Xiang Lan'er understood. The two women went to find Shi Chun that very night and explained the situation.
Shi Chun, who had been meditating cross-legged, shook his head after hearing them out. "You should have told me sooner. It's too late now. Young Master Nan isn't my subordinate. I don't have enough standing with him to make him go through all that again."
Feng Chi grew anxious. "How could we have told you sooner? We didn't even know whether Young Master Nan would agree. Who knew you'd come up with a sect of thirteen people? Who knew you'd get approved by the Divine Fire Pact so quickly? Once Young Master Nan agreed to help you, why didn't you let us know first?"
Shi Chun had his own justification. "He didn't agree, either. He only said he'd give it a try. Who knew it would work? I was surprised too. You said it would be troublesome. Who knew he'd get it done so quickly?"
Xiang Lan'er said, "Go ask him again. Perhaps he'll help you one more time."
Shi Chun said, "Lan'er, do you think I don't want to? Seven more people would be a considerable help to me too, but this really isn't that easy.
"When Young Master Nan came to see me before, he said those artifact refiners didn't want outsiders entering at all. An Wuzhi and Zhu Xiangxin nearly failed to get approved. It took a tremendous amount of effort to get them through, and he really doesn't want to do it a second time.
"Besides, all thirteen of us were expelled from our sects, and Young Master Nan knows about our circumstances. Wouldn't it look too abrupt if you brought in seven people out of nowhere? Never mind the Divine Fire Pact; they probably wouldn't even get