The final exams at Zhenwu Academy had concluded, and the holiday period had begun, so Wei Yi wasn't in a hurry to return to the academy.
Remaining in the family estate, half a month passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, he reveled in the privilege of being the young master of the Wei family, while simultaneously focusing on improving his alchemical skills.
His martial arts training had not been neglected either.
The Thirteen Swords of Death had progressed from level 4 to level 8.
As a medium-grade martial skill of the Xuan rank, the power of the Thirteen Swords of Death at level 8 had already surpassed that of the Storm Sword Technique at its max level of 10.
Meanwhile, his recent surge in martial arts strength, now reaching the level of an 8th-tier Martial Master, and his Silver-tier bloodline power, had been fully assimilated and mastered.
Taken together, Wei Yi's overall combat prowess was now comparable to that of a low-tier Grand Martial Master.
Of course, the most significant progress had been in his alchemy skills.
Looking at his alchemy sub-profession attributes, they had evolved into:
Player: Wei Yi
Alchemy Mastery: Third Rank
Alchemy Skill: Level 24
Alchemy Success Rate: 100% success rate for First-Rank pills, 100% success rate for Second-Rank pills, 40% success rate for Third-Rank pills.
One could not help but marvel at the absurdity of this alchemy sub-profession system.
In just half a month, Wei Yi had gone from a complete novice, utterly clueless about alchemy, to a Third-Rank Alchemist.
Even more astonishing was his success rate in alchemy. His success rate for crafting both First- and Second-Rank pills was 100%, meaning every batch he refined would succeed unless something unexpected happened. Failure had become a near impossibility.
This level of proficiency, even his mother, a Fourth-Rank Alchemist, could not guarantee.
Moreover, his success rate for Third-Rank pills had reached 40%, surpassing even his mother's level.
Thankfully, Wei Yi had deliberately kept a low profile, only revealing a fraction of his true abilities.
Even so, his skills had still shocked many.
For instance, Wei Ruo Mei, who had once held some doubts about him, now regarded him with great admiration. She frequently sought his guidance, as though he were a seasoned alchemist with years of experience.
"Brother Wei, what pill are you refining?"
Wei Ruo Mei approached, her voice gentle.
"A Five-Element Pill."
Wei Yi replied, keeping his attention on the alchemy furnace as the pill was nearing completion.
"Five-Element Pill?" Wei Ruo Mei exclaimed in surprise. "Though it's a Second-Rank pill, its refining difficulty is comparable to that of a Third-Rank pill. Why does it look so effortless for you, Brother Wei?"
"Ah, well, my mental strength is quite strong," Wei Yi coughed lightly, offering a vague excuse.
As a Third-Rank Alchemist, refining a Second-Rank pill was, of course, no challenge.
"The Five-Element Pill has great benefits for Martial Masters. It can help you break through if you're at a bottleneck. Would you like one?" Wei Yi casually asked.
"Is that really possible? Aren't all refined pills supposed to be submitted?" Wei Ruo Mei widened her eyes in surprise.
"As long as I maintain a 40% success rate for submission, the extra ones are mine to keep," Wei Yi replied nonchalantly.
Wei Ruo Mei couldn't help but smile wryly.
However, remembering that Wei Yi was the young master of the Wei family, she soon felt more at ease.
Not to mention that even if Wei Yi didn't submit any pills, no one would dare say a word against him.
"Here, take them."
While Wei Ruo Mei was still lost in thought, Wei Yi had already collected the pills from the furnace, taken out a pill bottle, and placed three Five-Element Pills inside, handing it to her.
"No, no, I can't accept this," Wei Ruo Mei quickly rejected. One Five-Element Pill was worth hundreds of silver taels, and three would cost over a thousand. She could never accept such an expensive gift.
"It's fine. I have plenty. You've been stuck at Fifth-Tier Martial Master for a while, right? This should help you break through," Wei Yi said casually.
"No, I still can't accept," she insisted.
The two of them pushed the bottle back and forth for a while.
"Knock, knock, knock..."
At that moment, a knock came at the door.
"Quick, take it, someone's coming," Wei Yi hurriedly pressed the pill bottle into Wei Ruo Mei's hand, then called out, "Come in."
A Wei family martial artist entered, and upon seeing Wei Yi, immediately bowed and reported, "Young Master, the Family Head requests your presence."
"Alright, I understand," Wei Yi nodded.
After tidying up, he quickly left, winking at Wei Ruo Mei as he departed, leaving his intentions unspoken.
Wei Ruo Mei's face flushed slightly as she looked down at the pill bottle in her hand.
Wei Yi's handsome face seemed to appear in her mind, and she couldn't help but wonder.
"What does it mean that he gave me these pills?"
Guided by the martial artist, Wei Yi arrived at the Wei family's council hall.
Upon entering, he found not only his father, but also the three great elders and several high-ranking family members in attendance.
The atmosphere in the hall felt strange.
The expressions of everyone present were a mixture of tension and anticipation.
Wei Yi didn't dare to speak and, at his father's gesture, took a seat at a lower position.
Soon, the Wei family's high-ranking members were all gathered.
"The reason I've called everyone here is because something significant has happened near Jinling," Wei Tianyang, his father, spoke first.
"Something happened? What is it?"
"Is it really what I think it is?"
"If it's what we think, we must seize it."
"Indeed, if it's appearing near Jinling, then it's clearly a gift from the heavens for our Wei family."
The room immediately erupted into murmurs.
Wei Yi finally understood why everyone's expressions had been so odd.
Strange fire, indeed, was something that would excite anyone, but it also came with danger.
Not only could strange fire be used for pill refining, but it could also be wielded in battle. If one could control such a fire, it was like possessing an immense fortune—one that would never depreciate.
Generally speaking, strange fire was most important to alchemists. If word got out, even Fifth and Sixth-Rank alchemists would surely act.
For ordinary martial artists, it also held immense value, especially for those practicing fire-based martial arts. Mastering strange fire could be the key to a dramatic transformation.
In short, strange fire represented an extraordinary wealth.
"Right now, this news hasn't spread widely."
"As far as I know, only some factions in Jinling and Zhongshan have received the information."
"Should we rush to claim it? Let's all decide together."
Wei Tianyang spoke slowly, his voice firm.
"My opinion is, we must secure it," the Great Elder was the first to speak.
"Indeed, I agree. It seems the Sun family from Zhongshan is already preparing to act. Even if we can't obtain the strange fire, we cannot let them get it," the Second Elder also coldly declared.
"Since the Sun family from Zhongshan wants it, why wait? We must act! I've wanted to teach those bastards a lesson for a long time," the Third Elder joined in.
The rest of the assembly quickly expressed their approval, nearly all agreeing to act.
Since the strange fire had appeared near Jinling, they certainly wouldn't let others take it.
After all, the Wei family was one of the Ten Great Families of the Great Chu Dynasty, a dominant force in Jinling. They wouldn't be intimidated by anyone.
"Alright, it's settled."
"I, along with the three Elders, will personally lead the team. We'll also call upon twenty Grand Martial Masters and one hundred Martial Masters to join us."
"Wei Yi, you will come along as well."
Turning to Wei Yi, his father gave the final command.
"Yes, Father."
The father and son exchanged a brief, almost imperceptible nod.
Since the strange fire had appeared near them, they had no choice but to seize it. If they failed to do so, it would be a mistake they could never afford to make.