Chapter 441

Following their schedule, after leaving the Shudaoshan outpost, Shi Chun led Young Master Nan and the others directly to the Yanbaozong outpost.

They were stopped at the entrance and asked the gate guard to announce their arrival.

For an ordinary person, the Yanbaozong Sect Master was a truly influential figure, certainly not someone just anyone could meet.

However, Shi Chun now certainly had the credentials to warrant such a meeting.

As soon as the gate guard recognized Shi Chun, he didn't hesitate. He politely asked them to wait briefly, then quickly went to inform.

The response was swift. The guard hurried back and immediately invited them in, leading the group to the main hall. The hall was empty, and the disciple asked them to wait there.

They didn't wait long before Qu Wuming, the Yanbaozong Sect Master, arrived with his entourage. Li Hongjiu was also summoned.

After exchanging pleasantries, the Yanbaozong naturally inquired about the purpose of their visit.

Shi Chun didn't conceal anything. He first asked for all irrelevant personnel to be dismissed, then directly produced the list, handing it over and stating the terms of the transaction.

Upon hearing that a secret method for finding the Divine Flame was for sale, the Yanbaozong group's eyes and brows twitched slightly. They then quickly gathered around the Sect Master to examine the list in his hand.

After seeing the quantities listed, everyone's expression changed.

An elder coldly exclaimed, "You really have the nerve to ask for that!"

Li Hongjiu, who didn't understand the commotion, was very curious. He shamelessly approached his master and asked for the list, despite earning a glare in return.

To Shi Chun, everyone's reaction was entirely predictable; they would certainly find it expensive at first glance. However, he believed that for these major sects, this amount of resources was not overly significant. The outcome would be the same as with Shudaoshan: he would eventually divert their attention from the exorbitant price.

"Esteemed Elder," Shi Chun said, "it's a matter of mutual agreement. If you find it expensive, you don't have to buy it; no one is forcing you. Judging by your expressions, it seems I, your junior, have been presumptuous. I apologize here and will no longer trouble your esteemed eyes. I shall take my leave now."

Shi Chun theatrically bowed to everyone, then decisively motioned for his companions to turn and leave.

Tong Mingshan, who had been following them, was truly impressed. In his eyes, his own sect, the Hundred Refinements Sect, was already grand, but the Ten Great Forging Sects were like gods worshipped by mortals. For their Boss to boldly manipulate these 'gods' despite his humble status truly shocked him.

Meanwhile, Wu Jinliang let out a 'hehe' in the main hall, a sound tinged with disdain. It seemed to make his figure appear considerably taller in the room, a man who 'hehed' wherever he went.

The group hadn't even reached the entrance when Qu Wuming suddenly called out, "Wait!"

Shi Chun grumbled inwardly, "Why do all these major sect masters like to pull this stunt?"

Nevertheless, he turned back with a smile.

Li Hongjiu, having finished reading the list, was looking at Shi Chun with a complicated expression when Qu Wuming suddenly said to him, "Hongjiu, you two are old friends. Take them to rest first."

There was no need for further explanation; it clearly meant, "We need to discuss this."

Li Hongjiu wasn't so dense as to misunderstand. He quickly returned the list, then cheerfully walked towards Shi Chun and his group, gesturing with a wave, "Let's go, Brother Chun, let's find a place to sit for a bit."

Shi Chun took the opportunity to link arms with him, slinging an arm around his shoulder and saying, "Brother Jiu, I truly wish I could spend every day with you."

This made it seem as if they were very familiar, with an extraordinary bond.

Li Hongjiu was unaccustomed to such physical closeness. He tried to push Shi Chun away but couldn't, so he had no choice but to be led out like that, deciding to first address his master's instructions.

The Yanbaozong high-ranking members were somewhat surprised by this scene and watched them leave in a daze.

Young Master Nan was also speechless. "Why do I feel like I've become a mere follower here?" he thought. But there was no use overthinking it, so he continued to follow.

After seeing the guests off, Qu Wuming looked around and said, "Let's first gather the items on the list, then we can discuss further..."

