The two individuals from the Stargazing Pavilion also removed their Refining Heaven Sect attire, revealing their original black robes underneath.

Faced with the Stargazing Pavilion taking people away, Young Master Nan was left with no alternatives. All he could do was watch helplessly as Shi Chun and his group were taken.

Now, all he could do was follow behind them as they ascended toward the mountaintop, his actions tinged with an air of farewell.

Members of the Mingshan Sect felt deeply uneasy.

Shi Chun kept reassuring himself in his head: It's fine, it should be fine. If this really involved the Demon Path, how could they have waited until the competition was over to deal with us?

On the terrace, Gong Shaoci had just returned after sending off an expert surnamed Wang. He suddenly pulled out the Mother-child Talisman, checked the message, then looked up at the mirror image showing the scene of the dispersing crowd. Addressing his father and others, he said in a deep voice, "The Stargazing Pavilion has indeed taken action. They've already sent someone to intercept and take away the Mingshan Sect group."

Miao Yilan looked toward her mother with some concern.

Lan Qiaoyan's expression was serious, but she remained silent, showing no sign of her thoughts.

After a moment of contemplation, Gong Yuanzhi stood and said, "Since Shi Chun is an old acquaintance of yours, I'll go observe the situation. If there's any news, let Shaoci contact you."

With that, he cupped his hands politely and left with his son, requesting the mother and daughter not see them off.

Once the outsiders were gone, Miao Yilan voiced her concern. "Will Shi Chun and the others be able to return alive?"

Lan Qiaoyan sighed helplessly. "Who knows what trouble they've provoked."

Miao Yilan was equally at a loss. Suddenly remembering something, she asked, "Mother, when we talked about that 'Desolate Broken Blade' earlier, you stopped me from speaking. Was it because you were afraid of getting involved with the Demon Path?"

Lan Qiaoyan cast her a sideways glance. "This has nothing to do with the Demon Path. Were you perhaps thinking of asking Shi Chun to hand the item over to Shaoci's father?"

Miao Yilan, caught red-handed, did not deny it and admitted shyly, "I was going to buy it, not take it."

Lan Qiaoyan patted the tea table. "Does the Gong family lack money? If the Gong family couldn't buy it with money but you managed to acquire it, would that really be considered 'buying' it?

Yilan, Shi Chun gifting you something is one thing, but you asking for it is another. That item was acquired in the Divine Fire Domain—after being pursued, risking their lives, exhausting their blood and sweat, and even turning gray-haired. How much do you think their lives are worth? Bear in mind, some favors must be repaid.

Rejecting someone's affections but then taking the life-risked spoils they've earned to curry favor with another man—what kind of behavior is that?

If you don't want to accept his feelings or marry him, then don't ask for his things—not even with a hint. This is the bare minimum of etiquette!"

Miao Yilan was struck speechless, her face flushed with shame...

At the mountaintop, the Mingshan Sect group was escorted to a pavilion's exterior, where Young Master Nan stood observing from afar.

Inside the pavilion, Mulan Jin stood with hands behind his back, staring coldly at Shi Chun. Shi Chun, of course, noticed him and deliberately put on an appearance of weakness and submission.

The Stargazing Pavilion personnel, disguised as Refining Heaven Sect disciples, stepped into the pavilion and reported to Mulan Jin about what had occurred under Luo Yan's lead.

After hearing the account, Mulan Jin appeared momentarily stunned. By the looks of it, the current trouble seemed to rest with Situ Gu, while Shi Chun seemed to have cleared himself of suspicion?

In other words, he might not have needed to make this trip personally, and the Emperor's previous instructions now seemed somewhat unnecessary.

But with things as they were, what could he do but play along?

After a brief silence, he grunted and said, "Take them away."

With that, he turned to leave.

Just then, two figures ascended the mountain with astounding speed.

The newcomers were two women—one donned in an official green robe, and the other was clad in snowy white. They were none other than Gu Lianni and Mulan Qingqing.

Gu Lianni's complexion was still a bit off, indicating that she had not yet fully recovered from her previous ordeal.

However, she had no choice but to appear. Mulan Qingqing had unexpectedly contacted her. The reason, of course, was that Qi Yun Valley fell under the Artifact Refining World's domain, a place outsiders couldn't recklessly intrude. Since she wasn't familiar with Qi Yun Valley either and had few friends, Gu Lianni was her only viable option.

Seeing Mulan Qingqing's arrival, Shi Chun suddenly felt his spirits lift, harboring a huge surge of hope.

