Zuo Yang’s explanation made everyone grow fervent.

“The Dao Bell?!”

If it were any other divine artifact, they likely wouldn’t even glimpse it, let alone obtain it. The Dao Bell, however, stood apart. How much fortune and opportunity they could obtain depended solely on their own ability.

“It is the Dao Bell! I once read a description of it in the past, I can’t be mistaken. The last time it manifested in the world was thousands of years ago! So long as one is under a century old and beneath the Saint Realm, they can receive an opportunity, whether skilled or not!” Zuo Yang said with absolute certainty before turning to Gu Han. “Junior Brother, no secret realm can compare to this heaven-sent opportunity! We can’t miss this chance!”

Gu Han wore an odd expression. “It is indeed a great fortune, but Senior Brother, you...”

Zuo Yang was flushed with excitement, his eyes full of fervor and yearning. His usual calm, aloof demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Gu Han almost couldn’t recognize him.

Zuo Yang took a deep breath. “You don’t understand. If I can make the Dao Bell ring nine times and receive the gift of the Great Dao, my culinary skills are bound to improve tremendously. I might even reach the pinnacle in the future!”

Everyone felt a bit ashamed. Perhaps only Zuo Yang and Yu Miao could uphold such lofty ideals without ever losing sight of their original aspirations.

Shen Xuan shook his head. “If only he put this much thought into cultivation, he would be at the Half-Step Transcendent realm by now.”

Yang Ying shook his head. “No, Transcendent realm at a minimum.”

Gu Han thought for a moment. “Senior Brother, what if the Great Dao’s gift has nothing to do with culinary skills? After all, according to what you said, there’s no precedent for that, right?”

Zuo Yang’s smile instantly froze. “Then what should I do?”

Gu Han shrugged. “I don’t know. I’m just giving you a heads-up.”

Zuo Yang suddenly felt that his little junior brother was quite a piece of work.

Shen Xuan hesitated for a moment. “So who goes first?”

Murong Yan stepped forward, carrying her large hammer. “Me! I wonder which is harder, this thing or my hammer...”

Everyone was speechless. The Dao Bell was a divine artifact, a manifestation of the Great Dao. Can it even be compared to that broken hammer of hers?

Paying no heed to them, Murong Yan raised her hammer with all her might, and brought it down hard onto the bell. “Eat my hammer!”

The profound qi hanging down from the bell wavered slightly, and a melodious chime rang out. Seemingly imbued with countless profound mysteries of the Great Dao, the sound felt cleansing to both body and mind. Even the manic glint in Gu Tian’s eyes subsided slightly.

Murong Yan was full of excitement. “Again!”

Of course, one ring was not her limit. In fact, the Dao Bell possessed spirit and wouldn’t manifest arbitrarily. It chose only those with profound foundations, capable of making it ring at least three times.

With Murong Yan giving her all, the bell rang three more times in succession. By now, she was starting to feel somewhat strained.

Zuo Yang raised an eyebrow. “Four rings? That’s not bad.”

She had already surpassed ordinary geniuses.

Murong Yan glared at him. “I’m not done yet! Watch me get nine rings!”

The hammer fell and the bell rang again. It was still as eternal as before, carrying a hint of Dao charm that everyone failed to comprehend.

Murong Yan was panting heavily as her large hands trembled slightly. She seemed to struggle even to hold her hammer.

Shen Xuan appeared worried. “Junior Sister, don’t push yourself. Just do your best. Five rings is already stronger than many people!”

Murong Yan refused to listen to him. “I’ll hammer you to death!”

A trace of killing intent flashed in her eyes as she gathered the last of her strength and swung the hammer. The Dao Bell rang for the sixth time. In the next moment, her hammer fell to the ground, creating a deep pit.

She was so tired she could barely muster a word. “I... can’t... do it anymore!” 𝕗𝚛𝚎𝚎𝐰𝗲𝗯𝗻𝚘𝚟𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝕞

Her instincts told her that even if she struck a thousand, ten thousand more times, the bell would never ring again. By the sixth chime, the Dao Bell’s spirit had already rendered its judgment.

Right at that moment, the strands of profound qi parted for an instant, revealing a corner of the bell body. Covered with Dao marks, it seemed like the concrete manifestation of the myriad Daos.

Suddenly, one Dao mark brightened for a moment, transforming into a streak of yellow light that shot into Murong Yan. A look of confusion flashed in her eyes, then she closed them. A faint layer of halo lit up around her, tightly wrapping her. It was the Great Dao’s gift!

Gu Han was astonished. “Incredible!”

He vaguely felt that after Murong Yan digested this gift, she would definitely undergo a transformation, as if reborn.

Shen Xuan felt both happy and excited. “Me next!”

With a flash, he arrived before the Dao Bell and placed a palm on it. The bell rang once more.

Gu Han wore a strange expression. “That works too?”

He could tell that Shen Xuan’s palm strike didn’t use much strength at all.

Zuo Yang gave him a strange look. “Of course it works. The Dao Bell has a spirit. The moment you make a move, it learns of your potential. It has nothing to do with how much strength you use.”

“Why didn’t you say that earlier?”

Zuo Yang pondered for a moment. “Well... I forgot.”

Gu Han glanced at Murong Yan, feeling a bit of sympathy.

Following that, the bell rang repeatedly.

Shen Xuan stopped moving and shook his head gently. “That’s my limit.”

The Dao Bell rang five times! Although slightly worse than Murong Yan, he was still a rare genius among the boundless sea of cultivators. In an instant, a faint blue halo shot into him.

Zuo Yang hesitated for a moment. “Should I give it a try too?”

Gu Han said, “You really expect the Great Dao to improve your culinary skills?”

Zuo Yang pointed at Shen Xuan and the other. “Why not? You saw it too. This Great Dao gift isn’t given randomly. It varies from person to person, giving opportunities based on their strongest aspect. My chances are great!”

Gu Han fell silent. Zuo Yang’s strongest aspect really was his culinary skills.

He glanced at Ah Sha and an idea sparked in his mind. His consciousness instantly sank into the depths.

***

The black shadow was taken aback. ”What?! The Dao Bell? No wonder I heard the sound of the Great Dao even here. But it doesn’t make sense! Even across tens of thousands of years, such an opportunity is rarely seen!

“Moreover, they were reserved for the extremely rare, special prodigies. Those slightly inferior can only stare dryly, not even getting a sip of the soup! Why is everyone getting a share this time? If the Great Dao were this generous, what’s the point of cultivating? Might as well sit and wait for opportunities!

“Unless, I’ve misjudged. Is there something in this place that is particularly favored by the Great Dao, letting you all benefit from its glory?”

Gu Han was speechless. You’re asking me? What’s my cultivation level, don’t you know?

The black shadow suddenly became extremely excited. “Quick! Let that little girl try. You might not encounter an opportunity like this even once in a lifetime out there. If she could make the bell ring nine times, the benefits would be unimaginable!”