Shi Chun could understand everyone's anxiety about whether they could get out. He scanned their reactions, and his gaze ultimately landed on Zhener's face, whose reaction was the most direct and genuine.

When she heard the phenomenon in the distance signified the opening of an exit, Zhener's response was predictable—her eyes fixated on that direction, filled with yearning and longing.

She had been trapped here far too long and had dreamed of the outside world for an endless amount of time. However, she was also obedient, or perhaps trusted Shi Chun.

Since Shi Chun hadn't said they could leave immediately, she patiently held back her emotions and waited.

What Shi Chun valued most about her wasn't her obedience nor her unique beauty, but rather her connection to Situ Gu.

He believed that upon hearing this woman's name, Situ Gu would not be able to keep his composure.

Because one thing was undeniable: Situ Gu had definitely not disclosed Zhener's existence to his sect. Otherwise, Refining Heaven Sect would not have remained indifferent during the subsequent entry into the Divine Fire Domain. If there existed such a straightforward means to uncover the Divine Fire, a convenient method to create a second Situ Gu—how could Refining Heaven Sect remain unmoved?

On the contrary, the fact that Refining Heaven Sect disciples had pursued Shi Chun deep into the Forbidden Land partially confirmed his judgment.

Though Shi Chun was unsure whether Situ Gu was hiding Zhener's existence to protect her or for selfish reasons, one thing was clear: Situ Gu absolutely did not want the matter of him secretly searching for the Divine Fire Secret Technique to be exposed, especially to his sect.

Therefore, even if Shi Chun couldn't break the Earth Heart Tower's binding on Zhener—even if he couldn't take her out of the Forbidden Land—he would still write a letter containing similar content and send it to Situ Gu.

"Wait."

He uttered the word lightly, both as an answer to An Wuzhi and as a reassurance to Zhener.

But the people by the exit could wait no longer. The passage had already opened and wouldn't wait for anyone.

The magic artifact at the mountaintop exit, called the "Heaven Measuring Stick," had rings that hovered and rotated. Once they settled, an overseeing elder cast a spell and shouted, "The exit is open! To prevent chaos and conflict, all sects must follow orders: line up to ascend in an orderly fashion and leave. Anyone recklessly charging through will face severe consequences without mercy!"

On-site, the Ten Great Sects had already organized some disciples to form a corridor up the mountain. On the peak, Refining Heaven Sect disciples held up a basin-sized mirror to oversee the process, while disciples from the other nine major sects stood vigil nearby to guard the "Rebirth Mirror."

The setup was clear: anyone leaving had to pass through the corridor and undergo scrutiny from the Ten Great Sects' disciples. Any discerning observer would know this was aimed at Shi Chun's group.

In other words, even if someone from one of the major sects wanted to privately allow someone through, it would be hard to deceive the system.

With elders personally stationed at the exit wielding treasured artifacts, the likelihood of someone attempting to forcibly escape was nearly zero.

Aside from some added protocols, there was no room for procrastination here—it was not a place for delay.

A group of disciples from the Ten Great Sects first demonstrated the process by ascending the corridor, then flying into the vortex in the sky, their figures vanishing quickly.

On the surface, it seemed the disciples were demonstrating how to leave, but only the Ten Great Sects knew that they were sending people ahead to report back to their sects and leadership, ensuring their decision-makers could learn of recent developments as quickly as possible.

Whether they could act one step ahead often determined who had the upper hand in controlling the entire situation. Those with the advantage naturally wanted to make the most of it.

Not all disciples from the Ten Great Sects were rushing to leave. Each sect clearly left behind some personnel for logistical support, such as identifying and verifying people.

Gui Yun Valley's leader, Gu Lianni, wasn't rushing to leave either. Standing atop the mountain, she gazed around at the scene. The skies had brightened significantly, revealing a vast and desolate expanse of wilderness and mountain peaks.

