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**
In the sealed chamber.
Wei Yang lowered his head, intently studying a scroll in his hands. Recorded within was the incomplete version of the Flame Mantra that Han Feng had cultivated, along with some of his personal cultivation insights and experiences with it.
After a long while—
Wei Yang exhaled softly and slowly rolled up the scroll.
"Incomplete Flame Mantra…"
He shook his head and stowed the scroll away.
Wei Yang had only glanced through it out of curiosity and for reference. After all, he wasn't even particularly interested in the complete version of the Flame Mantra—so why would a broken version hold any real value for him?
After calming his thoughts, he flipped his palm and retrieved a jade bottle.
The surface of the bottle was encased in a faint black flame-patterned seal, sealing the entire container securely.
Wei Yang's hands formed seals rapidly, and in just a few moments, he undid the restrictions.
He gently lifted the lid.
At first, there was no reaction from the mouth of the bottle.
Wei Yang sneered coldly. "Come out. What's the matter? Do I need to formally invite you?"
Shortly after his words fell, flickering motes of light began to emerge around the bottle's opening.
Then, a translucent and ethereal soul figure, resembling Han Feng, slowly drifted out.
As it floated upward, the soul body gradually expanded in size, eventually forming a life-sized human shape, hovering in midair before Wei Yang.
This was Han Feng's soul.
At this moment, it appeared exceedingly weak—gone was the dominance he once held when storming into Jia Nan Academy with his forces, gone was the pride of the so-called Medicine Emperor.
Judging by the aura it emitted, Han Feng's soul was now only at the low-level Dou Wang stage.
This was intentional on Wei Yang's part. The low Dou Wang realm was neither too weak nor too strong—perfect for control.
Even if Han Feng harbored rebellious thoughts, he wouldn't be able to stir up any real trouble. One flick of Wei Yang's hand could instantly crush him.
Han Feng hovered silently, his gaze locked on Wei Yang, emotions surging in his eyes—hatred, fear, fury.
Back then, he had assumed he was finished for good. He never expected that not only would this man forcibly extract his soul, but also seize his Sea Heart Flame, his life Heavenly Flame.
Losing his life flame had inflicted severe damage to his soul.
And all of this… it was because of Wei Yang's ambush that he had ended up in such a sorry state. How could Han Feng not hate him?
But now, his soul had fallen completely into Wei Yang's hands—enslaved.
The man was the butcher, and he was the fish on the chopping board.
Hatred aside, fear was the stronger emotion surging in his heart.
As Han Feng studied the young face before him, he felt stunned and puzzled.
Had he not remembered Wei Yang's aura so clearly, he would never have believed that this young man was the very same person who had led to his downfall.
"Who exactly are you?" Han Feng asked in a trembling voice. "I don't recall ever offending you. We've never even met. There's no grudge between us—so why would you do this to me?"
Wei Yang didn't bother answering.
Instead, he leaned back slightly in his chair, his back resting against the cushion.
He shifted his body a little until he found a position he deemed most comfortable. One hand propped up his chin while the other tapped rhythmically on the armrest.
With an intrigued expression, he simply observed Han Feng in silence.
This attitude—leisurely, unfazed—made Han Feng flush with shame and anger.
He growled, "Hey! I'm talking to you!"
At this moment, Han Feng looked thoroughly disheveled, his elegance and composure as the so-called Medicine Emperor long gone.
Wei Yang only raised an eyebrow slightly, a faint and inscrutable smile appearing on his lips. He continued to stare quietly, saying nothing.
"You—!" Han Feng was so enraged he laughed. "You summoned me just to humiliate me like this? I admit I lost. The victor takes all—I've no complaint. But your actions are just plain childish and dull!"
Wei Yang chuckled softly, clapped his hands, and finally spoke: "Exactly. The victor takes all—you've hit the nail on the head."
"Since you already understand that, and since you've spent so many years in the Black-Corner Region, why ask such naïve and pointless questions?"
"No grudge or enmity? So what? Do I need a vendetta to target you? Can't it simply be... for profit?" Wei Yang asked with a smile.
Han Feng's eyes narrowed sharply. "So... you attacked me to steal my Sea Heart Flame?"
"That's right. Isn't that a perfectly reasonable motive?" Wei Yang tilted his head slightly, glancing at him sideways. "Just like you wanted to snatch that young man's Green Lotus Core Flame, I went after your Sea Heart Flame. That's perfectly normal, isn't it?"
Han Feng froze, at a loss for words.
