Chapter 263

At the edge of a mountain valley, Jiang Ruoyan, Niu Wanli, and He Bizhi, covered in blood, led the eleven surviving disciples from various sects, panting heavily as they watched the retreating beast horde, unable to regain their senses for a long time.

After a while, Jiang Ruoyan finally wiped the blood from her face and said: "They've retreated; we've passed the trial!"

Whoosh—

More than ten people sat on the ground, a wave of exhaustion and depleted spiritual energy washed over them, leaving everyone's minds completely blank.

Until a female disciple from Fall Sunset Valley numb‑ly threw herself into the beast horde, uncovered a male corpse, held it in her arms, tears streaming down her face.

Only then did everyone regain consciousness.

Niu Wanli's eyes slightly reddened, his voice trembling as he said: "Out of thirty, only fourteen remain; sixteen have fallen!"

Jiang Ruoyan gave a bitter laugh and said: "We've already done our best; the beast horde is simply too numerous, our magical artifacts are damaged—how could we possibly protect everyone?"

He Bizhi tightly gripped the hand of a girl beside him and said: "Take it easy; everyone came down here voluntarily seeking Fate Opportunity. Those who obtain it greatly increase their cultivation, gain fame and myriad blessings, while those who die simply haven't yet encountered their Fate Opportunity—they will be reborn to cultivate again."

Everyone glanced at the girl beside him, feeling his words weren't very convincing.

Niu Wanli steadied his emotions, stood up, and looked around: "The beast horde's riot and a day and night of slaughter have confirmed our guess, but what will happen next? Have we truly passed this place's trial?"

Jiang Ruoyan said: "I suppose…"

Before she could finish, a bell rang from the north.

The bell was distant and resonant, as if it had a heart‑warming effect; hearing it dispelled much of the killing intent and fatigue from the night's slaughter.

"North!"

Several people's eyes lit up; in this strange place, a sudden strange bell rang—no need to think, they knew what had happened.

"Let's go!"

The group all stood up and headed out of the valley.

Niu Wanli also pulled up the weeping female disciple from Fall Sunset Valley who was clutching a male disciple; in this godforsaken place, it was clearly unsuitable to bury the dead, harsh as that may be!

After leaving the valley, not long after, they encountered Yu Qiuyi, Xiao Yu Jian, Shen Qiong, and other sect disciples who had rushed over.

Everyone gathered together, sizing each other up, with not a trace of the joy of having survived a calamity.

Out of nearly three hundred, only a hundred remained, and almost everyone was wounded!

"Are there still others who haven't arrived?" Yu Qiuyi hesitated.

"Maybe…" Nun Yuan Miao intoned a Buddhist chant.

Hope seemed slim.

After a full three incense sticks' worth of time, the bell in the north kept ringing, yet not a single person arrived.

"Let's go!" Niu Wanli took the lead and walked forward.

Everyone sighed inwardly and closely followed.

Ahead lay a straight stone slab path, appearing at some unknown time.

The group followed the path forward, walking for about two incense sticks' worth of time, when suddenly a flowered path appeared—

A path made of spider lilies.

Flanking the flower path were two solitary little houses.

Before the left house stood a huge mirror.

Before the right house hung a large bell.

At that moment, an old monk was polishing the mirror while a young monk incessantly struck the bell—the bell's sound was what echoed out from here.

This scene was truly bewildering!

Everyone involuntarily stopped.

Yu Qiuyi said: "This seems somewhat similar to the general store we encountered when we passed the forest trial."

She turned to Jiang Ruoyan and said: "Senior Sister Jiang, what did you encounter when you went from the first to the second trial?"

Jiang Ruoyan replied: "The situation here is quite different; we met a strange oil seller, and we had to gamble with him three times—winning would tell us the way forward."

He Bizhi asked Yu Qiuyi: "Since this place resembles your previous encounter, how do you think we should get past it?"

Yu Qiuyi, Niu Wanli, Ye Hongxue, and the others exchanged glances; a figure appeared in each of their minds, and they involuntarily turned their heads toward the direction they had come from.

Empty.

"Mao Lian Nan" hasn't shown up—this guy… is he dead?

Impossible!

"You…" He Bizhi exclaimed in astonishment.

Yu Qiuyi's face showed a hint of embarrassment as she bluntly said: "In the last trial we learned from Mao Lian Nan, but since he isn't here, we don't dare rush forward rashly—let's pool our ideas."

He Bizhi and the others also glanced toward where they had come; Jiang Ruoyan frowned and said: "There's a bell, a mirror, and monks—could there be any special hint?"

Everyone simply looked toward Monk Tiancong, Nun Yuan Miao, and the other Buddhist figures.

Monk Tiancong said: "Monks have little to explain; if there were only a mirror, it would signify reflecting good and evil in people; if only a bell, it might express the movement of sun, moon, and stars, the flow of time, and cleansing the heart."

But with both mirror and bell appearing together, the young monk… is also confused; I don't know what Nun Yuan Miao thinks.

Nun Yuan Miao pondered and said: "Perhaps there is no deeper meaning; we shouldn't get stuck on appearances—why not go up and give it a try?"

Everyone nodded, yet hesitated, and no one moved a step.

Nun Yuan Miao chuckled, then stepped forward herself, palms together in greeting, saying: "Amitabha, greetings, Master."

The bell fell silent; the young monk blinked his eyes and looked over, his clear voice saying: "Master, it seems there are outsiders."

The old monk continued polishing the mirror: "Amitabha, why do you call this old monk Master?"

Nun Yuan Miao replied: "The master is a venerable and accomplished monk, not something a little nun like me can compare to; the capable come first, the elders are honored—my calling him Master is entirely appropriate."

The old monk finally glanced over; his eyes were entirely white.

Everyone was startled.

Nun Yuan Miao also blinked in surprise.

The old monk asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Umm..." Yuan Miao thought for a moment, really not knowing how to answer.

What are we doing here?

Monastics don't lie; we are here to seek Fate Opportunity, look for treasures, cultivate, and become superior people—can we say that?

Upon seeing this, Monk Tiancong exchanged a glance with Yu Qiuyi and Jiang Ruoyan behind him, then hurriedly said, "We are going to the War Thus line: Thus line: Shengong to seek the Dharma and ask for guidance, but we suffer from not knowing the way; we hope the master can point us in the right direction!"

The old monk coldly said, "As monastics, we should save all beings and have compassion in our hearts; how can we learn from those barbarians, study the Dharma and cultivate the Dao, striving for superiority and victory? This is utterly unreasonable!"

As soon as his words fell, an invisible pressure surged forth; everyone felt their bodies sink, unable to muster the slightest strength, and their faces all changed dramatically.

Yuan Miao nun hastily pressed her palms together in salute and said, "The Dharma can enable beings to cease evil and practice good, leave suffering and attain bliss, break free from bonds, and gain great freedom. We have come seeking the Dharma, rushing all the way, enduring wind and dew, contending with man-eating fierce beasts, suffering many casualties; it has not been easy. We hope the great master will show mercy!"

"Ah, I see!" the old monk's expression immediately improved greatly.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

Then the old monk said again, "I often hear that there are many fierce beasts ahead, causing harm to the human world; you say you have contended with fierce beasts—very well, this mirror of mine can reflect a person's merit,

you each come forward, and the mirror will display the merit of your slaying of fierce beasts; if what you say is true, I will bestow a great gift upon you and also point out the way to the War Thus line: Thus line: Shengong—how does that sound?"

Everyone was overjoyed, and they all performed salutations, saying, "Thank you, great master!"

(End of chapter)