In order to ingratiate himself with this woman, he had already changed how he addressed her in the Mother-child Talisman, evolving from 'Mulan' to 'Qingqing.'

At the same time, he was mildly surprised to see Gu Lianni tagging along but then recalled that Gu Lianni had previously mentioned knowing Mulan Qingqing.

He had initially thought it was just a casual acquaintance and paid it no mind. Now it seemed the two were actually quite close.

The sudden appearance of his daughter left Mulan Jin speechless, while Mulan Qingqing gave Shi Chun's group a fleeting glance before entering the pavilion unimpeded, where she stood face-to-face with her father, her demeanor icy and detached.

The onlookers watched silently.

Gu Lianni, however, seemed terrified of Mulan Jin and dared not approach the pavilion at all.

In the end, it was Mulan Jin who first broke the silence. "Why are you here?"

Mulan Qingqing asked coldly, "Did your men not relay my words to you?"

Mulan Jin replied evenly, "If there's anything to be said, say it later."

Mulan Qingqing replied, "I said that if he is to die, it can only be at my hands. He still owes me a duel!" She bit her lip, hesitating slightly before adding, "Leave him here. I stand by my words."

The meaning of her final sentence eluded others, but Mulan Jin understood instantly. His daughter had previously sent word, ensuring Shi Chun's safety this time, in exchange for acknowledging him as her father.

Whether or not she acknowledged him seemed irrelevant to Mulan Jin. His expression remained impassive as he gazed into his daughter's eyes, as though trying to unearth something within them.

Mulan Qingqing, in turn, appeared somewhat uneasy and avoided his gaze.

Mulan Jin frowned slightly but maintained a composed tone. "Competitions and duels—wins and losses are part of the process. What happened in the past is water under the bridge; there's no need to harp on it..." He hesitated, unsure whether to say more, but ultimately chose to proceed with tough love. "You're not yet his match. Talk of duels can wait."

Mulan Qingqing, however, confidently declared, "I've already broken through to the High Martial Realm."

Mulan Jin showed a hint of surprise, thought for a moment, glanced at Gu Lianni outside the pavilion, and then approached his daughter, murmuring, "If you truly wish to duel him, first seek out Gu Lianni and learn about someone."

Mulan Qingqing looked at him, puzzled.

"Li Hongjiu. Ask Gu Lianni what Li Hongjiu from the Yanbao Sect is capable of. In the Divine Fire Domain, most people know of Li Hongjiu's feat of forcing Shi Chun's group into retreat. But few are aware that Li Hongjiu and Shi Chun once faced off one-on-one. Li Hongjiu—also at the High Martial Realm—was injured, nearly killed even. It was only through deceit that he frightened Shi Chun into fleeing, thus saving his own life. If you intend to duel Shi Chun, first consider whether you can even rival Li Hongjiu."

Having spoken his piece gently, Mulan Jin brushed past his daughter and left.

Mulan Qingqing swivelled abruptly to watch him go. She knew exactly what her father did for a living—the abilities and channels he wielded to obtain information, which others couldn't. If he said so, it was unlikely to be baseless.

As he departed, Mulan Jin gestured to his subordinates to release the captives. Simultaneously, while walking away, he beckoned Shi Chun with a slight gesture.

Shi Chun dared not disobey and followed obediently.

The two walked some distance to the edge of a high precipice before Mulan Jin, with his back turned, asked indifferently, "You want to duel my daughter?"

Shi Chun immediately pulled a face. "She's the one who said it; I don't want to fight at all!"

Mulan Jin asked, "Who do you think would win between you two?"

Shi Chun quickly flattered him, "Of course it would be her. Your daughter's strength is clearly much improved."

"I dislike dishonest people," Mulan Jin said, casting a cold, disdainful glance at him before vanishing into the sky with a flicker of his silhouette.

The Stargazing Pavilion members also took flight, disappearing into the clouds.

"..." Shi Chun stood there, stunned, mulling over the exchange for a while.

Wu Jinliang suddenly jogged toward him and tentatively asked, "What's the situation? Are we being let off?"

Shi Chun inhaled deeply, turned, and gazed at the snowy figure of Mulan Qingqing in the pavilion. He muttered, "Luckily, I found the right person. Getting his daughter to step in really worked."

He then quickly shifted to a beaming face and scurried over to express his gratitude.

After ensuring Shi Chun's group started descending the mountain, Mulan Qingqing finally turned to Gu Lianni and asked, "If I duel him again, do you think I stand a chance of winning?"

