Shi Chun, swiftly approaching the gathering crowd of sect members near the ground, was pondering how to strike the right balance to blend in with them. The sudden arrival of Zuo Zisheng's group caught his attention, causing him to unconsciously adjust his movements.

In a split-second reaction, taking advantage of the fact that the sects' attention inevitably turned to the arrival of the three major sects, he boldly emerged and landed directly behind the group from the three major sects.

The formation of this batch of arrivals showed subtle deliberation: the Refining Heaven Sect took the lead, seemingly shielding the sides, while the Yanbao Sect was at the rear. The Shudao Mountain delegation appeared to be surrounded in the center.

Under normal circumstances, no sect would willingly fall into such a disadvantageous position.

Shi Chun was too familiar with the Shudao Mountain sect, from their clothing to the appearances and figures of members like Gu Lianni. After spending so much time together, a mere glance before landing revealed Shudao Mountain's precarious situation, even though Gu Lianni seemed to be one of the leaders up front alongside Zuo Zisheng.

Shi Chun landed last, positioning himself right behind the Yanbao Sect group.

A few members from the Yanbao Sect looked back instinctively. Seeing a calm, masked individual casually approaching people from other sects and even nodding as though greeting acquaintances, they lost interest and stopped paying attention.

In truth, Shi Chun wasn't exactly greeting anyone but merely nodded briefly to the nearby sect members and made an offhand gesture as if asking them to make way while subtly avoiding the Yanbao Sect's observing eyes.

Though he appeared composed, his mind wavered because of a single piercing glance from earlier, leaving him slightly tense.

That distinctly different gaze had come from the front of the three major sects—from the unfamiliar man standing next to Gu Lianni. He'd suddenly turned back to scrutinize him. Although the lighting was poor, it seemed as if the man's sharp eyes had detected something unusual.

That scrutinizing look shattered Shi Chun's composed demeanor, making him sense danger. He felt an internal alarm but dared not betray any weakness or suspicion, forcing himself to maintain an air of nonchalance.

Shi Chun could more or less guess who the man was: someone from the Yanbao Sect, standing at the front—likely their leader, Li Hongjiu.

Though Shi Chun didn't recognize Li Hongjiu, the name seemed distinct enough. When reviewing the roster, this name stood out as one warranting special attention. In fact, Young Master Nan's briefing on participants had specifically singled out this individual, warning that his capabilities were uncertain—potentially a formidable expert to be reckoned with.

As the saying goes, one excels in their specialty—an indisputable truth. While the Artifact Refining World in general is not adept at combat, this observation is understandable given that most of their efforts are devoted to their craft, leaving them relatively weaker in other areas.

Of course, practitioners in the Artifact Refining World compensate for their deficiencies with magical treasures.

Thus, it's rare to hear someone describe an artifact refiner as being skilled in combat; compliments usually focus on their advanced refining techniques.

To praise an artifact refiner's martial might instead of their craft might even come across as an insult.

In the information provided by Young Master Nan, only Li Hongjiu was marked as "capable in combat," with the extra qualifier of "very."

However, even this assessment carried a prefix: "possibly."

This ambiguity left people scratching their heads, though its general implication was clear—Li Hongjiu should be treated with caution.

Previously, Li Hongjiu had been just a name on paper, yet the piercing gaze he unleashed earlier made Shi Chun suspect the "possibly" prefix should perhaps be removed. Shi Chun's finely-honed instincts, cultivated in the Land of Exile, warned him of imminent danger.

Indeed, his suspicion was correct—the one who abruptly turned around wasn't anyone else but Li Hongjiu.

It was an intuitive reaction—Li Hongjiu sensed someone descending alongside their group. The subtle difference in how Shi Chun landed compared to others did not escape his notice, triggering an instinctual response to turn and observe closely.

As the saying goes, a tiny misstep can lead to a colossal error. Those endowed with perceptive minds can catch thunder in the smallest cracks.

Whether a person acts with finesse often hinges on attention to detail.

And what Li Hongjiu immediately saw wasn't normal. A masked figure? It heightened his vigilance. Utilizing his elevated vantage point, he peered over the crowd, fixing his gaze on Shi Chun.

Soon, however, he let go of his suspicions upon seeing the masked man interacting amiably with other sect members, evidently appearing as an acquaintance. He reasoned that masking one's face in this windy terrain was understandable—perhaps this was merely someone running errands for one of the sects.

Besides, what sort of "villain" would deliberately draw attention by wearing a mask in plain view?

After a few more seconds of observation, Li Hongjiu turned away, refocusing on moving forward alongside the group.

The few disciples from Yanbao Sect who had glanced back had similar responses, dismissing any suspicions and continuing with the group.

Meanwhile, the sect members whom Shi Chun gestured to for passage, though uneasy at his unusual attire, hesitated to question a presumed ally of the three major sects. Intimidated by the trio's authority, they begrudgingly made way.

Though they were puzzled by Shi Chun's unique masked appearance, they held no desire—or authority—to intervene in the three major sects' affairs. Beyond casting a few curious glances, there wasn't much else they could do.

The top three sects within the Artifact Refining World appeared to have joined forces, advancing through the crowd toward the central figures led by Yin Tianlu.

Shi Chun accompanied them, walking casually beside disciples from the Refining Heaven Sect, occasionally gesturing for others to step aside. Those who did merely gave him a couple of puzzled looks, assuming the masked stranger was one of the three sect members.

