Chapter 342: For Whom Do the Funeral Bells Toll
One attack, and the thousand-foot black bronze bell had trapped and suppressed Su Yi!
This caught the crowd completely off guard, and their eyes widened.
They then watched as the bell rumbled and boomed. A bloody hellscape manifested around it, surging with crimson lightning. It was both strange and terrifying.
And Su Yi? There was no sign of him. No one knew whether he was alive or dead.
“This….” The Earthly Immortals were rooted to the spot. They couldn’t even imagine. Su Yi had seemed powerful beyond limit earlier, yet now, he’d been suppressed in just one attack.
Was Su Hongli really this terrifying after a demonic spirit invaded his body?
What level of treasure was the bell anyway?
“How is this possible?” Yue Shichan, Ge Changling, Mu Xi, and the others’ expressions changed dramatically, and they felt chills in their hearts. None of them would have guessed that something like this would happen to the seemingly undefeatable Su Yi so suddenly.
Their hearts clenched, tense and uncertain.
Meanwhile, within the Su Family estate, Su Boning was practically mad with delight. “Hahaha, Father took Su Yi down!”
Su Hongli couldn’t help but laugh coldly. “Is a fool like you worthy of being?my?son? I’ll kill you!”
Su Boning’s smile froze, and he stood there, rooted to the spot, as if cold water had snuffed out his joy and plunged him into an icy abyss.?This… What’s going on?
You Qingzhi stood by his side, her face ashen. She, too, looked dazed.
She could already tell that Su Hongli was no longer himself!
Su Hongli’s unearthly red eyes then stared intently at the massive black bell, and he said leisurely, “Su Yi, so long as you admit defeat, I’ll spare your life. Otherwise, you cannot escape. This lofty one’s Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell will destroy you, body and soul.”
His voice spread far and wide.
All eyes locked onto the black bronze bell and its dense, imposing, and unearthly crimson hellscape.
It was then that Su Yi’s calm voice rang out from within,?“I’ll give you just one chance. Go ahead and try it. I’d like to see just what this paltry little spiritual treasure of the demonic way can do to me.”
He sounded just as composed as before.
The onlookers were stunned; he’d already been trapped within this demonic treasure. How could he possibly still be so calm? Wasn’t he worried he’d die in there?
“That so?” Su Hongli threw back his head and laughed into the skies, his long, blood-red hair fluttering around him.
Boom!
His aura suddenly became ruthless and sinister, and his fingers rapidly shifted, as if strumming an instrument, forming a series of mysterious hand seals.
The thousand-foot bell swathed in crimson revolved, and mountains of corpses and oceans of blood appeared within the surrounding visions of hell.
Even more crimson lightning descended onto the bell like a waterfall in an explosive surge.
At a glance, it seemed as if it were intent on refining the sky. Dense, bloody red dyed the air, and terrifying, destructive energy spread out.
The onlookers, regardless of whether they were Earthly Immortals or ordinary martial artists, felt terror rise within their hearts. Their bodies went rigid, and their eyes widened in astonishment.
They couldn’t even imagine how Su Yi, trapped within the bell, could possibly endure such a terrifying attack.
“Su Yi, if you can’t take it, whatever you do, don’t act tough! I truly admire you. So long as you beg for mercy, I’ll be lenient.” Su Hongli’s soft, effeminate voice reverberated throughout heaven and earth.
He was smug, with the air of a demonic god, his majesty stunning everyone present.
Only he knew that anyone trapped within the Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell was effectively trapped in a bloody purgatory. Every moment they were inside, they suffered the explosive attacks of the Netherworld Blood Lightning.
Never mind a Grandmaster; even Origin Dao cultivators, regardless of realm, were no different from ants in the face of such an attack. In the end, there was no avoiding disintegration of both body and soul!
Were he at his peak, with this power alone, he could threaten even the lives of Spirit Dao cultivators!
But then, as the crowd watched in astonishment, Su Yi’s voice rang out from within the bell. “Is that all you’ve got?”
A few light, airy words, but they were enough to convey Su Yi’s disappointment, disdain, and contempt.
Su Hongli took them as an enormous affront to his dignity. His blood-red eyes narrowed, and his aura expanded, even more terrifying than before.
“Tch!” Su Hongli roared, and his blood and qi surged. Unearthly light shot forth, and his hands formed a strange seal. He suddenly pressed the air, aiming for the distant black bell.
Rumble!
The bell burst with bloody light, which shot into the heavens, more terrifying than ever before.
This time, the destruction extended to the vast estate of the Su Family off in the distance. One building after fell—exquisite pagodas, palaces, gazebos, and courtyards…
It was as if a windstorm had swept through, reducing the area to ruin, leaving behind nothing but rubble.
This calamity came so suddenly that numerous Su clansmen couldn’t escape in time. Many lives were lost, and piteous screams rang out throughout the estate.
However, none paid this little interlude any heed.
All eyes were locked upon the black bell, which had only become increasingly terrifying. Its attacks were far stronger than before.
Could Su Yi really hold out under such circumstances?
