Chapter 359: Swift Decision Making

Reactions varied in their timing, with the deciding factor often being whether the situation directly concerned them.

Naturally, the people dispatched by the four major sects to scout ahead with Wu Shanshan didn't intervene immediately because they were still unaware of the masked man's true nature.

Li Hongjiu and his group deduced from the masked man's reaction that he wasn't affiliated with any of their four major sects, though the dispatched personnel weren't privy to this information. Furthermore, witnessing the masked man swiftly defeat Jin Hao indicated his extraordinary strength, compelling them to await their respective team leaders' decisions.

Similarly, the three individuals from Mount Shudao needed to observe their own leader's reaction before deciding whether to assist Shi Chun.

However, neither Gu Lianni nor Zuo Zisheng and his companions showed any reaction at that moment.

Gu Lianni reneged on her promise because she felt Shi Chun's actions disregarded the precarious position of Mount Shudao's contingent. She blamed Shi Chun for prematurely revealing his identity.

Once Zuo Zisheng and his group realized what was happening, they held back, primarily due to the power displayed by Forgetful Valley, which possessed numerous magical artifacts with diverse properties.

They wanted to gauge the power of those artifacts and understand Forgetful Valley's true capabilities. Anyone would naturally be wary of someone with hidden power operating close by.

The instant the bell chimed, Shi Chun heard it too. Its sound clearly cut through the howling wind, immediately signaling that something was amiss.

Yet, he didn't experience the disorienting dizziness, though he did sense abnormal fluctuations in the protective green aura generated by his demonic cultivation.

The bell's chime did not affect him. Though wary, he momentarily set it aside. However, while engaging Jin Hao, he consistently diverted a portion of his focus to guard against Lin Yuefang, not to mention the potential intervention from members of other factions nearby.

As he remained vigilant on multiple fronts, a flicker of anger ignited within him. Upon realizing that Mount Shudao's contingent remained unresponsive, he understood that Gu Lianni was prioritizing self-preservation.

They were clearly engaged in a struggle against formidable powers, vying for benefits coveted by the entire artifact-refining world—benefits Mount Shudao itself desperately sought. Yet, that woman was holding back, prioritizing her own safety. He genuinely couldn't comprehend Gu Lianni's reasoning or why she had led her team into the Divine Fire Domain in the first place.

He seethed with anger, thinking, "One who hesitates when a great deed is at hand is not fit to strategize with!"

But what could he do? Could he pause to reason with Gu Lianni, or could he turn hostile at that moment, thereby creating another adversary?

Given her willingness to prioritize self-preservation, if he were to turn against her, she might well strike even harder than others to distance herself from him.

Though a myriad of thoughts flashed through his mind, nothing was more pressing than the immediate reality before him.

Having chosen to act daringly, he now had no choice but to face the consequences, even if it felt like swallowing poison.

Thus, he exerted his utmost effort.

In comparison, he was far more decisive than Gu Lianni and her companions.

As he brought his blade down toward Jin Hao's head, his other hand was not idle; he had already cast a spell on the Qiankun bracelet on his wrist. His eyes caught the incoming sword light from Lin Yuefang, and an object conjured from his bracelet swiftly shot forth.

While other sects possessed magical artifacts, he, too, had not arrived in the Divine Fire Domain empty-handed. Without some reliance, he wouldn't dare to stand out so readily in such a situation.

Clang! The instant the blade and sword clashed, an unusual explosive sound rang out again.

This time, Lin Yuefang also felt that strange, explosive force.

Regardless, she had finally swept her sword, deflecting Shi Chun's strike aimed at Jin Hao and saving Jin Hao's life in the nick of time. She then prepared to slash her sword at Shi Chun, who was still mid-air.

At that very moment, Shi Chun's heart jolted as a sudden change occurred: his vision abruptly went black. The images in his left eye vanished, replaced by complete darkness. He saw neither the starlight above nor the surrounding figures and undulating terrain; everything was gone.

It was an absolute, terrifying blackness.

Not only his vision, but also his hearing failed completely. Even the howling wind, which he could feel whipping against his ears, produced no sound.

