Chapter 1

Liang Province was located on the frontier of Da Qing, with many mountains and rivers, but no famous ones, so few people practiced in seclusion here.

After all, three thousand miles north of Liang Province lay the winding Mingchuan Mountains, stretching for tens of thousands of miles. Although there were many wild beasts and even more demonic beasts, the concentration of spiritual energy was far superior to that of Liang Province.

Most cultivators with some skill had already gone to the Mingchuan Mountains to open up cave dwellings.

However, Liang Province was still a large province, and there were still some cultivators who opened up cave dwellings here.

Golden Bell Tower was one of them.

Golden Bell Tower was located on Golden Bell Mountain, three hundred miles outside Ding'an County. As a local sect in Liang Province, it had been established here for many years.

However, the sect's residence was covered by an array. Even if hunters or mountain people accidentally entered, they would mostly wander around a few times and come out. Therefore, although there had always been legends of immortals on Golden Bell Mountain, no one had ever actually found it.

"Cough cough!"

Amidst the mountains, a wooden building echoed with coughing sounds.

Daoist Chang Lin woke up from his seclusion and walked out of his retreat.

With each step he took, he coughed, and a mass of inky yin energy was expelled from his mouth. By the time he walked out of the wooden building, he had coughed more than a hundred times, and his voice had become somewhat hoarse.

"Master, are you alright?"

Outside the wooden building, Ming Xin, a young Daoist acolyte who had been sitting cross-legged on the lawn, diligently studying Daoist books, looked up.

Seeing that Daoist Chang Lin's face, although pale, was not shrouded in shadow, he breathed a sigh of relief.

During his trip to the Underworld Tavern, Daoist Chang Lin had almost died in the netherworld. He had fled in a sorry state and consumed all the secret elixirs of Golden Bell Tower to barely save his life.

After several months of recuperation, he had finally recovered his vitality.

"Alright? It's a big deal!"

Daoist Chang Lin sighed with a distressed expression:

"The netherworld is indeed not easy to break into. All the magical artifacts left by the patriarchs were lost inside..."

He was already approaching the end of his lifespan. Although he had escaped by chance this time, he only had a few years left to live.

Moreover, most of the magical artifacts left by the past patriarchs were lost inside.

It could be said that he had suffered a great loss.

And he also had a doubt in his heart.

That was, he was clearly about to be buried in the mouth of that old ghost of the netherworld, so why did that old ghost suddenly retreat?

No, it wasn't retreating, but fleeing in terror.

It was as if it had seen the most terrifying sight in the world.

"It's good that you're alright. But the netherworld, it's better not to go there in the future."

Ming Xin put down the Daoist book and offered a word of comfort.

He was also filled with lingering fear.

That night, when he saw Daoist Chang Lin fleeing back, he was frightened. The old Daoist was so eroded by yin energy that he almost turned into a vengeful ghost.

"Even if I wanted to go, there's no way."

Daoist Chang Lin took a few steps forward and squatted down on the lawn, looking lost.

The netherworld was not a place one could go whenever they wanted. He had spent a great price to ask True Man Tianji to perform divination, and then waited for many years before he finally found such a gateway to the netherworld in the Underworld Tavern.

Since he failed this time, he couldn't go even if he wanted to.

Ming Xin didn't speak.

At his age, he couldn't understand Daoist Chang Lin's fear of death, the great terror between life and death. He couldn't understand it yet.

"Forget it, life and death are predetermined, cultivation depends on heaven, it cannot be forced."

Daoist Chang Lin stopped thinking about other things, looked at Ming Xin, and said:

"After this, my lifespan will be about nine years. Within these nine years, I will fully impart to you all the spells of my Golden Bell Tower. You must learn them diligently."

"Master..."

Ming Xin's heart trembled. He was arranging his affairs.

"My Golden Bell Tower has never passed on its teachings to many disciples. Before you, I had three disciples, but two of them died a long time ago. The remaining one, your Third Senior Brother, should be in Qingdu City..."

Daoist Chang Lin said slowly.

Golden Bell Tower, or rather, all the cultivation sects in the world, rarely opened their doors widely.

One reason was that, for any cultivator, their own cultivation was far more important than guiding disciples. The second reason was that it was not allowed.

Cultivation resources were limited, and too many disciples would only divert the sect's fortune.

He had only had four disciples in his life. Even then, some of them had died. Of course, this referred to direct disciples. There were many more who were alchemists, herb gatherers, and some Dharma protectors.

The maintenance, herb gathering, and daily needs of Golden Bell Tower were handled by thousands of people surrounding their master and apprentice.

"Third Senior Brother? I've never heard you mention him before?"

Ming Xin was a little surprised.

"A孽障 (nie zhang, a karma-laden wretch), it's useless to talk about him. That beast was bewitched by the Rulai Monastery and stole the Nine Fire Furnace left by our sect's patriarch. Your two senior brothers were killed by him!"

Daoist Chang Lin's face darkened for a moment:

"You must remember that after this scoundrel entered the Rulai Monastery, he is called De Xing. In the future, if you see him, you must be careful, very careful!"

"De Xing?"

Ming Xin silently remembered this name.

"Don't think about revenge. It is said that that beast has already achieved his Benming (natal) destiny. You will not be his opponent."

Daoist Chang Lin waved his hand listlessly:

"This time, I have failed you. I have lost the magical artifacts that should have been passed on to you. After I die, you should seal the mountain!

Relying on the surrounding mountain arrays, even an Initial Dao Minor True Man may not be able to break in. You should cultivate diligently. There is no shortage of cultivation resources in the mountains. It will not be too late to leave the mountain after you have condensed your Benming (natal) destiny..."

