The unknown inspires fear; before ever setting foot on Lake Heart Island, Master Shi would rather die than venture near it, given the chilling rumors of the past.

But when forced to make a trip there, upon facing the supposed horrors in person, he realized they weren't all that terrifying—particularly compared to the actions of Master Nine, which were unforgivable.

Yet, as soon as he voiced his thoughts, he shocked those around him. Having narrowly escaped, why would he willingly head back? This was asking for death!

Not to mention Xu Anzhang couldn't wrap his head around it, and Wu Jinliang widened his eyes in disbelief.

Wu Jinliang, however, considered himself fairly well-acquainted with Shi Chun and understood that the Master was not one to take risks without substantial profit.

For Master Shi to willingly expose himself to such danger, the rewards must be extraordinary. Paltry benefits wouldn't be enough to sway him—it wasn't worth it. Their fortunes had long outgrown the days of the Land of Exile. They now had wealth, women, and magical treasures; risking their lives for a few meals was a thing of the past.

Once upon a time, a mere hundred Sandalwood Gold would compel them both to risk their lives. These days, even a million wouldn't suffice. Though their good fortune had only lasted a few years, people are fickle like that.

As they stood there, staring at each other in bewilderment, Shi Chun gestured at Xu Anzhang and another man, "You two will come with me."

"Ah..." They exclaimed in unison, exchanging glances before looking back at Shi Chun, hesitant and at a loss for words.

Shi Chun wasn't interested in their willingness. He declared, "You're going whether you want to or not. You're both useless with clipped wings—neither rooster nor bird. We've come this far; if you don't listen to me, you'll have no way out. There's no room for choice—whether it's crossing the border or avoiding the Demon Path."

He then turned to Wu Jinliang and said, "You stay here with the others and wait for my signal."

Wu Jinliang hesitated. He was afraid of danger and of dying, but ultimately he suggested, "I'll go with you. At least we can watch each other's backs."

Having weathered many risks together, the pair knew well that coordination and trust between people often surpassed sheer cultivation prowess.

"Cover up this hole. And keep the noise down," Shi Chun ordered, gesturing toward the cave behind them. He pressed Xu Anzhang and the other man into action, then signaled Wu Jinliang to step aside for a private conversation—it wasn't as simple as leaving without a word; he had things to pass on.

What choice did Xu and the other man have? Watching Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang walk away, they entered the cave themselves, only to find Wu Shanshan lying lifeless on the ground.

The two quickly glanced at the cave entrance, then crouched by Wu Shanshan to examine her, behaving like thieves. Upon inspection, it was clear she was thoroughly, irrevocably dead.

Whatever Wu Shanshan had endured before her death—or whatever Shi Chun had done to her—they had no way of knowing. There was no time to scrutinize her remains either. If they managed to escape, they could report to their superiors later.

Afterward, the duo carefully worked to collapse the cave bit by bit, minimizing noise as much as possible.

From the mountaintop, away from the others, Wu Jinliang asked in suspicion, "Chun Tian, you're not still thinking about targeting the God Relics in the Earth Heart Tower, are you?"

He cut straight to the point, unwilling to believe Shi Chun would take such risks for Zhener. Pretty words were meant for outsiders; the two of them knew each other's dirty secrets far too well.

Shi Chun retorted, "If there's an opportunity, why not seize it?"

This response made Wu Jinliang thoughtful and hesitant. "Are you saying this is about Master Nine? He does seem a little off."

Shi Chun replied, "Only him? If he doesn't make a move, do you think the other old monsters in Earth Heart Tower won't act either? Master Nine's attitude reflects the Tower's overall stance. It's not just him who's acting strange—it's all the old monsters in there. It seems like Master Nine doesn't dare make a move!"

Wu Jinliang, piecing things together, frowned. "But why? And what if we've misread the situation?"

Shi Chun explained, "Didn't I promise Zhener to propose? Someone interfered last time, so continuing seems appropriate now. And if we're overthinking, then I'll emerge, prepare the betrothal gifts, and we can take off when the time comes."

Wu Jinliang understood clearly now—it was a reconnaissance mission: strike hard if feasible or bolt if things soured. Their old, opportunistic ways from the Land of Exile hadn't changed.

But still, he was concerned. "You want things to be simple—go when you want, leave when you want—but I'm afraid they won't play along."

Shi Chun reassured him, "Isn't Master Nine quite reasonable? A group storming his home and slaughtering suitors still prompted him to patiently talk things over. Why would he suddenly flip out on me, a peaceful proposer? Truth be told, if he weren't reasonable, I wouldn't dare go back."

Though blunt, his reasoning held merit. Wu Jinliang nodded slightly but quickly added in realization, "If there's no danger, why won't you let me come along? Master, you're not planning to keep it all to yourself, are you?"

Shi Chun dismissed the jab. "We're scouting, not risking both our lives. Xu and the other guy know your location. If things turn south, they won't necessarily stay loyal. Once we're gone, relocate with the Mingshan Sect group immediately but leave markers behind. If the situation permits, I'll reach out to you.

If the exit opens and I haven't returned, don't wait. Take everyone and head for the exit immediately.

The people guarding the exit might capture you but won't kill you without knowing the full picture. Just keep the Divine Fire secret and you'll live. The closer to the end you're leaving, the less trouble you'll face. Once outside, they won't have control over you, and Young Master Nan will surely step in to protect you.

