Chapter 257: Shock

When Shi Chun and his group from the Mingshan Sect arrived at the meeting point, they did not see the Four-Cauldron Sect.

Perhaps they had arrived early. In such situations, those who arrive first naturally wait.

They waited and waited, but even by daybreak, there was no sign of the Four-Cauldron Sect.

Although they had only waited for about an hour, Shi Chun was puzzled. The distance should not be far, and the other party should not have trouble finding the place, as this was where he had previously met Xu Anchun.

If they lacked even the basic ability to remember a route and find their way, wouldn't entering the Divine Fire Domain be a death wish?

Getting lost and unable to find their way back would be a laughingstock.

Naturally, he also suspected that something might have happened.

"Chief, how much longer do we have to wait?" Zhu Xiangxin asked, revealing her anxiety.

Shi Chun understood. What artifact refiners and alchemists desired was the same, and wasting time at this moment was agonizing for them; it was clearly visible on their faces.

However, he disliked endless appeasement. He simply said, "Wait. We'll wait as long as we can."

His tone carried a blunt edge, which immediately calmed Zhu Xiangxin's urgent mood, as well as An Wuzhi's.

If the Four-Cauldron Sect did not show up, Shi Chun did not care. If the Demonic Path inquired later, it would not be his fault; it would be a problem with the people the Demonic Path had arranged.

After a long wait, a large, orange-yellow sun gradually emerged above the horizon. The sandy mountain range began to glitter with various colored crystals everywhere, creating a unique and exotic landscape. It would have been much more beautiful if they did not have to constantly take out ice sheep to regulate the air.

Just then, a group of figures in blue robes flew toward them. The color of their clothes indicated that they had finally arrived.

Wu Jinliang announced, "They're here."

Twenty blue-robed individuals landed before them. Xu Anchun quickly approached Shi Chun, cupped his hands apologetically, and said, "Brother Chun, you've waited a long time."

Then, he turned slightly and gestured to a tall, thin man with thin lips, his hands behind his back and chin raised. "This is Feng Yaoyang, our leading senior brother," he introduced.

Shi Chun quickly stepped forward, cupped his hands, and said, "Brother Feng, I've long admired you. It's truly an honor for our two teams to travel together this time."

Feng Yaoyang raised a hand to stop him, seemingly unaccustomed to looking people directly in the eye. Even though they were facing each other, he turned his body, tilted his head, and said, "Shi Chun, don't try to get familiar with me. I never intended to team up with you; it was Junior Brother Xu who kept persuading me."

He then turned back to Xu Anchun and said, "Junior Brother Xu, I'll say it again: you know Shi Chun's reputation. He's a treacherous person. Teaming up with him is like running with wolves!"

Such bluntness, despite Shi Chun's mental preparation, still startled him. He wondered, "Can we really continue to team up after this?"

Chu Jing-tang and his group showed various expressions. Wu Jinliang chuckled as he sized up Feng Yaoyang.

Xu Anchun hurried forward, forcing a bitter smile. "Senior Brother Feng, Brother Chun and his group originally had no intention of teaming up with anyone. I actively invited them after encountering them. They have over a dozen people, and they can certainly assist us to some extent."

"Assist us?" Feng Yaoyang snorted, lifting his chin towards Shi Chun's group. "Can any of you pick out someone at the Grand Martial Arts Completion realm?"

His implication was clear: if they did not even have someone at the Grand Martial Arts Completion realm, how could they possibly assist?

Shi Chun smiled faintly. "Precisely because we don't, we're willing to team up to seek protection. And precisely because we don't, Brother Feng, you don't need to worry about us having ulterior motives. If we encounter divine fire, we certainly can't outcompete you. Brother Feng, don't overthink it. We are simply here for a rare opportunity to broaden our horizons."

Feng Yaoyang's gaze swept over them, and from Tong Mingshan's complexion, he instantly recognized him as an artifact refiner. He pointed, "Ask him! Ask the three of you who practice fire-attribute cultivation methods: just to broaden your horizons? Can they really hold back? Xu Anchun, do you even know what kind of mess you're making?"

Shi Chun rubbed his forehead. "Fine, I won't say more. I've done all I can. With people like this, it's a miracle if you can reason with them. You people from the Demonic Path can handle it yourselves."

Chu Jing-tang and the others did not care either; they just watched the show.

Xu Anchun, too, had to rein in his patience. He loudly said, "Senior Brother Feng, we don't know what lies ahead. We'll have thirteen more people. This is a good thing that other sects couldn't even dream of. Can you stop being so stubborn? Can you consider everyone's feelings? Fellow senior and junior brothers, if you are willing to team up with the Mingshan Sect, please raise your hands!"

