Shattering the Stonebell Rampart
Shattering the Stonebell Rampart . . .
Qin Wentian raced through the Sky Connecting Realm, determined to reach its exit. The once-handsome features of his face now wore a veneer of icy resolve. His eyes, usually deep and contemplative, now flickered with a dangerous glint, alongside a trace of unease.
Names of major powers swirled in his thoughts like a tempestuous storm—The Nine-Emperors Immortal Empire, the Skymist Immortal Empire, the Violet Emperor Sect, the Paragon Sword Sect, the White Tiger Race, the Thundergod Hall. They were all in relentless pursuit of Qing'er and his friends. The weight of his worry pressed upon him, a heavy burden in the midst of chaos.
Qin Wentian etched these powerhouses' names deep into his heart. The grudges and hatred that had simmered beneath the surface now threatened to boil over with the removal of the sacred academy's protection. With slaughter sanctioned, he vowed to reveal to them a world drenched in bloodshed.
As he sped forward, the wind whipped around him, and majestic roc wings unfurled from his back, propelling him at lightning speed.
Before long, Qin Wentian emerged from the Sky Connecting Realm's exit. His gaze fell upon the unfamiliar sacred academy that stretched before him. He couldn't help but feel a pang of uncertainty. Qing'er and his friends were scattered, pursued relentlessly by their enemies. His only option was to search each nook and cranny of the sacred academy, striving to reunite with them.
A burst of bright light enveloped him, and he vanished from sight. Moments later, a group of figures emerged from the Sky Connecting Realm, their eyes glinting with determination. Had he finally exited? Their mission was clear: to hunt him down.
The alliance of major powers shared one common objective—to eliminate Qin Wentian, the prime target of their collective wrath.
In due course, Qin Wentian hovered above an ancient palace within the sacred academy. His gaze drifted into the distance as he contemplated the fate of his scattered friends. Members of the Battle Saint Tribe, the Heavenly Talisman Realm, the Thousand Transformation Sect, and the Southern Phoenix Clan—all had fled in different directions. As he surveyed the unfamiliar faces in the vicinity, he realized he knew no one among the crowd.
With a determined purpose, he took flight and headed toward a random location. There, clusters of experts bustled about, their movements punctuated by the occasional peal of a bell ringing through the air. Qin Wentian's destination was unmistakable—the Stonebell Rampart.
He approached the Stonebell Rampart, its imposing presence casting a formidable shadow. Unfazed, Qin Wentian entered the structure.
Step by step, he ascended, the vigor of his robes billowing in the tempestuous currents. Boundless power bore down on him, its relentless energy seeping into every fiber of his being—his immortal foundation, bones, blood, sinews, and flesh.
He mounted the steps with remarkable ease, his ascent marked by staggering progress—1st step, 2nd step, 3rd step!
His journey continued—27th step, 36th step, 45th step, 54th step, 63rd step!
Within the rampart, his form remained unwavering, his determination unyielding. The rampart's relentless force molded him, tempering his very essence. Once, he had conquered the 81 steps in a single day. Now, he returned, scaling 72 steps in a single breath before finally halting his ascent.
Completing 72 steps in one breath was an achievement that defied belief. The geniuses gathered there, who had strived their utmost, could scarcely fathom such a feat. Yet Qin Wentian had accomplished it with an apparent ease that left observers awestruck.
Those around him couldn't help but fix their gaze upon the young man, a palpable sense of majesty exuding from his every pore. Was he using the Stonebell Rampart to herald his triumphant return?
With each step he took, a symphony of chimes reverberated through the air, a harmonious cacophony that echoed the very rhythm of his existence. As Qin Wentian ascended the 73rd step, a tempest stirred within him, his blood surging like a raging river, his bones quaking beneath the relentless pressure. When he unfurled his immortal foundation, it radiated a luminous brilliance, illuminating the world around him with an otherworldly glow.
The 74th step brought forth a surge of energy akin to the fury of a tidal wave, crashing upon him like a tsunami. Yet, unyielding and resolute, he pressed onward, each footfall an affirmation of his unwavering determination.
75th step, 76th step, 77th step—the world trembled under the weight of his presence. Resounding bell chimes rent the air, rending the earth asunder in their powerful wake. The Stonebell Rampart's formidable aura extended across the land, its influence reaching far and wide.
"Such a potent aura, all achieved in a single continuous ascent. Who dares to brave the trials of the Stonebell Rampart?" The hearts of nearby cultivators pulsed with a mixture of awe and trepidation as they abandoned their own practices to investigate the source of this unprecedented upheaval.
Swiftly, they congregated around the rampart, where they beheld the unexpected sight of Qin Wentian, a name synonymous with the Supreme Might Rankings. Stunned expressions painted their faces—a genius who had once conquered 81 steps in a single day had returned to this formidable challenge.
The 78th step heralded an eruption of unrestrained energy, causing the very ground to quake and fissures to widen. Thunderous roars reverberated through the air, leaving the onlookers in a state of shock.
With the 79th step, an intense radiance emanated from the Stonebell Rampart, resembling the compressed power of a thousand thunderstorms ready to be unleashed. The resonance it created shook the heavens and earth, leaving them trembling in its wake.
Even the genius cultivators alongside Qin Wentian found themselves distracted by the commotion, their focus irrevocably shattered. Their fellow trial-taker's unorthodox approach had effectively disrupted the rhythm of the trials, compelling many to abandon their quests.
A sea of resentful glares were directed at Qin Wentian. What audacity he displayed—by monopolizing the trial, he had disrupted the progress of countless others. Was his desire for the challenge so great that he'd have others yield?
Amidst the tumult, several experts observed Qin Wentian's actions from above, their expressions revealing nothing but cold detachment. Did he intend to announce his triumphant return? If so, his reckoning would come far sooner than he expected.
