Chapter 311: Retribution Is Inevitable

A low, resonant flute melody suddenly echoed through the loess wasteland.

People on the surface looked around, and those who had burrowed underground also emerged, running out one after another. It was indeed the Qianyan Sect group; they were still in the area.

Seeing his fellow disciples about to investigate the source of the sound, Gong Shixi, his eyes darting, suddenly shouted to stop them: “Everyone halt! Attend to your own tasks!” He stopped everyone, then flew off himself, forbidding anyone to follow. Some among them vaguely sensed something was amiss.

At the bottom of a pit, the flute's melody continued to spread in waves, amplified by spiritual power. The one playing the flute was also cloaked.

Gong Shixi, descending from the sky, landed before him and responded, “I came, drawn by the sound. It is fortunate to meet you.”

Upon hearing this, the cloaked figure stopped playing, put away the flute, and softly stated, “Something has transpired with the Liantian Sect. It began when Yan Ketao of Shudao Mountain located Zuo Zisheng, the Liantian Sect’s leader…” He recounted the entire process: how Yan Ketao found Zuo Zisheng, which led to the Liantian Sect halting their search for the divine flame and redirecting all efforts to find Shi Chun’s group.

Upon hearing this, Gong Shixi’s brow furrowed. “Are you implying there’s something significant about Shi Chun’s group?”

The cloaked figure replied, “The Liantian Sect’s sole objective in the Divine Flame Domain is the divine flame itself. For Zuo Zisheng to abandon the search for it and fully commit to finding Shi Chun’s group, there’s only one plausible reason: the existence of more divine flames. However, if those flames have already been absorbed, further searching would be futile, so…”

Gong Shixi’s eyes flashed as he stated gravely, “Does Shi Chun possess a method to locate more divine flames?”

The cloaked figure confirmed, “Precisely. Nothing else would compel Zuo Zisheng to order the entire sect to abandon their divine flame search and instead pursue Shi Chun’s group—not even the death of his own parents.”

Gong Shixi mused, “How many divine flames would it take to make the Liantian Sect cease their current operations…” As he spoke, he himself realized that the number must be extraordinarily enticing. He couldn’t help but grit his teeth, feeling a pang, as if he had a toothache.

The “toothache” feeling stemmed from the realization of Shi Chun’s identity.

Should he also attempt to seize them? Damn it, Shi Chun belongs to another lineage of the Demonic Path. The three Demonic Path lineages have an alliance, permitting only fair competition, not internecine conflict. If he used Shi Chun’s demonic identity to force him back and pushed him too far, he would face severe repercussions from his own identity as well. Therefore, he found it difficult to act on this matter directly.

The cloaked figure stated, “It must be a very large quantity. One, two, three, or even four flames would hardly be enough to make Zuo Zisheng completely abandon his current undertaking.”

Gong Shixi pondered, “What logic dictates that Shi Chun, by collaborating with Shudao Mountain, can unearth such a large quantity of divine flames? I simply cannot comprehend it!” He recalled Shi Chun’s previous approach to him about a potential collaboration.

The cloaked figure suggested, “I believe it might be connected to the exit area. Both Zuo Zisheng and Yan Ketao repeatedly went there to maneuver and wouldn’t have done so without cause. Unfortunately, Zuo Zisheng is cautious and kept us at a distance, so I couldn’t observe closely and therefore don’t know what transpired near the exit.”

“The exit… could it be a tactic to lure the tiger out of its den?” Gong Shixi murmured, pondering, then felt it wasn’t quite right. Shi Chun’s group had initially used underhanded methods to seize divine flame clues from his side, but he was certain they hadn’t done so again. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have hesitated to retaliate swiftly.

The problem, however, was that even with clues, the real challenge lay in extracting the hidden divine flames. He possessed divine flame clues himself, yet they proved useless; his people were nearly driven to madness. He had also dispatched search parties to other clue locations, only for them to return empty-handed.

The cloaked figure responded, “I am unsure as well. I will continue to seek information once I return.”

Gong Shixi nodded, then inquired, “How many divine flames has the Liantian Sect managed to find?”

The cloaked figure stated, “Two, both absorbed by Zuo Zisheng. And your side?”

Gong Shixi gave a wry smile. “Only one. Everyone says divine flames are elusive, and I’ve certainly witnessed that firsthand this time; they are incredibly difficult to find. Initially, I found one quite quickly and felt rather confident, but now I feel as though I’m constantly teetering on the edge of madness.”

The cloaked figure remarked, “Conveniently, we can now strategize concerning Shi Chun.”

