The Bell and Drum Cliff

In Han Man's room, Lin Feng and Jing Yun frowned, their eyes narrowed.

"The injuries are severe." Lin Feng examined Han Man's injuries. Although martial artists have strong recovery abilities, Han Man's injuries were too severe. His chest bone was fractured in numerous places, his internal organs were damaged, and it was almost impossible for him to recover on his own.

"I'll be fine. I've always been lucky, never died," Han Man said optimistically, smiling broadly.

"What about your cultivation?" Lin Feng glared at Han Man, who avoided his gaze. Even if he wouldn't die, did he want to become a useless person, inferior to even ordinary people in the future?

"Lin Feng, let's go to the Black Wind Ridge, hunt and kill some demonic beasts, and then exchange their cores for some elixirs at the sect." Jing Yun looked at Lin Feng. Although Han Man was an outer disciple of Yunhai Sect, there were too many outer disciples, and without entering the inner sect, they would never receive much attention. The sect only provided a platform, martial techniques, and training grounds for growth. Only when one entered the inner sect could they truly be considered a member of Yunhai Sect. Therefore, they didn't expect the sect to help Han Man for free.

"It's useless. Han Man's injuries are too severe. Even if ordinary elixirs could heal him, they would leave behind sequelae," Lin Feng shook his head.

"What should we do then?"

Lin Feng suddenly stood up, then turned and walked out.

"I'm going to Tianqian Cliff, wait for me." His indifferent voice echoed, and then Lin Feng left the room. Jing Yun trembled slightly, clutching her clothes tightly in her hands.

Han Man had a foolish smile on his face, but the corners of his eyes seemed moist. Only Lin Feng would dare to think, and then do, such a thing as going to Tianqian Cliff.

Tianqian Cliff, one of the most mysterious and sacred places of Yunhai Sect, was even more renowned than the Life and Death Platform of Fengyun Gorge.

Although there were few people who dared to go to the Life and Death Platform of Fengyun Gorge, there were still some who did so every now and then. However, Tianqian Cliff was rarely stepped upon, and even those who dared to go were definitely true martial fanatics or geniuses. In Yunhai Sect, many disciples had only heard of the name Tianqian Cliff, not knowing what it truly held.

But everyone had heard the rumors that as long as one passed the test of Tianqian Cliff, they would truly be valued by the sect and receive the treasures they desired. However, failing the test would result in dire consequences.

On the peak of Yunhai Sect's summit, there was a palace in a stone cave, which served as the passage to Tianqian Cliff.

At this moment, Lin Feng arrived at the entrance of the passage below the peak.

"Lin Feng, an outer disciple of Yunhai Sect, wishes to go to Tianqian Cliff." Standing at the entrance, Lin Feng shouted into the passage.

His voice entered the mountain wall through the passage, echoing incessantly. After a moment, an echo came back.

"Come in."

"Yes." Lin Feng replied, then entered the passage.

The passage was somewhat dim, with carved patterns on both sides of the stone walls. Lin Feng walked towards a faint light ahead and soon arrived at a stone cave.

The cave had a stone bed, a desk, and a candlestick, making it an extremely simple room. At this moment, an old man in black robes sat on the stone bed, eyes closed, unmoving.

"You want to go to Tianqian Cliff?" The old man's eyes remained closed, his voice indifferent.

"Yes," Lin Feng replied.

"For what purpose?"

"My friend is injured, with many fractures in his chest and damage to his internal organs. I need a medicine that can heal his injuries without side effects." Lin Feng said frankly.

The old man opened his eyes, his gaze deep as if he could see through Lin Feng.

"We have the medicine, but with your cultivation at the Qi Martial Realm Eighth Stage, it will be difficult for you to pass the test of Tianqian Cliff. Show me your martial soul."

Lin Feng nodded, and the shadow of a small snake appeared, but he did not release his Dark Martial Soul.

"Hmm?" The old man furrowed his brows slightly. His knowledge was broad, but he had never heard of such a martial soul. It resembled a flying snake, but it was too thin and small, lacking the wild aura of a beast martial soul.

"Go in through that passage." The old man pointed, indicating that he had many passages in his room, each leading to a different test site.

"Thank you, sir." Lin Feng nodded and then entered the passage indicated by the old man.

