A journey through the world of martial arts

Chapter 273 Morning Bell and Evening Drum
On the plaza of the main hall of Tianshan, Tang Entangde led five disciples to the Tang Clan's location. Shortly after they sat down, they saw Huashan Sect Leader Yue Qianfeng also arrive with his disciples and sit not far from the two of them.

After Tang En and Tang De greeted him, they glanced at him, as if they wanted to say something, but seeing the gloomy aura emanating from Yue Qianfeng, they gave up the idea.

"Although Yue Qianfeng used the best wound medicine to treat his wounds, he still couldn't stop the smell of blood. It seems that there was a fierce battle last night, and he was at a disadvantage."

"The Tianshan Sect is unpredictable. Their poisoning attempt failed, and they were injured during a night raid. If they want to obtain the Dragon Ball, it seems they need to establish a foothold in public. Speaking of which, the Zhongxin Hall should be here by now."

Since Tang De's attempt to poison the Tang Clan failed, he became extremely wary of the Tianshan Sect. He had never heard of the Tianshan Sect having any means to counter Tang Clan's poisons. The more he investigated, the more he felt that the Tianshan Sect was unfathomable and beyond their ability to deal with.

"It'll be soon. Zhongxin Hall will definitely be there today. As soon as they arrive, we'll cheer them on from behind. If the two factions can fight to the death, that would be the best outcome."

Upon hearing this, Tang En shook his head. Xue Wanshan and Shangguan Yun were both seasoned old foxes. Unless absolutely necessary, resorting to force was a poor strategy. Although Zhongxin Hall could suppress Tianshan Sect, a direct confrontation would still result in some losses. It was possible that the sects suppressed by Zhongxin Hall would also become restless.

As the two were talking, the various sects took their seats and began talking in twos and threes. Some of them even shouted at the Tianshan disciples who were trying to maintain order, saying nonsensical things in an attempt to incite the Tianshan disciples to anger.

However, the disciples of Tianshan seemed to be deaf, standing in their respective positions and ignoring these words.

"What a fine demeanor. Although these Tianshan Sect disciples are mediocre in cultivation, their demeanor and cultivation are all extraordinary. Their martial arts skills can be improved, but once their temperament becomes stubborn, they will be difficult to deal with."

Although the Living Yama resented Ni Qingfeng for seriously injuring him, he couldn't help but feel envious when he saw these Tianshan disciples. These evil sects had no unchanging rules and always did whatever they wanted. As a result, almost all of their disciples were cunning, treacherous and treacherous.

Seeing the increasingly tolerant attitude of the Tianshan disciples, some sect members became even more energetic, and their words began to offend Tianshan, even uttering foul language. Upon hearing this, Living Yama, Tang En, and others frowned. Just then, a deep voice came from the hall, instantly suppressing the noisy commotion.

"I am deeply honored that you have come from afar. The arrangements on Mount Tianshan are simple and the hospitality is inadequate. I apologize for any shortcomings in my hospitality."

As soon as he finished speaking, Xue Wanshan, dressed in a black and white Taoist robe with cloud patterns and holding a whisk, slowly stepped out of the hall. Master Zihe of Fuyun Temple followed half a step behind, while Shen Henian, Ni Qingfeng, and Li Dengping followed a full step behind. Fu Tianjiao and her seven disciples stood on both sides, each with a tall and straight posture and sharp eyes.

"What a powerful momentum!"

When the Living Yama saw Xue Wanshan appear, he sensed the profound aura emanating from the other party, and his expression changed drastically. He almost jumped up in shock and involuntarily gasped.

In his opinion, the martial arts skills of this Tianshan Sect leader were almost on par with those of Shangguan Yun. No wonder the Tianshan Sect had been making frequent moves recently; it turned out they had gained confidence.

