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Chapter 168: Three Deity Statues!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

979, 943, 912, 887… the blood veins in Su Ming's body were hidden away at a shocking speed under his will using fine control. As they were hidden away, the urge to Transcend was also forcefully quelled within him.

'If I can't even control when I Transcend, then how can I decide my own fate!'

The light in Su Ming's eyes flickered. Most of the blood veins in his body were hidden away once again under fine control.

As the blood veins in his body were concealed and the urge to Transcend was forcefully quelled by his will so that he could decide the time to do it himself, the people in the hidden grounds of Han Mountain near the mountain cave who were in despair as they continued resisting the pressure were already without hope. Almost all of them had blood flowing out from the corners of their mouths.

They could even already feel death approaching them, see their bodies exploding and the devastating sight of their blood veins rushing out of their bodies. The will to survive made them continue resisting even though they knew that it was useless. They still wanted to search for that perhaps non-existent way to survive.

Yet when Su Ming made all his blood veins scatter, suppressing the urge to Transcend, the near 100 Berserkers immediately discovered that their rampaging blood veins were calming down, and that that intimidating pressure disappeared even more quickly.

The sudden discovery made all of those people who were originally bound to die to be overwhelmed by ecstasy. Most of them were taken aback for a moment before they started running without any hesitation. They ran for their lives in a mad dash as their hearts pounded with nervousness and fear.

But there were some who understood the situation. They may have also been fleeing quickly, but before they ran out or after they took a few steps and hesitated for a moment, they bowed towards the valley that made them so terrified.

"Thank you for showing mercy!"

"Thank you for not killing us!"

They did not mumble out these words, they were all shouted out with the power of their Qi and echoed in the surroundings. As these voices grew in number, those who were running for their lives hesitated and stopped before they wrapped their fists in their palms and bowed towards the valleys, shouting out similar words.

At some point, these voices rose and fell, turning into echoes in the air that spread out through the hidden grounds of Han Mountain.

These people had escaped death, but fear lingered in their hearts. Every single one of them who was running away from the hidden grounds of Han Mountain had the same thought. Once they showed their gratitude, they immediately broke off into full speed and fled the place.

The clouds in the sky were gathering together and golden light pierced through the clouds, covering most of the sky in its glow. The people could even distinctly see a rapidly materializing deity statue within the clouds.

Yet at that moment, when Su Ming suppressed the urge to Transcend, a shocking boom resounded through the clouds in the sky, as if there was someone inside that was roaring out of anger.

The golden light flickered and became dull. The rapidly materializing deity statue seemed to gain intelligence and looked as if it was lowering its head to gaze at where Su Ming was in the canyons that spanned hundreds upon thousands of feet under Han Mountain, which was situated in the vast land.

"I am the creation of the first God of Berserkers, the deity statue of Transcendence among Berserkers…"

There was an incredibly great, imposing force coming from his voice. Booming sounds akin to thunder spread throughout the entire land. As his voice traveled forth, the land shook, and the mountain where Han Mountain City was located trembled. Many rocks fell from the mountain, and dust flew into the air, but the moment it appeared, it was suppressed by this force.

Han Mountain City was not the only one affected. The mountains where the three tribes—Lake of Colors, Tranquil East, Puqiang—were located were also trembling. The might of the voice brought about astonishment and shock among the numerous onlookers down below. No one knew who was the first to kneel down, but after a moment, almost everyone had knelt down on the ground to worship the faint deity statue.

The crowd in Han Mountain City was like a black mass as they knelt on the ground. Their faces were filled with fanaticism and reverence as they looked at the figure in the sky. Their ears echoed with his imposing voice. Most of them had never seen the sight of a deity statue manifesting in the sky in their whole lives.

'I've once heard about the three great deity statues of the Berserker Tribe. They were all created by the first God of Berserkers, and each symbolizes the three great realms in the Berserker Tribe – Transcendence, Bone Sacrifice, Berserker Soul… I thought it was just a legend… How could I have known..? Who would have known..?

'This is real!

'The deity statue of Transcendence… This is one of the three great deity statues of the Berserker Tribe – the deity statue of Transcendence!'

Nan Tian and Ke Jiu Si could not remain calm. Both of them were kneeling down on one knee and were looking at the faint deity statue in the sky, feeling shaken to the core.

"This is the second time I've seen this deity statue. It's slightly more obscure than when I last saw it, but… this is the first time I heard the deity statue speak!"

"I may have known that the legends regarding the three deity statues were real, but this is the first time I saw it with my own eyes. It's said in the legends that only those who had attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm could summon the deity statue that is enshrined within the Great Yu Dynasty. This is… the God of Berserkers' Blessing!"

Xuan Lun was also kneeling on one knee at a corner in Han Mountain City as he stared at the deity statue in the sky with a dumbfounded expression. The words it spoke echoed in Xuan Lun's ears. He clenched his fists.

"I was at my limit when I reached 913 blood veins. When I Transcended, nothing happened. Compared to this person…"

Xuan Lun clenched his fists even tighter. Jealousy grew in his heart. This jealousy was not because of the person involved, but due to the situation.

The members of the three tribes—Lake of Colors, Tranquil East, and Puqiang—were all kneeling on the ground, worshiping. Their eyes were filled with reverence as they looked at the deity statue in the sky. This deity statue was the embodiment of the entire Berserker Tribe!

"It is said that during the age of the first God of Berserkers, everyone was known as Berserk. There were no Realms to speak of nor any Ways to train… The first God of Berserkers used his great strength and an innumerable amount of time to explore his body, creating the three deity statues, and from henceforth, created the Realms that were suitable for Berserkers to train – Transcendence, Bone Sacrifice, and Berserker Soul!

"This isn't the first time I've seen the deity statue of Transcendence… but it's the first time I heard him speak!"

Yan Luan's expression was respectful as she stood on the top of Lake of Colors' mountain. There was not a hint of that usual enchanting look on her face. At this moment, she looked as pure as a bamboo slip that had never been under the knife, clean and empty of words.

As the imposing voice of the faint deity statue in the sky echoed in the air, its voice traveled into the ears of all those in the area and into Su Ming's mind.

That voice was originally intended for him. If the onlookers could already feel its might just by hearing it, then Su Ming, who was at the center of it all, felt as if the voice was rumbling in his heart like millions of thunderbolts booming in the sky. His body felt as if it was about to break down.

When he heard the rumbling voice that shook the sky and earth, a violent shudder ran through him.

Blood flowed out from the corner of his lips, but he did not stop using fine control on his body. He had his head lifted upwards to look above him. Although he could not see what was outside, he could still feel one pair of eyes looking at him from where the voice had come from in the sky.

That gaze was filled with an imposing might, but there was no life within it. It was merely a nonliving object.

"The will endowed upon me is in accordance to the will of the first God of Berserkers. I am to assist in the Transcendence of the Berserker Tribe... All those whose blood is thicker than the Ancients' of Berserkers shalt taketh the God of Berserkers' Blessing. As long as I exist, I wilt see that tis done."

His voice was so mighty that it caused the land to shake once more.

"Wherefore… doth thou not Transcend?!"

A brilliant glow appeared in the eyes of the faint deity statue in the sky. That glow was an endless golden light that covered the entire land in an instant. As it covered the land, all those who looked would see that the earth had been dyed in gold!

The final sentence caused all those who heard it tremble, and turned into echoes in Su Ming's heart, as if there was a countless number of people howling the, as if they were all interrogating him.

Su Ming was trembling. The blood veins that he had hidden away with fine control had stormed out of his control and were showing signs of reappearing. The urge to Transcend that he had suppressed also reappeared!

It was as if there was a strong will coming from the deity statue that was forcing Su Ming to Transcend right now!

"A part of my memories have been wiped off… and I had no control over this…

"I came from Dark Mountain and was sucked into the void… I had no control over this either…

"I came to the Land of South Morning and experienced a lot of things. I mostly just went along with the flow for everything that happened, and neither did I have any control over this…

"I searched for who I am. I wanted to open my eyes and see a world that other people might not have seen, but I still closed my eyes in the end… I had no control over this too…

"All my life as Su Ming and Mo Su, from what I remember, everything that happened to me seems to have been decided by other people. They wouldn't allow me to make my decisions, they would refuse to yield even an inch for me to change and master my own fate…

"I, who can't even walk my own path and control my own fate… will control it today! I want to walk my own path! I don't want to Transcend now, and no one can change it!

"I will decide when I Transcend!" Su Ming stated calmly.

He might be trembling due to that intimidating pressure in his mind, but the resolution in his voice symbolized the thoughts in his heart!

"You said you're the creation of the first God of Berserkers and the deity statue that assists Berserkers in Transcending, then how did the first God of Berserkers Transcend? Was there anyone who forced him to Transcend?

"I don't need you… to Transcend!"

The instant Su Ming's shouted out his will, he used fine control to take charge of his blood veins once again and hid them away once more.

The faint deity statue in the sky fell into a short moment of silence before he cast a freezing look into Han Mountain's canyons.

"One who defies the will of the first God of Berserkers has been found… As one who has commited the first offence, you will be given a warning!"

That voice was just as it had first appeared—there was not even a hint of his voice rising or falling.

