Here is the translation of the provided text:

Coastal scenery, night sounds, the roar of waves mixed with the humming in the air and dazzling light reflections, the lanterns hanging at the inn swayed in the wind.

Hidden in the shadows cast by the lantern light, the Fengluo Sect Leader and his followers watched eagerly towards the scene by the Qi Yun Valley's entrance.

The Sect Leader of Refining Heaven Sect, Luo Yan, the Sect Leader of Shudao Mountain, Gu Yanduo, and the Sect Leader of Yanbao Sect, Qu Wuming, accompanied by two to three disciples each, appeared at the entrance to Qi Yun Valley.

The Sect Master of the Li Huo Sect motioned the disciples guarding the gate to step aside, signaling that he would oversee the situation personally.

Such a grand display was due to the presence of two distinguished guests waiting at the valley's entrance. The fact that the Sect Leaders of the three major sects had come personally gave face to Qian She, though not quite enough to extend the same courtesy to Young Master Nan.

But even this could hardly be considered a proper reception; Qian She's standing, though formidable, was not enough for the three Sect Leaders to welcome him to their sect gates united in person. These three sects, after all, represented the apex of the Artifact Refining World, cementing their place among the elite sects of the Cultivation World.

That said, Qian She's background was admittedly extraordinary—hailing from the family of the Princess of Shanbu Continent, a distinguished lineage indeed.

Under ordinary circumstances, they deemed Qian She's overt actions to be a tad inappropriate.

Yet, the man had already arrived uninvited; to refuse an audience would seem discourteous, but allowing him entrance would breach the stringent rules of the Artifact Refining World.

Thus, after deliberation among the three Sect Leaders, they devised this compromise—a solution that would neither violate the rules of the Divine Fire Covenant nor offend Qian She.

Truth be told, in exceptional circumstances, they could have entirely disregarded Qian She's demands, as there were viable pretexts to do so. Yet, curiously, none of the three Sect Leaders outright rejected him—each seemed hesitant, perhaps mindful of his imposing background.

And so, the scene unfolded as it was.

Seeing the three Sect Leaders arrive in person, Qian She and Young Master Nan exchanged a glance instinctively.

The triumphant glimmer in Young Master Nan's eyes seemed to boast, "See? Didn't I tell you?"

Qian She raised an eyebrow faintly. Their personal visit confirmed the messages conveyed in Shi Chun's letter about the possibility of "going with the flow." Finally, he felt a slight sense of relief.

It was important to know that these three sects weren't easily trifled with. Each of them had connections—however tenuous—with the family of the Princess from Shanbu Continent. At the very least, they had the means of communicating. If they chose to disregard him entirely, Qian She couldn't do much against them, and the Qian Family wouldn't condone him acting recklessly towards these three sects either.

At the valley's entrance stood a ceremonial archway marking the boundary. The three Sect Leaders halted inside the archway, careful not to cross over. With succinct politeness, they made the first move, cupping their hands towards the guests as a token gesture to maintain decorum. The leaders of grand sects must never appear servile.

Qian and Nan returned the gesture respectfully.

Luo Yan, habitually acting as the spokesperson for the group, spoke first, "Young Master Qian, the rules of the Artifact Refining World are clear. The current session of the Divine Fire Covenant is still underway, so we cannot host you within the valley."

With the situation in his control, Qian She retorted bluntly, "Then how is it that I hear rumors from individuals who've exited the Divine Fire Domain say that the Divine Fire Covenant's rules have become mere formalities? That those inside the domain brazenly ignore the rules, indulging in murder, pillage, and savagery?"

Hearing this, the three Sect Leaders instinctively glanced at the Li Huo Sect Master standing beside them, who nodded faintly, confirming that several groups had indeed abandoned their eligibility for the competition and left Qi Yun Valley after exiting the Divine Fire Domain.

In truth, the three Sect Leaders had already speculated on this outcome—if it weren't for someone leaking information to the outside, this confrontation would not be happening.

Luo Yan responded calmly, "Baseless rumors, Young Master Qian. There's no need to take them seriously."