“Ni Qingfeng alone is already terrifying. Add Xue Wanshan and that old Taoist Zihe, and the current martial arts sects, apart from Zhongxin Hall, are no match for them. Shen Henian and Li Dengping are also pillars of their sect, and their martial arts are not weak. In addition, their seven disciples are also full of hidden talents. Given time, they will surely become great. The rise of Tianshan Sect is unstoppable. Hell Gate should stay out of the Dragon Pearl’s business.”

After much deliberation, the Living Yama quickly made up his mind. This time, he would just watch the show and remain impartial; whoever took the Dragon Ball was none of his business.

"Why is Master Zihe here too? We didn't receive any news. The Tianshan Sect is really good at hiding."

Tang De's face was very grim at this moment. Although the old Taoist priest Zihe of Fuyun Temple was old, everyone knew his reputation back then. He wiped out the thirteen bandit strongholds in one night, and the heads of the thirty-six bandits are still hanging at the foot of the Lianhuan Mountain, serving as a warning to future generations.

"Fourth brother, don't overthink it. We'll deal with whatever comes our way. Before Zhongxintang arrives, let's exchange a few words and give the Tang Clan an explanation."

Tang En glanced at the group of Tianshan Sect members who had taken their seats and had already made up his mind. Since things were not going to work out, he would at least make a show of it. It was not that he was incapable, but that his opponent was too powerful and he was powerless to do anything about it. At least on the surface, it would be acceptable. In this way, he could win people's hearts and better control the Tang Clan.

When Yue Qianfeng, the leader of the Huashan Sect, saw Xue Wanshan, he was also shocked. Several years ago, Xue Wanshan's cultivation was only slightly higher than his own, but now he had far surpassed him. Last night's events now seemed to be nothing more than a farce.

After Xue Wanshan sat down, he said a few words and then nodded to Shen Henian. The latter stood up, bowed, and said to everyone present, "The Tianshan Sect knows very well why you have come from afar. The Dragon Pearl is indeed in the hands of the Tianshan Sect. However, as the saying goes, rare objects choose their owners, and the capable possess them. Now the Dragon Pearl can be considered the private property of the Tianshan Sect and has nothing to do with you."

"Master Shen, your words are a bit off. Although the Dragon Pearl is ownerless, it has been handled by many people. Not to mention the distant past, let's take the most recent one. Xie Qian of the Five Tigers of Western Xia was the owner, but he was killed without cause, which is why the Dragon Pearl ended up in your sect's hands. In terms of the origin of the Dragon Pearl, Xie Qian is probably more qualified to own it than the Tianshan Sect."

Upon hearing this, Shen Henian's expression remained unchanged. He looked at the speaker and saw a middle-aged man in black with half-black and half-white hair and a thin face.

"So it was the Black Tiger Sect's Sect Master Gao. Sect Master Gao said that Xie Qian was the most qualified owner, which is greatly inappropriate. According to our sect, Xie Qian also obtained it from Aunt Yulan. After obtaining the Dragon Pearl, he did not hesitate to set fire to the entire Yulan Manor in order to destroy the evidence. This person is despicable and shameless. I can only say that he deserved it!"

"Master Shen, don't beat around the bush. Xie Qian is the most recent owner of the Dragon Ball, and it should rightfully belong to him. The Tianshan Sect is a reputable sect; surely they won't cling to the possessions of a dead man?"

Gao Jue snorted coldly upon hearing this. No matter what Shen Henian said, he insisted that Xie Qian was the owner of the Dragon Pearl and that it should be returned to its rightful owner.

After a heated exchange, Shen Henian's face turned quite grim. At this moment, Ni Qingfeng whispered a few words in Shen Henian's ear. Upon hearing this, the latter's expression immediately softened. He straightened his robes and confidently said, "Does Sect Leader Gao intend to seal the Dragon Pearl as a burial item in Xie Qian's tomb?"

Upon hearing this, Gao Jue sensed something was amiss, but he still cautiously replied, "Of course. Using the Dragon Pearl as a burial offering is enough to comfort Brother Xie's spirit in heaven. He died because of the Dragon Pearl, so this outcome can be considered perfect."