As his words traveled out, the faint deity statue gradually faded away as if it had fused into the air. The golden light disappeared and hid in the sky along with the tumbling clouds.

The land was enveloped in silence. The bizarre phenomenon shocked all those who saw it. That shock was enough to make everyone choose to silently look at the canyons under Han Mountain City with mixed feelings.

This was the first time all the onlookers here had seen someone who was originally supposed to Transcend rejecting Transcendence.

"Who is that? Why did he do that..?"

"I knew it, he's a Berserker who attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm, but why did he refuse to Transcend? I don't understand it."

"Defying the will of the first God of Berserkers is something that has never been heard of before…"

When the deity statue in the sky and the clouds disappeared, long arcs charged from Han Mountain City, Lake of Colors Mountain, Tranquil East Mountain, and Puqiang Mountain towards the canyon. These people were all powerful Berserkers from the three tribes and Han Mountain City. They wanted to know just who was the person who caused such a shocking sight to happen!

Chapter 169: Uncle, There's…

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Among these long arcs were Yan Luan, the Elder of Tranquil East, the five Transcended Berserkers from Han Mountain City, and many other people from the three tribes. Han Cang Zi and Han Fei Zi were among these people. However, none would be able to find anything.

Unless Su Ming wanted to go out of the mountain cave, because of the half layer within the four dimensional layer created by Han Kong that not even left preceptor Zhou from Freezing Sky Clan had discovered, no one would be able to find him.

They searched for him for several days before all of them left silently. They did not find any clues in the place. To them, the mysterious Berserker who attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm had already left.

During the month after the incident happened, everything about the identity of the mysterious person who had attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm gradually became the main topic among the people in Han Mountain City. All sorts of speculations rose up, and some were so ridiculous it was unbelievable. That unknown person became the same as the mysterious Mo Su, remembered by all those in Han Mountain City.

Gradually, he became more and more talked about, and due to the mysteriousness surrounding him, his fame surpassed the original five Transcended Berserkers in Han Mountain City and was already as brilliant as the sun at noon.

Some theorized that Mo Su and the mysterious person who attained completion of the Blood Solidification Realm were one and the same, but it was only a theory. The leaders of the three tribes and the five Transcended Berserkers from Han Mountain City did not think so. Some among them had come into contact with Su Ming before, and once they compared notes, they dismissed this theory that appeared simply because it was far too easy to link both people together.

It was two months since the appearance of the deity statue of Transcendence in the sky. As nothing else had happened in the hidden grounds of Han Mountain City, some people grew bold and went to the place once more to search for possible serendipities or herbs that no one had discovered.

However, these people were few and far in-between. Nonetheless, people started appearing once again in the canyons hundreds upon thousands of feet beneath Han Mountain after it remained in deathly stillness for two months.

Qiao Da was one of the few bold people. His hair might already be flecked in white, but he harbored great interest in searching for treasures. He had already visited the hidden grounds of Han Mountain many times in the past, and he was using the chance when there were few people in the place to come once again.

This time he was not alone. He brought a boy with him. The boy was a little dense, but he listened to Qiao Da's every word. These two people ran quickly in between the valleys. Sometimes they would stop to search a place carefully to see whether there were any secrets lying around that had not been discovered.

"Uncle, there's nothing here."

"Uncle, there's nothing here either."

"Uncle, there's still nothing here."

Every single time they searched through a valley, that dense boy would whisper out these words.

"Uncle, there's…"

The boy was about to speak at the entrance of a valley, but Qiao Da, who had not been able to find anything for several days, turned around and shouted at him.

"What? Do you only know how to talk about nothing? Shut up!"

"Uncle, there's…"

The boy scratched his head, but the moment he spoke, his words were cut off, just like before.

"Stop talking… If I knew, I wouldn't have brought you here. If treasures lay at every corner of this place, would there even be a chance for us? This is an exploration. Exploration, do you get it? Boy, remember this, we're not searching for treasure, we're experiencing the journey!" Qiao Da said sternly.

The boy widened his eyes. That dense look on his face made Qiao Da think that he was talking to himself just now and he could not help but rub the center of his brows.

"That attitude of yours is wrong. Let me tell you this. Searching for treasure itself is an interesting thing. Don't keep thinking about the treasure. The process is very important. Did you think I came here to search for treasure? Then let me tell you, I came here to enjoy the process!" Qiao Da decided to enlighten the younger member of his clan. "Do you understand?"

"…Uncle, there's…"

The boy blinked, but the moment he opened his mouth, Qiao Da immediately laughed bitterly. He knew exactly what the boy wanted to say, so he shook his head, decided to ignore him, and walked forward.

"Uncle, I understand. We're here for the process."

When he saw that Qiao Da was ignoring him, the boy seemed to have understood his words and he quickly ran after. On his way, he mumbled under his breath while twiddling with his fingers, "Even if I just saw a treasure just now, you're also uninterested in searching for it. Okay, I get it now. We're here for the process…"

Qiao Da stroked his beard and nodded as he listened to the boy.

"That's right. That's exactly it. Even if you found a treasure, I still…" As he continued onward, his footsteps suddenly faltered and he turned back in one swift motion, his eyes wide-open. "What..? What did you say? Treasure? You saw a treasure?"

The boy pointed at the valley they just left with a dense expression on his face.

"It's over there. I wanted to tell you just now. There was a spot glowing over there."

The moment he finished speaking, Qiao Da charged towards the valley incredibly quickly, leaving behind a whooshing sound. The boy scratched his head, unable to wrap his head around it.

His uncle should have been uninterested in treasures. Why was he not enjoying the process now? He thought it was a very profound question and he could not understand it, but he still ran over quickly.

The moment he entered the valley, he saw Qiao Da looking all over the place incessantly.

"Where is it? Where's the glowing spot?"

"It's over there. That's the glowing spot I saw."

The boy took a few brisk steps forward and pointed towards a spot on the wall of the valley, but the moment he touched it, his finger went right through.

This scene immediately filled Qiao Da's face with ecstasy and excitement. He quickly looked around himself. Once he was certain that nobody was around, he charged towards the boy. He took a moment to observe the wall and once he did so, he lifted a hand and placed it on the wall. Like the boy's, his hand went through.

"Haha! I've finally found a secret location!"

Qiao Da grabbed the dense boy excitedly and charged into the wall. His whole body went through.

"Cloud Leaf Grass! There're so many Cloud Leaf Grass here! One Cloud Leaf Grass can be sold for 100 stone coins, I'll be rich! Rich!!"

The moment Qiao Da came in, his eyes lit up. He stared at the spot where herbs grew located not too far ahead of him, and he rubbed his hands excitedly.

"Uncle, there's…" the boy's foolish voice traveled into his ears.

"I know, I know. There're herbs here. These herbs are treasures."

Qiao Da took a few brisk steps forward and arrived at the place where the herbs grew. He crouched down and grabbed the herbs happily.

"Uncle, there's…"

There was a slight hitch in the boy's voice.

"I know, you want to ask me why I'm not enjoying the process, right? Let me tell you, the process is important, but the treasure is more important. You must remember this well!"

All Qiao Da's impatience was forgotten in the face of his joy. As he explained himself, he quickly collected many herbs.

"Uncle, there's…"

The boy's voice trembled even more, and there was even a hint of terror in it. It was a pity that Qiao Da's full attention was captured by the herbs and he did not notice it.

"Eight, 10, 13… I'll be rich. I'll definitely be rich this time… 14, 15… What did you just say? Didn't I just teach you?"

Qiao Da licked his lips as he quickly gathered the herbs.

"He wants to say that there's someone here."

A cold voice suddenly reverberated through the air. That voice appeared too suddenly, causing Qiao Da's hand to stop picking that 16th shrub and his head to whip back with a look of shock.

Standing beside the boy was a person. He was dressed entirely in black and had a clean and handsome face. There was a faint scar underneath his eyes. He was looking at Qiao Da coldly.

"Uncle, he's right. I wanted to say that there's someone here…"

The boy let out a huge breath. Nervousness crept onto his face as well.

Qiao Da's heart pounded against his chest and killing intent appeared in his heart. The value of these herbs was too great and conflict was unavoidable between them. Yet the boy was right beside him, and this made Qiao Da hesitate. Just as he hesitated, he suddenly noticed that the chill in the man's eyes as he looked at him had seemed to turn physical, making Qiao Da's body tremble, as if it was instantly encased in ice, making him turn pale from head to toe.

"Se… Senior… Senior, please have mercy!"

Qiao Da shivered and fell to his knees, quickly begging for mercy. He might not know the man's level of cultivation, but the man could make him feel as if he had been encased in ice with just one glance. This was not something a person in the Blood Solidification Realm could do. He had also just realized that he could not even manifest his blood veins before this person. This made him both shocked and terrified.

That man was Su Ming!

During these two months, Su Ming had gradually managed to suppress his blood veins. This was the day he came out of isolation. He had intended to find out how he could leave the hidden grounds of Han Mountain, but the moment he stepped out of the half dimensional layer, he appeared in this mountain cave. He was about to leave when he discovered an old man and a boy entering the place.

That old man did not see him. He went straight to the Cloud Leaf Grass that Su Ming disregarded. Only the boy stood there looking at him dumbly.

