Seeing that the others disdained to pay him any mind, Shi Chun had no objection. The gap in identity and status between them was far too vast; he didn't even have the qualifications to approach them, let alone merit their response. He might as well retreat down the mountain obediently.

As he bid his retreat, he noticed that members of the sects were looking at him with peculiar expressions.

However, he didn't think much of it. After all, the happenings inside must have already spread. Shi Chun had seized quite a lot of Divine Fire, and their reaction was understandable.

Shortly after, Young Master Nan landed and quickly approached him, urging, "Lead us to your resting place."

Hearing this, Shi Chun knew there was something to discuss and immediately gestured politely before leading his team quickly down the mountain toward Qi Yun Valley.

With Mulan Jin holding the ground at the mountain peak, the higher-ups of the various sects could only watch Shi Chun descend, many wearing frowns and secretly wondering how Shi Chun had come out so quickly.

Those who had hoped to quietly gain control over Shi Chun in the Divine Fire Domain now realized that they'd likely missed their final opportunity.

Situ Gu descended from the sky and, spotting Shi Chun's group leaving, contemplated following them. Yet, when he caught sight of Luo Yan, he hesitated and decided to inform him about what had transpired first—after all, he'd need to report the situation sooner or later.

Once back at the temporary residence of the Mingshan Sect in Qi Yun Valley, Young Master Nan immediately pulled Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang into a room to talk discreetly. The topic wasn't surprising—it was the twists and turns since Fengluo Sect had approached Shi Chun and throughout their time in the Divine Fire Domain.

Learning that the Artifact Refining World had blatantly altered the competition rules for the Divine Fire Covenant, even Shi Chun, who was used to shameless behavior, was dumbfounded. He had thought that these major sects would at least maintain a veneer of decorum and not outright act unruly—but now he realized he was wrong. He had believed that as long as he secured enough Divine Fire inside, victory and benefits would be assured afterward.

He truly hadn't expected them to pull this stunt—and shamelessly justify it, leaving no room for objection. Even worse, they pinned the blame on Qian She.

The reasoning they presented actually seemed plausible: "If Qian She hadn't come stirring trouble over rule enforcement, we wouldn't have been forced to impose severe penalties on violators."

"This time, I've truly learned something." Shi Chun was so infuriated that he laughed bitterly. Forget the risk-taking and futile efforts in the Divine Fire Domain—he'd been dragged into an absolute mess. Who could tolerate this?

Yet there was genuinely nothing he could do about it. The Artifact Refining World had acted within regulation; their so-called punishments were applied universally. Few in the world could change the rules of the Artifact Refining World, and among those Shi Chun knew, not a single one had that capability.

This time, he'd been utterly trampled into the ground, left humiliated and defeated.

His endeavors in the Divine Fire Domain, in some people's eyes, might have been nothing but a joke—no wonder they had let Mingshan Sect enter with such openness before.

Wu Jinliang couldn't hold back his curses. "What 'famous sects'? They're no better than the wenches of Tianxiang Building—playing the whore and still trying to act virtuous!"

"So…" Young Master Nan glanced left and right at the two, tentatively asking, "Just how much Divine Fire did you end up finding?"

Wu Jinliang snapped irritably, "Only three people in our group could absorb Divine Fire, but under their damned new rules, all were disqualified from competing—everything's gone."

Young Master Nan's mustache twitched slightly. He understood now. Amazing—those three practitioners of Fire Attribute Skills had managed to absorb over ten blossoms of Divine Fire each. With the Artifact Refining World having monopolized the Divine Fire Domain for countless years, how could they not be alarmed? There was no chance they'd let this group win; their reputation was at stake.

Still grumbling, Wu Jinliang vented again to Shi Chun. "Good thing we made it out alive—otherwise, dying this way would have been completely unjustified."

Young Master Nan understood their mood, but his main concern wasn't their grievances. Cutting straight to the heart of the matter, he voiced his worries, "What's going on with Refining Heaven Sect? Shudao Mountain, Yanbao Sect, and Extreme Fire Sect all suffered significant casualties, yet Refining Heaven Sect's Lifebound Lotus Lamps suffered no losses. Being the foremost Artifact Refining Sect, they've drawn countless bets. If Refining Heaven Sect wins, I'll be ruined—utterly bankrupt. You two spent so much time tangling with the major sects inside; you should have some insight, right? Do you think Refining Heaven Sect will likely win the championship?"