Yes—he himself had schemed to steal someone else's Heavenly Flame.
So how could he now complain about someone doing the same to him?
It really was... fair.
Though the logic was simple—and he had always lived by it—facing the consequences himself now made it harder to accept.
Moreover, there was still one thing in Han Feng's heart that he couldn't understand. He finally couldn't help but ask:
"Among everyone present, that young man with the Green Lotus Core Flame had the weakest strength. Why did you choose to make a move on me instead?"
This was the part that frustrated him the most.
Damn it.
The Fallen Heart Flame ignored that black-robed youngster completely, yet targeted him first.
And now, this man before him also overlooked that guy and still chose to strike him.
This… was just too cursed!
Wasn't there a saying—"pick the softest persimmon to squeeze"?
Why did everyone insist on coming after him?
This was plain bullying!
If there weren't some unknown personal grudges mixed into this, Han Feng wouldn't believe it even if he was beaten to death.
It was too damn unreasonable.
To that, Wei Yang's reply was simple and direct:
"Because, out of everyone there, I found you the most annoying."
"…" Han Feng.
This reason was so blunt and crude… Han Feng was at a complete loss for words.
Maybe I shouldn't have even gotten out of bed that day…
"Wait a minute…" Han Feng suddenly muttered, his expression changing as realization dawned.
"You and that brat with the Green Lotus Core Flame—you're working together!"
Thinking back carefully, Han Feng finally started piecing things together.
He suddenly remembered that in the magma world beneath the surface, just as the Fallen Heart Flame had spat him out, he had caught a glimpse—a fleeting but vivid image—of three different Heavenly Flames!
One was the Fallen Heart Flame, another was the Green Lotus Core Flame, and the third… was a mysterious black flame.
At that time, there had been a fierce battle going on, one so intense that even the Fallen Heart Flame couldn't withstand it and had no choice but to expel him.
But the moment he emerged, he was struck by a black sun explosion, suffering serious injuries on the spot.
As everything became clear in his mind, Han Feng glared angrily at Wei Yang. "You were playing me this whole time?!"
Wei Yang nodded. "Yes, I was playing you."
"I am indeed working with the one who possesses the Green Lotus Core Flame. More accurately speaking, we're partners, working together for mutual benefit."
"You two… were targeting me from the very beginning?" Han Feng pressed.
Wei Yang chuckled, "Well, if you put it that way, then yeah—you're not wrong. Besides the Fallen Heart Flame, our other goal was your Sea Heart Flame."
Han Feng froze.
He never expected that he would end up becoming someone else's prey.
"You two…" Han Feng clenched his fists, suppressing his growing rage. He frowned and hesitated, then asked:
"But both of you already have Heavenly Flames—one has the Green Lotus Core Flame, and yours is that mysterious black flame, right?"
"If I'm not mistaken, it should also be a Heavenly Flame, but it doesn't match anything listed in the Heavenly Flame Ranking… Could it be… a completely new, unknown flame?"
Wei Yang nodded. "Yes. It's called the Black Sun Burning Heaven Flame—currently ranked twenty-fourth."
"Black Sun Burning Heaven Flame… so it really is a new Heavenly Flame?" Han Feng murmured to himself, his expression turning complicated.
The Heavenly Flame Ranking had reached the twenty-fourth entry already?
He was starting to feel like he'd been living under a rock.
He had spent decades chasing after a Heavenly Flame, all in vain. Even a trace was hard to come by.
Yet in just one day, he had encountered three of them.
The Fallen Heart Flame, the Green Lotus Core Flame, and the Black Sun Burning Heaven Flame.
Sadly, not a single one ended up belonging to him. On the contrary, they had cost him everything—even his life.
A deep, indescribable sorrow welled up in Han Feng's heart.
He looked at Wei Yang. "You're also an alchemist, aren't you?"
Wei Yang nodded. "I am, though only a peak Tier 6 alchemist—not as good as you. You must've already reached Tier 7, right?"
It was only after capturing Han Feng's soul that Wei Yang realized—
Han Feng's soul realm was already at the late stage of the Mortal Realm, just a step away from the Mortal Realm pinnacle.
At that moment, Wei Yang understood—
Han Feng had been hiding his true strength all along.
His actual alchemy skill was definitely Tier 7, at the very least mid-level Tier 7.
Previously, Wei Yang had assumed Han Feng just got lucky when he refined a Tier 7 Yin-Yang Mysterious Dragon Pill. But now… it seemed he had underestimated him.
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