Annoying as it was, this matter still had to be faced.

After a wait, Elder Pan and Elder Jie finally arrived.

After the two elders paid their respects to the Sect Master upon entering, they saw him pacing back and forth without reacting. Exchanging glances, Elder Pan Gongying tried to ask, "Sect Master, are you troubled by the constant disturbances from various sects regarding the matter of Tong Mingshan?"

Elder Jie Lunguang sighed, "We are also troubled by this matter to no end, with people constantly coming to ask."

As Yan Qufeng paced, he shook his head, seemingly talking to himself, "It's not like that."

Huh? The two elders exchanged glances again, not understanding what he meant.

Later, Yan Qufeng stopped in front of them and asked, "What do you think are the probabilities of our sect disciples absorbing Divine Fire after entering the Divine Fire Domain?"

"This…" Elder Pan Gongying had a troubled expression.

Elder Jie Lunguang hesitated for a moment before responding, "This matter depends on many factors, including the right time, place, and people—it's largely a matter of luck. Based on past events, the vast majority of sects end up with nothing. We can hope, but there's no need to put too much pressure on the disciples—doing their best is enough."

In a tactful way, he expressed that the probability was not great.

Yan Qufeng countered, "Then why do the larger sects always have a better chance of finding Divine Fire compared to the average sect?"

After some thought, Elder Pan Gongying spoke, "There are several reasons. First, they have predecessors in their sect who have absorbed Divine Fire and can provide guidance, allowing them to get a sense of the Divine Fire's attributes in advance. This increases their sensitivity to Divine Fire, ensuring at least that they won't easily miss it. Just this point alone makes them much stronger than the rest.

Furthermore, due to their contributions with offerings, they have more people entering, which increases the probability of finding it.

Large sects are inherently strong, and having more people means greater strength. In case of a contest for the Divine Fire, they are more likely to come out on top.

With all these advantages combined, those large sects definitely have a much higher probability of success than other sects."

Elder Jie Lunguang stroked his beard and nodded in agreement, "Brother Pan makes sense, that's exactly it."

Yan Qufeng: "So, if we increase our numbers, we could significantly improve the probability of our disciples absorbing Divine Fire."

Elder Pan Gongying forced a smile, "Where could such good fortune come from…" He paused, suddenly struck by a thought.

Elder Jie Lunguang also caught on, his gaze flickering as he said, "Are you referring to Tong Mingshan's people as additional help?"

Choosing his words carefully, Yan Qufeng slowly spoke, "Adding thirteen people at once would be hard not to increase the probability. And don't forget, they also have a Shi Chun. You all saw his performance at the Sky Rain Meteor Conference. If he's willing to make an effort, the probability could be even higher. And Tong Mingshan is the Sect Master."

His implication was clear: by winning over Tong Mingshan, naturally, those thirteen people would follow.

Elder Pan Gongying hesitated, "He's already been expelled from the sect, having founded his own sect. It won't be easy."

Yan Qufeng: "And what about his master? He's been training under his master since he was a child—doesn't he have any feelings? Whether it works or not, we must probe and try our best to win them over.

With thirteen people attending the conference and not even having enough numbers, it's clear they are not taking it seriously, just going through the motions. They are idle anyway, so convincing them to put in some effort may not be that difficult.

The Divine Fire Domain opens tomorrow; there's no time to lose. Elder Jie, go immediately, bring his master from the sect, and make it fast!"

"Right away, I'm on it." Elder Jie Lunguang quickly departed with a bow.

Once he left, Elder Pan Gongying shared his concerns, "The Mingshan Sect has not yet reported in; they might be pressurized into not coming at all."

Yan Qufeng: "It's possible they could arrive later; regardless, we need to be prepared."

Turning around, he paced back and forth again with his hands behind his back, "After all, he was an elite disciple trained by our sect. To be frank, the ability of a newly established sect to join the Divine Fire Alliance... We may have underestimated Tong Mingshan's capabilities."

Elder Pan Gongying thought for a moment before saying, "With his abilities, it might not necessarily be his doing. It could be someone else—Shi Chun seems more likely."

Yan Qufeng nodded in agreement, "That makes sense, but for him to be the founder and Sect Master of his own sect, named after him—do you think he could do that without some influence among those people?"

Elder Pan Gongying contemplated and nodded slightly.

And for some, learning the inner workings of how the Mingshan Sect's thirteen people joined the Divine Fire Alliance was not difficult—they were well aware that it was Young Master Nan orchestrating from behind the scenes and even knew the reason behind his actions.

On another picturesque and comfortable stretch of beach, Gong Shaoci was accompanying Lan Qiaoyan and her daughter Miao Yilan, enjoying the seascape and listening to the rise and fall of the tides.

It was Gong Shaoci who had invited the mother and daughter.

They had received Gong Shaoci's invitation well in advance, and at that time, they were still unaware that Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang were going to take part in the Divine Fire Covenant.

The two of them were here purely because of Gong Shaoci's invitation. Lan Qiaoyan readily agreed, having made arrangements well in advance and even taken care of her daughter's leave early.

Miao Yilan didn't particularly like her mother's arrangements nor did she reject them. The same went for her attitude toward Gong Shaoci. Since childhood, she had been quite obedient, accustomed to her family's arrangements, and understood her mother's intentions. If her family decided to marry her off to Gong Shaoci, she wouldn't reject it and would comply.