Su Hongli’s breathing was somewhat hurried. It was clear that continuously activating the black bell was draining.
“Su Yi, how does it feel? I know you’re not dead. It’s because of your strength that I’m giving you multiple chances to beg for mercy,” shouted Su Hongli. “But now, you ought to understand. If things go on like this, you’ll die even if I’m willing to spare you.”
Su Hongli seemed pleased with ingenuity and confident, like he knew he had this in the bag.
The crowd felt a chill course through their hearts. Some of the older-generation experts couldn’t help but sigh. Su Yi will struggle to escape this calamity.
Others, like Shi Fengliu and Lonely River, couldn’t help but find it a pity.
They saw Su Yi as their enemy, and they’d long since planned on killing him. They’d hoped to take advantage of Su Yi’s weakened, injured state to attack and kill him.
Now, it seemed they’d never get the chance.
“Master!” Lan Suo transmitted a bit frantically.
“Wait a little longer. It’s not yet time to determine victory and defeat,” the Cloudstone Venerate said gravely. He naturally could tell that although Su Yi’s predicament was perilous, he’d yet to encounter true calamity!
“Truth be told, although you’re the demonic spirit of this treasure, your control over it is truly lacking. If I’m not mistaken, there are innate flaws in your foundations, and your spirituality is incomplete. You’ve yet to truly metamorphosize into a spiritual body. It’s no wonder that Su Hongli has suppressed you all these years; you’re just too weak.”
The speaker’s tone was calm and casual, yet these words threw the onlookers into uproar.
“Su Yi isn’t hurt?” Shi Fengliu and the other Earthly Immortals had assumed Su Yi was doomed. Now, all of them were dumbstruck; they almost dared not believe their ears.
Not even such terrifying suppression could harm him?
How was this possible!?
“Is he alright?” Yue Shichan, Ge Changling, Mu Xi, and the others finally seemed to perk up. The worry on their faces faded.
Su Yi spoke with confidence, just as calm as he’d been before. Moreover, he was even insulting the demonic spirit possessing Su Hongli for its ineptitude.
Who could possibly fail to realize that despite repeated suppression, Su Yi had yet to suffer any life-threatening attacks?
“This is what it means for victory and defeat to be uncertain!” the Cloudstone Venerate said softly.
Lan Suo nodded, then sighed in obvious relief.
Meanwhile, Su Yi’s every word was like a sharp knife stabbing ruthlessly into Su Hongli’s heart.
Su Hongli’s expression turned incomparably unsightly, his crimson eyes brimming with humiliation and rage. The aura emanating from him grew even more ruthless and explosive.
He, too, would never have anticipated this. He’d used a whole series of hand seals, attacking repeatedly with the Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell. Yet Su Yi, a young Grandmaster, had actually held out this long!?
Even more unbelievably, it seemed Su Yi… Had already seen through some of his abilities!
Su Hongli took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with unconcealed killing intent. “You refused the carrot, so I’ll have to use the stick. I gave you a chance at life, but you refused it. Just die, then!”
He suddenly leaped forward, his hands lifting the air.
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Arcs of unearthly crimson light shot forth, like countless sharp swords, howling as they charged into the bell.
Hmmmmm~~!
The bell rumbled, its initial black replaced with crimson. Blood seemed to flow down its surface, the sight both eerie and terrifying. The nearby air suddenly caved in, as if it couldn’t withstand this treasure’s malevolent majesty.
The distant Earthly Immortals all moved further away, and beads of cold sweat appeared on their skin. This treasure’s power was just too terrifying. Even using their full power to counter it, they had no choice but to retreat!
Rumble!
Heaven and earth transformed, and the wind and clouds broke apart. The Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell’s aura shook the surrounding ten thousand feet, and it seemed the entire area was on the verge of overturning and collapsing.
This was unquestionably terrifying.
Su Hongli hovered, breathing ragged, his face pallid and translucent. It was obvious that unleashing this attack had left him severely drained.
“Can you escape with your life this time?” A faint arc rose on Su Hongli’s lips, but those crimson eyes were utterly cold.
He was convinced that, once trapped inside, even an advanced cultivator of the Spirit Dao would suffer grievous injuries, much less a young Grandmaster like Su Yi.
But then, something happened that left the onlookers dumbstruck and tongue-tied—
“Is that all you’ve got?” Su Yi’s calm, familiar voice rang out once more. It was that same light, airy sentence, except that his earlier disdain had disappeared. All that remained was sheer disappointment.
It seemed his enthusiasm was waning, as if he were bored half to death.
As if all his hopes and expectations had popped like soap bubbles.
As if everything he’d been waiting for turned out to be nothing but an empty promise.
Even the possessed Su Hongli was dumbstruck. He could hear the disappointment in Su Yi’s words, but he dared not believe it. He couldn’t understand. Where did Su Yi get the confidence to be so arrogant?
It was then that Su Yi sighed and, beneath the crowd’s disbelieving gazes, the hovering, thousand-foot-tall Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell shook violently and suddenly started shrinking.
