Chapter 257: It

Master Yuan is right—Master Huang is a Nascent Soul, but to be honest, she's a very traditional Xuanwei sect cultivator, or rather, an intuitive-type cultivator.

One who cultivates entirely through insight.

Zheng Fa's communication with her was naturally not as smooth as Zhang Shijie's…

Thinking of this, Zheng Fa suddenly froze, and in his heart he suddenly understood—

In the boundless Xuanwei, among billions upon billions of beings, the one who can understand what he says and comprehend what he wants.

Only Zhang Shijie.

But…

It's enough.

"Sister, look."

Zheng Fa pointed a finger, and a water screen appeared before them, showing the Sun-Moon Bell.

But unlike before, dozens of figures surrounded the bell, seated in meditation around its body, seemingly contemplating the Sun-Moon Bell—or cultivating under its influence.

"What is this?"

"This is a scene I saw among the remnants of the previous master of this Heavenly Stele," Zheng Fa explained. "There was also some information—very disordered…"

Zhang Shijie nodded, signaling Zheng Fa to continue.

"I'll temporarily call the previous master of the Heavenly Stele Tianzun," Zheng Fa organized his words; Tianzun had been dead for an unknown length of time, and much of the information required him to guess and infer. "He seemed to be a cultivator who had survived the decline of spiritual energy—or what we call the Great Heavenly Cataclysm—and already possessed considerable cultivation."

"But his rise actually began after he obtained this Sun-Moon Bell."

"Or rather, in the Divine Path Era we speak of—many major factions rose the same way: by acquiring the spiritual treasures of predecessors."

As he spoke, Zheng Fa tapped the water screen, and the Sun-Moon Bell within it suddenly became transparent, like gold Liuli.

What startled Zhang Shijie even more—

The bell's surface bore intricate patterns, strikingly familiar.

"Is this… a composite talisman like the True Form of Mountains and Rivers?"

Zhang Shijie now understood why Zheng Fa had first told her this; she frowned, murmuring to herself: "If what we previously said is true—that these composite talismans are actually manifestations of sentience—then…"

"Then this Sun-Moon Bell is probably alive…"

Zheng Fa said solemnly.

Master Huang and the other beside him opened their mouths.

"I even suspect that the Heavenly River Zunzhe's Original Spiritual Treasure method…" Zheng Fa said, "was modeled after this kind of Domain Spiritual Treasure."

"According to Xiao Yuying, possessing a Domain Spiritual Treasure allows one to survive the decline of spiritual energy…"

"The Heavenly River Zunzhe may have developed his Original Spiritual Treasure method precisely because of this."

Zheng Fa carefully traced the cultivation methods of Xuanwei's three eras—the Heavenly River Zunzhe was undoubtedly a genius, but he could not have perfected a method directly pointing to the Dao entirely on his own.

Moreover, the Heavenly River Sect had another Heavenly Stele Realm.

Besides, in Xuanwei, research truly relied on archaeology.

…

"So what are they doing?"

Zhang Shijie pointed to the dozens of figures in the scene.

"This is the flaw of the Divine Path method."

Zheng Fa sighed and spoke.

"I've long wondered why the Nine You Demon Ancestor, upon entering this Heavenly Stele Realm, didn't take the Sun-Moon Bell."

"Is there something wrong with it?"

"The Divine Path method… isn't Tianzun cultivating—it's the Sun-Moon Bell that's cultivating…"

Zheng Fa sighed.

"At first I wondered why the Heavenly Stele Realm needed us to nurture its people and refine the Thunder Method."

"The Sun-Moon Bell?"

"Yes. The Sun-Moon Bell requires incense and worship energy, so the population of the Heavenly Stele Realm is crucial."

"It needs to perfect its own Dao, so our refinement of the Thunder Method greatly benefits it."

"In that era, such spiritual treasures as the Sun-Moon Bell had a special name—" Zheng Fa fell silent, as if recalling something.

"Hmm?"

"Treasures that suppress destiny."

Zhang Shijie listened, somewhat confused, not fully grasping the meaning.

"Cultivators of the Divine Path method derive their strength from the power of their Domain Spiritual Treasures, and those treasures are in turn influenced by the number of worshippers—they are a triad. Thus, in the Divine Path Era, major factions constantly waged war and seized populations—essentially to enhance their Domain Spiritual Treasures."

"But the problem was: as the spiritual treasure grew, Tianzun realized a terrifying truth—that the more they cultivated the methods they learned from the Sun-Moon Bell, the more they awakened its original sentience, perhaps even its former master."

"By the time he understood this, it was too late—he himself had already been controlled by the Sun-Moon Bell."

"All cultivators in the Heavenly Stele Realm were, in truth, merely nourishment for the Sun-Moon Bell."

Zhang Shijie slowly frowned and spoke:

"Then your acquisition of this Heavenly Stele Realm… may not be a good thing."

Zheng Fa shook his head: "This matter… I actually owe gratitude to the Nine You Demon Ancestor."

"Hmm?"

"He stormed the Heavenly Stele Realm and fought Tianzun, awakening Tianzun's true self-awareness. Tianzun sacrificed himself to erase the spiritual energy circuits on the Sun-Moon Bell—oh, they called them Heavenly Dao rules."

"That's why the Nine You Demon Ancestor erected a stele for Tianzun, as a sign of respect."