Qian She shook his head lightly. "I cannot disregard them. The one who informed me of the situation wouldn't dare lie to me. I've heard that Shi Chun was openly and ruthlessly hunted down by a colluding group inside. Someone even blocked the exit to ensure he wouldn't make it out alive. Sect Master Luo, Shi Chun is my brother. If my brother is in trouble, I cannot stand idly by!"

Brother? Young Master Nan's lips curled slightly. He knew such words, if circulated, would certainly elevate Shi Chun's stature.

This wasn't the narrative he'd previously discussed with Qian She. He hadn't asked Qian She to acknowledge this "brother"—Qian She was fabricating relationships solely to serve his agenda.

That said, it wasn't surprising. Nan knew Qian She well enough to understand that he classified people by their usefulness—if you were useful, you were a "brother," and if not, you might as well be nothing.

The three Sect Leaders couldn't help but view Qian She's theatrical display with some scorn. To them, it seemed like he was personally sparring for monetary gains on the betting table.

Luo Yan maintained composure and replied, "Young Master Qian, we've heard your concerns. Any violations found will be handled by the Artifact Refining World as per our regulations."

Qian She shot back, "You deal with matters behind closed doors. Whether violations occur will simply be whatever you say. There must be oversight!"

Gu Yanduo and Qu Wuming remained silent, either deferring to their senior for the moment or refraining from addressing the topic.

Young Master Nan, on the other hand, maintained his poise, smiling faintly without uttering a word, though his haggardness was apparent.

The Sect Master of Li Huo Sect could only blink and remain silent.

Luo Yan remained diplomatic, "Young Master Qian, this concerns the Artifact Refining World."

Qian She pressed forcefully, "Is the Artifact Refining World not part of the Cultivation World? Are people at the Divine Fire Domain's exit disregarding the rules, blocking my brother's path and threatening his life? You all know the answers. I demand to send someone into the Divine Fire Domain for oversight. If you abide by the rules, I'll respect them; if you don't, don't expect me to respect them either."

Luo Yan glanced at the two Sect Masters beside him. Seeing their silence, he had no choice but to continue responding, "Young Master Qian, surely you jest. Once the exit gate opens, it only allows outward passage; reversing the gate is impossible for outsiders, even for us."

Without faltering, Qian She countered, "Once the Divine Fire Spirit Gate reverses its flow, passage will naturally be possible."

Luo Yan lowered his voice, addressing him seriously, "Young Master Qian, do you think the Artifact Refining World operates solely on our decisions? Do you believe the other sects would consent to such a proposal?"

Qian She swept his sleeve with indifference, "They may refuse, but the deeds committed remain unhidden. Relay my message to the sects: if I uncover who participated in the pursuit to kill my brother, I'll force the guilty sect to surrender the culprit. If they refuse, well, the principle of a life for a life is absolute. Guess whether I won't find a way to eliminate them one by one? And just so we're clear, I wouldn't rule out your three sects having sent people in pursuit as well. I suggest the three Sect Leaders don't hastily dismiss this matter. Go discuss it with the other sects—I'll wait here for your response."

This brazen display was utterly shameless—such was the shared sentiment among the three Sect Leaders.

But they refrained from engaging further; squabbling with someone of his sort would diminish their dignity. After a cursory response, they turned as one and departed.

The Sect Master of Li Huo Sect beckoned the guarding disciples back, offering departing bows of apology to the two guests stationed at the gate before excusing himself as well.

Qian She, however, showed no signs of leaving—true to his word, he stayed and waited.

Young Master Nan, naturally, remained by his side. Turning back to issue a playful gesture of admiration, he said, "Brother Qian, as expected, you're remarkable—this is a lesson well-learned."

Qian She's expression betrayed no emotion as he responded blandly, "Let's wait."

The matter impacted many Artifact Refining sects, so the three Sect Leaders could not privately resolve it. Upon reaching the summit of the highest peak, they summoned the leaders of the remaining seven sects among the Ten Great Sects, thoroughly detailing the encounter with Qian She.

