Hongshan Ridge was a stretch of barren mountains on the border between Jinling and Zhongshan.
It was quite famous locally.
Its harsh terrain, inhospitable mountains and treacherous waters, and packs of demonic beasts made it a place fraught with danger at every turn-a veritable realm of death that ordinary martial artists dared not enter lightly.
This time, however, large numbers of martial artists poured into it.
Men died for wealth, just as birds died for food.
That truth had remained unchanged since ancient times.
The allure of an Abnormal Fire was simply too great. This was before the news had even spread widely; otherwise, if the major powers in the nearby commanderies all heard about it, the number of martial artists flooding into Hongshan Ridge would probably multiply several times over.
At present, the two strongest parties were undoubtedly those of the Jinling Wei Clan and the Zhongshan Sun Clan.
The Jinling Wei Clan had dispatched one Martial King, three Martial Spirits, twenty Great Martial Masters, and over a hundred elite Martial Masters. Such a lavish lineup could sweep aside the vast majority of second- and third-rate powers.
The force dispatched by the Zhongshan Sun Clan was no weaker. Likewise led by a Martial King, over a hundred people had set out together in an imposing procession.
The dangers of Hongshan Ridge could stop ordinary martial artists, but they could not impede these two parties in the slightest. Every demonic beast blocking their path, whether alone or in packs, was crushed beneath their advance.
At dusk, the two parties entered the depths of Hongshan Ridge at the same time.
Just then, the Zhongshan Sun Clan's party suddenly stopped, and their leader, Clan Head Sun Zhenshan, brought some men over toward them.
Everyone from the Wei Clan immediately tensed, watching them with hostile expressions.
Relations between the Wei Clan and the Sun Clan had always been poor; one could even say their enmity ran deep. In recent years especially, business dealings had sparked frequent clashes, with deaths and injuries on both sides. Their conflicts had already accumulated to a considerable degree.
"Wei Tianyang, your Wei Clan is interested in the Abnormal Fire too?"
Sun Zhenshan stepped forward and called over to them.
"Sun Zhenshan, isn't that a stupid question? Would we have come all this way if we weren't interested? If you have something to say, say it. Otherwise, get lost."
Wei Tianyang snorted coldly and spoke without the slightest courtesy.
Sun Zhenshan's expression chilled at those words, but he suppressed his anger and said, "The extraordinary flame that appeared this time is very important to our Sun Clan. If your Wei Clan is willing to withdraw from the competition, we can consider accepting any reasonable terms. What do you say?"
"Looks like they're determined to get that Abnormal Fire."
Standing beside him, Wei Yi spoke quietly, his cold gaze fixed on Sun Wenzong and Sun Wenyuan in the Sun Clan's party.
Wei Tianyang nodded, a hint of amusement curling his lips. He had noticed it too: this Abnormal Fire was very important to the Sun Clan. Otherwise, Sun Zhenshan would not have come over of his own accord to speak so meekly. He simply did not know the reason.
But the reason did not matter.
Knowing that the Abnormal Fire was very important to the Sun Clan was enough.
"Sure, we can withdraw. Bring out your Sun Clan's cornerstone cultivation technique for me to take a look at, and throw in a hundred thousand taels of gold as compensation. I'll take my men and leave immediately."
Hearing the terms his father laid out, Wei Yi could not help laughing.
Everyone else from the Wei Clan burst into laughter as well.
A hundred thousand taels of gold amounted to a million taels of silver. However wealthy the Sun Clan was, they could not possibly hand that much silver over to the Wei Clan.
As for their cornerstone cultivation technique, that was even more impossible to hand over. Otherwise, what would Sun Zhenshan have left to contend with Wei Tianyang?
Sun Zhenshan's face instantly darkened.
"So cooperation is out of the question?"
Sun Zhenshan asked coldly.
"If you want a fight, we'll oblige!"
The Wei Clan's grand elder snorted coldly and spoke bluntly.
"Fine, fine, fine!"
Sun Zhenshan stared hard at everyone from the Wei Clan, his eyes thick with killing intent. Then he waved his right hand and said outright, "We're leaving."
Everyone from the Sun Clan immediately rushed deeper into Hongshan Ridge.
"Father, let's hurry and follow them."
Wei Yi immediately reminded him.
"Yes, exactly. Since they attach so much importance to the Abnormal Fire, they must have made preparations. Let's follow them!"
Wei Tianyang's eyes lit up. He gave Wei Yi an approving look, then immediately led everyone after them.
Only a few dozen meters separated the two parties, and their strength was roughly equal. However hard the Sun Clan's people ran, they could not shake off the Wei Clan's party. For a time, everyone from the Sun Clan was furious, and Sun Zhenshan's expression was especially ugly.
"Big Brother, what do we do?" Following behind Sun Wenzong, Sun Wenyuan could not help asking.
"What do we do about what?" Sun Wenzong glanced at him and asked impatiently.
"Wei Yi. I feel like that Wei Yi has gotten stronger again." Terror showed in Sun Wenyuan's eyes. These days, even his nightmares at night featured Wei Yi, which showed just how afraid of him he was.
"Hmph. Last time, I intended to get rid of him when he returned to the academy, but I never expected him to hide in his Lineage and refuse to come out. Still, it doesn't matter. Now that we've run into him, we certainly won't let him escape again. I'll speak to Father in a bit. This Hongshan Ridge will be that brat's burial ground!" A vicious gleam appeared in Sun Wenzong's eyes as he spoke coldly.
Meanwhile, in the Wei Clan's party.
"Do you have a grudge against those two Sun Clan boys?" Wei Tianyang suddenly asked.
"How did you know, Father?" Surprise appeared in Wei Yi's eyes.
"Heh, who do you think your father is? Did you think I was only watching that old bastard Sun Zhenshan? I saw those two brothers staring fixedly at you with obvious hatred on their faces, so I knew there had to be bad blood between you," Wei Tianyang explained with a smile.
"Here's what happened."
Wei Yi hid nothing and gave a brief account of his feud with the Sun brothers, including the ambush intended to kill him on his way back to his Lineage.
"Uncle Wu told me about that. I even sent people to investigate the Blackwater Bandits, but who knows where those dogs have hidden themselves this time. From what you're saying, those two brothers were behind it?" Wei Tianyang asked.
"Most likely. Although I've had disputes with some people at the academy, those two brothers are probably the only ones with both the motive and the ability to incite that many people to come after me."
"When the fighting starts, I'll deal with them for you first."
Killing intent surfaced in Wei Tianyang's eyes. He was no softhearted man. Anyone who dared plot to ambush and kill his son would, under normal circumstances, certainly be dragged back by him to be slowly tortured with burning irons.
"They'll probably have Sun Zhenshan make a move too. Father, just hold that old bastard off for me."
"As for Sun Wenzong and Sun Wenyuan, killing them will be like slaughtering chickens and dogs!"
Wei Yi stared at the Sun Clan's party ahead with a cold smile, his eyes likewise brimming with killing intent.
He had originally planned to act after returning to the academy. Now that he had run into them, he naturally would not let them off.
"All right. Be careful when the time comes."
Wei Tianyang smiled and nodded, his eyes full of gratification.
Just then, everyone turned into a valley.
They suddenly felt the surrounding temperature rise sharply.
In the distance, halfway up the mountainside, a bright crimson flame hovered silently, suddenly coming into everyone's view.
An Abnormal Fire!
Everyone knew what this suddenly appearing crimson flame was.
For a moment, everyone's breathing quickened uncontrollably.