As Qin Sang approached Devilish Flame Sect, he felt a wave of scorching heat.

The place that Daoist Jiupao had carefully chosen was one where the earth fire was far too intense for most sects, yet it was extremely suitable for disciples of Devilish Flame Sect to cultivate the Seven Yang Art.

Qin Sang appeared at the foot of the mountain and looked up at the protective array of Devilish Flame Sect.

The scenery on Earth Fire Mountain was not very different from when Qin Sang had last come.

Red-leaf spiritual trees covered the mountains and plains. Lodges and pavilions had been built among them. The protective array condensed red smoke that drifted slowly through the air.

Under the blazing sun, the entire place shimmered with flowing light. After observing for a while, Qin Sang confirmed that the array had not been altered.

This array had been passed down by Founder Kuiyin and carefully arranged by Daoist Jiupao. The earth fire strengthened the array, and the longer it remained, the greater its power became. It also possessed countless variations and was extremely complex. The disciples of Devilish Flame Sect simply lacked the ability to improve it.

Qin Sang carried the command token and was familiar with every transformation of the array. With his current cultivation, he could easily infiltrate it without alarming anyone.

He arrived before a grove of red-leaf trees. His figure flashed and disappeared into the forest. The red smoke drifting above stirred only slightly before returning to calm.

Several low-level disciples were cultivating within the grove. Soon afterward, a few other disciples passed by on patrol, yet none noticed anything unusual.

Qin Sang moved silently through the forest. Every word and action of the disciples fell clearly within his senses.

Inside a medicinal herb garden, two disciples were using artifacts to summon clouds and rain to irrigate the spiritual herbs.

"Senior Brother, I heard that Senior Uncle Zhao just returned from Yinquan Sect, and his expression didn’t look good. You went to the sect leader’s hall just now. Did you run into Senior Uncle Zhao? Did you hear anything?" The younger one was a delicate girl who spoke quietly to the young man beside her.

The young man glanced at her. "You girls have gathered together again to make wild guesses, haven’t you?"

"Is that even a guess?" the girl replied, pouting stubbornly. "All the sects attached to Devilish Qingyang Sect have to take turns participating in the frontline defense. Everyone knows it will soon be our turn. Among the nearby sects, Yinquan Sect is the strongest and is responsible for delivering orders from Devilish Qingyang Sect. We can only follow those orders. Senior Uncle Zhao must have gone there for this matter. If he came back looking unhappy, the mission must be dangerous. We care about the sect. Is that wrong?"

The young man shook his head and laughed. "You little girl, you’re still as sharp-tongued as ever. With our cultivation, even if we knew the reason, what could we do? We might as well focus on nurturing the spiritual herbs and contribute what we can to the sect."

Although he said this, deep worry appeared in the young man’s eyes.

Qin Sang strolled leisurely through the spirit fields. Along the way, he heard several similar conversations. Most of the disciples cared deeply for their sect, and the hostility in them was not heavy.

Unexpectedly, the influence of Devilish Qingyang Sect had already extended this far, even integrating the devilish forces near Devilish Flame Sect.

Devilish Qingyang Sect was considered somewhat unusual among the devilish path. Because of its cultivation arts and location, it had not been accepted by the righteous path and had been forced to join the devilish path. In truth, however, its conduct was fairly upright.

Of course, that did not mean Devilish Qingyang Sect was harmless. The immortal cultivation world was still fundamentally one where the strong devoured the weak. Even righteous sects schemed against one another, but at least certain boundaries existed.

Qin Sang had no desire to see Qingyang Temple descend into the devilish path. If the members of Devilish Flame Sect were all cruel and bloodthirsty, he would not consider incorporating them into Qingyang Temple. Otherwise, the foundation would become corrupted.

From what he could see now, Mei Gu had governed the sect quite well. This was also related to the surrounding environment. With Devilish Qingyang Sect exercising restraint, the area had not degenerated into the purely cannibalistic world that existed in other devilish territories.

From the disciples’ conversations, Qin Sang learned that Mei Gu was currently within the sect. He quickened his pace and swept toward the summit.

Inside the sect leader’s hall, a woman dressed in palace robes was speaking with an elderly man. Both carried traces of anger in their expressions.

The woman was none other than Mei Gu. She had already formed her Golden Core. Her appearance had not changed much since the last time Qin Sang had seen her, and she still looked like a gentle and delicate woman.

Yet those delicate shoulders had carried the burden of the sect, leading it through the calamity of war and allowing it to survive in the cracks between greater powers.

Not only had Devilish Flame Sect avoided decline, its strength had gradually grown. Even more commendable was that her own cultivation had not fallen behind.

The old man was Zhao Shanran, one of the four Foundation Building cultivators of Devilish Flame Sect from the past.

His cultivation was one level lower than Mei Gu’s and had only reached the Fake Core Realm. The once spirited young man had now entered old age, his body already declining.

"Junior Brother Lu really appeared in Yinquan Sect?" Mei Gu asked, her eyebrows tightly furrowed as though facing a difficult problem.

"You once helped Elder Qi before, Senior Sister. He would never lie to us about something like this. Elder Qi discovered Lu’s traces by accident. At that time Yinquan Sect was crowded and chaotic, and he may have colluded with the sect leader of Yinquan Sect," Zhao Shanran replied.

Zhao Shanran still felt lingering fear. "If Elder Qi had not warned me in time and I had not taken another route, I might already have been ambushed and killed by Lu! The heavens must be blind, letting a despicable man like him form a Golden Core!"

Mei Gu sighed. "Back then, we obtained four Soul-Chiseling Pills, and each of us happened to receive one. Junior Brother Lu’s talent had always been the best among the four of us. It is not surprising that he formed a Golden Core."

"He did not have just one Soul-Chiseling Pill. He had two!" Zhao Shanran had been closest to the Redleaf Layperson. Thinking of this matter made him grit his teeth in hatred, regretting that he could not personally kill his enemy.

Mei Gu shook her head. "The battlefield is always unpredictable. When Junior Brother Redleaf died, there was no direct evidence at the time..."

"Junior Brother Redleaf must have been murdered by Lu!" Zhao Shanran said angrily. "Senior Sister, you are too kind. Back then you should have listened to me and killed him immediately! I suspect Yinquan Sect may have had a hand in Lu’s escape. This time Yinquan Sect may be falsely transmitting orders, hoping to wipe us all out at once and then swallow Devilish Flame Sect in Lu’s name."

"Do not be anxious, Junior Brother. Whether Junior Brother Lu lives or dies is secondary. The most urgent matter is how to deal with Yinquan Sect." Mei Gu remained calm as she consoled Zhao Shanran. After glancing toward the doorway, she continued, "Their demand that we send one Golden Core cultivator is normal enough. I will personally make the trip. But the number of additional disciples they are demanding is far too large. We already sent a group earlier. If we take away this many again, Devilish Flame Sect will be completely emptied."

After a pause, she said solemnly, "Their main goal must be to lure me away. The other conditions can still be negotiated. Once I reach the front line, I will make my own arrangements, so do not worry about my safety. Yinquan Sect cannot simply do whatever it wishes. However, you must remain behind and guard the sect. Be careful in everything... Do you remember how we used to handle such situations?"

Her eyes burned with intensity.

"One word: Endure!" Zhao Shanran said slowly, exhaling. "I can only blame my own dull talent. I failed to form a Golden Core and cannot share your burden, Senior Sister! But rest assured. After you leave, I will immediately seal the mountain. Fortunately, you did not give the array token and array diagram to Lu back then. I want to see just how capable he is, trying to break an array personally arranged by the sect leader."