Under the vast starry sky, the mournful cry of the Nine Nether Kun Whale echoed, filled with endless sorrow, and the Nether Qi surged violently in response to its lament, enveloping the entire sea in a oppressive atmosphere.
Watching this scene, Li Mu frowned, unable to make sense of it.
Under the Talent Divine Power - Identify Myriad Spirits, he only obtained the Nine Nether Kun Whale's attributes and its poor condition, but could not ascertain its Foundation.
Xue'er, on the other hand, was moved with compassion; she recalled her own annihilated clan and the mother who sacrificed herself to protect her, and her eyes revealed deep sympathy and sorrow, as if she could feel the Nine Nether Kun Whale's inner pain.
“Li Dage, I want to help it!”
Xue'er looked at Li Mu, her eyes sparkling with pleading light, signaling.
“Hmm, if you can communicate with it smoothly, you can try to understand what it needs and why it's like this!” Li Mu nodded, indicating his agreement.
Xue'er nodded joyfully, closed her eyes, and cast her spell again.
Soon, with the cooperation of Little White, the Kun Whale Clone let out a long cry, carrying Xue'er's emotional Divine Ability, attempting to communicate more deeply with that Nine Nether Kun Whale.
That Nine Nether Kun Whale was invigorated, and it responded with continuous long cries. Those long cries contained endless sorrow, helplessness, and anticipation, as if narrating the fate of its clan and the mystery of the Star Domain's anomaly.
Xue'er listened intently, trying to understand the information conveyed by the Nine Nether Kun Whale.
The two Nine Nether Kun Whales communicated with each other through long cries across the air. After a while, Xue'er finished her spell, opened her eyes, her willow brows furrowed, and her expression became solemn.
“Li Dage, that Kun Whale said something happened to their clan's Legacy land, and a large number of members died. It escaped the Legacy land and hopes to follow us!”
Xue'er looked at Li Mu and recounted the Nine Nether Kun Whale's story.
“A large number of eighth-rank Nine Nether Kun Whales died! What happened? Ask it clearly!”
Hearing this news, Li Mu was startled, and his expression also became solemn, realizing the seriousness of the problem. He hurriedly urged.
Xue'er nodded, closed her eyes again, and concentrated on communicating with that Nine Nether Kun Whale.
Amidst the long cries, the Nine Nether Kun Whale's emotions grew more agitated. It described in detail the sudden mutation that occurred in the Legacy land, an unknown, destructive power that suddenly emerged, causing the death of a large number of clan members, and it, as one of the few survivors, escaped in the chaos.
After a while, Xue'er finished her spell and responded solemnly, “Li Dage, it said that a powerful unknown force suddenly appeared in the Legacy land. That force was terrifying, almost destroying their clan's Legacy land overnight, and a large number of clan members perished in that disaster. It is one of the few members who escaped, and now the number of their clan's survivors is small and scattered. It hopes to follow us to find other survivors and rebuild its clan.”
“Destructive power? What kind of power is that? Could it be the root cause of the Spiritual Qi depletion in this Domain?”
Li Mu's heart was greatly shaken, and he linked it to the Spiritual Qi depletion. The appearance of this unknown and destructive power was likely not just a disaster for the Nine Nether Kun Whale clan, but possibly a huge threat facing the entire Star Domain.
Li Mu couldn't imagine how grand the power that could instantly kill a large number of eighth-rank Kun Whales was. However, recalling the reason for the Spiritual Qi depletion in this Domain, he couldn't help but attribute them together.
“If we can explore the Nine Nether Kun Whale's Legacy land, perhaps we can unravel the mystery of the source that caused the Spiritual Qi depletion in this Domain.” A thought flashed, and Li Mu couldn't help but murmur to himself, guessing.
“Li Dage, such a dangerous place? Are we going?” Xue'er was stunned when she heard this, her worry evident. She truly didn't want Li Mu to take such a risk in such a dangerous place.
Li Mu smiled and shook his head, a glimmer of thought about exploring the root cause flashing in his eyes, but then he rationally extinguished that thought.
Li Mu laughed self-deprecatingly, “Xue'er, don't worry, I know my limits. That's a power that even the entire eighth-rank Nine Nether Kun Whale clan couldn't resist. How could I, a mere Void Refining Cultivator, be qualified to go to such a dangerous place? When the sky falls, there will naturally be taller people to hold it up. This kind of thing should be left to Body Integration Cultivators and Dao Jun Cultivators to explore!”
“Our current strength is not enough to venture into such a dangerous Domain.” Li Mu looked at Xue'er and said seriously, “Our current task is to leave this Star Domain as soon as possible, spread this news, and let more capable Cultivators and forces know about this matter, so that we can jointly deal with this impending crisis.”