Su Ming stared at the old man with a contemplative look in his eyes.

'Did something happen after Han Kong died? The old man's power is only around the seventh level of the Blood Solidification Realm. How did he manage to take a child in here..?'

Qiao Da's heart raced even more quickly. He was feeling incredibly nervous. A large amount of sweat formed on his forehead as Su Ming stared at him.

"Tell me all the major events that had happened in Han Mountain City in the recent years. If I'm satisfied, I'll let you have all the herbs here," Su Ming stated slowly.

Qiao Da did not dare wipe away the sweat on his forehead, neither did he try to guess why this person asked such a question. Once he heard it, he quickly spoke with a respectful tone, telling all that he knew of the past few years.

When he said that the canyons were no longer sealed and people could come as they pleased, Su Ming's expression remained calm, not a hint of change was seen on his face.

"… This Mo Su still remains as a mystery… There's the even more mysterious Berserker who attained the completion in the Blood Solidification Realm…"

Qiao Da's voice quivered as he spoke about all the topics discussed in Han Mountain City, the Berserker who had attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm, and the strange phenomenon in the sky. Yet as he spoke, his body trembled even more harshly. As he looked at Mo Su, he began to form speculations in his head.

Su Ming stood silently for a while before he cast his eyes on the boy by his side.

"What's your name?"

"I'm Qiao Song."

The boy still had a dense expression on his face.

"All the herbs here are yours."

The moment Su Ming finished speaking, he cast a look at the boy before he turned around and walked out, disappearing without a trace.

Only then did Qiao Da dare to wipe away the sweat on his forehead with a look that said his heart was still pounding from lingering fear. He pointed at Qiao Song and started scolding him.

"You! Why didn't you tell me that there was someone here sooner?"

"I did say… but you wouldn't let me finish my sentence…"

There was a look as if he had just suffered injustice on the boy's face.

"You… you… you'll be the death of me! Remember this. I'm telling you now, next time when you speak, say everything that you need to say in one breath. Don't bother about other people breaking up your sentence, say everything in one go and don't stop!"

Qiao Da wiped off the cold sweat on his forehead once again looked at the herbs on the ground, delight resurfacing on his face.

"I'm going to be rich! Rich!"

"Aye.I.remember.it.now.uncle.don't.worry.I.won't.care.about.other.people.interrupting.me.I'll.say.all.I.have.to.say.without.stopping.in.one.breath…" the boy mumbled, and once he finished speaking, he gasped for breath.

Chapter 170: Si Ma Xin!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

There was something out of ordinary about that Qiao Song.

Su Ming walked out of the mountain cave hidden in the walls of the valley. When he turned back and looked, he found that it was indeed difficult to discover the place. Even if it was him, if he did not pay too much attention to it, he would still find it hard to discover anything wrong with the wall.

If he did not activate the Branding Art and used his naked eye to look at it, everything would seem normal. Only with the Brand could he see the dim light flashing on the wall within his mind's eye.

He averted his gaze.

Su Ming did not continue wearing the mask. He used the black robe to cover his head and walked out of the valley unhurriedly. As he walked through the formerly hidden grounds of Han Mountain, he saw people who came searching for treasures like Qiao Da. These people would usually just cast one glance at him before turning away and not sparing him an extra glance.

No one knew that the Mo Su, who had disappeared for several months, walked out of the canyons during dusk.

Neither did anyone know that the mysterious Berserker who had attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm and caused the change in the heavens and earth by making the deity statue of Transcendence appear was walking out of the canyons.

Everything was as usual during this day. Han Mountain City was bright with fire from lamps. As the day when Freezing Sky Clan would arrive approached, the city became livelier than before. The three mountains of the three tribes around Han Mountain City were enveloped in silence.

The three tribes had closed off their mountains and refused all visitors. Even if the person visiting was in the Transcendence Realm, they still had to turn back before middle-sized tribes like the three tribes.

The sun at dusk was red, yet it was not a burning shade of red. It was simply the red belonging to the sun before it died for the day. The land was dyed in the colors of dusk, a shade that was going to turn dark soon.

When dusk gradually left and the sun could no longer be seen by those who stood at the foot of the mountains, Tranquil East Tribe welcomed its first guest since a long time.

Su Ming placed the mask on his face once more and stood at the foot of Tranquil East Mountain. His black robes rustled in the wind as he stood there and stared silently ahead.

This was the second time he stood at this place. Compared to the first time, besides the difference in time, he also felt like a completely different man.

The last time he was here, Su Ming had to present himself as if he had Transcended. This time, he did not need to. No one could ignore him as he stood there. His presence could not be felt clearly by those in the Blood Solidification Realm. Only those in the Transcendence Realm could clearly feel the pressure formed by those who attained completion in the Blood Solidification Realm coming from Su Ming.

Su Ming walked calmly towards the stairs leading up the mountain. The instant his foot landed on the steps, a great pressure appeared. This was the power protecting the mountain that prevented all outsiders from entering since Tranquil East Tribe had decided to close off the mountain.

Su Ming had come into contact with this power before, and it no longer caused any effect on him even as he experienced it once more.

If he wanted to, he could completely ignore the existence of the pressure.

"I, Mo Su, greet the tribe leader of Tranquil East," Su Ming's calm voice traveled out languidly. This time, he did not infuse any Qi in his voice to cause his voice to echo in the air.

As of now, he was just speaking calmly, and his voice naturally reverberated through the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe.

As Su Ming's voice traveled outwards, the quiet mountain of Tranquil East Tribe seemed to be jolted awake from its slumber. The pressure protecting the mountain disappeared in an instant. At the same time, a few long arcs could be seen whistling through the air towards him from the top of the mountain.

Many tribe members from Tranquil East also quickly rushed down the mountain as if they had received an order. All of them stood by the side with respectful faces, forming a path to welcome him up the stairs.

There were seven to eight people in the long arcs. The leader of them was the tribe leader of Tranquil East, Fang Shen. Those who followed behind him were all his trusted followers and the Tranquil East's Chief of War.

These people rushed over and appeared before Su Ming.

"Kindred Mo, I've been waiting for you for months. This way, please!"

Fang Shen first sized up Su Ming, and very soon, joy appeared on his face. He laughed out boisterously and wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming. He seemed calm, but when he first cast a glance at Su Ming, he felt his heart shake.

The feeling he obtained from Mo Su now was completely different from when he had first met him. He could initially find some clues from Mo Su regarding his power, and it was due to them that he wanted to test him, being uncertain of his power.

Yet now, Mo Su was like an abyss before his eyes. He could not see through his power clearly, and neither could he get a gasp. If he tried to take a closer look, his Qi would start showing signs of being unstable, and it shocked Fang Shen.

When he remembered the rumors regarding Mo Su, and even though some of them were leaked by Tranquil East Tribe themselves, most of the them were still regarded with high importance by Tranquil East Tribe.

"You killed Yan Guang, forced Han Fei Zi to withdraw, earned Nan Tian���s respect, and suppressed Xuan Lun… Kindred Mo, your name is well-known all over Han Mountain now! Kindred Mo, this way, let's talk on the mountain."

Fang Shen's smile grew wider.

Besides Fang Shen, the Chief of War who came along was also similarly shocked. The short man had already Transcended, hence the moment he saw Su Ming, his expression immediately changed. His footsteps faltered for an unnoticeable moment and he widened his eyes.

Not being able to feel the blood veins in Su Ming's body was nothing compared to the indescribable pressure he felt from the other's body. The pressure that had not existed when he first met Su Ming.

"Kindred Mo, your return is a great event for Tranquil East! This way!"

The Chief of War took a deep breath. His attitude immediately changed from how he had acted initially and with a smile, he wrapped his fist in his palm to greet Su Ming.

"There's no need to go up the mountain."

Su Ming wrapped his fist in his palm to return the greeting towards Fang Shen and the Chief of War as he spoke calmly.

"I came here to return the guest plate and to ask of three things from you, brother Fang,"

When Fang Shen heard Su Ming's words, a serious expression appeared on his face.

"Brother Mo, you don't need to be in a hurry to forfeit the status of a guest. If you have anything to say, you can speak without worry."

"Thank you!"

Su Ming nodded. He did not mention the dangers he faced under Han Mountain. He had asked to enter the place himself; it had nothing to do with other people.

"One, due to the change in Han Mountain, I did not manage to find Sky Flute Branch, but I believe you should have found some. If you give those herbs to me, I will heal Fang Mu's injuries as quickly as possible once I've made all preparations."

Fang Shen did not hesitate and nodded towards Su Ming.

"I've found Sky Flute Branch. They were originally prepared for brother Mo to begin with. I'll have to trouble you about my son. I'll ask people to send it over now. Brother Mo, please talk about your other two requests."

As Fang Shen spoke, he turned around and cast a look at one of his tribe members who followed him. That tribe member immediately obeyed and quickly left for the top of the mountain.

"Two, I would like to take a look at the map of the Land of South Morning in your tribe," Su Ming said unhurriedly.

Fang Shen fell silent and did not immediately answer. There was a frown on his face. After a long while, he hesitated before looking at Su Ming.

