3427 Did the Soul Gathering Bell Fail?

Wang Limeng was truly an interesting character. She despised her daughter Jing Qiyao simply because of a difficult birth, and in the end, she even went so far as to savagely murder her. Such a mother was incomparable to Qiao Mu's own mother, Wei Ziqin. As Qiao Qiao's Mo Lian said, Wang Limeng and Mother Wei Ziqin were fundamentally two different types of people, completely unlike each other!

With a flick of Mo Lian's finger, two clusters of black flames landed on the bodies of Jing Minyao and her sister, incinerating them completely, leaving no trace. Only then did everyone turn to look at Xu Shanshan, who lay peacefully with closed eyes, enveloped by the Soul Gathering Bell.

A long time had passed, so long that Qiao Mu couldn't help but clench her fists slightly, a growing restlessness in her expression. Mo Lian noticed her unease, took her small hand, and softly said, "Don't worry."

Could it be that, as Mo Lian suggested, this Soul Gathering Bell truly might have no effect on Senior Sister? Qiao Mu's hand, hidden in her sleeve, clenched tighter and tighter. The moment this thought crossed her mind, even her breathing seemed to quicken. Mo Lian pulled her other small hand from her sleeve, gently pried open her tiny fingers one by one, and looked down at her with a smile. "Qiao Qiao's nervous."

Qiao Mu nodded, her dark, round eyes fixed intently on the man before her. Although she had mentally prepared for the worst, deep down, she still held immense anticipation and hope. She wanted Senior Sister to come back to life; she wanted Senior Sister to return to the Divine Water Sect. For so many years, she had lain isolated in that ice coffin—it had been long enough!

"Look!" Qi Xuanxuan called out, drawing Qiao Mu's attention back to Senior Sister.

The three strange beams of light emitted by the Soul Gathering Bell had vanished. The entire bell in mid-air was shrinking rapidly, then suddenly burst into fragments, scattering to the ground.

A Faint Hope, Then Disappointment

Mo Lian's reaction was the quickest. He swiftly moved to Xu Shanshan's side. With a flick of his finger, a thin, white silk cloth unfurled, fluttering around in the air before encompassing many of the fragments. The white cloth, along with a handful of fragments, fell into Mo Lian's hand. Mo Lian slightly lifted a corner of the white cloth, nodded with satisfaction, and turned to Qiao Mu, who had rushed to his side. He smiled, "Although this sacred artifact is now useless, its fragments should still be reusable."

Qiao Mu nodded and hummed in agreement, her tone somewhat indifferent. "Although this Soul Gathering Bell is a sacred artifact, it's a consumable one. To be honest, it's not as good as my disciplinary ruler, Ink."

Mo Lian: ...

Peach Blossom Immortal Venerable smiled brightly. "Qiao Qiao, quickly see if your Senior Sister has woken up."

Qiao Mu nodded and quickly went to Xu Shanshan's side. She crouched down, carefully leaning close to Xu Shanshan's face, which now had a faint hint of color. Her fingers gently brushed against her cheek. The feeling beneath her fingers was still incredibly cold. Qiao Mu almost didn't dare to check if she was breathing... Was this truly just a false hope, after all?

The little girl's eyes were now filled with disappointment. Although she had repeatedly told herself beforehand to stay calm, not to hold too much hope for anything to avoid disappointment, deep down... her heart couldn't help but feel a small flutter of excitement.

Qi Xuanxuan and the others cautiously glanced at Qiao Mu.