If it weren't for the master's orders, he wouldn't have come at all.

Seeing Shi Chun returning alone outside the gate, Young Master Nan stepped forward and asked, "Gone?"

Shi Chun nodded lightly.

Not having the chance to meet them, Young Master Nan felt a hint of regret. But, seizing the moment, he grabbed Shi Chun as he was heading inside, keeping him at the front gate to whisper a few words. He asked softly, "Before, when you sent An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin away to search for the sects they were expelled from, what did you mean? Does it have anything to do with the rumors you told me to spread about their sects earlier?"

Speaking of this, Shi Chun fell silent. He slowly turned around, facing the mountains outside, letting his thoughts drift away. Presumably, those two had already found their former sect.

Indeed, they had found it. For them, it wasn't too difficult, as their former sects had previously contacted them and revealed the locations of their bases. The meeting place was already agreed upon.

In front of a guesthouse room, Zhu Xiangxin hesitated for a long time before finally raising her hand to knock on the door. She had been told to wait here, so they shouldn't have checked out and left.

When the door opened, a delicate face appeared. Upon seeing her, the person exclaimed in surprise, "Senior Sister, you're out?"

The woman was none other than her junior, Man Yunjiao, who quickly stepped aside to let her in as she spoke.

Zhu Xiangxin glanced around the room but didn't see anyone else, prompting her to ask, "Where's Master and the others?"

"Master and the others are guarding the beach outside, even the Sect Leader is out there keeping watch. They're all concerned about you and waiting for news from you. Once they know you're back, they'll surely be pleased. Senior Sister, sit first. I'll go inform Master and the others right away." Overflowing with enthusiasm, Man Yunjiao pulled her into a seat and then turned to leave.

But just as she reached for the door, she seemed to think of something, abruptly stopping in her tracks. She swiftly turned back, knelt on one knee beside the armrest of the chair, and asked curiously, "Senior Sister, did you manage to absorb the Divine Fire?"

Zhu Xiangxin hesitated, the words hovering on her lips, as the pros and cons weighed heavily in her mind—especially Shi Chun's remarks, which echoed persistently in her ears.

She definitely had feelings for the sect, but she was no longer a child of three. Weighing gains and losses was the mark of adulthood. She had been expelled from the sect before, even served half a year in prison. Now, to return so recklessly without considering her future—how could she?

Earlier, the sect had persuaded her to come back because the conditions for returning seemed better.

But after enduring a harrowing journey, she had truly seen things unobtainable within the sect. She had witnessed gatherings brimming with magical treasures—scenarios unimaginable within the sect, even for the Sect Master.

Among the countless rising stars in the Artifact Refining World, she and the other outcasts had competed against disciples from major sects, battling fiercely and roaming freely. The rewards they gained in the end were considerable. Thinking back now, it all felt like a dream.

Currently, she held a few Wind Scales and two Qiankun Bags in her possession. Each item was unattainable through the sect—at least not in the past. Whether they would provide them in the future was another matter altogether. And there were countless other treasures in her grasp.

Undoubtedly, she had broadened her horizons and experienced moments she had never encountered before, including heart-pounding thrills. Looking back at the 'Ten Thousand Grass Hall,' the sect paled in comparison to the dynamic maneuverings led by the Master of the hall, riddled with contradictions and conflicts.

What still stirred her emotions now was the fact that Situ Gu, the greatest artifact refiner under heaven, had personally sent her out of Qi Yun Valley due to the Master's words. Within the Ten Thousand Grass Hall, not a single person could command such influence.

As she weighed the two paths, which one offered the brighter outlook was already plain to see. However, her former sect still held promise with its higher-level cultivation techniques.

Seeing her silence, Man Yunjiao seemed to grasp something and tentatively asked, "You didn't absorb the Divine Fire, did you?"

Zhu Xiangxin answered ambiguously, "It's hard to find."

"That's normal; it's inherently difficult to find. Wait here, I'll go inform Master and the others." With that said, Man Yunjiao dashed off.

Zhu Xiangxin was left alone in the room, wavering. She still felt reluctant, uncertain whether to tell them what Shi Chun had suggested.

Man Yunjiao, knowing the location of the sect elders, dashed directly into the gathering of people, squeezing her way next to Sect Leader Ao Hongyou and the others.

Scanning the gathered crowd, she cupped her hands around her mouth like a megaphone and reported, loud enough for everyone to hear, "Sect Leader, elders, Master, Senior Sister Zhu has returned."

