As for the other man who remained in place, facing Mulan Qingqing standing right in front of him, his face was filled with unspeakable embarrassment. He thought he had been "stealthy" enough, yet he could not surpass her keen perception. It turned out she had already noticed their clandestine tracking, leaving him at a loss for how to explain this to the one who had given the order.

Qi Ziyan had no idea what Mulan Qingqing was doing with the two men on her side. He tried approaching them, hoping to understand the situation—for perhaps, it was possible they needed his assistance somehow.

Just at that moment, a burst of startled commotion erupted among the gathering crowd near the beachfront. He turned his head to look back.

Under the sea breeze, Mulan Qingqing looked as radiant as the starlight. Raising her hand to brush aside the loose strands hanging on her face, she also turned to look back. Immediately, her gaze lifted upward, her expression grew solemn, and then she turned her body to face the focused scene. Her robes fluttered lightly with the wind.

The mystical Divine Fire Spirit Gate hovering in the air buzzed faintly, its movement clearly slowing, and the speed of its rotation was decreasing. The swirling nebula within the ring was also slowly dissipating.

On the mountaintop of Qi Yun Valley, the Flame Energy directed by those casting spells had already withdrawn back into the spellcasters' bodies—they had concluded their techniques.

The crowd gathered on the beach couldn't discern what was happening. Even the man beside Mulan Qingqing showed the same puzzled expression, suddenly fixing his stare on Qi Ziyan as he drew closer.

Qi Ziyan, who had received some prior intelligence, roughly understood what was happening. He walked to Mulan Qingqing's side and reminded her, "The Divine Fire Spirit Gate is closing; preparations for a reversal are underway. His end is drawing near!"

There was an air of schadenfreude, mingled with the intent to rally against a common foe.

Mulan Qingqing remained quiet, saying nothing. She couldn't tell whether her father—who had turned his back on the Sect—would help her, nor whether he could even accomplish such a thing...

"What's going on? Could this be it? Is it really closing?"

"It doesn't make sense; there are many people who haven't come out yet."

Amid the clamor of scattered discussions, Duan Xiangmei, who was gazing nervously at the Divine Fire Spirit Gate, grew increasingly anxious. Her limited abilities made her concerns painfully irrelevant to their current reality.

With a face marred by exhaustion, she appeared lost and helpless, looking around frantically, unable to find anyone to turn to for help. Even Xiang Laner and the others by her side had disappeared somewhere, leaving her stumbling and searching through the crowd.

She truly was powerless, utterly without anyone to confer with; apart from searching for Xiang Laner and the others, she had no idea who else she could turn to.

In her panic, her behavior as she bumped through the crowd appeared somewhat rude. If she happened upon someone less amicable, she'd receive a sharp shout and sometimes even find herself flung to the ground with a shove of an arm.

Her petite frame was constantly knocked off balance and hurled onto the sandy ground. After clambering to her feet multiple times, she dared not utter a word but continued scanning about in haste.

After breaking free from the throng, she finally spotted Xiang Laner and Feng Chi standing on a slope. In a flash, she darted toward them, landing before them, and pointed toward the Divine Fire Spirit Gate in the sky, its rotation gradually diminishing. Her lips parted several times, yet she was so overwhelmed with urgency that she couldn't manage to voice her thoughts; the more anxious she was, the harder the words came.

Fortunately, Xiang and Feng discerned what she was worried about.

Feng Chi grabbed her wrist, finding her trembling all over—like someone on the verge of losing their entire world. He couldn't help but feel a pang of sympathy for this foolish woman.

They knew all too well what Wu Jinliang was capable of. Wu Jinliang's debaucherous escapades outside certainly hadn't escaped their ears, though they couldn't bring themselves to tell Duan Xiangmei or even caution her about it.

Thus, Feng Chi promptly steadied her shoulders, calmly reassuring her, "Look at those Lifebound Lotus Lanterns—many disciples from major sects still haven't come out. How could any great sect end this prematurely? Don't worry, with Shi Chun inside, there won't be any trouble…"

At the mountaintop exit, the metallic rings on the massive staff suddenly began trembling and jingling again, startling the elders from the Ten Great Sects stationed nearby.

