"There really isn't much wariness. For the current eleven people, they don't think they have any value worth being tricked by Shi Chun, nor is there a need to deceive."

Lao Changtai then asked, "I heard that the Divine Fire Domain can only be opened when some great powers from the Artifact Refining Sects cooperate?"

Tong Mingshan replied, "It's both yes and no. Not every great power can participate in opening the Divine Fire Domain. Those who can participate must at least be the predecessors who had the opportunity to absorb the Divine Fire in the previous opening, and have survived till now with cultivation reaching at least the Human Immortal Realm."

Wu Hong asked, "How many people need to work together to open it?"

Zhu Xiangxin interjected, "Opening the Divine Fire Domain is not necessarily related to the number of people; it mainly depends on how many Divine Fire properties one controls. One needs more than half of the Divine Fire properties to open it, meaning at least eighteen types of Divine Fire properties are required for a successful opening.

If one person has only one type of Divine Fire property, then at least eighteen people are needed. If someone possesses all eighteen types, then that person alone is sufficient to open it."

Tong Mingshan nodded. "Exactly. However, currently in the Cultivation World, the one with the most Divine Fire is Situ Gu, the elder of the first Refining Sect 'Refining Heaven Sect.' About six hundred years ago, he entered the Divine Fire Domain and absorbed and fused six types of Divine Fire, mastering high-level Artifact Refining skills, making him the top Artifact Refining Master in the Cultivation World today. Others who possess two or three types of Divine Fire properties are already considered quite good."

As hot winds like waves struck the people walking and chatting along their way, they thought of finding a place to settle down first, asking about the situation at each inn they saw.

Unknowingly, they discovered the exorbitant accommodation costs—the cheapest cost two thousand gold a day.

When Wu Hong couldn't help but grumble to the attendant about it, "If that's the case, we might as well go through the Xun Gate to stay in Yan State."

The attendant immediately laughed, "Gentleman, it seems you know very little about the opening of the Divine Fire Domain. Once the Divine Fire Domain is opened, under the majesty of Divine Fire, many things within a certain range will be affected. The Xun Gate will lose its function, and even mother-and-son talismans cannot be used. Once you leave, during the period of the Divine Fire Domain Great Conference, you shouldn't think about re-entering easily unless you travel a long way by flight to Yan State."

Chen Wuji immediately turned his head to look at Tong Mingshan, who nodded slightly, confirming it was true.

The attendant continued, "You see, our newly established inn also cost a lot of money. We have only forty-nine days, plus a few days before and after, not more than fifty days in total to make money. Once the Grand Competition of the Divine Fire Domain is over, these will all be abandoned here. The supply of fresh goods requires long-distance hauling. The Li Huo Sect also takes a large cut, so our costs are high.

Two thousand a day is relatively cheap now, but once it officially starts, whether there will be any rooms available for you is a problem. This area is the home of the Li Huo Sect, we can't let you wander around. We've only cordoned off this area for outsiders to enjoy the spectacle. Areas beyond are forbidden to outsiders."

Shi Chun patted Chen Wuji on the arm, signaling, "Let's go."

The others thought he also found it too expensive, and the inn attendant watched them leave with disdain.

But Shi Chun didn't go far before saying, "If we're staying, let's find a good place. Everyone, see which inn has the best environment."

Hearing this, Fang Zicheng hurriedly said, "Master, we can make do. We are all Cultivators, the environment doesn't make much of a difference."

"Yes," Zhu Xiangxin also did the math, "According to that attendant, the good ones cost five thousand gold a day. For the sixteen of us, that's eighty-one thousand a day. Spending that much for forty to fifty days is really unnecessary."

It wasn't that they didn't want to enjoy themselves, but they felt uncomfortable in their conscience; eating and taking for free was one thing, but insisting on the best felt unreasonable by both emotion and logic.

Feng Chi and Xiang Laner kept their heads down, silent. They thought to themselves that planning to stay for forty to fifty days was overly optimistic—the most would be three days.

Because they arrived just three days before the opening of the Divine Fire Domain.

Although the two didn't know the current financial status of Shi Chun, they knew that Shi Chun had once made five hundred million in one go. This kind of minor expense was nothing for him, worrying over nothing.

Shi Chun said, "Alright, I have an idea. Jinliang, take care of each other, pair up in rooms, go handle it, and we'll continue to walk around and enjoy."

Wu Jinliang chuckled, "Alright."

He slung a big gourd over his shoulder and strode off, followed quickly by Duan Xiangmei.

Tong Mingshan muttered, "The Artifact Refining Sects attending the conference don't have to spend money; the Li Huo Sect has set aside a special area to host them, showing hospitality."

Shi Chun smiled, he, of course, knew this, but chose to keep a low profile temporarily.

Feng and Xiang were also aware, avoiding the free accommodation was to deceive these people. Thinking back to how Shi Chun once used the alias Wang Sheng to deceive them, they couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

As long as they weren't living there long-term, the seascape of Li Huo Island was beautiful, offering a unique charm compared to the mainland.