In the courtyard, Yanbaozong guard disciples were scattered around. Every time Shi Chun passed one of them, he would pat Li Hongjiu's shoulder and shout, "Do you know him? This is my brother."

"This is my brother, the kind who's closer than a blood brother."

"This is my brother. If you don't believe me, ask him yourself if I'm not his brother!"

All the way, Shi Chun publicly declared his close relationship with Li Hongjiu to various Yanbaozong disciples, his actions exceptionally intimate.

The guard disciples along the way, more or less, looked choked with surprise, casting questioning glances at Li Hongjiu.

It should be noted that Li Hongjiu was now highly regarded by them; many had heard of his renown in the Divine Fire Domain.

But what could Li Hongjiu do? His master's instructions hadn't been completed yet, and he had previously gone to their doorstep to eagerly seek them out. Could he now deny the brotherhood on the spot? So he ambiguously mumbled "mm-hmm," or hesitantly rubbed his nose and nodded slightly.

At the same time, he also suspected Shi Chun's behavior, which seemed to desperately want everyone to know about their brotherhood, wondering if this fellow had any designs on the Yanbaozong.

Let alone Li Hongjiu, even Young Master Nan, who was following and watching the spectacle, felt something was off. He found this young fellow incredibly busy, truly not resting for a moment. Ever since leaving the Divine Fire Domain, every step had been full of activity. "Had he ever stopped? Wasn't he tired?" he wondered.

Wu Jinliang's smiling face revealed his large molar teeth, and he 'hehed' all the way.

The group didn't go anywhere else to rest. Shi Chun refused to go anywhere but Li Hongjiu's room, insisting on such intimacy. If Li Hongjiu showed even a slight hint of resistance, Shi Chun would stare with an incredulous expression, as if he had seen a heartless and disloyal face, looking ready to storm off at any moment.

The sect's business wasn't finished yet, and Li Hongjiu couldn't afford to drive Shi Chun away. So he quickly appeased him, immediately calling him "brother" this and "brother" that.

In his heart, however, he was cursing, resolving that after the Divine Fire Alliance treaty concluded, he would never associate with this clingy fellow again, lest it disturb his cultivation.

Since there was nothing of value in his own room anyway, Li Hongjiu eventually led them to his private room for a short rest. As they were already there, he naturally wanted to subtly probe Shi Chun's intentions...

The Yanbaozong high-ranking members didn't make Shi Chun and his group wait long. It wasn't difficult to gather the items on the list; any missing items were simply acquired by contacting other sects.

Then they had a disciple call Shi Chun and his group back to the hall.

The gathered items certainly couldn't be easily handed over to Shi Chun and his group; they first needed to confirm the information.

No problem. Shi Chun's only requirement was a simultaneous exchange of goods for payment.

Only after the items on the list were accurately counted and handed to Young Master Nan, and after Young Master Nan, Wu Jinliang, and Tong Mingshan had withdrawn, did the Yanbaozong side first learn of the existence of 'Fire God Incense' from Shi Chun.

The situation that followed was almost identical to what had transpired earlier at Shudaoshan; the necessary caution and exchanges were unavoidable.

The outcome didn't deviate much either. Even knowing that this information was being sold to several parties, Yanbaozong had no choice and still had to buy it.

As for the price being expensive, it was just a few grumbles. This amount of resources was not enough to cause significant harm to a major sect of their caliber; the key was their demand for the information.

As for whether they could ultimately unravel the secret, that wasn't the most important thing either.

Ultimately, it boiled down to one principle: all the Ten Great Sects could be without it, but Yanbaozong couldn't be the only one left in the dark.

The final result was Li Hongjiu personally seeing the guests off, escorting his 'good brother' out the door, and forcing a smile while saying things like, "Please excuse me for not seeing you off further."

"Brother Jiu, I'll visit you at Yanbaozong another day!" Shi Chun's booming voice, as he bid farewell, almost deafened the Yanbaozong gate guards, as if he were afraid they wouldn't hear him.

Li Hongjiu couldn't utter a word of unwelcome. Standing on the steps, he forced a smile and cupped his hands in farewell...

