Chapter 339: Overwhelming Dominance

She knew very well that if these people truly rushed them and attacked them, Shudao Mountain would have little recourse afterward. The principle of 'the law does not punish the masses' holds true everywhere, and Shudao Mountain still sought to maintain its presence in the artifact-refining world. It was impossible to hold all sects accountable; at most, they would target a few individuals to vent their frustration.

The fact that these individuals dared to approach in this manner clearly indicated their confidence.

If the situation turned unfavorable, they would have no choice but to yield.

While they were prepared to act humbly, any compromise still had to project an air of dignity. A major sect's reputation had to be upheld, even if it was merely an empty facade.

Glancing at the assorted sects that had surrounded them, Gu Lianni gestured in a sweeping circle, sternly demanding, "What do you want?"

The long sword on her back swiftly unsheathed halfway, instantly emitting a pulsating green rainbow light from within its scabbard. It surged skyward with a formidable, awe-inspiring presence.

Xu Anchang and You Mu, caught between the opposing factions, had witnessed the sword's power from a distance before. It had easily cut down an Earth Immortal-level ice dragon as if it were slicing melons and vegetables. Had that particular ice dragon not possessed an unusual ability to repeatedly regenerate after being defeated, countless ordinary Earth Immortal masters would have already been slain by it.

The immense power of an artifact capable of felling Earth Immortals with such ease was readily apparent.

The sheer might it deliberately exuded caused many sect disciples' expressions to shift dramatically, and they instinctively recoiled a step in fear.

Although most artifact-refining sects in the cultivation world had converged upon the Divine Fire Domain, where rare magic artifacts were frequently wielded, the sheer scale of the gathering was remarkable, almost an unprecedented event. Yet, for the majority of disciples from these various sects, opportunities to personally handle such treasures remained largely nonexistent.

Generally, only the more prominent core disciples of each sect were entrusted with wielding their respective treasures.

None of the disciples who had joined the effort to 'push down the wall' uttered a word. They understood that this was a time to remain inconspicuous; it wasn't their place to step forward. Doing so would only invite trouble, as someone more senior would naturally emerge to lead the charge.

Regardless of their size, all sects understood the situation with perfect clarity.

Yin Tianlu glanced at the Refining Heaven Sect once more, observing that Zuo Zisheng and his group appeared to be mere spectators, with no intention of intervening whatsoever.

It wasn't just the Refining Heaven Sect; clustered behind them were 'Dongxiao Island,' ranked seventh in the artifact-refining world, 'Luoyan Mountain,' ranked tenth, and 'Jinmao Hall,' ranked fifth, observing from a greater distance.

Additionally, four or five other sects, likely considering themselves powerful and also high-ranking, chose not to join the miscellaneous sects in the encirclement.

Their intentions were clear: to observe. Since others were taking the lead, they would intervene if the moment was right, or remain uninvolved if it was not. Ideally, they hoped for a scenario where both sides would be weakened, allowing them to seize an advantage.

Zuo Zisheng of the Refining Heaven Sect, at least, harbored such thoughts.

However, Yin Tianlu had no intention of allowing him to remain uninvolved. Unable to complicate matters excessively, he decided to create just enough disruption. He immediately called out, "Everyone, since the number one ranked Refining Heaven Sect has also arrived, it's no longer the Extreme Fire Sect's role to take the lead. Extreme Fire Sect brethren, listen carefully: we are withdrawing and yielding this position to you all. Retreat!" He gestured widely.

All members of the Extreme Fire Sect appeared bewildered, yet they slowly began to retreat, glancing around.

"What's going on?"

"Does what was agreed upon before no longer apply?"

The various sect members who had previously been quietly participating in the encirclement instantly erupted in an uproar.

The sudden withdrawal of their leader naturally caused surprise and confusion.

Not only them, but even Gu Lianni and her companions were quite surprised. However, upon reflection, it wasn't difficult to grasp: either they didn't want others to gain an advantage, or it was a delaying tactic to let others make the first move.

As soon as he retreated, the Refining Heaven Sect naturally found themselves at the forefront. Zuo Zisheng, unwilling to let the other party succeed and suspecting a delaying tactic, immediately called him out. He projected his voice loudly, "Brother Yin, are you hoping to watch others fight to the death so you can then swoop in and claim the spoils?"