"Brother Mo, maps are very important to all tribes. A single map is usually the product of the blood, sweat, and tears of multiple generations of the tribe, drawn little by little through a long period of time.

"I'll have to talk to the Elder about this."

Su Ming did not speak. He simply looked at Fang Shen calmly. His eyes were still, showing no signs of any spikes of emotions. He looked at Fang Shen quietly. That gaze may not have held any deeper meaning, but Fang Shen did not become the tribe leader of Tranquil East by acting as straightforward as his appearance would suggest.

Su Ming had been planting hooks ever since he came into contact with Fang Mu. Besides being rather fond of Fang Mu, he mainly did so to come in contact with Tranquil East Tribe with the intention of blending into Han Mountain City, but the source of it all was still for that map!

Su Ming did not use Fang Mu's injuries to force Fang Shen into agreeing to his request. Fang Shen knew about it, and that was also precisely why there were certain things he could not refuse.

Reciprocating good-will was the most important principle for a person to get along with others. Su Ming healed Fang Mu, and Fang Shen gathered herbs for Su Ming. It might sound like a trade, but deep down, Su Ming was really doing a favor for Fang Shen.

Fang Shen knew that he owed Su Ming a favor. He also knew that the reasons why Mo Su brought up the second request were for him to return the favor and because he was confident he could completely cure Fang Mu.

"Alright, I won't say more. Even if the Elder doesn't agree to it, I will still bring the map to you!" Fang Shen suddenly said.

"Thank you!" Su Ming wrapped his fist in his palm to show gratitude towards Fang Shen. When he lifted his head, he spoke unhurriedly. "Three, I would like to see Han Cang Zi."

"I can promise you the first two things, but as for the third, I cannot decide on my own, but I will tell my sister and let her decide," Fang Shen said languidly as he looked at Su Ming .

"Of course."

No one could see Su Ming's expression due to the mask on his face. They could only see that his eyes remained still and calm as water throughout the exchange.

He brought out the guest plate from Tranquil East and handed it to Fang Shen. Once he did so, Su Ming nodded towards the Chief of War standing nearby and walked down the stairs before he sat down cross-legged and waited silently.

Fang Shen briefly hesitated before he asked, "How long will it take before you can heal my son? And… how can I find you?"

"In three months. As for the method to find me… even if you can't find me, Han Cang Zi will be able to," Su Ming stated softly.

"Oh?" A sparkle appeared in Fang Shen's eyes, and he smiled as he wrapped his fist in his palm towards Su Ming. "Brother Mo, since you're confident in it, then I will take my leave."

As he spoke, he turned around and led his followers back to the top of the mountain.

The Chief of War took a glance at Su Ming and hesitated briefly. Once everyone had left, he still remained silent for a moment before turning around to leave as well.

"Sir, if you have something to say, please do so."

Su Ming opened his eyes and looked at the Chief of War.

"Brother Mo, do you know Si Ma Xin?"

"Si Ma Xin? Who is that?"

Su Ming shook his head.

The Chief of War let out a light sigh and a hint of disappointment appeared briefly in his eyes.

"This person is… very similar to you… Brother Mo, if you have the change to meet this person in the future, please tell him that Bei Xi from Tranquil East Tribe has Transcended and thus am paying my respects to him. Thank you."

The Chief of War bowed towards Su Ming and left. His back gave off a rather desolate air as he slowly disappeared from Su Ming's sights.

'Si Ma Xin… is very similar to me?'

Su Ming frowned.

He did not wait long. Someone came from the summit of Tranquil East Tribe. The person was a middle-aged man. He had a respectful expression on his face as he placed two embroidered boxes before Su Ming, then he bowed and left.

There was a hint of longing that was hidden deep within Su Ming's eyes. He lowered his head to look at the two embroidered boxes. He knew that one of them contained a map!

Chapter 171: Another Promise…

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

Su Ming closed his eyes and calmed his emotions. He opened one of the embroidered boxes, and the moment the box was opened, a medicinal fragrance wafted into his nose. That fragrance was very light, but the moment he smelled it, he seemed to hear a song played by an unknown instrument.

The melody of the song lingered in the air and sounded very musical. It made those who heard it think that this melody could only be played by a flute made in heaven…

After a long while, Su Ming looked into the embroidered box and saw three herbs lying inside. These herbs looked odd. They looked like tree branches, but there were small little holes on them. The musical melody he heard was not an illusion, but was formed when wind blew past the many holes on the herb.

"Sky Flute Branch."

Su Ming lifted his right hand and slapped it on the herbs. Immediately, the three Sky Flute Branches, along with the embroidered box, disappeared from his hand as he put them away into his storage bag.

He looked towards the second box and his breathing grew heavier. Even though he knew that the map inside the box may not be complete, it was still a ray of hope.

He placed his hand slowly on the embroidered box, and just as he was about to open it…

"If you open that box, then you must cure Fang Mu."

A delicate voice appeared by Su Ming's side. An elegant, dim fragrance also came along with that voice.

That fragrance might have appeared after the medicinal fragrance brought by Sky Flute Branch, but the two gave people two distinctly different impressions. The medicinal fragrance was like oranges, and the other was like a dream.

Su Ming's expression remained passive, no changes could be seen on it. He had long since discovered Han Cang Zi's arrival and did not stop due to her words. He calmly opened the embroidered box and saw a folded beast skin inside.

A conflicted look appeared in Su Ming's eyes as he stared at the beast skin. All of a sudden, he lost the courage to look at it. He was afraid that what he would see would be different from what he knew. He was afraid that there would be… no Dark Mountain in the world!

Han Cang Zi walked softly to stand before the man in the mask and sat down cross-legged to quietly look at him. She saw the conflict that was clear in his eyes.

They did not speak. After remaining in silence for a while, Su Ming lifted the beast skin from the embroidered box and focused his attention on it once he unfolded it.

"Are you disappointed?" Han Cang Zi asked softly.

Her voice was very gentle, arousing an indescribable feeling within those who heard it. Her voice was just like her. She was a delicate beauty, but the strength in her heart far surpassed many men.

Su Ming looked at the map spread out before him—it was incredibly detailed. Not only did it include the topography of the area around Han Mountain, even the surrounding areas were drawn out in detail. From the map, it could be seen that the Land of South Morning was a vast territory.

However, while the map was detailed, it was not what Su Ming had wanted. He closed his eyes and fell silent. In truth, he himself knew that the map he wanted was not what a middle-sized tribe could provide. Yet his knowledge and expectations were two different matters.

"Somewhat."

At that moment, his heart was as conflicted as how his eyes looked just now. He wanted to see the map he yearned to see, but deep down he did not want to. This mixed feeling stemmed from the bewilderment he had buried deep within his heart.

"You can only look at the map. You cannot take it away."

A pitying look appeared in Han Cang Zi's gaze as she looked at Su Ming and spoke softly.

"I know."

Su Ming opened his eyes. He did not look at Han Cang Zi, but looked at the sky that had darkened. He did not know that as of then, in Han Cang Zi's eyes, he looked lonely.

"You once said that if someday, I remember something, I can come to you," Su Ming mumbled.

"Yes," Han Cang Zi whispered back.

They fell into silence again. This time, the silence lasted for a tad longer. The moon appeared in the darkened sky, and glittering stars surrounded it.

The wind swept past the land and lifted Han Cang Zi's black hair. As her hair flew, it gave her another sort of beauty underneath the moonlight.

"What did you see?" Su Ming broke the silence and asked.

Han Cang Zi did not speak. She bit her lips instead and looked at Su Ming. There was an appealing light in her eyes. She looked at him for a long while before she came to a decision.

"Can… you promise me something..?

The moment the word 'promise' left her mouth and fell into Su Ming's ears, he felt shaken. This feeling could not be controlled by his calmness. It was a feeling that no matter how deeply he hid it and how hard he tried to bury it, it would still trigger his sadness because of certain things and certain words.

At that moment, that wound of his was torn and it turned into a sadness that flooded Su Ming's entire body and soul like a tidal wave. He looked as he usually was, but no one knew how his heart fared.

However, even though Han Cang Zi did not know, her instincts of a woman made her immediately notice that besides the loneliness she felt coming from Mo Su beside her, she also felt grief, one that she could not describe.

"You…"

Han Cang Zi was momentarily stunned. She was an intelligent woman. Almost in an instant, she could guess that perhaps one of her words was the source of Mo Su's grief.

'Could it be 'promise'..?'

Han Cang Zi did not speak.

'Promise…'

Su Ming felt a stab of pain in his heart. His body did not tremble, but that grief still emerged without control. That word held a special meaning to him.

There was once a girl who stood in the snow and smiled as she looked at him.

"If we continue walking in this snow, can we walk until our hair turns white..?"

There was once a girl who let him carry her on his back. Their hearts seemingly beat at the same pace, and the face buried in his back turned red.

"Can we walk in circles together..?"

There was once a girl who stood in the snow and bit her lips as she swept away the snow on his clothes with beautiful eyes that shone with a wild charm.

"Su Ming, this is a promise… I'll wait for you…"

That was a promise, and Su Ming was a person who did not fulfill that promise…

'It's almost been five years… Perhaps, it's more than five years…'

The pain in Su Ming's heart grew, along with bitterness.

