Chapter 247: I am the Sect Leader of Mingshan Sect

It must be said that the group from Myriad Herbs Hall came prepared to confront Zhu Xiangxin. Few could withstand their well-reasoned and advantageous targeted assault, and Zhu Xiangxin was no exception; she eventually succumbed.

Walking back to the Divine Flame Palace Inn, Zhu Xiangxin remained silent the entire way, almost bumping into people multiple times, clearly lost in thought.

She returned to her room, consumed by guilt. She lived alone, and no one was there to disturb her.

The excitement she had felt about entering the Divine Flame Realm had completely vanished, for Shi Chun had indeed treated her very well.

Such generous treatment even led her to think that since Shi Chun had no female companion and she was unmarried, a relationship between them might not be impossible.

She had to admit that Shi Chun was quite an excellent man and not bad-looking either; having such a partner in the cultivation world for the rest of her life wouldn't be a wasted existence.

But all of that was over now. After the Divine Flame Realm, she would return to her sect.

She collapsed onto the couch, curling up, motionless as if dead. Only the sea breeze occasionally blowing in through the window continued to comfort her.

Returning to her room, Duan Xiangmei quickly went to Wu Jinliang and whispered a few words to him.

So Wu Jinliang picked up his gourd and left his room again, going straight to Shi Chun's room. Without knocking, he used a spell to open the latch and entered.

Shi Chun, who was sitting cross-legged on the couch in meditation, opened his eyes and looked. He slowly said, "Why are you here again? What's with all this coming and going?"

This was Wu Jinliang's third unauthorized entry. Not long ago, he had rushed over to report about An Wuzhi, saying someone had knocked on An Wuzhi's door and invited him to leave with them.

Wu Jinliang sat by the couch and whispered, "Tong Mingshan was just invited out too."

A glint flickered in Shi Chun's half-closed eyes as he meditated. "Things were quiet and fine before. Why are people suddenly being called out, all at once, within this short period? It seems someone has leaked information about our whereabouts."

Wu Jinliang said, "That's not important anymore. What's important are those three, including Tong Mingshan. Why them specifically? They were called away so easily; I suspect it's all their former sects. You must know what their intentions are, right?"

Shi Chun gave him a sidelong glance. "We're going in tomorrow, and once inside, it'll be forty-nine days. Go spend some time with your Duan Xiangmei. We've already been exposed anyway, so there's no need to hide. Take her for a stroll around the island; the scenery here is quite good, we really haven't seen it before."

Wu Jinliang replied, "No, listen. It would be best to arrange for someone to secretly follow those three and see what they're up to."

Shi Chun gave him another sidelong glance. "Alright, you don't need to worry about this. Someone will be watching them."

"Are you referring to the Demonic Path side?" Wu Jinliang asked.

Shi Chun shook his head slightly. "When I met with Young Master Nan previously, I already asked him for help. We have an agreement on how to handle it."

"Uh..." Wu Jinliang paused slightly, then as his mind turned, he suddenly understood. "You expected someone would come looking for those three?"

Shi Chun said, "Why do you think I chose not to report to Instrument Cloud Valley and instead spent money to hide everyone here? Alright, go have fun."

Whenever he had free time, he had to quickly refine the demonic flame within his body. For every bit he refined, his cultivation and strength would increase accordingly.

Seeing that Shi Chun had already made preparations, Wu Jinliang's heart immediately settled. His characteristic chuckle emerged again. He patted his thigh, stood up, and left. This time, he truly went to the beach with Duan Xiangmei to have fun.

Not long after he left, Feng Chi knocked and entered Shi Chun's room.

As soon as the door closed, she immediately slipped to the side of Shi Chun's couch and sat down. She quietly informed him, "Zhu Xiangxin was called out and met with people from Myriad Herbs Hall. Her master, Bai Tingfang, the sect leader, Ao Hongyou, and Elder Lian Hu, all from Myriad Herbs Hall, were present. It's not hard to guess what they're after, coming all this way just to see her with such a lineup."

Shi Chun asked, "Has she returned yet?"

