Chapter 413: Exit Opens

Of course, the 'everyone' referred to were those with vested interests; a large number of people had no particular interest in Shi Chun's group. It wasn't that they were completely uninterested; rather, these individuals had the self-awareness to know that such good fortune wouldn't fall to them. By now, they simply wished to exit safely.

Their primary concern was that the exit should be opening soon, yet there was no sign. They worried if something unexpected had happened. Historically, there had been several incidents where people became trapped inside, so everyone who entered knew they were taking a risk.

Someone couldn't help but shout, "Elders, when will the exit open?" Hearing this, many people turned their heads to look at the ten elders on the mountaintop. An elder pointed to the three-zhang-tall metal pestle on the mountaintop and announced, "When the exit is about to open, the artifact will react, and you will know it then." The answer was unhelpful. Many wanted to press for more information but hesitated, and ultimately, no one dared to question further.

Simultaneously, a booming hum suddenly echoed above Qiyun Valley. A massive shadow, a colossal metal ring, flew in from the direction of Lihuo Sect, hovering and rotating with a buzzing sound. It was the Divine Fire Spirit Gate, used to open the Divine Fire Domain. On the altar of the mountaintop terrace, the seven men and one woman who had been waiting exchanged nods. Immediately, they cast spells in unison, sending columns of ethereal, multicolored flames erupting from their bodies to strike the enormous floating object.

The ancient runes on the metal ring gradually began to move, twisting like millstones. Soon, they linked together like countless pythons, circling and dancing on the ring, seemingly drilling in and out. A mysterious and oppressive aura expanded throughout the world. The metal ring's rotation accelerated, and the resulting hurricane exerted immense pressure on the land, causing the ocean waves to recede from the shore.

"Rise!"

With a shout, the colossal ring shot higher into the sky. Controlled by the various ethereal flames erupting from the mountaintop, it drifted erratically in the high altitude, like a celestial eye, continuously searching.

The high-ranking officials of the major sects on the mountaintop watched intently. The members of various factions in the valley gazed upwards. Countless people on the beach below the mountain also looked up. On the palatial ship-building, someone ran inside and announced, "It has begun."

The man in plain clothes, seated at the head of the card table, immediately folded his hand and stood up. The others promptly followed his lead. The group moved to the deck, looking up at the aerial phenomenon. The large ship beneath them was noticeably shaking more violently. Despite the good visibility in the mid-afternoon, they were unsure if the Divine Fire Domain's exit could be successfully opened before nightfall. Everyone remembered the last time it opened; it had taken a long time to pinpoint the correct opening location. They knew for sure that this time, the opening point would not be in the same place.

Young Master Nan had lost his calm, leisurely demeanor. His gesture of stroking the mustache at the corner of his mouth betrayed a hint of anxiety and unease. The moment 'Brother Qian' boarded the ship, his words, "Since you've decided to shoulder this yourself," irrevocably cemented Young Master Nan's responsibility, leaving no room for negotiation. This time, he truly had no escape route. As Gong Shaoci had stated, if something went wrong and Nan Wu Yu couldn't rectify it, no one would be able to protect him. In other words, the stakes were too high for anyone to be willing to cover for him. He was currently under immense pressure...

After the ground winds had significantly lessened, Xiang Lan'er and Feng Chi suddenly turned around in unison. They found that the gaunt man in green had appeared beside them at some unknown moment, standing right next to Feng Chi. His frequent, open appearances beside them made them very uncomfortable, causing them to instinctively glance around.

The man in green seemed to mumble to himself, "Promises must be kept. Be ready to come with me. We won't need to concern ourselves with the remaining matters; someone else will handle the follow-up."

Hearing this, Feng Chi sadly lowered her head, understanding the man's meaning. No one would treat her pledge of life lightly; if the outcome was wrong, she would pay the price for her words. After biting her lip, she murmured, "Let me take my own life." It was a plea. She knew very well that being taken back would result in a fate worse than a swift death. The authorities' methods of punishing their own people were far more brutal than those used on outsiders.

The man in green replied, "I am only responsible for bringing you back. I cannot make decisions on other matters; you will have to explain yourself upon your return."

As he finished speaking, a subtle force, transmitted through their sleeves as they brushed in the wind, struck Feng Chi. It immediately placed a restriction on her, suppressing all her cultivation. Feng Chi's face instantly turned ashen. She realized that the man's presence was specifically to prevent her from taking her own life. Her lips trembled slightly, and the expression on her face quickly shifted to a bitter smile. A flicker of despair crossed her eyes—not despair for herself, but for the demonic path. They were perpetually cautious and hesitant with outsiders, yet utterly decisive and ruthless with their own people. The despair in her eyes gradually hardened into determination. Gazing up at the Divine Fire Spirit Gate floating in the sky, she murmured, "I still have hope, I'm certain. I believe in him!"

The man in green remained expressionless. Xiang Lan'er pressed her lips tightly together. Being close, she could feel and hear, knowing exactly what was about to happen.

In reality, anyone with a modicum of sense understood that it was virtually impossible for Shi Chun's group to win the championship. This was precisely why Lord Qing had restrained Feng Chi immediately upon his arrival. She also understood that even her pleas to her master this time would be useless. Firstly, Feng Chi had been absolutely resolute in her words and actions, leaving herself no room for retreat. Furthermore, the consequence of failure was that even her own utility had diminished, thus her words naturally carried no weight. She had heard Feng Chi explain her hysteria and could understand it, but she couldn't truly empathize. Why would someone drive themselves to such a frenzied state, stubbornly pursuing a path of no return?

