Chapter 426: Reversal

The other man, who had remained in place, faced Mulan Qingqing and wore an expression of profound embarrassment. He had believed their surveillance was perfectly discreet, but he hadn't accounted for her meticulous nature. She had apparently discovered their secret tracking long ago, and he now had no idea how he would report back to the person who had given the orders.

Qi Ziyuan, unaware of what Mulan Qingqing was doing with the two men, cautiously approached again, hoping to understand the situation and perhaps offer assistance if needed.

Just then, a wave of astonished exclamations suddenly rose from the crowded area on the beach, making him turn to look.

Mulan Qingqing, whose beauty, with her skirts fluttering in the sea breeze, rivaled the starlight, also turned her head, raising a hand to brush strands of hair from her face. Her gaze then lifted, her expression turned solemn, and she fully turned to face the view, her garments billowing in the wind.

The buzzing sound from the Divine Fire Spirit Gate in the sky significantly diminished, its rotation speed decreased, and the swirling stellar nebula within its confines slowly dissipated.

The fiery energy, generated by the spellcaster on the summit of Qi Yun Valley, had retracted back into the caster's body, indicating the completion of the spell.

The people on the beach, who were exclaiming in surprise, had no idea what was happening. The man standing next to Mulan Qingqing also looked bewildered, then suddenly fixed his gaze on the approaching Qi Ziyuan.

Qi Ziyuan, having received prior intelligence, likely understood the situation. He walked over to Mulan Qingqing and informed her, "The Divine Fire Spirit Gate is closing and preparing to reverse. That fellow's demise is imminent!"

His tone carried a hint of schadenfreude, mixed with an attempt to curry favor by aligning himself against a common adversary.

Mulan Qingqing, however, remained silent. She wondered if her father, who had left their sect, would help her, or even if he could.

"What's happening? Is it over? Is it closing?""It shouldn't be; many people haven't come out yet."Hearing the scattered murmurs around her, Duan Xiangmei, who was gazing up at the Divine Fire Spirit Gate, suddenly grew anxious. However, her capabilities were truly limited; her concern was utterly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.

Her face drawn and haggard, she was utterly distraught, frantically looking around but finding no one to turn to for help. Xiang Lan'er and her companions were nowhere in sight. So, she stumbled haphazardly through the crowd, searching.

She was truly helpless and had no one to consult with. Beyond finding Xiang Lan'er and her companions, she honestly didn't know whom else to seek.

In her panic, her actions of bumping through the crowd appeared somewhat impolite. When she encountered less patient individuals, a shout and a shove would send her tumbling to the ground.

Being petite, she was repeatedly knocked onto the sandy ground. Each time, she stumbled back to her feet, not daring to utter a word, and continued her frantic search.

After finally breaking free from the crowd, she spotted Xiang Lan'er and Feng Chi standing on a slope. She swiftly flew over, landing before them, and pointed at the Divine Fire Spirit Gate in the sky, which was gradually ceasing its rotation. Her mouth opened and closed repeatedly, too distressed to utter a single word; the more anxious she became, the more voiceless she grew.

Fortunately, both Xiang Lan'er and Feng Chi understood her distress.

Feng Chi grasped her wrist and realized she was trembling all over, as if on the verge of losing her entire world. A pang of sympathy struck Feng Chi for the distraught woman.

They knew all too well the true nature of Wu Jinliang. His philandering escapades were no secret to them, yet they couldn't bring themselves to tell Duan Xiangmei, or even hint at it.

They quickly held her by the shoulders and calmly reassured her, "Look at the life-bound lotus lanterns; many disciples from major sects haven't emerged yet. There's no way those large sects would end it early. Don't worry, with Shi Chun inside, nothing will go wrong..."

On the summit of the exit mountain, the rings on the multi-eared metal pestle suddenly began to clatter. The elders of the ten major sects stationed nearby were startled by the sight.

