After guarding the gates for a hundred years, I drove the Heavenly Saint to madness.

The Xiqi camp was shrouded in gloom due to fear of Liu Sun's death. The entire army was dressed in mourning, and even the patrolling soldiers hung their heads as if a sharp sword was hanging over their heads at any moment.

Inside Jiepai Pass, however, the scene was completely different.

With Xiao Wuji's successive victories, and even his curse that killed a Great Luo Golden Immortal, the tragic atmosphere of being ready to die for one's country that was originally present within the pass had long been replaced by a blind optimism.

Some daring soldiers even placed bets on the city walls, wagering on which member of the Chan Sect would be the next to die.

Xiao Wuji did not stop this, as it was a good thing to have the morale of the army high.

But he knew better than anyone that the current calm was just the last gasp before the tsunami hit.

The Primordial Celestial Venerable would never swallow this insult. The next attack would surely be a devastating thunderbolt.

Time flies, and in the blink of an eye, it has been the ninetieth day of guarding the pass.

This is a crucial juncture – the first quarter.

Early morning, in a secret room of the General's Mansion.

Xiao Wuji dismissed those around him and activated all the defensive formations. He had a premonition that today's reward would be earth-shattering.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, you have successfully defended Jiepai Pass for three months.]

[Quarterly milestone detected, bonus overload...]

[Reward Awarded: Primordial Treasure – Chaos Bell!]

"when--"

An ancient and desolate bell tolled, resounding directly in the deepest part of Xiao Wuji's consciousness.

This sound seemed to transcend countless eons of time, carrying the supreme majesty of suppressing the primordial chaos.

Immediately afterwards, a small bell, about the size of a palm and of a chaotic, dark yellow color, appeared out of thin air in the secret chamber.

The outer wall of the bell is engraved with the sun, moon, stars, earth, water, fire, and wind; the inner wall of the bell is decorated with mountains, rivers, and countless races from the primordial era.

Five-colored rays of light illuminated the heavens, and the holy might of chaos shook the ages.

"It's actually the Chaos Bell?"

Even though Xiao Wuji was already used to the system's grand gestures, he couldn't help but breathe rapidly and his pupils contracted sharply.

After Pangu's axe split the heavens and the earth, it split into three, which became the Taiji diagram, the Pangu banner, and the Chaos Bell.

The first two items were in the hands of Laozi and Yuanshi Tianzun respectively, but the Chaos Bell has been missing ever since the Demon Emperor Taiyi perished.

What the sages sought for millennia but could not find, has now become his possession!

It's just unknown whether this Chaos Bell is the same item as the Chaos Bell from the Primordial Era.

After his initial euphoria, Xiao Wuji quickly calmed down.

While the Chaos Bell is indeed precious, it is ultimately an external object. It is naturally important in combat, but for Xiao Wuji, the most important foundation is still his own Dao.

Cultivation is fundamental. Without cultivation, even if you are given an innate treasure, you will not be able to unleash its full power.

Take the Chaos Bell as an example. This innate treasure contains forty-nine innate restrictions, but it is impossible for anyone other than a saint to completely refine it.

Of course, the most urgent task is to refine the Chaos Bell. Even if it cannot be completely refined, it will still be a great help.

Xiao Wuji took a deep breath, forced a drop of blood essence from his fingertip, and dripped it onto the bell.

As the essence blood merged in, the Chaos Bell trembled slightly, transforming into a stream of dark yellow light that entered Xiao Wuji's dantian. It quietly hovered beneath the Five Elements Pine Tree, drooping down countless strands of chaotic energy to completely obscure all his heavenly secrets.

With this supreme treasure as a safeguard, Xiao Wuji felt his previously restless Dao heart instantly become perfect and flawless.

"The opportunity has arrived."

He did not rush to leave the pass, but instead closed his eyes again.

Over the next two weeks, the garrison at Jiepai Pass noticed that the clouds above the General's Mansion were becoming rather strange.

