Chapter 1458: The Long and Broad View (2/2)
“Could it be... could it be that Master has something to do with the tolling of the bell?” Earlier, she would probably have taken that to be impossible. But now she couldn’t shake the feeling that the Ninth Paragon and her Master were very similar. It wasn’t that their facial features were exactly the same, but there was something about them, something about their auras, that was almost the same.
Yan’er’s heart began to pound. She took out a medicinal pill and consumed it, causing her cultivation base to surge and giving her an added burst of speed.
The two bell tolls caused more disciples to gather. Before, there had been a few hundred, but now there were over a thousand, all of whom were looking up with interest at the Vast Expanse Shrine.
“It's too bad we can’t see who it is that passed 1,000 steps, or whoever it was that passed 2,000 steps.... Maybe it’s Elder Brother Xu Liu. I remember that, years ago, he got stuck at the 1,999th step!”
“The Vast Expanse Shrine has a total of 100,000 steps. In the first 10,000, a bell will toll for every thousand steps. After that, the bell tolls every 10,000 steps. Then, once you reach 80,000 steps, you’ll be listed in the top 3,000, and your name will appear on the Vast Expanse Stele.”
“I'm actually hoping to hear that third tolling of the bell.” Everyone was talking and laughing, but no one really expected that a third bell toll would occur. But then....
The Vast Expanse Shrine shook, and the mountain shook as a third tolling of the bell... filled the air!
Dong, dong, dong!!
A series of three tolls echoed out, along with an ancient aura that buffeted the faces of the onlookers. The surrounding disciples cried out in astonishment, and their eyes went wide. Gasps could be heard as everyone looked up at the Vast Expanse Shrine.
It wasn’t just that small group. More disciples in the Ninth Sect turned in their astonishment to look in the direction of the Vast Expanse Shrine.
“A third tolling of the bell!!”
“Not even enough time passed for an incense stick to burn!!”
“Who could this tolling be for...? How shocking! Three people caused the bell to toll today, one for 1,000 steps, one for 2,000 and one for 3,000....”
In sharp contrast, all of the disciples on the mountain below the 3,000 step mark were certain of what was happening. Their minds reeled, for they knew that it wasn’t three people who had caused the bell tolls, it was... a single individual!
In less time than it takes three incense sticks to burn, he passed everyone. He was the one... to cause three tolls of the bell!
“How is this even possible? One incense stick’s worth of time, one thousand steps....”
“Something big is happening today!!” None of these people felt much like climbing the stairs any more. They were panting as they looked up the staircase, almost as if they could see Meng Hao... causally climbing up one step after another.
To Meng Hao, it really was a casual thing. At this point, he had already climbed 3,500 stairs, and so far, hadn’t felt any pressure at all. Furthermore, the three tolls of the bell left him tingling with traces of Baptism.
Unfortunately, it was always an incomplete feeling, as if the tolling of the bell hadn’t reached the point where it could thoroughly Baptise him.
“Interesting,” he thought. “It seems you need multiple tolls of the bell. The best would be to make sure they keep tolling constantly.” He moved forward again, but instead of stepping up by a single step, he started taking them three at a time!
His speed tripled, and soon he reached the 3,700th step . Then 3,800. 3,900. 4,000!!
He whizzed past all of the cultivators who were between the 3,000th and 4,000th steps. They could hardly believe what they were seeing as a blurred figure raced past them, kicking up a wind.
“Who... who is that?”
Everyone was left with minds spinning as the fourth tolling of the bell rang out!!
The sound shook the entire Ninth Sect. More and more cultivators were converging near the mountain. By now, there were several thousand, and the sound of their conversations rose up into the air.
However... before much conversation could take place, a fifth tolling of the bell rang out!!
Meng Hao had increased his speed again! Instead of walking up the stairs three at a time, he was taking them ten at a time! Because of that increased speed, the sixth tolling of the bell rang out, and moments later, the seventh! They were tolling together!
Before the sound of the seventh tolling of the bell faded away, the eighth tolling began.... What a shocking turn of events! Next was the ninth tolling, which shook the whole sect. Then the tenth.... Everyone was staring with wide eyes and slack jaws.