Wei Yi and Li Hanlun wore expressions of rare gravity, their gazes sharp with unwavering focus.
Snatching prey from the jaws of the tiger—
To succeed in such a feat, one must first endure the wrath of the beast itself.
Neither Wei Yi nor Li Hanlun dared to relax in the slightest.
Zhao Yuanji's strength needed no elaboration. As one of the "Two Tigers" of the outer sect, he ranked among the top three out of thousands of disciples—his position alone was testament to his terrifying prowess.
As for Xu Pingzheng, the Smiling Tiger, and Lei Yuan, the Plague Tiger, they were widely known as the Black Tiger Society's three warlords alongside Huo Tianlu. Their strength was on par—if not greater—than Huo's.
Both were Grand Martial Masters in their own right: Xu at the second tier, Lei at the third.
The seven or eight others present were all core elites of the Black Tiger Society, each at the peak of Martial Master level, with ample combat experience to match.
Attempting to seize treasure from such formidable foes was truly akin to stealing from the tiger's maw.
Their sole advantage—surprise.
Wei Yi and Li Hanlun took a deep breath.
In that moment, time seemed to halt.
Their heartbeats paused as if holding their breath along with them.
"Now!"
With a low, guttural cry, the two of them exploded into action, their accumulated power unleashed in full force.
They moved with astonishing speed—
Like twin leopards leaping upon their prey.
Their figures blurred into streaks of shadow, so swift they became near-imperceptible phantoms. In but a few breaths, the ten-zhang distance vanished beneath their feet.
"Damn it!"
Zhao Yuanji's face contorted as he sensed the oncoming danger.
Whirling around, his expression darkened to pitch.
"Stop them!" he roared.
He had poured tremendous time and effort into unearthing this tomb. Now, just as the fruits of his labor were within reach, two interlopers appeared to steal it all—how could he possibly tolerate that?
"Take them down!"
"You're courting death!"
Xu Pingzheng and Lei Yuan also reacted, their expressions darkening.
But by then, Wei Yi and Li Hanlun had already reached the trove.
There was no room for words—only action.
"Out of the way!"
Wei Yi's Seven Slaughter Fists erupted.
For the past half month, he had been spending a thousand taels daily in the Beast Soul Tower grinding for experience. Though his main focus had been the Thirteen Sword Strikes of Death, the Seven Slaughter Fists had grown alongside—now reaching level 10.
At level 10, it was equivalent to entering the realm of true mastery. Coupled with the full force of Wei Yi's cultivation and his awakened bloodline, the power behind his punch was devastating.
Lei Yuan, caught off guard, had no time to react—he was flung backward like a ragdoll, crashing into the distance.
Under equal conditions, Lei Yuan might not have fared so poorly. But Wei Yi's sudden ambush left him completely unprepared—and unable to withstand such a furious, unrestrained strike.
At the same time, Li Hanlun held nothing back.
With a double palm strike, he unleashed a thunderous force equal to Wei Yi's own. Two nearby members of the Black Tiger Society were sent flying before they could even comprehend what was happening.
But at that moment, Zhao Yuanji launched a punch straight at him.
True to his reputation as the Black Tiger Society's leader, Zhao Yuanji's aura surged in a storm of force. It was only now that Wei Yi discerned his cultivation—fifth-tier Grand Martial Master.
Even more alarming—Zhao's cultivation clearly stemmed from a lightning-element technique. As his fist roared forward, it shimmered with blinding violet light, each blow crackling with thunder, as though it could consume the world.
Li Hanlun's heart clenched.
It wasn't fear—he simply lacked the strength to respond. He had just made his move and had not yet recovered—his force spent, new strength not yet gathered.
Fortunately, Wei Yi appeared beside him in a flash.
"I've got this!"
The Seven Slaughter Fists erupted once more. Yet this time, facing a foe of far superior cultivation, Wei Yi infused his fist with the power of the Crimson Crystal Flame, channeling its fiery might into his strike. Crimson light flickered faintly from his knuckles—though muted by the night, its heat was unmistakable.
Fists collided.
A thunderous boom echoed through the night.
The explosive clash of energies tore through the air.
Wei Yi groaned and staggered back three steps.
The surge of lightning-imbued true energy seared through his meridians, causing his face to flush red with pressure.
But Zhao Yuanji didn't walk away unscathed.
Wei Yi's cultivation was admittedly inferior, but the Crimson Crystal Flame was a force of extraordinary potency. As Zhao's lightning surged into Wei Yi, the Crimson energy burrowed into Zhao in return.
And compared to lightning, Crimson Crystal Flame was far more terrifying.
"Impossible!"
Zhao Yuanji stumbled back, crimson blood staining his lips. Shock rippled through his eyes.
He had never expected that this seemingly weaker opponent could erupt with such overwhelming force.
While Zhao reeled, Wei Yi and Li Hanlun did not hesitate.
They had long prepared for this moment—there was no time to delay.
"You gather the loot," Li Hanlun said decisively. "I'll hold them off."
Wei Yi had just shielded him—now he would return the favor.
Without waiting for a reply, he slapped his chest.
A mysterious energy burst forth in waves, blue ripples radiating from his body as his aura soared upward like a rising tide.
Bloodline power.
Wei Yi's heart stirred.
As someone who also possessed a bloodline inheritance, he instantly recognized the familiar sensation.
He hadn't expected Li Hanlun to possess such a trump card.
But it was a welcome surprise.
"Got it."
Wei Yi didn't waste another word.
Seizing the moment while Li Hanlun unleashed his full strength to obstruct their enemies, he crouched low and began sweeping the treasure into a sack he had long prepared.
Without even pausing to inspect the items, he shoved everything in.
Xu Pingzheng had placed all the loot together for Zhao Yuanji's inspection—ironically making it easier for Wei Yi to scoop up in one go.
Elixirs.
Spirit-forged weapons.
Gold, silver, and precious gems.
Wei Yi was determined to take everything—leaving the Black Tiger Society with nothing.
And then—he spotted it.
That manual Xu Pingzheng had mentioned moments ago—the tomb owner's famed martial technique.
Though he didn't know who the deceased was, anyone possessing a named signature technique was certainly extraordinary.
Sweeping his gaze across the heap, he quickly spotted an ancient scroll lying quietly at the side.
"There it is!"
Wei Yi's eyes lit up. He reached out at once.
But just as his fingers closed in—
A slender, jade-like hand emerged silently from the shadows—graceful, pale, and swift—
And seized the manual a breath before he could.