On Artifact Cloud Valley's highest peak, everyone stared up into the sky for a while before Situ Gu suddenly said, "That will do."
The eight people on the terrace once again erupted with towering flame aura, casting it onto the enormous metal ring.
Before long, the metal ring's rotation gradually slowed, and the orange clouds flowing within it disappeared. The flame aura around the eight people subsided as well. Still turning slowly, the metal ring shifted position and flew off into the distance, toward the Blazing Fire Sect.
Apart from those staying behind to keep watch, the senior figures of the major artifact refining sects also flew toward the Blazing Fire Sect.
Down in the valley, the sect leaders and their companions who had been confined there finally regained their freedom. They emerged and flew up to the mountaintops to look, only to see more than thirty thousand Life Lotus Lamps floating in neat rows in the sky—a truly magnificent sight.
As the island master of Seven Star Island surveyed his surroundings, he suddenly spotted the sect master of the Heavenly Furnace Sect nearby. Both were artifact refining sects from Life Continent, and although they competed with each other, they were old acquaintances.
He immediately walked over to greet him. "Sect Master Wu."
Sect Master Wu of the Heavenly Furnace Sect looked back and gave an "Oh." "Island Master Xin."
Island Master Xin gestured for a private word. Sect Master Wu understood, and neither let anyone follow as they walked to an unoccupied spot off to the side.
Once they were together again, Island Master Xin asked quietly, "That matter Jieyun Mountain brought up-did you inform your disciples?"
Sect Master Wu snorted. "A couple of stray cats and dogs wander out of Jieyun Mountain and dare order us around? Who