Things were indeed just as Shi Chun had expected. Wu Shanshan followed their route and came after them with her people.
When the parties from the various sects landed and saw that they had returned to the Heavenly Pit, all sorts of chatter broke out. Some cursed Shi Chun for his cunning, while others said it was perfectly normal: Shi Chun was unfamiliar with the Forbidden Ground too, so naturally he would stick to a familiar route as much as possible.
What puzzled and alarmed more of them was this: who had been so stuffed with food and idle that they had filled in such an enormous Heavenly Pit?
The man responsible for that good deed seemed not to hear a thing. He held his wine gourd and kept drinking.
The Treasure-Evolving Sect's party stayed quiet too, occasionally glancing at the drinker. By now, they understood that their young Martial Uncle had been right to keep a low profile. This was exactly how discreet he ought to be. It really did spare them a great deal of trouble.
Looking around, Gu Liani took the opportunity to beckon Yuan Yao aside for a word.
"What is it, Martial Uncle?" Yuan Yao asked, puzzled.
Gu Liani lowered her voice. "We didn't do what we agreed with Shi Chun earlier. We broke our word, and he probably hates us for it. Do we still have any chance of getting his Secret Art for finding Divine Fire?"
Yuan Yao thought for a moment, then replied quietly, "A Secret Art for finding Divine Fire is no small matter. The ten elders guarding the entrance are bound to get involved. When that happens, who will care about rules? Shi Chun must understand that himself. If he wants Summer Path Mountain to help them get out, he'll