Hearing this, Xue'er couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. Li Mu's rational thinking made her feel at ease, and she nodded happily, expressing her agreement.
“Be careful when you inquire about the exact whereabouts of the Kun Whale clan's Legacy land.” Li Mu glanced at that Nine Nether Kun Whale, instructing Xue'er to remind her, “The Nine Nether Kun Whale's Heavenly Talent allows them to have the location of their Legacy land integrated into their Bloodline from birth. When you communicate with it, try to beat around the bush and don't ask directly, so as not to arouse its vigilance.”
Suddenly, another thought flashed through Li Mu's mind, and he continued, “Also, the Nine Nether Kun Whale is the overlord of this Star Domain. They have traveled in this Star Domain for countless years, and perhaps they know the location of Dark Spirit Star. If possible, also try to ask it about the location of Dark Spirit Star.”
“En, Li Dage, I know what to do!” Xue'er was clever and understood instantly. She nodded happily.
Soon, Xue'er closed her eyes, her demonic power surging. She cast her spell again, letting Little White cooperate to control the Kun Whale Clone to continue communicating with the Nine Nether Kun Whale in the distance.
The two Nine Nether Kun Whales cried out in unison, their immense Nether power rippling, as if stirring up an invisible storm in the depths of the Star Domain.
Xue'er focused entirely on casting her spell, exuding the unique Bloodline Divine Ability of the Nine-Tailed Sky Fox, fully unleashing her seductive power. Her mind was closely connected to Little White and the distant Nine Nether Kun Whale. Every subtle emotional fluctuation, every tremor of Nether power, could not escape her perception.
Xue'er cautiously probed, trying to perceive and extract information about the locations of the Legacy land and Dark Spirit Star from the Nine Nether Kun Whale's responses and its emotions.
...
Just as Li Mu and Xue'er were lost in the Shadowy Dark Domain, racking their brains to return, a major event occurred on Qi Ling Star, in the Central Continent Spiritual Domain, at the Xuantian Sword Sect.
At the Xuantian Sword Sect, on the Sword Inquiry Plaza, suddenly, the spirit bell hanging above the Sword Tower violently swayed. A series of urgent and heavy bell tolls suddenly rang out, breaking the Sect's tranquility.
This warning spirit bell was only rung when the Xuantian Sword Sect encountered a major crisis or a high-level change. Its sound was like thunder, shaking the entire Xuantian Sword Sect from top to bottom, reaching the heartstrings of every Sect Disciple.
Within the Sect, whether it was an Elder in secluded Cultivation or a Disciple studying Sword Techniques, all were startled at this moment. They stepped out of their Cultivation rooms and sword halls, with looks of surprise and doubt, gazing in the direction from which the warning bell rang. An ominous premonition spread among everyone.
Clang!
Clang!
...
The clear and melodious ringing of the warning bell, each time it struck, was like a heavy hammer hitting the hearts of the Sect members. It was not a simple bell toll, but a warning, a premonition.
Three rings meant that the Sect's core area was invaded, requiring Disciples to prepare for battle and defend this Holy Land where they resided.
When the warning bell rang five times, the meaning became even more serious. This meant that the Sect's important resources and secret treasures were being plundered, or that important Sect buildings were being destroyed.
Six rings, seven rings... each additional ring indicated that the severity of the situation had escalated to another level.
Eight rings: a Grand Elder or Palace Master level figure of the Sect has fallen.
Nine rings: a Body Integration Sword Elder of the Sect has fallen.
Ten rings: important Sect Legacy has been lost.
Eleven rings: the entire Sect prepares for a death battle.
Twelve rings: a core figure at the Sword Master level has fallen.
...
The Disciples began to panic. Some of the younger ones even started to tremble, as they had never experienced such a crisis.
And those older Disciples began to recall the dark moments in the Sect's history. They knew that this crisis might be more severe than any before.
When the warning bell rang nine times, the entire Sect had already fallen into chaos. The Elders began to summon all the Disciples, their voices hoarse, their eyes filled with anxiety. They knew that this crisis might concern the survival of the Sect.
And at this moment, the warning bell had already rung nine times. It did not stop, continuing to climb towards an even more terrifying number.
Ten rings meant that a high-level Cultivator at the Sword Master level of the Sect had met with misfortune. Their fall was undoubtedly a huge blow to the Sect. However, the humming bell continued to ring incessantly, breaking the Xuantian Sword Sect's record of several millennia.
Eleven rings, twelve rings... each bell toll was like a death knell, making the Sect members' hearts jump to their throats.