"Master, Master!"

Ming Xin jumped up, his voice a little sharp: "It's broken, it's broken!"

"What are you making a fuss about? What's broken?"

Daoist Chang Lin frowned and turned his head to look.

With this turn, he suddenly jumped three zhang high, his beard and hair all standing on end:

"My, my great array!"

He saw that the clouds and mist surrounding Golden Bell Tower suddenly began to dissipate, and outside, the dozens of tall and short mountains that should have been there were now shaking together!

Boom!

Rumble!

The mountains shook, the earth cracked, and dust spread everywhere with the rolling air waves.

"I, I..."

Daoist Chang Lin staggered and spat out a mouthful of turbid air: "Bold demon, you dare to move my mountains and rivers and break my great array!"

All mountain-protecting arrays are rooted in the earth's veins, secretly conforming to the stars in the sky, and in harmony with the Qi of heaven and earth.

The mountain-protecting array of his Golden Bell Tower was naturally no exception. Ordinary people who wanted to break the array had to fight it head-on, and only a True Man could break it by force, but he had never seen anyone directly moving mountains.

He was furious!

Daoist Chang Lin suddenly stepped into the air, rousing his mana and letting out a thunderous roar!

"Stop it now!"

The roar soared through the air, suppressing the sound of the shaking mountains and rivers outside.

"Who?"

Amidst the roaring mountains, a middle-aged man in city god attire looked up.

When he saw Daoist Chang Lin, his expression changed slightly, and then he said:

"So it's Daoist Chang Lin, this little god pays his respects!"

As one of the few Initial Dao Minor True Men in Liang Province, he would of course recognize him. He had naturally come prepared.

"City God?"

Sensing the power of incense on the newcomer, the anger in Daoist Chang Lin's heart subsided slightly, but his voice was still extremely cold: "Why is this City God moving mountains and breaking my array?"

"True Man, please calm down."

The City God bowed and cupped his hands: "We are here to move mountains under the command of City God Sun, but we do not want to offend True Man. Shaking the mountains at this moment is not to break True Man's great array, but to move away a few of the mountains..."

As the City God spoke, many other City Gods appeared on the other mountains.

There were probably dozens of City Gods in total.

Daoist Chang Lin was shocked by just one glance. What was happening that so many City Gods had come?

"If you want to move this poor Daoist's mountain, you should at least give a greeting, right?"

Daoist Chang Lin's tone softened slightly, but he didn't give an inch:

"To move the mountains in front of my door without saying a word is too much!"

He had entered the Dao for many years, and his mana was combined with the Earthly Fiends and incorporated into the Heavenly Stars. Ordinary City Gods were not his opponents at all. Although there were dozens of these City Gods, if he really wanted to attack, he could kill half of them and retreat calmly.

After all, once these City Gods left their respective cities, their strength would decrease by more than half.

However, the City God forces of the underworld were too powerful, and since his lifespan was short, he was unwilling to offend them too much.

The City God was stunned for a moment before cupping his hands and saying, "We sent a greeting card, True Man, didn't you see it?"

"Master, Master!"

On the mountain, Ming Xin waved the greeting card in his hand.

"Hmm?"

Daoist Chang Lin glanced at the greeting card, his face softening: "I didn't see it. But if you want to move the mountain, you can't break my illusion array."

"True Man, don't worry."

One of the City Gods smiled: "Although we have the blessing of ten thousand people's incense and the reliance on the underworld, it is impossible for us to move so many mountains. We are here to shake the earth's veins, only to take away three of the mountains, and we will definitely not destroy True Man's mountain-protecting array!"

Moving mountains is more difficult than destroying them. Even for the City Gods, it would cost a great price to move all the mountains. Who would move mountains for fun if they had nothing better to do?

What did they want to do?

"In that case, everyone may do as you please."

Daoist Chang Lin no longer stopped them.

After all, his lifespan was coming to an end, and if he offended these City Gods, his disciple might not be able to bear the consequences.

However, he also felt curious in his heart. Moving mountains was quite difficult, and even with the City Gods, it would require a great price. Who would move mountains for fun if they had nothing better to do?

What did they want to do?

"In that case, thank you for your understanding!"

The City Gods all cupped their hands, and then simultaneously let out a long howl:

"The mountains move horizontally, the earth veins roll, I obey the order of the Three Mountains and Five Peaks Gods..."

"Move the mountain!"

The incense Qi between heaven and earth suddenly became rich, and being in it was like being in a temple with flourishing incense.

Boom!

Boom!

Amidst the earth-shaking, three of the mountains suddenly rose from the ground, shrouded in the incense power roused by dozens of City Gods.

The void rippled slightly, and the incense world rooted in the netherworld flashed, swallowing the three mountains into it.

"In this way, farewell to True Man!"

The City Gods breathed a sigh of relief, some of them sweating profusely, but their faces were relaxed.

They bid farewell to Daoist Chang Lin and left.

As the City Gods left one by one, the curiosity in Daoist Chang Lin's heart grew stronger. Immediately, he instructed his disciple to guard the mountain gate and not go out.

After sensing for a moment, he soared into the air.

As he traveled through the air, Daoist Chang Lin became more and more shocked. In his senses, incense Qi permeated everywhere in the world, and he could also sense the fluctuations of many mountains and earth veins.

The mountains that these City Gods had moved were probably far more than just three.

"What is this going to do?"

Daoist Chang Lin was shocked in his heart, and followed the fluctuations of the earth's veins for thousands of miles.

Until night fell on the earth, he stopped in mid-air, looked into the distance, and his body shook violently:

"It's him?!"