"Brother Yang is naturally a dragon among men, but subduing the Mountain and River Bell can't depend solely on whether you're handsome or not!" Qi Hai said through gritted teeth. He was the one requesting a favor from Yang Kai, so he couldn't be too blunt—lest he offend the man.
Yang Kai's expression shifted. "From the sound of it, Brother Qi, do you happen to know the method for subduing the Mountain and River Bell?"
"I don't know the method itself, but I do have a piece of intelligence I can share with Brother Yang."
"Oh? Do tell!" Yang Kai's interest was immediately piqued.
Qi Hai said, "Most people know that the Mountain and River Bell is Emperor Yuan Ding's personal Emperor Treasure, but what they don't know is that the Mountain and River Bell wasn't originally his either—it's a relic from the Primordial Age!"
"A Primordial relic!" Yang Kai's eyelids tightened upon hearing this.
"Indeed." Qi Hai nodded. "Emperor Yuan Ding was only able to ascend to Great Emperor status because he obtained the Mountain and River Bell. You could say the Mountain and River Bell is what made him a Great Emperor."
"Is that so!" Yang Kai was stunned. This was genuinely secret knowledge—had Qi Hai not mentioned it, he would never have learned such information.
"Otherwise, how could the Mountain and River Bell have been able to suppress the Fire Phoenix's True Fire? And even after doing so, not even Emperor Shi Tian was able to break through its defenses. An ordinary Emperor Treasure would never have been able to suppress that kind of divine flame for tens of thousands of years."
Upon hearing this, Yang Kai had to admit the logic held water. The Fire Phoenix's True Fire was incredibly domineering, yet the Mountain and River Bell had still managed to suppress it for tens of thousands of years. If the Bell hadn't chosen to fly away on its own this time, the True Fire would likely never have seen the light of day again.
"Then what is this intelligence you mentioned, Brother Qi?" Yang Kai asked in a low voice.
Qi Hai's expression turned solemn. "Ancient texts record that Emperor Yuan Ding ventured deep into the Primordial Wilderness of the Eastern Domain and happened upon a massive bell—the Mountain and River Bell. At the time, Yuan Ding was merely an ordinary Emperor Realm cultivator. He wanted to subdue the Mountain and River Bell but had no idea how, and in the end, he endured eighty-one tolls of the bell before earning its acknowledgment, carrying it out of the Primordial Wilderness."
"So the Mountain and River Bell originated from that Primordial Wilderness!" Yang Kai's eyes lit up. He had heard Qi Hai mention the Primordial Wilderness before and hadn't paid it much mind, but now that he learned the Mountain and River Bell had come from there, he realized it must be a truly extraordinary place. He quietly resolved to visit if the opportunity arose.
Still, the fact that Emperor Yuan Ding had endured eighty-one tolls of the bell before earning the acknowledgment of its artifact spirit was truly impressive. Yang Kai had felt the Mountain and River Bell's power firsthand—an Dao Origin Third Stage cultivator who touched it at close range was killed on the spot. He wasn't confident he could withstand eighty-one tolls either.
By sharing this, Qi Hai had undeniably provided Yang Kai with a method for subduing the Mountain and River Bell, but the danger involved was immense.
"Brother Yang, if you lack both the confidence and the opportunity, I'd advise you not to bother with the Mountain and River Bell. There are plenty of other treasures in the Shattered Star Sea. You and I could travel together…"
Before he could finish, Yang Kai cut him off. "I still want to go have a look."
Qi Hai's face darkened slightly. "In that case, I won't try to convince you further. Please be careful on your way, Brother Yang."
"Thanks, Brother Qi. Until we meet again!" Yang Kai grinned, and as he spoke, his figure shot forward, vanishing into the void.
Qi Hai stood in place, watching Yang Kai's retreating silhouette with a complex expression. After a long moment, he heaved a heavy sigh, then turned and departed in a different direction on his own.
He and Yang Kai didn't have much of a relationship. Yang Kai had already agreed to visit the Qi Family Fortress in the Eastern Domain if the chance arose—which was more than most would have done. Anyone else might not only have ignored him but could have killed him to silence him. After all, Qi Hai had just witnessed Yang Kai suppress and subdue the Fire Phoenix's True Fire with his own eyes. If word of that got out, Yang Kai would never enjoy a peaceful day again.
It was precisely because of this concern that Qi Hai had voluntarily sworn not to tell anyone what he had seen.
But as for whether Yang Kai would actually come to the Qi Family Fortress to find him, he had no confidence at all.
If Yang Kai didn't come, his wife was certain to die. But even if Yang Kai did come, given his wife's condition, there would only be a slim chance of survival.
……
Yang Kai followed the direction in which the Mountain and River Bell had flown for a full half day before suddenly sensing the soul imprint he had previously planted on Lan He.
When Lan He had swept past him earlier, he had deliberately patted her shoulder in order to plant the soul mark for easy tracking. The fact that it might provoke her displeasure and suspicion had been unavoidable.
Without this soul imprint, Yang Kai would have had no way to track the Mountain and River Bell's whereabouts.
He followed the imprint's trail at full speed, and after another hour, he finally caught sight of Lan He in a stretch of the void.
But what struck him as odd was that Lan He was locked in combat—and was being besieged.
Yang Kai looked more carefully and saw that the two attacking her were both at the Dao Origin Third Stage, possessing considerable cultivation. Lan He fought one against two and looked thoroughly beleaguered, her body already bearing numerous wounds, blood staining her clothes.
He swept his gaze across the surroundings. Nearly every one of the dozens of cultivators who had appeared in the dark-red star earlier was present here.
And the Mountain and River Bell hung motionless in the void, completely still.