Moral constraints still prove rather effective for famous sects, especially when under the watchful eyes of the crowd.

Yin Tianlu felt both embarrassed and annoyed at the accusation, but he couldn't refute it. The collaboration between the Extreme Fire Sect and Forget Love Valley was well known among the spectators, and now that Forget Love Valley was in danger, the Extreme Fire Sect's failure to take action was indefensible no matter how one looked at it.

Yet the reality was that only Wu Shanshan had a way to locate Shi Chun and the others. How could he simply stand by without intervening?

The magical treasure he held in his hand, ready to strike, wasn't just for show.

His temporary restraint was merely a cautious decision, not recklessness. Observing and weighing the situation before acting was reasonable. After all, it wasn't his own people in danger, and moreover, Forget Love Valley's successive usage of magical treasures appeared to offer some degree of self-defense, compelling him to adopt a wait-and-see attitude.

But now, realizing that the seemingly endless procession of magical treasures was nothing more than a façade, with little practical use—including that imposing-looking invisibility treasure, which was swiftly discovered and pierced by a single sword strike—he began to reconsider.

It was all just this.

Of course, the critical factor was gauging the masked figure's strength. Acting publicly in front of so many people would be hard without giving careful thought. If the masked figure's power were truly overwhelming, regardless of the consequences for the Extreme Fire Sect's reputation, Yin Tianlu wouldn't risk sending them to their doom, especially since their hopes of winning the competition were already non-existent.

It wasn't until Wu Shanshan grabbed the masked figure's blade as he stabbed, their bodies locked in a stalemate, that he finally understood the masked figure's true capabilities. They weren't much after all.

Observing a few deaths in Forget Love Valley and noting that the masked figure had exhausted his techniques—relying only on magical treasures to harm Wu Shanshan—Yin Tianlu decided it was time to make his move.

But before he could act, the woman from Forget Love Valley embarrassed him with a shout.

Annoyance aside,

he still struck. As the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect pivoted its sword toward another target, Yin Tianlu's eerily green "Heavenly Net Sword Bone Umbrella" shot forth like a bolt of lightning, exploding directly against the towering silhouette of the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect.

The earth-shattering impact prompted Shi Chun to furrow his brows and dart his gaze sideways, silently muttering, "Damn it." He had hoped these guys would remain idle, but to his dismay, they acted after all.

With a mere thought, the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect turned its sword sideways to block.

Boom!

In an instant, the heavens and earth seemed to collapse with resounding echoes, as the surrounding giant tornadoes connecting the sky and ground were shattered one by one.

The earth crumbled, its solid surface breaking apart like tofu, collapsing and exploding into rubble. Even a mountain could have been reduced to mere dust in a heartbeat.

This was the terrifying power of a battle between masters of the Earth Immortal Realm—a force even the land itself could not withstand.

Shi Chun knew that, with his cultivation alone, it would be impossible to survive the sheer aftermath of such high-level magical treasures clashing. He would be effortlessly crushed to bits if not for prior preparations.

As the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect blocked with its sword, it simultaneously moved to shelter Shi Chun by casting a protective spell over the area.

Still, Shi Chun turned and exerted his full power to cast protective magic on himself.

Yin Tianlu's allies, anticipating the chaos, hurriedly brandished their magical treasures and activated their protective powers against the onslaught. Even Gu Lianni unsheathed her "Green Soul Refining Rainbow Sword" to defend herself.

The wave of dirt and rock unleashed by the crumbling earth surged outward, colliding violently against the barriers they created, resembling raging waves striking the shore. The tremors left all struggling to maintain their balance.

A bizarre scene unfolded: the immense residual force of the clash encountered resistance on both sides of the combatants, unable to dissipate freely, carving a deep chasm into the earth between them.

Some disciples from smaller sects were frightened out of their wits, retreating and fleeing from the area.

Even disciples from renowned sects showed visible unease and anxiety on their faces.

