They had spent their whole lives cultivating their Authorities, yet before that tiny Flame of Continued Combustion, they vanished without so much as a sound.
The instant the flame flared again, only one thought remained in their minds: Run!
But where could they run?
If the flame grew even a little stronger, it might burn through the entire corridor and the surrounding cosmos with it.
One man failed to pull back in time. A stray lick of flame caught his arm, and he screamed. The limb turned translucent from the inside out, like a piece of red-hot glass on the verge of melting.
The Authority Holders panicked and bolted in whatever direction they could find.
But no matter where they fled, the Flame of Continued Combustion followed close around them, rapidly burning away everything they possessed.
Only when the scenery around them changed abruptly did Shen Yi realize he had reached the border of the Hidden Light Hall.
He and the others now stood in an open space among the Seven Halls. In every direction stood a hall whose rules ran as deep as an abyss.
Yet Shen Yi had not withdrawn his power.
On the contrary, three people had already vanished completely into his flames.
"Stop."
After a long moment, a sigh sounded from the far end of those rules.
The next instant, a figure in dark robes stood there, though no one had seen her arrive.
It was Byron.
She surveyed the devastation, then glanced at the flame still burning in Shen Yi's palm. Her brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.
"Attacking a guest in the Holy Land—is that what your Hall Master taught you to do?"
The commander climbed to his feet, clutching his unresponsive arm, his face livid.
"Hall Master Byron, this is a matter for the Cangwu