"What's happening?" an elder exclaimed.

No one knew what was amiss, only that the passage between the two realms had become unstable.

Both the elders of various sects and the disciples who had not yet exited looked up at the sky, their expressions drastically altered.

Some even cried out in panic, "Is the passage closing? Are we going to be trapped here?"

That single cry immediately threw the already tense crowd into disarray, turning everyone into ants on a hot griddle.

Some instantly regretted not having left earlier.

In fact, not many people were still lingering; only about two or three hundred remained, as the vast majority had already departed.

The elders of various sects on the summit were also highly anxious, fearing they might encounter a rare anomaly. In past instances of such anomalies, when the passage collapsed, no one trapped within survived.

"Uncle-master."

A few Yanbao Sect disciples who had not yet left also rushed to Li Hongjiu, voicing their concerns; they wouldn't dare to grouse to the elders.

Facing life and death was a grave matter; few could maintain their composure.

As they watched the airborne vortex slowly dissipate, Li Hongjiu remained relatively calm. He comforted everyone, saying, "From ancient times, the probability of an accident has been very low. The current situation is likely related to the reports from the sects that have already left. It might even be for Shi Chun; people from outside could be trying to enter."

It wasn't just comfort; he genuinely believed this to be the case.

However, there was certainly an element of reassurance in his words, as even he harbored some doubts about his own assessment. Closing the passage only to reopen it in reverse was not a decision any sect could make, especially not with such speed.

This was also why he hadn't worried about Shi Chun having the Fengluo Sect send out a report; he knew such a report would be useless. He was well aware that even Young Master Nan's group lacked the power to accomplish such a feat.

The dazzling sunlight angled across the sky, yet the group on the exit mountain stood like stone statues, gazing upward as the vortex slowly dissipated into nothingness. The clattering metal rings on the great pestle gradually fell silent as well.

On a distant mountain, Wu Jinliang, who was on lookout, pointed towards the sky near the exit and shouted, "Look!"

Consequently, the hidden group from Mingshan Sect emerged and all looked in that direction.

Zhu Xiangxin exclaimed, "What's going on? Is the exit closing?"

Her cry also sent many others into a panic.

"No need to be nervous," Shi Chun said, calming the situation. A knowing smile spread across his face as he turned to Feng Zhuoyi and added, "Brother Feng, it seems your esteemed sect hasn't disappointed us. You'll have ample time to absorb a Divine Fire."

Chu Jingting and the others, however, didn't quite understand what was happening, but they all discerned the excitement on Feng Zhuoyi's face.

"It seems to have worked," Wu Jinliang exclaimed, rubbing his hands together in excitement like a fly.

Shi Chun also turned to face the Mingshan Sect group. "If all goes as planned, those sent to escort us out will be arriving shortly."

The Mingshan Sect group exchanged bewildered glances, then also grew excited. Though they were unsure what their Chief had accomplished, they simply hoped everyone would make it out alive.

Shortly after, Wu Jinliang, still on lookout, shrieked again, "They're here, they're here!"

Above the exit, a tiny speck appeared, gradually expanding...

Above Qi Yun Valley, colorful, soaring fiery energy rose once more, striking the floating Divine Fire Spirit Gate. The enormous metal ring was seen slowly rotating again, but this time in the reverse direction.

Young Master Nan's group, Situ Gu's group, and the contingents from other sects preparing to re-enter, all gazed intently at the sky.

The lineup of personnel from the three major sects entering this time was noticeably stronger than the participating disciples sent in previously, which somewhat raised the vigilance of other sects.

"Ah, what's happening?""Didn't it already end and close? Why is it opening again?""Can anyone tell me what's going on?"

On the beach below, a chorus of astonished gasps erupted as the Divine Fire Spirit Gate reopened. Most of the people there were unaware of the true situation.

Those who knew the truth silently observed the sky, none uttering a sound.