Gong Shixi hesitated, catching himself. He couldn’t casually reveal Shi Chun’s identity; it was a fundamental tenet of the Demonic Path. Both were practitioners of the Demonic Path, aware of each other’s affiliations. Should an accident occur and Shi Chun be apprehended due to his identity, could he truly expect him not to expose Gong Shixi? If the other party were unaware of his demonic affiliation, he might still be able to exploit that.

“I will consider it,” Gong Shixi said, changing the subject. “You’ve been out here, away from your group for so long. Won’t that arouse suspicion?”

The cloaked figure replied, “It’s fine. It was precisely because we had dispersed to search for Shi Chun’s group that I was able to seize this opportunity to come and relay information.”

Gong Shixi responded, “Very well. If there’s nothing further, you should return swiftly to avoid suspicion. I won’t escort you.”

“Farewell,” the cloaked figure said, giving a slight bow before turning and leaping away.

Gong Shixi truly did not see him off, nor was it convenient to. Instead, he remained silent, sighing in place, still grappling with the issue. He genuinely wished he hadn’t received this news. Ignorant, he could have continued to toil fruitlessly here, and as long as he demonstrated effort, the authorities couldn’t fully pin the blame on him upon his return. To a certain extent, he harbored the same sentiments as Xu Anchang, not truly believing in his heart that his group stood a chance of claiming the top spot.

Given the inherent limitations, even the most generous rewards from above would be in vain. Now, with this news suddenly revealed, how could he possibly continue to muddle through?

“Shi Chun, oh, Shi Chun, blame your penchant for seeking attention, not me!” After a long silence, Gong Shixi suddenly let out a cold, self-mocking laugh, a cruel glint flashing across his face.

The principle was simple: if he couldn’t obtain it, neither should Shi Chun. The same logic applied to the three lineages of the Demonic Path: his own lineage might not acquire the ‘Desolate Breaking Fragment Blade,’ but it was imperative that the other two lineages did not either. The higher authorities had secretly conveyed that the lineage in possession of the ‘Desolate Breaking Fragment Blade’ would potentially gain the opportunity to command the entire Demonic Path. The rest of the implication was left for him to discern.

He turned and flew back to the Qianyan Sect’s search party, issuing a command for everyone to assemble and suspend their search for the divine flame. The primary objective now was singular: to disseminate the news that Shi Chun and Shudao Mountain were capable of locating divine flames rapidly and in great abundance. The initial step was to contact his informants within various factions, spreading the information first among those groups. Whether this stoked their jealousy or their competitive drive, the aim was to leverage the various factions to further amplify the rumor. Gong Shixi’s sole objective was to prevent Shi Chun from claiming victory!

The Three Lineage Alliance held a certain binding power; he couldn’t openly engage in internecine conflict with Shi Chun. He could only resort to using others as his weapon. He would not regret his decision not to cooperate with Shi Chun, as such collaboration was simply unfeasible between them. Splitting divine flames evenly? What a jest! Given their respective backgrounds, could they truly come together and claim one flame each? Any cooperation would inevitably lead to a fight to the death. While Shi Chun might be fearless, Gong Shixi certainly feared Shi Chun, didn’t he?

The more composed Shi Chun appeared while discussing cooperation, the more apprehensive Gong Shixi became. Furthermore, as Shi Chun had initiated the approach, Gong Shixi felt it best to keep his distance. He had no idea why his demonic identity had been revealed to the other party, who had even proactively helped devise a clever ‘lure the tiger out of its den’ strategy for him. Coupled with Shi Chun’s reputation as the top contender in the Heavenly Rain Meteor Assembly, it would be strange if it didn’t send shivers down one’s spine. Conversely, Shi Chun, unaware of the true significance of the ‘Desolate Breaking Fragment Blade’ to the three Demonic Path lineages, sought cooperation with the other two. Ironically, those privy to the truth found themselves unable to inform him.

A similar situation also unfolded on the Sandy Wasteland, where, recently, masked figures located Wu Shanshan of Wangqing Valley. Indeed, the Wangqing Valley group, led by Wu Shanshan, remained trapped on the Sandy Wasteland, digging relentlessly. Similar to the Qianyan Sect, they had been subtly confined to their location by Shi Chun, while simultaneously working diligently to uncover divine flame clues for him.

In fact, the Four Cauldron Sect was in a similar predicament, trapped in the Iron Forest, ceaselessly searching. Had it not been for the traitor within Shudao Mountain, which led to Wu Jinliang’s intervention, they likely would have remained confined to the Iron Forest until the assembly’s conclusion.