He was the first to lead by example and raise his hand.

You Mu did not hesitate and raised his hand. Then, ten more people gradually followed suit.

Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang quickly scanned the ten individuals, then exchanged glances, estimating that these ten, along with Xu Anchun and You Mu, constituted the twelve Demonic Path members Xu Anchun had mentioned.

Perhaps due to herd mentality, among the remaining eight, three more hesitantly raised their hands.

Feng Yaoyang looked back at the raised hands and seemed somewhat enraged, but also found it difficult to go against the majority's wishes. He glared at Xu Anchun, "Xu Anchun, you repeatedly make decisions without authorization. Are you the leader, or am I? If something goes wrong, can you bear the responsibility?"

Xu Anchun, as if confronting him, declared loudly, "I guarantee it with my head!"

Feng Yaoyang angrily pointed, "You..."

"Sect Leader," Shi Chun called back, fearing the situation might get out of control. He needed to handle his own business first. After inviting Tong Mingshan to the front, he introduced him to the Four-Cauldron Sect group: "I forgot to introduce everyone. This is our Sect Leader, Tong Mingshan!"

Feng Yaoyang immediately vented his anger, sneering, "A mere Grand Martial Arts Peak cultivation, daring to establish a sect? It's laughable."

Wu Jinliang chuckled, "Our Sect Leader's cultivation might not be as high as yours, but when you were at his cultivation level, you might not have been as capable as him. When our Sect Leader was at the Hundred Refining Sect, he was the most talented artifact refiner among disciples of the same cultivation realm!"

Someone so brazen in boasting about himself would be even more uninhibited when boasting about others. His knowledge was limited, and he did not know how he was first, but he simply declared him the best.

Tong Mingshan remained expressionless, but inwardly, he was extremely embarrassed. Such words truly could not be heard by anyone from the Hundred Refining Sect.

Feng Yaoyang found it amusing. "Only claiming to be number one within the mere Hundred Refining Sect? Truly remarkable!"

Alright, seeing that it had begun, Chu Jing-tang also spoke up, "I know about this. Not only in the Hundred Refining Sect, but in Xuanzhou, our Sect Leader's artifact refining talent is also recognized as the best in the same realm by all artifact refining sects."

Lao Changtai said, "You can look down on our cultivation, but you cannot look down on our Sect Leader's artifact refining talent. Back then, Situ Gu, the foremost artifact refiner, personally visited the Hundred Refining Sect to instruct our Sect Leader on artifact refining. If he were merely mediocre, how could he have received such special favor?"

This statement instantly shocked the Four-Cauldron Sect group, and even Feng Yaoyang began to re-examine Tong Mingshan. But he remained stubborn, "Well, Senior Situ isn't here, so you can brag all you want."

Chen Wuji said, "What's there to brag about? What good would it do us? If not for Senior Situ's discreet care and guarantee, do you think we could have so easily broken the rules to enter the Divine Fire Domain?"

They had all been appointed as leaders for the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly by various sects; they were not just spouting nonsense.

Most of the Four-Cauldron Sect group showed expressions of sudden understanding. "No wonder," they thought.

Xu Anchun and You Mu looked astonished and doubtful. They had never heard their superiors mention this.

The problem was that there was no such thing, so how could their superiors mention it? Their superiors also had not expected anyone to be such a skilled bluffer.

Seeing their reaction, Wu Jinliang chuckled beside them.

Tong Mingshan, however, was so embarrassed that he inwardly pleaded for these words not to spread, or he would truly be unable to face anyone in the future.

Unexpectedly, Shi Chun said to him, "Sect Leader, are you not going to say anything when you're being questioned like this?"

This was akin to forcing a duck onto a perch, hoping Tong Mingshan could produce something truly impressive to boast about. Otherwise, their constant praise of him as "great," "strong," and "number one" felt rather hollow, especially since they knew nothing about artifact refining and thus dared not boast wildly.

Tong Mingshan had no choice but to speak. "Brother Feng, when my cultivation just broke through to the Grand Martial Arts Peak, I refined a 'Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart' within half a day. I'd like to ask Brother Feng at what cultivation level and how long it took you to achieve this."

This statement once again shocked the Four-Cauldron Sect. Only fellow practitioners like them knew what it meant to refine a Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart in half a day at the Grand Martial Arts Peak realm.

Refining an Exquisite Heart was a method to test an artifact refiner's skill. The more orifices refined, the more brilliant the skill, and to a considerable extent, the higher the artifact refining talent.