"Therefore, I suspect today's Sun-Moon Bell is like the Ancestor's state—possessing sentience, but dormant, with only instincts remaining. Even the emergence of the Heavenly Stele may be its own desperate survival tactic."

…

"So what do you plan to do?"

Zhang Shijie asked.

Zheng Fa's meaning was clear: this Sun-Moon Bell was nearly equivalent to a sleeping great cultivator.

Even the Nine You Demon Ancestor had some trepidation toward it.

"I think we need to take a look at the Heavenly River's new method."????"…"

Zhang Shijie blinked, suddenly understanding: "Zhu Xian?"

Zheng Fa nodded: "The Heavenly River Zunzhe also had a Heavenly Stele. On the other hand, he seemed unaffected by this Domain Spiritual Treasure…"

He even had a suspicion—

The Heavenly River Zunzhe probably specialized in free-riding.

Free-riding spiritual energy was one thing, but this Domain Spiritual Treasure? He might have free-ridden that too.

Zheng Fa's current situation does bear some resemblance to the Heavenly River Zunzhe's past—so he must keep studying that stone.

The cultivators of Xuanwei really are pitiful.

They find an incredible spiritual treasure—and it turns out to be a trap.

Actually, he now suspects that demonic sect methods likely have ways to deal with such things—in this regard, Xuanwei cultivators are all searching desperately, and the Demon Ancestors clearly fear this thing too.

But who would have thought spiritual energy itself could be a trap?

Perhaps the Demon Ancestors all fell victim to this very thing.

"The Zhu Xian method… I doubt it's easy to obtain…"

Zhang Shijie warned.

"We can discuss this later," Zheng Fa shook his head. "Sister Zhang, I think this has considerable reference value."

Zhang Shijie suddenly understood and nodded: "It greatly helps us understand the Ancestor's state."

Zheng Fa then slowly recounted to Zhang Shijie the books he had read in the modern world, one by one.

He wasn't deeply familiar with this subject, but having read so many books, as he spoke, he began to feel some insights himself.

Not to mention Zhang Shijie.

Meanwhile, Master Huang and Master Yuan, listening, gradually leaned close together.

"So this is what your life used to be like?"

"…" Master Yuan nodded.

"That must have been hard on you."

…

After finishing with Zhang Shijie, Zheng Fa woke up the drowsy Master Huang and Master Yuan. Only when they stepped out of the main hall did they see—

The Heavenly Stele Realm was completely empty.

Zheng Fa suddenly understood: now that he possessed the Jade Seal, unless he permitted it, no one else could easily enter this Heavenly Stele Realm.

Master Huang seemed to realize this too, his eyes brightening with joy.

Regardless of what the Sun-Moon Bell might be, the Jiushan Sect disciples in the Lei Chi now had a secure logistical base.

He led the two straight toward the herb garden.

The Sun-Moon Bell still stood like a small mountain in the center of the garden.

After hearing Zheng Fa's speculation about the Divine Path method, Master Yuan and the other now looked at the Sun-Moon Bell with caution.

"Younger brother, is it really alive?"

"It probably has little sentience now."

Zheng Fa whispered.

"Still looks pretty frightening…" Master Yuan muttered.

With that, he tapped his own jade seal, and indeed, the selected spiritual plants rapidly matured and landed before Zheng Fa.

Zheng Fa stared at this medicinal garden, hesitating—

He wondered whether he should ask Xiao Yuying to help him study the Wood Thunder.

Now Zheng Fa understood why this thunder art was vital to the Sun-Moon Bell—long ago, the Heavenly Sovereign had deliberately erased the spiritual energy circuits on the bell, stripping it of much of its power.

And this spiritual treasure possessed an instinct for self-perfection.

Thus—the refinement of Wood Thunder was a process of the Sun-Moon Bell awakening.

Zheng Fa had to be cautious.

To be honest, the Heavenly Sovereign left behind too little information; many things were merely guesses.

Zheng Fa thought for a moment, then suddenly extended his hand, sending a stream of Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light sweeping over the bell's surface.

The Sun-Moon Bell trembled violently, as if suddenly awakening, leaping into the sky.

"Young brother?"

Yuan Shijie and Huang Shu both grew tense.

The Sun-Moon Bell seemed fixed on Zheng Fa, flying toward him and hovering before his face, humming softly.

"Huh?" Zhang Shijie suddenly scratched her head and said, "This scene… why does it feel so familiar?"

Zheng Fa sent another stream of Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light.

The Sun-Moon Bell shuddered, then tilted sideways and settled onto Zheng Fa's shoulder, as if trying to nuzzle against him.

"..." Yuan Shijie widened her eyes and murmured, "Isn't this just another one vying for affection?"

Zheng Fa fell silent—he had only been testing. Though the Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light was his innate spiritual ability, he had no real grasp of its true nature.

He supposed it was because his cultivation base was too low.

For other things, he wouldn't have used Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light to probe—but this object he understood too little of, and couldn't fully trust…

He hadn't expected Yin-Yang Five Elements Divine Light to be so effective.

Looking at the Sun-Moon Bell nuzzling his shoulder, Zheng Fa had a feeling—the bell had been through so much from the Heavenly Sovereign that its spiritual awareness was likely minimal, perhaps… mistaken him for someone else.

Beside him, Yuan Shijie suddenly spoke: "Young brother, did you make a mistake?"

"..."

"This thing looks worthless—how can you say it's powerful?"

(End of Chapter)