Chapter 440: Fish and Bear Paw

Shi Chun knew he had to speak, but even though he was prepared, he still hesitated when the moment came.

Elder Tu couldn't help but sneer, his voice heavy with mockery. "The items have been taken, given to Young Master Nan as payment. You're not going to go back on your word, are you?"

Shi Chun lifted an eyebrow. "It's not about going back on my word. I was just thinking about how to tell you, in case you can't accept the truth."

These words made the Shu Daoshan group exchange glances, their minds racing with various theories. They wondered if it concerned their own sect or if he was intentionally trying to trick them.

Finally, Gu Yanduo broke the silence. "As long as you're speaking the truth, there's nothing we can't accept."

With that assurance, Shi Chun nodded slightly. He glanced back at the doorway; though he saw no one else, he took a few more steps closer to the prominent figures before lowering his voice. "Gu Lianni must have told you what I used to quickly locate the divine flames, right?"

Gu Yanduo nodded slightly. "Do you still have any 'Fire God Incense'? Let me see one."

"It's long gone, there wasn't much to begin with," Shi Chun waved his hand, his expression serious. "To be honest, I never imagined I'd enter the Divine Flame Domain one day, let alone find so many divine flames. I wouldn't dream of such a thing. That 'Fire God Incense' really wasn't mine; Situ Gu gave it to me. That's the secret origin."

At his words, the Shu Daoshan group's eyes nearly popped out; they almost thought they'd misheard him.

Gu Yanduo, momentarily stunned, immediately pressed. "Are you talking about Situ Gu, the elder of the Heaven Forging Sect?"

Shi Chun sighed. "Besides that Situ Gu, which other Situ Gu could meddle in the Divine Flame Domain's affairs?"

The group exchanged bewildered glances, all finding it hard to believe.

Elder Tu naturally couldn't hold back. "Are you joking? Do you take us for fools? If Situ Gu possessed such a secret method, why would he give it to you instead of his own Heaven Forging Sect disciples?"

Many others nodded in agreement, their gazes at the young man filled with ill-intentioned pressure.

Shi Chun was not afraid of their intimidation. He spread his hands. "I know it's hard for you to accept, but it's the truth. I don't even know why Situ Gu gave it to me. He gave me a bundle of incense sticks, claiming he had refined them, and wasn't sure of their effect. He told me to try them in the Divine Flame Domain. I also found it strange at the time – why would he give such a secret method to me instead of his own sect members? He didn't explain the reason.

"If it were anyone else, I definitely wouldn't have believed them. But I couldn't ignore the guidance of such an esteemed senior. So, I followed his instructions after entering, and the result was just as Gu Lianni saw – it truly had a miraculous effect. After I came out of the Divine Flame Domain, Situ Gu visited me again, asking about the results of my use, whether I felt any side effects, and thoroughly questioned and examined my physical condition."

He spread his hands again and again. "That's the situation. I'm still confused, and that's all I know. To be honest, I hope you can solve this mystery."

A look of immense surprise and doubt appeared on the faces of the Shu Daoshan group as they exchanged puzzled glances.

Apart from anything else, as soon as Shi Chun emerged from the Divine Flame Domain, they had secretly assigned people to monitor the Bright Mountain Sect. It was impossible for them not to have received news of someone of Situ Gu's standing visiting.

Previously, they had been very puzzled, unable to understand why someone like Situ Gu would visit Shi Chun. They had never heard of any prior interaction between them, and given Situ Gu's nature, he wasn't someone keen on making friends, let alone with a minor figure like Shi Chun.

Their previous conclusion was that he must have been seeking the secret method for finding divine flames.

Besides that reason, they truly couldn't think of any other.

Now, listening to this, the group exchanging glances realized that Situ Gu might have used their preconceived notions to pull a 'light under the lamp' trick on them.

Indeed, if Shi Chun hadn't revealed it, who would have guessed that Situ Gu visited him to inquire about the effects of the 'Fire God Incense'?

Of course, this was all assuming that what Shi Chun said was true.

They now felt it was likely true, yet this young man's cunning could not be measured by ordinary standards. Their disciples and grand-disciples had learned this lesson thoroughly, leaving them no choice but to remain suspicious.

Gu Yanduo recovered from his surprise and asked, "How can we be sure that what you're saying is true?"

Shi Chun, in turn, feigned surprise. "Master Gu, you're not trying to come up with such a clumsy excuse just to get your things back, are you?"

"Presumptuous!" Elder Tu snapped. "Do you think we'll just take your word for it? Can't we verify the truth?"

Another elder said, "Precisely. How do you prove that Situ Gu gave you the 'Fire God Incense'?"

Shi Chun replied, "I can't prove it. I can only say that if it can be proven that I lied or conducted a fraudulent transaction, I will return what you gave me."

He was indeed speaking nonsense with a straight face, and crucially, without any sign of nervousness.

This audacity and confidence left the observant group unable to detect any suspicious points.

Gu Yanduo then asked, "Such a secret, and Situ Gu would just let you spread it around?"

