Of course, what kept people in Dazhi City talking was the story of Shi Chun doing odd jobs at Chao Yue Hall.

Some information, for many people, is never available immediately, but over the years, some information gradually spread, and only then did the Dong family at Chao Yue Hall learn that Wang Ping, who worked odd jobs here back then, was actually someone hiding his true identity.

Naturally, they also learned about Shi Chun coming from Life Prison and being sentenced to eternal imprisonment there.

On this joyous occasion, Dong Liangyi met her master, Situ Gu, in private. She rarely had the opportunity to see this master.

In private, she asked Situ Gu, saying she'd heard that the master had some connection with Shi Chun.

Yes, Situ Gu admitted.

Dong Liangyi further asked if the master's decision to accept her as a disciple was related to Shi Chun?

After a moment of silence, Situ Gu truthfully confessed, he was the one who invited me here.

Thus, Dong Liangyi cried like a pear blossom in the rain, ruining her makeup.

She recalled someone gifting her a hairpin, saying she was most beautiful. It turned out the person didn't just say nice things but was truly supporting her quietly from behind, just unwilling to involve her in complex matters.

However, some things are just missed once they are missed. Given the situation, moral convention did not allow her, a well-educated woman, to behave differently. In the end, she wiped away her tears, fixed her makeup, and left her small courtyard to marry with dignity...

Meanwhile, at East Victory Royal City, within Mingshan Sect's residence, Tong Mingshan, Feng Chi, and Duan Xiangmei gathered around a table, staring at a hairpin, uncertain of its meaning.

Suddenly someone came by, saying it was sent by someone else to return to Shi Chun.

They couldn't figure out who sent it, nor could they decipher the significance of the hairpin, even after repeated examinations.

Also, with Shi Chun imprisoned in Life Prison, who could possibly deliver this to him? Didn't the sender know this?

"I reckon it has something to do with a woman," Tong Mingshan, with his white hair, earnestly asserted.

Feng Chi couldn't help but roll her eyes at him, stating this was obviously a woman's hairpin.

Now, with them in the two main buildings where they resided, things seemed quieter, mostly just the three of them.

With Shi Chun captured and Wu Jinliang's whereabouts unknown, major cultivation resources were controlled by those two, and over time, it was natural for people to become restless and unsteady; some considered finding other paths.

The initial upheaval was not with Tong Mingshan but rather with the forces behind Feng Chi.

Based on the information they had, the forces behind Feng Chi deduced that Shi Chun was unlikely to be released again, concluding that Xiang Laner and Feng Chi held no more value there, and thus wanted to transfer them elsewhere for other purposes.

Yet, Feng Chi resolutely refused, unwilling to leave, firmly believing that Shi Chun would be released, using Wu Jinliang as an excuse, saying having someone stationed here might enable responding to changes flexibly, not making things impossible to salvage in unexpected scenarios. After all, Shi Chun wasn't dead, do we really want to completely cut off any possible retreat?

Through her vigorous contention, she managed to stay.

Add to that the release of Wu Hong, Chen Wuji, Fang Zicheng, and Hao Ji, who were captured by the forces behind Feng Chi, thanks to her relentless efforts. Her reason was that releasing them might enable Wu Jinliang to contact one among them, she being nearby for observation,

It was fortunate timing, with Shi Chun captured, retaining Wu Hong and the others wasn't of much value, so Feng Chi succeeded in rescuing the group.

As for Xiang Laner, she had left long before, her beauty valuable to Feng Chi's forces, and was transferred elsewhere, engaged romantically with a powerful individual.

Xiang Laner's leading departure further destabilized Mingshan Sect's morale.

Later, Young Master Nan noticed something was amiss, intervening to stabilize the situation, bringing Mingshan Sect's people into his capabilities' reach for tasks, claiming it offered them a future or at least supported them, helping stabilize things.

He too felt it a pity for Shi Chun's former group to disperse, having absorbed three monks capable of wielding Divine Fire. Anywhere any of these individuals went, they were sought after. It was due to such facts that the cost of supporting these individuals was certainly substantial.

He considered it keeping for Shi Chun a possibility, in case Shi Chun returned someday, he could at least show his apology and provide an account.