There were a lot of types of grief in the world, perhaps his was not the deepest, but if the deepest grief was the separation between the living and the dead and the separation due to time, then Su Ming's wound was one where it was unknown whether the separation between the living and the dead and the separation of time existed. This was a pain stemmed from a wound that was coupled with bewilderment.

"I'm sorry…" Han Cang Zi bit her lips and spoke softly. She could not understand Su Ming's pain, but she could feel the grief he felt at the moment.

"What promise?" Su Ming's voice became hoarse.

He looked at Han Cang Zi standing before him and at the face that did not belong to the one he was familiar with, covered by the black strands of hair lifted by the wind. For a brief moment, he thought he saw Bai Ling.

They were from different periods of time, from different places, and different people, but they said the same word – promise!

"Help me kill Si Ma Xin. Kill him, and I will tell you everything I saw!" Han Cang Zi said softly. The moment she said Si Ma Xin's name, her breathing instantly quickened and she clenched her right hand instinctively.

"Who's Si Ma Xin?"

Those subtle movements did not escape Su Ming's eyes.

"He's revered as the one person with the highest amount of potential in the history of Freezing Sky Clan… He heard the roar from the soul of the second God of Berserkers during the Day of Eternal Creation and is known as one of the people with the highest chance to become the fourth God of Berserkers!

"He's my senior fellow-disciple… he's also the one who injured Fang Mu," Han Cang Zi lowered her head and whispered.

Su Ming looked at Han Cang Zi calmly. He did not speak.

"I know you must be dubious. With Si Ma Xin's identity and his power, why should he harm a child like Fang Mu..?"

Han Cang Zi lifted her head. Under the moon, though she might not be extraordinarily beautiful, but she could make people's hearts pound. However, Su Ming was not one of them.

"Continue."

Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the moon in the sky.

"Have you ever heard of the Great Art of Heartless Berserker Seed..? This Art was created by the second God of Berserkers, and Si Ma Xin is practicing it. Ever since the second God of Berserkers created this Art, no Berserker had ever been able to perfect this Art and could not use it to its full potential. They could not become Heartless, that's why they could not use it to their full potential.

"Once this Art is perfected, all the power from the Berserker Seeds the caster chose will be offered to him. The second God of Berserkers used this Art in other worlds and attained his status as a God of Berserkers.

"Si Ma Xin does indeed have shocking potential. He was originally a passionate person, so he approached this Art using another way – he could plant love in another person's heart. So he separated the Berserker Seed into Seed and love, because if he had no love, then he would be Heartless!

"The Elder once observed Fang Mu's potential when he was born and recognized him as the future hope of Tranquil East Tribe… and Si Ma Xin also came to Han Mountain City with Freezing Sky Clan to choose disciples…

"Fang Mu became his Berserker Seed, and he planted love in me," Han Cang Zi spoke calmly as if she was not talking about herself. Yet the calmer she presented herself, the more Su Ming could feel the hatred in her heart.

"Fang Mu isn't injured. He's Si Ma Xin's Berserker Seed. If you heal him, then you'll offend Si Ma Xin."

Su Ming remained silent and looked at Han Cang Zi. He did not fully believe in her words.

"If Fang Mu is the future of Tranquil East Tribe, then why didn't Tranquil East Tribe do anything when this happened?"

"How can we do anything? Even my brother, who's the tribe leader, doesn't know about this. He thinks that Fang Mu is injured by someone. The only ones who know about this in the entire Tranquil East Tribe are the Elder and me.

"He won't do anything about this. Even if my brother knows about this, he will choose to remain silent. Si Ma Xin has a lot of Berserker Seeds. Becoming his Berserker Seed and offering their power to help with the birth of the fourth God of Berserkers is seen as a glorious thing in the eyes of many people.

"I don't even know whether Fang Mu would treat this as a glory if he knew about the truth… but I… don't agree to this!" Han Cang Zi lifted her head and she looked at Su Ming with her beautiful eyes.

"Don't you think so?"

Su Ming did not reply.

"Not only do the Berserker Seeds think of this as a glorious thing, even those who were planted with love like me treat this as a glory. But we are no longer the Berserker Tribe led by the first or second God of Berserkers…

"This is a sick Berserker Tribe, a Berserker Tribe where everyone is asleep, a Berserker Tribe that treats sacrifice and slavery as something glorious! Han Fei Zi won't be able to escape from this fate either!" Han Cang Zi's words started coming out rapidly.

Su Ming looked at her. Her words made him think that there was something different about this woman.

"How can I trust you?" After a long while, Su Ming asked languidly.

Han Cang Zi fell silent for a moment and a red flush appeared on her face. She took a look at Su Ming before she gritted her teeth.

Chapter 172: The Chains of Han Mountain in The Rain

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

"Come… Come with me."

Han Cang Zi retrieved Tranquil East Tribe's map and stood up. The flush on her beautiful face darkened, even her ears turned red, arousing a strange feeling within all those who saw her.

Su Ming was taken aback. He did not understand what was going on with this woman.

Han Cang Zi's heart was pounding as she moved up the mountain of Tranquil East Tribe from another direction. She looked graceful from the back, and as she walked, her elegance could be seen from her movements.

Su Ming lifted his hand to rub his nose instinctively, but he only touched the mask. He laughed bitterly and stood up to follow Han Cang Zi. He still could not understand why she would show such an expression.

Han Cang Zi did not say a word, and neither did Su Ming. The two of them moved along another path to the top of the mountain. Before long, a mountain cave appeared in the forest before him.

The mountain cave was well hidden. Unless someone was familiar with the area, they would be hard pressed to find the cave.

"No one will come here. I treated this place as my playground when I found it accidentally when I was young. When I grew up, I still came here often alone. I placed some Freezing Sky Clan shields here, it's very safe." Han Cang Zi did not turn her head back outside the cave. She had her back towards Su Ming as she spoke quietly.

Su Ming frowned. He looked around the area and spread out the Branding Art as he stared at Han Cang Zi silently.

"Come… Come in."

Han Cang Zi gritted her teeth once again and moved into the cave. Su Ming hesitated for a moment. Once he was certain there was nothing out of place around the area, he walked in.

The cave was not big. It was about the size of a room, but was a little on the dark side. Yet Su Ming could still see what was inside clearly, albeit not as clear as he could during the day.

"Did you bring me here to…" Su Ming frowned and spoke, but his words suddenly faltered. He instinctively took a few steps back and stared at Han Cang Zi dumbly, unable to say another word.

Han Cang Zi still had her back turned towards him, but as he spoke, she lifted her hands and removed her robes, showing off her beautiful back. During the moment Su Ming was stunned, Han Cang Zi took off all her clothes with a shiver, revealing a perfect woman's back.

The curves, the exquisite skin tone, the thin hair which Su Ming could see rising up on her skin due to her trembling, and the curve on her back that took a breath-taking dip on her waist which later rose in a wide arc at her posterior—all drew out a picture that left Su Ming with his jaw falling slack.

"You…"

Su Ming took a few more steps back, staring at Han Cang Zi, not knowing what to say.

"This is my proof."

Han Cang Zi trembled and turned around with her arms covering her chest. Tears fell from her eyes, but she looked at Su Ming resolutely.

"You saw the Berserker Seed in Fang Mu. I didn't lie about what happened to him… As for me, Si Ma Xin planted love in me, but only in my heart.

"I can give you my body. Although it won't break the love he planted in me, it's the only way for me to make you trust me."

Su Ming remained silent. He swept his gaze across Han Cang Zi's body and did not speak even after a long time.

Han Cang Zi stood in the cave quietly as tears fell from her eyes and she waited.

After a moment, Su Ming asked calmly, "Why did you choose me?"

"Because I saw some things that I shouldn't have seen in your memories… I believe that you can do it. Even if you can't do it now, you will be able do it in the future."

Han Cang Zi looked at Su Ming resolutely. She may have been crying, but there was a determination in her beautiful face that made Su Ming respect her.

"How can I trust that you saw my memories?"

Su Ming fell silent for a moment to calm the shock brought by Han Cang Zi's sudden actions and regain his cool.

"Void, four years, chains, refusal, the head of the second God of Berserkers!" Han Cang Zi said softly. She did not know whether Su Ming had remembered something, but she believed that he would know some of the things she just said.

Su Ming took a deep breath to quell the shock in his heart. He looked at Han Cang Zi for a long time before walking towards the trembling woman standing before him.

As he got closer, Han Cang Zi closed her eyes and waited for what would happen next. She was already prepared for it. For the hatred that she had yet to fully disclose, she was willing to give up everything.

Su Ming stood before Han Cang Zi and an elegant, light fragrance wafted into his nose, as if it was fusing into his body. He looked at this woman, who was completely different from Bai Ling, and the promise she asked of him echoed in his ears. He lifted his right hand and pressed it against the center of her brows.

Han Cang Zi shuddered. She gritted her teeth and remained still.

After a long while, Su Ming crouched down silently and picked up the clothes she removed so that he could drape them around her shoulders and cover her alluring body.

"There's no need for this. I've seen the love Si Ma Xin planted in your heart. It came from the same person who planted the Berserker Seed in Fang Mu… I promise you."

