Chapter 432 Peace Talks

When the light gradually dissipated, the box was completely opened, and a small and exquisite clock lay quietly inside.

This clock exudes an ancient and mysterious atmosphere, and the bell body is covered with fine runes, as if telling a long-standing story.

Fang Yue carefully took out the clock and put it in the palm of his hand to examine it.

Zhu Linlang came over curiously, "This clock looks extraordinary. What special function does it have?"

Fang Yue shook the clock gently, but no sound came out.

"Strange, isn't this an ordinary bell?" Fang Yue murmured to himself.

At this moment, the clock suddenly became slightly warm and the light flickered again.

Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang looked at each other and saw surprise and confusion in each other's eyes.

Fang Yue tried to inject his inner energy into the bell. In an instant, the runes on the bell glowed brightly, and a powerful wave of power spread out with the bell as the center.

The tables and chairs in the room were shaken by the force, and Zhu Linlang was also startled by this sudden change.

"Fang Yue, be careful!" Zhu Linlang shouted.

Fang Yue tried hard to control the clock in his hand, trying to calm down this force.

After a while, the light and power fluctuations gradually subsided.

"The power of this bell is so powerful, but I don't know how to control it." Fang Yue said with a frown.

Zhu Linlang said: "Maybe we need more time to study it."

Fang Yue nodded and carefully put the clock back into the box, "It seems that we have to put it away first and wait until we find out its origin and purpose before making any plans."

Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang had just put the clock back into the box. Before they could breathe a sigh of relief, there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Who?" Fang Yue asked warily.

"Sir, it's me, the waiter. Someone is looking for you downstairs." The waiter's voice came from outside the door.

Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang looked at each other, full of doubts in their hearts.

"Who could it be?" Zhu Linlang whispered.

Fang Yue frowned, "Go down and take a look first."

The two went downstairs and saw a strange old man standing in the hall.

The old man's eyes were sharp. When he saw Fang Yue coming down, he smiled slightly and said, "Young Master Fang, you are well."

Fang Yue looked confused, "Old man, who are you?"

The old man stroked his beard and said, "I am an undisciplined person. I heard that Mr. Fang has obtained a mysterious treasure, so I came here to find out."

Fang Yue was shocked that this matter spread so quickly.

"Old man, I'm afraid you heard wrong. I didn't get any treasure." Fang Yue said.

The old man smiled and said, "Young Master Fang, there is no need to hide it. I have no ill intentions, I am just interested in this mysterious thing."

Zhu Linlang said from the side: "You old man, don't talk nonsense and leave quickly."

The old man was unmoved, "Mr. Fang, this treasure may be extraordinary. If you don't know how to use it, it may bring disaster."

Fang Yue thought for a moment and said, "Old man, if you can really help me solve the mystery of this treasure, I will be grateful."

The old man nodded, "Then let's take a step to talk."

Fang Yue took the old man to a quiet room and wanted to hear what he had to say.

Fang Yue took the old man to a quiet room in the inn, closed the doors and windows, and ensured that no one would disturb him. Then he turned to face the old man and said seriously:

"Old man, since you know so much about this clock, you might as well tell me what it is? What is its origin and purpose?"

The old man smiled slightly, sat down slowly, looked at Fang Yue deeply, and said, "This bell is called the 'Netherworld Ancient Bell'. It is said that it was cast by a powerful monk in ancient times and contains infinite magic power.

It can not only control the flow of time, but also suppress evil spirits and protect the peace of a place.

However, if you do not have the correct method and use it hastily, it may lead to unpredictable disasters. "

When Fang Yue heard this, he was shocked, "Control the flow of time? If you can master this magical ability, it will be a great help, but how can you obtain this correct method?"

The old man shook his head gently, "I don't know about the Dharma Gate either. But according to ancient records, this clock once appeared in a mysterious ruins. Maybe clues can be found there."

Zhu Linlang interjected: "Where is the mysterious ruins?"

The old man pondered for a moment, "It is said that the ruins are located deep in the ice fields of the Far North. The road is difficult and dangerous, and there are dangers everywhere."

Fang Yue frowned, "Even so, it's worth a try to find out the secret of this clock."