As soon as Gao Jue said this, before Shen Henian could speak, Tang De, who was watching the show from the side, could no longer hold back and burst out laughing.

"Tang De, what are you laughing at!"

Gao Jue's expression changed, and he shouted. He could tolerate the Tianshan Sect, as they were on human territory and he had to show them some respect. But what was the Tang Clan? If Tang De didn't give him a reasonable explanation, Gao Jue would immediately teach him what it meant to be disgraced by his words.

"Gao Jue, as the head of a sect, you have no shame in saying such things. The Dragon Pearl is a treasure of the world, and everyone wants to have it. If you put it in Xie Qian's tomb, aren't you afraid that Xie Qian will not have peace? Are you helping him or harming him?"

Tang De looked down on Gao Jue. Others might not know, but he knew perfectly well that Gao Jue, ostensibly the leader of the Black Tiger Gate, had secretly submitted to the Zhongxin Hall and become its vanguard in expanding its territory. His hasty appearance this time must have been at the behest of the Zhongxin Hall.

"you wanna die!"

Upon hearing Tang De's disparaging words, a fierce glint flashed in Gao Jue's eyes. He flicked three hidden weapons at Tang De, whose expression changed slightly upon seeing this. He hadn't expected the other party to be so bold as to attack him directly. Just as Tang De was about to make a move, a white light flashed, followed by three clanging sounds. Everyone saw an iron spike pinning the three ring-shaped hidden weapons to the flagpole.

"Heavenly Mountain Divine Light! What exquisite technique." Tang En's eyes narrowed as he looked at the person who released the hidden weapon. As he expected, the person who made the move was none other than Ni Qingfeng.

"Sect Leader Gao, please have some self-respect. This is Tianshan. It is not your place to act recklessly here. If you overstep your bounds again, do not blame me for being ruthless."

Ni Qingfeng snorted coldly, looking at Gao Jue with a cold gaze. The latter's face turned very ugly upon seeing this, but he was wary of the Tianshan Sect and did not make any further moves.

"Sect Leader Gao, the matter of the Dragon Ball is settled; it belongs to our Tianshan Sect without a doubt..."

When Shen Henian saw that Gao Jue's aura had been suppressed by his junior brother, and that the other sects were also observing, he was about to set the tone when he was interrupted by a domineering voice.

"Please wait a moment, Master Shen."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked over and saw a domineering figure walking slowly and calmly towards them. It was Shangguan Yun, followed by the Sun and Moon Duo and a burly middle-aged man.

"Why is he here? It turns out Shangguan Yun hasn't been idle lately. With him here, the Tianshan Sect's status as the Dragon Pearl might not be secure." Upon seeing the martial arts alliance leader appear, even those who disapproved had to stand up and pay their respects. Xue Wanshan also stood up, walked past the crowd to Shangguan Yun, and after exchanging greetings, Xue Wanshan said, "Hall Master Shangguan's personal presence at Tianshan is truly an honor for our sect. Hall Master Shangguan, please take a seat."

Shangguan Yun was also taken aback when he saw Xue Wanshan. He found the man in front of him rather unfathomable. Upon hearing this, he chuckled a few times.

"I have come to Tianshan on someone's behalf, so there is no need for such formalities, Sect Leader Xue."

Upon hearing this, Xue Wanshan gestured for Shangguan Yun to sit in the same seat as him. The Sun and Moon Duo sat on either side of Shangguan Yun, while the remaining person stood in the center of the square, enjoying the gazes from all directions.

"Isn't this Ling Xiao, the leader of the Five Tigers of Western Xia? After Xie Qian's death, the Five Tigers of Western Xia disappeared without a trace. How come they've reappeared now?"

"You don't even know who he came with. This is going to be quite a show."

"Master Shangguan said he was entrusted by someone; could this be the person?"