Su Ming whispered in Han Cang Zi's ear. The moment he finished speaking, he turned around and moved towards the entrance of the cave.

Han Cang Zi trembled and opened her eyes, staring at Su Ming leaving with a dumbfounded expression. More tears gathered in her eyes. She did not expect Su Ming to leave at this moment.

"Freezing Sky Clan has the map you want. I can't get it, but I know it exists!" she said instinctively, and her words made Su Ming's footsteps falter.

"Thank you. Let's meet in Freezing Sky Clan."

Su Ming did not turn back and walked out of the cave.

"Freezing Sky Clan will only take in Han Fei Zi as their disciple this time. They won't consider anyone else… Even if you challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, it'll be difficult for you to join, you…"

Han Cang Zi did not know why she said those words. She should not have, but she still said them.

"I know."

Su Ming walked out of the cave. He looked at the stars and the moon in the sky before he left Tranquil East Mountain.

After a long while, Han Cang Zi also walked out of the cave. Her expression showed how conflicted she felt, and she stood there stunned for a moment.

"I should be the one thanking you… Thank you…" Han Cang Zi mumbled.

On that night, Su Ming sat on the mountain from which he had first seen Han Mountain City. From there, he could see the contours of it.

The mountain breeze was strong. As it blew past him, the wind lifted Su Ming's hair. During the night, he sat silent and alone on the mountain. He did not look at Han Mountain City, but at the stars in the sky, though not even he himself knew what he was looking for in their glittering shine.

'Freezing Sky Clan has the map I need. I have to get into the school. Even if I'm afraid of the truth, I still need to find the map. I can't back down just because I'm afraid…

'I promised Fang Shen that I would heal Fang Mu's injuries, and it's also a chance encounter between me and that child during these years, even if I have to offend Si Ma Xin because of this…

'As for my promise with Han Cang Zi… This is a very special woman. She's not unique because of her appearance, but because of her thoughts…'

"I broke my promise once. Let's hope that this time, I will keep my promise…" Su Ming mumbled.

'I can't use the identity as Tranquil East Tribe's guest anymore, or else it'll cause trouble. Han Fei Zi will also search for me because of that. There's also the tribe leader of Lake of Colors Tribe, Yan Luan…

'Han Cang Zi said that Freezing Sky Clan will only take in Han Fei Zi this time. Even if outsiders challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, it'll still be difficult for them to join Freezing Sky Clan… As for this… I will have to make detailed preparations, and if that's the case, I'll have to use a new identity.

'Qualification… I will simply need to be qualified to enter Freezing Sky Clan. Even if that qualification has already been set, but if I use a different method to obtain it, I will also get different results.

'I will need to amaze them!'

A glint appeared in Su Ming's eyes. He stared at the mountain belonging to Puqiang Tribe behind Han Mountain City and narrowed his eyes.

'I already have all the materials needed to create Spirit Plunder and I've also planted Sky Flute Branch. In a few days, I can start creating the medicine.

'All I lack now is the aura of death needed to create this pill… I need to quench the herbs using the aura of death, the moment this pill is created, the punishment for larceny will fall upon me, which I will use the aura to receive the punishment, and when it shatters, the pill will be created!

'I might be able to use this pill as the material for me to create my Origin Berserker Vessel when I Transcend!'

With a glow in his right hand, a black pearl instantly appeared in his palm. That pearl was the Death Essence Pearl he had obtained from the Puqiang tribe member when he had woken up from the deep slumber induced by the burning of blood.

He looked at the pearl for a moment before putting it away.

'If I challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, I must challenge Puqiang Tribe's Chain! Besides obtaining the right to join Freezing Sky Clan, once I succeed, I can also ask of something from Puqiang Tribe.

'If I use any other method, the closed off Puqiang will definitely refuse to give me the aura of death for me to create this pill. Even if they agree to it, I'll have a lot of setbacks as well…

'Only by challenging the Chains of Han Mountain will I be able to get all these in one go!'

Su Ming stared at the mountain that belonged to Puqiang Tribe basking in the darkness. He could not see its top. There was a thick layer of fog covering the top. As he continued staring at it, resolution appeared in his eyes.

On the morning ten days later, the sky was covered in grey clouds and muffled sounds of thunder rumbling in the sky could be heard. Rain poured from the sky and crashed into the stones on the mountain before they fell to the ground. There were few people walking on the streets of Han Mountain City, and even these pedestrians were wearing bamboo hats and straw capes.

Those who have stayed in the city for a long period of time knew that this sort of rainy weather would only pass after several months. Even the occasional sunny days would not last for long.

The three tribes were quiet as usual during this rainy morning. The three colored layers of fog surrounding the three mountains still filled the air and enveloped the mountains, causing them to still remain as mysterious as ever.

On this day, a person walked towards Han Mountain City from afar. He was the same as the other people; he wore a straw cape and a bamboo hat. His face could not be seen clearly. The only thing that could be seen on him was the black robes underneath his bamboo hat and straw cape.

He quietly came forth and walked into the gates leading to Han Mountain City. He stepped on the puddles and welcomed the rain as he walked on the streets and along the mountain path until he reached the stone gate leading to the third layer of the city. It might be raining, but there were still people from the three tribes standing at the rain shelter outside the gate. They were yawning, and as usual, were selling the plates leading into the third layer of the city.

Fang Lin was also there. He was the first to see that slightly unusual person walking forth from afar. With the lesson he had learned that one time, he had become much more cautious. He looked at the person walking forth unhurriedly. Before that person entered the door, he paused for a moment and looked at him. Fang Lin immediately put on a smile on his face. This was the smile he learned to have after what he experienced that year.

Soon after, that person who wore the ordinary looking straw cape walked into the stone door, and immediately, a shocking ripple appeared on the stone door.

'Transcendence!'

Fang Lin immediately perked up, but for some unknown reason, once he did so, the image of that person kept repeating in his head. He had a feeling that the person seemed rather familiar when he stopped just now…

Chapter 173: The Desire to Amaze!

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

It might have been morning, but it was raining heavily. The sky could not be seen clearly. Dark clouds covered the sky so thickly it covered the originally bright sunlight. Albeit the land was not entirely dark, it was still marginally so.

There were even fewer people walking on the streets in the third layer of Han Mountain City. Rain pattered on shop roofs and flowed down along the funnels on both sides of the roofs to eventually blend with the puddles on the ground, mixing the old water with the new.

The shopkeepers were all either dozing off or sitting cross-legged to train. There were only some who stood at the entrance to their shops looking at the rain as various thoughts raced in their heads.

Su Ming walked amidst the silence of the rain, breathing in the humid morning breeze as he traversed the streets of the third layer of Han Mountain City. No one could see his face. They could only see his slightly forlorn figure walking through the rain. He did not attract much attention as he walked past these shops.

Sometimes, however, when he walked into the field of vision of those who were looking at the rain, he would attract their attention, though it was perhaps just that he broke their train of thought as they admired the scenery.

Nonetheless, they only cast him a glance before paying no more attention. No one could guess what that forlorn figure wanted to do and what sort of shock he would bring to Han Mountain City that morning.

Su Ming walked forth in silence along the path until he reached the entrance to the second layer. He looked around him and found that he was the only one there. There was no one else around him.

There was still a huge gate serving as the entrance to the second layer. Originally, only the Transcended guests of the three tribes could enter, but now that the three tribes had dismissed all their guests, only those who had Transcended could enter.

Without accounting for the people from the three tribes, there were only five people who could enter the second layer in the entire Han Mountain City.

There was a huge bell about hundreds of feet tall to the right of the entrance. This ancient bell was entirely red-violet. There seemed to be rusted spots covering its surface, and it exuded an old and aged presence, as if it had been placed there for a very long time.

There were three bizarre and ferocious looking beasts carved on the surface of the ancient bell. One of them was the Dragon Clam, another the Alpine Dark Turtle, and the picture of the last creature had already faded out due to time. It could not be seen clearly, but the creature was clearly the leader of the three beasts. Based on their positions, it looked as if the Dragon Clam and the Alpine Dark Turtle were beneath that last ferocious beast in an act of subservience.

The bell was covered in water. Raindrops produced a soft patter as they fell on the surface of the bell and flowed down along its edges.

Su Ming stood by the stone gate leading to the second layer as he looked at the gigantic ancient bell before him. His eyes, which were hidden under the bamboo hat, gradually lit up. He had been walking unhurriedly, his footsteps slow, but every single step he took was steady and stable; he was also gathering up the Qi in his body.

He had been doing so since the foot of the mountain, and with each step he took since he stepped into the fourth layer of Han Mountain City. It was as if he was accumulating his energy, as if he was a sword being sharpened.

Right then, that energy was ready to be used, the sword was sharpened. The energy was just waiting to burst out and amaze the world, the sword just waiting to let out a bright and chilling glare!

'Besides asking the people from the three tribes for help like how He Feng had done it when he asked Han Fei Zi for help to get to Han Mountain's summit, there's another way to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain. This method is for all the Berserkers who came to Han Mountain City… we have to ring this bell!

