The Stone Bell, the Paper Bell, the Mist Bell. Since the founding of the Sacred Martial Hall, no warrior entering the Hall on their very first day had ever managed to strike the Mist Bell.
The Paper Bell was always the termination sign. Looking back through the entire history of the Sacred Martial Hall, Gao Yuan knew clearly that the number of young martial artists participating in the entry assessment who could strike the Paper Bell could be counted on one's fingers.
The Mist Bell? Gao Yuan gently shook his head; no newly admitted warrior undergoing assessment had ever managed to strike it. Even that monstrous boy in the Hall’s history failed to strike the Mist Bell when he first joined.
"Even the legendary Shangguan Chuanqi…" Gao Yuan stared fixedly at the Mist Bell, wrapped in swirling white fog, repeatedly shaking his head. "I don't believe he could strike the Mist Bell at this age."
Bai Sheng nodded slightly. How many so-called geniuses emerge in this martial world every year? Which of these so-called young geniuses aren't hyped up to the heavens by the martial arts masters outside? The geniuses who supposedly appear only once in five hundred years.
But what was the result? These geniuses, praised to the skies outside, whom they had never met, quickly lost their aura of peerless talent upon entering the Sacred Martial Hall.
The Sacred Martial Hall—this is the gathering point for geniuses. When all the geniuses assemble, even geniuses begin to look rather ordinary.
Little Pluto Hades is an example! Bai Sheng's lips curved into a faint smile. The Golden Star Warrior was hailed as having achieved the true innate state of blood replacement and rebirth, simultaneously reaching the level of a Ten-Star Warrior. Outside rumors even claimed he was the young generation most likely to become a Mythical Beast Warrior.
But what happened? Bai Sheng's gaze swept over Qin Fen on the screen, and a soft smile appeared. The one rumored to be most likely to become a Mythical Beast Warrior was utterly crushed on Earth by Qin Fen, a relatively obscure young man.
Shangguan Chuanqi? Bai Sheng frowned slightly. Who could prove that he wasn't just someone highly touted but actually not that strong?
The Mist Bell? Bai Sheng pursed his lips again. The difficulty of striking it was immense, truly immense. To strike this Mist Bell after five years in the Sacred Martial Hall meant one was an excellent student. A young warrior who had just entered the Hall, less than a day in…
Bai Sheng sighed softly. Even Qin Fen couldn't accomplish such a feat. Perhaps, after two or three years, he might be able to strike the Mist Bell, but whether he could set a record for the time taken to do so was another question.
The Mist Bell, from which white mist rose, floated silently in the air without a discernible physical form. The young warriors unconsciously held their breath, fearful that their own respiration might affect the changes in the bell or interfere with Qin Fen’s attempt to strike it.
The Mist Bell? Qin Fen was also grinning inwardly. If he had come a year or two later, after his strength reached the Fourteenth Star level, he could have used his dense True Qi and the innate True Qi of Marrow Cleansing Nirvana to instantly project True Qi outward, mixing it with the mist to create a special form of physical vibration. Now?
Qin Fen took a deep breath. His True Qi concentration was still far too low; projecting True Qi outward was simply impossible. Without True Qi projection, striking the Mist Bell could not be achieved.
Qin Fen gently raised his palm. The moment his fingertips touched the Mist Bell, the white mist recoiled rapidly, like a sensitive plant, darting away in all directions, making contact with any solid form impossible.
The twitching face of the white-robed youth immediately relaxed. Indeed, even striking the Paper Bell, facing a Mist Bell that barely possessed substance…
Bang!
The stone slab beneath Qin Fen’s feet shattered without warning. The blood vessels beneath his skin emitted a series of ‘whooshing’ sounds, as if dozens of taps within his body had been suddenly opened halfway. His chest cavity resonated with strong, rhythmic vibrations, akin to combat. In an instant, Qin Fen’s right hand turned crimson, like blood!
What is this? The white-robed youth was startled, watching Qin Fen’s hand, placed beneath the white-misted bell, abruptly spray out blood as fine as bee stingers!
The bright red blood instantly transformed into a mist of gore, rapidly merging with the white mist!
