Chapter 2645: Heavenly Bell

Boom! Rumble!

The booming in the Scatter Immortal Realm was like a funeral bell from hell, tolling once for every life lost.

The brutal melee turned lives into mere blades of grass, with entire groups wiped out in an instant. Countless people charged into the void sky, and just as many bled out in the heavens. Blood fell like rain, pooling into seas, while the once-beautiful mountains and rivers were littered with corpses, soaked in gore.

No one could have imagined that the first decisive battle between the two realms would be so devastating. From the peak Quasi-Emperor down to the Spirit Void juniors, no one could escape unscathed. Even the strongest cultivation could not withstand the engulfing flames of war.

As night fell, the world grew dark and lightless. The vast starry sky was shrouded in blood mist, hiding the brilliant stars and the bright white moon. All that remained was the raging inferno of battle, burning on without end.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

Suddenly, a deep and resonant bell tolled, causing everyone in the fight to pause and look up collectively toward the ethereal void.

The bell came from the Upper Immortal Realm, ancient and far-reaching. It echoed through the upper world and the lower world alike, reaching every corner of the heavens. All who heard it felt a momentary daze in their minds.

"That is... Tian Zhong?"

Niu Mo Wang gripped his blood-dripping battle axe, furrowing his brow as he gazed into the misty distance. His large bull eyes flickered with uncertain light.

"It is undoubtedly Tian Zhong."

Kunlun Laodao spoke leisurely, popping a handful of healing pills into his mouth as he did. He was skilled at alchemy, but not so much at battlefield combat.

"It really rang the Tian Zhong."

Taishan Zhanglao also frowned, his eyes bloodshot from the killing as he stared into the void. It seemed he knew about the Tian Zhong and what its tolling signified—a supreme summons.

Whom did it summon? Naturally, Jiang Taigong.

Legend had it that all the gods of the Heavenly Court were appointed by Jiang Taigong, and the so-called Tian Zhong was left by him. If the Heavenly Court faced peril, it could be rung, and he would appear to protect the upper realm.

"Have you ever seen Taigong?"

The Songshan Zhangjiao glanced at the Hengshan Zhangjiao.

"Like a divine dragon, seen but not often— even the immortals of the Heavenly Court may not have met him, let alone an old man like me."

The Hengshan Zhangjiao gave a dry cough, tinged with awkwardness.

He was not the only one feeling awkward; many of the old veterans shared the sentiment. Jiang Taigong was an extraordinary being, yet few had ever laid eyes on him. He was known only as a supreme existence, lingering in legends.

"Bringing Jiang Taigong back might be a good thing, so he can see for himself what kind of mess his Heavenly Court has become."

Jiao Long Wang could not help but curse.

"Senior brother, have you ever seen that Jiang Taigong?"

On the highest peak of Huashan, a group of elders tentatively looked at Huashan Zhenren.

Huashan Zhenren said nothing, only shaking his head gently. His face was deathly pale, his body covered in bloody wounds, and his primordial spirit severely damaged. He had just withdrawn from the battlefield, where the leaders of the Four Mountains had all led charges personally, and he was no exception.

"Tian Zhong, it is Tian Zhong."

Compared to the Scatter Immortal Realm, the heavenly soldiers and generals were ecstatic. How many years had it been since the sound of the Tian Zhong echoed through the heavens? This was only the second time—the first was when the Heavenly Court was established, proclaiming it to the entire celestial realm.

The gods of the Heavenly Court all had hope in their eyes.

Their hope was for Jiang Taigong to return and help the Heavenly Court crush the Scatter Immortal Realm. The authority of the Heavenly Court was supreme and could not be challenged by the lower realm.

The old-timers in the Scatter Immortal Realm looked grim. Jiang Taigong alone was not frightening, but the divine artifact he controlled was—a weapon said to destroy heavens and earth. If he returned, the Heavenly Court would surge forward like a unstoppable force, swiftly flattening the lower realm of Scatter Immortals.

Dong! Dong! Dong!

As the world looked on, the bell continued to toll.

However, after a long wait, there was no sign of movement. The bell remained deep and enduring, but Jiang Taigong did not appear. Everything was eerily still.

"That old man must have fallen asleep."

On the eastern city wall, Shura Tianzun huffed on his divine blade and wiped it with his sleeve. He was not afraid of Jiang Taigong—one could always adapt to whatever came.

Sharing his mindset was Tian Qing.

As the first divine general under the Emperor, Tian Qing's expression remained indifferent throughout. He had followed the Emperor in conquering the world and had seen every grand spectacle—what could Jiang Taigong possibly scare him with? He had even slain great emperors before; could any emperor's might surpass that of his own Emperor?

Dong! Dong! Dong!

The prolonged bell did not cease.

This time, the toll carried a summons from the soul itself.

It was the Heavenly Court's ruler, standing in the grand palace, hands clasped in prayer like an emperor beseeching for peace and prosperity.

"Taigong, oh! My Heavenly Court of the upper realm is in trouble—where the hell are you?"

Remarkably, his call seemed to work.

Or perhaps, it was the power of his divine position that did. Using the divine seat to summon could awaken Taigong's divine position—a mysterious and profound connection.

