Du Yu had read the profiles of Team Two's members, and knew that this young man with a part in his hair was the team's only remaining colleague—Zhang Tianxiao.

The young man looked about 25 or 26, and true to his name, was a cheerful optimist who always had a smile on his face.

Yet at this moment, his expression was extremely serious—he hadn't smiled even once all day.

Yang Qingqing nodded in greeting, gazing into the distance at the Ancient Bell: "It's much smaller than I imagined."

Zhang Tianxiao replied respectfully, "Elder Yang, before the Bronze Bell suddenly acted up, it was grand in scale—like a small mountain.

After it shrank, it became as you see now. By my estimate, it's roughly 30 meters tall."

Yang Qingqing nodded, quietly observing the Ancient Bell.

Normally, Fu Jianzhou would step forward to negotiate with the military.

But this time, Fu Jianzhou had no intention of speaking at all, and after a moment's hesitation, Lin Shiwei simply took on the job herself.

After some negotiation, Lin Shiwei could only sigh inwardly.

The information the soldiers had, the team also possessed. When it came to the Ancient Bell, people could practically say they knew nothing!

"Master Qing."

"Hm?" Yang Qingqing turned to look at Lin Shiwei.

The girl only shook her head gently, her expression helpless.

Yang Qingqing understood, and said, "There's no time to lose—let's try communicating with it using the Artifact Spirit."

As she spoke, Yang Qingqing suddenly raised her hand and shook her wrist.

"Jingling~ ling~"

The crisp, pleasant sound of bells rang out through the depths of the valley.

Yang Qingqing strode forward; Du Yu tensed up and hurriedly urged the Desolate Silver Lynx to follow suit.

Until the woman reached the edge of the deep pit, gazing at the Ancient Bell at the bottom, several hundred meters away.

A crimson, misty silhouette silently appeared, enveloping Yang Qingqing's graceful figure.

Scarlet robe, crimson dress—the Red Mist Woman.

This was the Bell Bracelet's Artifact Spirit: Nangong Ling.

She was also the arch-villain of the Shadow Gu Tower Illusion Realm—the leader of the mysterious organization Heart Slaying Garden.

Of course, unlike West Xia's Flute Bai Lan, Nangong Ling's bell bracelet had already shattered and fallen off during her escape.

So Nangong Ling never had the chance to merge her Spiritual Po into the Bell Bracelet.

The Bell Bracelet simply manifested the image of its previous owner out of habit; as long as Yang Qingqing wished, she could make the Artifact Spirit take on any appearance.

"Master Qing!"

"Master Qing!" Li Mengnan and Lin Shiwei called out, worry on their faces.

They watched as Yang Qingqing suddenly floated up, continuing on toward the center of the deep pit!

It was important to remember: Team Two's people had been swallowed by the Ancient Bell!

"Go back," Yang Qingqing suddenly said.

Down below, Du Yu rode his Desolate Silver Lynx forward—aside from the vertical distance, he was practically sticking close by.

Du Yu looked up and said, "If anything happens, at least someone will have your back."

Hearing this, Yang Qingqing lowered her gaze to Du Yu.

On so dangerous a mission, she actually showed a faint smile: "You? Watch my back?"

Du Yu shrugged. "I helped you take down the Shadow Gu Tower before, and the Jade Gourd too—Master Qing, have you forgotten?"

Suspended in midair, Yang Qingqing's smile slowly faded.

Slowly, her voice turned grave: "Go back. That's an order."

Du Yu looked up at Master Qing's face shrouded in red mist, and said, "I also have the Shadow Gu Tower. It can swallow people too—so the odds of getting through to the Ancient Bell are higher."

Yang Qingqing's gaze grew a bit more complicated—in full knowledge that the Ancient Bell might swallow people, her disciple still insisted on following her.

To say she wasn't moved would be a lie.

Du Yu looked up and said, "Let's go, Master Qing.

Even if you go in first—if you really get swallowed up, I'll have to come after you sooner or later."

Yang Qingqing was silent for a moment, then turned to the three disciples behind her. "You three, stay here and keep watch."

Compared to the disobedient Du Yu, the other three didn't dare disobey in the slightest.

Yang Qingqing's figure slowly floated down, hovering at Du Yu's left front. "Then let's go."

The reason she agreed to let Du Yu come was, in fact, another source of confidence: the Bamboo Shadow Thunder Pool!

In the revelations of the Bamboo Shadow Thunder Pool, Du Yu had once saved her life amid an army of thousands.

And during that war, her Chi Bear·Forbidden City had been huge—definitely no ordinary Celestial Level Creature.

Which meant, as things stood, neither she nor Du Yu would die here.

Of course, all of this relied on those visions from the Bamboo Shadow Thunder Pool eventually coming true.

"Splash~"

The Desolate Silver Lynx stirred the water underfoot, drawing ever closer to the bottom of the pit.

"Jingling~ ling~"

Yang Qingqing gently shook her wrist, continually invoking the Spiritual Artifact, trying to attract the Ancient Bell's attention.

The few hundred meters were crossed in a flash.

Everyone at the pit's edge was on edge, holding their breath, eyes fixed on the scene below.

When the two and the lynx reached the Ancient Bell, Li Mengnan couldn't help reaching out to hug Lin Shiwei's arm—her heart in her throat.

"Hello." Yang Qingqing raised her palm slowly, as if to show goodwill.

Red mist swirled around her slender hand as she pressed it lightly on the Bronze Bell's wall.

"This is the Great Xia of 997, Grassland Province. It is a different era from when you fell." The Artifact Spirit's tone so closely matched Yang Qingqing's, Du Yu almost thought they had become one being.

"You most likely experienced a time of war, but at this moment, the Great Xia is no longer at war; the Human Race and Beast Race now live peacefully together…"

Yang Qingqing projected her thoughts through the Spirit Contract, with Nangong Ling helping to speak aloud.

Yet the Ancient Bell remained utterly silent, as lifeless as a dead thing.

After more than ten minutes, Yang Qingqing finally furrowed her brows and withdrew her hand.

Clearly, the Ancient Bell had no desire to communicate.

She lowered her head to look below; Du Yu understood her signal.

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