Tang Mi: "It is said that an officer from the Eastern Isles, leading hundreds of soldiers, once tried to transport this bell away, but they could not move it no matter how hard they tried. The officer, enraged, prepared to blow up the bell. As a result, the bell rang loudly, killing hundreds of Eastern Isles soldiers on the spot. Since then, the Eastern Isles people have not dared to lay their hands on this bell."
At this moment, a Taoist priest emerged from the Jade Emperor Hall. He was in his fifties, plump, and not tall. Seeing Ye Tian and the others by the bell, he smiled and said, "Benefactors, you may try to ring the Immortal Bell. Perhaps you have a connection with the immortals."
Xia Lei looked at Ye Tian expectantly and asked, "Brother Ye Tian, are you going to try?"
Ye Tian nodded. He extended his right hand and slowly placed it on the bell. All objects have a vibration frequency. As soon as his hand touched it, he felt that a force had been infused into the bell by a master of great skill.
This force, swirling endlessly within the bell, not only did not weaken with the passage of time but had become even more powerful than before.
He exhaled a wisp of spiritual energy, creating resonance with this force.
"Dong!"
The ancient bell, after more than seven hundred years, rang out again. Its sound was mellow and pleasant, and as the human body was vibrated by the bell's resonance, it immediately felt as if bathed in a spring breeze.
The Taoist priest's expression changed drastically. He stared blankly at Ye Tian, then suddenly knelt down.
More and more Taoist priests rushed over, looking at Ye Tian in astonishment, and then they all knelt around him.
Tang Mi noticed this scene and asked in surprise, "Why are they all kneeling?"
Although Xia Lei had only begun to cultivate, she had already gained a preliminary understanding of the mysteries of cultivation. She said faintly, "They are worshipping Brother Ye Tian."
Miao Qiu and the other looked at each other, not understanding why they were worshipping Ye Tian. Was it because he was rich?
After the bell rang, Ye Tian felt the resonance and smiled, "So, this bell has the miraculous effect of tempering the body!"
He immediately stood directly beneath the Immortal Bell, the focal point where the sound waves converged. All the sound waves were absorbed by his body, so much so that outsiders could only hear a faint ringing.
Ye Tian no longer needed to strike the bell. The great bell continued to ring, releasing the profound power stored within for a thousand years, transmitting it to Ye Tian in the form of sound waves.
As the bell continued to ring, his blood roared like flowing rivers, his bones resonated with nature, and finally, his spirit reached a state of unity with heaven and man.
After a full quarter of an hour, the bell's ringing gradually subsided, finally disappearing completely.
Ye Tian opened his eyes. The power within the Immortal Bell had cleansed his marrow and refined his spirit, bringing him immense benefits!
He stepped out from beneath the bell. The Taoist priest quickly got up and knelt before him again, saying, "This humble Taoist greets you, Immortal!"
Ye Tian replied, "No need for such formality. I ask you, what is the origin of this Immortal Bell, and which master left the inheritance within it?"
The Taoist priest quickly said, "The inheritance of this Immortal Bell was left by Patriarch Lü!"
Patriarch Lü, of course, was the renowned Lü Dongbin!
Ye Tian asked, "Is there a shrine for Patriarch Lü here?"
The Taoist priest replied, "Yes, in the back courtyard."
"Please lead the way."
Ye Tian asked the others to wait in the front courtyard, and he followed the Taoist priest to the back. The back courtyard also had a hall, where the Pure Yang Emperor, Lü Chunyang, was enshrined!
Ye Tian approached the statue and bowed piously.
After paying his respects, he saw a precious sword placed horizontally before the statue.
The Taoist priest said, "Patriarch Lü left a decree that whoever can ring the Immortal Bell will be bestowed this Pure Yang Sword and will also succeed as the abbot of this temple!"
Ye Tian was taken aback and said, "This is my first time meeting your temple, how can I be your abbot?"
The Taoist priest knelt down and pleaded, "This is Patriarch Lü's decree, and we dare not disobey. Moreover, you do not need to stay in the temple every day; a nominal position will suffice. In the past, the Jade Emperor Temple was a renowned temple throughout the land. It was only because we lacked a renowned master like you that it gradually declined. Not long ago, experts from Wudang even came and stole our most treasured possession, the Jade Emperor Mace!"
Ye Tian frowned, "Stolen?"
The Taoist priest's eyes reddened, "Therefore, I beg you to accept the position of abbot!"
Ye Tian hesitated for a moment, then sighed softly and said, "I have received benefits from Patriarch Lü, and now the Jade Emperor Temple is being bullied. I naturally cannot stand idly by. Very well, I will temporarily serve as your abbot!"