In that underground palace, the reclining Jiang Taigong furrowed his brow slightly in his slumber but did not awaken. Instead, the three supreme Extreme Dao Emperor Weapons floating above him began to hum and tremble.

Soon, a divine soul separated from Jiang Taigong's body, taking his form but appearing ethereal, like a wandering ghost.

The divine soul of Jiang Taigong grasped the God-Striking Whip and passed through the stone gate, heading straight toward Huashan. His expression was vacant and wooden, like a phantom puppet.

In the blood-red world, the crowds surged like an ocean.

Due to the Tian Zhong's sound, the battle had halted. Whether heavenly soldiers and generals or the allied forces of the Scatter Immortal Realm, all still gazed upward into the endless mist.

The heavenly soldiers and generals waited, and so did the allies.

Most had only heard legends; over ninety percent were hearing the Tian Zhong for the first time and wanted to see if the legendary Jiang Taigong was truly so divine.

"I say, Taigong probably kicked the bucket ages ago!"

It was Niu Mo Wang again, guzzling from his flask as he voiced this guess.

"It's not impossible."

Kunlun Laodao stroked his beard, speaking meaningfully.

"The Tian Zhong he left behind is mostly just to intimidate the lower realm."

Then, suddenly, the bell stopped.

Though the bell ceased, the Great Dao Heavenly Sound began, coming from the distant horizon, as if from an ancient era. It was melodious and profound, even more ethereal than the Tian Zhong, resonating through every corner of the universe.

The heavenly sound was extraordinarily mysterious, filled with majesty and magic. All who heard it felt a brief daze in their hearts, compelled to kneel.

Everyone turned toward that direction.

At the edge of the sky, a ethereal figure approached along a celestial river. Dressed in white with white hair, he exuded an immortal aura, his essence perfectly aligned with the heavens. Along his path, ancient visions unfolded, leaving all who watched in a trance.

"That is Jiang Taigong?"

Someone whispered, afraid to speak loudly for fear of disturbing the divine spirit.

"It is undoubtedly him."

Many old-timers confirmed with certainty, all of them ancient experts who seemed to have seen Jiang Taigong before and would not mistake him.

"Why is he in a soul state?"

"He has not shown his true form; what comes is Taigong's Dao Soul."

"That divine whip looks powerful."

"Is that the divine artifact?"

Whispers rose one after another. Those who had never seen Jiang Taigong stared at him intently, while those who had seen him focused on the divine whip in his hand. It was enveloped in divine light, wrapped in supreme Dao principles. Every hum made hearts tremble, evoking a terrifying power capable of destroying heavens and earth.

That was the God-Striking Whip, the Extreme Dao Emperor Weapon also known as the divine artifact. It could strike down the immortals of the Heavenly Court above and the gods of the Scatter Realm below.

"He's here, Taigong is here."

The heavenly soldiers and generals shouted, raising their weapons and cheering. Many soldiers knelt on the spot in worship. They had only heard of Jiang Taigong in myths, and seeing him for the first time was a true honor.

"He's here, Taigong is here."

In the palace, Yin Ming could see through the illusory water screen and was overjoyed to the point of frenzy. No longer hiding, he left the palace and rushed toward the lower realm.

The alliance of the Scatter Immortal Realm grew tense, not out of fear of Taigong's Dao Soul, but of the divine artifact in his hand—it was terrifyingly formidable.

"We have seen Taigong."

Under the watchful eyes of all, Jiang Taigong came to a halt in the misty void. The heavenly soldiers and generals, the immortal lords and venerables, including Yin Yang, all bowed in unison to show respect.

Not only them, but many immortals from the Scatter Immortal Realm also performed junior salutes, going through the motions as etiquette demanded.

To the salutes of the immortals, Taigong remained silent.

He truly was like a puppet. Since his arrival, he had not spoken, his expression wooden, his eyes vacant. He simply stood there, motionless.

He was a mere deterrent. Though he neither spoke nor moved, he intimidated the entire heavenly realm. The heavenly soldiers and generals dared not act, and neither did the Scatter Immortal Realm.

"This guy's presence is really blinding."

Niu Mo Wang tucked his hands away, sighing and clicking his tongue. He had come all this way—why not say something? Just standing there—what was the point? Trying to scare us?

After a long while, Taigong still did not move.

Now, even the heavenly soldiers and generals felt uneasy. Oh, ancient deity! We summoned you to help—wielding that divine artifact, get to it!

The atmosphere between heaven and earth, due to Taigong's arrival, became strangely awkward. Both sides were left in an odd standoff—fighting seemed wrong, and not fighting seemed wrong. What should have been a chaotic battle was now on an unintended break.

"Jiang Taigong, right?"

The prolonged silence was finally broken by a single remark.

The voice came from the eastern city wall, precisely from Shura Tianzun. He had drawn his divine blade and stepped into the void, each step disrupting the cosmos as he advanced straight toward Jiang Taigong. His murderous aura rolled like tidal waves.

Only when he reached the misty void did he stop, facing Taigong across the sky.

"Old man, you've come out for once—care to spar?"