He was not breathing the air in this space; otherwise, he would have discovered that his sense of smell had also vanished.

All these changes occurred after he was enveloped by the dark light emanating from the bronze mirror held by another female disciple wielding demonic energy.

This mirror, known as the 'Three Corpse Mirror,' could sever three senses. When caught in its light, hearing, sight, and smell would all be rendered useless.

Lin Yuefang, who was battling Shi Chun, was also caught in the dark light due to her proximity. However, she knew how to counteract it, possessing a reliable method, and instantly broke free from the three-sense predicament, her vision swiftly returning to clarity.

But a different kind of terror surged in her wide eyes. Having escaped one predicament, she was immediately ensnared by another.

Her sword, which she had just raised to strike at the ascending masked man, suddenly encountered a delaying force. This ethereal drag intensified rapidly, instantly making it impossible to move her sword, and indeed, her entire body became immobilized.

The ringing of the bell she held also ceased abruptly at that moment.

Shi Chun, mid-flight, encountered an obstruction. His blade missed Jin Hao's head but continued its trajectory, connecting with the noseless woman before him.

It was true that he had suddenly lost three senses, but it was only his normal, or common, senses that were affected. The anomalous vision in his right eye remained entirely unaffected.

Any other person would have instantly lost sight of their opponent, become disoriented, and fallen into panicked self-preservation.

However, Lin Yuefang was still visible through his right eye. Although her form appeared as a hazy mist, her physical outline was still discernible at close range.

He naturally understood the opponent's sudden rigidity, and knowing she possessed a method to break free, he wouldn't grant her another opportunity to attack.

His blade descended like a waterfall.

Witnessing his fluid, unhindered reaction, the terrified Lin Yuefang stared in disbelief. She suddenly realized something: her magical artifact, the 'Soul Severing Bell,' appeared to have no effect on this masked man.

Observing his precise and unperturbed blade strikes, it seemed her junior sister's magical artifact, the 'Three Corpse Mirror,' had also failed to affect him.

Why was this happening? What kind of person had they encountered?

She was truly panicked—too panicked to comprehend what had bound her, too panicked to know how to escape, and there was no time for further thought. The chilling, gleaming blade was already upon her, instantly sweeping away her fear.

The icy sensation informed her of what had occurred, yet she felt no pain, only a sudden draining of the vital energy within her body with that single strike.

As the various factions recovered from the sudden cessation of the bell's chime, they watched as Shi Chun, enveloped in the dark light, slashed his blade across Lin Yuefang's body. As he passed by mid-air, he extended his hand to deftly snatch the bell from Lin Yuefang's grasp.

Lin Yuefang, meanwhile, stood motionless and dazed, leaving onlookers unsure of her condition, as if she were desperately clinging to life.

While individuals from other sects, still somewhat affected by the bell, hadn't clearly perceived the instantaneous turn of events, the Forgetful Valley disciple wielding the 'Three Corpse Mirror' had a clear view. It wasn't that Shi Chun's strike was too swift for her senior sister to evade; rather, her senior sister seemed to have made no attempt to dodge at all, standing perfectly still as the masked man's blade struck her.

How could this be? She wondered if her own 'Three Corpse Mirror' had suddenly affected her, leaving her no time to react.

Not only she, but even Wu Shanshan, trapped within the Immortal Binding Silk and looking back, harbored the same suspicion. Witnessing her junior sister's demise by the blade, her eyes widened in horror, and her hand, instinctively gripping the sharp silken threads, was cut, drawing blood.

Gu Lianni's mouth parted slightly; she had not expected Shi Chun to be so ferocious.

Unaware of the 'Three Corpse Mirror's' potent light, everyone was simply astonished by the unfolding events. They hadn't expected the masked man to swiftly eliminate another opponent in mere moments.

Likely surmising the bell was a magical artifact, Shi Chun, having casually seized it, had already drifted past.

Driven by his haste to kill Wu Shanshan, he did not linger for Jin Hao and Lin Yuefang. However, he materialized a sword from thin air, and looking back, he flung it towards Jin Hao.

He had already moved past them, yet still intended to deliver a final blow.

From the void, however, a hand suddenly extended to save her, seizing Jin Hao's arm and pulling her into a swift turn.