From their excellent vantage point on the guesthouse terrace, Lan Qiaoyan glanced at Gong Shaoci, who had temporarily stepped outside to receive a report. She then quietly teased her daughter, "What gift do you think Shi Chun will bring you this time when he comes out?"

Miao Yilan couldn't help but smile. She understood her mother's meaning perfectly; there was no doubt she could guess with her eyes closed that Shi Chun would undoubtedly give her another gift upon his return. It had become an unshakeable tradition. She demurred slightly, "Mother, I don't need him to give me any gifts." While it was true, receiving gifts from Shi Chun had truly become a habit. Each gift was always different, thoughtfully chosen, and novel, so she was actually quite looking forward to it—or perhaps, curious to see what new surprise Shi Chun would bring her this time. Simultaneously, she instinctively glanced in the direction Gong Shaoci had departed, clearly a little worried he might overhear.

Already at an age for romance, she presumed she would very likely marry Gong Shaoci; only her father's approval was pending. She suspected, as her mother did, that her father simply didn't want his daughter to marry too easily, fearing that the Gong family would underestimate her, believing the Miao family was trying to curry favor, which in turn would lead the Gong family to look down on her. She herself had no complaints about Gong Shaoci. Though he wasn't as perfect as in her dreams, he was considered a good match, and with her mother's supportive words, she had already implicitly accepted Gong Shaoci as her future husband. Therefore, she didn't want Gong Shaoci to misunderstand anything.

Lan Qiaoyan took one look and understood her daughter's thoughts. She whispered, "Don't worry, Shaoci's standards are too high to even notice a minor figure like Shi Chun; he won't give him a second thought." Miao Yilan, feeling embarrassed, did not pursue the topic. However, both mother and daughter were quite relaxed and comfortable. They were meticulously cared for, showered with concern, and provided with the best of everything to lift their spirits. They could also enjoy the rare spectacle with no pressure. At least from their perspective, Shi Chun emerging alive this time seemed to pose no problem. At least, they didn't give much thought to the possibility of Shi Chun winning the championship. They certainly hadn't imagined that the success or failure of Shi Chun's bid for the championship had already caused exasperation for someone of Gong Shaoci's stature...

The sky was already dimly lit, not with the faint white of dawn, but a vivid orange hue appearing on the horizon.

Ding-a-ling...

A clear ringing sound suddenly emanated from the large pestle on the mountaintop. In the quiet scene where many people sat cross-legged, it was remarkably clear. Disciples of various sects on the mountain and hillside all turned to look. On the three-zhang-tall metal pestle, the rings on its numerous 'ears' began to tremble. As they vibrated, they one by one spun and floated upwards, as if stimulated by some unseen force. This sight caused everyone who had been sitting cross-legged, including the ten elders, to stand up.

After all the rings on the multiple 'ears' had floated up and began to spin with a hum, a dazzling, colorful ray of light suddenly erupted from the pestle. It was initially blindingly intense before bursting into a beam that shot directly into the sky, extending far into the distance, as if attempting to pierce through the endless void. The immense power that instantly erupted from the great pestle sent a harmless shockwave radiating from the mountaintop, causing everyone's clothes to ripple.

The sword-like beam of light seemed to shatter the void. Soon, it rapidly retracted from the distant sky, apparently pulling down something indistinct from the void. Once drawn to a high altitude, this hazy object began to rotate. Continuously stimulated by the pulsing beam from the pestle, the hazy object gradually began to glow, taking on the appearance of dim yellow clouds. These swirling clouds slowly formed a large vortex in the air, with iridescent light streaming from the gradually opening aperture at its center.

Once the vortex expanded to a certain size and stabilized, the rings on the great pestle suddenly clattered, falling out of control and dropping back onto their 'ears'. However, the colorful glow and spiritual energy from the pestle continued to surge skyward, maintaining its connection with the unextinguished vortex above.

In the distance, Shi Chun and his companions, who had been hiding in the mountains, all emerged and climbed to a mountaintop, observing the spectacle above the exit. They dared not approach too closely, fearing that the various factions, reluctant to give up, would conduct searches around the exit area. They could only watch from a distance.

An Wuzhi, slightly anxious, called out, "Boss, the exit has opened! What do we do?" He wasn't the only one feeling anxious; everyone repeatedly glanced between the strange phenomenon of the exit and Shi Chun, unsure of how they would escape. In contrast, Feng Zhuo Yi and the other accompanying disciples from the Feng Luo Sect appeared relatively calm, as they already had a general understanding of the situation.

Feng Zhuo Yi's current concern wasn't whether he could exit—unlike Shi Chun's group, he faced no pressure to leave. Instead, he worried whether Xie Wantian and Chi Anlan could complete their mission quickly enough. If they could secure ample time for his group, he might be able to absorb two Divine Flames; otherwise, he would reluctantly have to yield one to a fellow disciple. Regarding the promises, he wasn't concerned that Shi Chun would break his word. Once his people were out, crucial insider secrets would be in the hands of the Feng Luo Sect, giving them the upper hand in any subsequent preparations.