Chapter 285: Returning the Favor

Even though Shi Chun didn't state his reasons for wanting to find people from those two sects, Wu Jinliang understood one thing: Shi Chun's unique cultivation method meant he was undoubtedly interested in the demonic energy within those cultivators.

As Wu Jinliang looked at Shi Chun, he caught a meaningful glance from him. Instantly, he turned to the others and called out, "Alright, everyone, let's give them some space. They have some private matters to discuss."

Everyone was actually quite curious about the "Qianyan Sect" and wondered why their leader was interested in it. However, Wu Jinliang's reasoning was so blunt and straightforward that they couldn't refuse, so they dutifully moved aside with him.

What was happening? Shen Moming was also surprised, unsure what was going on with the Qianyan Sect.

Shi Chun pondered for a moment, then told him, "After all this commotion, you've been out for quite a while. It's time for you to go back and resume your task."

Shen Moming was puzzled, wondering if a private conversation was really just for this.

As expected, Shi Chun added, "Later, if anyone from the Four Cauldron Sect asks you about the 'Qianyan Sect,' no matter who it is, you must adamantly insist you know nothing."

Shen Moming spread his hands and replied, "You're overthinking it, Big Boss. I genuinely know nothing. You only instructed me to inform you immediately if I found their traces, and that's all I did. I truly don't know anything else."

Shi Chun clarified, "What I mean is, should anyone inquire, you must act as if you've never even heard of the 'Qianyan Sect,' or that such a sect exists."

Shen Moming was momentarily speechless, then gave a wry smile. "Alright, I understand. Big Boss, may I ask what this is all about?"

Shi Chun replied, "Don't ask. You'll know when the time is right. If it's not the right time, not telling you is for your own benefit."

Shen Moming nodded silently, a wry smile on his face.

Shi Chun continued, "Alright, we're also heading towards the Iron Forest now. If anything comes up later, you can go directly to the exit and contact Lao Changtai. Just inform him of the situation; you can delegate any errands for me to Lao Changtai and his team. I'll make the necessary arrangements with him. Come on, let's go say goodbye to everyone."

"Understood," Shen Moming replied.

The two then flew over to join Wu Jinliang and the rest of the group.

The group, curious about what the two had discussed in private, watched them intently.

Shi Chun surveyed the group, then laughed heartily. "Your pouches are all bulging; it looks like you've all found quite a few valuable items. Brother An and Brother Chu even managed to get their hands on spatial bags."

He then pointed to the divine flames held by Tong Mingshan and An Wuzhi, proudly declaring, "We also acquired five divine flames—not just one or two, but five. And it's more than just five; our Sect Master has already absorbed the Scarlet Blaze divine flame. Some of you might not know this, but the Golden Blaze divine flame that the Four Cauldron Sect was so diligently searching for in the Iron Forest is now also in our possession, and Zhu Xiangxin is currently absorbing it.

What about Shudaoshan? They acquired nothing. And the Heaven-Forging Sect, the foremost refining sect in the cultivation world? Did they obtain as much as us? No, they're nothing special; none of them compare to us!"

He always made a point of showcasing achievements. He deliberately displayed these successes to everyone, ensuring they recognized their accomplishments despite the difficulties. This was his way of motivating and boosting morale, making them realize they weren't as weak as they might have thought. He seized every opportunity to foster a psychological advantage among them, understanding that many tasks couldn't be completed by him alone and required everyone's collective effort.

Shen Moming was the most surprised, never expecting that they had also managed to acquire the divine flames from the Iron Forest. He had previously accompanied Wu Jinliang to the Iron Forest and watched the Four Cauldron Sect members painstakingly drilling and searching everywhere. It turned out that Shi Chun's group had already secretly obtained the flames. However, remembering the "Fire God Incense" in Shi Chun's possession, he felt a sense of relief. That was truly a valuable item; if the refining sects knew about it, they would likely break heads fighting over it.

In short, Shi Chun's words left everyone with various expressions, exchanging glances among themselves. Upon reflection, they realized that their group was indeed quite formidable. As things stood, it was unlikely any other sect had acquired more divine flames than them. Even the Ice Dragon, which had caused heavy casualties and forced Shudaoshan to flee in disarray, had died at their hands—though everyone suspected it had been somewhat haphazardly dispatched by them. Despite these thoughts, no one dared to consider that they might actually come in first place.

