Chapter 1459: Youre Fang Mu! (2/2)

Numerous such cries rose up from the crowd outside the mountain, creating a sound wave that surged out in all directions.

As for Meng Hao, he was shaking a bit because of the Baptism from the bell toll. His eyes were shining as he sensed that his cultivation base was on the verge of a breakthrough.

He smiled, striding forward once again. 23,000 steps. 27,000 steps. Eventually... 30,000 steps!!

The bell tolled, leading to widespread astonishment and shock.

“What... what is going on today? There are so many people making breakthroughs! Hahaha. Ha ha.... How strange....”

The discussion and outcry soon died down, until silence prevailed among the countless cultivators watching the mountain.

They would have to be much more stupid than they were to not understand by this point that it was not a group doing this, but rather... a single individual!!

And yet, no one dared to ponder the matter. If the bell really was tolling for a single person, then... that would be a mind-blowing turn of events.

From the beginning until this moment, only enough time had passed for a few incense sticks to burn. If it was a single person, he had used that much time to go from the first step all the way to... step number 30,000! If anyone spoke the words aloud, it would be almost impossible to believe. In the history of the Ninth Sect, it was something that had never happened.

“Maybe it’s a mistake. Maybe... something's wrong with the mountain?”

“Perhaps it’s just a big coincidence, and not a single person....”

The onlookers didn’t have to wait for long before the fourth tolling could be heard. Everyone was astonished, and the tolling of the bell caused them to literally shake. Strange gleams could be seen in their eyes, and their minds spun. Yan’er finally arrived at the mountain, her eyes wide and her heart racing.

The tolling for the 40,000th stair echoed out in all directions. The people who had begun to climb the steps in the hope of catching up were now completely dumbfounded, and gave up. By now, their question had been answered.

However, there was one person among that group who didn't give up! Gritting his teeth, he pressed forward.

His speed was actually a bit greater than Meng Hao’s. By the time Meng Hao reached 45,000 steps, he was at step number 40,000. He was huffing and puffing, for although his limit was somewhere between 45,000 and 48,000 stairs, to speed up 40,000 steps in one shot was not an easy task by any stretch of the imagination.

As of this point, he could just barely make out the image of... a single person about 5,000 steps beyond him. That was absolute confirmation that it wasn’t a group who was causing this scene!

When he saw that it was indeed a single person, he gasped, and his mind reeled. Although he, like many of the others racing up the mountain, had asked some of the fellow disciples along the way, and had already been told the truth, he was still left shaken.

To verify the matter with his own eyes left his heart battered with waves of shock. Even as he proceeded onward to try to get a closer look, Meng Hao passed step number 47,000. Then, ten more paces brought him to 48,000 steps. Another ten paces, and he was at 49,000.

“This... this....” gasped the cultivator behind him, completely shocked. Considering how fast Meng Hao was going, and how relaxed he seemed, this man had the strong premonition that... the Ninth Sect would soon have a heretofore-unheard of Chosen!

“Who are you?!?!” he yelled at the top of his lungs.

Meng Hao stopped in place and looked back, a quizzical expression on his face. Although he didn't say anything, the cultivator got a clear view of his face.

When that happened, a tremor ran through the man. Although other people didn't have a very strong impression of Fang Mu, this particular man had been watching when he passed his Tribulation, and as such, he definitely recognized him.

“Fang Mu... you’re Fang Mu!!” The shock was so great that his heart trembled and his cultivation base grew unstable. He couldn’t keep moving, and rumbling sounds echoed out as he was teleported off of the mountain.

As soon as he appeared outside, he shouted out as loud as he could, in a voice that all of the countless cultivators outside of the mountain could hear.

“I saw him. It’s one person, not a group. It's... Fang Mu! He’s the one who only took ten years to go from mortal to Immortal.... Fang Mu! He just went from the first step all the way to step number 50,000, in almost no time at all!”

The man’s voice rang out for everyone to hear.

Everyone was nearly struck dumb with shock, even Yan’er. Everyone was now thinking of the name Fang Mu.

Countless gasps could be heard, and after a moment, a huge commotion broke out. It was then that... the fifth tolling of the bell could be heard!!

Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong, Dong....

Ancient, sonorous, without compare. The bell was shocking to the extreme, and as it echoed out into the sect, and into the hearts of all, it merged with the name they were thinking about, transforming into something beyond incredible!