Shi Chun was no exception—rarely had he witnessed such devastation. The last occasion had been during the fight between Bian Que and the green-clothed man, but this time, it occurred right in front of him.

As the whirlwind of dirt soared into the sky, obscuring everyone's vision, Wu Shanshan—trapped within the Immortal Strangling Silk—suddenly revealed a sinister smile.

The muscles on her face twitched as though her features were coming back to life.

A surge of demonic qi briefly flickered across her body, instantly breaking free from the immobilization skill's grip.

This was the moment she had been waiting for.

Her entire being transformed into a red mist, dissolving and streaming through the gaps in the Immortal Strangling Silk like a snake, a sight as eerie as it was unsettling.

As she escaped, she pulled Shi Chun's embedded blade out with her.

Her first act upon breaking free was to repay Shi Chun in kind. Persisting in her humanoid shape amidst the chaotic aftermath of battle, she quickly retaliated by stabbing toward Shi Chun's back with lethal precision.

But to her shock, Shi Chun spun abruptly with a sudden, sword-wielding slash—completely unforeseen and catching her off guard with sheer speed and ferocity.

Wu Shanshan was stunned. She had assumed her stealthy movements, masked by the chaos, were undetectable to Shi Chun.

What she didn't realize was that Shi Chun's cultivation technique reacted strongly to demonic qi. At first, he hadn't noticed her approach, but his Bath Demon Skill instinctively began to absorb the surrounding demonic qi, alerting him to danger.

Relying on his acute survival instincts honed in the Land of Exile, Shi Chun didn't spare even a glance to confirm what was happening. Sensing imminent threat, he grabbed the nearest weapon available—whether sword or blade—and acted with unerring precision.

When she attacked, Shi Chun could clearly feel the force of her strike. Without panic, he didn't evade; instead, he countered with an aggressive slash, adopting a life-for-a-life approach.

Threaten him? Wu Shanshan sneered inwardly. She had the upper hand—her blade was closer to Shi Chun, aimed at his chest, and her strike would land far before his sword could meet its mark.

In other words, her blade would claim Shi Chun's life before his sword could retaliate.

Neither of them dodged.

Wu Shanshan was inwardly astonished, realizing Shi Chun, a ruthless figure from the Land of Exile, was even more vicious than those of the Demon Path, treating his own life with reckless disregard.

As Wu Shanshan's blade struck him, she felt a reactive force explode upon contact, partially neutralizing her attack. The sound of the clash was drowned out in the cacophony of battle, but it still momentarily thwarted her assault.

Her blade faltered, yet she redoubled her efforts to drive the weapon deeper into Shi Chun's chest.

She believed she still held the advantage.

But the delay cost her dearly.

The moment her blade grazed Shi Chun's chest, her mocking expression froze as she realized her weapon wouldn't penetrate. The strike was blocked entirely, unable to cut further.

What the hell? He must have been wearing some kind of protective armor!

For the first time, panic set in. Wu Shanshan attempted to wrench the blade deeper or push Shi Chun entirely away as she hastily prepared to retreat.

Though her cultivation exceeded Shi Chun's, her powerful shove merely sent Shi Chun flying backward.

Yet even as his body was propelled upward, his sword slashed downward with unyielding force.

Wu Shanshan couldn't dodge fast enough. Her hand deflected the sword at the last second, but the resulting explosive recoil from the weapon blasted it aside, and she watched as the sword embedded itself into her shoulder.

An icy, weightless feeling spread across her shoulder, where pain hadn't yet registered. In the corner of her eye, she caught sight of her severed arm flying away.

Fortunately, she had avoided a fatal blow.

Leaving her arm behind, Wu Shanshan immediately flashed to another location, escaping as fast as possible with a sense of panic. She feared Shi Chun's immobilization skill and felt an urgent need to flee.

The force of Shi Chun's fall collided with the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's legs, and something trembling nearby nearly slapped him in the face.

