Following the winding path out of the spirit fields, one would arrive near the rear gate of the Qingyun Sect’s Daoist entrance. From here, one could catch a glimpse of the true face of the Qingyun Sect: truly, immortal clouds curled around, strange peaks rose one after another, and clusters of ancient, tranquil Daoist temples were half-hidden among the valleys. At some unknown moment, a clear breeze would blow, lifting a veil of mountain mist, revealing a cultivation cave dwelling that seemed like a fairyland.

The spirit fields only reached the foot of the green mountain. Beneath an ancient pine stood a stone platform built from bluestone slabs. Following the platform upward, there was a large green-bronze bell, looking ancient and weathered, about the size of a millstone, but with no wooden striker beside it. Next to the stone platform stood a stele, carried on the back of a stone-carved beast. The inscription on the stele read: Qingxin Bell. Beside the bell were two lines of calligraphic poetry:

When the bell rings, mortal ties are severed;

One ascends to the clouds with ease.

“So this is the place? Of the ten thousand Daoist novices, whoever cultivates spiritual energy can strike this bell and be promoted to an outer disciple…”

Henry Clark thought to himself as he walked up the steps, his palm gently brushing the surface of the bronze bell.

The morning dew had not yet evaporated, and the bronze bell was icy cold to the touch, chilling to the bone and incredibly heavy. Henry Clark gave it a push, but it didn’t budge at all.

“The Qingxin Bell, a lower-grade spiritual artifact. Struck by ordinary wood or bronze, it will not sound; only spiritual energy can make it ring, its sound carrying for ten miles…”

Focusing his mind and gazing at the bell, the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror in his mind began to operate, and the properties of the bronze bell became clear to Henry Clark.

“Then let’s begin. Edward Harris, the tenth bandit chief of Ghost Smoke Valley, is here…”

“Qingyun Sect, I, Henry Clark, have arrived…”

“The Immortal Path, here I come!”

Henry Clark took a deep breath, gathered his spiritual energy, and struck the bell with a sudden slap.

“Wong…”

The heavy bell body suddenly trembled, a deep, muffled bell sound rang out, spreading far and wide, startling a flock of roosting birds in the mountains.

Henry Clark struck the bell three times in a row, then stopped, waiting for someone from the Daoist sect to come and receive him.

“The Qingxin Bell has rung—another novice has cultivated spiritual energy?”

“Heh, I wonder if it’s truly someone with talent, or just another useless one!”

Amidst the green mountains, many people were roused from their dreams—some paid attention, some sneered, some simply turned over and went back to sleep.

In less than ten breaths, a blue figure flashed like lightning from the mountain gate ahead. It was a young man with fair skin and a thin build, dressed in a blue Daoist robe, his hair tied up with an ebony hairpin. He looked quite spirited, but his face was expressionless, almost corpse-like.

He approached, his eyes sweeping over Henry Clark as if a cold current shot forth, and asked in a deep voice, “Was it you who rang the Qingxin Bell? What is your name?”

“Greetings, senior brother. I am junior brother Henry Clark, Daoist novice from Area Three, Group C, paying respects to senior brother!”

Henry Clark naturally wouldn’t act arrogant at this moment, and respectfully saluted the newcomer, appearing very well-mannered.

However, as he saluted, he also carefully sized up the man, noticing that he was at the fourth level of Spiritual Movement—quite strong.

“Good, come with me!”

The young man nodded, grabbed Henry Clark by the arm, and once again shot up the mountain like lightning.

Henry Clark felt the wind rise beneath his feet, the sound of wind howling in his ears, the fierce gusts stinging his face so much he couldn’t open his eyes. He cursed inwardly at this deadpan guy—was he just showing off in front of him? I even greeted you politely… But then he realized he was being foolish—why not circulate his spiritual energy to resist? With a thought, he activated his spiritual energy and immediately felt much better.

Opening his eyes, he saw himself flying toward a mountain peak. The Qingyun Sect had countless strange peaks, with seven main peaks standing tallest among the green mountains. They seemed randomly placed, but in fact, they contained hidden order, anchoring the spiritual veins—these were the seven main peaks of the Qingyun Sect.

At this moment, the young Daoist was taking him toward one of these peaks.

“Elder Grant, I’ve brought the person!”

The young Daoist led Henry Clark to a pavilion halfway up the strange peak and respectfully reported inside.

“Let him in.”

An aged voice came from within the pavilion. Hearing this, the young Daoist gave Henry Clark a push on the back, sending him tumbling inside.

“Damn it, you dare push me?”

Henry Clark instinctively wanted to curse out loud, but before he could speak, he suddenly felt a stern gaze fixed upon him.

“How did you cultivate spiritual energy?”

The aged voice sounded again, deep and solemn, as if sound waves were striking Henry Clark’s forehead.

Henry Clark turned to look and saw an old Daoist with a face like orange peel, gray-white hair draped over his shoulders. Morning light streamed in through the window lattice, illuminating half his face while the other half was shrouded in darkness. Yet his eyes were equally bright, their sharp gaze falling on Henry Clark as if able to pierce any secret, making one’s heart tremble, not daring to utter a single lie.

“Hm? I can’t see through his cultivation…”

Henry Clark mustered his courage to size up the old man, but to his surprise, the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror couldn’t discern his cultivation level.

Ever since the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror entered his body, every time he appraised a treasure or assessed someone’s cultivation, it would consume a bit of Henry Clark’s spiritual energy. The higher the spiritual energy of the object being appraised, the more of his own spiritual energy it would consume.

Now, being unable to see through this old Daoist’s cultivation could only mean that Henry Clark’s spiritual energy was not yet sufficient to activate the Yin-Yang Divine Demon Mirror to assess him.