"However, even if everyone chooses to walk upon the Nine Dragon Celestial Phenomenon Ridge, it still comes down to absolute strength. Only those with formidable power will be able to reach the summit first. In other words, the weak still stand no chance."
"What a shame. Looking at it this way, this year's selection is far too simple — utterly boring."
At that moment, many people felt thoroughly disappointed, for no matter how they looked at it, the new rules for the Ancestral Martial Ten Stars selection seemed far too straightforward.
Although no one dared say anything aloud, Wu Mingken could clearly read what everyone was thinking. Yet rather than feeling displeased, he flashed a mysterious smile, then suddenly clapped his hands before speaking:
"Let's begin."
The moment his voice rang out, multiple experts at the Exalted realm appeared within the Starfield Main Realm.
They soared into the air and swiftly arrived at the peak of the Nine Dragon Celestial Phenomenon Ridge.
They stood in orderly formation, their positions arranged with clear purpose, almost as though they were setting up a formation.
Then, a jar appeared in each of their hands. They tore open the seals and pointed the mouths of the jars downward toward the Nine Dragon Celestial Phenomenon Ridge below.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
In an instant, streaks of light shot straight down from those jars.
When the light struck the ground, the earth not only trembled — deafening roars followed close behind.
"What is that?"
Many onlookers narrowed their eyes at the sight.
It turned out that what had fallen from the jars were colossal creatures — each one enormous in size and terrifyingly ferocious in appearance.
"Ancient Fierce Beasts! Incredibly powerful Ancient Fierce Beasts! The ten strongest among them are at the Exalted realm!!!"
It didn't take long for the crowd to identify the massive creatures.
They were Fierce Beasts from the ancient era, far more powerful than ordinary Fierce Beasts, yet no more intelligent. All they possessed was the will to kill — apart from their own kind, they would launch attacks against any living being within range.
Wooooohhhh—
Shrill, hostile roars echoed without end. The Ancient Fierce Beasts that had landed upon the Nine Dragon Celestial Phenomenon Ridge had already spotted the humans above.
In an instant, some charged forward on the ground, while others took to the sky, jaws gaping wide as they hurtled toward the assembled crowd.
Some even spat wind blades, or unleashed lightning and flames, their killing intent soaring to the heavens as they launched ranged attacks.
Whoosh—
At that very moment, Wu Mingken tossed something from his hand.
It was a small bell, but the moment it left his grasp, it not only expanded rapidly but immediately emitted a piercing, deafening toll — the sound of a great chime.
When that chime resounded, the Ancient Fierce Beasts seemed to come under control, their faces twisting in pain as they not only halted their attacks but dropped one after another to the ground.
And almost simultaneously, that bell — once no larger than a fingernail — had now expanded to a size that blotted out the sky. As it descended, it not only sealed away every last Ancient Fierce Beast but also shrouded a vast expanse of the Nine Dragon Celestial Phenomenon Ridge beneath it.
This was no longer merely a bell. It was a colossal great bell so immense it was enough to leave one awestruck.
"Isn't that the supreme treasure of the Starfield Main Realm — the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell?"
"That bell is no ordinary artifact. It's a supreme treasure from the ancient era. I've heard that unless you are a peak Exalted, once you're trapped beneath that bell, there is no escape."
"I've also heard that this Grand Bell possesses extraordinarily powerful sealing abilities, and formations can be deployed inside it — not barrier formations, but formations forged from martial power."
Seeing the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell, the crowd buzzed with discussion, for this was indeed a treasure of considerable renown throughout the entire Ancestral Martial Starfield.
There was even a tale passed down among the common folk. Roughly ten thousand years ago, a junior from the Starfield Main Realm had been traveling across the Ancestral Martial Starfield when he stumbled upon two clans locked in battle.
The junior stepped forward to mediate, but no one would listen. His cultivation was far too limited to stop the fighting, and by fortunate chance, he happened to carry the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell upon his person.
Using nothing but the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell, he directly sealed off the battlefield where the two clans clashed, then employed the formations within the bell to separate the two sides, preventing any further casualties.
What was more, it was said that the junior from ten thousand years ago was named Wu Ming Jiangnan, and he had since ascended to the Supreme realm, standing among the six Supremes of the Starfield Main Realm.
Though the present-day Wu Ming Jiangnan held the exalted status of a Supreme powerhouse in the Ancestral Martial Starfield, back when he was still a junior, his strength had been quite limited. Yet he had relied solely on the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell to halt the war between two clans — which only went to show that the might of the Heaven and Earth Grand Bell was truly extraordinary.