"Yes," Feng Chi replied, "she's back in her own room."

Shi Chun pondered briefly, then nodded slightly. "Good, I understand."

Feng Chi continued, "Also, An Wuzhi and Tong Mingshan were called out. We don't know yet who they met with, but it's not hard to guess, and we need to be careful. It seems I need to ask our superiors to send more people to keep an eye on things."

Shi Chun replied, "It's fine, don't worry about it. They're just there to make up the numbers when they go in. My main purpose in going in is to help your side. There's no need to cause trouble for them."

Thinking about it, he was right. Feng Chi nodded and then left.

Just as she exited and closed the door, she saw An Wuzhi, who had just returned. They nodded to each other in greeting, and then each went back to their own rooms.

At this time, Tong Mingshan had already arrived at Instrument Cloud Valley and was led to the encampment of the Hundred Refinements Sect's delegation.

His former fellow disciples, upon seeing his arrival, reacted with a mix of frowns and envy, none knowing whether to greet him or not.

After entering a room, he met with the sect leader Yan Qufeng, Elders Pan Gongying and Jie Lunguang, and his master Luo Wan.

The meeting was almost identical to Zhu Xiangxin's earlier encounter with her masters; they also asked him to return to the sect, putting a great deal of pressure on Tong Mingshan.

The Hundred Refinements Sect offered great temptations: more advanced artifact refining techniques, higher-tier fire-attribute cultivation methods, and abundant resource provisions. He found it truly hard to resist.

But his situation was different from Zhu Xiangxin's.

No one from Myriad Herbs Hall was entering the Divine Flame Realm, only Zhu Xiangxin.

However, twenty people from the Hundred Refinements Sect could enter. Adding him wouldn't make a significant difference. The reason they valued him specifically was because he was the Sect Leader of Bright Mountain Sect, and they intended for him to lead the thirteen members of Bright Mountain Sect to serve the Hundred Refinements Sect, thereby increasing the Hundred Refinements Sect's chances of acquiring the Divine Flame.

This was his value in their eyes.

Faced with his master's patient exhortations and the enormous allure of benefits, Tong Mingshan lowered his head and remained silent for a long time.

Everyone in the room waited silently. After a long wait, Yan Qufeng subtly tilted his head, gesturing to Master Luo Wan.

Luo Wan immediately reprimanded and urged, "Mingshan, don't be foolish!"

So Tong Mingshan lifted his still somewhat youthful and refined face. He took a deep breath, shedding his previous hesitant state, and said firmly, "Master, I cannot agree to this. I regret that I cannot obey!"

At these words, the expressions of everyone present shifted dramatically. After such generous terms were offered, he refused?

They were somewhat incredulous.

Luo Wan, furious at his perceived failure, stepped forward quickly, almost striking Tong Mingshan, but Yan Qufeng waved his hand, deflecting him with a distant spell, and reprimanded, "Don't be presumptuous!"

"No matter what," Yan Qufeng continued, "he is, after all, a sect leader now and bound by the Divine Flame Alliance Pact. What if you injure him now? If he seriously pursues the matter and the rules are broken, it would be troublesome if the Hundred Refinements Sect's qualification to enter the Divine Flame Realm were canceled."

Pan Gongying asked curiously, "Tong Mingshan, why can't you agree to this?"

Since he had already made his decision, Tong Mingshan's replies became more direct. "I cannot be disloyal!"

"Foolish!" Luo Wan, his hair and beard bristling, pointed at him and angrily rebuked, "Shi Chun is a scoundrel! What loyalty could there be? He deceived and tricked you, leading to your expulsion from the sect. Have you forgotten?"

Tong Mingshan replied unhurriedly, "I am the Sect Leader of Bright Mountain Sect. How can I betray my sect?"

These words were more powerful than a thousand arguments, like a thunderclap across the world, astonishing everyone present into silence, leaving them speechless.

Yan Qufeng, also a sect leader, even with countless arguments at his disposal, could not find a single word to refute in the face of these words.

