Although his words were factual and seemed reasonable to others, the Refining Heaven Sect group continued to wonder what exactly was going on in this man's head.

During the earlier discussions, you sat silently in the corner as if this matter had nothing to do with you. If you could locate Shi Chun, why didn't you say so earlier? What's the point of bringing it up now?

Of course, whether said earlier or later, it makes no difference—the situation can't be changed. But saying it now is even more pointless; it's as though you were talking nonsense.

Nonetheless, he still deserved some respect. After all, he was the world's number one Artifact Refiner and wasn't involved in their power struggles, so no one had much to complain about.

Luo Yan, somewhat candidly, admitted, "Junior Brother, whether you can locate him isn't important anymore. What's crucial is we have no way to send you in there. To open the passage, the 'Divine Fire Spirit Gate' must stop operating and then reverse its activation. You know this. The issue is that communication with the other side is currently impossible. We don't even know if disciples from other sects are inside the passage between realms. Halting its operation recklessly would be tantamount to killing innocents—in no way something our world's foremost Artifact Refining Sect would ever do.

Besides, this isn't a decision our sect can make. The other sects wouldn't agree either, even if you went to them for support. They have their own considerations: the more determined you are to enter, the more they'll refuse to let you. Do you honestly think you have a way to get them all to agree?"

Upon hearing this, Situ Gu fell silent. He knew there was nothing he could do. His robes fluttered in the wind, as a quiet stillness enveloped him.

Seeing that he wasn't insistent, the others refrained from speaking further as well.

Someone actually wanted to ask him how he planned to locate Shi Chun, but knowing that he wasn't the type to enjoy conversation, they ultimately didn't ask.

Others were curious as to why he suddenly had such a keen interest in Shi Chun's affairs. However, upon reflection, they realized his focus on the Divine Fire Domain had always been notable. When it came to other matters, he might not even bother to make an appearance, let alone stay this long...

On the palace-like ship tower over the sea, in a secluded corner overlooking the night sky upon the ocean, Young Master Nan had invited the most influential guest among them, the Plain-Clothed Man, for a private conversation.

Young Master Nan brought the Plain-Clothed Man the latest firsthand news from the Divine Fire Domain.

For now, it could be said that outside Qi Yun Valley, no one had acquired news from the Divine Fire Domain sooner than he had. This was because Fengluo Sect had opted out of participating in or observing the final trials, retreating early to relay information to Young Master Nan immediately.

The other details could be summarized briefly—the main point being that Shi Chun had reaped significant rewards. As long as he emerged, it was likely he'd win first place, ensuring colossal gains for those betting on him this time around.

After understanding Young Master Nan's implication, the Plain-Clothed Man pondered for a moment before speaking slowly, "Profiting handsomely would certainly be great. But this matter is entirely beyond our influence. Getting him out—how? There's just no way. It's not just that we lack enough standing—even if the Empress herself were here, she couldn't force it to happen.

If the Empress tried to force it, the Four Saint Kings would step in to defend the Artifact Refining World; if the Four Saint Kings forced it, the Empress would counter them in favor of the Artifact Refining World. No matter who compels whom, they'll wind up in the wrong. You should understand this logic. Even those powerful figures can't pull it off; what chance do we nobodies have?"

"But this time is different…" Young Master Nan whispered before cautiously glancing around. He then drew a letter from his sleeve and handed it to the Plain-Clothed Man. "Shi Chun sent me this through someone inside. Brother Qian, this letter is for you alone. No outsiders can know about it—spreading word would make it prone to manipulation by malicious actors, ruining our plans."

Initially, he hadn't intended for the letter to be disseminated further. Whether to protect himself or Shi Chun, it really wasn't wise to let it spread. But he was out of options; he lacked enough sway to handle this situation alone. He needed individuals with genuine power and backing to assist.

Shi Chun's letter? Having just heard about Shi Chun's incredible deeds within the Divine Fire Domain, and bolstered by Young Master Nan's endorsement, the Plain-Clothed Man now had a newfound level of respect for Shi Chun—or at least saw him in a new light. This made him curious about the letter's contents, so he took it to read immediately.

Under the shimmering moonlit waves, he scanned the letter and suddenly murmured in doubt, "Was Shi Chun seriously injured?"

Young Master Nan instantly realized the misunderstanding and hurried to clarify, "No, he's fine."

"Oh." The Plain-Clothed Man nodded slightly and remarked approvingly, "The handwriting is deliberately concealed; he's quite cautious."

Well, Young Master Nan glanced repeatedly and tugged at his mustache. This time he chose not to explain further—Shi Chun was still risking his life within the Divine Fire Domain for his sake, after all.

After finishing the letter, the Plain-Clothed Man raised his eyebrows slightly, clearly unimpressed. For just a few brief lines, he wasn't willing to take the risk.

To him, the risk wasn't about physical dangers but the embarrassment of failure. If he intervened and failed to deliver results, it would essentially tarnish his reputation.

Moreover, people might think his family's supposed influence was nothing special.

And reputational damage at his level was a tremendous loss.

For individuals like him, appearances mattered deeply, and he wouldn't easily involve himself in such precarious matters.

Besides, this wasn't something that could be done quietly. His own power alone wasn't enough. Changing the attitude of the entire Artifact Refining World would require collaborative efforts from his peers and allies.

Causing such a commotion, attracting widespread attention, and ultimately failing—it'd be utterly humiliating.

