Chapter 303: Return to You

The wind whistled into their hiding spot.

After the dust settled, Wu Jinliang, leaning against the cave wall, grinned. “Things are happening. Someone needs to stay here. News from the Four Tripod Sect’s undercover agent has arrived, and someone needs to be ready to respond at any time. Let’s take turns, Brother Fang, you come with me first.”

Fang Zicheng nodded, and the two slipped out of the cave one after another.

On the main peak, a group of elders looked at the divine flame in Pang Hou’s hand, all showing surprise. After the recent commotion, they could all see that the divine flame in Pang Hou’s hand was real—a divine flame that hadn’t yet been absorbed.

Another elder glared at Jin Guiqi and demanded, “What do you mean by this?”

“Just disciplining our junior, please excuse the spectacle,” Jin Guiqi said politely, then turned to scold Pang Hou, “Don’t come running here so often in the future, now scram!”

Pang Hou and the other person meekly agreed and quickly flew away.

The group of elders meditating on the mountain were both annoyed and amused. Did he really need to create such a huge commotion just to discipline his junior? This was hardly just scaring his own junior.

The location of the divine flame found by Shu Dao Mountain—this person named Jin seemed reluctant to share with everyone. It was clearly a deliberate attempt to scare away the pursuers; he couldn’t directly intervene, so he used his actions to intimidate.

Such petty behavior was quite despicable.

Jin Guiqi didn’t care what they thought, only what he wanted them to think. He glanced at the spot where he had stomped earlier, seeing only a fist-sized hole. He flashed up to it, then looked at the back of the mountain, where the dust below still lingered. He then turned and sat down cross-legged again.

Wu Jinliang and Fang Zicheng had already disappeared into the lingering dust of the collapsed area, searching.

Soon, the two found a large cave and darted inside. They went diagonally upward all the way. It was a long, trumpet-shaped cave, narrowing as they went higher.

After running for a while, Fang Zicheng couldn’t help but mutter, “Good heavens, one blast just pierced right through such a tall mountain diagonally.”

Wu Jinliang, holding a sandalwood gold illuminator, turned and gestured for silence.

In fact, rocks and earth would occasionally clatter down along the way.

When they could no longer advance, the illuminated opening ahead was only about the size of a fist.

After confirming their position, Wu Jinliang quietly left alone. He exited the cave and circled back to the cave where Lao Changtai was hiding. After giving some instructions, Lao Changtai also went out and flew a circle.

This was mainly to fly past the front of the main peak.

When Jin Guiqi, sitting cross-legged on the peak, saw this, he knew the person was in position. If anything happened, he would need to provide cover.

Of course, Jin Guiqi didn’t expect any accidents under normal circumstances. No elder would casually cast spells to investigate what was beneath them.

In the vast sandy region, hissing white gas occasionally erupted from underground, forming towering, circular deep pits on the surface.

The group from Oblivion Valley was still searching in this area.

This was normal. If they gave up just because it was hard to find a trace of divine flame, they might not find even one. Most sects could easily get bogged down at such a point.

This also confirmed Shi Chun’s judgment. If they didn’t use the good ‘lure the tiger out of its mountain lair’ tactic, it was likely because they hadn’t found the divine flame yet and were still stuck searching in the same spot. Previously, the Four Tripod Sect’s scout had reported that Oblivion Valley’s people had been lingering in this area.

As he expected, when he came to this place and searched, he indeed found that the women from Oblivion Valley were still roaming this area.

Noticing people flying around in the air, searching, there was no need for an alarm. The Oblivion Valley group, led by Wu Shanshan, quickly hid inside various deep pits.

Shi Chun’s unique right eye ability had already detected them, but he said nothing, allowing the people from Shu Dao Mountain and Bright Mountain Sect to continue their aerial search. He also took the opportunity to search for the target Oblivion Valley was looking for.

There had to be something significant here. Oblivion Valley wouldn’t have stayed here indefinitely if they had found nothing.

