Chapter 389: Testing

After watching You Mu leave, Xu Anchang looked around and became anxious again, feeling a sense of uncertainty. First, he worried You Mu might fail. If that happened, the consequences would be unimaginable, and he would be cornered. While it would have been safer for both of them to go, someone absolutely had to remain here.

Second, he questioned if he had acted too impulsively. They hadn't even confirmed if there were truly extraordinary things here. What if it all turned out to be for nothing? Yet, regret was useless. In truth, when he made the decision, he was fully aware of its impulsive nature.

However, once they realized how vulnerable the people here were, they experienced a thrill that outsiders could barely comprehend. It was a well-known fact that many legends culminated in this place. To be controlled by others for a lifetime, or to ascend and become a superior being — this was a thrilling, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Even enduring some hardships for it would be worthwhile, as long-term subservience was itself a form of suffering. Otherwise, why would he have risked coming to the Divine Fire Domain?

He didn't know how long he remained in this anxious state. He certainly didn't notice Shi Chun emerge until footsteps approached, at which point he suddenly snapped back to reality and looked around.

Shi Chun, ascending from the cave entrance, looked around. Noticing one person was missing, he asked with a touch of surprise, "Where's You Mu?"

Xu Anchang was somewhat surprised that Shi Chun had emerged alone. He quickly explained, "I was worried Li Hongjiu and his group might return, so I sent You Mu to scout the surroundings."

This proactive attitude slightly surprised Shi Chun. The other man's enthusiasm had never seemed to reach such a level before; for instance, he had always opposed Shi Chun's impulsive moves when they were searching for the Divine Fire in the Iron Forest. Sending You Mu to scout alone, without so much as a warning, was particularly concerning. If something happened, there might not even be anyone left to report it.

Given his vigilance, even the slightest anomaly would put him on guard. However, he wasn't aware that Li Hongjiu had already been taught a lesson by the terrifying entity. So, upon reflection, he could understand Xu Anchang's behavior. After all, Li Hongjiu was quite fierce and had previously shown no fear of this place. It was possible that if he couldn't find Shi Chun, he might return here, so it was normal for Xu Anchang to be extra cautious for his own safety.

Still, he felt something was off. Had this fellow not yet figured out who resided in this tower? With these people present, why would they fear Li Hongjiu? The thought that something was amiss still lingered in his mind.

However, that could be set aside for now. He hadn't brought Xu and You here for leisure; he had tasks for them. Even though one had left, the remaining one could still serve the purpose. He gestured slightly with his head, leading Xu Anchang further away from the cave entrance before whispering, "Later, I'll arrange a sparring match. You'll need to adapt to the situation."

"Sparring?" Xu Anchang asked, bewildered. "What kind of sparring, and with whom?"

Shi Chun replied, "The tower below has nine levels, with each 'master' from the Eldest to the Ninth guarding one. Find whoever seems appropriate; you can spar with any of them. Just adapt to the situation."

Xu Anchang's eyes widened as he asked suspiciously, "Why would I spar with them?"

Shi Chun clicked his tongue. "Just do as I say."

He had brought the two of them precisely for this purpose: to probe, by various means, why the people here dared not confront Li Hongjiu. Naturally, the most crucial aspect to test was their strength. For such dangerous undertakings, it was only logical to send expendable subordinates; he, as the leader, certainly wasn't going to risk himself.

When he had brought the two men down earlier, he had intended to find an opportunity to test them. However, the Eldest Master had acted erratically, kicking them out as soon as he saw them, leaving Shi Chun no chance to even begin a conversation. He still wanted to proceed with the test, so he found an excuse to come out and locate the two. To his surprise, one had left, which meant he would have to use the remaining one.

However, Xu Anchang found it genuinely difficult to readily agree to such a task; inwardly, he instinctively wanted to curse Shi Chun. In the demonic path, however, it wasn't a matter of simply agreeing if one wished or refusing if one didn't. When a sacrifice was required, if you couldn't provide a valid reason or persuade the one giving the order, there was very little room for refusal. If he refused now and something unforeseen occurred, he would have great difficulty explaining himself upon his return, and the consequences would be far beyond anyone's imagination. The demonic path's methods of control were, in any case, highly intimidating.

With a troubled expression, he said, "Brother Chun, if I don't know why I'm sparring, how can I possibly gauge the appropriate limits?"

Shi Chun said dismissively, "I'll handle the limits; it has nothing to do with you. Just unleash your moves freely and use your full strength."

Xu Anchang forced a smile. "Brother Chun, there's no need for sparring. I'm certainly no match for them. In terms of strength, you're clearly superior to me, so it would be much more appropriate for you to spar."

Shi Chun replied, "I have my own plans for everything. If you offend someone during the sparring, I can still resolve the situation for you. But if I offend them, how would you resolve it? To them, you're utterly insignificant."

The words were crude but the logic was undeniable, leaving Xu Anchang speechless. At this point, how could he not understand the true purpose of Shi Chun's 'sparring'? He had already surmised that Shi Chun might also have sensed an issue with the strength of the people here; otherwise, only a fool would propose such a match.

Yet, this didn't mean he had to personally step forward to test them. Even after hearing the so-called inside information, his heart still pounded when facing the individuals in this place. The original plan was for You Mu to seize the treasures, and naturally, You Mu would then perform the test. He truly hadn't expected this "good fortune" to fall upon him. Had he known, he would have made You Mu stay.

His jumbled, regretful thoughts couldn't overcome reality. He knew he had no room to refuse, and having heard the insider information, he wasn't entirely devoid of courage. Still, he tried to politely decline, "Brother Chun, why not have someone from the Mingshan Sect spar instead?"

The implication was clear: they were truly on the same side, and a few casualties from the Mingshan Sect wouldn't matter. He wanted to stall until You Mu returned.