Shi Chun replied, "Master Gu, do you think I willingly made this deal with you? I had no choice. I felt that if the Star-Gazing Pavilion hadn't suddenly intervened, I might not have had the chance to tell you this secret. Once I learned of the Star-Gazing Pavilion's involvement, and recalled Situ Gu's eagerness to enter the Divine Flame Domain himself, I broke out in a cold sweat from the fear of what might have happened."

At these words, the Shu Daoshan group quickly grasped the underlying implications, understanding his meaning, and were all deeply moved.

"It's precisely for this reason that I decided to reveal this secret. I don't want it confined to your Shu Daoshan sect alone. I hope all ten great sects know about it; only then will I be safer. Therefore, you can certainly go to Situ Gu for verification. If he denies it, I am willing to confront him in person. If I cannot expose him directly, I will return what you gave me!"

Shi Chun spread his hands again at this point. "Given all this, what more do you have to worry about?"

In truth, he knew very well that a confrontation between him and Situ Gu would never happen. He wouldn't need to confront him; as soon as these people sought confirmation from Situ Gu, Situ Gu would admit it. This had been agreed upon with Situ Gu beforehand, and Situ Gu was already mentally prepared.

As for the immense pressure Situ Gu would face, that was none of his concern.

Situ Gu had no choice; admitting or denying would both bring pressure. Both 'yes' and 'no' outcomes had unpleasant consequences waiting for him, and he would have to face one of them.

In short, Shi Chun intended to escape unscathed, as he was too weak to bear the burden himself and could only use others' strength against them.

The Shu Daoshan group exchanged glances, a sense of sudden realization dawning on them. No wonder this fellow wanted to sell the same piece of information to ten different parties; he had sensed danger and wanted to save his life by spreading the news.

Not only was he trying to escape and save his life this way, but he was also seizing the opportunity to make a fortune. He truly wanted to have his cake and eat it too!

The group looked at Shi Chun again, images of him conversing calmly, methodically, and unfazed in front of them, great figures that they were, filling their minds. Their gazes held an unusual admiration, and they secretly sighed with wonder. No wonder he became the top person at the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly and managed to escape unscathed from the Divine Flame Domain despite being attacked by various sects. This fellow was truly a talent!

Now, even the two elders felt that the Sect Master's earlier idea of taking Shi Chun as a disciple was correct.

Even if such a disciple wasn't skilled in artifact refining, they would still be highly useful. Looking across the entire Shu Daoshan sect, no disciple could compare to this young man.

The unfortunate part was not knowing what the outcome with the Star-Gazing Pavilion would be, or if he was truly connected to the demonic path.

Despite this, Elder Tu, who had repeatedly spoken disrespectfully to Shi Chun earlier, softened his tone and, with a conciliatory attitude, advised him, "Shi Chun, if you manage to resolve the issue with the Star-Gazing Pavilion smoothly, you might want to reconsider our Sect Master's offer to take you as a disciple. Such an opportunity is what many people dream of. You should be aware of your background; others wouldn't think highly of you, let alone offer you such a chance. Missing it would be a lifelong regret."

Another elder stroked his beard and nodded in agreement.

These words were exactly what Gu Yanduo had hoped for. He slowly said, "I'll give you time to consider. As long as you successfully pass the Star-Gazing Pavilion's scrutiny, I will not break my promise regarding your entry into the sect."

Shi Chun's gaze swept over them, feeling somewhat perplexed inwardly. He wondered why these people acted as if they were bestowing an immense favor upon him.

If he had wanted to join any sect, given his perspective right after leaving the place of exile, he wouldn't have left Mount Wukang.

He looked down on Mount Wukang, and he looked down on Shu Daoshan too, unless he was cornered with no other options.

Of course, he still expressed his gratitude verbally. They were powerful, so there was no need to displease them. Why refuse a chance to foster good relations? He immediately nodded and bowed, a grateful expression on his face, saying, "I have noted your words, seniors. I will reconsider once I've cleared the Star-Gazing Pavilion's hurdle."

Then, he tentatively asked, "I need to hurry to the next place. May I leave now?"

He was willing to confront Situ Gu in person just to save his life. What more could the Shu Daoshan group say? They were powerful, but they couldn't easily go back on their word.

More importantly, none of them displayed the shocked indignation they had shown when they first heard he was selling the goods to multiple parties. Instead, they all seemed to accept it as a matter of course.

Gu Yanduo calmly said, "I hope what you said is true; otherwise, you will face dire consequences. You may go."

After saying this, he suddenly felt a bit disgusted. What in the world? He was actually condoning this fellow selling the goods to multiple parties?

"This junior bids farewell," Shi Chun cupped his hands, backing away. Just as he was about to turn, he looked back and asked, "Seniors, you wouldn't sabotage this junior's efforts by revealing the news to other sects beforehand, leaving me with no profit, would you?"

Elder Tu snapped, "Get going! Don't judge noble men by your own petty standards!"

"Yes, yes, yes," Shi Chun said, nodding and bowing profusely, then quickly turned and ran off.

The moment he turned away, a faint, mischievous smile played on his lips, and he felt a sense of relief.

Watching the figure disappear into the distance, Elder Tu scoffed, "What are you thinking? The news we paid dearly for—would we let other sects get it for free?"