Anyone with a functioning brain knows that the newly revised competition rules are specifically targeting you, Tong Mingshan. No matter how much Divine Fire An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin absorb, it won't help, because they don't have the artifact refining skills. Otherwise, Shi Chun wouldn't have allowed the two to leave the valley.

Now you say they can't stop you?

Shi Chun really doesn't understand what he's thinking.

With a puzzled look, Tong Mingshan raised his hand and shook four fingers in front of him.

Shi Chun, considering himself quite smart, stared at the four shaking fingers until he felt a bit dizzy but still couldn't figure out the meaning. He decided not to guess anymore and asked, "Spit it out already, stop being mysterious."

How can he not understand? Tong Mingshan was a bit surprised, finding it somewhat unlike the intelligence of his leader. He immediately explained in a low voice, "I've absorbed twenty-six, of which twenty-four have fused into Two-flavor True Fire. That means I only have four Divine Fires now, within the rules of ten Divine Fires."

As Shi Chun listened, his eyebrows gradually rose in realization, clearly understanding. He instinctively checked his surroundings, lowered his voice, and asked, "Is that really possible? If you go on stage, they'll definitely inspect. Can those twenty-four fused Two-flavors pass the inspection?"

Tong Mingshan replied, "I don't know, so I'm just guessing that they might not be able to stop me. I can't be absolutely sure. But there's one thing I'm sure of: no one in the modern Artifact Refining World should have seen the legendary Samadhi True Fire. If we look only at the number and color..." He glanced at the sky outside, "If the competition is during the day, they might not recognize the Samadhi True Fire."

Wow, Shi Chun started rubbing his chin. This was something unforeseen for him. It explains why experiences must be divided between the knowledgeable and the layman. He never even thought in this direction, and it seems some things need to be discussed with experts more often.

"During the day..." he muttered, calculating for a bit, but couldn't figure it out. Suddenly, he spun around and strode out the door, directly across the courtyard.

A group of people in the yard watched him. Young Master Nan called out, "Where are you going?"

Shi Chun didn't answer and didn't actually leave; he just went to the entrance, looked around, saw no one from the Li Huo Sect, and returned, directly approaching Young Master Nan, asking, "How long until daybreak?"

"Hmm?" Young Master Nan wasn't sure why he asked, but still calculated, "Probably less than two hours."

Shi Chun immediately calculated the opening time of the two realms' passage, meaning it would already be night here when it opens. Counting twelve hours from the moment it opened, it would still be night when it closes. If the Divine Fire Domain closes and the competition starts immediately, it would still be nighttime.

How to make the competition take place during the day?

Just then, Chu Jingtang and Lao Changtai returned. They had just sent An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin out, or rather, Shi Chun dispatched them to assess the situation. Naturally, Situ Gu couldn't report the situation back to them.

Not seeing An or Zhu return, Shi Chun was quick to ask the two returning, "Did they leave the valley?"

Chu Jingtang nodded, "They're out."

Shi Chun asked, "No trouble?"

Chu Jingtang: "None. As they approached the valley entrance, Senior Situ let them try going out first, saying he'd intervene if needed. Things went smoothly; once the guards at the entrance confirmed they forfeited the competition, they let them out without requiring Senior Situ to appear. Oh, Zhener left with Senior Situ."

Shi Chun frowned, this instead made him uncertain. He wasn't sure if the exit wasn't notified or if Mulan Jin didn't issue a strict order on that side. He could only wait and see.

He's not someone who waits passively, so he put aside what he couldn't figure out, and what he could prepare for, he prepared. He then said to Chu and Lao, "You two run another errand and register with our Sect Master." He pointed at Tong Mingshan.

"Register what?" Chu Jingtang asked in confusion.

Shi Chun: "Didn't the people from Li Huo Sect just notify us? Besides that competition, what else could they be registering for?"

Everyone was shocked by these words.

Li Huo Sect had just come to notify, saying those who wished to participate in the competition needed to sign up, but participation wasn't mandatory. Their wording was gentle, but everyone understood the real reason. Most people didn't find it necessary to participate, there's no point in everyone joining unnecessarily, nor was there a need to waste resources.

But the new competition's premise was clear, explicitly targeting our Sect Leader Tong Mingshan. Registering for it seemed like a joke.

Over ten Divine Fires weren't allowed, yet our Sect Master had absorbed twenty-six Divine Fires!

Chu Jingtang chuckled wryly, "Boss, it's not that I don't want to do it, I just think there's no point in putting ourselves on the chopping block, is there?"

That makes sense. Young Master Nan stroked his beard, also wanting to ask what the point was, and felt that Shi Chun was quite busy, having not rested since stepping out.

Shi Chun: "Do what's necessary beforehand. Whether it works or not, that's a different story. It's just registration, they haven't forbidden it. Go on."

He didn't want to explain the exact reason in public since Young Master Nan had brought along some people with unknown backgrounds.

Given Shi Chun's insistence, Chu and Lao had no choice but to go run another errand, as they were accustomed to following his lead.

Then Young Master Nan pulled Shi Chun aside to inquire, but Shi Chun only gave ambiguous answers. Whether or not to disclose the two-flavor Samadhi True Fire that Tong Mingshan had discovered to the outside was something he hadn't yet decided...

In a corner room of a rather secluded inn by the sea, a man walked to the door, observed the surroundings, and then knocked and entered, closing the door behind him.