"What's happening?" an elder sharply demanded.

No one knew the answer; the only certainty was the sudden instability in the interdimensional portal.

Whether elder or disciple, those who had yet to exit the gate fixed their gazes skyward, their expressions changing drastically.

Some even shouted in panic, "Is the portal closing? Are we going to be trapped here?"

That exclamation set off a wave of chaos among the already tense crowd. Each person turned into a manic figure amidst the turbulence, as if ants in a pot.

Regret set in for many too late—they cursed their hesitation to leave sooner.

By now, the remaining crowd was but two to three hundred strong—most participants had already exited.

The elders atop the mountain's peak were equally anxious, fearing the rare instance of an anomaly might confront them. Whenever anomalies occurred during past events, collapse of the portal invariably led to death; none trapped inside survived.

"Master!"

A few disciples from the Yanbao Sect, who hadn't yet gone out, rushed to Li Hongjiu's side, expressing their worries. They dared not seek the elders directly to voice their fears.

Before matters of life and death, few could truly remain composed.

Watching the vortex in the sky gradually fade, Li Hongjiu maintained relative calm, consoling the group, "Throughout history, the chances of an accident like this happening have always been very low. Given the current situation, it might be related to reports from the sects outside. It's possible something is aimed at Shi Chun. Those outside might be preparing to come in."

His words weren't mere consolation—this was genuinely part of his judgment.

Yet there was consolation in it nonetheless, as even he couldn't fully trust his own judgment. A reversal and reopening of the portal? Such decisions weren't within any single sect's power—especially not to enact in such a short span.

Precisely because of this, he hadn't worried over Shi Chun sending the Fengluo Sect to relay information outside, as he knew it would amount to nothing. He understood clearly—even Young Master Nan's faction lacked the strength to make this possible.

As sunlight slanted across the sky, its rays harsh and blinding, the group atop the mountain exit stared upward like statues carved from stone, witnessing the swirling vortex fading into nothingness. The metal ring on the staff quieted once more as its jangles subsided.

From the distant mountains, Wu Jinliang, stationed as a lookout, pointed toward the sky above the exit and shouted, "Look quickly."

The hidden group from the Mingshan Sect emerged one after another, scrambling to peer toward the direction Wu Jinliang was pointing.

Zhu Xiangxin gasped, "What's happening? Has the exit been sealed?"

Her cry threw several others into frenzy.

"Don't panic," Shi Chun spoke firmly, attempting to regain order, his face breaking into a satisfied smirk. Turning to Feng Zuoyi, he remarked, "Brother Feng, it seems your sect didn't disappoint us; the time you absorbed one Divine Fire was ample."

Chu Jingtang and the others remained perplexed about what had occurred, yet Feng Zuoyi's expression clearly carried traces of excitement.

"It looks like a success," Wu Jinliang commented as he eagerly rubbed his hands together, practically buzzing with anticipation.

Shi Chun turned to the Mingshan Sect group, saying, "If nothing goes wrong, those sent to retrieve us will be here shortly."

The members of the Mingshan Sect exchanged glances before growing ecstatic themselves. Even without knowing the exact actions of their Master, the assurance of safely exiting alive was enough.

It wasn't long before Wu Jinliang, still observing, cried out again, "They're coming, they're coming!"

High above the exit, tiny specks began appearing, gradually enlarging...

In the skies above Qi Yun Valley, colorful tendrils of flame energy once more surged upward, striking the aerial Divine Fire Spirit Gate. The colossal metallic ring began rotating anew, but this time, in reverse.

The factions of Young Master Nan, Situ Gu, and various other sects prepared to enter again, gazing intently upward.

Compared to their prior assembly of disciples, the lineup sent in this time by the three major sects was noticeably more formidable, catching the attention of other sects with a hint of wariness.

"Ah, what's happening now?"

"Wasn't it already over? Wasn't it already sealed? Why is it reopening again?"

"Can someone explain what's going on?"