Turning his head, he spotted a silver-white invisibility blanket flapping on the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's sword in the wind.

Though the blanket had failed to block piercing attacks, its resilience had exceeded Shi Chun's expectations.

Fuming with regret over his failure to decisively kill Wu Shanshan, Shi Chun furiously grabbed the blanket for some consolation, stashing it in his Qiankun Bracelet.

Though it had suffered a massive tear, he wasn't sure if the invisibility treasure was still functional. Even if it were broken, there were professions capable of repairing magical treasures—he might try his luck later.

Others might scoff at its seemingly frail defense, but Shi Chun knew better. Without his right-eye superpower revealing its flaws, the treasure could have caused him serious trouble. It was certainly worth keeping.

Wind from the clash of two high-level magical treasures roared around him, clearing away rubble and rapidly dispelling dust, restoring clarity to their surroundings.

From across the yawning chasm, the crowd faintly glimpsed the conclusion of the battle between Shi Chun and Wu Shanshan, catching sight of Wu Shanshan fleeing while leaving an arm behind. Though they hadn't seen the fight's details, her escape puzzled them, as the Immortal Strangling Silk still hung nearby.

Gong Shixi blinked, watching from the sidelines.

Shi Chun fixed his gaze on the direction of Wu Shanshan's retreat, knowing her escape would spell trouble. With a flick of his hand, the Immortal Strangling Silk retracted, transforming into a handkerchief before landing in his palm. He then leapt back into the lotus platform within the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect and raced after Wu Shanshan, unwilling to let her go.

But when it rains, it pours. A sharp, penetrating flute note echoed from afar, stunning him and flinging him off the lotus platform.

The Black Lotus Dharma Aspect clutched its head and knelt. Shi Chun's mouth curled slightly beneath his mask, already certain it was Wu Shanshan's ploys at work. His failure to act decisively was now coming back to haunt him.

Meanwhile, in the sky above, emerald light illuminated the ground. Shi Chun squinted toward the sky—and saw the eerie green umbrella that had battered the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect now ascending and unfolding, raining down countless shafts of glowing green light.

These shimmering "raindrops" weren't rain at all—they were flying swords, some plunging straight down while others danced through the air with elegance. A dense surge of swords swarmed toward him, their unstoppable force converging on a single point.

"It's over," Yuan Yao muttered softly, while Pang Hou beside him sighed lightly.

Standing at the forefront with her "Green Soul Refining Rainbow Sword," Gu Lianni ultimately refrained from stepping forward to assist, though her face held a touch of regret.

They all understood—Shi Chun's two opponent-facing treasures had originally been stolen from Wu Shanshan. Judging by the state of the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect, it was obvious he had been bewitched, and the Immortal Strangling Silk couldn't suppress the Extreme Fire Sect's "Heavenly Net Sword Bone Umbrella." This battle was over.

In a way, this outcome was favorable—it resolved lingering concerns and uncertainty alike.

Amid the crowd, Xu Anzhang and Youu Mu exchanged hesitant glances, both visibly conflicted, with Xu Anzhang biting his lip to the point of bleeding. Were they really about to take on the impossible? The decision weighed heavily on them.

Meanwhile, facing imminent peril, Shi Chun knew he lacked the capability to withstand the incoming strike. Calling for aid would be hopeless—a battle like this wouldn't wait for reinforcements.

Having learned from his previous interference mishaps, he didn't waste a single thought on resisting the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's disabled form. Instead, he drew it back, shrinking the treasure and swiftly stashing it in his Qiankun Bracelet.

Assuming a deep horse stance, Shi Chun flipped his palm over and slammed a colossal gourd down onto the ground. Facing his formidable opponent, he breathed out heavily and cried, "Activate!"

Boom! The gourd exploded into smithereens as he clasped his hands together, forming a virtual embrace before thrusting both arms skyward, seemingly challenging the heavens themselves.

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