Inside, separated by a curtain, a silhouette could be seen sitting beside a table, pouring and drinking tea from a teapot, the figure indistinct.

The man stood in front of the curtain and saluted, "Reporting to the Deputy Chief, we haven't found anyone who witnessed the fall of Qianyan Sect yet."

The shadow behind the curtain spoke slowly, "I've checked, many sects suffered heavy losses, but few were completely wiped out. Yet Qianyan Sect is among them. Why does this feel wrong? Gong Shixi was our carefully selected leader, capable and strong. How did they all get wiped out silently?"

The man replied, "Most people are still stuck inside Qi Yun Valley, making it inconvenient to investigate thoroughly. Clues may be difficult to trace for now."

The shadow's voice turned cold, "And you're not investigating? You came here just to give me a report with no answers?"

The man quickly responded, "Deputy Chief, there's urgent new news from the valley. Xuanji Token Master Mulan Jin has entered the valley."

The figure paused, "Why has he come? What's he doing in the valley?"

The man answered, "He's said to be looking for the Mingshan Sect party and to inquire about some Demon Path clues."

The figure behind the curtain stilled, then remarked, "So actually, he's after us. Could it be that our plan to attack has been exposed?"

The man replied, "Subordinate does not know."

The figure behind the curtain slowly finished his tea, tapped the cup on his table, and after a long silence, sighed, "Mulan Jin is here, there might be a trap waiting for us. Action is inadvisable. Alert all arriving personnel and those on their way, to retreat, fully withdraw, and all to keep dormant, making no moves until further notice!"

"Yes." The man took his leave.

In the sky over the beach, the Lifebound Lotus Lamp of the Mingshan Sect group had already been taken down, indicating that Shi Chun and his group had safely landed. Duan Xiangmei was so delighted that she wanted to cheer but was puzzled, glancing around to find Xiang Laner and Feng Chi missing once more, seemingly vanished into thin air.

Unbeknownst to her, the two women had received a meeting signal and appeared once again at the usual meeting spot with the Green-clothed Man, behind large reef stones.

Even though it was nighttime, the Green-clothed Man looked so grim that the two women sensed something was amiss.

Xiang Laner asked, "Is there anything wrong?"

The Green-clothed Man said deeply, "Mulan Jin has entered Qi Yun Valley, targeting Shi Chun and his group."

"Mulan Jin?" Xiang Laner was shocked, knowing the reputation of Mulan Jin within the Demon Path. His name alone could send shivers down one's spine.

For the Demon Path, Mulan Jin might seem more like a demon himself, far more terrifying than an actual demon. Countless people of the Demon Path had perished by his hands.

Feng Chi, concerned, asked, "Is it still about his daughter being injured at the Sky Rain Meteor Conference?"

The Green-clothed Man confirmed, "Our higher-ups have made it clear. Mulan Jin is looking for Shi Chun to investigate Demon Path-related clues."

"Ah?"

Even though Mulan Jin's appearance had already aroused their suspicions, confirmation left the two women startled. What Demon Path clues could Shi Chun possibly have, if not primarily concerning them?

Regaining composure amidst the panic, Feng Chi asked, "Do we need to move? What about Shi Chun?"

The Green-clothed Man replied, "Forget Shi Chun for now. With Mulan Jin's ways, do you think you can escape once Shi Chun exposes you? I've met with you several times; we likely already have the Xuanji Guards watching us."

The women were alarmed, glancing around defensively, feeling like eyes were watching them from every shadow.

"The higher-ups have instructed me to tell you, if anything changes, they don't want us to fall into Mulan Jin's hands alive. Prepare yourselves mentally."

The women fell silent, their expressions tinged with sadness. They naturally understood what the Green-clothed Man implied.

Feng Chi, still somewhat unwilling, clenched her fists and said, "Why? How did it come to this exposure?"

The Green-clothed Man shook his head and offered two pills from his palm, staring at the two women, "Take the pills. In case of emergencies, someone will give us the antidote."

Seeing those pills made their skin crawl. Feng Chi smiled bitterly, full of reluctance, muttering, "If anything changes, if anything changes, why not plan to save our people instead of sentencing them to death? Why not fight to the death?"

The Green-clothed Man had no answer...

At the temporary foothold of the Extreme Fire Sect, upon seeing Shi Chun's group along with Gu Lianni and others come out, Yin Tianlu also emerged. As the leader, after coming out, it was natural to have a report to the Sect Master and other high-ups.

Upon hearing the report about the woman with Shi Chun, Sect Master Su Qiao expressed surprise, "She's a Fire Spirit transformed into human form, are you sure?"

It wasn't just him; all the high-ups of the Extreme Fire Sect were surprised. An elder also spoke, "To shapeshift a false fire is already rare; cultivating into a human form requires extraordinary opportunity, are you sure?"

Yin Tianlu quickly stated, "I dare not be certain, hence I did not spread it, but Black Tiger said before his death that he detected the possibility that this woman is a transformed Fire Spirit."

The high-ups exchanged glances, and someone hesitated, "Black Tiger's senses are highly sensitive in such matters. Could he be wrong?"

Just then, a voice called out from outside, "Report."

With permission to enter, the person saluted, "Reporting to the Sect Master, news from the artifact refining competition registration desk has arrived. Mingshan Sect Leader Tong Mingshan has registered to participate."

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