Chapter 445

I’ve long been trapped in this mortal world; today, the calamity ends, and the heavenly gate opens.

The vast Copper Bell Mountain trembled; cracks spread along its ridges, through its hollows, expanding relentlessly, thousands of birds startled into flight, hundreds of beasts fled in panic, massive boulders rolled down, stirring up plumes of dust that surged into the sky.

Above, dark clouds churned, obscuring the great moon; lightning crackled and writhed like serpents, flashing violet-purple energy that illuminated heaven and earth.

“Heaven unleashes its wrath; heaven and earth are overturned!”

Everyone’s faces turned pale; faced with this transformation, they felt as if the world were collapsing, themselves but a tiny boat adrift in a boundless ocean.

Only when yin and yang of heaven and earth are unbalanced, when mountains and rivers tremble, and heaven itself rages, do such wonders arise.

At this moment, every heart vaguely understood: a great change had taken root within Copper Bell Mountain—an unpredictable, utterly terrifying transformation was unfolding in silence.

“Little ghost, what did you do?”

Yuan Zhuliu’s expression shifted slightly as he looked at Zhang Fan; as a Tianshi, a deep unease had taken root and spread within him.

Boom…

Suddenly, the earth shook violently.

Deep within the dark subterranean cavern, the dragon vein of Copper Bell Mountain atop the ceiling slowly twisted and reshaped; silver-white energy surged from the ground and poured from above, merging together and flowing into the giant serpent statue.

When dragon and serpent entwine, that is the secret of heaven and humanity.

Boom…

Suddenly, the chains binding the giant serpent statue shattered one by one; the petrified surface began peeling away at visible speed.

The giant serpent statue came alive—beneath its stony shell, the rhythm of flesh and blood pulsed.

At that moment, it slowly opened its eyes; those deep, terrifying orbs, dim as they were underground, shone like sun and moon, radiating mysterious light that pierced the heavens.

“After a hundred years of calamity, I’ve finally emerged.”

Suddenly, the monstrous creature let out a deafening roar, launching upward and bursting through the dark, deep cavern.

A section of the mountain collapsed, sending dust billowing into the air.

Within Copper Bell Mountain, everyone’s faces turned pale; they sensed an unnatural presence.

At this moment, they felt as if the mountain beneath their feet had come alive.

Looking up, a colossal being emerged from underground, standing between heaven and earth.

“That… what is that?”

Everyone’s gazes trembled as they stared afar, their faces filled with disbelief.

Beneath the vast, dim sky, a giant serpent coiled upon the mountain, its obsidian scales gleaming with metallic luster, stretching nearly twenty meters from north to south; bolts of lightning rained down upon it, striking without causing a single scratch—instead, polishing its terrifying form to an even brighter sheen.

It was unimaginable that heaven and earth could give birth to such a monstrous serpent.

Its body seemed to have stolen the essence of Copper Bell Mountain, plundered the transformation of yin and yang.

As it lay across this mountain, it became the mountain’s spirit and soul.

“Ha ha ha, this heaven, this earth, this mountain, this river, this wind, this mortal world…”

“How delightful.”

The terrifying black serpent basked in the lightning, sensing heaven and earth, sensing mountains and rivers, sensing the rhythm of the wind—everything before it felt vivid, beautiful.

Its wild laughter shook the earth, its terrifying aura crushing all of Copper Bell Mountain.

At this moment, every thought in every mind seemed to freeze; all stood frozen, breath held, speechless before this sight.

“Is that serpent the master of this mountain!?”

At this moment, the same thought rose in every heart—natural, unspoken, undeniable.

“The Demon Lord of Copper Bell Mountain!?”

Yuan Zhuliu’s attention fully shifted from Zhang Fan to the black serpent; his face grew grave. Even as a Tianshi, his heart was swept by a tidal wave of shock.

Copper Bell Mountain, once the domain of the First Blessed Land, had been its master—yet he was supposed to be dead, slain by the greatest martial master of the age.

Yet who could have imagined that after a hundred years, this former overlord had returned!?

“Finally made it in time.”

At this moment, Zhang Wuming exhaled, his tensed nerves instantly relaxing.

“You knew?”

Zhang Fan sensed something, turning to Zhang Wuming.

“A little,” Zhang Wuming grinned. “You helped him break free—that’s a tremendous debt.”

“This is the foundation you spoke of!?”

Zhang Fan suddenly understood; no wonder Zhang Wuming had insisted on coming to Copper Bell Mountain—his words had hinted all along that the Demon Lord of Copper Bell Mountain was still alive, buried and sealed underground.

“This is settled!” Zhang Wuming laughed.

Boom…

“Mount Sanqing!?”

At that moment, the black serpent turned its massive body, its eyes—like hidden sun and moon—fixing on Yuan Zhuliu.

“I never thought, Demon Lord of Copper Bell Mountain, you’re still alive,” Yuan Zhuliu said grimly.

Upon hearing this, everyone except Zhang Fan and Zhang Wuming paled.

The Demon Lord of Copper Bell Mountain—this peerless overlord had been famed a century ago, a contemporary of the Three Corpses Daoist and Chu Chaoran.

Among all the demons and spirits of the mountains and seas, only a handful—like the white crane of White Crane Pavilion, the ancient tortoise of Zhenwu Mountain—could match his age and stature.

His survival would profoundly reshape the balance of power across West River and even the entire realm.

“Tianshi? Sanqing Mountain still has successors—another Tianshi has appeared. I’ve never seen you before,” the black serpent hissed.

“I am Yuan Zhuliu.”

Yuan Zhuliu’s face tightened as he replied gravely.

When the Demon Lord of Copper Bell Mountain ruled the world, Yuan Zhuliu had just entered Sanqing Mountain—a mere child.

Before such an ancient monster, a regular Tianshi had no standing, no arrogance to claim.

“Yuan Zhuliu… I remember you…” the black serpent suddenly said.

“Back then, you followed Master Qingfeng to Copper Bell Mountain. The moment you saw my true form, you shit and pissed yourself…”

Master Qingfeng was Sanqing Mountain’s former leader, Yuan Zhuliu’s own master, who died eighty years ago on Longhu Mountain during the Daoist Great Calamity.

The heavy voice rolled like thunder through the mountain; Yuan Zhuliu’s face darkened further.

Zhang Fan, Zhang Wuming, Zhu Yumian, and others instinctively glanced at Yuan Zhuliu.

“Even a snotty little brat like you can become a Tianshi? Truly, the Dao is impartial,” the black serpent hissed, its deep eyes brimming with mockery.

“Demon Lord!”

Yuan Zhuliu’s face darkened, cutting off the serpent’s taunt.

Now, he no longer felt the slightest superiority or aura—he had to lower his Tianshi’s pride, swallow his temper, before this former overlord.

“Leave. I’m in a good mood today—I don’t want blood.”

The black serpent cast a sidelong glance, then roared to the heavens: “All of you—get out of Copper Bell Mountain…”

“This mountain has a master. Whoever stays, dies!”

His roar shook the mountains and wilds.

Remember, this was the Dan Yuan Fa Hui—experts from every mountain and sect were gathered here. Now, seeing the serpent coiled upon the mountain, hearing its thunderous bellow, none could hide their shock.

“Fine!”

Yuan Zhuliu’s expression shifted again and again, then chose to yield.

He had no desire to clash directly with this former overlord; how to respond required consultation back at Sanqing Mountain.

As he spoke, Yuan Zhuliu turned slightly, his sharp gaze landing on Zhang Fan.

This tiny gesture instantly stirred the black serpent’s displeasure.

“I told you to leave—did you not hear me?”