Upon hearing the news, Ao Hongyou and the others perked up instantly. Without a word, they turned and rushed toward her.

After quickly leaving the crowd, Ao Hongyou asked, "Where is she?"

Man Yunjiao responded, "She's waiting in the room, Sect Leader."

Her master, Bai Tingfang, cut in, "Do you know what she's gained?"

The situation within the Divine Fire Domain had been leaked to some extent, but for now, not everyone could access the information readily—especially smaller sects like the Ten Thousand Grass Hall.

"It seems… it seems…" Man Yunjiao spoke hesitantly, shaking her head uncertainly.

Observing her demeanor, Ao Hongyou's pace faltered slightly, his brows furrowing deeply. Then, he resumed walking, though his steps were noticeably slower. The others, including Bai Tingfang, walked with heavy hearts.

Fortunately, it wasn't far. Soon, the group pushed through the door and entered the room.

Upon seeing them, Zhu Xiangxin quickly stood and performed a respectful bow. "Sect Leader, elders, Master."

While speaking, she also noticed that their expressions seemed unusually somber.

"You've worked hard." Ao Hongyou nodded in acknowledgment, but said nothing more.

Bai Tingfang went straight to the point, "Did you manage to acquire the Divine Fire?"

Everyone's gazes brimmed with anticipation.

Zhu Xiangxin hesitated but had made her decision during her solitary reflections earlier. She shook her head, "It was very hard to find."

That was stating the obvious—everyone knew it was hard to find. Bai Tingfang grew anxious. "You didn't manage to get a single strand of Divine Fire?"

She was worried for her disciple; naturally, she hoped her talented protégé would return to the sect. But harsh reality loomed—news they'd overheard wasn't promising. Without value, how could they draw strong allies, and how could the sect take risks for her?

Zhu Xiangxin reluctantly answered, "I found some, but the Divine Fire discovered by the Mingshan Sect is being prioritized for Tong Mingshan."

Hearing this, Ao Hongyou stroked his beard and walked into the inner room but turned back and exchanged looks with Elder Lian Hu before departing.

With a sigh, Elder Lian Hu began, "Zhu Xiangxin, to be candid, there's been significant internal debate within the sect about your return. Being expelled and then readmitted isn't something trivial. We've worked tirelessly to persuade the other elders, but if you had absorbed the Divine Fire upon returning, all dissent would be silenced. Now, even the Sect Leader likely cannot guarantee your reinstatement."

What did that mean? Man Yunjiao was the first to react in shock—this wasn't the agreement they had before entering the Divine Fire Domain.

Zhu Xiangxin stared at Elder Lian Hu intently, as if trying to see through him. Lian Hu shifted uncomfortably, turning his head to avoid her gaze.

She then looked toward her master.

But Bai Tingfang, with a sorrowful expression, also averted her eyes.

With her head lowered, Zhu Xiangxin had left some room for doubt—she didn't say anything absolute, fearing the sect might try to investigate. However, they hadn't even bothered to check.

After a long pause, she raised her head, took a deep breath, and bowed respectfully to everyone. With a forced smile, she said, "I've troubled you all, farewell."

Without another word, she turned and walked away swiftly, pulling open the door and leaving.

"Senior Sister…" Man Yunjiao grew frantic, attempting to chase after her.

"Yunjiao!" Bai Tingfang shouted sharply, stopping her disciple.

Man Yunjiao urgently asked, "Master, wasn't the plan to let Senior Sister return to the sect?"

"Enough, don't bring it up again." Bai Tingfang's face twitched in anguish as she said, "The bond between master and disciple has ended. You are forbidden from seeking her out again."

Man Yunjiao was stunned—was it all just because she hadn't obtained the Divine Fire?

Leaving the guesthouse into the night, Zhu Xiangxin wept—tears streaming silently. She lifted her sleeves to wipe away the tears as she walked.

She had planned to test the waters, just as the Master of Ten Thousand Grass Hall advised. And yet, she still desired to return, for besides weighing benefits and losses, there were feelings—this was the home where she had grown up!

If they had comforted her or inquired further, she might have struggled to continue deceiving them and would have confessed the truth.

Instead, reality proved cruel: she was valued only if she had worth and discarded immediately when she did not.

True to form, just as the Master of Ten Thousand Grass Hall had said.

Her heart felt ice cold. She realized that the home in her heart was gone. Tears in her eyes, she chose paths with fewer people, crying as she walked, no longer hesitating over other alternatives, heading straight toward Qi Yun Valley's exit.

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