which had been suppressed by the striking of the bell, began to tremble again. Lu Ziwei exhaled, her mind expanding as brilliant starlight wove around her. She began to use the bell waves to elevate her own sword intent!

*Dong, dong, dong!*

The bell waves continued to explode, and the tolling continued!

"Sixteen!"
"Seventeen!"
"Eighteen!!!"

Whether they were from the Sword Pool Palace or the Dali Star Chart, none of the cultivators could steady their minds. When the eighteenth toll exploded, some of the palace disciples felt their hearts were about to burst. The bell waves did not subside; instead, they became even more high-pitched!

*Dang—*

On the stone platform, within the Sword Bell, it was as if ten thousand swords were ringing in unison. The dead swords seemed to awaken at this moment! The Sword Bell, originally suspended nine inches high, was now nine feet in the air! And this height was still rising!

On the platform, An Le’s blood-qi was steaming, his eyes shining. The bell waves, which seemed to distort the air, crashed into him, and his God-Connecting Sword Body washed them away, making his flesh as tough as refined steel!

When the eighteenth toll exploded, the waves on the Sword Pool Lake had piled up to nine yards high! It was as if an angry dragon were wreaking havoc in the lake, crashing violently against the cliffs, the resulting spray ice-cold to the bone!

Within An Le’s inner elixir, the five ancient demon intents and the Green Mountain Future Sword Qi intent settled down with a boom! Finally, within the rapidly spinning inner elixir, a strand of extremely pure white qi slowly flowed out amidst the violent tremors. It circled the inner elixir like a free bird roaming the world, hovering in his Dantian!

Innate Spiritual Qi! Eighteen bell tolls, and the innate qi is born!

When An Le stepped into the fifth innate stage of physical tempering, he did not slow down his mind or stop striking the Sword Bell! His glabella suddenly split open; within his Sword Furnace, sword qi clanged, his primordial spirit opened its eyes, and the sword embryo shone brilliantly!

After physical tempering comes tempering the soul!

An Le snapped his fingers, and the Mo Chi sword at his waist roared out. His God-Connecting Sword Body permeated the sword qi, and he grabbed Mo Chi with a backhand grip, using the hilt to strike the bell, just like Lu Ziwei, the top of the Dali Star Chart.

"Nineteen!"

The bell rang again, the momentum showing no sign of weakening!

The bell waves, wrapped in explosive sword-humming, swept outward. The frost-grass on the ground seemed to be cut by sword qi, flying in disarray. The Second Prince, who stood closest under the stone platform, hardened his expression. The Purple Gold Lotus bloomed, helping him bear the weight of this toll!

"I can't take it anymore, how many more tolls until it ends?!"
"Hard to say, hard to say, it feels like it will never stop!"
"I feel like my heart is going to explode!"

Some of the weaker cultivators from the Sword Pool Palace and the Dali Star Chart could no longer endure it; they began to growl, one by one like frost-grass pulled up by the bell waves, fleeing the area. They could no longer hold on.

And the tolling continued! The sound of crashing waves, the sound of the bell, the sound of sword-humming! Even the wailing of ten thousand sword souls! Each sound entered their ears, shaking their flesh and blood, rocking their souls! Despite the benefits of tempering the body and soul, one had to be able to endure it!

*Pfft!*

A disciple of the Sword Pool Palace who had been stubbornly trying to use the waves to temper himself finally couldn't hold on. Gripping his trembling sword, he spat out a mouthful of blood and fled the area in a panic.

When the bell reached twenty-five tolls, only three remained around the stone platform: the Second Prince Zhao Pei with his Purple Gold Lotus, Lü Shisan with his face flushed as red as blood, and Lu Ziwei, who seemed to be covered in starlight from the heavens! But they were all at their limits! The sound of "sword weeping" contained within the countless sword-hums was like the cries of countless ghosts by their ears, as if they were weeping and roaring, asking why they, who had fought for their masters for years and shed blood for them, should be melted down into the Sword Tomb!

Under the increasingly high and eerie bell waves, Lü Shisan finally couldn't take it. Blood spilled from his nose and mouth, and with a sweep of sword light, he fled rapidly! Retreating to the bluestone path, he breathed heavily, his eyes full of confusion and helplessness. Those weeping sounds... were they... real or not?!

Soon, the star-drenched Lu Ziwei could no longer hold on. She departed gracefully, landing on the bluestone path and exhaling, her beautiful eyes filled with wonder.

When the bell reached thirty tolls! The Purple Gold Lotus was subjected to the impact of infinite sword qi, and even its petals showed sword marks.

*Crack.*

The gold sand on his glabella seemed to show an imperceptible crack. Zhao Pei’s expression changed in horror; he no longer continued this meaningless support using the Purple Gold Lotus and drifted away!

On the stone platform, only the white-clad youth remained. His face was pale, but his body was swept by sword qi as he continued to strike the bell, listening to the complaints and unwillingness of the dead swords!

Su Muzhe stared blankly at this scene, her eyes full of disbelief.

"There is a divine intent on him... he is communicating with these dead swords, awakening the divine intent within them!" Su Muzhe said. For her, who possessed a palace of swords within her glabella and owned endless swords, she could most clearly feel the "divinity" on An Le.

This youth, at this moment, was the God of Swords! It had nothing to do with cultivation, nothing to do with his stage! It was a purity toward the sword! A bond with the sword!

After Mo Chi came Green Mountain. An Le gripped Green Mountain and struck the Sword Bell. At this moment, the ancient bell was suspended nine yards in the air! The youth on the platform stepped toward the sky, the wind howling, his robes flying. He used the bamboo sword to strike the bell, as if striking that lonely, ancient bell hanging on the desolate peak. A sense of desolation spread from it!

Thirty-three!
Thirty-four!
Thirty-five!

*Dong, dong, dong!*

The Sword Pool Lake suddenly had no more ripples, not a single wave. A strand of sword qi bloomed from the lake, cutting the entire lake in two. At the bottom of the lake, an extremely old man slowly opened his eyes.

An Le, holding Green Mountain, struck the ancient bell as it fell from nine yards, crashing onto the stone platform and covering it in cracks. An Le was drenched in sweat, slowly exhaling as he announced the final count.

"Thirty-six."

Suddenly, the sword pool in his glabella clanged. Behind the primordial spirit sitting on the heart-sword embryo, points of glowing light were born! The inner elixir condensed the innate, and the primordial spirit raised the glowing light! Physical tempering and soul tempering both entered the fifth stage!

*Dong—*

The thirty-sixth toll, the long, lingering sound of the Sword Bell, was no longer piercing; only an endless sense of desolation remained, like a sigh. It swept through the Sword Pool Palace and permeated Jinguancheng.

In the city, all the citizens’ swords, under the final toll, could no longer be held. They flew into the sky, suspended nine feet high, sword tips pointing downward, hanging over the city, clanging and ringing, mourning for the Sword Tomb!

Thirty-six bell tolls! The whole city is hung with swords!

(End of chapter)