Chapter 379: 豪横

Gong Shixi's mindset for this journey was different from that of the other sects. He and his group had previously scouted the path once, confirmed there was no real danger, and overcome their fear of going to the same place. Therefore, his state of mind was relatively calm for this return trip.

The other sects, however, grew increasingly resentful. The terrifying entity in this place had already made its move, and everyone had lost their magical artifacts. It was time to stop. If they retreated now, their respective sects wouldn't object, as the sects themselves had declared this a forbidden area.

But for someone at Zuo Zisheng's level, Li Hongjiu was utterly nonsensical. Why didn't he just die? Li Hongjiu claimed he would go alone, but was it truly a solitary matter? He didn't represent just himself but the entire Yanbao Sect. If the Yanbao Sect continued to take risks, wouldn't that put Zuo Zisheng, whose sect was ranked first, in an impossible position? If the Lientian Sect retreated out of fear, allowing the Yanbao Sect to gain an advantage, how would their disciples who attended this event face others in the future? It would be an indelible stain on their lives; even rivals within their own sect would constantly mock them about it. If the Yanbao Sect truly managed to secretly master the secret method of finding the divine fire, covertly accumulate power, and rise to displace the Lientian Sect from its top position, then they would become the Lientian Sect's eternal sinners.

Gu Lianni and Yuan Yao's determination to follow was based on the same reasoning. Shudaoshan was ranked second; would it be acceptable for the third-ranked Yanbao Sect to usurp their position? Yin Tianlu of the Jihuo Sect was somewhat better off; he was mainly keeping an eye on the Shudaoshan group. If Shudaoshan chose not to go, it would make Shi Chun's claim that the secret method was in Shudaoshan's possession even more plausible.

If people at this level pressed forward, what would those at a slightly lower level do? Were the people from Jinmaotang and Dongxiao Island content to be without ambition, always subservient to others? Even those at lower levels had already followed them here. Many of them were oblivious to the true dangers, seeing everything as if blind. They assumed that those at higher levels knew more than they did, and if others dared to go, they could simply keep their distance. At this point, truly few possessed the courage and decisiveness to turn back and leave. Humans are strange; having reached this stage, most seemed possessed, their thoughts no longer controlled by normal reason.

They quickly located where Wu Shanshan had disappeared. At the scene, they found shattered pieces of a body and remnants belonging to disciples from the four major sects who had accompanied her. There were no signs of a struggle. The ease with which people were obliterated further unnerved everyone, intensifying their resentment towards Li Hongjiu, that troublemaker.

Having shaken off his burdensome fellow disciples, Li Hongjiu noticeably became more uninhibited and casual, his gaze growing sharper, as if murderous intent had stirred within him. One of the deceased disciples from the four major sects was from the Yanbao Sect. This meant he could not bring all his disciples back alive! This was his negligence; he blamed himself for sending people there despite knowing the danger. He took a gulp from his wine gourd, secured the cap, and coldly told Gong Shixi, "There's nothing to see here. Lead the way!" Seeing that no one else objected, Gong Shixi had no choice but to continue.

Shi Chun, holding the "Three Corpse Mirror" in one hand and the "Soul Severing Bell" in the other, toyed with them while personally participating in guarding the surroundings. Before long, Wu Shanshan, her disheveled hair still containing ice shards, was dragged back before Shi Chun. She was already tortured beyond recognition and had fallen unconscious again.

"Back so soon? Any results?" Shi Chun inquired, looking at Wu Jinliang. Wu Jinliang shook his head, indicating no results. "We need to keep her alive." Shi Chun understood immediately. Some people, once subjected to such treatment, would never speak. There was no need to waste further effort. Looking at the unrecognizable Wu Shanshan, he was somewhat surprised. "Such a tough mouth?" For him, individuals who could withstand such torture were extremely rare. Not to mention others, even he and Wu Jinliang couldn't endure it.

Hearing this, Xu Anchang glanced at the nearby Ming Mountain Sect members and subtly whispered a reminder, "Those sent to accomplish major tasks usually have their weaknesses exploited by their superiors first. She also knew she wouldn't survive, and the torture became unbearable, so she simply bit off her own tongue." Those who understood knew what he meant by "superiors." As he spoke, he pried open Wu Shanshan's blood-soaked mouth for Shi Chun to see; indeed, half her tongue was missing.

You Mu also said, "She's useless now." He meant she could be disposed of, no need for further trouble. The ice sheep in his hand had been placed near Wu Shanshan's mouth and nose to provide her with air. Wu Jinliang chuckled. Shi Chun calmly stated, "As long as she's alive, she's still very useful. Keep a close watch on her. And remember, she must not die or be lost, or I'll hold you accountable. I'm not joking." He truly had no time to absorb Wu Shanshan's demonic energy now; he had to keep her alive for later. Xu Anchang didn't know what great use Shi Chun had in mind for her, but since he had said so, he immediately produced excellent healing medicine, poured it into Wu Shanshan's mouth, and cast a spell to help her recover.

Not long after, Shi Chun, looking towards their original path, suddenly called out, "Everyone, gather closer. Those bastards are here." The Ming Mountain Sect group promptly retreated to his side, preparing for defense. Wu Jinliang, still chuckling, first brandished his exaggerated large saber and thrust it into the ground. Then he pulled out a set of three metallic meditation mats, casting a spell to unfurl them. Immediately, the metallic weaves flew up, revealing three formidable apparitions wielding a saber, a spear, and a sword. After these treasures had formed a protective barrier around everyone, he finally drew his saber, rested it on his shoulder, and grinned contentedly.