While saying this, his expression was absolutely pitiful.

The question took Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang slightly by surprise. Wu Jinliang quirked a brow, puzzled. "Isn't the decision to allow betting entirely up to your group? By logic, you should be guaranteed profits—at most, it's just a matter of earning more or less, but not going bankrupt, right?"

"Sigh… It's complicated." Young Master Nan shook his head and waved his hands dismissively. At the moment, he didn't want to delve into it—he only wanted an answer. "As long as Refining Heaven Sect doesn't win, I'll make it through this crisis. Give me a definitive reply."

Wu Jinliang felt uncertain about this; after all, he didn't possess the unique superpower of Shi Chun's right eye. So, he looked questioningly at Shi Chun.

"Refining Heaven Sect… they've got a lot of people, but honestly, I barely had the chance to observe them clearly…" Shi Chun hesitated and seemed unconfident, giving a candid assessment. When opportunities to meet them presented themselves, it had always been amidst crowded interactions. His right eye had observed Zuo Zisheng and a few other leaders, but there might have been unnoticed factors—making him unsure. "Personally, I feel Shudao Mountain has the highest chance of winning; second might be Golden Appearance Hall. Beyond that, I'm unclear. I suspect Refining Heaven Sect might actually get sabotaged by that traitor from Shudao Mountain, spending most of their time targeting us instead. Their chances of winning might not be great."

"Are you certain of this?" Young Master Nan grabbed his wrist, his eyes blazing with newfound hope.

Shi Chun avoided mentioning the details of his right-eye superpower. "That's just my personal impression."

Though it was merely a feeling, Young Master Nan held a degree of trust in Shi Chun's analytical mind. His complexion instantly brightened, reinvigorated by the prospect of gambling. Suddenly, his fighting spirit surged as he loudly declared, "I'm in—either I strike gold or go bankrupt!"

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang exchanged speechless glances at this character.

Having made up his mind, Young Master Nan frowned briefly and turned solemn again. "Chun Tian, Jinliang, whether Refining Heaven Sect wins or not could impact more than my financial standing—it might also affect your immediate safety. You may need to prepare yourselves mentally for what's to come."

Shi Chun gave a neutral hum in response, "What do you mean?"

Young Master Nan explained, "Preventing you from competing in the trials is secondary. What I fear most is them taking extreme measures to obtain the Secret Technique for finding Divine Fire. The temptation is too great for them; they've even brazenly undermined the Qian Family's dignity. I doubt they'll let you leave easily. If this gamble turns a profit, I can rally my connections to pressure them. If it's a loss, my allies might hurry to distance themselves from me—surely, you catch my drift."

"Is that all?" Shi Chun remained calm, unfazed. "Minor inconvenience; it's not a big issue. I can handle it myself."

Not a big issue? Did he have a death wish? Young Master Nan worried about Shi Chun's carelessness and warned emphatically, "Chun Tian, this might actually be the most troublesome matter for you yet."

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside, followed by knocking and Chu Jingtang's voice: "Master."

Shi Chun instructed casually, "Come in."

Chu Jingtang entered swiftly, locking his gaze on the three within. He moved determinedly toward Shi Chun and spoke with urgency, "A distinguished guest has arrived—Refining Heaven Sect's elder, Situ Gu. He's alone and wants to see you."

Shi Chun gestured toward the door with a smile at Young Master Nan. "The most troublesome matters? Someone else will handle them—no need for us to worry."

Situ Gu? Young Master Nan blinked, confused about his meaning.

Of course, he also found it strange that Situ Gu had appeared alone—surely it was related to the contents of a certain letter.

Shi Chun didn't elaborate. Who would dare to act presumptuously when the world's greatest Artifact Refiner visited? Maintaining surface-level courtesy was crucial. With a wave of his hand, he briskly led his group to greet Situ Gu.

Young Master Nan, equally intrigued, tagged along. His curiosity about resolving the trouble was piqued.

At the gate, Shi Chun exhibited warm enthusiasm in greeting Situ Gu before politely inviting him inside.

Young Master Nan eagerly chimed in an attempt to establish rapport—an opportunity to make friends with someone so influential. Yet Situ Gu completely ignored him, leaving him awkwardly embarrassed.

As they crossed the courtyard, everyone—whether from Mingshan Sect or Young Master Nan's crew—bowed respectfully.