As the sun set in the west, Shi Chun and his group stood in a line on the beach watching the sunset, their silhouettes momentarily picturesque, the sky resplendent.

Only after dusk did the group head to an inn named "Divine Fire Palace," which had the best temporary environment and conditions, presenting the most lovely landscape of mountainous islands. Just observing the selection of the site and finding no other inns nearby indicated that the owner was exceptional.

The building looking like a palace made of jade on the outside, the interior environment was not like a temporary arrangement.

That night, everyone gathered inside a pavilion by the sea, enjoying good wine and food, contemplating the future.

Shi Chun didn't scrimp on food and drink, as everyone wouldn't consume much over a few days, and they might soon need to recruit people to risk their lives.

Beyond this region, heading in another direction from the Xun Gate, lay a vast valley surrounded by slopes dotted with pavilions and towers, brilliantly lit everywhere.

This place was known as "Qi Yun Valley," a location used by the Li Huo Sect to host guests. Cultivators from four major continents and over a thousand Artifact Refining Sects were arriving here consecutively.

The Sect Leader of the Hundred Refinement Sect, Yan Qufeng, personally led his followers here, numbering in the dozens.

It wasn't just the Hundred Refinement Sect—nearly every Sect Leader of the participating Refining Sects had come personally, a level of importance and formality that the Sky Rain Meteor Conference couldn't match.

No sooner had Yan Qufeng's group settled into a building than he heard a faint commotion from outside in the valley.

He immediately said, "Send someone to check."

"Yes." Someone took the order, and several went together.

Yan Qufeng, who had barely sat down, took out a register labeled "Divine Fire Covenant" to review. This was provided by the reception staff upon their arrival at Qi Yun Valley. It was not one per person, but each participating sect received three copies.

The first page contained densely written details of the covenant, which he already knew without looking, so he flipped to the section listing the participating sects and their members.

He scrutinized it carefully, knowing that as a participating sect, studying the competition was inevitable.

Delicately turning the pages, he noted the names of the sects and the closely packed names of the participants.

Most of the sects were familiar, but he recognized few names of the participants, as the disciples attending generally had lower cultivation, and certainly, he wouldn't know many.

After finding the page for his Hundred Refinement Sect, he thoroughly checked the names of their participants, and only after confirming they were correct did he feel somewhat reassured. He then closed the register and set it on the desk.

Shortly after, the disciples who went to scout came back and reported with a bow, "Sect Leader, there is a dispute outside over the names listed for the conference. Someone found a name that shouldn't be there. They say Shi Chun from the Sky Rain Meteor Conference has sneaked in and also wants to enter the Divine Fire Domain. Some express dissatisfaction, saying he's not an Artifact Refiner."

"Is that so?"

Two elders, upon hearing this, came forward. One of them entered the door and exclaimed in surprise.

"Shi Chun…" Yan Qufeng muttered. The name wasn't unfamiliar to him; because of this person, the Hundred Refinement Sect had even had to expel an elite disciple. He immediately asked, "Which sect did he join?"

"He's said to be with the Mingshan Sect."

"Mingshan Sect?" Yan Qufeng pondered for a moment then lifted his gaze to the two elders and asked, "Do either of you know of this Mingshan Sect?"

One shook his head, "Quite unfamiliar."

The other also shook his head, "Never heard of it, likely not a famous sect."

Saying so, he already took out the register.

The Sect Leader and the two elders began consulting the register.

Finding a sect among the over one thousand participating, with some thirty thousand names in the book, was no easy task. Fortunately, they only needed to quickly flip through the pages to look for the sect's name.

When the register was about halfway through, one elder's hand stopped. He muttered, "Mingshan Sect, Shi Chun, Shi Chun, oh yes, that's right, this is it, this is the Mingshan Sect, hmm? How come this sect has significantly fewer people than others?"

It wasn't that his eyes were failing him; the difference was too glaring. Upon comparing top and bottom, the Mingshan Sect's list of names was noticeably shorter.

Still doubting his sight, while counting the names, Yan Qufeng, who had turned the page, asked him, "Which page?"

"Ninety-seven," replied the elder.

After confirming, Yan Qufeng and the other elder quickly turned to that page and indeed found the Mingshan Sect and Shi Chun's names.

The other elder, having looked over the page, murmured, "It seems there are names missing."

The counting elder said, "Thirteen people, including the Sect Leader, yet seven are missing. What's the situation with this sect? Did they have to grab Shi Chun last minute because they didn't have enough people? It can't be the same name, right?"

The other elder added, "It's that Shi Chun for sure. Look, that Wu Jinliang is also listed; it's impossible for a sect to have two people with the same name coincidentally, and I remember they were associates. The Sect Leader's name also looks familiar, Tong Mingshan, Tong Mingshan, uh?"

The three men, quite numb to lower-level disciples' names, scanned the name several times without recognition until then, they finally realized in unison, and all looked at each other, their faces filled with uncertainty and surprise.

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