Seeing that they were merely being told to return to the island, Xu Anchang and You Mu breathed a sigh of relief. Still, they looked to Shi Chun for his cue, not daring to decide for themselves. They truly did not understand the situation, either, and could not act on their own; they needed to coordinate with him.
Since they were only being asked to step away, Shi Chun did not quibble and gave a slight nod.
Thus, Xu Anchang and You Mu obediently retraced their steps, showing not the slightest hint of complaint.
The Ninth Lord formally introduced the horned old man before them to Shi Chun. "Shi Chun, this is the First Lord you wished to meet."
Shi Chun hurriedly bowed with an exclamation. "Shi Chun pays his respects to the First Lord."
The First Lord scrutinized Shi Chun. "I hear you wish to marry Zhen'er?"
Shi Chun nodded with an affirmative grunt. "Yes."
The people here were not accustomed to the roundabout way outsiders spoke, either. The First Lord asked bluntly, "Do you know that Zhen'er cannot leave this Forbidden Ground?"
Shi Chun answered, "I do."
The First Lord asked, "Are you certain you are willing to remain in the Divine Fire Domain forever for Zhen'er's sake?"
Shi Chun replied solemnly, "I am."
The First Lord said, "Those who remained in the Divine Fire Domain have already provided a cautionary example. Compared with them, your cultivation is beneath even an ant's, yet even they could not withstand the Domain of the Gods' Extinction a hundred years later. In other words, once the Exit closes, if you stay here, you will have at most another hundred-odd years to live. Do you understand all this?"
"I do. Zhen'er has already told me." As Shi Chun spoke, he turned toward