Chapter 407: Not the Letter to Be Read

Of course, whether the Divine Fire Spirit Gate's exit opens inward or outward is decided by those on the outside.

The normal opening rules dictate one opening with the flow and one against it, because the energy consumption for a single opening is immense. This accumulation of cross-dimensional power is not easily acquired; it also serves to prevent anyone from cheating by entering and exiting repeatedly.

The content on the paper suggests he needs to go out, deliver a message to someone, invite a senior figure inside, and then rescue the person currently present.

The problem is, which senior figure possesses such immense power that they could make the Divine Fire Covenant change its rules and allow the Divine Fire Spirit Gate to open against its normal flow?

He couldn't think of anyone who could do it; at least, no one in the artifact refining world could. To be blunt, even if a king from one of the Four Great Continents arrived, unless they exerted extreme pressure, it would be difficult to make the entire artifact refining world change the rules of the game, especially at this critical, decisive moment. It seemed that anyone trying to interfere within the artifact refining world would be useless.

He was about to leave, yet they wanted someone from outside to come in. How was that possible?

Filled with deep skepticism, Feng Zhuoyi turned to the next page, only to find the content was identical to the previous one. He looked up at Shi Chun before flipping to the third page.

The third page contained more writing. It read: "Brother Nan, I'm attracting too much attention in here, and someone is guarding the exit, making it unlikely I'll be allowed out easily. If Brother Nan wishes to send someone in to investigate, it might not be difficult. The Heaven Refining Sect, Summer Dao Mountain, and Yan Bao Sect are each harboring their own schemes and might facilitate this. I hope Brother Nan can make it happen."

Feng Zhuoyi's eyelids twitched. He could probably guess who "Brother Nan" was, but the content on the page made his heart pound. Was this something he was even supposed to see?

My goodness, if the Divine Fire Spirit Gate really reversed its operation, wouldn't he then know the inside story—that the top three sects of the artifact refining world were secretly undermining the rules?

If this information were to be exposed, the entire artifact refining world would likely be enraged.

He realized that after seeing the content on this paper, he was in an impossible situation. It was as if he had stepped in mud; whether it was actual filth or not, it certainly felt like it.

He could refuse to help, but if he didn't, the other party would surely find someone else. If things went smoothly, fine, but if the secret got out, he would still be an insider.

Damn it, the crucial point was that Li Hongjiu was also involved. What exactly was going on?

The weather was a bit cold, yet he felt himself sweating.

Now, he felt that the other party might genuinely intend to give him Divine Fire, making him both nervous and expectant.

He was almost afraid to turn to the fourth page. Each page was more provocative than the last, and he feared he couldn't handle the next revelation.

But having read this far, what good would it do not to look at the fourth page?

He finally steeled himself and turned to the fourth page. After reading it, he felt a slight relief; it turned out to be identical to the previous page.

This meant the content on these four pages was simply a duplicate.

He, who had just been reluctant to speak aside, quickly folded the papers. Turning around, he gestured, signaling his other disciples to step away, keeping only two core junior disciples who could participate in decision-making.

Shi Chun smiled faintly and immediately cast a glance at the person beside him.

Wu Jinliang, who was nearby, chuckled and began observing the group from the Mingshan Sect who were searching around. When he saw anyone approaching, he gestured for them to keep away, not allowing them to come closer.

At this point, Feng Zhuoyi handed the four papers to his two junior disciples for examination. Their names were Xie Wantian and Chi Anlan.

While they were reading, Feng Zhuoyi turned to Shi Chun and asked, "Of all people you could have approached, why us?"

Shi Chun replied with a faint smile, "Because all twenty members of your sect are present, indicating you didn't participate in my encirclement. So, I wanted to give your sect another opportunity."

Feng Zhuoyi looked puzzled. "Give my Fengluo Sect an opportunity? What do you mean?"

Shi Chun teased, "Didn't Li Hongjiu ask you about Jiyun Mountain's actions against me?"

"..." Feng Zhuoyi was speechless for a moment, then quickly defended himself, "Yes, Jiyun Mountain did approach our Fengluo Sect, but as you can see, they did their thing, and we simply ignored them."

By this time, his two fellow disciples behind him had finished reading the papers. They, too, looked visibly shaken, exchanging wide-eyed glances, somewhat stunned.

Shi Chun was amused, not by them, but by Li Hongjiu. He knew that if he mentioned Jiyun Mountain, that cunning smiling tiger, Li Hongjiu, would verify it, and indeed, it seemed he had.

It was genuinely difficult to deceive someone like Li Hongjiu without providing substantial evidence.

After a laugh, he countered, "Haven't you ever wondered how I knew about the secret dealings between your Fengluo Sect and Jiyun Mountain?"

Feng Zhuoyi hesitated; he indeed had that very question.

However, his two junior disciples behind him were unaware of what was going on. Xie Wantian tentatively asked, "Senior Brother, what exactly is happening?"

To be honest, these two junior disciples were a little scared. Was the content on that paper really something they should be seeing? The insignificant Fengluo Sect was nothing compared to those major powers; it could be easily crushed.