The white-robed youth stared blankly at the scene. This crimson blood mist did not disperse the Mist Bell; instead, it entered into a strange harmony with it. Visible to the naked eye, a series of ripple patterns formed within the blood mist, gently vibrating and leaping!
“Heavens!” Gao Yuan cried out, tumbling from his chair onto the floor, sitting down heavily, staring dumbly at Qin Fen on the screen.
“Genius!” Bai Sheng’s eyes widened as he exclaimed, “This is a true genius!”
Ten-Star Warriors, due to insufficient True Qi concentration, could not achieve True Qi projection, let alone condense projected True Qi into a physical form. Striking the Mist Bell was entirely out of the question.
However, whenever a proposition exists in this world, there must be a way for someone to solve that proposition. Ten-Star Warriors cannot project True Qi? Then what about blood? The martial artist uses True Qi to transform the blood within his body into something like bee stingers, forming a specialized mist. Simultaneously, the True Qi is hidden within this blood! Every thread of blood mist concealed the same precise level of True Qi, and before leaving the body, each thread was made to undergo the most intense vibration. Thus, at the moment of mutual fusion, they would create a new resonance due to the vibrations not yet having completely dissipated!
This resonance allowed the blood mist, upon merging with the Mist Bell, to create a temporary, physical bell! Though it might exist for an even shorter time than a lightning flash across the sky, it did indeed form this peculiar state.
Clang…
Qin Fen’s fingernail struck the semi-misty, semi-liquid Mist Bell squarely, producing a sound like metal colliding with metal, rather than the ancient chime of a massive bell.
“Does this count as striking it?”
Qin Fen lightly shook his blood-stained fingers, shaking his head repeatedly. It seemed this special method of striking the Mist Bell still lacked sufficient control! After releasing the blood mist infused with True Qi vibration, the internal True Qi vibration could not instantly and perfectly shift its frequency; it could only hastily change to a frequency capable of producing the resonance of metal striking metal.
“Amazing… truly amazing…” Gao Yuan sat on the floor, looking up at Qin Fen on the screen. “Although this is the lowest quality sound of a strike, it was indeed struck. Terrifying control… absolutely terrifying. This kid is even more frightening than that monstrous boy when he first entered the Sacred Martial Hall.”
Bai Sheng stared at Qin Fen, speechless. For a Ten-Star Warrior to vibrate the blood out of his body using True Qi was something barely achievable. But to turn all the expelled blood into uniform, bee-stinger-like particles was incredibly difficult. To retain True Qi within blood that resembled bee stingers was impossible for a Ten-Star Warrior! Not to mention storing vibratory True Qi within it—even a Twelve-Star Warrior could never achieve this. Retaining True Qi vibration in blood like bee stingers, with every thread maintaining the same frequency state…
Bai Sheng wiped the cold sweat from his brow. Perhaps very few Fourteenth-Star Warriors could manage this?
Gao Yuan wanted to laugh but found he couldn't. He shook his head repeatedly: “This seems like a trick, yet it reveals an even more terrifying level of control. Strictly speaking, he didn’t trick anyone; this was a specialized method to compensate for the inability to project True Qi. Strong, too strong! Strong control, stronger mind! Thinking what others dare not think, doing what others dare not do.”
Xue Tian threw a punch into the air: “Beautiful!”
Bai Sheng nodded: “Beautiful, truly beautiful. I wonder if anyone in the Hall’s Three Bell Gate will be able to break this record next?”
Gao Yuan weakly shook his head. How could such a record possibly be broken? If there truly was a limit in the world, then Qin Fen’s performance on the Mist Bell represented that absolute limit. The instantaneous display completely surpassed the expected integration of Mind, Technique, and Body for a peak Ten-Star Warrior. Even the peak Mind, Technique, and Body integration of a Twelve-Star Warrior would likely pale in comparison to this strike.
Caesar smiled bitterly, looking at the move that was exhilarating yet simultaneously depressing. They were all roughly the same age; how could the gap in strength be so vast?
Brooks patted Caesar’s shoulder with resignation: “That’s Monster Qin Fen. Just accept it.”
Yang Lie tilted his head back, his occiput hitting the wall: “Yeah, just accept it! We’ll fight for second place among the younger generation…”
Solomon poked Yang Lie’s shoulder, then pointed towards Xue Tian nearby: “Sigh…” Yang Lie let out another sigh: “Forget it, we’ll aim for third place among the younger generation.”