Jin Hao, wide-eyed and stubbornly clinging to consciousness, managed to glimpse the scene behind her. Her gaze fell upon Lin Yuefang, still standing, and then upon Wu Shanshan, trapped within the Immortal Binding Silk.

She had assumed Wu Shanshan had already fallen victim, but surprisingly, she was still very much alive.

The triangular support propping up the Immortal Binding Silk caused a spasm of emotion on Jin Hao's face, and venom even flickered in her eyes. She recognized at a glance that the triangular frame was specifically designed to counter her magical artifact, the Immortal Binding Silk.

And indeed, Wu Shanshan had employed it precisely to defend against the Immortal Binding Silk.

Of course, it was merely for defensive purposes.

However, in Jin Hao's perception, it was clearly intended to be used against her. This meant that her senior sister very likely intended to harm her within the Divine Fire Domain.

She had just risked her own life to save her.

She felt an overwhelming sense of injustice and worthlessness.

At that moment, she harbored no hatred for the masked man who had attacked her, only resentment towards Wu Shanshan.

"Pfft..." Unable to hold on, she spat a mouthful of blood into the wind, her eyes rolled back, and the last breath she had been holding burst out from her exertion and fury.

Her body, weakly collapsing, was pulled by that same hand and vanished into the void.

Shi Chun, having thrown his sword to strike, witnessed this as he glanced back. Although he hadn't seen the Forgetful Valley individuals employ an invisibility artifact previously, his anomalous right eye detected the invisible person, the one who had pulled Jin Hao into a hazy, shimmering void.

However, at that moment, he could not afford to turn back. Without touching the ground, he pushed off the air, propelling himself forward again, and continued his charge toward Wu Shanshan.

He also felt a flicker of curiosity, noting that while Mount Shudao's people hadn't aided him, neither had members of the other factions intervened to assist Wu Shanshan's side. Were they not allied?

He increasingly found that people from the outside world were, in essence, no different from those in the Land of Exile. In critical moments, the closer the alliance, the more unreliable one's supposed allies could become.

This observation prompted him to make another swift, impromptu decision.

Seeing that her 'Three Corpse Mirror' had no effect whatsoever on the masked man, the Forgetful Valley female disciple wielding it could not stand by. She immediately withdrew her artifact and rushed forward to attack.

Shi Chun, having escaped the dark light's shroud, had now reached the entangled Immortal Binding Silk. He plunged his blade fiercely into the netting.

"Who are you, really? What grievance do you have against me?"

Wu Shanshan, roaring with fury, did not passively await her fate. She unleashed a palm strike through the air.

The palm force broke through the netting and struck Shi Chun, resulting only in a resounding blast. It failed to halt the incoming momentum of his blade.

However, her move was swift, clearly superior to Shi Chun's attack speed. With a flick of her wrist, she seized the back of the incoming blade, clamping down on it with a death grip.

In this direct struggle, Wu Shanshan immediately sensed that her opponent's cultivation was far inferior to her own. Slightly startled, she looked into Shi Chun's eyes, then at his build, filled with intense doubt. Could this fellow truly be Shi Chun?

Only then did she truly grasp the extraordinary nature of the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly's top-ranked individual!

Naturally, she also noticed a seemingly harmless flicking gesture from Shi Chun's other hand.

She quickly understood the meaning of that flicking motion when she suddenly found herself immobilized, instantly overcome with terror.

However, her internal magical power and cultivation remained intact, so she naturally maintained her death grip on the blade.

Yet, she was acutely aware that her opponent could now easily kill her with anything. Her level of panic was thus immeasurable.

However, Shi Chun did not do so. He maintained the pretense of a struggle with Wu Shanshan, intending to force her to unleash her demonic energy to break the immobilization spell in order to save herself.

If Wu Shanshan exposed her demonic identity herself, he certainly couldn't be blamed. He was eager to see how that large group of people would still dare to assist Wu Shanshan against him.

Had he not made this impromptu decision, the Black Lotus, a magical artifact already deployed in the air, could have fully aided him at that moment; a single sword strike would have been enough to eliminate Wu Shanshan.