Chapter 419: Your Sect Is Very Busy

Despite the truth and logic of his words, the Heaven-Refining Sect group still harbored doubts about what exactly was going on in his mind.

During the earlier discussions, you remained silent, as if it didn't concern you. If you knew how to find Shi Chun, why didn't you speak up then? What's the point of bringing it up now?

Of course, whether he said it earlier or later, it wouldn't have changed the current situation. But saying it now felt particularly meaningless, like an empty gesture.

Nevertheless, they still had to give him face. He was, after all, the world's foremost artifact refiner and wasn't vying for power with them, so no one criticized him.

Luo Yan spoke candidly, "Junior Brother, whether he can be found or not is no longer the main issue. The important thing is that we have no way to send you in. To open the passage, the 'Divine Fire Spirit Gate' must cease operation and then be reactivated in reverse. You're aware of this. The problem is, we can't communicate with the other side right now. We don't know if any disciples from any sect have entered the two-realm passage. Stopping it abruptly would be tantamount to slaughtering innocent people. How could a leading artifact-refining sect like ours commit such an act?"

"Furthermore, our sect alone cannot decide this, and other sects would not agree. Even if you approached them, they wouldn't grant you that favor. They would consider many factors, and the more you desire to enter, the less likely they are to permit it. Do you believe you possess the means to gain their unanimous consent?"

At these words, Situ Gu fell silent, understanding that he was powerless to achieve it. His robes billowed gently in the wind, a picture of quiet serenity.

Observing his lack of persistence, the others also kept quiet.

Some individuals did want to inquire if he knew a way to find Shi Chun, but considering his reserved nature, they refrained from asking further questions.

Others wondered why he was so actively involved in Shi Chun's situation. However, upon reflection, they realized he had always shown significant interest in matters related to the Divine Fire Domain. For anything else, he might not have even emerged from seclusion to join the commotion, much less remain here for such an extended period.

On the palatial ship's upper deck, in a secluded corner offering views of the sea and night sky, Young Master Nan invited the highest-ranking man, dressed in plain robes, aside for a private conversation.

Young Master Nan provided the man in plain robes with the latest first-hand intelligence from within the Divine Fire Domain.

At present, it could be said that no one outside Qi Yun Valley received news from the Divine Fire Domain earlier than he did. This was because certain members of the Fengluo Sect had chosen to forgo participating in and observing the final trial, withdrawing their people early specifically to transmit the information to Young Master Nan without delay.

While other details could be summarized, the main point was that Shi Chun had achieved enormous gains and, once out, was likely to win first place. Consequently, the immense profits they stood to make from the betting pool were also readily imaginable.

After grasping Young Master Nan's intent, the man in plain robes slowly mused, "While it would certainly be beneficial to seize this opportunity for a significant profit, this matter is entirely beyond our control. How do we retrieve him? There's simply no way. Not only do we lack the necessary influence, but even if the Empress herself were to arrive, she couldn't compel it.

"If the Empress were to exert force, the Four Saint Kings would emerge to champion the artifact-refining world. Conversely, if the Four Saint Kings tried to compel, the Empress would intervene to defend the artifact-refining world's position. You must understand the principle of who holds the moral high ground in such a standoff. If even those powerful figures cannot achieve it, then what hope do we have?"

"But this time is different..." Young Master Nan whispered, then furtively glanced around before pulling a letter from his sleeve and handing it over. "Shi Chun had someone bring this letter out to me from within, Brother Qian. This letter must remain confidential with you; it would be detrimental for outsiders to know. If it were to spread, malicious individuals could easily manipulate it and undermine our efforts."

He had initially not intended for the letter's contents to spread further, feeling it irresponsible both to himself and to Shi Chun. However, he found himself with no other option. His influence alone was insufficient for certain matters; his so-called connections wouldn't always heed his requests. Someone with genuine authority needed to intervene.

A letter from Shi Chun? Having just heard about Shi Chun's remarkable accomplishments in the Divine Fire Domain—a narrative strongly endorsed by Young Master Nan—the man in plain robes now had a newfound appreciation for Shi Chun, or rather, Shi Chun had caught his attention. Consequently, he was curious about the letter's contents and immediately took it to read.

As he read it under the rippling moonlight reflecting on the sea, he suddenly inquired, "Is Shi Chun severely injured?"

Young Master Nan instantly recognized the source of the misunderstanding and quickly clarified, "No, he's perfectly fine."

"Oh," the man in plain robes nodded slightly, approvingly remarking, "This handwriting is deliberately obscured to hide its origin. He is indeed a cautious individual."

Young Master Nan, blinking, tugged at the small mustache near his lip. He decided not to offer an explanation this time, especially since the individual was still risking his life in the Divine Fire Domain for his sake.

After finishing the letter, the man in plain robes slightly raised an eyebrow, clearly not entirely convinced. He wasn't willing to take such a risk based on just a few words.

For him, 'risk' didn't imply physical danger, but rather the potential for embarrassment: taking action and failing to resolve the issue would result in a significant loss of face.

It could even lead to others perceiving his family's influence as rather limited.

This, for him, represented an enormous loss.

Consequently, individuals of his stature were very particular about such matters and would not readily undertake such endeavors.

Furthermore, this undertaking could not be accomplished discreetly, nor could he manage it alone. Changing the stance of the entire artifact-refining world would require the collective effort of other associates or friends.

To cause such a stir, attracting widespread attention, only to fail, would be highly embarrassing.

Young Master Nan, who had been observing the man's expressions, was well-prepared. Seeing his reaction, he immediately interjected, "I understand Shi Chun too well. Without that profound understanding, would I have allowed him to enter the Divine Fire Domain to cause disruption? Would I have dared to brazenly continue accepting the Heaven-Refining Sect's bets?"