Finally, when the warning bell rang for the thirteenth time, the entire Sect seemed to be enveloped in a deathly silence. Everyone held their breath, waiting for the worst news.
This thirteenth ring might represent what they least wanted to face—the Sect's Foundation might be undergoing an unprecedented upheaval.
The Disciples and Elders of the Xuantian Sword Sect looked at each other, their eyes filled with disbelief. Their faces were pale, and their breathing became heavy.
“This... what's going on?” a young Disciple asked with a trembling voice, his eyes filled with fear and confusion.
“Heavens! Thirteen rings! Who has fallen?!”
“Could it be that the Sect Master has fallen? How is that possible?!”
“No way! The Sect Master's Cultivation is profound, having been a Dao Jun for thousands of years. Who could kill him?!”
“It can't be the Sect Master who fell. Could there be a problem with the Bell Spirit?!”
""
...
Discussions erupted, and panic and unease spread among the Disciples, like an invisible storm sweeping across the entire Xuantian Sword Sect.
The Elders present all frowned, trying to find answers in each other's eyes, but everyone's eyes were filled with panic and bewilderment. Clearly, these sudden thirteen warning bells had shattered all their predictions and assumptions.
“Everyone, quiet down first!” Sword Master Chen's voice suddenly rang out, like a thunderclap across the sky, suppressing the crowd's discussions. He sternly questioned, “Where is Elder Yan?!”
As soon as Sword Master Chen's voice fell, a Sect Elder frantically flew out from the Ancestor Hall. His face was full of sorrow, and he announced with grief in front of everyone, “Qing Hong Dao Jun's soul lamp has extinguished. He, he has fallen!”
“What?!”
“How is this possible?!”
...
This news was like a thunderbolt, instantly exploding throughout the entire Xuantian Sword Sect.
As one of the only two Dao Jun of the Xuantian Sword Sect with the highest Cultivation, Qing Hong Dao Jun's fall was undoubtedly a terrible blow to the Xuantian Sword Sect. The Elders' expressions changed one after another, and some even recoiled a few steps, all startled by the news, their faces pale, as if they had thought of something terrible.
In the plaza, thousands of young Sect Disciples were even more astonished. They had all heard of Qing Hong Dao Jun's prestige, even revering him as a god-like existence. Now, suddenly hearing the news of his fall, their hearts were filled with bewilderment.
This news was like a bolt from the blue, making it impossible for the entire Xuantian Sword Sect to bear its weight for a time.
“Qing Hong Dao Jun, how could it be...”
Sword Master Chen murmured to himself, his eyes filled with disbelief. His hands were clenched into fists, and his body trembled slightly, clearly struggling to suppress the grief and shock in his heart.
On the vast Sect plaza, tens of thousands of people stood in the air on their Flying Swords, but at this moment, it fell into a deathly silence, with only the echoes of the warning bell lingering in the air.
The tens of thousands of Disciples and Elders of the Xuantian Sword Sect were collectively immersed in immense grief. They could not imagine that the strong individual who had once protected the entire Sect had now fallen. For a time, they could not accept this fact.
The atmosphere of the entire Xuantian Sword Sect was extremely heavy and oppressive. Everyone present understood that Qing Hong Dao Jun's fall was not only his personal tragedy but also a major blow to the entire Xuantian Sword Sect.
The Xuantian Sword Sect's tens of thousands of years of Legacy were in peril!
Qing Hong Dao Jun, as one of the two pillars of the Sect, his existence was the fundamental guarantee for the Xuantian Sword Sect to occupy the most fertile spiritual land in the entire Central Continent Spiritual Domain, and also the spiritual pillar in the hearts of countless Sect Disciples. His fall created an unprecedented crisis for this first Sword Sect that had continued for tens of thousands of years.
“Recall all True Disciples who are out on experience, and send Flying Sword messages to recall Sword Master Xiao, Sword Master Ye, and other Sword Elders who are outside. Prepare to activate the Sect Protection Array at any time to welcome the possible coming battle.” Sword Master Chen flew to the center of the plaza, his voice like a grand bell, shaking the minds of everyone present.
“Qing Hong Dao Jun's fall is an unbearable pain for us, but grief cannot make us sink. The Xuantian Sword Sect's tens of thousands of years of Legacy cannot be cut off in our generation!” Sword Master Chen said with a pained expression, sternly and resolutely.
“Yes!” The Disciples responded in unison, their voices shaking the heavens, their Sword Intent awe-inspiring. They transformed their grief into strength, determined to protect the Sect even at the cost of their lives. (End of Chapter)