After meeting up with Young Master Nan and the other two and leaving, Shi Chun took out a list and gave it to Wu Jinliang. "You killed Black Tiger, so you should avoid the Extreme Fire Sect," he said. "Go back and find a companion, then take this list to the Golden Visage Hall so they can prepare the items on the list beforehand, which will save us from waiting at each sect."

Wu Jinliang grinned, then understanding the hint, took the list and departed.

Young Master Nan then mused, "By the way, what exactly is that secret method for finding the Divine Flame?"

Shi Chun replied, "Brother Nan, it's better for both of us if you don't know. If it ever gets leaked and endangers us, at least I won't have to suspect you."

"Alright," Young Master Nan said, deciding not to ask further. He patted the Qiankun pouch at his waist. "Going from sect to sect like this, you're making money so easily and quickly. I'm envious."

Shi Chun smiled faintly. "There's nothing to envy," he said. "Opportunities like this just happen. If it weren't for Mu Lanjin's intervention, how would I dare to play such games with the Ten Great Sects? I wouldn't even have the right to speak; I'd be crushed if I even got close."

"That's true," Young Master Nan said with a laugh. Both amused and slightly concerned, he teased, "It would be best if things go smoothly with the Star-Gazing Pavilion. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain, and this whole pile of stuff might actually all become mine."

Shi Chun smiled. "There's no such thing as working for nothing," he said. "We'll discuss things we can't control when the time comes. Just get the immediate tasks done properly, and there will be no mistakes."

Then he paused again, remained silent for a while, and after walking a few more steps, quietly said, "If I truly can't overcome that hurdle, you take half. Keep the other half and help me look after some people."

Young Master Nan was surprised. "Who?" he asked.

A scene from his time on Wukang Mountain flashed through Shi Chun's mind: a group of people who had found Wukang Mountain were cursing loudly and very vulgarly at the foot of the mountain. He chuckled, "I'll tell you when the time comes."

With rare guests arriving, the gate guards of the Extreme Fire Sect quickly ran to announce them.

As expected, soon someone came out and led Shi Chun's group inside.

Similar to the situation at Yanbaozong earlier, the hosts were not waiting in the reception hall. Instead, they made the guests wait for a while before appearing.

The hosts appeared with an aggressive aura. The group looked at Shi Chun with ill-will that was hard to conceal, and there were many of them. As soon as they appeared, they formed a posture to surround Shi Chun's group.

Young Master Nan glanced at the composed Shi Chun and secretly found the Extreme Fire Sect's intimidating behavior amusing. *This fellow knows you wouldn't dare touch him now,* he thought. *He's not even afraid of Shudaoshan or Yanbaozong; why would he be afraid of your Extreme Fire Sect?*

Nevertheless, Shi Chun still saluted with a flattering expression. "Greetings, esteemed seniors," he said.

An elder sternly shouted, "Shi Chun, you killed our sect's disciple, and you still dare to come to our doorstep? Who gave you the nerve? Was it him?" He jabbed his chin towards Young Master Nan.

Young Master Nan immediately became displeased, his brows furrowing into a cold glare. "Must you drag me into this?" he retorted.

Shi Chun quickly extended a hand to signal a halt, then cupped his hands and said, "I, your junior, came precisely to offer an apology."

Seeing that Young Master Nan was about to erupt, Extreme Fire Sect Master Su Qiao also gave the elder a calming gesture.

Another elder sneered, "You killed our sect's outstanding disciple, and you think a mere 'apology' will suffice? My disciple's magical artifact is still in your possession, isn't it? If you want to apologize, return the artifact first."

They were afraid that both the person and the treasure had fallen into the hands of the Star-Gazing Pavilion. While they could disregard the fate of Shi Chun's group, since the person had come, it would be good to reclaim the artifact first. This was what they had discussed before appearing.

Shi Chun didn't want to explain to them that their people had attacked him first and he had been forced to retaliate. He had come precisely to resolve this issue incidentally. If he didn't resolve the problem now, while they were willing to talk properly, when else would he?

So he said sternly, "I can't return it. That magical artifact might be involved with demonic cultivation and has implicated all of us. If you want it, go ask the Star-Gazing Pavilion yourselves later. I can't make that decision."