Qin Fen looked up at the location of the peephole: “Excuse me, does this count as passing?”
“Pass, pass…” Gao Yuan stared dazedly at the screen, nodding repeatedly. “Now, you can return to the room you came from and enter through the door on the other side. I will also report your assessment results, and your rewards will be delivered to you shortly.”
“Thank you.” Qin Fen nodded politely and turned back the way he came.
Caesar walked alongside Qin Fen for a few steps: “The Body Refining Pill probably won't do much for me. Interested? Ten yuan, I’ll sell it to you.”
Ten yuan? Qin Fen smiled. This wasn't the place to sell Body Refining Pills; the price here was cheaper than the vigor pills sold on the street.
“Qin Fen, yours is too expensive. Buy mine?” Yang Lie walked swaggering with his hands behind his head. “I’ll sell mine for five yuan.”
“I’ll take two and a half,” Caesar chimed in with a smile, joining the fun.
Laughter filled the corridor. The white-robed youth’s mind was reeling. Where did all these monsters come from? He had never heard of the younger generation being this powerful! Few exceptional warriors in history had been this ferocious at this age!
Passing through the door on the other side of the room, everyone’s eyes lit up. Since arriving in the territory of the Sacred Martial Hall, apart from themselves, they hadn't seen a single living person. Now, finally, they saw a real one.
The other side of the room was not a narrow corridor but resembled a modern reception area. There were phones, computers, and a decently attractive female receptionist.
“Over here…”
The receptionist beckoned rudely without lifting her eyes, then pointed to the self-service computer beside her: “Input your names and invitation letters here. You also have one chance here to upgrade your application. For example, if you initially applied for the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier, you can re-apply for the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier, or even the Inner Sacred Martial Hall. Of course, this kind of outward-to-inward application depends on whether your aptitude is sufficient; if not, the application is useless.”
The receptionist finished speaking with an unpleasant tone and returned to concentrating on her own computer screen, her hand movements periodically changing along with the scrolling images.
Xue Tian tutted, shaking his head: “It really is the Sacred Martial Hall; they waste no time. Impressive, truly impressive.”
“Huh?” Yang Lie’s eyebrows jumped. “Qin Fen, you signed up for the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier? I thought you signed up for the Inner Sacred Martial Hall.”
Hearing Yang Lie’s words, everyone crowded around the screen, expressing shock one after another. For Qin Fen, who was so dedicated to martial arts, to choose only the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier upon arriving at this sacred ground of martial arts was utterly surprising.
“I don’t want to be constrained,” Qin Fen finished inputting his data. “The heart can have attachments, but it must not be constrained. If the heart is constrained, then the fists and feet will surely be constrained as well, right?”
“Heart constrained, fists and feet constrained…”
After verifying his entry a few times, he turned to the receptionist: “Can the application be reversed? For example, if I was approved for the Inner Hall before, can I now apply to switch to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier?”
“That doesn’t require an application; you just input it, and it takes effect immediately…” The receptionist said without thinking, then suddenly looked up at Caesar, her beautiful eyes filled with disbelief. “What did you just say? You were accepted into the Inner Sacred Martial Hall and now want to switch to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier? Did I hear that correctly?”
Caesar rapidly typed data on the light-beam keyboard, nodding casually. “Yes.”
Yes? The receptionist’s lips parted wide enough to swallow an egg.
The Sacred Martial Hall! The sacred ground of all martial arts! It possessed strict rules and regulations. Every so often, the Three Halls would undergo a comprehensive assessment. If a warrior in the Inner Sacred Martial Hall failed to meet the assessment standard, they would be demoted to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier. If a warrior in the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier failed to meet the standard, they would be demoted to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier. During every assessment period, all warriors in the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged and Basic Tiers would try their luck by applying to the Inner Hall, hoping a rare qualification would allow them entry to the Inner Sacred Martial Hall.
Since joining the Sacred Martial Hall, the receptionist had only ever heard of people constantly trying to upgrade to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier or the Inner Sacred Martial Hall. She had never heard of someone from the Inner Sacred Martial Hall voluntarily applying to downgrade.
