Imperial Bell
My Life Among the Uncanny
Biodata
| Feature | Value |
|---|---|
| Name | Imperial Bell (帝钟) 7 |
| Alias(es) | Three Pure Ones Bell 7 |
| Type | Taoist ritual implement with supernatural powers 7 8 |
| Material | Bronze, covered in green patina 7 |
| Origin | Stored in the chest of Xie Yunqing’s master at Cloud Dragon Temple 7 14 |
| Owner | Xie Yunqing’s master; lent to Su Wu by Xie Yunqing 14 |
| Primary User | Su Wu 8 45 |
| Role | Suppresses certain fiends and restrains the Corpse Buddha Ghost Hand 8 10 22 |
| Last Documented Custody | Temporarily entrusted to Jiang Yingying while Su Wu personally experiences the Fighter’s past-life simulation 49 |
| First Appearance | Chapter 7, “Imperial Bell” 7 |
Appearance
- An aged bronze bell with extensive green corrosion 7 8.
- Presented to Su Wu in a somewhat worn, long brocade box, resting on red silk 7.
- Produces deep, resonant peals with a hint of clarity 8.
- Su Wu frequently wears it around his neck so he can ring it while carrying other supplies 19 21 35.
Background / History
The Imperial Bell had remained unused in the chest of Xie Yunqing’s master for a long time. It is identified as an important Taoist ritual implement, traditionally used to exorcise evil, subdue demons, worship deities, and summon holy beings 7.
After discovering through a simulation that Cloud Dragon Temple would become deadly, Su Wu persuaded its young priest, Xie Yunqing, to lend him a ritual implement. Xie Yunqing supplied the bell on the condition that Su Wu handle it carefully and return it once he felt better. Su Wu repaid the favor by warning him about the temple and inviting him and his master to go night fishing 7.
When Xie Yunqing later told his master about the loan, the old Daoist’s hand trembled and he reacted with alarm before outwardly accepting the decision. Learning the borrower’s name, Su Wu, reminded him of the prophecy “retreat upon meeting Wu,” prompting him to leave the temple with his disciple 14.
Abilities & Skills
Fiend Suppression
Shaking the bell releases invisible sound waves that spread outward from its wielder. Their effectiveness depends on the fiend being confronted 8 22.
| Target | Observed Effect | Limits |
|---|---|---|
| Shadow Fiend | Freezes it momentarily or forces it to advance in stuttering bursts, allowing Su Wu to retreat 8 10. | It resumes pursuit when the ringing stops. In several encounters, it remains roughly two meters away despite being slowed 8 10. |
| Trapped Corpses | Slows their movements and can shatter their limbs or bodies. Used alongside candlelight, it reduces Wang Zhiyou and Xin Qiaoge to mangled flesh 22 38. | Their faces remain intact; they reconstruct their bodies and develop resistance to the bell and candlelight. Continuous ringing cannot hold back the multiplying crowd 22. |
| Lantern Fiend / Eye Fiend | No observed effect 10 19. | The airborne lanterns continue turning without pausing at the bell’s sound 10. |
- Sustained use: Su Wu rings the bell continuously while retreating; stopping allows suppressed enemies to recover their movement 8.
- Suppression, not permanent destruction: Shattering Trapped Corpses does not prevent their reassembly 22 38.
Corpse Buddha Ghost Hand Restraint
The bell also affects the supernatural hand attached beneath Su Wu’s right armpit 10.
- Makes the hand’s movements stutter, reducing the pain it causes 10.
- Allows Su Wu to restrain its independent movements while struggling for control 10.
- Requires repeated ringing while the hand remains restless; the Little Temple’s orange light subsequently quiets it 10.
Simulator Interaction
- Import cost: Bringing the Imperial Bell into a simulation costs 1 Origin Jade 19 35 47.
- No duplicate copy: After importing it, Su Wu finds no second bell among his future self’s belongings. He interprets this as evidence that it is a genuinely supernatural item 8.
- Past-life availability: The bell appears among the items eligible for the Fighter’s past-life simulation, although Su Wu enters that initial attempt without equipment 47.
Story Role / Major Arcs
| Chapters | Role |
|---|---|
| 7 8 | Su Wu imports the borrowed bell alongside the Gang Cave and confirms its effectiveness during his escape from Peaceful Garden. |
| 11 15 | After discovering the Gang Cave’s dangerous consequences, he resolves to escape using only the bell. Repeated simulations allow him to master that method. |
| 19 22 35 38 | He continues carrying it beyond the Shadow Fiend’s territory as protection against other threats, particularly the Work Group’s Trapped Corpses. |
| 45 46 | Its suppression works in reality, helping him escape the Shadow Fiend and reach the Little Temple. |
| 49 | Jiang Yingying keeps it ready beside Su Wu as his body becomes translucent during his personal experience of the Fighter’s past life; she does not ring it in the documented scene. |