Black Tiger was somewhat surprised. He hadn't expected this woman to have other connections with Shi Chun and his group. Upon reading the contents of the contract and discovering that Shudao Mountain was the guarantor, he was rendered speechless. Suddenly, he lifted his gaze to her and asked, "That Spirit Venerate Magical Treasure—was it you who traded it away?"

Although the contract itself didn't specify that it was a Spirit Venerate Magical Treasure, he wasn't foolish; it was clear that this woman knew the flaws of the other party's Spirit Venerate Magical Treasure.

Naturally, he also realized the implication of her bringing up this matter and showing him the contract.

He was simply baffled. What was going through this woman's mind, trading such a valuable treasure for a single Divine Fire?

However, being an Artifact Refiner, thinking it over more carefully made it understandable. If someone had never absorbed Divine Fire before, and they were presented with one piece of Divine Fire and a forged Magical Treasure to choose from, after a difficult decision, the majority might still opt for the Divine Fire.

The problem was that he hadn't sensed any trace of Divine Fire emanating from Wu Shanshan herself. Instead, he caught the scent from a fellow sect member standing behind her. What was going on?

For now, these questions didn't matter. What mattered was that Wu Shanshan had agreed to make her move, and the other party wanted his response.

He responded lightly, saying, "Rest assured. If there's a flaw, it won't do me any good even if I take it."

Across the way, Shi Chun shouted loudly, "Have you found the Divine Fire to trade back?"

Wu Shanshan withdrew the contract and replied in a clear voice, "That's correct. I've found it, and I've come here to trade it back."

Shi Chun wouldn't believe such nonsense, but he had no choice but to play along for now. After sizing her up, he asked, "Where's the Divine Fire? Take it out and let me see."

Wu Shanshan replied, "I need to confirm first whether my treasure is still in your possession. Once I've seen the treasure, you'll naturally see the Divine Fire."

Shi Chun's lips twitched slightly. The reason he hadn't taken out the treasure was to lower the opponent's guard, make them feel safe, and even tempt them into launching a surprise attack—intending to catch them off guard and eliminate them swiftly.

His good intentions, however, were unappreciated. Instead, they demanded he produce the treasure first. What kind of game was this?

Although puzzled, he also sensed that something was amiss.

"Planning to snatch it back?" This thought flashed across his mind.

Without hesitation, he flipped his palm and conjured a small black metallic lotus platform, no larger than the size of a hand, which rested in his palm.

Simultaneously, another shimmering silver Kesi handkerchief-like object appeared in his other hand.

He displayed them to the others, saying, "Here they are. Now, where's the Divine Fire?"

Wu Shanshan's figure leaned slightly toward Black Tiger, and she reminded him, "If you notice that he loses control of the black lotus platform, strike immediately. Be cautious of that handkerchief—it can expand into a net and shred people within it."

Black Tiger was about to ask why she wasn't making her move.

But before he could speak, the answer became clear.

Wu Shanshan first produced the Ice Sheep, taking a deep breath, then raised the Green Jade Flute in her hand. Bringing the flute to her lips, she began to play, activating her techniques.

The melody began softly, lingering tenderly in the air amidst the roaring wind. It spread and penetrated through the chaos, imbued with a deep sense of longing.

As the crowd was still puzzled by what she was doing, Shi Chun's expression suddenly changed drastically. His gaze immediately shifted to the black lotus platform in his palm.

Wu Jinliang also looked over, only to see Shi Chun's hand trembling as he held the black lotus.

The black lotus began to emit glimmers of light, slowly unfurling and expanding—not due to Shi Chun's influence. Shi Chun hadn't even activated the treasure; it was moving of its own accord.

Thinking it might be an illusion, Shi Chun shook his head in disbelief. But in his mind, a hazy image suddenly appeared: atop a mist-shrouded mountain peak, a slender woman dressed in an icy-blue velvet gown played a flute.

The figure in Shi Chun's vision was definitely not Wu Shanshan—their builds were different. He sensed she was stunning, far surpassing Wu Shanshan's beauty, yet he couldn't clearly make out her features. Despite this, he felt he was gazing at his one true love.