Qin Wentian could sense the storm of violent energies surging within him, their ferocity reaching its apex. Despite the tumultuous tempest threatening to tear him apart, he never hesitated. With a resolute heart, he embarked on his final step. As he descended, the maelstrom within him roared with unprecedented fury, causing his very being to tremble. The resonance of his step intertwined with the Stonebell Rampart and the universe itself.
"I have returned!" His proclamation echoed through the realm, a declaration of his unyielding spirit in the face of insurmountable trials.
As the resonance of his voice reverberated, it was a haunting echo of times past when the bell chimes serenaded his yearning heart. His proclamation extended far and wide, an auditory journey that traversed the sacred academy, permeating the very air, and caressing the ears of all who heard it. Qin Wentian's return was heralded by the melodic refrain.
"I have returned, I have returned…"
The chimes persisted, an unceasing anthem that declared the triumphant return of Qin Wentian.
Within him, the tempestuous maelstrom of energy continued its relentless assault, as if seeking to annihilate him from within. Beneath his feet, the earth's fissures yawned wider and deeper. Gazing skyward, he seemed to defy the Stonebell Rampart's very essence. His flawless saint-grade immortal foundation bore the brunt of the relentless pressure, its integrity wavering but never faltering, an indomitable symbol of eternity.
The chimes swelled in intensity, responding to his audacious challenge. Qin Wentian's continuous ascent, 81 steps in a single breath, unleashed energies of unparalleled ferocity, akin to a declaration of war against the Stonebell Rampart itself.
"Chi, chi…" His once-immaculate robes began to fray as the violent energies within him threatened to consume him. Tremors wracked his form as spectators looked on in a mix of awe and incredulity. Had he truly lost his senses?
"Courting death," one of his aerial pursuers sneered. But as the words left his lips, an eruption of chime-induced energy surged toward him. He cried out in agony before exploding into a shower of blood and gore. Onlookers retreated in stunned horror as the shockwave of energy engulfed them.
"I will participate in the war between the two factions, and the academy's rules need not protect me," Qin Wentian declared. The relentless chimes resonated with his words, striking fear into the hearts of those who sought his demise. They yearned to flee, but escape was a fleeting dream. Another surge of chime-induced energy claimed them, reducing them to mere memories.
"Tyrannical," observers marveled. Qin Wentian had ascended 81 steps in a single breath, the accompanying energy manifesting in resounding chimes that grew more potent with each passing moment. He wielded this newfound power ruthlessly, showing no mercy to those who opposed him.
The earth quaked with thunderous reverberations as he neared his limits. Qin Wentian's body teetered on the precipice of collapse, yet he stood resolute. The Stonebell Rampart would not shatter his determination; it could not break his body.
After reaching the 81st step, he took yet another. The violent energies erupted in a cataclysmic release, creating thunderous booms that rent the air. Earthquakes rocked the land, crumbling ancient palaces and rending the very fabric of reality.
"Retreat quickly!" Spectators scrambled to safety as buildings collapsed, and craters grew larger and deeper. After a series of cataclysmic explosions, a deathly silence descended. The crowd's eyes were as wide as saucers. The Stonebell Rampart had ceased to exist.
But Qin Wentian remained unscathed.
"Whoever seeks my demise shall face their own doom," Qin Wentian declared, standing amidst the rubble, exuding an aura of dominion. His cultivation may not have been formidable, but his radiance outshone the ages.
The Stonebell Rampart, designed to vanquish him, lay in ruins.
As Qin Wentian ascended into the skies, his message was clear: he had returned.
In distant mountains, Jun Mengchen and his companions paused in their training as the chimes reached their ears. A smile of recognition graced Jun Mengchen's face. His senior brother had returned and used the Stonebell Rampart to convey his presence.
By a river in another remote locale, a group of Southern Phoenix Clan maidens advanced cautiously. At that moment, they raised their heads, hope rekindled in their hearts. He had returned.
Nevertheless, doubt lingered in the minds of many. Could Qin Wentian's return truly make a difference in the face of the overwhelmingly powerful and belligerent Huang Shatian? Confronting the supreme geniuses from numerous major powers, did his comeback hold any significance?
Even the fleeing experts from the Battle Saint Tribe paused as the resonating chimes reached their ears. Their heads turned in unison, their eyes fixed on the direction of the Stonebell Rampart. Their Saint Lord had returned.
Undeterred, Qin Wentian's figure continued to cut through the air like an arrow. Yet, within the vicinity of the Stonebell Rampart, a coalition of forces comprising the Southern Phoenix Alliance's adversaries had assembled. The chimes carried the message of Qin Wentian's return, but instead of hope, an icy resolve settled on their faces, their eyes gleaming with unwavering determination.
What could his return achieve, they pondered? Against the backdrop of an already-etched fate, established during the climactic battle in the Sky Connecting Realm, could one mere individual alter the outcome? Even if Qin Wentian shattered the Stonebell Rampart, would it truly change anything?
He could rage, but he could not rewrite destiny.
Their expressions hardening, a squadron of experts veered toward Qin Wentian's path, their intentions clear: to hunt him down. Qin Wentian pressed on, an unrelenting force propelled by determination, while his pursuers chased with mounting fervor, their eyes glinting with the thirst for bloodshed.
"Whoever desires to slay him shall be slayed by him instead?"
These were bold words, indeed. But in a world where strength reigned supreme, where the eloquence of arrogance held little sway without the might to back it up, today was poised to become Qin Wentian's reckoning.
In the desolate expanse, swirling sands painted the landscape in shades of yellow. Qin Wentian soared forward, his relentless pursuit close behind. Both sides acknowledged each other's existence, their hearts brimming with unbridled intent to kill.