After circling around to a spot dozens of miles away from Oblivion Valley’s group, his unique right eye ability finally detected an anomaly underground. A brown object about two zhang long was burrowing through the ground, like a snake quickly slithering.

It was slender and elongated. Without the contrast of its movement, it would be easy to overlook.

It wasn’t very deep underground. Compared to what they had encountered before, it was relatively close to the surface. Strangely, his right eye didn’t detect any tunnels for the anomalous object to crawl through; it moved through the sandy ground as if seeping like water, but its speed was not slow.

Shi Chun observed for a while and noticed that the anomalous object’s movements were not fixed. He ascended again to observe and pinpoint its approximate area before turning back to the Oblivion Valley group’s hiding place.

Eventually, the Oblivion Valley group was forced out by the ground search parties.

Wu Shanshan, her long hair flowing, let out a long whistle. The scattered members of Oblivion Valley quickly gathered to bolster their presence and confronted the search party.

In terms of numbers, they certainly couldn’t compare to Shi Chun’s side.

Upon meeting, there were no pleasantries. Shi Chun immediately commanded, “Surround them.”

Yuan Yao waved his hand, and the Shu Dao Mountain forces immediately surrounded the Oblivion Valley group.

Someone else, Gu Lianni, wasn't there; she was busy absorbing the divine flame.

Seeing that it was Shi Chun who issued the command, and that Shi Chun could actually command the Shu Dao Mountain forces, Wu Shanshan pointed in surprise and demanded, “Shi Chun, we have no grievances, what do you want?”

“She knows me too?” Shi Chun inwardly cursed. His gaze, however, swept over the group of disfigured women, who looked like bruised gourds. Indeed, all five individuals possessing demonic essence were present. They were also the group with the most demonic essence users among those who had entered from the three factions.

Yet, he spoke differently. “If you know me, then let’s spare the pleasantries. A detachment from my Bright Mountain Sect went missing in this direction. Some say they were killed by you. How shall we settle this account?”

At his words, Yuan Yao and Pang Hou both glanced at him. They knew perfectly well why the Bright Mountain Sect members weren’t present. Yet, in his mouth, their absence became an excuse to slander. He truly could spout nonsense with just a mouth.

Hearing this, the Oblivion Valley group was alarmed. Wu Shanshan said in a deep voice, “Who is spreading these rumors and slanders? Please call them out for a confrontation!”

Shi Chun: “The informant’s whereabouts are unknown. Otherwise, they would have already stepped forward to testify. Do I need you to remind me?”

Wu Shanshan: “The person who said that has malicious intent and aims to sow discord. You, Shi Chun, are a smart person; you wouldn’t fall for something so easily without evidence, would you?”

Shi Chun: “I’ll just ask you one question: did you do it?”

Wu Shanshan: “Absolutely not us. Since entering the Divine Flame Domain, we haven’t engaged in combat with anyone.”

Shi Chun: “What you say doesn’t count.”

Wu Shanshan said coldly, “Then what do you want?”

Shi Chun, however, turned to Yuan Yao. “Brother Yuan, keep them surrounded for now. Let’s go look around and see if there are any signs of a struggle.”

This scene felt somewhat familiar. Yuan Yao blinked and nodded. “Very well.”

Shi Chun then addressed everyone, “If anyone tries to escape, fueled by a guilty conscience, they will be killed without mercy!”

He then motioned for Tong Mingshan to accompany them. Yuan Yao followed along, leaving Pang Hou in charge of the scene.

The Oblivion Valley group at the scene didn’t make any rash moves. There was no need to cause trouble at the moment, and they seemed to give the impression that the innocent would prove their innocence.

Both sides were in a standoff.

Shi Chun and the others, of course, weren’t actually going to look for signs of a struggle. After going some distance, Shi Chun took out that miraculous incense stick and lit it.

Every time Yuan Yao saw this incense stick, he would examine it very carefully, as if he didn’t want to miss a single detail. To be honest, it looked very ordinary and unremarkable, yet he wanted to find out what was so special about it.