'We have to make the bell chimes spread all around the region to spread the news that we are going to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain…'

Su Ming looked at the bell silently, and the light in his eyes grew brighter. He had asked He Feng about the Chains of Han Mountain a long time ago and knew this bell would not sound for those with ordinary levels of cultivation.

This was also to prevent those who did not have enough power from dying when they challenged the Chains of Han Mountain and wasting everyone's time, along with sullying the might of the Chains of Han Mountain.

"Only those who can make the bell chime nine times have the right to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain… Since my goal is to amaze these people so as to get into Freezing Sky Clan, then I must go rampant!" Su Ming mumbled.

His quiet demeanor suddenly changed in the rain. A shocking presence erupted forth from within him like a sword that had left its scabbard, as if half his energy had been let loose!

As that presence rose up, coincidentally, a muffled roar of thunder rang in the sky. A bolt of lightning hidden in the sky let out a bright flash.

As that bolt of lightning lit up the sky, Su Ming lifted his right hand. He looked at the gigantic ancient bell before him and took a deep breath before he slammed his right hand against it.

Dong…

The bell's chime was like a roaring wave. The sound was muffled and contained a feeling of ancientness, as if it was a sound that came from a long time ago. A ripple that could barely be seen with the naked eye appeared abruptly from the bell, and along with the sound, it spread out in all directions.

The ripple was invisible, but it touched Su Ming's clothes, causing him to feel as if a huge force had just impacted his body, trying to push him away from the ancient bell.

The instant the bell chime reverberated in the air and spread through the entire Han Mountain Tribe and the three tribes, it startled countless people who were sitting and meditating in the quiet, rainy morning.

"Those are Han Mountain Bell's chimes!"

"Someone wants to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain! Didn't I say it? The closer we get to the day Freezing Sky Clan comes, the livelier Han Mountain City will be!"

"Hmph, it's just one bell chime. You only have to the right to challenge the Chains if the bell rings nine times, or else, you'll need the acknowledgement by the three tribes for them to send you straight to the summit to challenge it."

"Don't bother. That bell has been ringing for who knows how many times since the past few months, but no one has managed to make it past six chimes… and the bell's going to continue ringing for the foreseeable future. Joining Freezing Sky Clan is something that will make someone throw out everything they've got, after all."

Han Mountain City started getting lively. Quite a few people walked out into the streets and looked at the place where Han Mountain Bell was located at the third layer. However, as the rain was too heavy, these people only cast a glance at it before they hurried back into their houses.

The powerful Transcended Berserkers staying in the second layer of Han Mountain City, including Nan Tian and Ke Jiu Si, heard the bell chimes, but they did not go out to look. Nan Tian smiled faintly and paid no heed to it.

Ke Jiu Si did not even open his eyes. He sat in his house quietly, as if he did not even hear the bell chimes.

Xuan Lun and the other two powerful Transcended Berserkers reacted mostly in the same manner. Even if the bell rang six or seven times, it would still not catch their attention, much less one bell chime.

As for the three tribes surrounding Han Mountain City, they remained in silence in the rain. It was as if they did not react to the bell chimes, and that was the truth. Most of the people from the three tribes did not pay further attention to the chime once they heard it.

Among these people were the leaders of the three tribes, including Yan Luan. Even Fang Shen only broke off from his meditation and opened his eyes for a brief moment before he closed them once again and resumed meditating.

Only Han Fei Zi stood at her window and looked at the rain that seemed to be connecting the sky and the earth, and at the obscured Han Mountain City. The light in her eyes flickered.

There was another woman besides her who was also looking at Han Mountain in the rain silently. She was Han Cang Zi.

The first bell chime was just like a small stone being thrown into water. It only induced a few ripples before the water returned to stillness. In fact, once half the day passed by, very few people would remember the bell chime they heard just now.

Su Ming's expression remained passive. The ripple that was formed when the ancient bell before him trembled had dissipated the instant it fused into his body. It did not have any effect on him. The bell chime still lingered and echoed in the air, but besides this lingering chime and the sound of rain falling on the ground, there were no other sounds in the area. Not only did no one come out into the rain to see who rang the bell, even the shopkeepers whose shops in the third layer were close to the bell did not walk out to take a look.

Everything remained silent.

Su Ming lifted his right hand from the bell, and without any surge of emotions in his heart, he placed it down once more.

Dong…

The second chime reverberated in the air, and at the very moment it rang out, Su Ming's gaze became as sharp as a sword out of its scabbard. With a freezing glint in his eyes, he slammed his right hand onto the gigantic ancient bell once again.

Dong… Dong… Dong… Dong…

Four consecutive chimes rang in the air. With the previous two chimes, it was now six chimes. The ancient sound that exuded a presence of age seemed to have joined together to turn into a sound that shook the hearts of all those who listened. It even replaced the rumbling thunder in the air, becoming the only sound that surrounded the entire Han Mountain City and the mountains of the three tribes at that moment!

Han Mountain City was shocked!

The expressions of those who had already returned to their houses changed immediately once they heard the bell chimes that were seemingly blended together. Even the shopkeepers in the third layer of Han Mountain City felt shaken to the cores. Some had walked out and cast their eyes towards the entrance leading to the second layer, where the bell was located.

Seriousness appeared even on Nan Tian and the others's faces in the second layer. The meaning of sounding the bell in sequence and sounding the bell multiple times in one go until the chimes seemed to blend together was completely different. There was also a huge contrast in the rebound that the person had to suffer!

The three tribes in the mountains were also in an uproar when these bell chimes reverberated through the air.

Yet at that moment, the seventh bell chime rang out, and at the very instant it emerged, the eighth and ninth bell chimes arose with the might of a whirlwind sweeping away the clouds in the sky and the force of a great flood from the ancient bell in Han Mountain City, echoing in the sky with a power that caused the sky to shake and the earth to tremble.

The people in Han Mountain City only recovered from the shock after a moment. They burst into an uproar, like a wild beast that was jolted awake from its slumber.

"Nine chimes… Was… was that really nine chimes? It's too sudden!"

"Those aren't just nine chimes, but nine chimes that were practically fused together when they appeared. This person… this person is definitely not some common lightweight. We have to watch this person challenging the Chains of Han Mountain!"

"Who is it? Who could that person be? Could it be one of the five Transcended Berserkers?"

Most of the people from Han Mountain rushed out of their houses and were all looking towards the third layer in the rain. Some had even ran out to see who was the person who had made the bell sound nine times!

At the same time, Nan Tian and the others in the second layer of Han Mountain City stood up promptly. With one swift move, they left their houses and stared at the exit leading to the third layer. Behind that stone gate were the giant bell and the person who had sounded it.

In the mountain belonging to Lake of Colors Tribe, Yan Luan stood up. With a calm expression, she walked out of her house and looked at the city submerged in rain. With her power, she could vaguely see layers upon layers of ripples spreading out from Han Mountain City and pushing the rain. In that instant, Han Mountain… was without rain!

"Finally, there's someone who's actually good challenging the Chains of Han Mountain. Send orders for someone to send a plate allowing the challenger to the top of Han Mountain…"

Her tone was relaxed, as if there was nothing that could excite her, but also as if even if there was someone who managed to ring the bell nine times, it would still not be able to make her amazed.

However, that was the extent of her speech. Before she completed her sentence, for the first time, a sound that made her expression change rang out from Han Mountain City!

Dong… Dong… Dong…

11, 12 chimes reverberated in the air suddenly!

At the same time, the howl of a beast could be heard in the dark and cloudy sky above Han Mountain City. The sound shook the sky, and as the howl started, the apparition of a gigantic ferocious beast with the head of a dragon and body of a clam manifested before everyone's eyes!

"What is this person's level of cultivation? How did he manage to sound the bell twelve times and summon the shadow of Han Mountain's sealed beast?"

Yan Luan's breathing quickened and a bright glint appeared in her eyes.

Chapter 174: Alpine Dark Turtle

Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation

On the mountain where Lake of Colors Tribe was located was Han Fei Zi, who stood in her house, looking as if she could see the person who was silently sounding the bell in the city. There was a bright glint in her eyes as she stared at Han Mountain.

The person may have been hidden by the fog, but she could already vaguely guess that this person might be the Mo Su she had been looking for a long time!

"Is it you..?" Han Fei Zi mumbled.

The Elder of Tranquil East Tribe remained calm as he sat at the top of the mountain. His expression was like the still water in an ancient well. His thoughts were unknown to others. Sitting by his side were the Chief of War and Tranquil East's tribe leader, Fang Shen.

These three people were silent as the lingering bell chimes echoed in their ears.

"Could it be our guest, Mo Su?" the Elder of Tranquil East spoke unhurriedly with a slightly hoarse voice.

"I can't be certain, but I've already sent people to take a look." Tranquil East's tribe leader replied in a low voice.

"Elder, should we have someone give this person the plate?" The Chief of War hesitated for a moment before he looked at Tranquil East's Elder. The old man, whose face was covered in wrinkles, had his eyes closed. He did not refuse what the Chief of War said, but neither did he agree to it.

On the mountain shrouded in black fog was Puqiang Tribe. At that moment, there were dozens of obscured silhouettes of people standing in the fog looking in the direction of Han Mountain City. They did speak, but only looked into the distance indifferently.