Elder Jin Guiqi had initially planned for her to first leave and report back—a safer course of action. Elder Jin trusted the Sect Master would interpret his gesture appropriately, but Gu Lianni had decided to stay behind, entrusting Yuan Yao with the task of leaving first to deliver the report.

She wanted to wait and see if Shi Chun would come, and more importantly, to see how he would act.

Yanbao Sect's Yin Tianlu, too, wore a sour expression and remained rooted in his position. Without apprehending Shi Chun, he didn't know how he could face his sect upon leaving.

Even their elder from Yanbao Sect wore a gloomy, sinister expression—clearly influenced by the disastrous results and heavy losses suffered by their disciples during the event.

Li Hongjiu similarly stood atop the mountain, surveying his surroundings nervously. Something was undoubtedly off; the Fengluo Sect had approached him again, asking for information on people sent to notify Feng Zuoyi. They claimed that the person meant to contact Feng Zuoyi hadn't been found at the rendezvous point Li Hongjiu had indicated.

While dealing with Fengluo Sect was manageable—it had to be admitted that authority can indeed resolve many issues—the real concern was Shi Chun. Li Hongjiu couldn't figure out if Shi Chun was in trouble or up to something sinister. While inclined toward the former, he harbored suspicions about the latter purely because of Shi Chun's cunning nature, making it impossible not to be vigilant.

But the reality was clear: with the Ten Great Sects guarding the exit, there was no space for trickery.

In the distant mountains, cloaked in a hood, a figure bore an expression of grief—it was none other than Yan Ketao, the traitor of Shudao Mountain and a spy planted within the sect.

Refining Heaven Sect had initially sworn they would get him out successfully, yet now, their team leader Zuo Zisheng had personally informed him—with heartfelt regret—that he would have to wait alone for an opportunity to escape. If no chance arose, he would need to prioritize the sect's greater interests at the cost of his own.

Put bluntly, Refining Heaven Sect had abandoned Yan Ketao, and his chances of escape this time seemed slim.

Of course, Zuo Zisheng also expressed the sect's goodwill, stating that while the safest method would be to silence him permanently, the sect wouldn't resort to such measures.

Some matters could use any debased means behind closed doors, but no sect would openly admit to such actions.

There was no helping it—Refining Heaven Sect hadn't anticipated Shi Chun's mess, and now, the scrutiny enforced by the Ten Great Sects made it impossible to smuggle Yan Ketao out. Similar to how Yanbao Sect secretly attempted to smuggle Shi Chun out but ultimately had to abandon the idea.

In truth, if Refining Heaven Sect hadn't volunteered the use of the "Rebirth Mirror," Yan Ketao might have actually had a shot at escaping.

But clearly, the Refining Heaven Sect elder stationed here deemed catching Shi Chun far more important than saving Yan Ketao's life.

The Heaven Measuring Stick reflected a stable glow into the vortex overhead, indicating the pathway to the other world remained accessible and secure.

As waves of people entered, on the other side, the reverse vortex over Li Huo Island began spewing individuals out, depositing them onto the brightly lit peak of Qi Yun Valley under the veil of the newly fallen night.

"Ha! They've returned!"

"Look closely, they're emerging, they're coming out!"

On the mountain and at its base, sect personnel cheered in unison, while countless people amassed on the shore also erupted into celebration.

Even those who had placed massive bets stared, wide-eyed, at the unfolding scene.

Among them was the disheveled Young Master Nan, who couldn't bear to sit idly on his ship anymore. He had moved closer to the exit, straining to witness the spectacle firsthand.

From the moment the Divine Fire Spirit Gate reopened its passage and his orchestrated betting pool closed, his emotions oscillated dramatically—half hoping Shi Chun would defy expectations, half regretting gambling on Shi Chun in the first place. These conflicting feelings encapsulated the thrill of gambling. For someone like him, simple wins and losses no longer held any allure.