Upon hearing this, the man in plain robes gave him another look, realizing the validity of his point. Previously, he had wondered if Young Master Nan was irrational, but now the evidence before him proved him correct.

Young Master Nan continued, "Brother Qian, since Shi Chun stated that those three factions harbor their own ulterior motives and would go along with the current, then they absolutely will. I can guarantee it!

"Brother Qian, those three major sects wield considerable influence within the artifact-refining world. As long as they are willing to advocate for this, the primary opposition will vanish. If we then apply some pressure to the relevant sects, this endeavor is bound to succeed!

"Brother Qian, can that individual you're at odds with truly shift the stance of the entire artifact-refining world? He cannot, but you can. Everyone is watching, and such opportunities are rare indeed."

He then paused, continuing to observe the other party's expressions and reactions.

It must be said that, having long associated with such individuals, he understood their weaknesses and knew precisely how to leverage them. Without a knack for influence, it would be challenging to maintain prolonged ties with people whose preferences can shift so rapidly.

On the other hand, if he lacked this ability, Shi Chun would not have placed his hopes in him.

As expected, upon the mention of the person who consistently caused him to lose face, the plain-robed man's lips tightened into a frown. He reread the letter's contents and then asked, "What if those three major factions refuse to cooperate?"

Young Master Nan thumped his chest. "Hold me accountable! In all these years, Brother Qian, when have I ever misled you?"

While his words projected immense confidence, he privately had no idea what arrangement Shi Chun had made with those three major factions. If anything went awry, he would be in serious trouble, as he had effectively vouched for it.

After a moment of silence, his lips still tight, the plain-robed man suddenly, without Young Master Nan's consent, tore the letter into fine dust and let it scatter on the wind. He then offered a brief explanation: "This letter genuinely cannot be seen by anyone else, nor can you disclose its contents to them later. Some individuals are two-faced; what they hear here, they can instantly relay to the other side. If that rogue were to learn of our confidence, he would undoubtedly intervene. It's best to let him mistakenly believe we won't succeed, allowing him to sit back and anticipate our failure—that is the superior strategy."

Young Master Nan immediately nodded his head vigorously, like a chick pecking at grains. "Brother Qian, you truly have foresight; I was nearly confused. I understand, completely. What only heaven, earth, you, and I know, no one else will be privy to. We'll discuss the matter on its surface with them, without disclosing any internal details."

The plain-robed man patted his arm, then turned and departed.

Young Master Nan immediately followed, a look of relief on his face. He felt keenly how difficult it was to earn money, a struggle outsiders could never truly comprehend.

With the plain-robed man taking the lead, the process became significantly simpler than Young Master Nan having to approach individuals for discussions or favors one by one.

He would simply summon the relevant personnel and assign tasks directly, as if to say, "Why the hesitation? Are you refusing to show me respect?"

The efficiency of handling matters in this manner was far beyond what Young Master Nan could achieve.

Naturally, the inside information remained undisclosed; the plain-robed man's stated motive was purely the potential profit from the betting pool.

People gathered and then dispersed. The distinguished guests aboard the multi-story ship quickly scattered, an unusual sight given their typical leisurely pace.

There was no alternative; they were indeed pressed for time, needing to extract the individual before the Divine Fire Spirit Gate formally closed.

They all hurried out of the area influenced by the opened Divine Fire Domain to send their messages.

As time passed, the Li Fire Sect, the established power in Qi Yun Valley, found itself in an increasingly vexing situation. Its role as stringent gatekeepers seemed to have morphed into that of mere messengers, as people constantly approached them, requesting assistance in delivering letters to various sects.

Yet, they found it difficult to refuse. Offending those who came to them was perilous. While they might manage to resist one or two sects, how could the Li Fire Sect dare to offend dozens, or even hundreds? They feared they might be annihilated without warning.

The unusual activity of the Li Fire Sect did not escape the notice of the more perceptive and influential sects within Qi Yun Valley, like the Heaven-Refining Sect. The Li Fire Sect's frequent movements were simply too conspicuous.

On the mountaintop, after listening to a disciple's whispered report, Luo Yan frowned and declared, "This is becoming endless. Please invite their sect leader over."

No sooner had he spoken than the Li Fire Sect Leader arrived in person, greeting them cheerfully with cupped hands.

Luo Yan, without ceremony, commented sardonically, "I hear your sect is quite busy!"

"Alas, there's no help for it," the Li Fire Sect Leader sighed, shaking his head. He then stepped forward and covertly produced a letter from his sleeve, offering it to Luo Yan. "Someone from your sect's Royal Court requested that I deliver this letter to you."

Luo Yan and the other senior members of the Heaven-Refining Sect froze, the words they were about to speak lodged in their throats.

Luo Yan eventually took the letter to read, knowing that any message from within the sect at this particular time was bound to contain significant news.

After reading the letter, he wasn't sure himself if it constituted truly important news. It simply informed the sect that the Qian family, intent on extracting Shi Chun from the Divine Fire Domain, had begun exerting pressure on various sects within the artifact-refining world from multiple fronts.

Luo Yan silently passed the letter to the other elders after reading it.

Just then, another Li Fire Sect disciple ran up to their sect leader and whispered to him for a moment.

After listening, the Li Fire Sect Leader waved the disciple away, then walked back to Luo Yan, offering a wry smile. "Sect Leader Luo, two distinguished guests have arrived outside: one from the Qian family and Young Master Nan. They wish to enter and visit the leaders of your three major sects. What should we do? My Li Fire Sect is a small gate and cannot afford to offend them. Whether they are permitted entry or not, you three major sects must decide amongst yourselves. I will go inform the other two families."