"Alas, it all started with the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly, and then, because of Wukang Mountain, he offended Jiyun Mountain—you should both know about that..." Feng Zhuoyi briefly explained how Jiyun Mountain had approached them, indicating he didn't know much more.

Regardless of their thoughts, Shi Chun interjected, "You must have heard of Young Master Nan. He's a man of immense power. He's the one who made your artifact refining world make an exception and let me in, and he's also the one who informed me that Jiyun Mountain contacted you to harm me.

Why did he let me in? You've probably heard about him setting up gambling bets outside. If something were to happen to me in here, do you think he would spare your Fengluo Sect when settling accounts? He can't contend with the entire artifact refining world, and he might not be able to handle those major sects, but your Fengluo Sect might not be able to withstand his wrath."

He paused there, allowing the three men, whose expressions were shifting, to consider carefully. Wu Jinliang occasionally chuckled beside them, adding to the tension at inopportune moments, giving them the feeling of being manipulated and indeed increasing their pressure.

After a brief wait, Shi Chun spread his hands and said, "As long as you deliver this letter into his hands, will these problems still be problems?"

Chi Anlan whispered, "You won't eliminate us afterward, will you?"

Shi Chun countered, "How would we eliminate you? You don't think you're the ones in charge of this, do you? To be frank, once you leave, you'll immediately go to your sect elders. They are the ones who will make the real decisions, and after deciding, they will certainly make arrangements to manage this sensitive information and prevent any unforeseen issues.

So, if your Fengluo Sect doesn't spread rumors once you're out, nothing will happen. But if you dare to blab, plenty of people will naturally deal with you. Isn't secretly gaining benefits better than inviting trouble for yourselves?"

He pointed to the letter in their hands, then to the two "eggs" An Wuzhi held in each hand nearby. "You should know how difficult Divine Fire is to find. We're not asking you to do anything complex; simply deliver a letter on your way out, and you'll easily receive two Divine Flames. If I had such an opportunity, I wouldn't miss it. Besides, you aren't the ones making the decision; you were simply found by me and have no choice. Take the letter to your sect and let them handle it. It won't cause you any personal trouble."

He was well aware of the allure Divine Fire held for artifact refining sects and how deep his own schemes ran.

The three disciples exchanged glances for a moment. Feng Zhuoyi tentatively asked, "If we agree now, will you give us the Divine Fire?"

Shi Chun replied simply and directly, "If it succeeds, the Divine Fire is yours. If it fails, I won't know if you delivered the letter after leaving, so how would I give it to you? The moment the Divine Fire Spirit Gate opens in reverse is when you'll receive the two Divine Flames."

He then pointed to the Divine Flames hidden within the two masses. "We know exactly how long it takes to absorb one Divine Flame; one day is enough for you to absorb two.

Of course, if things are handled slowly, there might not be enough time to absorb the Divine Fire, and the numerous people eyeing the exit might not allow you to take it out.

Therefore, you must act quickly. Don't let a situation arise where you've completed the task but can't secure the treasure you've earned. So, you must convey my urgency to your sect: seize this fleeting opportunity, do not hesitate, and be decisive!"

The three disciples looked at each other, and not one of them could voice an objection.

Essentially, the offer was presented so smoothly that they had no room to refuse. They wanted the Divine Fire, and they didn't even have to make the decision themselves, leaving them unable to find any grounds for objection.

Seeing no opposition from his two junior disciples, Feng Zhuoyi took the four papers back into his hands and tentatively asked again, "We understand that one copy is for Young Master Nan, but who is this 'senior figure' you mentioned?"

Shi Chun calmly uttered a name: "Situ Gu."

"Ah..."

All three disciples gasped simultaneously. They hadn't expected the person to be coerced by this letter to be Situ Gu, the foremost artifact refiner in the cultivation world. This was...

Wu Jinliang chuckled again. He hadn't known about this before either; he only found out what was going on when Shi Chun was preparing the letters.

Ignoring their surprise, Shi Chun gestured to the letters and explained, "To prevent any loss, take two copies of the letter with you. If both can be successfully delivered to your sect, then give one copy of the letter to Situ Gu. All other copies, including the second letter, are to be given to Young Master Nan. If you are unable to deliver the letter to Situ Gu yourself, then have Young Master Nan deliver it. If Young Master Nan asks about the situation, tell him truthfully. Remember, the letters must not be transferred; they must be delivered directly to Young Master Nan."

Even for the sake of obtaining the Divine Fire, the three disciples committed it firmly to memory.

The problem was that there were three of them, but only two Divine Flames. This meant that the one who went out to deliver the letter would lose the qualification to obtain Divine Fire.

Shi Chun wasn't concerned about this aspect; it was their own internal matter. He also wasn't afraid that the person who went out might cause trouble due to jealousy or disappointment, as the remaining person would still have to leave eventually, and accounts would need to be settled with their sect.

"Also, if Li Hongjiu finds you and asks if you've seen me, tell him you haven't..."