Young Master Nan was puzzled over Wu Jinliang's whereabouts, wondering how he could not reach him.

Actually, among the Mingshan Sect people, Duan Xiangmei secretly maintained contact with Wu Jinliang, solely receiving occasional comforting messages from Wu Jinliang, not even knowing where Wu Jinliang was hiding but supporting Wu Jinliang's decision to stay hidden.

She feared Wu Jinliang might also be captured into Life Prison.

Indeed, Feng Chi discerned some hints from Duan Xiangmei's calm demeanor, yet said nothing, without Xiang Laner observing closely, being able to make her own decisions now, she surprisingly didn't report this matter to Feng Chi's forces.

Time flies, and five more years have passed.

In a mountain, by a river, in a pavilion, Mulan Qingqing, dressed in a white robe, appeared increasingly impressive, possessing an increasingly fresh and radiant feminine allure, adding a mature charm.

Finally managing to invite his daughter for a face-to-face talk, Mulan Jin wore a gloomy face, chastising, "Who allowed you to sign up on your own? The grand battle of contention, the five major forces fighting viciously over territory, blood flowing like rivers, corpses stretching far and wide! With you alone, even dead you're not enough to fill teeth gaps, what exactly can you do there?"

Mulan Qingqing calmly stated, "I just want to be myself for once, to walk a road that I can make my own decisions on."

Since Shi Chun surrendered himself because of her, she couldn't even visit him in prison despite repeatedly asking her father for help; her father never agreed to help. Finally, she resolved that in the end, one must rely on oneself!

Mulan Jin turned repeatedly, almost laughing in anger, having hardly ever spoken a harsh word to his daughter, now losing all composure, pointing angrily at his daughter's nose, he rebuked, "Don't you know your starting point is what countless people desire as their end point? What do you mean 'a road you can make your own decisions on'? Let me tell you, no one is allowed to act recklessly in this world, don't be too naive!"

"I have always obeyed for the sake of the Sect and have been willing to sacrifice everything for it. Just defying once is considered naive? Why the pretense, when have you ever cared about family's life or death? I've registered and it cannot be changed." Mulan Qingqing left the words, turning directly to leave, clearly disinclined to waste words.

Thus, the Pavilion Master of Stargazing Pavilion was so angered, clutching his waist with one hand, another on a pillar for support, looking down and panting, turning his head to stare fiercely at his daughter's departing silhouette.

A while later, when he gradually regained his former composure, his entourage arrived, sighing, "Commander, the rules of the five families are set, once registered it really cannot be undone, considering the situation, we must plan carefully."

Mulan Jin retorted, "How to plan carefully? Once involved in the battle, it's life or death, there are numerous individuals with cultivation surpassing hers, I cannot possibly just arrange for people to risk their lives solely to protect my daughter, right? Besides, it's not simply enlisting a group, she's suffered from this before…"

Upon recalling why she suffered before, suddenly Mulan Jin froze, eyes flickering, becoming thoughtful, and then he paced while murmuring, "ultimately there's one suitable candidate, perhaps capable of supporting her immensely..."

His entourage responded with interest, "Who? I'll fetch him now. He'll agree regardless. Asking a group of people to risk their lives is tough, but dealing with an individual is feasible."

Mulan Jin paced, "The person is imprisoned in Life Prison."

"Life Prison?" The entourage froze momentarily before understanding, "Shi Chun?"

Then their eyes lit up, nodding repeatedly, "Indeed, this beast is adept at rallying and leading, surviving deadly trials, even escaping mass pursuit by numerous Heavenly Immortal Realm masters hunting a group. This isn't mere luck but real capability. He's most suitable for the Four Battles Ground. Should he commit to aiding the young lady, he might indeed help her carve out a bloody path..."

Then there was hesitant wavering, "The problem is he's imprisoned in Life Prison, how to retrieve him there."

Mulan Jin halted, seemingly determining something, stating, "Qie Shan owes me a favor."

"This…" The entourage worriedly mused about Qie Shan, "This matter can he agree to it? He likely cannot make that decision."

Mulan Jin slightly narrowed his eyes, "He took away a Demon Path, failing to provide me a satisfactory account, involving Demon Path, could I not apprehend him?"

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