Chapter 445: People Speak Wisely When They Are About to Die

"It's closed already?""Didn't it close and reopen before? What if this time...""The Divine Flame Spirit Gate has flown away.""What about the people inside?"The moment the Two-Worlds Passage closed, a clamor of discussion erupted among the crowd on the beach. Dozens of floating life-bound lotus lamps still hung in the air, indicating that many had not yet emerged. With the exit now sealed, these individuals were trapped inside forever. No one knew what had befallen those who hadn't died but failed to make it out in time.

Many sighed with regret; some bemoaned the merciless rules of the competition, while others asserted that rules were rules, and those unable to exit on time naturally bore the consequences themselves. On the terrace, Lan Qiaoyan also let out a soft sigh as she watched the life-bound lamps that would never return.

Suddenly, a faint light shimmered in the night sky, drawing everyone's gaze upward. A massive light screen appeared, dimly showing images from the summit of Cloud Tool Valley. The scene depicted high-ranking officials from the Ten Great Sects looking up in surprise, as if making eye contact with the onlookers on the beach. However, it was nighttime, making the images unclear; without the light screen's illumination, even those at the summit might not have been visible.

Inside Cloud Tool Valley, just like other sects, the Ming Mountain Sect group had also come out to watch the Two-Worlds Passage close. Having endured various trials within the Divine Flame Domain, many from the Ming Mountain Sect sighed with relief and emotion, glad that it was finally over. The sudden appearance of the light screen in the sky startled them again. "What is that?" Shi Chun asked, surprised.

"What else could it be?" Nan Gongzi beside him asked, surprised. "Don't you remember? It's the Overlooking Heaven Mirror..." He paused, then looked at the seemingly clueless Ming Mountain Sect members around him. Right, he remembered now; these people had once been *in* the mirror, so they knew of it but hadn't seen its projection. He chuckled lightly and explained, "This is the Overlooking Heaven Mirror's projection." At his words, Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang showed a greater reaction; they had heard after the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly that they themselves had been quite conspicuous in such a projection.

Shi Chun turned back and asked, "They're using it here too? Is this your doing again?" Nan Gongzi didn't deny it. "Everything was arranged outside. The moment the Two-Worlds Passage closes and the projection can transmit normally, the competition's progress needs to be broadcast immediately. Not just here, but all Four Great Continents have synchronized projections, with the display controlled centrally from outside the valley." He added reassuringly, "You can relax this time. I've instructed the operators to try and avoid showing you, especially since you've offended quite a few people again."

"Sigh," Shi Chun muttered. He didn't know what to say; they were all trying to make money, and he shouldn't hinder anyone's prospects. Attending to urgent matters was paramount, so he confirmed again, "Can the Mother-Child Talismans be used normally now?" Nan Gongzi replied, "They should be."

On the summit, the high-ranking officials of the Ten Great Sects were discussing the postponement of the competition. Shi Chun's reasonable protest had been quite impactful, publicly pointing out an injustice that the outwardly dignified and renowned sects naturally had to address. The decision was simple: everyone would rest properly, and the competition would resume at dawn. No sooner had this decision been made than the group of elders found themselves illuminated by a massive mirror. *What on earth?* Could they not have any privacy? They instantly knew who was behind this once they saw the projection. This was likely the first time in the history of the Divine Flame Covenant that anyone had been openly monitored using a treasure like the Overlooking Heaven Mirror. Since when could an artifact of such caliber be deployed so casually? They all cursed Nan Gongzi under their breath to varying degrees but refrained from excessive intervention, knowing who else was involved in the gambling syndicate besides him. However, they couldn't just stand by; the feeling of being stark naked before a huge crowd was too unbearable. After a brief discussion, Luo Yan, the Sect Master of the Heaven-Refining Sect, finally spoke, "Someone go and summon Nan Wuyu." Naturally, someone departed to carry out the order.

By the time that person found Nan Gongzi, Shi Chun had already returned to the courtyard of his lodging. He was pacing back and forth in the courtyard, holding a Mother-Child Talisman. After repeated consideration, he stopped and sent a message to the matching talisman: "Mulan, I've exited the Divine Flame Domain. The Mother-Child Talismans are working again. The first thing I wanted to know was if you're okay."

On the beach, Mulan Qingqing, who had stepped out of the main crowd and was now on its periphery, was peering intently at the projected image, trying to discern if a certain person was there. The vibration of her Mother-Child Talisman startled her slightly. Although she possessed the means, very few individuals could contact her directly via such a talisman. Moreover, in this realm of Jambudvipa, due to the cross-domain nature, any other talismans that could directly connect with her should have been temporarily inactive. Only one possibility remained... She had already realized who might be contacting her. She tentatively pulled out the talisman. Without even checking the ownership mark, a glance at the handwriting on the talisman confirmed the sender's identity. Apart from that fellow, no one else would dare send her such shamelessly explicit messages. She didn't even need to worry if the talisman had fallen into someone else's hands; she could tell it was him immediately, even though this was only the second time he had contacted her. She was both embarrassed and annoyed. She quickly clutched the talisman in her palm to conceal it, instinctively glancing left and right, afraid of being seen. He might have no shame, but she certainly did. Clearly, the sender of the message was alive and well, and she no longer had any interest in remaining at the scene. Dressed in white as snow, she turned and quickly departed.