At this point, Shen Moming bid farewell to the group.

Observing the drastic changes across the ice field, Shi Chun, before departing, truly wished Shudaoshan could have witnessed their actions firsthand. Otherwise, that woman likely wouldn't believe him, and even if he later presented five Ice Blazes—or even gifted her two—she might still remain unconvinced. That woman had sworn that if she ever believed another word from him, she would cut off her own head. This was an undeserved injustice. Pondering this frustrating situation, he couldn't help but sigh up at the sky, lamenting, "Things don't always go as planned!"

With things as they were, they didn't linger any longer. They had no idea where Shudaoshan had gone, and there was no point in waiting around. After slightly concealing the divine flames, using the same method Zhu Xiangxin had previously employed, the group flew off together.

As they neared the Iron Forest, the group didn't enter directly but opted for a detour. Shi Chun located the spot where he had previously sent off Zhu Xiangxin and Chen Wuji. Following the agreed-upon signal markers, he eventually found Chen Wuji, who was secretly on lookout on the far side of a valley. Upon inquiry, he learned that Zhu Xiangxin was still in seclusion within a sealed cave. Without a word, they dug out another cave nearby and had An Wuzhi take a divine flame inside to begin his seclusion. Since they were still a team, it was only right and fair that An Wuzhi should enter seclusion first this time. All four divine flames were now under Tong Mingshan's control; this was his current responsibility.

After seeing Chen Wuji seal yet another seclusion cave entrance, Shi Chun pointed to the divine flames in Tong Mingshan's hand and asked, "You previously absorbed Scarlet Blaze, and now you're going to absorb Ice Blaze. With both hot and cold, won't they repel each other during refining?"

That was layman's talk, and Tong Mingshan chuckled. "Big Boss, there's no repulsion whatsoever. This is actually a rare blessing. For instance, when crafting certain magical artifacts, the tiny pores within them are notoriously difficult to manage because they can easily melt and deform. The smaller the aperture, the harder it is to regulate the heat precisely. If I can simultaneously control Ice Blaze, the effect is entirely different—it makes a world of difference. I can inject Ice Blaze into those fine pores without fear of them being damaged by high temperatures, allowing me to work on other parts of the artifact without restraint. So, they don't repel each other at all. In fact, the more divine flames with different functions one absorbs, the better."

With this concise explanation, Shi Chun immediately understood. He then made arrangements, instructing Tong Mingshan to transfer the temporary guardianship of Ice Blaze to Zhu Xiangxin once she emerged from seclusion. Tong Mingshan would then enter seclusion to absorb Ice Blaze, ensuring they took turns. Chen Wuji also continued his duty of keeping watch for the group.

However, Chen Wuji was dumbfounded upon seeing the five Ice Blazes. He genuinely wondered, "Are these truly divine flames? Since when could legendary divine flames be collected in piles?" He inquired, but Shi Chun was disinclined to explain, telling him to direct any questions to Tong Mingshan, who was currently holding a pile of Ice Blazes. So, as soon as Shi Chun and the others departed, Tong Mingshan, prompted by questions, recounted a thrilling tale to Chen Wuji. After hearing the story, Chen Wuji felt a complex mix of emotions. He was relieved to have stayed hidden and avoided the danger, yet also envious that his companions had become rich, not only acquiring Wind Scales but some even obtaining spatial bags...

Shi Chun still did not return directly to the Iron Forest, instead taking a route that circled back between the ice field and the Iron Forest. The moment they arrived above the Iron Forest, Hao Ji, who had been anxiously waiting, immediately flew up to greet them and then descended with them to the highest point of the Iron Forest. After landing and noticing that many were missing, Hao Ji was slightly startled and asked, "Where are the others?"

Shi Chun replied, "They're fine. Where are Xu Anchang and his group?"

Hao Ji let out a cold laugh. "We've truly found ourselves some fine companions; as expected, they've run back. They're burrowing through the caves, currently searching area by area, trying to cover every accessible path. They're using a method similar to what we did, scattering dirt on the paths."

Shi Chun tilted his head and glanced at Wu Jinliang. Wu Jinliang understood the unspoken cue and once again swung his great saber, forcefully striking the metallic mountaintop.

Boom! A powerful reverberating crash echoed and spread far into the distance.

