CHAPTER 433

The colossal sound of the bell echoed throughout the Hidden Realm of Xuankong Mountain.

The mountain, already in chaos due to the extinguishing of numerous Supreme Elders' soul lamps, was momentarily stunned by this sudden noise.

They quickly realized the source of the bell: the large warning bell at the entrance to the Hidden Realm had been struck.

There was only one reason that bell would ring—an external invasion!

The bell was only sounded when a formidable enemy, impossible to resist, breached the Hidden Realm, signaling that all of Xuankong Mountain needed to enter the highest state of alert.

However, that bell had not been struck for countless years.

In fact, most of the monks in the Hidden Realm had only heard of its legend, never the sound itself.

Given Xuankong Mountain's vast resources and unmatched power, who in the world could pose a threat to it, let alone invade the Hidden Realm?

The last time the bell rang was reportedly over two millennia ago, during a major conflict among the Four Great Secret Realms.

Even when the Ghost-Masked Man had killed numerous disciples and forced Xuankong Mountain to retreat into their Hidden Realm in disgrace, the bell had remained silent despite the humiliation.

Now, however, the bell had been struck again. What grave situation had forced the mountain to this point?

For a moment, the monks across Xuankong Mountain were both shocked and bewildered, unable to comprehend the events unfolding.

Quickly, though, some regained their composure and rushed toward the platform at the entrance to the Hidden Realm.

...

“Tower Master, what has happened atop Xuankong Mountain?”

In the depths of the earth, within the Wujian Tower's encampment, Elder You asked nervously, his voice trembling.

He did not understand the meaning of the bell, yet a profound sense of unease gnawed at his heart.

“I don’t know.”

The Tower Master’s eyes gleamed with a faint black light as he stared upward.

However, his spell was insufficient to pierce the formation clouds shielding Xuankong Mountain, preventing him from discerning what was happening. Still, an overwhelming feeling of chaos on the mountain above left him deeply unsettled.

Unfortunately, despite his recent breakthroughs, he still could not fly and thus had no way to investigate the situation.

...

“Demon! Release Elder Jinchong at once! When the experts of Xuankong Mountain arrive, you will surely meet a gruesome end!”

The middle-aged monk, having successfully struck the warning bell, shouted at Lu Qing with renewed confidence.

Lu Qing glanced at him casually. The monk’s body suddenly jerked violently, blood spurting from his mouth as he was flung backward.

His body slammed into the massive bell, producing a deafening clang. He collapsed to the ground and, without another sound, passed away.

“Elder Mingyi!”

The remaining middle-aged monk cried out in alarm, but his calls were futile. His companion could no longer respond.

A mere Precelestial Realm cultivator had been directly struck by the overwhelming aura of Lu Qing’s Golden Core Realm power. Survival was impossible.

Realizing this, the surviving monk retreated in terror, stumbling to the ground as he muttered, “Demon... Demon...”

Lu Qing refrained from finishing him off. He sensed a multitude of presences rapidly approaching the platform.

Before long, a figure descended onto the platform.

“Junior Brother Minghui, what demon? Why was the warning bell struck? And what happened to Senior Brother Mingyi?”

The newcomer immediately asked, but his expression changed as his gaze fell upon the lifeless body near the bell.

More figures appeared, surrounding the area one by one.

“Junior Brother Minghui, what happened here?”

“Senior Brother Mingyi!”

The monks instinctively noticed Mingyi’s body first.

Minghui, however, remained silent, his gaze fixed on Lu Qing with unrelenting terror.

Following his line of sight, the other monks turned and finally saw Lu Qing.

The Ghost-Masked Man. Elder Jinchong.

The monks gasped in shock.

...

Lu Qing’s expression remained calm as he observed the monks gathering around him.

Through his spiritual sense, he discerned that many of these monks were formidable. At least a hundred were Precelestial Realm cultivators, with numerous others at the Foundation Establishment Realm.

As expected of a sect with heritage dating back to the Immortal Era, their foundation was indeed deep.

Even as more monks arrived and began forming an array against him, Lu Qing did not act.

Instead, he lifted his gaze to the mountain's summit, where he sensed a powerful presence hidden away.

This must be the Abbot, the monk who had reportedly overcome the tribulation of the Golden Core Realm.

For now, the Abbot seemed reluctant to make a move, likely waiting to assess the situation further.

Lu Qing chuckled softly, glancing at the monks preparing their formations around him.

Suddenly, he spoke:

“Old bald donkey, are you really going to stay hidden like a turtle? Aren’t you afraid I’ll kill every one of your disciples and destroy Xuankong Mountain?”

The powerful presence atop the mountain remained motionless.

One of the monks, unable to contain his rage, shouted back, “Demon, stop your arrogance! Release Elder Jinchong at once, or you will die a horrible death!”

“You mean this old bald donkey?”

Lu Qing raised Elder Jinchong for all to see.

The sight of the once-revered Supreme Elder, now gripped like a broken doll, filled the monks with both sorrow and fury.

As for Elder Jinchong himself, the humiliation was unbearable. His esteemed position within the sect, now reduced to such indignity, left him seething.

Were it not for the suppression sealing his power, he would have detonated his Golden Core to perish alongside Lu Qing.

“Release the Supreme Elder!” a monk shouted again, though no one dared to act.

Lu Qing, sensing no movement from the mountain summit, smirked.

“Since you won’t show yourself, I’ll start by exterminating your disciples and cutting off Xuankong Mountain’s legacy. Then we’ll see if you’ll come out to play.”

With that, he tightened his grip, crushing Elder Jinchong’s skull with a sickening crack.