If her family felt it wasn't suitable, then she wouldn't marry.

Her family had long exposed her to the ways of the world, letting her understand that their arrangements for her would be the best.

And because she knew Gong Shaoci might become her husband, she was somewhat shy each time she met him.

Of course, Gong Shaoci was handsome, and his circumstances were very good, so Miao Yilan's shyness was tinged with anticipation for love.

The reason Gong Shaoci extended this invitation was that he saw the Miao family was quite interested in Shi Chun at the Sky Rain Meteor Conference and thought they enjoyed watching.

Miao Dingyi did not come. He was basically in charge of Bowan Building in the entire Shanbu Continent. To some extent, it was his territory, and if he wanted to come, he could come at any time.

The scenery was beautiful, far more attractive than the Land of Exile. After some small talk, Lan Qiaoyan asked, "So, you've known about Shi Chun participating in the Divine Fire Covenant for a while?"

Gong Shaoci smiled and replied, "Yes, I won't hide it from you. I've known two months ago. I've also had a hand in pushing it forward."

Lan Qiaoyan turned her head to look at him, "Does that mean, you also have a stake in the gambling organized by Young Master Nan this time?"

Gong Shaoci didn't hide the truth from her: "Everyone said it's just for fun. It would be improper if I were to stubbornly refuse to participate. I'm just joining in for the excitement."

Miao Yilan slightly frowned, "Is it really okay to gamble with people's lives for fun?"

Gong Shaoci quickly explained, "That's not the case. The Divine Fire Domain is isolated from the outside world. The Xun Gate is useless, the Heavenly Mirror is useless, even paired talismans have no effect. The outside can't see what's happening inside, and long-distance contact from the inside is inconvenient, largely eliminating the possibility of manipulation. The Divine Fire Covenant will carry on as it should; there's just an extra betting pool on the side."

Lan Qiaoyan followed up, "Young Master Nan maneuvered Shi Chun and the others in, isn't it to manipulate the betting game?"

Gong Shaoci awkwardly said, "Sort of, but not really. First of all, it was Shi Chun's own request to join for fun, and Young Master Nan simply gave a nudge. Young Master Nan thinks that Shi Chun saying he's going in just for fun isn't quite believable, so once Shi Chun enters, it will be a huge variable, and may well lead to the loss of those sects that were originally at an advantage."

Lan Qiaoyan understood, "In other words, your betting game this time had been calculated in advance and was sure not to lose, it's just a matter of how much is earned. But introducing a variable into it could potentially lead to a windfall for you."

Gong Shaoci gave a sheepish smile, "That should be the idea. I don't really understand; I'm just playing along."

Lan Qiaoyan then turned to her daughter, "Lan Lan, do you see? Interrupting the Artifact Refining sects from breaking the Divine Fire Covenant is something not even the Heavenly Court, nor the four great continental Royal Courts can easily achieve, but they managed to accomplish it behind the scenes."

Miao Yilan was pensive.

Gong Shaoci could only give a bitter smile, having explained over and over again; there was no need for further explanation.

Lan Qiaoyan asked again, "Where is Shi Chun now?"

Gong Shaoci replied, "He should be on his way, hasn't checked in yet."

"He hasn't arrived yet?" Lan Qiaoyan was somewhat surprised; she wanted to meet him.

Last time, the gift that Shi Chun sent to her daughter had given her whole family a big scare.

The last time Shi Chun fetched those eleven people from prison, she had agreed as well. Little did she expect that the group of people released would become a sect, and were even planning to venture into the Divine Fire Domain.

The people were released by Shi Chun, so she was well aware that although Shi Chun was not the Sect Master, he was certainly the leader of those people.

Little did they know, at that moment, Shi Chun was not far from there, walking on the beach with Young Master Nan, taking in the breeze, and admiring the scenery.

But a mood-dampening matter arose. A message from Feng Chi's matched talismans came: They have learned about the establishment of the Mingshan Sect and want to see you.

"What's happened?" Seeing him shake his head, Young Master Nan asked.

Shi Chun simply showed him the message.

Young Master Nan realized who the 'they' referred to and was surprised, "It's been over two months, and you've brought them all here, with the event starting tomorrow. And yet you still haven't told them they're going in?"

Shi Chun responded to the message first, saying he would arrive shortly, then explained, "The later I tell them, the less they have to worry."

"..." Young Master Nan was speechless. Such consideration for others was new to him; he couldn't help but smile wryly, "It won't be a problem, right? I've put so much effort into getting you guys in, you're not going to back out at the last moment, are you?"

Shi Chun reassured him, "Don't worry, it will be fine, at least three people are willing to go in. Let's leave it there, I have to go back and handle some things."

"Go on then." Young Master Nan shooed him away with a wave of his hand and after sending him off, he quickly called out, "Remember to let me know when it's all clear."

It was unclear whether Shi Chun heard him, but Shi Chun had already vanished into the distance, leaving Young Master Nan sighing, "So troublesome. I thought everything was settled long ago. Why didn't you say anything? You've been aimlessly wandering the island with such a carefree attitude. I'm the one who's worried sick here."

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