Chapter 74
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Chapter 74: The Soul-Resonating Bell
The palm-sized copper bell felt heavy, weighing at least two pounds.
The bell’s body was dull and lacked luster, exuding a solid and robust texture, with countless true seal characters intricately carved on its surface.
Inside the bell, there was a tongue that jingled softly when shaken.
The bell’s handle was shaped like a dragon, which was quite distinctive.
Wang Chen held the bell in his hand and summoned his Cultivation Panel to inspect it.
However, nothing appeared in the equipment slot.
This outcome didn’t surprise him, as the panel was notoriously selective about equipment; the previously suspected high-grade first-level Autumn Water Sword hadn’t appeared either.
He assumed the copper bell would be no different.
Wang Chen wasn’t greedy; after all, he had already reaped significant rewards tonight.
One should know when to be content.
He attempted to infuse a bit of mana into the copper bell.
Suddenly, a strange force surged from within the bell, forcefully expelling Wang Chen’s mana.
He nearly lost his grip!
Clearly, this magical tool had been refined by its original owner and could automatically retaliate against intruders.
But this problem was relatively simple to resolve.
Unless the original owner’s cultivation level was far superior to Wang Chen’s, with powerful restrictions embedded in the magical tool, it would merely require some patience and effort to overcome.
The method for refining magical tools was fundamental cultivation knowledge, which Wang Chen had also mastered.
He repeatedly injected mana, gradually eroding the restrictions within the copper bell while imprinting his own aura.
The original owner’s restrictions within the magical tool were like water from a dry source and wood without roots; they weren’t particularly strong.
How could they endure such relentless wear?
Within just one hour, Wang Chen completely eradicated the restrictions inside.
The magical bell had officially changed ownership!
Simultaneously, Wang Chen received a piece of information.
The name of this magical tool was the Soul-Resonating Bell, and once activated, it could shake the enemy’s soul and induce a dizziness effect!
This brief piece of information was clearly sealed inside by the weapon refiner; apart from that, there were no instructions for manipulation.
Wang Chen tried injecting mana once more and then shook the copper bell vigorously.
Ding Ling Ling~
The crisp and melodious sound of the bell instantly spread out in all directions.
Then, it fell silent.
Is that it?
Just as Wang Chen was feeling puzzled, he suddenly heard a muffled thud from the adjacent room.
It sounded like something heavy had fallen!
Oh no!
Wang Chen inwardly exclaimed in alarm.
He swiftly stowed away the Soul-Resonating Bell and rushed to Wei Lian’s room to investigate.
There, he found her lying on the floor in front of the bed in an undignified position, her eyes closed, having fainted.
Wang Chen quickly scooped her up and laid her on the bed.
"Wei Lian, Wei Lian?"
Wang Chen gently shook her a few times, but Wei Lian remained unresponsive!
In his urgency, he formed a spell and cast the Rain Summoning Technique on the unconscious girl.
The mist in the hidden chamber swiftly gathered, condensing into droplets of fresh water that sprinkled onto Wei Lian’s face.
Stimulated by the cool water, the girl let out a soft moan and regained consciousness.
She opened her eyes to see Wang Chen standing by the bed and instinctively shrank back slightly.
A delicate blush spread across her cheeks.
"I’m sorry,"
Wang Chen said apologetically, "I was refining a magical tool earlier and inadvertently harmed you. Are you alright?"
He had indeed been careless, largely due to his inexperience with magical tools.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have made such a mistake.
"I’m fine,"
Wei Lian wiped her face and murmured softly, "I just feel a bit dizzy. I should be okay after some rest."
Wang Chen felt a pang of guilt.
After a moment’s thought, he retrieved the "Basic Talismans Illustrated" from his storage bag and placed it on Wei Lian’s bedside. "This book is for you. It’s a good read when you’re bored."
Wang Chen had already committed all the contents of the "Basic Talismans Illustrated" to memory.
It was no longer of use to him.
Earlier, Wang Chen had noticed Wei Lian’s keen interest in talismans, so he decided to give her the book as a gesture of apology.
Wei Lian was startled.
Just as she was about to decline, Wang Chen turned and left, saying, "You should rest well."
The girl pressed her lips together.
After a moment, she picked up the hefty "Basic Talismans Illustrated" and held it close, her thoughts adrift.
…
Daylight broke.
Wang Chen reopened the tunnel and emerged above ground with Wei Lian.
The weather had cleared once more.
Yet, the courtyard was blanketed in a thick layer of snow, deep enough to reach one’s knees with each step.
Wang Chen fetched a shovel to clear the snow and also gathered the scattered shards of glass from the ground.
The fierce battle the previous night had left the windows and doors damaged.
He would also need to find time to reorder them in the city.
"Big brother Wang Chen!"
While he was occupied, a loud voice suddenly called from outside, "Are you home?"
Wang Chen glanced back at the room, then went to open the courtyard gate.
He stepped out swiftly.
Wei Lian was a Loose Cultivator, and it was crucial that no one saw her staying at his house, as it could invite trouble.
Standing outside was a boy who appeared to be about fourteen or fifteen years old.
Wang Chen stood in the doorway, smiling as he asked, "Xiao Qi, what brings you here?"
This boy was the great-grandson of Old Master Sun.
Being the seventh among his peers, everyone called him Xiao Qi.
Wang Chen often visited Old Master Sun’s house for advice, so he was familiar with him.
Xiao Qi rubbed his hands together and said, "Great-grandfather sent me to inform everyone that recently some outsiders have been asking around, inquiring about a pair of sibling guests."
"Great-grandfather wants everyone to stay alert. The year-end is approaching, so beware of fire, theft, and Evil Spirits!"
Outsiders?
Wang Chen knew that the outsiders referred to Loose Cultivators; he nodded subtly, "Understood."
"Then I’ll be on my way."
Xiao Qi dashed off, saying, "I still have other houses to visit!"
Watching the boy’s retreating figure, Wang Chen couldn’t help but frown.
In fact, ever since he dealt with three home invaders, Wang Chen had been wondering if he was cursed with bad luck. Otherwise, why would thieves keep targeting his house with ill intentions?
Moreover, each encounter seemed more perilous than the last!
Now, hearing Xiao Qi’s message, he realized that the group from last night might not have been after him.
The sibling guests?
Could they be Wei Xiong and Wei Lian?
Thinking of Wei Xiong, who had vanished without a trace, Wang Chen felt the need to bolster his defenses.
But he decided not to mention anything about this to Wei Lian, keeping it strictly to himself.
It wasn’t necessary.
Regardless of whether the enemies were attracted by the siblings or not, since he had promised Wei Xiong to take care of Wei Lian, he wouldn’t easily break that promise.
Besides, he had gained a significant fortune because of it.
In the following days, Wang Chen stayed indoors, not even venturing to Yunshan City.
At night, he retreated early underground, preparing for any eventuality.
He readied himself for battle at any moment.
However, everything remained peaceful; no thieves or Loose Cultivators came to deliver themselves or their gear to him.
While this brought Wang Chen some relief, it also left him feeling somewhat regretful.
After five or six more days, just when Wang Chen began to suspect that something might have happened to Wei Xiong and that he might not return, a burly man, weathered with the marks of time, appeared at his doorstep!