In the end, the treasure shrank down to the size of a palm and landed in a fair, slender hand.
Whoosh~
Immediately afterward, the airborne hellscape and blood-colored lightning receded like waters at low tide, surging into the bell’s interior until not a speck remained.
A tall, lean figure hovered in its place, calm and detached in his blue robes. He supported a black bronze bell in one hand, while the other carried the cursed sword, Early Grave.
Even just standing there casually, he was like a deity gazing down at the human world!
When they saw this, those Earthly Immortals who assumed Su Yi was doomed were struck dumb. They were too astonished to even move.
This is… What’s going on?
Su Yi’s allies were stunned too, but when they saw him escape confinement without so much as a hair out of place, they felt a massive weight lift from their shoulders, and they visibly relaxed.
“He really is like a fallen immortal. He can stop the wind and rain simply by turning his hand!” The Cloudstone Venerate could help but sigh.
That tall, upright figure hovered in the sky, detached and ethereal as a fallen immortal.
The Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell, which not long ago had displayed power sufficient to strike terror into the hearts of even Earthly Immortals, was now small enough to fit in Su Yi’s palm, and it was hovering over his outstretched hand!
Who could have guessed that even in the face of suppression sufficient to make an Origin Dao cultivator despair, Su Yi would escape entirely unscathed?
This was simply miraculous!
“You…” Su Hongli’s eyes widened. It seemed he dared not believe it, or as if this was too much for him to accept.
“Surprised? Earlier, I was just curious as to this treasure’s origins, which is why I let it trap me. It was for the sake of experiencing its mysteries firsthand,” said Su Yi. He couldn’t help but sigh. “Who’d have thought that, although this treasure gave rise to an incomplete little demonic spirit like you, it's obviously suffered heavy damage, and less than a tenth of its original power remains? It’s truly disappointing.”
In other words, while the Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell’s power was terrifying, it was damaged, and severely at that.
His words stunned the crowd. They immediately realized that it wasn’t that Su Yi couldn’t escape the bell; it was that he’d chosen to let it surround him…
The demonic spirit possessing Su Hongli instantly lost control. He shrieked, “Who exactly are you? Why do you know so much?”
His voice brimmed with unconcealed fury and confusion, as well as a hint of frustration.
A young Grandmaster had resisted power sufficient to kill any Origin Dao cultivator, regardless of realm. Who wouldn’t have been surprised? Who wouldn’t have been confused?
Su Yi ignored Su Hongli completely. His gaze swept across the area, and he took in the surrounding ten thousand feet of devastation, the scarred ground and ruined buildings. Then, he glanced at the countless dazed and bewildered onlookers.
Even the Earthly Immortals were overcome with astonishment.
This place had once been prosperous and bustling with activity. Now, it was a desolate battlefield. Smoke lingered in the sky, and a chilling silence filled the air.
“It’s time to end this,” muttered Su Yi. His calm voice spread throughout the surrounding area, as if drifting on the wind.
He stretched out his finger and flicked the surface of the bell.
Clang!!!
It rang as if infuriated, the sound materializing into a blood-colored current as it surged explosively toward Su Hongli.
Su Hongli wanted to dodge, but it was as if he couldn’t control his body. The sound of the bell held him fast. He could only watch as the materialized, crimson sound waves swept right toward him.
“No—!” The spirit possessing Su Hongli shrieked, and his eyes widened.
He was part of the Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell to begin with, yet now, he hadn’t just lost control over the treasure; Su Yi was now using its power to suppress him!
Boom!
The crimson sound waves struck Su Hongli with a spray of sparks. The onlookers then watched as a blood-colored silhouette flew from Su Hongli’s body.
Upon closer inspection, the figure was formed of interconnected crimson light. Its features were indistinct, and it quivered from head to toe. Its aura was exactly the same as the Netherworld Thunder Punishment Bell’s!
There was no doubt about it; this was a demonic spirit!
Su Yi flicked his finger once more.
Clang!!!
Sound waves spread out like ripples, covering heaven and earth like a massive net. The blood-colored demonic spirit shrieked in terror, turned, and attempted to flee.
But how could it possibly escape? In the blink of an eye, the sound waves caught up and entrapped it. Explosions rang out across the spirit’s body as it suffered devastating, terrifying injuries.
“Su Yi, leave me a path to survival! I’m willing to submit to you! I’ll pledge my life to your cause!” The crimson demonic spirit wailed in agony and panic.
Clang!
The only response he got was the ringing of a bell. Crimson sound waves swept forth, like a knife cleaving through the skies. They cut right into the blood-colored demonic spirit’s body.
Boom!
The demonic spirit burst apart like a popped soap bubble, then scattered into motes of light. It had been completely obliterated, and no trace of it remained.
The onlookers were stunned once more.
Heaven and earth were silent, save for the boundless, dignified ringing of a bell.
It sounded just like the tolling of a funeral bell as it echoed above the ruins of the Su Family estate.
The drawn-out sound was audible throughout the Jade Capital and far beyond.
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