Li Hongjiu paused for a moment at this halfway provocation followed by a semblance of goodwill. Were it not for the death of his sect members, he might have been amused by these two brothers' antics.

He was quick to realize the reasoning behind their gesture of goodwill.

But the truth was, he wasn't afraid at all. Indeed, after damaging so many sects' Magical Treasures, if they all banded together to demand compensation, Yanbao Sect would be hard-pressed to pay.

However, as long as he could take down Shi Chun and obtain the Secret Technique for locating the Divine Fire, would those issues even still matter? Compared to the immense benefits at stake, the destruction of a few treasures was trivial enough for the major sects to overlook.

Once the major sects no longer had objections and leaned toward Yanbao Sect's side, other insignificant parties wouldn't be able to stir up much trouble.

Besides, the reason he was able to summon the earth-shaking force of thunder before was due to favorable environmental conditions in that moment. Out of thin air, he couldn't replicate that kind of display.

And so, he didn't bother to reveal his true intentions.

He sneered coldly, "If you don't tell me who sent Wu Shanshan over, then I'll have no choice but to hold your side responsible for my Yanbao Sect disciple's blood debt."

Shi Chun replied, "As if me telling you would make you stop. I just want to ask — you so-called upright sects, I have no grievances or vendettas with you, yet you relentlessly hunt us down. You've ignored all the rules of the Divine Fire Covenant, fabricated lies to serve your own agenda. Where's the justice? Where's the fairness?"

Once Shi Chun felt justified, he liked to argue with notions of justice.

Li Hongjiu, completely unimpressed, replied blandly, "Coming from someone exiled from the Land of Exile, who treats burning, pillaging, and plundering as daily routine, now preaching about justice and fairness? So… does this mean you've reformed, or simply spewing nonsense?"

Wu Jinliang immediately shot back, "We've already turned over a new leaf! Is it fun to harp on origins forever? Only petty men do that. Who hasn't had moments of downfall in their ancestry? Heroes rise from any background!"

Li Hongjiu: "Big guy, spare me your nonsense. You know perfectly well what we want. Hand it over and you'll be free. Don't force us to take it by strength."

Wu Jinliang chuckled, "Jinliang, these fellows won't quit until death stares them in the face!"

Shi Chun snorted, "Fools that refuse good advice deserve to perish—it's their own fate."

Wu Jinliang immediately brandished his enormous blade arrogantly. "You want the Secret Technique? Forget it! But if you're craving filth, Grandpa's belly has a load ready—who's opening their mouth?"

With such crude words spoken, no one dared speak further.

To put it bluntly, it was simply bravado born of confidence. There was no longer any need for useless words. If they'd come to this point, let the terrifying presence in this place obliterate the lot of them.

Gong Shixi's group observed the scene and quietly let out a breath they'd been holding. They praised Shi Chun and his fellows for staying loyal and not betraying them.

Zuo Zisheng and the leaders of the major sects, however, stood grim-faced. Seeing such defiant strength, their gazes fixated on those Magical Treasures—their apprehension was undeniable.

Usually the one to act as the spokesman of the great sects, Zuo Zisheng surprisingly held his silence this time.

Suddenly, everyone's eyes uniformly turned toward Li Hongjiu.

This was because Li Hongjiu suddenly raised his hand to grasp the hilt of his sword. As he gripped the blade, he also closed his eyes.

In an instant, an ineffable feeling enveloped him. Despite his actions, he seemed serene yet ethereal, his gesture appearing to clutch at the heartbeat of all present.

But no further movements came. He stood there, eyes shut, silent, leaving people unsure whether he was deeply contemplating or wavering in his decision.

What was clear, however, was that his entire presence had fundamentally transformed.

This shift left Shi Chun's group with a vague sense of disquiet.

Then suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

Li Hongjiu stared intently at the array of Magical Treasures laid out by Shi Chun's group. His hand, clutching the sword, began to move. Slowly, softly, he unsheathed the blade. After its sharp edge emerged, he casually let the tip rest upon the ground. Calm-faced and composed, his demeanor carried an air of transcendent ease.

Gone was the drunken rogue. Gone was the man of carefree brilliance and frequent grin.