Luo Wan suddenly pointed at his disciple, making a forceful but unreasonable argument. "You enjoyed all the conveniences of the sect to get where you are today. Such an action, how is it different from betrayal?"

Tong Mingshan calmly said, "Your disciple never betrayed the sect. It was the sect that abandoned your disciple."

He then raised his hands in a formal bow towards Luo Wan. "Master, once a master, always a master; your disciple dares not forget. The circumstances of my expulsion from the sect in the capital of Shenzhou are still vivid in my mind, and I dare not forget them. From that day, your disciple knew that a master is a master, but serving one's own lord is serving one's own lord. These are separate matters and should not be confused! Regarding returning to the sect, please do not mention it again, Master. I regret that I cannot obey! Tomorrow, I must enter the Divine Flame Realm. Your disciple will take his leave now!"

After speaking, he bowed to the other individuals present, then turned and strode out.

Luo Wan was trembling with rage and about to chase after him, but Yan Qufeng called out to stop him. "Forget it. His mind is made up. What's done is done; there's no going back. Let him go. The words have been spoken today, and his ties with the Hundred Refinements Sect are broken. As long as he doesn't regret it someday, that's fine!"

These words were meant for Luo Wan, but also for the departing man.

Tong Mingshan, who was walking out the door, heard these words but did not look back, leaving resolutely.

In the end, only sighs lingered in the room.

Yan Qufeng, with his hands behind his back, paced to the window. He looked at the valley scenery outside, a look of regret on his face, and softly said, "He was not tempted by profit. Only today did I see his true nature. Perhaps expelling him from the sect was truly a loss for our Hundred Refinements Sect. Alas!"

Upon returning to the Divine Flame Palace, Tong Mingshan did not go directly back to his own room; instead, he knocked on Shi Chun's door.

Shi Chun's voice came from inside the room: "Come in."

Tong Mingshan opened the door, entered, and closed it again. He walked into the room and sat down on his own. For a long time, he remained silent.

Shi Chun, sitting cross-legged on the couch, observed him for a while, then said with a faint, unreadable smile, "You look troubled. What's wrong?"

"My sect found me and asked me to return to them..." Tong Mingshan sighed as he recounted the situation.

Shi Chun occasionally interjected with a question, such as what benefits were offered.

When asked how he refused, after hearing his words of refusal, Shi Chun's eyes suddenly lit up. Sitting cross-legged, he actually leaped directly off the couch, wildly swung his sleeves, turned a few circles, and laughed heartily, a rare sight. "What a splendid declaration: 'I am the Sect Leader of Bright Mountain Sect. How can I betray my sect?'"

He suddenly turned and waved his sleeve, pointing two fingers at Tong Mingshan, who was sitting there, and declared loudly, "You, Tong Mingshan, are worthy of being the Sect Leader of Bright Mountain Sect!"

Having just gone through an emotional confrontation, Tong Mingshan was not in the mood for such exuberance. His spirits were somewhat low as he rambled through the details of the incident during their conversation.

Shi Chun couldn't help but laugh after hearing it. "They offered you such great benefits. How could you resist not accepting?"

He found it strange.

Tong Mingshan chuckled, a self-deprecating look on his face, and said, "How could I agree? They might not know, but don't I know myself? I don't even know when I became the sect leader; this Bright Mountain Sect is run by you, the boss. How could I order you to help the Hundred Refinements Sect? I simply cannot fulfill their demands.

"Twenty of them are entering. If they truly band together and find the Divine Flame, do you think it would be my turn to absorb it? I would just be a stepping stone for them.

"If I return to the Hundred Refinements Sect without absorbing the Divine Flame, what good would those higher-tier cultivation methods, advanced artifact refining techniques, and abundant cultivation resources do me? They are typically given to those who absorb the Divine Flame. If they made an exception for an ordinary disciple like me, I fear I wouldn't be able to truly benefit from them."

"Good, good, good." Shi Chun happily clapped his hands and praised repeatedly, "It seems the Sect Leader of Bright Mountain Sect was truly chosen correctly. A chosen one!"