On the slope, Xiang Lan'er, Feng Chi, and an anxious Duan Xiangmei were all gazing upward.

A short distance away, Qi Ziyuan accompanied Mulan Qingqing, also looking up.

And inside a top-floor attic window of an inn, a man in a green robe stood with his hands clasped behind his back, also fixated on the unusual changes in the sky.

He was tall and slender, with fair, long fingers. His face and body exuded mature masculinity, and his appearance was distinguished. There was a slight resemblance between his eyebrows and Mulan Qingqing's.

The resemblance was to be expected; he was Mulan Qingqing's father, Mulan Jin, the Pavilion Master of the Heavenly Court's 'Star-Gazing Pavilion'.

Mulan Qingqing was unaware that her biological father was also on Lihuo Island.

Mulan Jin had arrived in person on the final day of this Divine Fire Covenant. Whether his purpose was due to the impending conclusion of the Divine Fire Covenant competition or for some other reason, only he knew for certain.

And the very reason he knew best—or perhaps, the reason he most feared—had indeed materialized.

His daughter, who was practically a stranger to him, had actually expressed a willingness to humble herself for Shi Chun. He then fell silent, remaining so for a long time.

He made no response to his daughter's plea; indeed, it was impossible for him to agree.

He wouldn't interfere in certain matters simply because of his daughter's stance. While he might emotionally care about the love or hatred such actions might evoke, he remained rationally unmoved, for some assistance could prove to be a hindrance, or even a danger.

After witnessing the Divine Fire Spirit Gate reverse, he suddenly asked with an air of indifference, "Did she dine alone with Shi Chun before?"

In truth, this was the primary reason for his surprise.

The man who had come to relay Mulan Qingqing's message stiffened upon hearing this. Such minor details had not been reported, and he wondered how the other party knew. He cautiously replied, "Yes, at Linhai Pavilion."

Mulan Jin lapsed into silence once more.

Soon after, footsteps were heard ascending the stairs outside. The unusual rhythm of the footsteps made Mulan Jin turn, his cold gaze fixed on the doorway.

The door creaked open, and a man in a hundred-flower robe pushed it inward and stepped inside.

His attire was remarkably distinctive: a black robe embroidered with various colorful flowers. His face was covered in thick makeup, and he wore a black, boat-shaped hat with upturned ends. From each earlobe hung a string of glittering ear chains adorned with various gems.

With reddened lips and painted red nails, he waved an exquisitely illustrated white bone folding fan. His entire demeanor exuded a peculiar effeminate air, and a cheerful smile was perpetually on his face. His discerning gaze clearly indicated a shrewd assessment of his surroundings. Though he appeared amiable, his every movement subtly conveyed a distinct and formidable authority.

The moment he arrived, everyone in the pavilion, except Mulan Jin, respectfully lowered their heads slightly in deference.

There was no avoiding it; those who recognized him knew he was Xuan Su, the Empress's trusted attendant.

A look of surprise flashed across Mulan Jin's face. He naturally offered a slight bow of respect and asked, "Grand Companion, why are you here?"

Xuan Su covered his lips with his fan and offered a charming smile, one that seemed to make the powder on his face flake off. In a coy voice, he asked, "What, am I not allowed to be here?"

Mulan Jin quickly waved his hand, shaking his head with a smile to indicate that was not his meaning.

Xuan Su playfully tapped Mulan Jin's chest with his fan. "Alright, no more teasing. I was just passing through this area and happened to hear that your beloved daughter had a request. So, Her Majesty sent me on a detour, instructing me to convey to you, Pavilion Master, that one cannot always be completely selfless. To be utterly selfless and without desire is truly terrifying, completely devoid of human warmth. Her Majesty said that since you are conveniently here, and given this rare opportunity to mend your father-daughter relationship, she has decided to grant you permission to show some appropriate favoritism this time. You wouldn't want me to have made this trip for nothing, would you? Hurry and express your gratitude."