However, Shi Chun wasn't having any of it. They weren't actually here for a marriage proposal, and that topic was nearly exhausted. He couldn't keep stalling; if he dragged it on too long, bringing up 'proposal gifts' later would be awkward. Besides, he needed to decide now whether to prepare the gifts. The choice to go or stay required a swift decision, lest complications arise. Otherwise, why had he brought these two along if not to cut through the red tape quickly?

So he directly refuted him, "I said it's just sparring. They won't harm you. Just do as I say."

Cornered, Xu Anchang could no longer refuse. He spread his hands slightly and said, "They have no reason to, and they wouldn't even deign to notice me. Why would they spar with me?"

Shi Chun said, "There are plenty of ways. For example, You Mu is missing, and you suspect they're involved, so you throw a tantrum. Or you could demand why only I was allowed inside and not you. These are all valid excuses for you to lose your temper. Do I still need to teach you this?"

Xu Anchang's eyes widened as he asked, "Brother Chun, are you asking me to spar, or to pick a fight? Aren't you afraid I'll be beaten to death?"

Shi Chun replied, "With me here, there's no need to fear. I'll make sure they stop short of causing serious harm, so rest assured."

Not allowing the other man to babble on, Shi Chun placed a hand on his shoulder and whispered in his ear, "Be quick. As soon as I go down, you must create a disturbance. No hesitation allowed. If you dare disobey, don't worry about whether they'll beat you to death; first, ask yourself if *I* will beat you to death."

He patted the man's shoulder, then moved past him and ducked back into the cave below. Faced with such blunt and unrefusable words, Xu Anchang's expression flickered, and he cursed inwardly.

So, as Shi Chun returned to the base of the tower and met Eldest Master and the others, he immediately heard the echoing sound of loud banging from within the tower, faintly mixed with Xu Anchang's angry roars, shouting "Come out, come out!" and similar phrases.

Eldest Master, Ninth Master, and Zhen'er all looked surprised, then turned in unison to stare at Shi Chun. Shi Chun spread his hands with a bewildered, innocent look, signaling that he, too, had no idea what was happening. Then he quickly turned and went up to investigate. Ninth Master and Zhen'er also couldn't remain still and quickly departed. Eldest Master, however, remained calmly seated, unperturbed.

Once the others were gone, the woman's voice echoed in the empty space again. "He really wasted no time; he couldn't hold it in. Old Ninth, go easy on him."

The group hurrying upstairs reached the top-level exit and saw Xu Anchang vigorously banging on the metal wall, making it shimmer with light. Shi Chun immediately went over, pushed him away, and reprimanded, "What's all this noise? What are you doing?"

Xu Anchang, his face contorted with rage, retorted, "Why are you allowed in and I'm not? Why are we kept out? What kind of cursed place is this, and what are you doing behind our backs?" As he spoke, he pointed directly at Ninth Master, angrily demanding, "Who exactly are these people?"

Zhen'er looked at him with disbelief and astonishment, then quickly glanced at Ninth Master, worried that Xu Anchang would provoke him. Shi Chun raised a hand, signaling Xu Anchang to step outside and speak.

"If you don't explain, I'll find out myself!" Xu Anchang slapped Shi Chun's hand away, then flashed forward and lunged at Ninth Master.

Ninth Master's mouth twitched slightly, then he swayed and dodged. But Xu Anchang pursued relentlessly, flashing forward again to grab him. The two then began to dodge and entangle each other. Ninth Master kept dodging, refusing to engage Xu Anchang. Seeing this, Xu Anchang grew more at ease, and his attacks became increasingly audacious, making the metal corridor reverberate loudly. He also forced Ninth Master into some perilous situations, making it seem as if he was barely evading the blows.

Ninth Master simply kept dodging, refusing to retaliate. It had to be admitted that his movements were quite agile. Upon finding an opportunity, he directly flashed out through the exit.

Xu Anchang chased him out and looked around. He suddenly glanced up and saw Ninth Master floating quietly in the air. Although the sight was quite intimidating, he knew it wasn't unusual for fire spirits and sprites to float.

Just as he was about to leap into the air, Shi Chun, who had just emerged and witnessed this, immediately took out his 'Immortal Binding Silk' and reprimanded, "If you dare to be so presumptuous again, don't blame me for being impolite!" At the same time, he winked at Xu Anchang, signaling him to stop. On the ground, even with leverage, he couldn't do anything to the other person, and it would be even worse in the air. There was no longer any need to continue the test.

Xu Anchang seemed to fear the magic weapon in Shi Chun's hand, so he gave up, flicked his sleeve, and stomped off to the side, fuming.

"Ninth Master," Shi Chun said, repeatedly clasping his hands in apology towards the air.

Only then did Ninth Master float down. He seemed unwilling to argue with Xu Anchang, and merely warned Shi Chun, "Considering you're here for a marriage proposal, I don't want to damage our goodwill. But if you dare to be presumptuous again, then this marriage won't happen." He snorted and departed.

As he passed Zhen'er on his way back into the cave, he clearly saw her looking at him with an expression of disbelief. Evidently, his good temper had once again exceeded her expectations. After watching him enter the cave, Shi Chun waved to Zhen'er, signaling her to go comfort him.

As soon as Zhen'er left, Shi Chun immediately turned to Xu Anchang. Xu Anchang glanced around, then whispered, "He's too agile. That's the best I could do."

"That's enough," Shi Chun said. "Go immediately to where we previously stopped. Wu Jinliang should have left a marker at the highest point. Follow that marker, and you'll find him. Tell him to bring people here immediately." As Shi Chun gave his instructions, he crushed a small stone and used the powder to draw the shape of the marker in his palm, showing Xu Anchang how to identify the direction.