The air there seemed to become extremely heavy, and even birds dared not fly overhead.

Inside the secret chamber, Xiao Wuji was undergoing his final breakthrough.

His body had already accumulated enough reserves: the luck of the human race, the medicinal power of the Nine-Turn Golden Pill, and the countless spiritual fruits he had consumed daily—all of these were waiting for an outlet.

The Great Golden Immortal cultivates the Three Flowers on the Top of the Head and the Five Qi in the Chest.

For ordinary people, the first step to a breakthrough is to open the Qi Flower, since cultivators cultivate magical power, and the magical power flower is naturally the simplest to open.

But Xiao Wuji is different. He possesses the Five Elements Dao Body, and with the tempering of the evil energy of the Twelve Capital Heavenly Gods and Demons Formation in recent days, his physical body has surpassed his magical power.

At this moment, deep underground, the surging ancient malevolent energy was drawn up by the great formation and poured into his body like black magma.

"Open it!"

With a roar that seemed to come from the depths of one's soul.

A surge of blood energy shot straight up from the crown of Xiao Wuji's head like a plume of smoke, breaking through the roof of the secret chamber, but was firmly suppressed within a radius of three zhang by the Chaos Bell.

Amidst the surging blood and qi, the first golden flower slowly bloomed.

That represents the ultimate physical body and the origin of life—the Flower of Essence!

The petals are layered upon layered, lead-gray in color, yet exuding an immortal golden quality.

First rank, second rank... ninth rank...

The blooming momentum did not stop. Nourished by the dual energy of the great formation and the Chaos Bell, it broke through its limits with unstoppable force.

Rank 10, Rank 11...

Ultimately, it settled at the twelfth grade!

The twelve petals of a flower form the foundation for physical sainthood!

As the flower of essence bloomed, Xiao Wuji slowly opened his eyes. A faint radiance flowed across his skin, as if he could shatter the vacuum with a mere gesture.

"Is this the threshold to becoming a Great Luo Golden Immortal?"

Xiao Wuji clenched his fist, feeling the power that seemed capable of crushing stars, and a smile appeared on his lips.

Although the Flower of Qi and the Flower of God have not yet fully bloomed, he has already stepped into the realm of the Great Luo.

He didn't make a fuss. With a thought, the Chaos Bell trembled slightly, instantly concealing the terrifying aura of a Great Luo Immortal. On the surface, he still appeared to be just an ordinary Taiyi Golden Immortal.

……

Several more days passed.

On this day, instead of the murderous aura of the Chan Sect, a peaceful and serene cloud drifted in from outside Jiepai Pass.

Standing atop the cloud was a female immortal, dressed in green, with an exquisitely beautiful face. She exuded no air of arrogance, only a captivating Daoist charm.

One of the four direct disciples of the Jie Sect, the Holy Mother of Wudang.

Holding the Qingping Sword Token, she entered the General's Mansion without any hindrance.

In the pavilion in the backyard, Xiao Wuji had already prepared fragrant tea and rose to greet him: "Uncle-Master, it is an honor to have you here. I am so sorry for not welcoming you sooner."

The Holy Mother of Wudang looked at her young nephew with amazement in her beautiful eyes.

When the Holy Mother of Wudang took her seat, she did not put on airs as a senior sister, but spoke in a gentle and solemn tone.

"Master was very pleased to learn that you had killed Ju Liusun. But it was precisely because of this that Uncle-Master Yuanshi was truly enraged."

"It seems the Chan Sect is serious this time."

The Holy Mother of Wudang looked at Xiao Wuji and said sincerely, "Master..."

Before the Holy Mother of Wudang could finish speaking, a powerful pressure descended upon Jiepai Pass.

"BOOM—!!"

This oppressive force was terrifying and boundless, even more so than that of Guang Chengzi before, causing the entire pass to tremble violently.

An aged and chilling voice, imbued with an endless sense of annihilation, pierced through layers of void and exploded in their ears:

"Xiao Wuji, why aren't you coming out to face your death?"