The old man nodded in agreement, "However, Mr. Fang needs to be fully prepared before heading to the ruins. Along the way, you will not only have to deal with the harsh environment, but you may also encounter various powerful enemies."

"Thank you for reminding me, old man, I will be careful." Fang Yue said.

The old man stood up and said, "Then I will take my leave first, Mr. Fang can take care of himself."

Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang sent the old man out of the room and began to make plans to go to the ruins.

After Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang sent the old man away, they returned to the room.

"This person's identity is unknown, and his words may not be credible. Especially now, you still have to negotiate peace with Emperor Chu, and we cannot leave Chu State for the time being." Fang Yue said.

Zhu Linlang nodded, with a trace of worry on his brows: "You are right, we cannot leave easily. But how can we solve the secret of this ancient clock? Do we really want to give up this clue?"

Fang Yue pondered for a moment, and said with a firm look: "No, we can't give up. Although we can't go to the Far North for the time being, we can first find clues about the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the mysterious ruins from other channels. Perhaps there are some ancient books or legends in the territory of Chu that can provide us with guidance."

Zhu Linlang heard this, and a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes: "Good idea! We can start from the library or ancient ruins of Chu, maybe we can find some useful information."

Fang Yue nodded, and then stood up: "There is no time to lose, let's start now. You go and prepare, we will go to the library of Chu immediately."

The two quickly packed up and left the inn. They walked through the bustling streets and came to the library of Chu. This is a towering building with a rich collection of books, covering all aspects of Chu's history, culture, legends, etc.

Fang Yue and Zhu Linlang carefully searched for clues about the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the mysterious ruins in the library. They flipped through ancient books, looking for any possible records or legends.

After several days of hard work, they finally found some scattered records about the Netherworld Ancient Bell in an ancient book. Although these records are not many, they provide them with some important clues and inspirations.

"It seems that this Netherworld Ancient Bell is indeed related to the monks of ancient times, and its power is very strong." Fang Yue said in a deep voice, "We must be cautious to avoid disaster."

Zhu Linlang echoed: "Yes, but these clues are still too vague, and we still don't know how to control its power."

Fang Yue frowned and continued to flip through the book in his hand: "But at least we have a better understanding of it, and maybe we can find new discoveries if we look for it again."

At this time, Zhu Linlang shouted in surprise: "Fang Yue, look here!"

Fang Yue leaned over and saw that the page that Zhu Linlang pointed to recorded a description of the mysterious ruins. Although it was brief, it mentioned some special signs and terrain near the ruins.

"This may help us find the entrance faster after finding the ruins." Zhu Linlang said.

Fang Yue nodded: "It is indeed an important discovery, but this alone is far from enough."

They continued to search in the library, and the sky gradually darkened unknowingly.

"It seems that we can't find more useful information today, let's go back first." Fang Yue said.

Zhu Linlang put down the book in her hand unwillingly: "Okay, I can only come back tomorrow."

The two left the library and returned to the inn.

"I don't know if Yang Chan has any new moves." Zhu Linlang said worriedly.

Fang Yue heard this, his eyes slightly condensed, and he pondered: "Yang Chan is a cunning person, we have to be on guard. However, now we have the clue of the Netherworld Ancient Bell, which may become a bargaining chip for us. Even if she takes action, we have a countermeasure."

Zhu Linlang nodded, and the worry between her eyebrows dissipated slightly: "You are right, we can't lose our composure. Continue to search for ancient books tomorrow, hoping to get more clues about the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the mysterious ruins."

The next morning, the two went to the library of Chu again to continue their exploration journey. They knew that every additional clue would bring them one step closer to solving the secret of the Netherworld Ancient Bell.

In the library, they almost read through all the ancient books related to the ancient times, monks, and mysterious relics. Although the process was difficult, they occasionally gained something. Some additional descriptions of the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the possible location of the relics made them excited.

"Look, it is mentioned here that the Netherworld Ancient Bell can 'calm the soul and calm the spirit'. Maybe it has other effects besides controlling the flow of time and suppressing evil spirits." Zhu Linlang pointed to a paragraph of text and said to Fang Yue.

