Chapter 5: The End of Captivity

Li Wuji wasn't reserved with collecting the spoils of battle as he calmly walked over to the unconscious Wei Dong and frisked him quickly, It was a scene that could take one's breath away as the indomitable Wei Dong was being searched like a hoodlum.

'This crystal is useless to me, but it would fetch a rather good price to the right buyer.' Li Wuji quietly evaluated the belongings of Wei Dong, which were rather underwhelming considering his status.

In Li Wuji's opinion, the Warden's more valuable items were most likely still in his office, but he was in no mood to rob his fallen adversary of his prized belongings. The only thing of any real value to him was a bright piece of folded parchment that was written on by a cultivator of extreme Yang, It could be noted from the blunt and straightforward manner of writing that the one who wrote the letter was also a person of considerable authority.

'Overseer Wei Dong, I wish to inform you that a prisoner will be delivered to your branch in the coming days. I would appreciate swift preparations of a cell and an interrogation chamber for his arrival, I am well aware that a council is supposed to be held for the convicted offender before he is to be imprisoned. But I assure that this will not be necessary in this particular case As his own kin had come forward with a confession of his crimes, it is most likely that they felt guilty harboring a criminal.

I believe that the prisoner may be withholding something from us that could affect our clan's future prospects; thus, we will personally make arrangements to come to your institution next month and handle the questioning. The man is a true evildoer who is demented and constantly spouting nonsense Pay no heed to his words and keep him in a cell for as long as possible.'

The moment Li Wuji finished reading the letter, he crumbled up the paper and forced it into the mouth of Wei Dong, causing him to figit erratically, but before he could fully awaken and spit the paper out, Li Wuji punched the paper, causing it ignite into flames within the mouth of the Warden.

"What an awful ending..." A prisoner felt no joy at the demise of the Warden; instead, he was worried that Li Wuji might still be lusting for battle after his previous bout concluded too quickly.

The flames spread rapidly and had already consumed a good portion of Wei Dong's face as the blazing inferno traveled down his throat and began to roast his organs, It was evident that flames originating from Sky tier Martial art were able to destroy life at a shocking rate.

"I... Don't accept... Such a fate..." The voice of Wei Dong could barely be heard amidst the growing inferno that had engulfed his body, which had already progressed beyond control and continuously devoured his carcass. 

 Li Wuji watched the flames envelop Wei Dong's body, a cruel smile playing on his lips. He had always enjoyed a good spectacle of violence, even more so when it was aimed at those who sought to oppress and control others.

As Wei Dong's last breath left his charred body, Li Wuji made a slow, deliberate circuit around the warden's remains, studying every angle with almost clinical detachment. He had only noted the position of the fallen man's sword and the way it had been left untouched. It was a merchant-class sword and looked rather valuable.

"This is the price to pay for underestimating your opponent." He quickly snatched the sword from the ground, withdrawing the blade from its sheath before lightly shining with a cloth he pulled from his pocket. The Warden was obviously a swordsman who possessed decent strength but wasn't able to display his prowess due to Li Wuji's overwhelming strength.

The Great Earth Palm art was the martial art imparted to him by the previous Warden, who had personally altered the array surrounding the prison to cause the power of the Palm art to experience an exponential increase in power. It was no wonder Wei Dong was extremely confident in clashing with Li Wuji.

"What in the world!!!" The head of the prison guards was flabbergasted by the scene that welcomed him as he appeared in the courtyard with his men in tow, It wasn't hard to see the fear in the man's eyes as Wei Dong's body was slowly being reduced to ash.

The guards behind him had their eyes wide in fear; the discipline they usually had was shattered as they were frozen in terror at the scene. It seemed like the world had been turned on its head, with their superior, Wei Dong, now reduced to a charred and burnt shape, any semblance of his former self completely gone.

"The fall of the weak is inevitable," Li Wuji murmured under his breath as the fire finally consumed Wei Dong's remains, leaving behind only ashes and a sense of triumph. He sheathed the sword, feeling its weight in his hand and eyeing the guards as they cautiously approached.

"What happened here?" the head guard demanded, his voice filled with uncertainty and anger. "Wei Dong was the strongest among us; how could you defeat him?"

[2nd move of the Devil Flame Fist art: Abyssal Conflagration]

Li Wuji smiled, his expression cold, as he executed the second move of the Devil Flame. "What use is there in conversing, I shall let you witness the fist art that took your leader's life firsthand." 

*Boom!* *Poof!* *Boom!*

The space between Li Wuji and the group of prison guards had suddenly become a blazing inferno as bubbles of flames instantly appeared and hurled towards the prison guards. The chief of guards attempted to block the attack and paid the ultimate price as the bubbles detonated upon contact with him, killing the man instantly and vaporising his corpse in the process

"Brother Cheng is dead! What shall we do?!?!?!?" The rest of the guards were reduced to mere shells of themselves as their fighting spirit had been completely extinguished. In their final moments, the prison continued to struggle vehemently as the flames overpowered them.

 *HAHA!*

Li Wuji's laughter filled the courtyard as he watched the remaining guards stumble and fall, their bodies engulfed in flames. The power of the Devil Flame Fist art was truly immense, and Li Wuji felt invigorated by its sheer destructive might.

"Brother Li!! Help us!!" The prisoners in the courtyard were far too careless, as the flames had spread to the area they had been spectating, effectively trapping them in a sea of flames. The predicament of the prisoners didn't bother him in the slightest. As he quickly scanned the area, Li Wuji spotted a passage within the prison walls that led to the exit. 

He sprinted towards it, the flames of the Devil Flame Fist art still engulfing the courtyard. The cries of the prisoners quickly died down as they were engulfed by the flames, dissipating into nothingness once Li Wuji had passed through the exit.