Er’er froze, turning her head in confusion, and saw him gripping her hand and pointing it toward the Immortal Longevity Bell. His deep voice exploded beside her ear: “Try.”
“…” She suspected the Great Lord was trying to humiliate her.
What was there to try? She definitely couldn’t make it ring. Although she knew that borrowing Gen Qi’s immortal power was shameless, she had been forced to do so. She couldn’t disgrace him in front of so many people.
Having barely passed this test, with everyone tacitly accepting it, why make such an ugly spectacle now?
She looked at him resentfully, intending to crack a joke and brush it off.
But when she turned her head, she met his gaze.
Those misty eyes were gentle for the first time, filled with trust and encouragement, fixed steadily on her, as if the Immortal Longevity Bell would certainly ring the moment she acted.
Er’er couldn’t understand this. She tried to smile, but the longer she looked, the less she felt like smiling.
He was serious.
…
…
Her fingertips trembled unconsciously. Er’er pressed her lips together and turned her gaze toward the side of the Heavenly Gate.
The heavy, black ancient bell hung there like an insurmountable fortress. But behind her, someone was supporting her back, warm and resolute, leaving her nowhere to retreat.
Hesitantly spreading her fingers, Er’er conjured a flame.
“Give it everything,” Li Ye held her hand, speaking calmly. “What are you afraid of?”
Of dying from exhaustion, of course, Er’er thought to herself. Striking the Immortal Longevity Bell was no easy task. If she used all her immortal power and still couldn’t make it ring, wouldn’t that be a waste?
Cautiously increasing her immortal power to seventy percent, Er’er made her move.
The flame transformed into a phoenix, soaring forward with a long cry, crashing fiercely into the striking wood of the Immortal Longevity Bell.
The wood swayed slightly, barely touching the bell’s surface.
Li Ye narrowed his eyes: “Is this your full strength?”
“No, but…”
He looked at her with displeasure: “Even if you died from exhaustion right in front of me, I could bring you back from the netherworld.”
Similarly, if she didn’t use her full power, he could easily send her to the netherworld for some tempering.
“…”
With things put that way, Er’er pouted, deciding to go all out. She poured out all her spiritual energy, seemingly venting her frustration as she channeled it into the bell-striking wood.
Dong—
The clear bell toll startled her.
Dong—
Li Ye withdrew his hand that had been supporting her wrist, raising his chin slightly and letting out a soft snort.
Dong—
Er’er was dumbfounded.
When had she become so powerful that even her fire-path spiritual energy could make the Immortal Longevity Bell ring?
Although it was only a few tolls, it had rung. According to heavenly rules, she was truly qualified to ascend to a higher immortal status.
“Eh…” Excited yet somewhat at a loss, Er’er turned to look at the person behind her, her eyes blinking rapidly.
Li Ye gave her a sidelong glance: “I never show favoritism.”
If he said she could ascend, then she could indeed ascend.
Her meridians had many blockages, greatly affecting her absorption of spiritual energy and causing her to cultivate slowly. But her skill in using spiritual energy was remarkably strong. With enough spiritual energy, becoming a higher immortal was nothing significant.
This was the secret Li Ye had discovered when he gave her spiritual energy. However, he would only think about this, not tell her. With her special constitution, if her heart wasn’t righteous, she could easily stray onto evil paths.
His leg was growing numb. He shifted slightly and called to her softly: “Get up, it’s time to leave.”
The little one nodded, still somewhat dazed, her hand tightly gripping his sleeve, sitting motionless on the ground.
“Li Ye,” she asked in confusion, “did you help me?”
“What do you mean?” he raised an eyebrow.
“A minor immortal like me, how could I possibly strike the Immortal Longevity Bell?” She looked up at him, her eyebrows drooping in a figure-eight pattern, gazing at him pitifully. “When you held my hand just now, did you secretly help me?”
“Do you think so little of yourself?” Li Ye scoffed, reaching out to grasp her wrist, his index finger lightly tapping her pulse. “Eight hundred years, you haven’t neglected cultivating immortal arts.”
Some of her meridians were even comparable to those of someone at the True Lord level.
“But I’ve always been weak,” she frowned, muttering, “In the immortal sect, I couldn’t even defeat juniors five hundred years younger than me. I needed senior brothers and sisters to protect me during heavenly tribulations, and my studies were the worst.”
Her voice grew smaller as she spoke, and the light that had just kindled in her eyes wavered, about to be extinguished again.
Displeased, Li Ye scooped her up in one motion, gripping her waist and pulling her toward himself.
His handsome features suddenly magnified before her eyes. Er’er’s pupils contracted slightly, and she instinctively wanted to back away.
“Don’t move,” he commanded, his eyes fixed steadily on her. Then he extended his hand, pointing toward the Immortal Longevity Bell.
Boom—
A deep, muffled explosion resounded outside the Heavenly Gate. The entire gate shook, and the guardian spiritual energy was awakened, rushing about in chaos. Even the Heaven-Gazing Platform trembled, lanterns shattering and jade railings breaking, as if about to split down the middle.
Er’er clutched him tightly in fear.
“Look carefully,” Li Ye said impatiently. “If I had helped you earlier, it would have sounded like this.”
“…” That was too intense.
Trembling, Er’er nodded, brushing off non-existent dust from his shoulders and smoothing his feathers: “Please calm down.”
“I’m not angry,” he snorted coldly.
If this wasn’t anger, what was it? Er’er pouted, but then she wondered, was the Great Lord giving her confidence, making her believe in herself?
Truthfully, if they had just left, she would certainly have felt guilty, believing she had ascended to Supreme God status only through Gen Qi’s immortal power. This test had allowed the stone hanging in her heart to finally drop.
She looked at him, wanting to say thank you, but Great Lord Li Ye suddenly lowered his head, his chin resting directly on the top of her head.
Boom—Boom—Boom—
The Immortal Longevity Bell continued to toll. Er’er, nestled in Li Ye’s embrace, suddenly felt an unprecedented sense of security and steadiness. All the surrounding clamor seemed to fade into nothingness, leaving only her little heart, beating in time with each toll of the Immortal Longevity Bell.
Boom~Boom~Boom~
Pressing her hand against her heart, Er’er shifted uncomfortably.
Li Ye.
For some reason, these two syllables sprang to mind. She froze, thinking to herself, had she become so bold as to call the Great Lord’s name so casually and freely?
“Li Ye!”
These two syllables also rang in her ears, coming from afar and drawing near, filled with absolute fury.
With a start, Er’er came to her senses.
It wasn’t her imagination; someone was calling him.
She turned her head and saw a beam of light streaking across the sky. The silhouette grew clearer, and in no time at all, Zhen Huan Gong’s furious face emerged.
The Great Lord heard it and immediately released her.
A chill enveloped her body. Er’er promptly stood on the ground, looking toward the person charging over with such ferocity.
“Look what you’ve done!” Stepping onto the Heaven-Gazing Platform, Zhen Huan Gong strode directly to them, his wide sleeves sweeping out to reveal two round, crystalline bottles.
The bottles were completely transparent, containing two curled-up figures. Er’er recognized one of them almost instantly.
“Senior Brother!” Her face turned pale.