She returned to the inn, went to her room, and firmly shut the door. She paced back and forth, repeatedly picking up and putting down the Mother-Child Talisman in her hand. After a long while, she finally took a deep breath, stopped, and replied: "Are you okay? You still owe me a competition!"

Shi Chun was also pacing back and forth in his courtyard, occasionally picking up his Mother-Child Talisman to check it. He muttered to himself, his mind chanting like a mantra, "Why isn't she replying? Why isn't she replying?" When a reply finally came, he immediately picked it up, a grin spreading across his face. He mumbled to himself, "She actually cares about me! My handsome looks as the chief haven't been wasted, it seems there's a chance." He was quite confident about his appearance; many in the Land of Exile often praised him for his dignified looks. Moreover, after long-term application of pearl powder, his complexion had become even fairer. Of course, Wu Jinliang also considered himself good-looking.

He quickly replied: "Mulan, I thought of you many times every day in the Divine Flame Domain."

*Again?* With no one else in the room, Mulan Qingqing didn't need to control her expression. She stared blankly at the talisman, then suddenly slapped the wall with one hand, her fingernails scraping the plaster. Her face showed both embarrassment and a feeling of teeth-gritting hatred. *Nonsense!* Her reason told her that such lies were untrustworthy. Yet, she couldn't suppress her swirling emotions and quickly replied: "Were you thinking about how to kill me? You practically wanted to cleave me in two back then, surely you haven't forgotten?"

She would not easily forget the fierce, demonic scene from the Heavenly Rain Meteorite Assembly when he had severely wounded her. Someone who had practically tried to kill her, claiming to like her? Only a fool would believe that!

Handling such a challenge was no problem for Shi Chun. He immediately replied: "Mulan, you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen, and you are the first woman I've ever given a Mother-Child Talisman to. When I was fighting for my life in the Divine Flame Domain, I actually remembered how I hurt you, and I regretted it so much I didn't want to live. I wished my opponent would kill me, so I didn't fight back and let them wound me severely. Many people witnessed that scene."

Reading this, Mulan Qingqing stood there, stunned. *That scoundrel was severely wounded?* Although she didn't believe he was wounded *because* of her, she figured the injury itself was probably real, given that he claimed many witnesses. So, she tentatively replied: "You can still talk so much; it seems your injuries must have mostly healed."

Shi Chun replied: "I shouldn't have lived. It wasn't my tough fate; it was thinking of you just before I died that kept me clinging to life, holding on until I survived. Everyone else said it was a miracle I lived. Through this ordeal, I realized that I could die for a woman, and I could also live for a woman."

He cast the spell and wrote these messages without any hesitation. To him, other current problems were minor and mostly manageable. The biggest hurdle he couldn't solve on his own was the Constellation Pavilion, and specifically, Mulan Jin. If his connection to the demonic path were exposed, it would be disastrous. Was reputation more important than life? In the Land of Exile, the law of survival dictates that nothing is more important than staying alive! If a few touching words could resolve a life-and-death threat, that was a bargain.

Mulan Qingqing, after reading the message, suddenly turned to face the wall, gently resting her forehead against it. The message had thoroughly flustered her, and she needed a moment to compose herself. After a while, she remained standing and picked up the Mother-Child Talisman, asking, "Who injured you?"

Shi Chun glanced at the message, and a reply came to him effortlessly: "Li Hongjiu, a disciple of the Treasure Evolution Sect. When he cornered me, I shouted, 'Mulan, let's meet again in the next life!' He heard it. If you don't believe me, you can ask him." He sent this message without any psychological burden. He didn't believe Mulan Qingqing would actually seek out Li Hongjiu to verify it. As for Li Hongjiu's pursuit of him, that certainly wouldn't be a secret later on.

Mulan Qingqing, still leaning against the wall, closed her eyes tightly, feeling how truly annoying this man was. After taking a deep breath to clear her mind, she stated her stance clearly: "I don't believe a single word you're saying. Recover from your injuries and complete the competition between us."

Having said everything he possibly could, and with the conversation flowing this way, Shi Chun quickly seized the opportunity to reply: "This might be our last contact. I know you look down on people of my background, but they say a dying man's words are true. I want to tell you what's truly in my heart, Mulan: you are so beautiful, and I truly like you. In our next life, I promise I won't break our appointment, and I will certainly be with you to complete that competition."

Mulan Qingqing's face registered utter astonishment. She turned away from the wall and stared blankly at the message on the Mother-Child Talisman. It wasn't until the message faded away that she hastily replied: "Are you very seriously injured?"

Shi Chun: "Are you concerned about me? If being severely injured could earn your concern, I'd rather be injured every day. But this isn't about my injuries. This time, we might not get to see each other again. I've been targeted by people from the Constellation Pavilion, and I probably won't survive. I just can't stop thinking about you, I can't let you go. I only hope, Mulan, that you can always be well."