On the beach at the foot of the mountain, the sudden reversal of the Divine Fire Spirit Gate set off a renewed wave of startled exclamations. Most people here had no understanding of the truth.

Those truly in the know simply gazed silently at the sky, not uttering a word.

Xiang Laner, Feng Chi, and the distressed Duan Xiangmei stood on the slope, watching.

From a slight distance away, Qi Ziyan stood alongside Mulan Qingqing, also watching.

Elsewhere, on the top floor of a guesthouse, a man clad in a green robe stood by the window with his hands held behind his back, fixated on the celestial anomaly.

This tall figure had slender white fingers, radiating a maturity and an air of refined masculinity. His exceptional charm and demeanor carried echoes of Mulan Qingqing around his brows.

The resemblance was for good reason—he was none other than Mulan Qingqing's father, Pavilion Master Mulan Jin, who presided over the Stargazing Pavilion under the Heavenly Court.

Mulan Qingqing had no idea that her biological father was also present on Li Huo Island.

Mulan Jin had personally come to observe the final day of this year's Divine Fire Covenant, whether due to the upcoming conclusion of the competition or for some other purpose, only he knew.

Yet the reason he knew best—or rather, the cause he dreaded most—had indeed arisen.

His estranged daughter had unexpectedly displayed a willingness to humble herself before him for Shi Chun's sake. And he? He had remained silent. Silent for a long time.

Regarding his daughter's request, he had offered no response. Or perhaps it was because such an outcome was entirely impossible.

For he would not interfere in certain matters merely for his daughter's attitude. No matter the love or hatred garnered because of this, his rationality would not waver. Helping in this case might not actually be helping—more likely, it could result in greater harm.

Watching the Divine Fire Spirit Gate's reversal, he suddenly asked indifferently, "Did she have a private meal with Shi Chun earlier?"

In truth, this was what had startled him into coming.

The man who had relayed Mulan Qingqing's intentions stiffened at the question—some minor details hadn't been reported, leaving him unsure of how Mulan Jin had learned of them. Carefully, he responded, "Yes, at the Seaside Pavilion."

Mulan Jin fell silent once more.

Not long after, footsteps ascended the stairs outside. The peculiar rhythm of the steps caused Mulan Jin to turn his head, coldly staring toward the door.

With a creak, the door swung open, and in walked a man clad in the Myriad Flowers Robe.

The man's attire featured an unmistakable design: a black base woven with colorful flowers of every shape. His face was caked with heavy makeup, and his head bore a two-pointed boat-shaped black hat. Both his earlobes were adorned with dangling gemstones, shimmering vibrantly.

With painted lips and polished nails, he gripped an ornate, bone-white folding fan detailed with radiant red drawings. His entire figure exuded a strange, effeminate aura, his friendly smile a fixture on his face. Yet beneath his seemingly genial demeanor lay an unmistakable sense of majesty and intimidation in his every move.

The moment he arrived, everyone inside the pavilion—even those who didn't know him except for Mulan Jin—lowered their heads slightly, signaling their respect.

They had little choice; everyone familiar with this man knew him as a confidante of the reigning Empress, Xuansu.

Mulan Jin's face briefly betrayed an expression of surprise, though he slightly bowed to show courteous respect, asking, "Grand Attendant, why have you come here?"

Xuansu covered his lips with his fan and let out a delicate, teasing laugh, exuding an air that seemed to shed powder from his face. His voice carried a trace of playfulness as he said, "Why, am I not allowed here?"

Mulan Jin hastily gestured and shook his head, smiling to assure the opposite.

Xuansu snapped the fan lightly against Mulan Jin's chest, the sly smile persisting. "Alright, I won't tease you anymore. I happened to pass by here and heard about your daughter's request. Her Majesty has sent me to make a detour and deliver a decree. Her Majesty insists that people cannot be entirely selfless—without desires or any trace of human sentiment, that becomes truly frightening.

Her Majesty states that since you are here, since there's a rare chance to mend your relationship with your daughter, Her Majesty has made the decision. For this instance, you are permitted to bend the rules a little. Surely you won't let me run this trip for nothing? Hurry, give thanks for the grace bestowed."

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