If I don't come out, that's where my story ends. For you, the rest will be easy to untangle except for anything tied to Demon Path—that'll be sticky. Honestly, you shouldn't have followed me onto this Demon Path in the first place. But no sense dwelling on it now. The rest is up to you."

Wu Jinliang winced as though with a toothache. "Talking like you're writing your will again—later you'll want a bigger share, won't you? Fine, whatever. You're the one calling the shots anyway."

Shi Chun showed no reaction. Facing the horizon, he quietly muttered, "If it's truly a one-in-a-lifetime chance for a big score, I can't let it slip. Moments like this might never come again. If we miss it, we wouldn't have made it this far. I don't know grand philosophies; I just know that there are opportunities which, if ignored, cost us our survival. Jinliang, we have to survive. We have to live life fully."

Words like these could only truly resonate with someone who had long struggled to survive in desperation, envying those who lived in comfort, longing to defy fate.

With that, he turned and left, summoning Xu and the other man to depart together.

Back at camp, Chu Jingtang and the others surrounded Wu Jinliang, demanding answers. "Where did the Master go? What's the situation?"

Gone was Wu Jinliang's usual cheeky demeanor. With a calm face, he replied, "We're relocating. Follow me!"

He then led the group to a new position.

As they moved, the crowd couldn't help speculating about what had transpired between a man and a woman inside the cave...

Meanwhile, the vicinity of the exit grew livelier.

After a terrifying force from the Forbidden Land compelled the sects to abandon their pursuit, various factions sent personnel back to the exit to relay the news.

This time was different from previous reports—it was to inform their respective elders that they were giving up on tracking Shi Chun and seeking the Divine Fire's Secret Technique. Essentially, they admitted failure and shifted the responsibility upward, hoping for guidance.

If elders insisted on continuing the search, they'd comply, though reluctantly. Otherwise, they'd revert to their original Divine Fire quest, like newcomers entering the Divine Fire Domain for the first time.

Such futile exertions marked many moments in life—endless labor with little to show for it.

The Qianyan Sect followers also returned, with Gong Shixi eavesdropping nearby.

Having abandoned hope of seizing victory himself, Gong had fallen victim to misguided methods peddled by strangers and wasted most of his time chasing Divine Fire without success. He knew further effort was futile.

Thus, he shifted focus to sabotaging the rival faction's chance at victory—namely Shi Chun's.

But things had changed now: Shi Chun had gone underground within the Forbidden Land. Finding him was implausible. The bruised sects had little energy left for disputes, and Gong saw more value in listening at the exit for actionable intel.

Shortly after news broke that Li Hongjiu had been severely harmed, the Yanbao Sect contingent arrived en masse.

Not seeing Li Hongjiu among the disciples, Yanbao Sect's elder rose in alarm, dispensing with formalities to sharply ask, "Where's your uncle?!"

Guang Haoyou stepped forward, his face grave. "Uncle was injured by Shi Chun. He's recovering and instructed us to report back."

"Huh?"

"What?"

"Tch…"

The surrounding elders made curious sounds. Earlier reports claimed Li Hongjiu was struck by a dreadful entity, yet now it was Shi Chun?

Was it their own disciples lying, or Yanbao Sect's? Neither seemed likely; why would an entire sect fabricate such a claim? Yanbao Sect disciples weren't exactly incentivized to deceive their elder on this matter either.

Yanbao Sect's elder froze briefly, relieved that Li Hongjiu was alive. Earlier intel couldn't confirm his fate. Straightening up, he pointed at Guang Haoyou and barked, "Explain yourself clearly—who injured your uncle?"

With steadfast determination, Guang Haoyou answered, "Shi Chun!"

The elder stroked his beard and scanned the other disciples, then glanced at those who'd delivered prior reports, seeking indications of deceit.

The earlier messengers looked puzzled, seemingly unsure of Guang Haoyou's motives for twisting the truth.

Sensing some opportunity, Shudao Mountain's elder Jin Guiqi interjected, "Did you witness Shi Chun injuring Li Hongjiu firsthand?"

Guang Haoyou merely glanced at him before deferring to his elder—not a word without permission.

Yanbao Sect's elder emphasized again, "Did you see it yourself?"

Guang Haoyou shook his head. "No."

This admission prompted a collective eye-roll.

Yanbao Sect's elder squinted, "Did your uncle claim Shi Chun was the culprit?"

He pondered whether Li Hongjiu might've first faced the Forbidden Land's deadly force and then encountered Shi Chun.

Guang Haoyou hesitated, eventually replying, "Uncle didn't say, but he returned wounded after pursuing Shi Chun."

Some couldn't suppress laughter, mocking Yanbao Sect for relying on such an amusing spokesperson.

Frustrated, Yanbao Sect's elder retorted, "So you're basing this accusation on mere conjecture? Fool! Do you think Shi Chun even qualifies as your uncle's opponent?"

Yanbao Sect disciples exchanged uneasy glances—they weren't fully convinced.

With outsiders laughing and their elder enraged, Guang Haoyou reluctantly disclosed further context. "Before Uncle chased Shi Chun, he did fight him once and was indeed injured during that encounter. We all witnessed it ourselves."

Careful not to expose the family shame of Uncle frightening Shi Chun away with trickery, Guang simply kept it vague.

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