Upon learning of the Liantian Sect’s situation, Wu Shanshan immediately rallied her forces and suspended their current search for divine flames. However, unlike the Qianyan Sect, since she was unaware of Shi Chun’s demonic identity, she didn’t resort to the ‘if I can’t have it, neither can you’ mentality. Instead, she aimed to lead her forces to fully track down Shi Chun’s group, seeking that shortcut to claiming victory. The three Demonic Path lineages found themselves trapped due to Shi Chun, and similarly, their departure from their positions was also because of him. Many events unfolded beyond Shi Chun’s foresight, reflecting a sense of ‘both success and failure are attributable to him,’ a cycle of cause and effect, with the distinct taste of inescapable karma.

On the Four Cauldron Sect’s side, Xu Anchang also encountered a masked figure whose identity was concealed, and he too learned of the startling developments concerning the Liantian Sect. However, unlike the other two factions, he made no discernible reaction, opting instead to continue hiding as Wu Jinliang had instructed. He thus understood what Wu Jinliang meant by an ‘internal traitor’ and was also curious about precisely how many divine flames Shi Chun’s group had managed to find, enough to warrant the entire Liantian Sect completely redirecting its efforts to pursue them.

While he quietly awaited news, Shi Chun himself initiated contact.

On Shi Chun’s side, the loss of their previous divine flame intelligence channel significantly impacted both the Mingshan Sect and the Shudao Mountain group. Relying on blind, aimless searching could not possibly match their previous efficiency; compared to before, it was a state of utter futility. Even with Shi Chun’s right eye possessing extraordinary abilities, it was insufficient. This vast land, combined with the random expenditure of his right eye’s energy, would deplete even his abundant blood qi.

Holding a certain degree of success, Shi Chun actually felt his motivation wane significantly. Gu Lianni and the others had indicated that with the number of divine flames Tong Mingshan had currently absorbed, securing the top position was virtually assured. Tong Mingshan himself suspected he might already possess the necessary strength to claim victory.

A significant drop in motivation did not equate to giving up. For the sake of prudence, the remaining divine flames still needed to be found, but there was no longer a need to engage in overly perilous or thrilling maneuvers. For this reason, Shi Chun specifically sought out the Four Cauldron Sect’s contingent. Given that the Four Cauldron Sect still had several available intelligence sources and his contact for the exit was severed, he needed to re-establish connections. Acquiring just a few more divine flames during the latter half of the period would suffice; there was no need to be overly greedy. The Four Cauldron Sect group was concealed within a dark, subterranean cavern.

As soon as Shi Chun arrived, Xu Anchang and You Mu immediately drew him aside to speak privately. Their sole purpose was to finally clarify the ambiguous matters Wu Jinliang had previously mentioned and ascertain precisely what had occurred. Shi Chun directly rebuffed their inquiries, stating, “You needn’t concern yourselves with this. I am formally taking charge of the divine flame search; your role is merely to cooperate.” These words caused Xu Anchang and You Mu to stare wide-eyed in disbelief.

Xu Anchang raised an eyebrow. “Shi Chun, you need to understand clearly: the higher authorities sent you to cooperate with *us*!”

Shi Chun calmly stated, “There’s no need to dispute this. I have fully assumed the responsibility for finding the divine flames. Any external accountability can be entirely shifted onto me. Something has happened on my end, as you are aware. I still don’t know which faction the traitor belongs to, but I estimate their capabilities are significant. Therefore, there’s no need to involve all of you; your role is simply to cooperate. Since the authorities dispatched me, I must provide them with an accounting. Should any danger arise, I will stand at the forefront, while you serve as backup. In the event of an unforeseen calamity, I would entrust Tong Mingshan to your care, and you must find a way to protect him and ensure his safe departure from the Divine Flame Domain.”

Previously, he would never have uttered such words, claiming sole responsibility for locating the divine flames. But now, he genuinely possessed the confidence to make such a declaration. Are ten divine flames not enough to prove my utmost effort? Would the demonic lineage, like Lan’er’s, dare to claim he didn’t try his best? Could such achievements have been made without following my approach? Now, in the presence of the Demonic Path, he dared to pound the table and argue, and those seated across from him would be compelled into silence.

Xu Anchang and You Mu were nearly moved by his words: ‘If there’s danger, I’ll stand at the forefront; you stay behind.’ This display of responsibility made them reconsider the rationale behind his dispatch by the higher authorities. Naturally, they also muttered inwardly, ‘Could a morally corrupt individual from the Land of Exile truly possess such awareness?’ They were certainly suspicious, prompting Xu Anchang to ask, “Exactly how many divine flames has Tong Mingshan absorbed to date?”

Shi Chun glanced around, then softly stated, “Currently, it’s ten.”

