During a pause to survey their surroundings, Shi Chun suddenly asked, "I hear the Suyuan Sect leads the Mystic Continent's sects, large and small. I was wondering, could every single sect on the continent really be involved? Are they all willing to serve as the Suyuan Sect's pawns?"
The three men from the Jade Spirit Sect had no idea why he was asking. Their leader said, "That's impossible. Every continent has plenty of sects just going through the motions and making up the numbers."
Shi Chun said, "Do you know any sects from the Mystic Continent that aren't joining the crowd? If so, give me a name. It'll save me looking for one later."
The man with the injured arm asked in puzzlement, "What do you need that for?"
Shi Chun refused to answer. "Gentlemen, like I said, we'll go our separate ways afterward. Whatever we do, just pretend you know nothing about it. I think it's best you don't know too much anyway. If anything goes wrong, we won't have to suspect you. What do you say?"
That left them with only a hazy understanding, though all three acted as if they understood completely. They tactfully stopped probing.
Their leader said, "There are some that keep to themselves. A sect called Wandering Rosy Clouds Mountain from the Mystic Continent hasn't gotten involved."
"Oh?" Shi Chun said. "How do you know, brave sir?"
Their leader smiled. "They were hiding in a cave, and we stumbled across them. They all took off their black cloth pouches to show us where they stood. They said they were just a small sect with no desire to get involved, that they'd had no choice but to come, and planned to hide until the gathering ended."
Shi Chun and Wu Jinliang exchanged a glance, thinking