Feng Yaoyang stared blankly at Tong Mingshan, the shock in his eyes evident. Although his cultivation had reached the Grand Completion realm, he could only refine a Seven-Orifice Exquisite Heart in a day. The other person refined a Nine-Orifice one in half a day. The difference was truly significant, not to mention the compounded gap due to the difference in cultivation levels.

Xu Anchun, being knowledgeable, looked at Shi Chun with an inquiring gaze.

Shi Chun nodded slightly, indicating it was indeed true.

Xu Anchun's expression became serious.

Of course, Feng Yaoyang still stubbornly said, "I don't believe a Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart can be refined in half a day at the Grand Martial Arts Peak realm."

Tong Mingshan calmly replied, "Simple, we'll know if we compete. Debating victory and defeat verbally is pointless. I, Tong, am willing to compete with Brother Feng in this skill. Let's see who can refine a 'Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart' in the shortest amount of time. If I lose, I'll accept any punishment. If Brother Feng loses, I won't take advantage, to avoid accusations of ulterior motives. Brother Feng only needs to promise his fellow disciples that if divine fire is found, he will absolutely not touch it, and will let his fellow senior and junior brothers have it. Is that fair?"

This statement first stunned Shi Chun's group. "Is this real or fake? Can you really refine it? Why did the Four-Cauldron Sect's reaction make it seem so difficult?"

Little did they know, Tong Mingshan was betting that the Four-Cauldron Sect did not have enough refining materials on hand, as some crucial components are not always carried.

The quite stunned Four-Cauldron Sect group exchanged glances. Sure enough, Feng Yaoyang snorted, "Let's talk about it when we get out of here alive. I don't have all the necessary refining materials here."

Tong Mingshan remained calm and said, "No matter. I am, after all, a Sect Leader. If you can't gather them, I can. I can give you a set. Today, I'd like to experience Brother Feng's superb skill."

Shi Chun's group was shocked again. They had not expected this fellow to be so skilled and unassuming.

The Four-Cauldron Sect, cornered, was also greatly shocked. They realized they had truly encountered a prodigy in the artifact refining world. Indeed, one must not underestimate anyone; no wonder he dared to establish a sect.

Of course, many Four-Cauldron Sect disciples secretly rejoiced. If Senior Brother Feng lost, according to the bet, finding the divine fire would benefit them.

Feng Yaoyang's Adam's apple bobbed repeatedly. This time, he was truly stunned. He could not say a word. If he did not agree, his pride would not allow it, yet he knew he could not refine a Nine-Orifice Exquisite Heart, and he could not give up on the divine fire.

At this moment, Tong Mingshan turned to Wu Jinliang, held out his hand, and said, "Wu Jinliang, bring me my Qiankun bag. Get my refining materials!"

Wu Jinliang was startled. "Are you dreaming?" he thought.

But he quickly realized that this lousy Sect Leader was actually bluffing the other party.

Shi Chun also caught on. Wu Jinliang's pocket had absolutely no refining materials. If Shi Chun had not understood Tong Mingshan's intention or how to cooperate, he would have died in the Land of Exile long ago.

He immediately extended his hand to Wu Jinliang, signaling him to stop, and then cupped his hands to Tong Mingshan, dissuading him. "Sect Leader, there's no need. There's really no need to compete like this. We still have to travel together; there's no need to decide a winner or loser."

Then he turned to Xu Anchun, winking, and said, "Brother Xu, does this refining process take a long time? Time is precious. Would delaying our search for divine fire for a mere competition be counterproductive?"

"Ah? Oh..." Xu Anchun also understood Shi Chun's meaning. Shi Chun wanted to cooperate with them to complete their superiors' task and prevent Feng Yaoyang from missing out on the divine fire. He quickly cooperated, echoing, "Exactly, this is no place for internal strife. Everyone, prepare to depart. Finding the divine fire is crucial."

Feng Yaoyang was arrogant, but at this moment, he remained silent, quietly taking the hint and backing down.

A group of Four-Cauldron Sect disciples secretly sighed, thinking, "This is a case of arrogant talent meeting true talent."

Shi Chun then turned back and smiled, advising Tong Mingshan, "Sect Leader, no one is truly questioning your artifact refining strength. If you weren't an elite of the sect, why would the entire Hundred Refining Sect have let you lead their forces to the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly back then?"

Upon hearing this, the Four-Cauldron Sect group kept looking back at them.

Meanwhile, Chu Jing-tang's group secretly muttered, "What exactly is the Chief up to now?"