Sect Leader Tang couldn't understand what scripture this Young Master Nan was reciting, but he could clearly grasp the peculiar surprise showing on the other's face. At first, even he was astonished, so it wasn't far-fetched to imagine that the Young Master might ask the same questions he did soon enough.

On this matter, he was slightly concerned, worried that the other party might hesitate to deliver the message to Situ Gu. After all, Tang himself dared not go; some things truly called for mutual empathy.

He did acknowledge that Young Master Nan was a significant figure for his Fengluo Sect. However, compared to someone like Situ Gu, who possessed sheer strength and was himself the nexus of power, Young Master Nan's so-called network seemed rather flimsy.

No strength, no genuine connections—that much, Sect Leader Tang understood well.

When faced with the solid might of someone like Situ Gu, could Young Master Nan's relationships truly hold up?

Meanwhile, the arrangements here had already been made, and the disciples within the Divine Fire Domain were waiting for his assistance.

Sure enough, just as he had anticipated, Young Master Nan suddenly snapped out of his trance-like state. Raising the letter in his hand with a look of astonishment and doubt, he asked, "Are you sure this letter is meant for Situ Gu?"

Sect Leader Tang responded with a bitter smile, confirming firmly with an unmistakable tone, "Yes, that's correct. It's meant for Situ Gu, the elder of the Refining Heaven Sect."

The muscles on the side of Young Master Nan's face couldn't help but twitch, giving off the impression of a toothache. He even involuntarily swallowed hard.

He wanted to turn to Shi Chun, that troublemaker, right this instant and demand an explanation about the letter. Was he misunderstanding something? Was Shi Chun seriously thinking of capturing one of Situ Gu's people as leverage? Could he not stir up chaos like this? This wasn't the Land of Exile; there were rules here. Did Shi Chun really think that tying up a Refining Heaven Sect disciple in the Divine Fire Domain was enough to threaten someone of Situ Gu's caliber?

Even assuming for argument's sake, was Situ Gu someone Shi Chun could afford to provoke?

But then again, on second thought, Young Master Nan found himself doubting his initial reaction. With Shi Chun's cleverness, surely he wouldn't be ignorant of such basic principles. Could it be that the captive Refining Heaven Sect disciple had some special ties to Situ Gu?

Carrying these doubts, his gaze fell onto the other unopened letter on the table. Suddenly, he realized he might be overthinking. Shi Chun had specifically entrusted him with another letter; it might contain the answers he sought.

Simultaneously, he couldn't resist glancing at the trio sitting opposite him. He felt a hint of discontent over how Shi Chun had delivered the letter so casually—did this mean its contents had already been read by outsiders?

Clearly, the others had seen what was inside. Young Master Nan wasn't particularly fond of people prying into his privacy, but there was no point in pursuing that now. For the time being, understanding the situation was more urgent.

Immediately, he picked up the second letter, examining it. Sure enough, it still bore the handwriting of someone severely injured.

The irregular format of the writing could make it difficult for the unseasoned reader to grasp fluently, inadvertently causing them to read the content aloud. "Brother Nan, your brother here has made others envious…"

Shi Chun was skilled at composing letters; he knew what would catch the recipient's interest.

As Young Master Nan murmured the opening lines, his voice suddenly cut off mid-sentence. Within the very first phrase, he acutely discerned the crucial words embedded—"made others envious." Combining this with the preceding two words, it formed "made others envious" as a complete thought.

At this moment, the stimulation was intolerable for him.

Buzz! Instantly, blood rushed to his head, and the burdens he had recently struggled with seemed to vanish momentarily.

Bam! He slammed the table and stood up abruptly, his eyes widening as his heartbeat accelerated, almost startling the trio from Fengluo Sect.

He wasn't foolish. In the Divine Fire Domain, what could possibly provoke envy?

He immediately realized that Shi Chun might not have let him down after all, and there was indeed a possibility of alleviating his current predicaments.