Realizing something was off, Shi Chun tried to resist the intrusive thoughts forming in his mind while tirelessly working to stabilize the trap he had set. His rational mind told him the moment he had been anticipating was imminent.

Opponents on the other side noticed the anomaly with Shi Chun, observing his treasure cycling between expansion and collapse in apparent distress.

Still playing her flute, Wu Shanshan sidestepped slightly, never breaking her rhythm, and shot Black Tiger a sharp glance. The meaning couldn't have been clearer.

Black Tiger immediately unleashed three cushion-sized objects he had been carrying under his arms. Each one spun into the air like a flying disc, from which beams of light emerged, forming silhouettes of humanoid figures. Alongside this, metallic threads from the cushions outlined rough human shapes.

Across the battlefield, Tong Mingshan inhaled sharply, realizing that the treasure contained three fused Artifact Spirits—each of which had been refined from human essences.

At that moment, as the treasure was revealed, Tong Mingshan immediately sensed danger and shouted a warning, "Master, be careful!"

But it was already too late. The three humanoid light forms quickly emerged up to their waists from the cushions, brandishing weapons—blade, sword, and spear—and charged toward Shi Chun with ferocious intensity.

Their aura was overwhelming, as if gods and demons had descended upon the battlefield. Just by witnessing the scene, observers knew this was no ordinary treasure.

Members of the Extreme Fire Sect recognized the artifact immediately. It was called "Heaven, Earth, and Human," a fifth-grade treasure that was equivalent in power to three fifth-grade treasures combined—a force to be reckoned with.

Black Tiger also rushed forth, aiming to swiftly capture Shi Chun and prevent his escape.

He didn't intend to kill Shi Chun yet, as the matter of the Divine Fire Secret Technique hadn't been clarified. How could he casually dispose of such a pivotal figure?

The reason Black Tiger unleashed such a powerful treasure right from the start was twofold—to provide additional defense against Wu Shanshan's unpredictable tactics, and to guard against any deception from Shi Chun's side. Wu Shanshan had already warned him about the handkerchief's net-like ability, so Black Tiger deployed his prized treasure to ensure safety and triumph.

Faced with this terrifying charge, Shi Chun's eyes reddened in anguish. Realizing that life and death hung on the brink, he chose to abandon control of the black lotus treasure entirely. With a desperate gesture, he hurled the destabilized lotus behind him while summoning all his magical power to reinforce the invisible wall blocking the incoming attack.

Gale winds and the momentum of the charging treasure nearly shredded the wall apart.

Shi Chun hadn't anticipated Wu Shanshan tampering with his treasure beforehand, which was why she had willingly handed it over. Now, he understood the betrayal and realized how dire the situation had suddenly become.

But in this perilous moment, he didn't even have time to signal Wu Jinliang.

Seeing Shi Chun ready for a final stand, Wu Jinliang, who had often fought alongside him, instinctively grasped the lethal gravity of the situation. With no choice but to act, he shouted helplessly, "Let's fight!"

Under the stunned gaze of everyone present, Wu Jinliang raised the massive blade resting on his shoulder and fearlessly charged toward Black Tiger head-on.

He couldn't afford to hesitate. Shi Chun claimed the Divine Fire had been absorbed, rendering the immobilization skill ineffective against its wielder. Wu Jinliang knew he had to engage the enemy in a desperate life-or-death struggle before the Divine Fire's overwhelming power could break free from its constraints.

Life and death teetered on a razor's edge. Wu Jinliang was keenly aware that his life meant little in the eyes of their adversaries. Charging headlong, he might spare Shi Chun's life, but he was certain his own would be disregarded.

So as he swung his massive blade with ferocious intent, he let out a blood-curdling roar from the pit of his stomach.

To the astonishment of all, the towering figure not only charged at Black Tiger but also aimed his deadly blade at the three divine-warrior forms crafted from the treasure.

"Brother Wu!"

"Wu Jinliang!"

"Jinliang!"

"Dodge!"

"Come back!"

The members of the Mingshan Sect erupted in chaotic cries of alarm.

Zhener turned her head, puzzled, and curiously observed their reactions.

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