Xue Wanshan glanced at Ling Xiao and then looked away, turning halfway to look at Shangguan Yun.

“Indeed, Ling Xiao is the leader of the Five Tigers of Western Xia, and the deceased Xie Qian was his fifth brother. Ling Xiao wants to retrieve the Dragon Pearl and has come to Zhongxin Hall to ask the hall master to uphold justice for him. I cannot refuse, so I have no choice but to go with him now. I hope that Sect Leader Xue will not blame me.”

"That's it."

Xue Wanshan sighed softly, flicked his whisk, and glanced at Ling Xiao with pity. Upon seeing Xue Wanshan's appearance, Ling Xiao immediately knelt down and kowtowed to him, his face filled with grief. He said in a hoarse voice, "Sect Leader Xue, my fifth brother Xie lost his life for the Dragon Pearl, and the other three brothers also died indirectly because of this thing. I don't ask to get it back, I only wish that Sect Leader Xue can destroy it in front of all the heroes of the world. Firstly, it would comfort the spirits of my four brothers in heaven, and secondly, it would destroy this harmful thing and restore peace to the martial world."

Upon hearing this, Ni Qingfeng glanced at Ling Xiao with considerable appreciation. Whether he came up with the idea himself or someone else suggested it, it was undoubtedly a brilliant plan. If the Dragon Pearl were truly taken out, it wouldn't be so easy to take it back safely.

Xue Wanshan had obviously thought of this as well, but he already had a plan in mind, and this was still under his control. He glanced at Shangguan Yun and said in a deep voice, "The righteous act of Ling Yishi makes me feel ashamed and admiring. How could I refuse such a heroic act? Since Hall Master Shangguan is here, let's take this opportunity to destroy the Dragon Pearl. We can't let this thing ruin the friendship between the various sects of the martial arts world."

Upon hearing Xue Wanshan's words, everyone present was taken aback. Shen Henian was greatly surprised, Shangguan Yun frowned, Yue Qianfeng smiled, Zen Master Kumu stopped turning his prayer beads, and Tang Entangde and Living Yama seemed to be deep in thought.

"Tianjiao, go and get the Dragon Pearl. Fourth Junior Brother, you go with Tianjiao."

Xue Wanshan gave an order, and Ni Qingfeng and Fu Tianjiao bowed to Xue Wanshan before heading towards the main hall. After a short while, Fu Tianjiao returned with an ordinary wooden box in her hand. Upon seeing this, everyone involuntarily stood up to look, but Ni Qingfeng stood beside Fu Tianjiao, blocking everyone's view.

"Master."

Xue Wanshan took the wooden box and opened it. Everyone saw the dragon pearl slowly floating in mid-air, emitting an eerie purple light. A hint of greed flashed in Shangguan Yun's eyes, but he suppressed it. The others were even worse off. Several of them leaped and tried to snatch the dragon pearl, but they were knocked down halfway by various hidden weapons and palm strikes, turning into a pool of blood and flesh.

Upon seeing this, Xue Wanshan, without saying a word, drew his sword and slashed fiercely at the dragon pearl. With a crack, the sword broke in two, while the dragon pearl remained unharmed.

"Master!"

Fu Tianjiao exclaimed in surprise, and everyone briefly shifted their gaze to Xue Wanshan. They saw that his face was slightly pale and there was a trace of blood at the corner of his mouth. It seemed that the sword strike had caused him internal injuries. Some people couldn't help but secretly have some thoughts.

"Sect Leader Xue?"

Shangguan Yun expressed his concern, but his eyes remained fixed on the dragon pearl.

"It's alright. This dragon ball is so sturdy that it is impervious to weapons. It seems that we can only destroy it by using internal force. Hall Master Shangguan, please step back."

Upon hearing this, Shangguan Yun's mind stirred, and he advised, "Sect Leader Xue is seriously injured, so let me, the Hall Master, take over."