Without waiting for further thought, Yin Tianlu immediately responded, "Since your Refining Heaven Sect has arrived, we will not interfere; we are withdrawing. Rest assured, Brother Zuo, I swear in the name of the Extreme Fire Sect that in this current confrontation, regardless of your success, we will not attempt to seize anything. We choose to withdraw. If we violate this oath, may heaven not tolerate it. Of course, if you fail to obtain it, we will still have to find a way later."

With that, he waved to his fellow disciples again, signaling them to continue their withdrawal.

Everyone exchanged glances. The Extreme Fire Sect had publicly sworn an oath to refrain from intervening in the current conflict. With so many witnesses, they could not easily go back on their word, meaning their withdrawal was likely genuine.

"These people are so cunning and deceitful."

Mi Liangmeng, leader of Jinmao Hall, observing from a higher vantage point further away, quietly uttered a remark with a blank expression, implying he couldn't comprehend the ploy being used.

The Extreme Fire Sect's initiative in drawing the various sects to this location truly baffled many.

With the surrounding crowd retreating, Xu Anchang and You Mu naturally seized the opportunity to follow suit. They turned to join the departing members of the Extreme Fire Sect. While it was true they sided with Shi Chun, and Shi Chun had indeed partnered with Shudao Mountain, they had no intention of advancing or retreating with Shudao Mountain, particularly under these circumstances.

However, while the Extreme Fire Sect allowed them to pass, the Refining Heaven Sect did not. Zuo Zisheng murmured something, and immediately a small team swiftly moved to block the two, requesting their presence.

And so, just as they had obediently come when summoned by the Extreme Fire Sect earlier, they complied once more.

There was no other option. Disobeying orders and fleeing was not feasible, as any attempt to escape would inevitably lead to a confrontation. Until the point of no return, one always had to endure and observe.

Noticing the mutual apprehension among the sects, Yuan Yao whispered to the subtly tense Gu Lianni, "Uncle-master, are we truly going to wait until they finish their discussion before we leave?"

Gu Lianni, realizing the situation, decided it was best to leave immediately. She loudly declared, "Go! We're leaving!"

As she spoke, she was the first to retrieve a Wind Scale, and a group of Shudao Mountain disciples promptly followed suit, producing their own Wind Scales in unison.

Zuo Zisheng immediately bellowed, "Wait!"

Gu Lianni instantly narrowed her eyes, stating coldly, "Zuo Zisheng, do you truly intend to move against my Shudao Mountain?"

Zuo Zisheng replied, "Fighting and killing is indeed meaningless; I prefer to discuss cooperation. The Divine Fire that Shudao Mountain has already absorbed cannot be relinquished, so there's no need for our two sects to jeopardize our good relations. If you join forces with my Refining Heaven Sect, no one here will dare to touch you. We can leave together, and if anyone dares to pursue us, we'll first join forces to dispatch them thoroughly. What do you say?"

As soon as these words were uttered, Yin Tianlu, now a mere bystander, was the first to show a drastic change in expression. He had not anticipated Zuo Zisheng's audaciousness, openly declaring enmity against everyone the moment he spoke. This was something Yin Tianlu had never even dared to conceive.

The paramount sect's domineering aura was undeniably laid bare at this moment!

This left Yin Tianlu with a bitter taste. The same proposition coming from him would have been inappropriate; setting aside the question of whether he dared to antagonize everyone, Shudao Mountain would certainly not easily agree to share its secret methods honestly with him.

The reason was simple: he had also suffered significant losses in personnel. Despite the seemingly small disparity in strength between the two sides, how could Shudao Mountain, ranked second in the artifact-refining world, easily yield to the Extreme Fire Sect, ranked fourth? Would they simply share a secret just because he asked?

He understood clearly that the same words, spoken by the Extreme Fire Sect compared to the Refining Heaven Sect, would have vastly different impacts.

In that moment, he grasped the disparity in thinking that stemmed from differing statuses. He felt as though he had shot himself in the foot, inviting a wolf into his home. Why had he, in his right mind, drawn all these people here?