“Done!” Caesar tapped the ENTER key on the light-beam keyboardly and happily stepped aside.
The receptionist carefully observed Caesar. Had this young man’s brain malfunctioned because he entered the sacred ground of martial arts? To expel himself down to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier? Did he not know? Since its creation, no one had ever managed to ascend back to their original tier after being demoted in the Sacred Martial Hall.
The martial arts manuals, medicinal assistance, and guidance from master warriors available to Inner Sacred Martial Hall members far surpassed those for the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier. Naturally, the help Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier warriors received also far surpassed that of the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier! Being relegated to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier was akin to being condemned to death by the Sacred Martial Hall! Stamped with the steel mark: “No Future.”
“Qin Fen is Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier?” Yang Lie stood before the computer and began inputting his own data. “Then I’ll change mine too. I won’t go to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier anymore; I’ll change to Basic Tier as well.”
“…” Solomon silently tapped away at the light-beam keyboard. Caesar secretly watched; though this man hadn’t spoken half a word, his actions showed he had also changed his Inner Sacred Martial Hall status to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier.
The receptionist stared blankly at the screen of another computer beside her. Except for the white-robed youth Hu Yingjie, all the young warriors who were originally in the Inner Sacred Martial Hall or Outer Sacred Martial Hall Privileged Tier had instantly switched to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier, self-sabotaging their path to martial advancement?!
“Are they mad? Are they all mad?” the receptionist muttered. “These ignorant brats.”
Ignorant of the immensity of the world? Yang Lie and Caesar exchanged smiles. If they had come to the Sacred Martial Hall immediately after the Recruit Tournament ended, at best they would be peak Nine-Star Warriors now, and they would be stuck at that level for who knew how long before achieving true innate blood replacement rebirth.
“Beauty.”
Xue Tian suddenly approached the desk, startling the receptionist. “Where are our living quarters?”
The receptionist snapped back to attention and pulled out a batch of electronic badges from under the desk. “These contain the rules and regulations of the Sacred Martial Hall. They will tell you where you, the Basic Tier members, are allowed to go and where your restricted zones are. This also contains a map of the entire Sacred Martial Hall, showing your allowed range of movement, and your residences. Take time to review the regulations; violating them will result in expulsion from the Sacred Martial Hall.”
Xue Tian grabbed the badge from the desk and casually tossed it backward. Qin Fen and the others gently raised their arms, and each caught a badge. The receptionist was slightly stunned. This seemingly simple toss, throwing badges without looking, ensuring each one landed perfectly in front of them, was not easy to accomplish.
“Beauty, thanks.” Xue Tian tucked the badge away. “I’ll treat you to tea someday.”
“Tea?” The receptionist watched Xue Tian’s retreating back and chuckled, shaking her head. “Wait until you’ve undergone the Sacred Martial Hall’s baptism of glorious tradition, then see if you still speak so casually…”
Jingling…
The receptionist grabbed the phone. “Hello?”
“Hello, this is Bai Sheng. Among those young people just now, there was one named Qin Fen. Did he submit an application to upgrade to the Inner Sacred Martial Hall?”
“Inner Sacred Martial Hall?” The receptionist’s brow showed a flicker of curiosity. What was happening today? Bai Sheng was personally calling to inquire about a recruit?
“He didn’t modify his application. However, almost everyone who came with him modified their original choices and collectively moved to the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier.”
“What?” Bai Sheng sounded like he doubted his own ears. “Achieving true innate blood replacement and rebirth, and choosing the Outer Sacred Martial Hall Basic Tier?”
“What!” The receptionist’s voice rose sharply. “Someone under nineteen has completed true innate blood replacement and rebirth? Which one among them succeeded? Was it that fellow named Qin Fen?”
Bai Sheng gripped the phone, replying weakly: “Everyone, except that white-robed young warrior, completed it…”
You. Said. What.?
The phone slipped from the receptionist’s hand, clattering lightly on the desk. She stared blankly at the retreating figure of Xue Tian in the lobby. “They all succeeded? How is that possible? If that’s true… then the glorious tradition of baptism for new recruits in the Sacred Martial Hall… will be ended?”