Compared to the silence in the three tribes, when the gigantic apparition of the Dragon Clam appeared in the dark, cloudy sky above Han Mountain City, the people in the city were completely shaken. Numerous people from Han Mountain City rushed out into the rain to see the Dragon Clam in the sky. All of them felt shaken to the core, and in their ears were the bell chimes that still refused to leave.

"12 chimes. Han Mountain Bell sounded 12 times. This person… this person is really powerful!"

"He already obtained the right to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain. Right now, he just needs to wait for the three tribes to send their plates, then he can go to the top of the mountain with the plates and challenge the Chains of Han Mountain!"

"I thought that one bell chime was just an accident, but now it's gone past nine chimes and sounded 12 times!"

"Who is that? By the looks of it, he's not going to stop just yet. Just how many times will he sound the bell?"

People ran through the fourth layer of Han Mountain towards the entrance to the third layer. Fang Lin and the others who were waiting at the entrance to the third layer were all shaken to the core when they heard the 12th chime. It was especially so for Fang Lin. He felt his mouth dry up and his heart race against his chest. He had a strong feeling that the person who had sounded the ancient bell twelve times could very well be… the familiar figure he saw just now!

The people arrived and rushed past Fang Lin, charging straight towards the stone gate before they disappeared inside. Those with the right to enter the third layer went in that morning with only one purpose in their mind – they wanted to see who the person who sounded the bell was!

The shopkeepers in the third layer of Han Mountain City were the first batch of people who saw Su Ming standing under the bell wearing his bamboo hat and straw cape. The moment that sight of the unfamiliar person fell into their eyes, these people stopped 1,000 feet away from him.

At the second layer's exit were the residents of the second layer, Nan Tian, along with Xuan Lun, Ke Jiu Si, and the others. They knew that the person who sounded the ancient bell twelve times was behind the stone gate, but they did not go over.

Nan Tian's gaze fell upon the apparition of the Dragon Clam in the sky before he spoke unhurriedly. "Twelve chimes, eh..? I heard that from among the people who finished walking through the Chains of Han Mountain in the history of Han Mountain City, there were three who have been able to summon Han Mountain's sealed beasts after they went past 12 chimes!"

Ke Jiu Si, who was standing beside Nan Tian, suddenly said, "Brother Nan, you forgot one more person."

The moment his words left his mouth, Nan Tian's expression immediately changed. He did not speak. Xuan Lun also heard his words, since he was not standing too far away. His face turned slightly pale as he remembered something.

There were four people in the second layer. There was a middle-aged man wearing a green robe standing by the side. This person's clothes were odd. The weather in Han Mountain City was hot. Even if it was the rainy season, the weather was still hot. However, this person's clothes were extremely thick. It was as if he still felt cold even in such sweltering heat.

"Brother Ke, is the person you mentioned…"

When the middle-aged man in green robes spoke, a white puff of air left his mouth, a clearly different sight from the others around him. If anyone else saw it, they would immediately recognize that this person had the same status as Nan Tian and the others. He was the fourth Transcended Berserker in Han Mountain City – Leng Ying.

"Si Ma Xin?" Leng Ying asked slowly.

"Brother Leng, Brother Yun, the both of you have only come to Han Mountain City recently, so you might not really know this person."

Ke Jiu Si cast a glance at Leng Ying and nodded.

There was another person called Yun Zang among the five Transcended Berserkers in Han Mountain City. He was the 'Brother Yun' Ke Jiu Si spoke of. This person had just left for isolation a month ago to make the final preparations to join Freezing Sky Clan.

"Si Ma Xin came to Han Mountain City along with Freezing Sky Clan in the past and sounded the ancient bell… Most outsiders don't know the details. Only the leaders of the three tribes and the three of us know about this."

The person who spoke was the pale faced Xuan Lun.

"Oh? Why is it that most outsiders don't know the details if he sounded the bell? The moment this bell chimes, everyone in Han Mountain should know, and if someone like Si Ma Xin sounds the bell, he'll definitely be remembered."

Leng Ying frowned and looked towards Xuan Lun.

Xuan Lun fell silent for a moment. He was about to speak when another chime rang in the air.

Dong…

Su Ming stood beside the ancient bell. His expression remained passive, but the light in his eyes, which were hidden underneath the bamboo hat, were flickering brightly. The rebound coming from the bell was running foul in his body. He saw the crowd gathering 1,000 feet away from him, and he also saw the people dashing towards him from further away.

The gazes were all gathered on him through the sheet of rain.

"Twelve chimes will only startle Han Mountain City… the three tribes aren't really reacting…"

Su Ming lifted his head and looked at the Dragon Clam that appeared among the clouds in the sky. Besides the initial howl when the beast's apparition appeared, it remained like a being without life, floating in the air unmoving. However, there was still an imposing pressure coming from it.

'This doesn't fit into my plans. Looks like twelve chimes is not enough to create the shock I want. Then…'

Su Ming lifted his right hand. This time, he did not slap his hand down. He punched the gigantic ancient bell instead.

The instant his fist fell, the 13th chime rang out mightily, turning into invisible ripples that spread out in all directions with a boom. That ripple could not be seen originally, but in the rain, they could see the raindrops gathering together to form a gigantic ring that was spreading outwards swiftly. This ring was spreading out as if it contained the strength of a typhoon that led the wind and rain to turn into a howl that was hidden under the bell chime. All those who were touched by the ripple would find their clothes flapping and their hair dancing.

As the sound of the 13th chime still lingered in the air, Su Ming's lifted his fist and brought it down once again. This time, he struck the bell four times!

'If this isn't enough, then I'll make it enough!'

The straw cape on Su Ming's body was torn into pieces with a ripping sound, revealing the black robe underneath. The bamboo hat on his head did not move an inch and continued blocking his face.

The bell chimes shook the sky and the earth. The four consecutive chimes formed four ring shaped ripples that spread outwards towards the one ring that was located the furthest away from them and was still traveling out, causing the world to look as if it was a water surface, and Su Ming was the center of those ripples!

Han Mountain was trembling, and numerous rocks broke off from the mountain and fell. It felt as if the earth itself was shaking. As the ripples spread out, the crowd standing 1,000 feet away from him withdrew as their expressions changed.

At that moment, a muffled roar came from the sky. Life appeared in the Dragon Clam's eyes. It started moving, and with Han Mountain City as its center, it took a few spins with its gigantic body, causing some of the dark clouds in the sky to dissipate. The roar that came from its mouth shook the ground, and it was so loud it was deafening.

A bright sparkle appeared in Su Ming's eyes and he rammed his fist onto the bell once again.

The moment his fist touched the bell, the 18th chime sounded with a loud crash. The instant the bell chimes resounded, the Dragon Clam also reached its limit as it roared. Its body shuddered, and right before the people's eyes, it disappeared without a trace. Yet the moment it dissipated, a piercing howl traveled out from the void in the sky.

As the voice thundered, a mountain in the sky that could not be described appeared. The size of the mountain surpassed Han Mountain, and all of the other mountains in Su Ming's memories.

This mountain covered the sky and the earth, appearing as an illusion in the air. The top of the mountain could not be seen. The only thing visible was the gigantic turtle underneath the bottom of the mountain. It was carrying the mountain that was as great as the sky on its back!

The turtle looked incredibly ferocious. Its face was twisted, and there was the picture of a malicious spirit on it!

The turtle was like an evil spirit!1

It was Han Mountain's second sealed beast carved on Han Mountain Bell!

All the people in Han Mountain City who saw this felt their breathing quicken. The things that happened this morning made them feel shaken. It could even be said that most of them had never seen something like this before.

If anyone wanted to challenge the Chains of Han Mountain, they would need to sound the bell. However, sounding the bell itself was a hurdle to many people. Making the bell chime nine times was already the limit for them. However, they just heard 18 chimes with their own ears and saw Han Mountain's legendary sealed beasts appearing in the sky with their own eyes!

"Alpine Dark Turtle!"

"It's said that Han Mountain Bell didn't originally belong to Han Mountain Tribe… When the bell chimes, illusions will appear!"

"I've been in Han Mountain City for many years, and I've heard other people talking about Han Mountain Bell before. There're three ferocious beasts carved on the bell, but only two can be seen clearly. The last one has faded out. Now… very few people know how that third beast looks like."

"This person looks unfamiliar, but judging from his power, he must have Transcended, or else he wouldn't be able to sound the bell 18 times!"

"18 times… by his looks, he's clearly relaxed… Look, someone came from the three tribes! It's Lake of Colors Tribe!"

The crowd burst into an uproar, and they started discussing amongst themselves amidst their shock. Suddenly, someone let out a cry of surprise. A person charged towards the city from the mountain of Lake of Colors Tribe. The person who came forth was an old man. This man walked in the air. His expression might have seemed calm, but the shock in his eyes was difficult to disguise.

"Who is the person who sounded Han Mountain Bell? Do you know what the consequences of sounding the bell are?"

The old man stood in the air and his voice traveled out like thunder.

Translator's Note :

¹ Lost in translation: 龜 is turtle, and read as gui1, 鬼 is evil spirit/ghost, and read as gui3. It's a pun.