Upon lighting the miraculous incense, nothing magical happened immediately. In Shi Chun’s words, the Fire God Incense could only detect divine flames when it was within a certain distance of them.

Flying through the air, they circled to the relevant area. After Shi Chun’s unique right eye ability located the slender, moving anomalous object, the Fire God Incense’s power finally activated.

After landing as indicated, Shi Chun followed the underground anomalous object for a while and exclaimed, “It seems to be constantly moving around.”

Yuan Yao, who was following, asked, “How deep is it?”

Shi Chun: “Not very deep. It’s probably only about three zhang below the surface.”

Yuan Yao: “That’s simple. I can set up a formation in this area.”

Shi Chun shook his head, thinking it unnecessary. If they set up a large-scale formation, the target area would be too large, giving the anomalous object too much room to maneuver, and it would be difficult for the three of them to capture it.

After observing its movements, Shi Chun reminded him, “Set up the formation in advance according to its trajectory. Once it enters the locking range of the formation, you can immediately activate the Soul-Locking Array.”

Yuan Yao’s eyes lit up. He praised, “Exactly, that’s how it should be.”

They acted immediately. After quickly figuring out the anomalous object’s pattern of movement underground, Shi Chun pointed to a spot on the ground ahead. Yuan Yao understood, immediately dashed over and swiftly arranged twelve iron towers in the area ahead, taking out his compass in preparation.

However, things were not perfectly smooth. Shi Chun, who was following, was about to enter the area of the twelve iron towers when the incense smoke suddenly veered right.

Yuan Yao had no choice but to retract the iron towers again and set them up once more according to Shi Chun’s instructions.

This time it was successful. Shi Chun walked to the front of the iron tower formation and suddenly stopped. He nodded to Yuan Yao, and Yuan Yao immediately spun his compass with a clicking sound.

With a hum, a faint, deafening sound emanated, and the twelve iron towers were instantly connected by a bowl-shaped light barrier.

The ethereal ripples shimmered briefly and then vanished.

Inside the formation, Yuan Yao put away his compass and vigilantly scanned his surroundings.

Suddenly, the light barrier of ethereal ripples reappeared, and a trembling sound came from underground. Yuan Yao smiled. “Brother Chun, we’ve got it!”

Shi Chun’s unique right eye ability had already seen it. The anomalous object underground had triggered the light barrier and was struggling fiercely. This confirmed it was indeed a divine flame. He had previously been a little worried it wasn’t, fearing it might be some living creature, as he had never seen a long, strip-shaped divine flame.

The Soul-Locking Array had the miraculous effect of absorbing the divine flame’s power. The more the divine flame struggled, the more power the Soul-Locking Array absorbed and converted for itself.

The anomalous object, struggling intensely but unable to break free, began rushing and crashing everywhere. Loud rumbling sounds were incessant. After finding no success underground, it started rushing towards the surface.

Shi Chun stared at the smoke in his hand. He raised his hand and pointed into the formation, warning, “Brother Yuan, be careful, it’s about to emerge from there.”

Yuan Yao immediately prepared himself defensively. The underground object only made noise when it crashed; it was silent when moving through the ground.

Indeed, a brown flame, as thick as an arm, suddenly shot out of the ground like a flying dragon, seeping from the sandy cracks.

Boom! As its long body hit the light barrier, Yuan Yao rushed forward and unleashed a barrage of attacks, causing the long, snake-like brown flame to erupt with surging fury. But all of it was contained by the inverted bowl-shaped light barrier, and the brown firelight engulfed Yuan Yao within.

Shi Chun and the other person outside the formation weren’t worried at all. Based on previous experience, the size of a divine flame was proportional to its strength, and this one likely wasn’t a match for Yuan Yao.

“What kind of divine flame is this?” Shi Chun asked curiously.

Tong Mingshan, his eyes gleaming, said, “Flowing Blaze, the divine flame Flowing Blaze! It’s a very rare divine flame!”

Shi Chun glanced at his reaction and smiled faintly, saying, “It’s yours!”