After calming himself with a deep breath, he proceeded to read aloud the subsequent text, line by line: "Someone guards the exit, and they likely won't let me leave easily. Brother Nan, if you'd like to send someone in to take a look, it may not be too difficult. Refining Heaven Sect, Shudao Mountain, and Yanbao Sect each harbor ulterior motives. They might go with the flow and facilitate the process. Hoping that Brother Nan will see this through…"

Having finished reading, he quickly revisited the content several times.

The seemingly fragmented letter wasn't difficult to decipher. It clearly sought his assistance, conveying that substantial gains had been made, enough to ignite envy among others. Artifact Refining sects were likely guarding the exits, plotting something sinister, while hoping he could help from the outside.

Of course, he could choose to leave things be—the letter explicitly stated, "Brother Nan, if you'd like to send someone in to take a look, it may not be too difficult," emphasizing full autonomy. Whether to assist or abstain was entirely up to him, as long as he could live with the consequences.

Still, offering help was by no means an easy task. This situation was far from one he could effortlessly influence.

But what did Shi Chun mean by saying Refining Heaven Sect, Shudao Mountain, and Yanbao Sect might "go with the flow"? Were the three major sects of the Artifact Refining World really likely to allow Young Master Nan to send someone into the Divine Fire Domain? Surely that was just unrealistic wordplay.

Sending someone in would imply reopening the Divine Fire Spirit Gate, which had just been locked. Closing and then reversing its activation again to let someone inside meant additional attempts to lock and reverse the gate later. Young Master Nan didn't believe he had the clout to demand such an absurd process.

For that matter, not even Cultivation World's most elite figures could sway the Artifact Refining World into agreeing to something so preposterous. Toying with the Divine Fire Spirit Gate like this would result in consequences no one could take accountability for. Who would take responsibility if things collapsed?

When Mingshan Sect's group had managed to get inside earlier, it was because their justification was sound. Regardless of how unimpressive Mingshan Sect might appear, their status as an Artifact Refining sect was undeniable.

Yet, dismissing Shi Chun's words outright seemed unreasonable. His letter had already made it clear—the three major sects of the Artifact Refining World would cooperate.

But what leverage did they hold? What "ulterior motives" did these three sects harbor? Why would they align themselves with Shi Chun's plans?

Young Master Nan was still deep in thought over the letter's contents when Sect Leader Tang lost patience, anxious to secure time for his disciples inside. He decided to prompt, "When it comes to the Artifact Refining World, the three major sects are essentially representative. If all three were in agreement, resistance would drop dramatically. If you could enlist relevant figures to apply pressure on other sects and ease some burdens for the three majors, it would significantly increase the chances of success."

Young Master Nan shot him a glance, thinking, You're clever enough to talk from your safe seat. It's not like I don't understand the reasoning—it's obvious. But finding people to pressure the others isn't just as simple as opening your mouth to speak it, especially given the limited time right now.

He was considering his options, but Sect Leader Tang's keenness in siding with Shi Chun and actively assisting in disrupting the Artifact Refining World piqued Young Master Nan's curiosity. He remembered he had yet to ask an important question. Promptly, he inquired, "What exactly is going on with Shi Chun in the Divine Fire Domain?"

Sect Leader Tang pointed toward Xie Wanti and Chi Anlan, saying, "I've brought relevant disciples to deliver the message. If you have any doubts, feel free to question them. Although their understanding is limited."

He then instructed the two, "Answer whatever Young Master Nan asks of you. Make sure you leave nothing unsaid."

"Understood," the two replied simultaneously.

Xie Wanti quickly addressed Young Master Nan, "Truthfully, we don't know much. After entering the Divine Fire Domain, we only caught distant glimpses of Shi Chun's group. After beginning the search for the Divine Flames, our paths diverged from the other sects. We never saw Shi Chun again, but heard a shocking rumor that Shi Chun possesses a secret method for locating the Divine Flames. He has cooperated with Shudao Mountain and has already discovered over a hundred clusters of Divine Fire…"

Even someone outside the Artifact Refining World couldn't help but let their brows quiver upon hearing of over a hundred clusters of Divine Fire. Young Master Nan's lips twitched uncontrollably, wondering if he'd misheard. Discovering over a hundred Divine Flames? That sounded absurdly exaggerated—how could it be possible?

