A group quickly disappeared into the night.

In the courtyard, Shudao Mountain had good tea prepared for guests. Luo Yan took a few tasteless sips but ultimately didn't extract any useful information. Instead, he felt as though the other party was intentionally or inadvertently probing him. In the end, he left disappointed, gaining nothing.

The Sect Leaders and Sect Masters dispersed not long after, but as night deepened, they reappeared and gathered again, all converging near the altar at the highest peak of Qi Yun Valley.

The Divine Fire Spirit Gate was about to close the portal between two worlds, signaling the end of this journey to the Divine Fire Domain. Some sects' missing disciples might not return alive.

The situation seemed strange. Some Lifebound Lotus Lamps still burned brightly, indicating the disciples were alive, yet they had never emerged.

The longer they waited, the more hopeless it seemed.

Just as everyone believed no more participants would come out, three figures suddenly shot out from the Divine Fire Spirit Gate above.

These three were none other than Feng Zuoyi and his companions from Fengluo Sect.

When the three landed, the upper echelons of the Ten Great Sects took a look at them and realized none of them were familiar.

Someone asked, "Which sect do you belong to?"

The three exchanged glances before Feng Zuoyi boldly clasped his hands and answered, "We juniors are disciples of Fengluo Sect."

Upon hearing this, the higher-ups of Yanbao Sect exchanged knowing glances, recalling Li Hongjiu's instructions. Yet, they said nothing, as it wasn't the time or place to discuss it.

Someone gestured for them to leave, and Feng Zuoyi and his companions quickly took their leave.

Once they had descended the mountain and completed their related tasks, a sect elder who had been waiting approached them.

The elder looked at them expectantly.

Feng Zuoyi subtly nodded in response.

The elder's expression shifted to one of joy as he whispered, "Come, this isn't a place to linger. The Sect Leader has given orders: once you come out, we are to leave directly. We won't participate in the competition anymore."

Feng Zuoyi and his companions naturally obeyed.

Thus, all Fengluo Sect participants withdrew entirely, leaving Qi Yun Valley under the cover of night.

Just as they exited the valley, they spotted An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin waiting on one side of the entrance. Pretending not to recognize each other, they quickly left.

Not far beyond, another group emerged from hiding. It was none other than Tang Qianjin and his team from Fengluo Sect.

Upon seeing the returning trio, Tang Qianjin immediately asked, urgently, "How did it go?"

Feng Zuoyi clasped his hands and replied, "Shi Chun kept their word; the mission is accomplished."

"Good!" Tang Qianjin exclaimed, visibly elated. The opportunity to elevate Fengluo Sect's status had finally arrived. Without saying more, he waved his hand and commanded, "This place isn't safe. Move out!"

He led his team to leave Li Huo Island at once.

But just as they reached the coastline, several figures suddenly emerged to block their path.

These were none other than Bai Shuchuan's group from Jieyun Mountain. Among them, Qiao Wugong stepped forward leisurely, a detached expression on his face. "Sect Leader Tang, where are you off to in such a hurry?"

The commotion caused by removing Shi Chun's Lifebound Lotus Lamp alerted them to the fact that Shi Chun had survived and gotten out. To prevent Shi Chun from slipping away again, they had stationed people near the exit to keep watch. However, it wasn't Shi Chun they caught—it was the Fengluo Sect entourage.

Though they couldn't take action on Artifact Refining World grounds, they were at least looking to gather information about Shi Chun. After all, this wasn't their territory—Jieyun Mountain's reach didn't extend here—and their intelligence-gathering capabilities were limited. They had to rely on familiar faces for updates.

The brash manner in which they blocked the way reflected the arrogance typical of combat-oriented cultivation sects, who often saw themselves as superior to artifact-refining sects.

Tang Qianjin frowned slightly. "We gained nothing and have no face to stay, so naturally, we are leaving in disgrace."

Qiao Wugong chuckled. "In the history of expeditions to the Divine Fire Domain, the number of sects actually finding the Divine Fire is incredibly small. Success depends on either sheer luck or accumulated expertise. So, Sect Leader Tang, you needn't feel ashamed. My purpose here is merely to ask: how did your sect handle the matter I entrusted you with?"

Tang Qianjin sighed and shook his head. "We did our utmost, but it was a futile effort. The situation inside was chaotic. After Shi Chun's group entered, they vanished without a trace, and we never encountered them. Brother Qiao, I regret to say we couldn't fulfill your request." He clasped his hands apologetically.