Only Zhener stood firm, glaring pointedly at Situ Gu before diverting her gaze, clearly expressing her dislike.

Young Master Nan, ever observant, noticed this anomaly while surveying their interactions. He grew increasingly puzzled by its implications.

Amidst the crowd's observations, Situ Gu didn't react noticeably to Zhener. Following Shi Chun's lead, he ascended the steps straight to the main hall.

Attempting once more to sneak into the meeting, Young Master Nan was intercepted by Wu Jinliang, who blocked the way with a well-placed knee and grabbed him by the arm, gesturing toward several unfamiliar women in the courtyard. "Those women are new—they entered the Divine Fire Domain with you. Why weren't they part of your entourage before?"

Not being foolish, Young Master Nan sneered at this ploy, shook off Wu Jinliang's grip, and turned away, choosing to back off tactfully.

Wu Jinliang chuckled as he climbed the steps, shutting the hall doors behind him and firmly stationed himself for security—yet his posture clearly indicated his intent to eavesdrop.

Meanwhile, undeterred indoors, Young Master Nan sidled up to Zhener outside and made an effort to inquire politely, "I am Namo Yu. May I ask your name, young lady?"

He had reviewed the attendee list but found no trace of a name resembling "Zhener." Suspecting she might be using an alias, he attempted a probing approach.

Yet Zhener recalled Shi Chun's warning: "Do not disclose your identity to anyone outside. Any inquiries into your background could be dubious." Thus, she coldly ignored him, turning her head and muttering, "Bad guy."

"Hmm?" Taken aback, Young Master Nan awkwardly dropped the matter, eventually finding solace under a nearby tree, where he proceeded to count leaves under the evening skies.

Inside the hall, seeing Situ Gu eyeing the door warily, Shi Chun broke the silence. "Don't worry—it's just one of ours. He knows everything."

Relieved, Situ Gu set aside his caution and asked directly, "Did you break through the formation at Earth Heart Tower?"

Shi Chun nodded. "Indeed."

Situ Gu's eyes filled with suspicion. "How did you dare, and how was it possible for you to succeed?"

Shi Chun replied straightforwardly, "I hadn't expected to succeed either. Only after doing it did I realize that the Fire Spirit within the Earth Heart Tower formation had been drained weak by its usage. Some people merely lacked the courage to act—I was simply foolish enough."

His response left Situ Gu speechless. After pondering in silence for a while, he muttered, "So that's how…"

Shi Chun added, "Li Hongjiu from Yanbao Sect also accompanied me and witnessed firsthand how I dealt with those old monsters."

After mulling over Shi Chun's words, Situ Gu asserted solemnly, "You possess a Secret Technique for locating Divine Fire. The Artifact Refining World will never let you go. They will relentlessly pursue you."

Unexpectedly, Shi Chun adjusted his demeanor and bowed to Situ Gu, sounding deeply respectful. "As a junior, I owe my Divine Fire-seeking abilities to you, senior. I actually don't understand the technique. If they pursue me, it's futile—they should come after you instead."

Situ Gu froze in confusion. "What do you mean?"

Shi Chun continued bowing. "I lack any Secret Technique for locating Divine Fire. The origin of this rumored technique—senior, shouldn't it be clear to you? Others may not know whose guidance I followed within the Divine Fire Domain, but surely you do?"

Situ Gu was stunned, then gradually seemed to realize something, murmuring, "Zhener…"

Shi Chun lowered his hands. "Who else but her? What do you want me to do—hand her over? Among us, only senior possesses the ability to protect yourself. My only recourse is to claim the Secret Technique came from your guidance and attribute it to you. Once you acknowledge this, will the Artifact Refining World dare challenge Refining Heaven Sect over your possession? Naturally, the issue will be resolved."

As for the complications Situ Gu might face within Refining Heaven Sect afterward, that wasn't Shi Chun's concern. His only goal was to extricate himself from trouble. He firmly believed that, given Situ Gu's status in the Artifact Refining World and his rank in Refining Heaven Sect, a bit of audacious thick skin would suffice in weathering the fallout.

"…" Situ Gu remained silent for a while before responding reluctantly, "We've never collaborated before—do you really think others will believe it?"

Shi Chun replied confidently, "Whether or not we've worked together is up to us to assert. Why would you be here without prior connection? Surely, many have already noticed your solitary visit. The timing aligns, making it credible. Of course, if you insist I reveal Zhener's identity and hand her over—well, my hands are tied."

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