“How many?” Xu Anchang gasped. You Mu, too, was visibly shocked, both believing they had misheard. Shi Chun used both hands to gesture, repeating, “Ten.”

Xu Anchang and You Mu involuntarily gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. They then quickly exhaled, as if dispelling toxic air, before hastily reaching for their Ice Sheep to regain their composure. You Mu, setting down his Ice Sheep, asked, “By what method did you acquire so many divine flames?”

Shi Chun replied, “I am afraid I cannot disclose that.”

Xu Anchang immediately grew agitated. “Shi Chun, what exactly are you playing at? You’re concealing everything from us. What is your true intention?”

Shi Chun retorted, “Why are you so insistent on prying into such a secret? What is your true intention? To be frank, I originally planned to tell you. However, the emergence of a traitor within Shudao Mountain served as a warning. Your eagerness to uncover confidential information makes me cautious. If you were in my position, and there was a possibility of a problem with you, would you readily disclose such details?”

Xu Anchang was left speechless, finally managing a wry smile. “You don’t even trust the two of us?”

Shi Chun replied, “Does trust still matter? Tong Mingshan has now absorbed ten divine flames, meaning the task assigned by the higher authorities is nearing completion. This is the clearest explanation I can offer you. You have no reason to suspect me, nor should you pry into any confidential matters. I will personally provide a full account to the authorities once we depart.”

These words truly rendered both men speechless. Given that Shi Chun had already secured ten divine flames, it was hardly their place to doubt his commitment to the higher authorities’ mission.

Shi Chun continued, “Furthermore, listen closely: you are my last resource, my ultimate trump card. I will not deploy you unless absolutely necessary. But should that truly unavoidable moment arrive, you must engage, you must fight with your lives, or else the higher authorities will not forgive you once we depart!”

These words caused Xu Anchang and You Mu’s expressions to stiffen slightly. Both inwardly cursed his ancestors. After getting involved in trouble with a sect like Liantian, he was now asking them to prepare to fight to the death? The problem was, should that critical juncture truly arrive, they would have no choice but to fight with all their might; otherwise, the higher authorities would genuinely not spare them upon their return. Deep down, their true desire was to simply muddle through this competition. Now, however, they were forced into a situation where that was no longer an option. Often, tangible results are the true key to legitimacy; only with achievements does one gain the right to speak.

Given the circumstances, the two could only place their hopes on this top contender from the Heavenly Rain Meteor Assembly and his current ability to acquire ten divine flames. Xu Anchang, no longer concealing anything, quickly supplied additional information: “The mole in Shudao Mountain is Yan Ketao, correct? He was sent by the Liantian Sect. The one pursuing you is precisely the Liantian Sect, the foremost sect in the artifact refining world, led by Zuo Zisheng.”

Shi Chun, surprised, asked, “How do you know they are from the Liantian Sect?”

Xu Anchang hesitated slightly, having originally not intended to easily reveal this. After a moment of thought, he disclosed, “We also have an informant within the Liantian Sect; he came to reveal the information earlier.”

Shi Chun’s eyes widened. “You have an informant in the Liantian Sect, and you didn’t mention it before?”

Xu Anchang sighed. “Do you believe that ‘luring the tiger out of its den’ tactic would be appropriate to use against the Liantian Sect?”

Shi Chun retorted, “What’s inappropriate about it? It was used against Shudao Mountain just the same! By not telling me, the loss falls on the divine flames!”

Xu Anchang stated righteously, “I deemed it unsuitable, which is why I didn’t tell you at the time. It’s fortunate I kept silent; otherwise, with the Liantian Sect’s informant within Shudao Mountain, who knows what disaster might have ensued? You should be thanking me.”

“Stop spouting nonsense. With a lead on the Liantian Sect, there would naturally have been alternative approaches. You’ve held back crucial information. Never mind, debating this now is pointless.” Shi Chun waved a dismissive hand. “Honestly tell me, do you have any other informants in other sects? Given the circumstances, stop hiding things from me.”

Xu Anchang sighed. “Truly none. In fact, the Liantian Sect didn’t originally have any informants. Even if they had, there might not have been an opportunity for them to infiltrate. In short, that wasn’t an informant we planted previously. It was purely because of this competition for the championship that the Liantian Sect, as the foremost sect in the artifact refining world, became too conspicuous, leading the higher authorities to deem it necessary to focus their attention on them. To that end, the authorities employed every conceivable method, identifying exploitable individuals among the Liantian Sect’s participants, seizing upon their weaknesses, and subsequently blackmailing and controlling them. The authorities had specifically instructed them to use this carefully, as they could not guarantee it wouldn’t spiral out of control, and they worried that excessive use might lead to a complete loss of control.”