Before Xue Wanshan could object, Shangguan Yun nodded to the Sun and Moon Duo. The two immediately prepared themselves. Shangguan Yun coldly glanced at the people below, snorted, and flew into the air, striking the Dragon Pearl with a palm. However, just as he approached the Dragon Pearl, Shangguan Yun transformed his palm into a claw and reached out to grab the Dragon Pearl.

Seeing this, everyone cursed angrily and threw all their hidden weapons at Shangguan Yun, but they were blocked by the Sun and Moon Duo. Just when Shangguan Yun thought he had caught the Dragon Pearl, two strange voices suddenly reached his ears. One was like the distant sound of a bell, and the other was like the stirring sound of a drum. However, when the two voices were combined, they lost their grandeur and became strange and sinister.

"Oh no, it's the Scorpion Demonic Voice!"

Shangguan Yun's expression changed drastically. His figure plummeted, and upon landing, he immediately channeled his inner energy to defend himself, using a layer of true qi to firmly block the demonic sound from the outside.

Before the demonic sound appeared, Ni Qingfeng had already sensed it. Just now, two powerful auras quietly arrived at Tianshan. If there was no mistake, they should be the "Morning Bell and Evening Drum".

"All Tianshan disciples, immediately shut down your five senses, sit cross-legged, and silently cultivate your inner power!"

Ni Qingfeng spoke loudly, and the disciples of the Tianshan Sect all did as he said. People from other sects also lit up with excitement and immediately followed suit.

Ni Qingfeng silently circulated his inner energy, constantly resisting the oncoming demonic sound. This Scorpion Demonic Sound was the number one sonic attack technique in the martial arts world. There was no other way but to withstand it head-on. If one's power was slightly weak, one would be shaken so badly that one's blood and qi would churn and one's meridians would be damaged, and one would be unable to circulate one's inner energy freely for at least a month.

"Senior brother, senior sister."

Seeing that Shen Henian and Li Dengping were already struggling to resist the demonic sound, Ni Qingfeng immediately placed his palms against their backs and channeled two streams of pure true energy into their bodies. Shen Henian and Li Dengping immediately absorbed the energy, dispelling the stuffiness in their chests.

Shen Henian and Li Dengping nodded slightly to Ni Qingfeng, who then said, "Be careful, I'll go check on Tianjiao and the others."

At this moment, besides Ni Qingfeng, only Xue Wanshan and Shangguan Yun were still able to move freely in the arena. The two of them stood at the forefront of the Demonic Sound, absorbing most of the attacks. Ni Qingfeng took the opportunity to send true energy to the Tianshan disciples who were still resisting the Demonic Sound, helping them protect their heart meridians.

The demonic sound grew louder and louder, and the dragon ball floating in mid-air seemed to be stimulated as well, its purple light becoming stronger and stronger, illuminating the entire square in purple.

Just then, a clear and elegant voice came: "Mu Lang, go get the Dragon Ball."

As soon as the words were spoken, a figure leaped down from the side hall and grabbed at the dragon pearl.

Upon seeing this, Shangguan Yun's expression darkened. He suppressed the demonic sound, his figure swaying as he struck Mu Gu with a palm. Mu Gu, seeing this, neither dodged nor evaded, but instead threw a punch. Their fists and palms collided, and both were knocked back. Shangguan Yun landed gracefully, while Mu Gu suffered some minor injuries.

"With the morning bell and evening drum, instead of hiding in the deep mountains, you two have come to Tianshan to cause trouble. Do you want me, Shangguan Yun, to deal with you?"

Upon hearing this, Mu Gu snorted coldly and struck the enormous drum with a palm strike from afar. Several loud bangs rang out, merging with the soft, feminine bell sound. The square was instantly shattered by the sonic force, and stones were sent flying into the air. Under the control of Mu Gu and Chen Zhong, these stones rained down on the crowd.

(End of this chapter)