Chapter 237: Well Modified

Wu Jinliang, as if remembering something, ran back to his room, retrieved two large gourds, and handed one to Shi Chun. "Here, I prepared one for you too. Carry it when we go out."

Shi Chun, taking it, couldn't help but smile wryly. "Alright, I'll accept it."

As for carrying it immediately, he thought better of it. He was a person who valued elegance and demeanor; constantly carrying such a large gourd would look unsightly.

For Wu Jinliang, who was accustomed to wielding a large saber, a small gourd like this was nothing compared to the saber.

In the area where they stayed, a car would arrive with a simple summons, though the fare still had to be paid.

Duan Xiangmei wanted to go along and see. Wu Jinliang looked at Shi Chun for his opinion. Seeing Shi Chun remain silent, he understood the inconvenience and immediately refused Duan Xiangmei, saying, "Stay home and cultivate properly."

Duan Xiangmei also realized Shi Chun was unwilling and tactfully withdrew.

The two got into the car. After the carriage started moving, Wu Jinliang, who had cast a spell to check the interior, finally spoke. "Why did you suddenly think of getting them out?"

Shi Chun didn't answer directly. Instead, he told Wu Jinliang about the demonic cultivators making him participate in the "Divine Fire Pact."

Wu Jinliang was slightly surprised. "You agreed?"

Shi Chun: "They threatened to silence me if I didn't agree. What do you think I should do?"

Wu Jinliang: "So you just agreed?"

"How could I agree so easily..." Shi Chun then stated the compensation he had demanded.

Wu Jinliang was speechless. This still sounded like he was forced to agree. He had also heard of the Divine Fire Pact; it was very dangerous.

Shi Chun understood his meaning and explained, "On one hand, Xiang Lan'er was pleading with me, using the excuse that I liked her. On the other hand, there was a threat of being silenced. At that moment, what do you think I should do?

Actually, it's nothing. I'll just go and see the situation first. If I can handle it, I will. If not, I'll hide. At worst, I'll just hide until it's over and then come out. Isn't it easy to find an excuse to get by? Going once and getting such a huge payout is still worth it."

Hearing this, Wu Jinliang thought of the five hundred million and a house, and his face lit up with a smile. "It's good to go and experience it then."

Then, he looked puzzled again. "What does this have to do with getting Chu Jingting and the others out?"

Shi Chun thought for a moment. "I don't want to work for nothing. I have a temporary idea, but I don't know if it's feasible yet. I'll go and understand the situation first. We don't even know where they're being held. Contact your friends and ask them to inquire."

"Sigh, you too. You've had them locked up for half a year before remembering them."

"When I first returned to the imperial capital, I did think about getting them out. But then I considered, it wouldn't be appropriate to release them just a few days after they were imprisoned. They tried to assassinate us. If we don't temper their anger, I'm afraid they won't easily let go of that obsession. Giving them a place to calm down and reflect properly will make it easier to talk to them, won't it?"

"Hehehehe..."

They weren't serious criminals, so a visit wasn't a big deal. Wu Jinliang's questionable friends easily arranged it.

Inside a dimly lit cell, eleven prisoners, wearing handcuffs and shackles, were successively brought in and crowded together in the cage.

All eleven were in ragged clothes. Some clearly bore whip marks, their faces were grimy, and their shoes were worn through at the big toes. The men had grown long beards, especially Chu Jingting, whose unkempt full beard made him look like a lion.

The only woman among them, Zhu Xiangxin, a former disciple of Myriad Herb Hall, no longer had her original dignified appearance. Small insects could be seen crawling in her messy hair, and her face was so dirty it had formed a crust. She had been brought over from the women's prison section.

Each of them had rough calluses and scabs on their hands.

Clearly, their cultivation had been suppressed, and they were often made to do heavy labor.

After the eleven recognized each other, they were all somewhat surprised. Although they occasionally saw each other, they weren't confined together. They wondered why they had suddenly been gathered today.

"Old Chu, what's the meaning of this?" asked Lao Changtai.

Chu Jingting: "How would I know? Are our sects here to get us out?"

Zhu Xiangxin sighed, "What a dream. There's no possibility of all our sects simultaneously coming to get us out."

Everyone considered this and grew more and more alarmed. Were they going to be collectively dealt with?

Just then, the outer iron door clanged open, and two people in splendid, luxurious clothes walked in. One was notably tall and conspicuous, and he was carrying a large gourd on his back. They recognized him as Wu Jinliang at first glance.

The other, of course, was Shi Chun.

After half a year apart, both of their complexions had become much fairer; they now looked like normal people.

Suddenly seeing the two of them, the prisoners felt a mix of emotions, and at the same time, their panic grew. They had been imprisoned for attempting to assassinate these very two. Were they here to settle accounts?

They all remained quiet.

"Hehehehe..." Wu Jinliang's laughter echoed in the space. Seeing their miserable state, he was very amused.

Shi Chun's gaze swept over them, then he called out each name as if reciting a cherished list: "Chu Jingting of Azure Wave Sect, Wu Hong of Iron Sword Gate, Lao Changtai of Purple Cloud Sect, Chen Wuji of Righteous Heaven Gate, Fang Zicheng of Northern Court Sect, Xiao Sheng of Spirit Gathering Valley, Hao Ji of Myriad Splendor Mountain, Tong Mingshan of Hundred Refinements Sect, Shen Moming of Marvelous Immortal Sect, An Wuzhi of Vermilion Bird Pavilion, Zhu Xiangxin of Myriad Herb Hall. Greetings, everyone. I never expected us to meet again under such circumstances."

*You're the reason for this*, was the unspoken thought of everyone present. But as prisoners, they knew it was wise to be pragmatic, so they remained silent.