He even began to wonder about Wu Shanshan, questioning why she hadn't stopped him when he was acting this way.

Similarly caught off guard were the members of the various sects, who exchanged bewildered glances.

Gu Lianni quickly conferred in a low voice with her fellow disciples nearby.

The outcome was not entirely unexpected. Most of the time allotted for finding the Divine Fire had passed, and that so-called secret method had yielded no results. Making a compromise to ensure everyone's safety was not unreasonable.

The sole awkward point was the necessity of betraying Shi Chun, as the true secret method was in his possession.

After reaching a consensus, Gu Lianni responded loudly, "Cooperation is possible. How much do you want?"

Zuo Zisheng smiled faintly, "Just ensure we don't suffer a loss. We can discuss the details later; let's focus on leaving this place first."

His words were delivered with a magnificent air of grandeur.

Gu Lianni assented, "Very well!"

Zuo Zisheng immediately lifted his chin, and a team of people stepped forward, sternly calling out, "Make way, make way..."

The individuals who had been encircling and obstructing them immediately relented, parting to create a path.

Simultaneously, Zuo Zisheng approached Xu Anchang and You Mu, speaking softly, "Xu Anchang, You Mu, I am aware of the Four Tripod Sect's previous affiliations. There's no need for me to elaborate, is there? Let's leave together."

The expressions of the two men stiffened slightly, but having no real alternative, they joined the Shudao Mountain contingent.

Members of the various major sects watched helplessly as the two allied groups produced their Wind Scales, preparing for aerial departure.

Many wore expressions of bitter resentment, realizing their own naivety. They had actually approached the Refining Heaven Sect earlier, seeking benefits for their assistance; did the Refining Heaven Sect even require their help?

Yin Tianlu, in particular, felt utterly stifled. The Extreme Fire Sect had toiled tirelessly, suffered numerous casualties along the way, only for the Refining Heaven Sect to effortlessly claim the spoils.

Fortunately, they still had a contingency plan: they hoped Wu Shanshan would be able to locate Shi Chun and his companions.

Just as the Refining Heaven Sect and Shudao Mountain faction were about to ascend, a group of figures unexpectedly flew into view, hovering. Someone among them exclaimed, "They're here! They came right here!"

The newly arrived group did not appear to be one that would stand on the sidelines; they would naturally land wherever the core of the activity was.

The current location of the large group, encircled by various sects, was clearly the focal point—the central landing spot for those intending to participate.

Thus, the Yanbao Sect group descended from the sky, landing amidst the assembled crowd.

The sects allied with them, and those who had secretly left markers along the way, sighed inwardly. They wondered whether Yanbao Sect's arrival at this moment was a blessing or a curse. After all, with the first and second largest sects having allied, all other sects were effectively subdued.

Li Hongjiu, holding a recently-sipped wine gourd and re-corking it, wiped his mouth with his sleeve and chuckled, "I knew it! That cluster of people, suddenly gone — they must have found something. So, what did you discover? Why is everyone gathered here?"

He paid little attention to external matters and genuinely couldn't recognize so many sects.

Guang Haoyou, standing beside him, was speechless. He quickly tugged Li Hongjiu's sleeve and gestured towards Gu Lianni, reminding him, "Uncle-master, that's Shudao Mountain's contingent."

Li Hongjiu looked, assessed the situation, and chuckled. "What about Shudao Mountain? Oh, it's a woman. Did you take a fancy to the girl?"

Gu Lianni's face darkened, and she snapped, "Nonsense!"

Guang Haoyou broke out in a slight sweat. That was the daughter of Shudao Mountain's sect leader; fighting and even killing were acceptable, but public teasing was not! He immediately reminded him again, "Uncle-master, Shudao Mountain and Shi Chun have formed an alliance."

Even a group of Yanbao Sect disciples were exasperated to hear this. How could he forget such a crucial detail? Did he truly dare to claim he came to this forbidden land to find Shi Chun and the secret method?

Li Hongjiu paused, observed his disciples' reactions, and his expression instantly turned serious. Pointing at Gu Lianni, he demanded, "You there, hand over Shi Chun!"