Qiao Wugong pressed on, "What's the current situation with Shi Chun's group?"

Tang Qianjin looked weary. "My disciples could barely handle their own survival. They never crossed paths with Shi Chun, and given the vast and sparsely populated domain, we truly have no information on Shi Chun's status. Brother Qiao, perhaps you could inquire elsewhere. I do have pressing matters to attend to."

Qiao Wugong paused momentarily and refrained from imposing further. After all, they couldn't act recklessly here. There was little point in pushing the matter with empty threats. He stepped aside and gestured courteously to let them pass.

Thus, Tang Qianjin and his group departed.

The Jieyun Mountain entourage was left to continue their stakeout...

Under the night sky, as the stars shimmered and the sea breeze whistled, the beach grew increasingly crowded with noisy voices rising all around.

Having taken a brief respite, Lan Qiaoyan and her mother reappeared on the balcony to observe the scene. Everyone knew the portal between two worlds was about to close.

Suddenly, a cluster of figures emerged from the Divine Fire Spirit Gate.

The representatives sent by the Ten Great Sects to oversee matters within the Divine Fire Domain all came out, descending to the mountain summit to report back to their respective Sect Leaders.

Following an issued command, the few cultivators maintaining the flame-like virtual blaze atop the altar abruptly ceased their spellwork. The Divine Fire Spirit Gate above instantly dimmed, its rotation slowing, while the light vortex within the metallic giant ring gradually waned and eventually disappeared.

Soon, the slowly rotating metallic ring began to shift its position, flying away toward the direction of the Li Huo Sect headquarters.

Meanwhile, on Lake Heart Island within the Divine Fire Domain, several figures surfaced—it was the nine elders stationed at Lake Heart Tower. Their eyes brimmed with anticipation as they fixed their gazes on the direction of the two-world portal, each strongly sensing something.

Suddenly, a glamorous woman in red crossed her arms over her chest and asked, "It's over. The portal is closed. Eldest Brother, has Zhener made it out?"

All eyes turned toward the horned elder. Slowly, he closed his eyes and concentrated.

After a moment, he suddenly opened his eyes, raised both arms, and shook them vigorously. "Yes, she made it out! She awaited her destined one, and that person truly took her out!"

At these words, the other elders were overwhelmed with excitement beyond measure.

The youth-like Master Nine erupted in virtual flames as he gazed skyward, his voice rising almost in a moan. "Now that the portal has closed, cutting off contact with Zhener, the array imprisoning us has shattered. We've waited for this day for too long. Let us… go!"

The final word burst forth like an enraged roar. His flame-clad figure shot upward, a dazzling streak resembling a meteor blazing across the heavens, its brilliance unparalleled.

But at that very moment, a thunderous crack resounded across Ice Sealed Lake. The entire lake surface rapidly fractured like a web of spider silk and was instantly churned into chaos. To be precise, the gigantic lake began to spin violently, surging waves mixed with countless shards of ice, erupting with earth-shattering force.

On the island, the eight elders were horrified, glancing around while their trembling bodies mirrored the quaking of the ground. The horned elder bellowed furiously towards the heavens, "Come back!"

Below their feet, Lake Heart Island also started spinning. A piercing golden light exploded from the waters beneath, and a colossal, gleaming tower projection emerged from the Lake Heart Tower. Its fish-scaled surface unfurled, emitting flames of various hues, while countless streams of water crashed like bolts of lightning into the tower's scaled segments.

Under continuous impacts from the fierce currents, the kaleidoscopic flames rapidly dimmed.

"Ah…"

On the island and in the sky, including Master Nine, whose meteor-like figure had begun plummeting, the nine elders unleashed blood-curdling cries that seemed capable of ripping apart heaven and earth, though the turbulent waters remained impervious to their fury.

Their essence had been forged into Lake Heart Tower itself. Now, the water-countering-fire imprisoning array had been reactivated, striking directly at their sources of power.

In the sky and on the island, the nine figures found themselves unable to resist. One by one, they erupted into their Divine Fire forms, their appearances twisted in unbearable pain.

The horned elder, upon manifesting his Divine Fire essence, let loose a deafening roar of despair, "Su, you deceived us… Why? Why?!"

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