Fang Yue carefully read the text, with a thoughtful light in his eyes: "Indeed, the mystery of this bell is deeper than we thought. Every effect may be the key to our future fight against powerful enemies."

As time went on, they spent more and more time in the library, and their understanding of the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the mysterious relics gradually deepened. Although they have not yet found a way to control the power of the Netherworld Ancient Bell, they have collected enough clues to lay a solid foundation for the future exploration journey.

"We should go back and sort out what we have gained these days, and then plan the next step." Fang Yue suggested.

Zhu Linlang nodded, and the two packed up the ancient books and notes in their hands and left the library. After returning to the inn, they began to sort out the information they had collected these days, trying to find more about the connection between the Netherworld Ancient Bell and the mysterious ruins.

"Look, these clues seem to point to the same direction." Zhu Linlang pointed to several points marked on the map and said, "Perhaps, we can follow the guidance of these clues and approach the mysterious ruins step by step."

"Since it has been proved that what the old man said is true, then we will wait until the peace talks are over before going."

Fang Yue pondered for a moment, his eyes became firm: "Linlang, you are right. We really should not act rashly now, and the peace talks are more urgent. After the peace talks are over, we will concentrate on finding the mysterious ruins and unlock the secrets of the Netherworld Ancient Bell."

Zhu Linlang nodded slightly: "During this period of time, we can't let down our guard. We must always pay attention to Yang Chan's movements to prevent him from taking the opportunity to make trouble."

Fang Yue looked solemn: "Yes, I will arrange people to keep an eye on Yang Chan's situation. In addition, we must continue to practice, improve our own strength, and make full preparations for the subsequent trip to the ruins."

In the days that followed, Fang Yue was busy preparing for the peace talks while using his free time to practice the exercises. Zhu Linlang was not idle either. She carefully studied the clues obtained from the library, trying to find out more key information.

Time passed quickly and the day of peace talks finally arrived.

The empress of the Wei Dynasty, Zhu Linlang, wore a gorgeous royal robe and a phoenix crown. She led her elite guards and a group of court officials to the country of Chu. During this trip, she not only represented the face of Wei, but also shouldered the important task of negotiating peace with Chu.

The peace talks took place in a magnificent palace in Chu State. The palace is resplendent and magnificent, demonstrating the strength and prosperity of Chu State. The envoys of the two countries lined up on both sides, and the atmosphere was dignified and solemn.

Under the gaze of everyone, Zhu Linlang slowly walked into the palace. Her steps were steady and calm, revealing a calm and confident temperament. The king of Chu also attended in person to show the importance he attached to the peace talks.

Zhu Linlang bowed slightly and saluted the King of Chu: "Mr. Chu, we are gathered here today to seek peace and tranquility for the people of the two countries."

The King of Chu nodded in response: "What the Empress of Wei said is absolutely true. I hope this peace negotiation can successfully reach a consensus."

At the beginning of the peace talks, the two sides held heated discussions on many important issues such as border demarcation, trade exchanges, and cultural exchanges.

Zhu Linlang's eyes were firm and her words were sincere: "Chu and Wei are adjacent, and they should be friendly and help each other. There are often disputes in the border areas, so it is better to draw clear boundaries and each guard his own land to protect the people from the suffering of war."

The Chu minister retorted: "The border land is rich in resources, how can it be easily divided?"

Zhu Linlang smiled slightly and said unhurriedly: "Isn't resource sharing and joint development more beneficial than fighting for it?"

Both sides expressed their opinions and argued endlessly.

At this time, a military general from the Chu State stood up and said aggressively: "If the Wei Dynasty is really sincere, he should cede several cities to show friendship!"

Zhu Linlang's face darkened: "The city is where the people live. If we cede the city, wouldn't it mean that the people will be displaced? This is not the way to negotiate peace."

The peace talks reached a deadlock and the atmosphere became increasingly tense.

Fang Yue stood aside, secretly worried and thinking about how to break the deadlock.

At this moment, Zhu Linlang spoke again: "The peace talks are for the long-term benefit of the two countries, not a temporary dispute. If the two sides remain in a stalemate, it will be the people of the two countries who suffer after all." (End of Chapter)