Shi Chun instinctively glanced around. No winds stirred, no roars of thunder accompanied him. His face betrayed disdain—without divine forces aiding Li Hongjiu as before, there truly wasn't much to fear. After all, they had crossed swords before.

Still, precisely because they had clashed before, doubt haunted Shi Chun's mind even now. He couldn't fathom Li Hongjiu's intentions during their previous fight. If it wasn't a bluff, could it have been deliberate mercy?

Should that be the case, why was he now hard-set against showing mercy?

Even after weaving through countless thoughts, Shi Chun was left baffled and restless.

His unease deepened when Li Hongjiu didn't stop at unsheathing one sword.

Along with the blade at his waist, Li Hongjiu inexplicably produced another sword out of thin air. His hand grasped the hilt, drawing the blade while the scabbard itself hovered statically in the air, seemingly held aloft by an invisible force.

In one swift motion, Li Hongjiu struck the sheath with the flat of the newly drawn sword.

Whoosh—the sheath shot through the air at Shi Chun like an arrow, carried by the sharp sound of wind-breaking.

Simultaneously, Li Hongjiu flashed forward, pursuing the streaking scabbard head-on, dual swords in hand, hurtling toward the Mingshan Sect.

To be precise, he charged solo against the gathered array of Mingshan Sect's Magical Treasures!

So-called courage and valor were embodied in this moment.

No one present had anticipated this turn of events—sect leaders and disciples alike were utterly stunned.

Yin Tianlu's group understood all too well the terrifying might contained within Black Tiger's artifact.

The critical members of the sects had similarly been warned by Wu Shanshan about Shi Chun's fifth-grade Spirit Venerate class Magical Treasure.

Other treasures aside, just these two alone could easily shift mountains and drain seas—yet Li Hongjiu had rushed forth recklessly.

Could the swords in Li Hongjiu's hands be some kind of Magical Treasure? Judging by their appearance, they didn't bear any exceptional features—with simple, unadorned designs, they hardly struck anyone as artifacts of great power.

More notably, the way he wielded them seemed less like commanding artifacts and more like preparing for close-quarters combat.

Shi Chun also couldn't make sense of Li Hongjiu's actions. His gaze naturally fell on the swords as well, sharing the same suspicions as the others.

But anyone with common sense knew Li Hongjiu couldn't have stormed forward without reason; surely this wasn't straightforward suicide.

Shi Chun's group instantly grew tense, as though facing a life-or-death crisis.

In the eyes of everyone watching, Li Hongjiu's figure appeared poised to tear apart the heavens.

The smaller sects, quick to react, had already begun retreating to the rear, knowing Shi Chun's group wouldn't hesitate to unleash the devastating power of their Magical Treasures.

And indeed, action followed thought. How could Shi Chun falter now?

The Black Lotus Dharma Aspect seemed to radiate fury; even without Shi Chun personally taking action, its blade lashed out like lightning, shaking the night sky.

Its sheer might exploded forth, cyclonic winds surging with such destructive force that even the slower-reacting sect members scrambled in panicked retreat.

Some inwardly cursed Li Hongjiu's recklessness. Couldn't he at least give a heads-up before attacking? Yanbao Sect hadn't even sent any reinforcements, yet here he was recklessly throwing himself into the fray!

The issue was that no one had anticipated Li Hongjiu acting so impulsively.

By now, all had realized the truth—Li Hongjiu's swords showed no signs of releasing any Magical Treasure abilities. Was he truly relying solely on flesh and bone to withstand the might of a fifth-grade artifact?

This realization kept retreating sect members frozen in shock, watching Li Hongjiu's movements, waiting for his swords to emit some latent power—there had to be something. Would he truly meet an artifact's thunderous strike head-on with nothing but his bare soul?

The Black Lotus Dharma Aspect moved with startling swiftness, rendering Li Hongjiu's reaction seem sluggish in comparison.

Had any Yanbao Sect disciples been present, they would've despaired seeing him take such reckless risks.

And yet, despite the myriad contingencies life could devise, the unexpected always found a way to unfold.

Everyone's eyes widened as Li Hongjiu's figure surged ahead, directly entering the storm unleashed by the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's sword.

