One question and it hit the mark directly—there was no way Gong Shaoci could keep it a secret anymore. He nodded slightly and said, "Indeed, there's been a bit of an issue."

The mother and daughter exchanged a surprised glance. Lan Qiaoyan pointed at the Lifebound Lotus Lamp floating in midair outside. "The Lifebound Lamp is still there. What kind of issue could there be?"

Gong Shaoci chuckled bitterly. "How should I put this? It's a complicated matter if explained in detail, but simply put, it's somewhat similar to the Sky Rain Meteor Conference last time. He's likely to seize the championship again. The Artifact Refining World isn't happy about it; they've blocked the exit to intercept him. Whether he can get out smoothly remains uncertain."

"..."

These words truly left the mother and daughter stunned. Could it be? That kind of craft could seize first place—wasn't this a bit too exaggerated?

Miao Yilan couldn't help but say, "The Artifact Refining World has studied the Divine Fire Domain for so many years; they're experts in this field. Shi Chun and his group are newcomers who know nothing about it. He doesn't even know the Fire Attribute Skill—how could he possibly win the championship after diving in there?"

Indeed, Lan Qiaoyan thought the same thing, but she also felt that her prospective son-in-law wouldn't joke about something like this.

Gong Shaoci offered Miao Yilan a gentle smile, tinged with helplessness, and said, "Logically, that's certainly how it ought to be. But Shi Chun must have had a plan before heading inside. Somehow, he managed to acquire a Secret Technique for locating Divine Fire. Once inside, he gained considerable rewards. Unfortunately, his actions weren't cautious enough, and the secret was exposed. Imagine—something the Artifact Refining World has painstakingly sought for countless years suddenly appearing in his possession. You can imagine the consequences…"

At these words, the mother and daughter audibly gasped, each fully understanding the terrifying implications.

Gong Shaoci continued, confirming their fears, "Thus, led by the major sects, various factions have joined forces within the Divine Fire Domain. For nearly half of the time inside, the focus has been a coordinated effort to hunt down Shi Chun and his group in attempts to seize the Secret Technique for locating Divine Fire. So far, they've failed and are now simply guarding the exit."

Lan Qiaoyan turned and looked up at the swirling vortex of the Divine Fire Spirit Gate in the sky, sighing softly, "Ah, so it turns out that brat went into the Divine Fire Domain because he had a Secret Technique. Is that something he should've coveted? Restless and reckless—this time, I'm afraid he's doomed."

Gong Shaoci consoled, "Aunt Lan, don't worry just yet. It's not hopeless. Qian She—Young Master Qian—has already activated every connection he can muster, applying pressure on the various sects within the Artifact Refining World, and is attempting to negotiate a rescue. Young Master Qian is personally stationed at the entrance to Qi Yun Valley to demand an explanation from the Artifact Refining World. There's still room for maneuver, still a chance."

Lan Qiaoyan turned back in surprise. "Qian She is this determined?"

Gong Shaoci thought for a moment. "Logically, it wouldn't come to this. Everyone suspects that Young Master Nan is pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Lan Qiaoyan shook her head slightly. "If it were just a few sects, it might be manageable. But this involves the entire Artifact Refining World, the search for the Divine Fire Secret Technique, and such immense interests. The Artifact Refining World will not back down easily. Forget about Qian She—even if the head of the Qian Family came in person, it likely wouldn't suffice. If they force their way in, they're only asking for trouble."

Gong Shaoci lowered his head slightly, agreeing inwardly. If it weren't for Qian She being so deeply involved, he truly wouldn't want to be dragged into this mess. Similarly, those around him felt the same and refrained from criticizing Qian She directly. Instead, they silently cursed Young Master Nan behind his back, planning to settle accounts with him later.

Miao Yilan didn't want to appear too close to Shi Chun in front of Gong Shaoci. She was aware of the rumors—that Shi Chun had been pursuing her since the Land of Exile. She also knew that the Gong Family, with its acute perception, wouldn't have missed the events from the Land of Exile. Her mother had reminded her to be mindful of Gong Shaoci's feelings. Despite this, she couldn't help asking, "There's really no other way?"

After all, after all these years of interaction, Shi Chun had consistently treated her kindly without asking for anything in return. Every time they met, he would give her gifts. Even if there weren't romantic feelings involved, he truly counted as a friend. At this critical juncture, she had to ask this one question.

Gong Shaoci fell silent. There was no way he could promise anything to the woman he admired—that was the entire Artifact Refining World they were up against! Even if he called upon his grandfather, the Right Minister of Shanbu Continent, it wouldn't suffice. The Artifact Refining World wasn't a force any single power could easily suppress or control. Its operations were entwined with every faction across the Eight Directions and Six Realms. Without Artifact Refiners, which power could afford to function?

If Shanbu Continent dared to escalate, the Artifact Refining World could find powerful reinforcements to assist them. How could such immense interests be swayed by someone as insignificant as him? This was precisely why he felt Qian She's actions were overreaching.

Naturally, he also sensed the genuine concern Miao Yilan felt for Shi Chun. Humans are humans, after all. Unless he didn't care about Miao Yilan, how could he possibly remain indifferent? A rare trace of bitterness flared in his heart.

Simultaneously, he rebuked himself silently—what was wrong with him? Someone like that, could they even warrant his seriousness?

Lan Qiaoyan sighed gently, "Lan Lan, even if your father were here, it would be useless. If the Artifact Refining World is resolute in pursuing this, neither your father nor even the Saint King of Shanbu Continent could change their minds without carefully weighing the consequences. The current balance in the Cultivation World was forged through chaos. Any disruption to that balance comes with a price. The Artifact Refining World is a force capable of breaking that balance—no one would bear such costs for a mere Shi Chun."

Gong Shaoci nodded slightly. "Aunt Lan speaks wisely. Lan Lan, Aunt Lan is right—we truly can't intervene. The Artifact Refining World will extend courtesy where they can, but where they won't, you can forget about it."

Miao Yilan could only nod slightly.

Lan Qiaoyan suddenly furrowed her brows. "Something still doesn't sit right with me about all this."

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