No one here was blind or deaf,

so as the situation unraveled, the seven sect leaders couldn't help but show faint annoyance, though their discontent remained inward—none resorted to curses or open reproach, knowing well the sense of discretion required in public gatherings.

The meeting inevitably devolved into rounds of heated debate.

One conjectured, "Ignore him. I refuse to believe that the Qian Family would let him act recklessly when this is over."

Qu Wuming, usually reserved, let out a sigh, "Such boldness—standing out like this—might it not be orchestrated by the Qian Family themselves?"

This statement brought an immediate hush over the group as all eyes turned to him.

Fall Flame Mountain's Sect Leader, a frail and diminutive elderly man, asked pointedly, "Sect Master Qu, what do you mean by that?"

Qu Wuming elaborated, "I've heard that the betting games outside this event have grown disproportionately large—to the point where even the Qian Family might find themselves overwhelmed in the event of a payout."

He stopped at that, knowing well that those present were smart enough to grasp the implications without excessive elaboration.

The room fell into contemplative silence, the leaders seemingly aware of the plausibility behind his statement.

After a while, the Island Master of East Cloud Island scoffed wryly, scanning the room, "Mingshan Sect's group was permitted entry. I disagreed with this at the outset; who thought it'd be fine to let them join in a little fun? At best, they'd scavenged a few flecks of Divine Fire by sheer luck. But now what? These people didn't come for fun—they came prepared to claim the prize. Rumor says they've amassed over a hundred clusters of Divine Fire. Are they really going to walk away victorious?"

What 'over a hundred clusters'? Shudao Mountain knew better. The Refining Heaven Sect, harboring spies within Shudao Mountain, also grasped the truth.

Gu Yanduo remained composed as he interjected, "If Young Master Qian wishes to oversee proceedings, then let him oversee them."

His statement drew surprised glances from everyone, laden with doubt.

Before anyone voiced objections, he supplemented, "Rules are meant to ensure fairness. If Young Master Qian values rules, let's reinforce them properly through his proposed oversight. If Young Master Qian is truly disgusted with violations, let's levy severe punishment on all violators and provide him with a satisfactory resolution."

The Sect Leader of Golden Appearance Hall couldn't help but scoff, "Isn't this giving him too much face?"

What he meant was that Qian She hardly warranted such deference.

Gu Yanduo replied calmly and steadily, "The rules of the Divine Fire Covenant are clear: participants must rely on their own skills to acquire Divine Fire, avoiding violence and coercion. This is a suitable opportunity to teach every sect a lesson. Those who have accumulated excessive Divine Fire, most likely through unsavory methods, should face severe consequences. Any participant found engaging in violence and having absorbed over ten clusters of Divine Fire shall have their eligibility for the Artifact Refining Competition revoked, with no exceptions."

His suggestion sparked mixed reactions; some showed intrigue, while others mulled over the implications.

The Island Master of East Cloud Island, however, dismissed it disdainfully, "Clearly targeting Shi Chun's group. Even a fool can see through this maneuver. Why bother veiling it? Just strip them of their qualification for the competition outright."

Qu Wuming from Yanbao Sect raised his hand slightly, gesturing to moderate, "Young Master Qian is here to contend for an outright win, and Mingshan Sect's group entered under the guise of a legitimate Artifact Refining sect. On what grounds can we disqualify them? If we adjudicated disqualification based on violent conduct, what about the other sects that engaged in similar actions? Would we disqualify them as well? And if not, how could Young Master Qian abide by this? That would stir up endless trouble. I agree with Brother Gu's notion of 'equal treatment.' Every violator must face equal punitive measures—impartial and just."

Convinced by his reasoning, the Island Master of East Cloud Island withheld his criticisms, sinking instead into quiet thought.

Luo Yan then turned to Gu Yanduo and asked, "Brother Gu, did your daughter absorb nine clusters of Divine Fire?"

This question immediately snapped the gathered leaders into alertness, realizing that Gu Yanduo's proposed standard benefitted Shudao Mountain greatly.

Gu Yanduo remained serene and steadfast as he amended, "Then let's set the threshold at two clusters. Any violator absorbing more than two clusters of Divine Fire shall have their competition eligibility revoked."

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.