In the crowd were others with unconventional expectations, like Ten Thousand Grass Hall and Vermilion Bird Pavilion, hoping desperately for news of Zhu Xiangxin and An Wuzhi.

Then there were individuals like Duan Xiangmei, whose fervent worry prompted anxious searches.

At the other extreme, Lan Qiaoyan and her daughter lounged in casual leisure, acting as unbothered spectators. In their view, the outcome was quite obvious: the Lifebound Lotus Lamp confirmed Shi Chun and his companions were unharmed—they just had to wait for them to emerge. What could possibly go wrong?

Lan Qiaoyan, in some ways, trusted Shi Chun. When her daughter had expressed concern earlier, she had laughed while reassuring her: the Divine Fire Domain might sound dangerous, but its challenges likely paled in comparison to Life Prison. That cunning man knew exactly how to stay alive. One doesn't become the leader of East Nine Plain for so long by mere chance. Could someone so ordinary truly warrant our attention?

"Sect Leader, I have urgent news to report."

On the peak, Yuan Yao, just freshly emerged from the vortex, didn't even bother exchanging pleasantries with senior sect figures. He went straight to Sect Leader Gu Yanduo, bowed, and began signaling with his eyes.

A low-ranking disciple daring to gesture to the Sect Leader raised a few eyebrows among the Shudao Mountain leadership, all of whom exchanged knowing glances, realizing the matter must be significant.

Gu Yanduo, upon noticing his daughter hadn't yet arrived, nodded slightly, assigned someone to manage the peak, and led Yuan Yao and others down to the valley.

It wasn't just Shudao Mountain. As disciples from the Ten Great Sects began returning to report, the sect leaders gradually vacated the peak as well.

The observant among them had already sensed something unusual—something unforeseen in the Divine Fire Covenant...

Under the Heaven Measuring Stick, passing through the corridor of disciples and climbing to the mountaintop, Xie Wanti and Chi Anlan once again locked eyes with Li Hongjiu. Both appeared visibly nervous, worried Li Hongjiu would see through them.

Fortunately, Li Hongjiu didn't perceive their anxiety. Instead, he shifted his gaze away, not meeting their eyes. He, too, was nervous—concerned about how Fengluo Sect would address their absence upon their return. Undoubtedly, he would be reprimanded again.

The group from Fengluo Sect flew into the radiant vortex and disappeared into its cascading streams of light.

When they reappeared, they were greeted by the familiar sights of Qi Yun Valley, touching down upon its peak.

Given Fengluo Sect's leadership lacked the authority to remain on the peak, they were quickly ushered down, prohibited from lingering.

Before descending, Xie Wanti and Chi Anlan glanced around the scene, noting the absence of the sect leaders. This perplexed them, as those key figures had been present during departure.

Instinctively, they looked for Situ Gu. They had, after all, seen the letter addressed to him, yet they didn't realize Situ Gu had already been discreetly led away by the recently returning Zuo Zisheng and his team.

Bearing heavy responsibilities, they dared not linger. Hastening down the mountain, they spotted Fengluo Sect Leader Tang Qianjin arriving in person with sect members—his excitement, plain for all to see.

"Hey, Fengluo Sect lads! How many strands of Divine Fire did you manage to collect?"

Members of other sects teased loudly, trying to pry some information.

What Xie Wanti whispered quietly to Tang Qianjin remained unknown, but it immediately prompted Tang to lead his disciples away.

Instead of branching out elsewhere, they returned to the temporary quarters allotted to Fengluo Sect in the valley.

A hurried group met them at the residence, where elders stationed some disciples outside. Among the delegation, only Xie Wanti and Chi Anlan entered the main hall with Tang Sect Leader.

With a creak, the doors closed. Xie and Chi each handed over two secret letters to the leader, then comprehensively reported on the events within the Divine Fire Domain.

If you find any errors ( broken links, non-standard content, etc.. ), Please let us know < report chapter > so we can fix it as soon as possible.