Young Master Nan had come prepared. Observing the situation, he immediately interjected, "I know Shi Chun very well. If I didn't know him, would I have sent him to disrupt the Divine Fire Domain? If I didn't know him, would I dare to continue betting against Refining Heaven Sect?"

The Plain-Clothed Man gave Young Master Nan a thoughtful look. It made sense; his point was valid. Earlier he'd thought this guy might be insane, but now the reality proved he wasn't wrong.

Young Master Nan continued to press on: "Brother Qian, if Shi Chun says the three factions will act in alignment, then they will act in alignment—I guarantee it!

Brother Qian, the three major sects hold significant sway in the Artifact Refining World. If they agree to push forward, the major obstacles will be removed. With a little more pressure on the relevant sects, success is inevitable!

Brother Qian, can the one who opposes you shift the entire Artifact Refining World's stance? He can't. But you can; everyone's eyes are on you now. Opportunities like this are rare indeed."

He stopped there, giving the Plain-Clothed Man time to consider and observe his response.

It must be said that Young Master Nan, having mingled with people like this for so long, knew their weaknesses well. His timing was calculated—without some level of persuasion, it'd be difficult to keep associating with these individuals, who were constantly fickle in their interests.

After all, if he didn't possess some skill, even Shi Chun wouldn't have placed his hopes on him.

Sure enough, when the Plain-Clothed Man heard mention of the rival who repeatedly undermined him, his expression darkened. He reread the letter and asked, "What if those three major sects refuse to act in alignment?"

Young Master Nan patted his chest confidently. "Count on me! Have I ever lied to you in all these years, Brother Qian?"

Though he appeared full of confidence, Young Master Nan himself didn't actually know what arrangement Shi Chun had made with those three major sects. If there was a reversal of plans, he'd be in trouble—he was essentially vouching for him now.

After a brief pause, the Plain-Clothed Man responded by shredding the letter into tiny fragments without consulting Young Master Nan, letting the pieces scatter into the wind. He explained, "This letter indeed can't be seen by others. Later, you must not share its contents with anyone. Some people are double-dealers—what they hear here could easily be leaked elsewhere. If that dog gets wind that we have confidence, he will surely intervene. Let him think we can't pull it off; let him wait smugly to laugh at us—this is the best strategy."

Young Master Nan immediately nodded fervently. "Brother Qian, your foresight is unmatched—I nearly lost sight of it. Understood, understood. Heaven knows, earth knows, you know, I know—no one else will hear of this. All discussions will stick to business and avoid sharing insider details."

The Plain-Clothed Man patted him on the arm before turning to leave.

Young Master Nan quickly followed, his expression resembling one of relief—earning money was no easy task, and outsiders could never understand his struggles.

With the Plain-Clothed Man stepping in, everything became exponentially easier for Young Master Nan, compared to having to convince people one by one.

The Plain-Clothed Man's approach was straightforward: gather the relevant personnel and issue directives. Hesitating? Refusing to cooperate? Not giving me face, are you?

This level of efficiency was incomparable to Young Master Nan's capabilities.

Of course, the insider details remained undisclosed—the Plain-Clothed Man cited the potential benefits of the gambling outcomes as his justification.

The crowd gathered and dispersed again. The esteemed nobles aboard the ship departed quickly, a rare sight to witness their urgency and haste.

They were racing against time, trying to rescue Shi Chun before the Divine Fire Spirit Gate permanently closed.

Many left the Divine Fire Domain's affected zone to send out messages.

As time passed, Qi Yun Valley's host sect, the Li Huo Sect, began to feel overwhelmed. Acting as gatekeepers seemed to have evolved into acting as messengers, running themselves ragged delivering information to various sects.

They couldn't even reject such requests outright—those seeking assistance carried significant clout, making refusals risky. Managing one or two requests was barely manageable. But with ten, a hundred? Who would dare offend so many, lest their sect face annihilation later?

The peculiar situation with Li Huo Sect didn't go unnoticed by others in Qi Yun Valley, particularly prominent sects like Refining Heaven Sect with well-informed sources. Li Huo Sect's increasingly frequent actions were impossible to ignore.

At the mountain summit, Luo Yan listened to a disciple's quiet report and frowned. "This is getting ridiculous. Invite their Sect Master over."

Before these words settled, the Li Huo Sect Master himself briskly arrived, cheerfully clasping his hands in salute.

Luo Yan didn't hold back, greeting him with a frosty tone, "I hear your sect has been very busy?"

"Ah, there's no helping it." The Li Huo Sect Master shook his head before stepping forward stealthily. From his sleeve, he produced a letter and handed it over, saying, "Someone from your sect in the Royal Court wanted this passed to you."

"…" The Refining Heaven Sect members froze, their previously harsh words caught in their throats.

Luo Yan eventually accepted the letter, knowing well that urgent messages from within their sect at such a time couldn't be trivial.

After reading, he wasn't sure if it was considered urgent, but it reported that the Qian Family was mobilizing various forces to pressure the Artifact Refining World's sects to extract Shi Chun from the Divine Fire Domain.

Luo Yan quietly passed the letter to the elders around him to review.

At that moment, another Li Huo Sect disciple approached and whispered something to the Sect Master's ear.

After dismissing the disciple, the Li Huo Sect Master walked back to Luo Yan and uneasily noted, "Sect Master Luo, two distinguished guests have arrived—one from the Qian Family, and the other is Young Master Nan. They wish to meet with the sect masters of the three major sects. What should I do? My sect carries little weight; we can't afford to offend them. Should I let them in or not? You three major sects decide. I'll inform the other two."

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