Shi Chun was no lightweight either. This time, he unreservedly deployed his magical artifact, the "Black Lotus." Its majestic dharma-form, sword drawn, stood tall and imposing amidst them. He didn't know why the Black Lotus artifact behaved this way. Earlier, it had been struck by lightning and damaged, just like the Boundless Banner. However, during a recent inspection, he discovered it had miraculously restored itself, while the Boundless Banner and the Six Paths Golden Wheel remained inert, utterly lifeless, showing no signs of ever reawakening. Almost all the people from Oblivion Valley had been killed, and Wu Shanshan was incapacitated. He figured no one within the Divine Fire Domain could exploit the artifact's weaknesses anymore.

Even more meticulously, he held the "Immortal Strangling Silk" in his right hand and the "Three Corpse Mirror" in his left. He had already planned it: if he had to fight again, after the dark light from the mirror disoriented his opponents, he would use the Immortal Strangling Silk to kill them. Among all the participants who entered the Divine Fire Domain, who could possibly withstand that? He felt this combination of magical artifacts was truly perfect. He even suspected that the Demonic Path had given these artifacts to Oblivion Valley specifically for this kind of combined use.

The Ming Mountain Sect group also knew he had other artifacts he hadn't yet revealed. Crucially, if that bell were rung, even they couldn't withstand it, and no one among them, except for Shi Chun, could control it. If the bell rang, even they would be disoriented; how could they possibly control it then? Beyond everything else, with this array of magical artifacts, the Ming Mountain Sect members felt a surge of confidence and a powerful sense of security.

They had truly not expected to acquire so many valuable treasures on this trip. These treasures were anything but simple; from their perspective, they were unbelievably powerful. Just the one artifact in Wu Jinliang's hands was equivalent to three fifth-grade magical artifacts, essentially providing three Earth Immortal-level experts as enforcers. How could they not be formidable? With this lineup, once they emerged, their power would be immense. As long as they didn't encounter opponents of excessively high cultivation levels, the Ming Mountain Sect could, in a way, walk sideways through the world. Who would dare to mock this newly established sect as a makeshift troupe? They themselves felt as if they were in a dream. They had been chased like stray dogs throughout their journey, yet now, upon reflection, they seemed to grow richer with every fight. This somewhat defied their understanding and was difficult to explain. They just had a strange feeling that this way of life wasn't quite right.

Wu Jinliang, chuckling, glanced at the artifacts Shi Chun had revealed, and his face lit up with excitement. He hadn't realized it before, but once the formation was displayed, he too shared that sentiment. "Wow, has our sect become so outrageously formidable now?" It felt as though if either of them could only produce two magical artifacts, they would be too embarrassed to face anyone. One must remember they were still wearing their treasured armor. Recalling the grievances they suffered at Wukang Mountain, where they were even forced to fetch water for others and frequently imprisoned, they thought that if they had possessed these artifacts back then, they would have dared to flatten Wukang Mountain and force the sect leader's wife to wash their clothes. Never mind. Considering the current Wukang Mountain Sect Leader was now intimately involved with Chun, it wasn't easy to take out their anger on Wukang Mountain. They might as well swallow it; a true man knows when to yield and when to assert himself.

And this was precisely why Shi Chun dared to wait right there! There was no other way; this place was unlike the outside cultivation world. Every sect here seemed to be focused on refining artifacts. Precious items like Wind Scales were as common as dirt. Fights weren't proper brawls; they were often battles of magical artifacts, and there were plenty of high-level ones. Such an indiscriminate use of artifacts was truly only seen here in the cultivation world. This trip had certainly been an eye-opener for him. If he didn't have a few magical artifacts on hand, he wouldn't dare to easily confront those artifact-refining sects. Damn it, he cursed silently. This experience had directly elevated his fighting style to another level. If they were to go out now, with these artifacts in hand, it would be foolish to risk close-quarters combat. Wouldn't it be simpler to just use the artifacts to kill the opponent? He felt that his old way of fearlessly charging into battle was outdated.

Swoosh, swoosh, swoosh. A group of people, swiftly arriving on Wind Scales, first hovered to get an aerial view. After confirming it was Shi Chun's group, they descended one by one and immediately surrounded them. Upon seeing the magical artifacts Shi Chun's group displayed, the other sects, most of whose own artifacts were damaged, felt their confidence wane. Many were secretly alarmed. Those with weaker cultivation had already proactively adjusted their formations and moved to the back. Most people were actually unaware of the origins of all the artifacts Shi Chun's group possessed. At first glance, they hadn't expected the Ming Mountain Sect to be so powerful.

The Jihuo Sect, led by Yin Tianlu, instantly had their eyes turn red, staring intently at the three-in-one artifact controlled by Wu Jinliang. That was a vital treasure their sect had given to Hei Hu, and it was also their strongest artifact for this expedition! It was clear that the opponents had killed Hei Hu and seized his treasure. How would they settle this feud and hatred now? Gu Lianni and Yuan Yao exchanged glances again, marveling inwardly. These guys were truly getting stronger with every fight. Facing so many people surrounding them, they showed no signs of panic, each appearing remarkably composed. Their demeanor alone made one feel that every member of the Ming Mountain Sect was a true hero.

Gong Shixi descended with a dark expression, his eyes wide with disbelief, staring at Shi Chun as if his eyeballs were about to melt and stream from their sockets. In his heart, he was cursing Shi Chun's ancestors for eighteen generations. What was infuriating was that Wu Shanshan was openly present with Shi Chun's group. Was this something a human could do?