Yet Xie Wanti's subsequent recount clearly reiterated the same figure, proving that Young Master Nan hadn't misunderstood.

Upon hearing that various sects had begun to act rogue, joining forces to hunt down Shi Chun's group in order to seize the secret method for locating Divine Flames, Young Master Nan curled his small mustache—baring his teeth and visibly showing a ferocious glint in his eyes.

Learning that the leaders involved were the most elite sects in the Artifact Refining World, he could only restrain himself with a dismissive smirk.

There was no way around it. While Young Master Nan had some decent connections, it didn't mean he had the gall to strike at those top-tier sects.

No matter which peak one stood on—regardless of the domain—those at the apex naturally engaged horizontally across peaks, forming alliances.

Moreover, many of these elite factions had disciples embedded within the Heavenly Court or Royal Court as officials—a strategy these sects consistently pursued over generations. Many individuals held considerable influence; Young Master Nan had to think carefully about the repercussions of causing trouble. Did he truly believe these top-tier sects were pushovers?

As the recount continued, Li Hongjiu's spectacular entrance astounded Young Master Nan once again. He secretly marveled at the depth of talent within these older sects—their teachings truly produced remarkable geniuses!

He was well aware that talents like Li Hongjiu, once nurtured fully, could serve as Yanbao Sect's shield against storms for many, many years to come.

The prior intelligence Young Master Nan gathered hinted at Li Hongjiu's exceptional nature, but he hadn't anticipated such unprecedented cultivation aptitudes.

While he was inwardly marveling at Li Hongjiu's prowess, Xie Wanti suddenly shifted the topic, explaining how Li Hongjiu had found them and arranged for them to meet Shi Chun.

What kind of chaotic mess was this? What kind of tangled web? Young Master Nan found himself utterly flummoxed. Though he had heard the words, he couldn't make sense of them. Quickly, he interrupted, "Wait, wait. What did you say? Li Hongjiu helped Shi Chun arrange for you to meet him? Wasn't Li Hongjiu pursuing Shi Chun? Why would he be running errands for him?"

To that, Xie Wanti responded with a bitter smile, "Mr. Nan, we don't understand it either. But that's indeed what happened…"

Again, Xie Wanti began narrating candidly, explaining everything he knew.

As Young Master Nan listened, a thoughtful expression emerged. He silently counted on his fingers, speculating. Shi Chun first collaborated with Shudao Mountain; then, he entangled himself with Li Hongjiu—Yanbao Sect's representative. In other words, Shi Chun had also formed unclear ties with Yanbao Sect…

His gaze returned to the letter meant for Situ Gu, piecing things together. It seemed this was why Refining Heaven Sect might "go with the flow" as suggested.

When he heard that Shi Chun had somehow acquired two surplus Divine Flames and was even giving them away, Young Master Nan broke into a grin. The haggard look on his face, paired with his finely twirled mustache, made him appear oddly foolish.

This was unprecedented in the history of Divine Fire Covenant gatherings—never before had there been an instance of surplus flames being given away. Clearly, Shi Chun had obtained an excessive amount of Divine Fire, enough to defy belief. Although the number absorbed by Refining Heaven Sect was still unknown, it was likely eclipsed by Shi Chun's holdings.

The critical factor for flipping the betting pots had become clear. How could Young Master Nan not be delighted?

Still, he wondered—what kind of secret method did Shi Chun have for locating Divine Flames? Over countless years and under successive Covenant gatherings, such unprecedented phenomena had never occurred. How did Shi Chun cause such a drastic shift upon entering?

In the end, he realized why Fengluo Sect would act as Shi Chun's courier and why Shi Chun dared to let the sect glimpse the contents of the letters. So that's how it was—the revelation amused him immensely. He couldn't stop himself from widening his grin to resemble Wu Jinliang's trademark expression.

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.