The Ninth Bell Toll, Supreme Unity Descends!

As for himself?

A gleam no one could understand flashed through Tang Shuo's eyes.

He had no need for any of this.

He knew very well.

His martial soul had not truly awakened yet.

The Eastern Emperor Bell was only a phantom.

Once that phantom became tangible... the entire Douluo Continent would be shaken to its core.

The bronze mirror that had accompanied him for six years was not his true martial soul at all.

It was merely a gateway through which his martial soul manifested in the outside world.

After the mirror shattered, the ancient three-legged bell that appeared within his sea of consciousness was his true martial soul—the Eastern Emperor Bell!

Tang Shuo stopped thinking about it and turned toward the cliff behind the village.

The rising sun cast forth countless rays of golden light.

As usual, he sat cross-legged atop the cliff, palms upward and feet together.

As he began circulating his cultivation method, strands of Solar True Qi, nearly imperceptible to the naked eye, flowed into his body like golden threads.

The phantom of the Eastern Emperor Bell suspended at the center of his sea of consciousness was gradually activating, and the ancient, mysterious patterns on its surface began to glow!

Three years later.

Atop the cliff behind Holy Soul Village.

Hum—

A bell toll seemed to ring out from the primordial age.

Hum—

The second toll.

Hum—

The third toll.

When the ninth bell toll resounded through heaven and earth, the grass and trees atop the cliff withered, their life force extinguished.

A burst of chaotic light suddenly spread outward from Tang Shuo.

Nine illusory blazing suns floated behind him.

Tang Shuo slowly opened his eyes.

The space around him twisted faintly.

Anything that touched this power would instantly be reduced to nothingness.

He raised both hands.

A Mysterious Light Treasure Mirror hovered above his left hand, while an ancient chaotic bell rested upon his right.

The bell and mirror were only phantoms, yet they radiated an aura enough to make gods and demons tremble.

A single glance at them was enough to shatter one's soul.

A smile curved Tang Shuo's lips.

Innate Full Soul Power.

His martial soul, the Eastern Emperor Bell, had finally returned to its rightful place today.

It was time.

He rose to his feet, and the terrifying phenomena around him all receded, leaving him once more looking like an ordinary young boy.

It was time for him to hunt soul beasts and become a true soul master.

Village Chief Jack's home.

"Xiao Shuo, you... finally made it."

Old Jack looked at Tang Shuo before him, his eyes filled with gratification.

For the past few years, the child had trained atop that cliff through wind and rain without fail. Jack had seen all the hardship he endured.

"The outside world is nothing like the village. You must be careful in everything you do."

Old Jack's voice choked slightly.

"If you get tired, or... if you're unhappy, come back."

"Grandpa Jack will always be here."

Warmth filled Tang Shuo's heart, and he nodded firmly.

"Grandpa Jack, don't worry."

"I'll come back."

"When I return next time, I'll bring you the best wine on the continent."

With that, he turned and headed out of the village.

He knew this place was his root, his eternal home.

The outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest.

The dense forest blocked out the sky and sun, while the air was filled with the damp scent of rotting leaves.

Tang Shuo moved through the woods like Gui Mei.

Suddenly.

A rush of hurried footsteps and branches being torn apart came from nearby.

Tang Shuo's gaze sharpened, and he instantly slipped behind a massive tree, concealing all traces of his presence.

A moment later.

A woman in tight black clothes stumbled out.

Her figure was voluptuous, her curves striking, but she looked utterly disheveled at the moment.

She was covered in blood and mud.

A bone-deep wound ran across her shoulder, blood staining her collar crimson, and her face was pale as paper.

A black shadow pursued her relentlessly from behind, radiating killing intent.

Tang Shuo's pupils contracted slightly.

He recognized this woman.

Or rather, he recognized her from the memories of his previous life.

Zhu Zhuqing.

The black shadow pursuing her finally stopped several meters in front of Zhu Zhuqing.

"Second Miss, stop running."

The man in black spoke coldly.

"Young Master Dai is still waiting for you."

"Come back obediently and fulfill the marriage alliance. It will be good for you and good for the family."

Zhu Zhuqing covered her bleeding shoulder with one hand and braced herself against the ground with the other, struggling to stand.

Having her marriage controlled by others, having her entire life controlled by others.

That was not the life she wanted.

So she ran.

Even dying outside was better than returning to become a soulless puppet.

"I would rather die than go back."

She spoke each word clearly.

The man in black seemed to lose patience.

"You refuse a toast only to drink a forfeit."

"In that case, I'll have to break your legs before taking you back."

Just as he was about to strike, a somewhat lazy voice came from the shadows of the forest.

"What kind of skill is there in bullying a little girl?"

The voice was not loud, yet both of them heard it clearly.

The man in black abruptly turned his head.

Zhu Zhuqing looked toward the voice as well.

A boy who appeared to be only twelve or thirteen slowly emerged from behind a massive tree.

He wore simple clothes and had delicate features, looking completely harmless.

The man in black gave him a once-over, and the wariness in his eyes instantly turned to disdain.

"Where did this little brat come from? You dare meddle in other people's business?"

He sneered.

"Are you not afraid of dying?"

Zhu Zhuqing's expression changed, and she hurriedly spoke.

"This has nothing to do with you. Leave!"

She did not want to drag an innocent passerby into this.

The man in black, however, grinned viciously.

"Leave?"

"You saw something you shouldn't have seen. No one is leaving today."

"Since you're so eager to die, I'll grant your wish first!"

Before his words had faded, light flashed beneath the man in black's feet.

Yellow, yellow, purple.

Three Spirit Rings abruptly appeared, and the powerful aura of a Soul Elder instantly locked onto Tang Shuo.

His figure blurred. Claws sprang from his hands as he lunged for Tang Shuo's throat.

Zhu Zhuqing closed her eyes in despair.

It was all over.

Yet the expected scream never came.

"The one seeking death is you."

Tang Shuo's voice remained calm, as though the Soul Elder charging at him, who possessed more than thirty levels of cultivation, was nothing more than an insignificant fly.

He gently raised his right hand.

Hum—

A soft chime rang out.

A small, ancient chaotic bell suddenly appeared in his palm.

The little bell expanded in the wind, instantly growing taller than a man. Ancient patterns of the sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, plants, and trees flickered faintly across its surface.

A terrifying pressure from the dawn of creation suddenly descended.

The vicious grin on the man in black's face instantly froze.

His body, along with his martial soul, began to tremble violently and uncontrollably beneath that pressure.

What... was this thing?

He did not have time to figure it out.

Dong—!

A bell toll rang out.

It was not heard by the ears, but exploded directly within the depths of the soul!

An invisible ripple suddenly spread outward from the Eastern Emperor Bell.

This was the Hongmeng Dao Sound.

It ignored distance, ignored defense, transcended time and space, and swept away all things.

The terror on the man in black's face froze there forever.

The three Spirit Rings beneath his feet could not endure even a single breath before shattering inch by inch like fragile glass.

Then came—

His body.

From his claws, to his arms, and then his entire body.

Before Zhu Zhuqing's stunned eyes, the once-arrogant Soul Elder silently disintegrated piece by piece!

As though he had never existed in this world.