Even the Refining Heaven Sect members noticed the masked man traveling alongside them, but they neither concerned themselves with who he might be nor grew interested—after all, anyone amidst the gathering crowds was undoubtedly affiliated with some sect.

Shi Chun moved as he observed Gu Lianni and the others, occasionally glancing at the Qianyan Sect's group. He couldn't help but wonder if Gong Shixi had lost his mind. How dare he openly ally with the three major sects to challenge him?

Shi Chun couldn't help but feel concerned for Gong Shixi's future. How would he explain himself to the Demon Path's Three Sects afterward?

As for Shi Chun's own identity as a Demon Path practitioner, he was confident that unless some extraordinary circumstance arose, Gong Shixi wouldn't dare risk exposing him—if anything, Shi Chun's exposure might cause trouble for Gong Shixi himself.

Demon Path practitioners might not excel in every area, but their obsessive tenacity was unmatched, often striking fear into their enemies with their relentless pursuits—a trait that made them exceedingly formidable.

If Gong Shixi dared to betray the Demon Path publicly, he would likely face a relentless pursuit lasting millennia.

Meanwhile, the Qianyan Sect delegation accompanying the three major sects had faded to the rear behind the Yanbao Sect group. Unlike the three major sects, they couldn't force their way through the crowd and had no choice but to fall back gradually.

Among those swept forward by the Refining Heaven Sect were Xu Anzhang and You Mu, who naturally drew Shi Chun's attention as he pondered their intentions and why they were mingling with the three major sects.

Fortunately, although the two were caught up in the situation, their visible caution, gripping magical treasures tightly as they remained wary of those around them, was evident.

This made Shi Chun consider approaching the pair to uncover what was truly happening.

Looking farther ahead, Shi Chun noticed Wu Shanshan among the crowd. Strangely enough, the Demon Path's Three Sects had all congregated here—what an unexpected spectacle.

But for Shi Chun, Wu Shanshan remained his primary focus. At that moment, his most pressing goal was to eliminate this witch.

With darkness and strong winds serving as his cover, the air was thick with unknowable danger.

Amid the chaotic rustling of robes, the three major sects finally pushed through the crowd to confront the Extreme Fire Sect group.

Yin Tianlu, who had summoned the sects for discussion, stepped forward to face the newcomers.

Among the arrivals, the attention inevitably fell on Zuo Zisheng's group, overshadowing interest in the masked man who had joined them.

Even Wu Shanshan caught sight of the masked figure but only spared him fleeting glances before losing sight of him due to the crowd. Without using her Demon Eye outright, she couldn't discern Shi Chun's identity or the distinct energies marking his presence. Thus, her focus shifted back to the prominent figures before her.

Shi Chun intentionally evaded her gaze, leveraging others' positions to shield himself from view. Though he was certain Wu Shanshan couldn't openly use her eye's abilities, he remained unsure of the specifics of her superpower and took precautionary measures to avoid exposing himself.

After noticing her brief glance in his direction, he carefully observed Wu Shanshan's reaction from behind cover, ready to flee at the slightest indication of a problem.

Three key objectives demanded his attention: blending in seamlessly, maneuvering close enough to strike Wu Shanshan, and ensuring his escape afterward.

Nothing was as important as his safety. Compared to preserving his life, successfully eliminating Wu Shanshan was a secondary concern. Escape constituted the crux of his plan.

However, spotting the Qianyan Sect among the crowd bolstered his confidence. If things went awry, he wouldn't hesitate to call for Gong Shixi's help, forcing him to intervene—whether Gong liked it or not. Gong Shixi's public defection had left him with no choice but to assist.

Shi Chun trusted that Gong Shixi wouldn't dare abandon him. If he did, Shi Chun would expose him entirely, dragging Gong Shixi into his fall.

Fortunately, Wu Shanshan's behavior seemed normal upon observation. She displayed no suspicious reactions causing Shi Chun undue concern.

At this realization, Shi Chun stepped out from behind cover and began cautiously inching closer to Wu Shanshan.

With the three major sects finally mingling among the crowd, creating a temporary commotion, Shi Chun committed to advancing toward her before the masses settled. Once they remained static, his isolated movements would appear far too noticeable, jeopardizing his plans.

Moving closer didn't necessarily mean striking immediately; he wouldn't act without certainty. However, being near enough was essential for leveraging critical moments when opportunities arose unexpectedly.

Until the decisive moment to act, Shi Chun lacked a concrete plan. The safest strategy was to adapt and strike when the chance presented itself!

Even in the absence of an opening to eliminate Wu Shanshan, he intended to gather intel on the three major sect leaders' discussions, hoping to uncover useful leverage points for future endeavors. Returning empty-handed was not an acceptable outcome.

As he edged closer to Wu Shanshan, he remained vigilant, constantly assessing whether Li Hongjiu was paying attention.

Whenever adjusting positions, he focused on blocking not only Wu Shanshan's line of sight but also Li Hongjiu's perspective.

Li Hongjiu, meanwhile, scanned the crowd again, shaking his head in wry amusement before managing a faint smile. He couldn't help but wonder aloud whether everyone had gone insane. For the sake of obtaining the Divine Fire, they had all convened here as if bargaining in a marketplace, seemingly oblivious to the Forbidden Land's looming dangers.

As Yin Tianlu stepped forward to greet the visitors with a polite gesture, Zuo Zisheng immediately broke the silence with a playful jab, "Brother Yin, your strategy was truly masterful. That neat trick to retreat lured us all here—you have my admiration, truly!"

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