Gu Lianni immediately shook her head. "Qingqing, he's incredibly skilled and very cunning. You're no match for him."

Mulan Qingqing pressed, "I've already broken through to the High Martial Realm. Still no chance?"

Gu Lianni sighed, "In the Divine Fire Domain, he infiltrated a crowd of High Martial experts, carried out assassinations, and escaped unscathed. Frankly, you're currently unlikely to be his equal. Plus, he has a host of Magical Treasures at his disposal."

Mulan Qingqing went silent for a moment before asking, "Li Hongjiu's combat skills—are they formidable?"

"Li Hongjiu? Absolutely formidable—so much so that some call him the best below immortality. You don't know how terrifyingly skilled he is..."

As Gu Lianni spoke about Li Hongjiu, her previously weary eyes sparkled with admiration. Her narrative turned into an enthusiastic stream of praise.

Listening to it, Mulan Qingqing found herself in even deeper turmoil. Recalling her father's comment about Shi Chun nearly defeating Li Hongjiu, she was finally able to grasp the weight of her father's words. It left her dazed. How could she possibly face such a match?

Not far below the mountaintop, Young Master Nan hastened to catch up with Shi Chun and asked, "What happened? Why did they let you go? Did Mulan Qingqing act as your reinforcement?"

Shi Chun, still shaken, patted his chest and replied, "What else? Do you think they'd let us go just for nothing?"

Young Master Nan burst out laughing and gave him a thumbs up. "Impressive! I heard her relationship with her father isn't good, yet you managed to pull this off. I'm impressed!"

The Mingshan Sect members, too, were relieved by their narrow escape, rejoicing. Their journey had not been in vain—it had, in fact, earned them great rewards.

At the exit of Qi Yun Valley, they were greeted by the patiently waiting An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin, who rejoined the group.

Additionally, Xiang Laner, Feng Chi, and Duan Xiangmei had also arrived at the valley entrance to wait for them.

In front of everyone, Duan Xiangmei lost control of herself and rushed forward to cling to Wu Jinliang, whose tall frame made her small stature seem like she was hanging off his neck.

Feng Chi also became uncontrollably emotional and leaped toward Shi Chun, grabbing his face and smothering him with kisses—for a long while, incessantly planting kisses on his eyes, nose, and mouth.

Shi Chun was momentarily stunned by the onslaught of affection, and it took him a while to come to his senses. He finally pushed her away, feeling as though his face was drenched in slobber. As he wiped his face aggressively, he spat, "Was that really necessary?"

Understanding her emotions somewhat, given the danger they had narrowly escaped from, he dismissed it as natural under the circumstances.

Rather than disturbed, Feng Chi beamed at him, finding him all the more endearing after this episode.

Shi Chun, however, turned his attention toward Xiang Laner, looking at her with unmistakable affection.

Worried he might attempt a public display of affection as well, Xiang Laner reminded him, "Let's talk back at the inn."

"Alright," Shi Chun agreed readily, acting like an obedient child.

The group returned to the inn. Along the way, members of various sects greeted them, with most of the attention directed at Tong Mingshan.

Young Master Nan personally escorted the group back to the inn, leaving some guards to ensure their safety before departing to attend to his own affairs.

At the inn, everyone went about their intended routines—some resting while Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang slipped into Xiang Laner and Feng Chi's room.

Once the door was shut, Xiang Laner asked directly, "Weren't you saying the Stargazing Pavilion wanted to capture you?"

Shi Chun replied, "They already did, but I managed to plead with Mulan Qingqing to intervene, temporarily defusing the crisis."

Wu Jinliang let out a laugh. "Heh, heh, heh!"

Feng Chi, excited, said, "Miss, didn't I say so? I knew he'd find a way to solve it!"

Shi Chun, however, waved his hand solemnly and said, "But this resolution feels a bit too peculiar. Wasn't it resolved too easily? Considering we've caught the attention of the Stargazing Pavilion, could it really be this simple? Maybe it's not the right time for you to keep the Desolate Broken Blade. Here's what I think: you should suggest to those above you to purchase it from me at a high and fair price. Then, if something happens to the buyer and the blade gets 'stolen,' wherever it ends up won't matter. It'll all make sense."

Wu Jinliang's eyes instantly lit up, followed by another round of laughter. "Heh, heh, heh, heh!"

Even Feng Chi, after some thought, agreed resolutely. "Yes, that's exactly the right approach!"

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