The shockwave emanating from the fifth-grade artifact was no trivial matter. For monks within this realm, it wasn't just destructive; it was unchallenged, even harmless proximity risked reducing one to dust.

Yet Li Hongjiu's flesh and blood truly plunged within, breaking into the storm's turbulence with so light a touch it merely stirred faint ripples before integratively merging within.

The looming blade approached for the kill.

Against this strike, Li Hongjiu's left-hand sword came forward to block.

Crash—a collision rang out, muted in volume yet potent enough to reverberate the air.

Simultaneously, his right-hand sword cleaved downward, meeting the incoming blade edge-to-edge.

BOOM!

This detonation was an embodiment of force, rattling heavens and earth alike.

The scene utterly seized every viewer's heart.

The unmatched power of the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's strike had failed to overpower Li Hongjiu. Not only did his defense hold strong, but his counterstrike sent the blade recoiling in retreat.

The aftermath of their clash made the battlefield momentarily resemble the end of days.

The frozen lake shattered into fragments, the ice and water exploding upward like an avalanche of snowflakes into the air.

The solid ground beneath burst apart with jagged recklessness.

Some scrambled to unleash their remaining treasures to guard against the residual force, while many others were blown away as if weightless scraps of paper—this was no comparison to Shi Chun's earlier assassination attempts when defensive artifacts abounded.

The Mingshan Sect, protected by their arsenal of treasures, stood firm amid the chaos, yet their very souls trembled with fright.

"Damn you, Li Hongjiu!"

Shi Chun's mind screamed in alarm; this confrontation made it abundantly clear Li Hongjiu had concealed his true strength during their earlier duel.

The real issue? The extent of his concealment bordered on absurdity. This bastard evidently possessed a level of power capable of battling Earth Immortals head-to-head. If he had this strength, why feign weakness?

If deception was his goal, why not carry on pretending? Why suddenly go all out now?

There was a method to madness, surely—but Shi Chun now felt as though he was being toyed with until ruin. The shock wasn't just frightful; his very spirit felt unmoored.

Infuriated and baffled, he recalled the special mention of Li Hongjiu's name on South Young Master Nan's warning list—a note advising caution against this highly capable individual. But forewarned as they'd been, Shi Chun couldn't have imagined Li Hongjiu's abilities would stretch credulity itself. Elevating High Martial Realm combat to Earth Immortal Realm levels? What kind of jest was this?

Myths didn't claim so boldly.

Holding back before, then suddenly overwhelming at the critical juncture—it was enough to send frights through the bravest of hearts.

No more room for hesitation; every Magical Treasure must come into play.

Realizing they were unneeded liabilities, the Mingshan Sect members swiftly retreated to avoid dragging others down.

"Do it!" Wu Jinliang howled wildly as he activated three Dharma Aspects—blade, spear, sword—to simultaneously strike.

If this didn't warrant action, then what good were treasures? This wasn't about blindness; allowing Li Hongjiu to close in would spell certain death.

Those other major sects retreating nearby activated their remnants of treasured relics as shields—they hadn't come equipped merely to fight hand-to-hand, after all. Amid untouched fragments from earlier clashes, defensive properties activated now served best as buffers against the oncoming storm.

Even retreating figures from Zuo Zisheng's party, who prided themselves upon cautious foresight, reeled in trauma witnessing Li Hongjiu's devastation. Despite sect-wide advisories marking him as a dangerous opponent, no one had visually comprehended the scale until now.

Zuo Zisheng privately thanked heaven he hadn't challenged Li Hongjiu head-on prior to this.

That figure charging meteoric to the forefront now seemed luminous against the night's vast expanse.

Every sect leader and disciple stood frozen in awe—their widened eyes bereft of blink as they grasped the inevitability: after this battle, Li Hongjiu's name would ascend mythic renown.

But even as he shattered the Black Lotus Dharma Aspect's strike with his twin blades and faced subsequent waves of attack, more awaited.

The Three Corpses Mirror unleashed its infernal aura—black light consuming Li Hongjiu.

The Immortal Strangling Silk erupted into coiling vengeance—webbed in pursuit of Li Hongjiu.

Three Dharma Aspects, armed with blade, spear, and sword, drove mercilessly into the charge against Li Hongjiu as well.

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