Shi Chun continued, "I also suddenly heard that you all were arrested, and that it was because you tried to assassinate me. Why assassinate me? What for?"

At this, how could they not feel hatred? Chu Jingting spoke up, "Because of you, all of us have been expelled from our sects."

Shi Chun: "Just for that, you wanted to kill me? At the Heavenfall Meteor Shower Assembly, everyone relied on their own abilities. Did I do anything wrong?"

The group fell silent again. Indeed, they were much calmer now. After being imprisoned for so long and suffering, they had long since reflected on their actions and had regretted their impulsive decision.

Shi Chun: "I forgot to mention, we're in the same boat. We two were also expelled from Wu Kang Mountain."

The group looked up at them with some surprise.

Wu Jinliang, with the large gourd on his back, chuckled continually.

Chu Jingting asked, surprised, "You rendered such great service to Wu Kang Mountain. How could they still expel you from your sect?"

"Unlike you, we don't have good backgrounds... Never mind, let's not talk about that, it's pointless." Shi Chun waved his hand dismissively. "So what if we're expelled from our sects? It's no big deal. We might not have been as free in our sects as we are now. By the way, I have a question. It's unlikely you all spontaneously decided to kill us, right? Which esteemed person came up with that terrible idea?"

The group's subtle glances instinctively flickered towards Chu Jingting, who lowered his eyebrows and eyes, remaining silent.

Shi Chun immediately pointed at Chu Jingting's nose through the bars of the cage. "I knew it was your rotten idea, because back then, you were the one closest to us."

Chu Jingting snorted, "I was also the most thoroughly deceived. I was sold out and even helped you count the money."

Shi Chun waved his hand again. "Alright, that's all in the past. We didn't come to settle scores with you. We heard you were locked up here, so we came to visit you.

By the way, even though you've been expelled from your sects, you've served them for so many years. Even I've heard rumors. It's impossible your sects haven't heard anything, right? They've just left you here to rot. Has no sect come to get you out?"

His words were disheartening, and all eleven prisoners showed faces full of gloom and sorrow.

After observing their expressions, Shi Chun added, "Not a single one?"

The eleven prisoners' expressions grew even more distressed.

Wu Jinliang clicked his tongue. "That really is a bit much. Your attempt to assassinate us wasn't just personal vendetta, was it? Wasn't it also to vent your sects' frustrations? It seems there's truly no loyalty left."

The two kept bringing up painful topics, making the prisoners feel worse and worse, clearly trying to corner them emotionally.

Seeing that they remained silent, Shi Chun said, "The matter of the Heavenfall Meteor Shower Assembly is in the past. We had no choice then, and you shouldn't hold a grudge against us.

Of course, your current state is, to some extent, due to our involvement, and we feel quite sorry about it. If you all feel that matter can be put behind us and we can still be friends, then we'll help you figure out a way to get you out.

However, if you still harbor resentment and don't wish for our help, then just disregard everything we've said."

As soon as he said this, the eleven prisoners' gazes all darted towards him. Zhu Xiangxin eagerly asked, "You truly don't hold a grudge against us? You can really get us out?"

Shi Chun spread his hands. "Was I not clear enough? We're all people expelled from our sects, in the same boat. Is there any need to keep messing with each other? Killing us wouldn't benefit you. And killing you wouldn't benefit us either, so why bother?"

"Alright, as long as you can get me out, I'll let bygones be bygones."

"Brother Wang... no, Brother Chun is right. Everything from before is in the past."

"Exactly. Even if we killed Brother Wang... Brother Chun, it wouldn't change anything."

The group, without exception, expressed their desire to leave, hoping Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang would help. They truly didn't want to stay in that place for another day.

Seeing that they had been "reformed" quite well, Shi Chun pressed his hands together amidst the commotion. "Rest assured, I will do my best in this matter to get every single one of you out as quickly as possible. Just wait for my good news."

The group repeatedly expressed their gratitude, and a glimmer of hope appeared on their dirty faces.

Wu Jinliang chuckled beside him. He knew best, having personally heard Shi Chun ask Lan Qiaoyan to help imprison these people. Now, this group was actually thanking Shi Chun, and he found it amusing.

Of course, he also knew that Shi Chun's decision wasn't intended to harm these people.

With the matter seemingly settled, Shi Chun suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, I've recently been discussing fire-attribute cultivation methods with someone. Tong Mingshan, if I'm not mistaken, your Hundred Refinements Sect is a tool-refining sect, right?"

Tong Mingshan nodded. "Yes."

Shi Chun: "Do you know fire-attribute cultivation methods?"

"Yes," Tong Mingshan said, looking to both sides. "It's not just me here who knows fire-attribute cultivation methods. An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin also do. My fire-attribute cultivation method is primarily for tool refining."

Zhu Xiangxin said, "My Myriad Herb Hall's fire-attribute cultivation method is mainly used for alchemy."

An Wuzhi held up his shackled hands and smiled wryly. "My Vermilion Bird Pavilion's fire-attribute cultivation method is indeed for combat, but at my current level, its power isn't great."

Shi Chun smiled and nodded. After casually reassuring them for a while, telling them to await news, he then departed with Wu Jinliang.

After exiting the main gate of the heavily guarded prison, Wu Jinliang asked curiously, "Leaving? Aren't you getting them out now?"

Shi Chun: "Where would they live if they came out? All these people, crammed in with us? Let them stay locked up for a few more days. We'll wait until they help us get a house ready. It's not a bad thing for them to genuinely think about us for a few days. These are all people screened by various sects for us; if they're kept here and no one comes to get them out, it means their backgrounds are relatively clean. Once they're out, we need to make them understand that being with us is much better than being in their sects!"

Wu Jinliang understood, chuckling beside him.