Soon, several figures darted out, rode their Wind Scales into the sky, scanned their surroundings, and then flew towards them. Upon landing, it was indeed the Four Cauldron Sect group, led by Xu Anchang. They had already known Shi Chun and the others were alive when they saw Hao Ji earlier. Now seeing them in person, Xu Anchang felt a degree of embarrassment; after all, abandoning companions and fleeing in the face of danger was hardly an honorable act. He genuinely hadn't expected that anyone could have survived such a terrifying bombardment, let alone those who failed to escape it.

At this point, he could only feign ignorance, saying, "It's good that you're all safe, it's good. Oh, where are the others?"

Since they were still alive, their previous plan naturally had to proceed; otherwise, he would have no way to explain things back home. His concern wasn't for the others, but specifically for Tong Mingshan, given the divine flame he had already invested in him.

Shi Chun didn't bring up the fact that the others had abandoned their companions and fled. That incident was in the past, and there was no need to dwell on unpleasantries that might jeopardize their cooperation. Moreover, Shi Chun had acquired divine flames but hadn't given any to them, so there was no question of who owed whom. Furthermore, he was quite pleased to see that the other group was still alive.

However, he was no pushover, and when the moment called for a bit of assertiveness, he didn't hold back. "Oh, we just happened to acquire three Ice Blaze divine flames. Tong Mingshan, An Wuzhi, and Zhu Xiangxin could each take one, so they didn't return. They've stayed on the outskirts of the ice field to enter seclusion and absorb the flames, and we left someone to keep watch for them."

The Four Cauldron Sect group thought they had misheard him. Xu Anchang asked in astonishment, "How many? Brother Chun, did you just say three Ice Blaze divine flames?"

Shi Chun nodded. "Yes, three. Initially, I thought one would be sufficient for Tong Mingshan, and I intended to give you the remaining two. However, we searched everywhere but couldn't find you. An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin were so eager that I had no choice but to give them the two."

Wu Jinliang chuckled beside him, understanding that their leader was conveniently resolving certain issues. Now, if Zhu and An ever needed to display divine flames, they could openly use Ice Blaze without any need for concealment.

However, the Four Cauldron Sect group remained somewhat skeptical. Xu Anchang asked suspiciously, "Three Ice Blaze divine flames, all at once? Brother Chun, are you jesting?"

Not just them, even Hao Ji was stunned, despite having personally heard Shi Chun mention there were five divine flames within that ice pillar earlier.

Shi Chun shook his head. "Honestly, it feels like a dream. What I'd heard outside was nothing like this. But Shudaoshan kept fighting that Ice Dragon, and somehow, their battle dislodged many divine flames. We just happened to be hiding nearby and collected some. If you don't believe me, I can have the three of them demonstrate them for you later."

Upon hearing this, the Four Cauldron Sect group was first astonished, then some began to fidget, appearing anxious. Xu Anchang also looked as if he had something to say but was holding back, finding it inappropriate to speak in front of Chu Jingting and the others. He was eager to ask Shi Chun, "Giving one to Tong Mingshan is one thing, but aren't you wasting them on those other two? Do you intend to keep them alive later? They should clearly go to our demonic cultivator allies!" However, since they had abandoned Shi Chun and the others and fled when danger struck, they had no standing to place blame or accuse him of wrongdoing. Furthermore, they weren't sure if Shi Chun was deliberately provoking them with his actions. They could only suppress their discomfort.

Shi Chun then gestured to the others, indicating, "Brother Xu and I have something else to discuss privately." This was a signal for those not involved to step aside. Consequently, only four people remained: You Mu and Wu Jinliang, who voluntarily stayed.

With no one else around, Shi Chun asked, "Brother Xu, are you certain our superiors haven't sent anyone else?"

Xu Anchang, still vexed by the divine flames issue, frowned and retorted, "Haven't I already explained this quite clearly to you?"

Shi Chun paused in surprise. "That's strange then. If Brother Xu isn't deliberately concealing something from me, it must truly be people from the other two factions."

Xu Anchang and You Mu quickly exchanged surprised glances. Xu Anchang eagerly asked, "What do you mean? Have you made a discovery?"

"Yes," Shi Chun nodded. "Shen Moming from our Bright Mountain Sect was tracking the 'Lotus Lake Palace,' right? On his way, he discovered a sect called 'Qianyan Sect' and, quite by accident, found someone from that sect releasing demonic energy to kill people."