Three days.

That was how long I stayed at the entrance to both tunnels and poured my flames down both of them without a single break.

But this was not a problem in the slightest. I could go on for longer if needed.

Thankfully it wasn't.

Once the evacuation was complete, which only meant that all humans were now at minimum in the tunnel and being led to safety, all of the Infernals with the exception of those leading the humans away came rushing to my side.

"Vorrash."

Once again, the world turned grey as the Eternal Flame descended through me and, using my intent as a guide, ants that came pushing down the tunnels began to unwillingly transform into a state of ash and then nothingness.

Barely a few moments later the world regained its color. And once it came back, so too went a large sum of energy. I wasn't feeling overly weak just yet, but there was a reason why being a flamethrower for three days was far more efficient than just using the V word.

"I've changed my mind. We will not be retreating from this stronghold anytime soon. There is a nice little mud city here for us. Gather supplies and make any necessary changes to ensure the mud city is comfortable. Split the entire group in two with the exception of the Black Dawn.

"One group is responsible for making the mud city better, while the other group should rest. Do it in two day rotations. If only one rotation is needed for the betterment of the mud city, then both groups should focus on cultivation for some time.

"Do not worry about ants for now, oh, and the betterment of the mud city is solely up to you all. If you all feel it is fine as is, then so be it. Black Dawn remain here, everyone else is dismissed, Lirian and Frian handle the rest."

"Yes, Patriarch!" shouts resounded before everyone left to see to their tasks.

I know my sense of time is a bit warped now, and perhaps the Infernals themselves don't really care about a 'measly' 10 years, but I can't just get rid of how I understood things for the majority of my life up to this point. They needed rest, time to collect themselves, and to cultivate.

I'm sure they were already doing something similar since not every single member of the clan was down here, but I highly doubt the entire group got to rest like this since the battle with the ants picked up steam.

Shouldering this much for them is my duty as their Patriarch. Or at least that's how I feel, which is good enough for me.

Anyway…the Black Dawn.

Apologizing, openly offering concessions, or anything that even remotely relates to any of those things will not have the type of effect I want on them. In fact, it would be even worse. Even trying to tell them they did a good job would feel empty despite the fact that I meant it.

Normally something like this wouldn't bother me too much since the feelings of others have never really been the type of thing that made me think deeply, but for those that I care about, things changed. And I care deeply about the members of my clan.

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So, something had to be done, and I had just the thing.

"Commander of the Black Dawn, step forward."

She was already standing in front of the neatly organized group of Infernals who didn't need to be told to get into proper ranks, so she only needed to take a few steps before she stood directly before me.

I'm sure this was the perfect moment to give some sort of motivational speech and say some cliché killer lines, but that simply wasn't what I felt like doing. The fact I was doing what I was about to do in front of the Black Dawn and the other Infernals around us was enough of a ceremony and motivation.

"Sit with your back facing me."

She did as she was told without a second of hesitation, and then I took a seat behind her and calmly placed my hands on her back.

"This might be painful. Bear with it."

"Yes Patriarch."

I then looked up to the members of the Black Dawn.

"Guard us."

Without needing any more input, they spread out around us in a circle with most of them concentrated behind me where the branching tunnels were located. I would take over the guarding of the tunnels once this was completed and I was back to full strength, but during the process it would be more than just bad if I was disturbed or, worse, forced to stop before it was completed.

Though despite them having to do that, I know for a fact all their attention would mostly be concentrated on what was happening here. Even the ones over the mud city were paying far more attention to Izanshi instead of to their tasks.

They all probably had some idea as to what was going on, but until it actually happened, none of them would ever be sure.

Well, I should probably begin then.

Closing my eyes, I focused on the Eternal Flame and began the process exactly like when I did it for Lirian and Frian. Even now it was far more instinctive than it was actively choosing to do what it was that I was doing.

I honestly don't think I can even remotely explain the feelings I felt during the process. Even as my skin cracked all over and pain took hold of my body in full, blood began to pool all around me as a significant sum of time passed before the tendril I needed finally formed.

I suppose this is likely why it is recommended to bestow the flame before Core Formation. Izanshi here was someone well into the Nascent Soul Realm, and I could tell that although her body was very receptive to Infernal Qi since she used it, accepting the Eternal Flame was another matter altogether.

And it had everything to do with her cultivation.

The higher people climbed along the path of cultivation, the less your physical improvements mattered over the ones involving mental or soul improvement. The sense of self, for example, was something that was a requirement for me to reach the peak of Core Formation.

The next stage was Nascent Soul, and as it says in the name, it involves the soul. Something that exists in name, but no human had ever laid eyes on the soul. We just knew it was there. Or at least thought we knew it was there.

The Nascent Soul Realm is literally about making said soul a reality in a sense, and to do so, it was necessary to imprint who you were and everything that made you you onto your core and nourish it until it grew into your soul.

Long story short, by the time someone reached the Nascent Soul Realm, their sense of who they are, who they were, and what they will be is extremely firm, meaning it is not a simple matter to introduce new concepts into the picture.

If Lirian and Frian were canvases that only contained a rough sketch waiting to be refined, then Izanshi was a piece of finished artwork hanging in a museum.

But…I persisted.

Minutes eventually gave way to hours and then to days before the task was finished.

Both of us were sweating and exhausted from the ordeal. In fact, I was so locked in to making sure she received the Eternal Flame that I hadn't even noticed the fact that the ants returned and the members of the Black Dawn were actively protecting us and guarding the entrances.

Now although I still had a bit of strength after completing the bestowal, my body was now extremely weak. Which wasn't all that surprising since I've used the V word twice now.

So despite my best efforts to win this round, my fateful rival, unconsciousness, has come to claim me once again. Dammit.

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