Seeing Lin Feng enter the passage, the old man in black robes shook his head slightly. With Lin Feng's cultivation at the Qi Martial Realm Eighth Stage and such a weak martial soul, it was almost impossible for him to pass the test of Tianqian Cliff. The passage he had directed Lin Feng to was one that led to a cliff with a bell and drum, perhaps the weakest of the tests, where Lin Feng could withdraw at any time, but it was also the most difficult.

Out of consideration for Lin Feng's friendship, the old man did not want him to be seriously injured by the test, so he chose to let Lin Feng enter it, to make him realize the difficulty and withdraw.

The Bell and Drum Cliff, where the sound of bells and drums had not been heard for a hundred years, meant that no one had been able to pass the test of that passage for a hundred years.

As Lin Feng entered the passage, the dim and dark passage had countless stairs leading upwards. After climbing nearly a thousand stairs, Lin Feng arrived at a stone door. As he approached, the stone door opened from both sides.

"How amazing." Lin Feng whispered, and the scene before him suddenly became clear.

Fresh air rushed over him, and Lin Feng stepped out of the stone door. This place was a cliff with misty clouds pervading the air, carrying a hint of coolness.

On this desolate ground, there were eight upright bells and drums, somewhat similar to the war drums Lin Feng had struck in his past life's ancient battlefield charge. These eight bells and drums surrounded an open space in the middle.

"Boom!" The stone wall closed automatically, and Lin Feng turned around, seeing a line of clear large characters engraved on the stone wall.

"Only need to make one of these eight bells and drums ring to pass the test?" Lin Feng understood after reading this line of text, and walked to the middle of the eight bells and drums.

He didn't know the mystery of these eight bells and drums, but it was surprising that only one of them needed to be struck to pass the test.

"hi..." Lin Feng took a step and casually punched one of the bells and drums.

"Hum..." A muffled sound came out, and a wave of emptiness released from the bell and drum, causing Lin Feng to take a slight step back.

"Hmm?" His brows raised, Lin Feng took another step forward, the force on his fist increasing to five thousand kilograms.

"Hum, hum!" A strong buzzing sound spread out, the ripples from the bell and drum turning into substance, and powerful force rebounded.

"Boom!" A wildly tyrannical wave hit Lin Feng, sending his body flying.

"Cough, cough." Falling to the ground, Lin Feng coughed twice, a trace of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, shocked.

This is... the Nine Waves?

Lin Feng's pupils emitted a sharp light. The force that had just hit him was actually the power of the Nine Waves, and this power was far stronger than the force he used to strike the drum. These eight bells and drums could rebound attacks and even exponentially increase the force upon rebound.

Curiously, how could these bells and drums have rebounding power?

Lin Feng sat there without rushing to get up, a pensive look in his eyes. Both times were just buzzing sounds, with no response from the bells and drums. The stronger the force he used, the stronger the attack he endured, seemingly a dead end.

"No, since it's a test, there must be a way to pass, I just haven't found it yet. Moreover, the old man in black robes knows that my cultivation is weak and my martial soul is not strong. He should have chosen the simplest test. If I can't even pass this simple test, what talk is there of martial arts?"

Lin Feng's gaze was firm. He stood up from the ground, completely misunderstanding the old man in black robes' intention. This was not the simplest test, but the most difficult one. The old man hoped that he would realize the difficulty and withdraw, but he did not expect to instead arouse his persistent martial will.

"Dark Martial Soul." Lin Feng's mind moved, and the Dark Martial Soul was released. Suddenly, his gaze became profound. When using the Dark Martial Soul, all his abilities were enhanced, including comprehension.

The long sword lightly hummed, thunderous explosions sounded, and the sword struck another bell and drum.

"Shoo..."

"Boom!"

The sound of the sword humming mixed with the thunderous explosions, rebounding back. Lin Feng's long sword trembled, and a layer of sword aura appeared in front of him, blocking the sharp sword energy that rebounded.

"Hiss, hiss!" His clothes tore, and a wisp of blood seeped from Lin Feng's body. As he had anticipated, the rebounded sword energy was twice as powerful as the sword energy he had emitted, and even with his full defense, he was still injured.

"Consider it a practice in swordsmanship." Lin Feng did not flinch, swinging his sword again, stabbing another bell and drum.