One hundred seconds—a fleeting moment.
And yet, in this instant, it felt endlessly protracted.
Wei Yi's process of assimilating the Flame could not be interrupted. Should it be broken midway, not only would the attempt fail, but he would also suffer a devastating backlash.
Thus, the task of repelling enemies could only fall to the three brothers—Wei Wu, Wei Yuan, and Wei Hong.
Barely ten seconds had passed when two warriors charged forward, clashing violently with Wei Wu and his companions.
Though these two had been at odds earlier at the base of the mountain, now they joined forces, launching a frenzied assault.
Had it been only them, the three might have endured. But they were far from the only ones coveting the Flame.
At the twenty-second mark, three more arrived—one of whom was a formidable Grand Martial Master. The brothers' expressions darkened as they exchanged grim looks. Gritting their teeth, they chose to stand their ground. Not out of devotion to Wei Yi—but because they knew: if they abandoned him now, he would never forgive them.
"Take the Bloodfury Pill!"
Wei Wu bellowed.
At once, the three retrieved and consumed blood-red elixirs.
The Bloodfury Pill—a Grade-Two concoction—temporarily boosts one's power, but leaves the user severely weakened afterward.
"Anyone who dares advance shall be declared a mortal enemy of the Wei clan!"
Wei Wu roared, and with the surge granted by the pills, they barely managed to stave off the five attackers.
"Push through! The Flame will be ours!"
"Snatch it and flee! Who cares about the Wei clan?!"
Though the Wei name inspired fear, the allure of the Flame—especially under the urging of the Grand Martial Master—overwhelmed their caution. Together, the five surged forward once more.
Moments later, a heavy thud resounded—Wei Hong, the weakest, was the first to be sent flying by a single slash.
Wei Wu and Wei Yuan, too, were driven back.
"Die, all of you!"
The Grand Martial Master's eyes gleamed with savagery. His blade swept out, surging with inner energy, creating a tempest of overlapping strikes—like a tidal wave crashing down.
His assault encompassed not only Wei Wu and Wei Yuan, but also Wei Yi, still seated behind them, absorbing the Flame.
The brothers' faces turned ashen.
But just then, Wei Yi opened his eyes.
With a sweep of his right hand, the Crimson Crystal Flame before him vanished, condensing into a brilliant streak that surged into his body.
Instantly, Wei Yi's aura erupted like a volcano. A terrible heat radiated from his form, and within his jet-black pupils, crimson embers flickered—gemlike, mesmerizing, and terrifying.
"If death is what you seek, allow me to oblige."
His voice was low and frigid, heavy with murderous resolve.
The five enemies visibly paled.
None of them had expected Wei Yi to subdue the Crimson Crystal Flame in such a short span.
Before they could react, he had already appeared—standing before the Grand Martial Master.
His palm lashed out lightly—a Heartpiercing Palm, designed to shatter internal organs. His inner energy surged violently into his opponent's body, augmented by the Flame's terrifying power. A charred palm print scorched itself across the man's chest. Blood spurted from his mouth as he was hurled backward, lifeless.
In a flash, he was dead.
Though Heartpiercing Palm was a mere mortal-grade technique, once imbued with the Crimson Crystal Flame, its might rivaled even profound-tier martial arts.
And this was only one of the Flame's countless applications.
No wonder so many had coveted it so fiercely.
Wei Yi drew his Qinggang Sword—the crimson fire instantly enveloped the blade, turning it molten-red. With the Thirteen Deathblades unleashed once more, he became a whirlwind of slaughter. Each strike claimed a life. The remaining four tried to flee, but how could they outrun Wei Yi's spectral movement?
In the blink of an eye, they too fell beneath his sword.
Though also Martial Masters, their prowess paled before his.
Five system chimes followed in rapid succession.
Wei Yi, having just fallen to Eighth-Tier, saw his experience rise swiftly once more.
"Thank you, brothers, for your unwavering defense."
He turned and bowed to Wei Wu and the others.
"No need for thanks."
"It was our duty."
Wei Hong had climbed to his feet by now, and the three of them shook their heads, awe written across their faces.
None of them had expected Wei Yi to subdue the Flame so quickly—or to become so terrifyingly powerful. A Grand Martial Master and four warriors, dispatched like kindling.
Compared to their own pitiful struggle, shame washed over them.
"Let's descend and regroup with the others."
Under Wei Yi's lead, the four began making their way down the mountainside.
News of their acquisition had already spread, drawing many enemies their way.
Though the Flame was now within Wei Yi, so long as he was killed, others still had a chance to claim it.
But Wei Yi showed no mercy.
Though his cultivation had temporarily dropped, his bloodline power remained intact. And now, with the Crimson Crystal Flame coursing through him, his strength far surpassed its former peak. His Qinggang Sword carved through his foes with infernal sword energy—none could stand against him.
And the experience flowed like a river.
Each Martial Master he slew granted hundreds of experience points, a Grand Master even more.
Slaughter paved his descent—until, finally, he reclaimed his Ninth-Tier cultivation.
Boom!
"Who dares defy me!?"
A thunderous roar shook the valley. The foremost enemies were pulverized into pulp by a single strike, leaving behind a great chasm in the earth.
Wei Tianyang stood before them like a war god.
Behind him, the remaining Wei warriors and the three great elders quickly assembled.
"Have you secured the Flame?" Wei Tianyang asked.
"Mission accomplished," Wei Yi replied with a slight smile.
"Hahaha! Excellent—move out!"
Wei Tianyang laughed wildly and led the way forward. None dared stand against the Wei clan now.
Even Sun Zhenshan, head of the Sun family, did not intervene.
He had just exchanged dozens of blows with Wei Tianyang—and lost.
"Damn them all…"
Sun Zhenshan clenched his jaw, eyes blazing with unquenchable fury as he watched the Wei clan triumph.
Not only had he failed his objective, but he had lost both sons. His warriors had been slaughtered.
He longed to grind Wei Yi and his father to dust—and erase the entire Wei clan from existence.
"Young Master Luo, this operation was carried out for your sake. You cannot now wash your hands of it."
He turned to the man beside him—the same brocade-robed youth who had clashed with Wei Yi.
The youth's face was grim. He sneered, his tone filled with menace.
"And how do you propose I take responsibility?"
"Have your father wipe out the Wei clan," Sun Zhenshan suggested bitterly.
"Hmph. What a cunning little scheme. The Wei clan is one of the ten great houses, with vast and tangled connections. And Wei Tianyang is a Martial King himself. Do you truly believe my father would stir up such a storm on my behalf?"
The youth's voice dripped with disdain.
"So we just let this go?" Sun Zhenshan demanded, unwilling to concede.
"Not against the Wei clan… not yet. But that boy—Wei Yi—he's another matter."
A sinister light gleamed in the young noble's eyes.
"He took something that never belonged to him. And for that, he will pay the price."