Chapter 196: Advancement to Dou Wang!
Deep within the Inner Academy, in a quiet pavilion room by the window, two figures stood. Su Qian had changed into fresh robes, though his expression remained complicated.
Xiao Yuan, in contrast, was still dressed in his signature white robe, faintly exuding a peculiar fragrance—one that Su Qian knew all too well. It belonged to the seductive woman who had just chased him across the mountains.
Xiao Yuan didn't need to explain anything. Su Qian could already imagine the nature of his relationship with Queen Medusa. Even if he got every detail wrong, the end result was clear enough.
"What did the Grand Elder call me here for?"
Xiao Yuan asked with a smile.
"Hehe, just checking in on a student. How far along is your cultivation? Don't lie now. If you tell me you're still just a freshly promoted Dou Ling, despite acting under a Dou Zong's pressure, I'll make sure you suffer—connections or not!"
Su Qian turned to him, eyes scanning the unassuming youth, feigning sternness with a snort.
Xiao Yuan coughed lightly and rubbed his nose, pretending to mutter,
"Uh… I just broke through to Nine-Star Dou Ling, that's all."
"Oh, so you've reached Nine-Star Dou Ling…"
Su Qian nodded, stroking his beard with a knowing expression.
Then it hit him.
His hand jerked. A few hairs were yanked from his beard. His eyes widened dramatically.
"What?! Nine-Star WHAT?!"
"Nine-Star Dou Ling," Xiao Yuan repeated innocently.
Su Qian felt he must be getting old—his ears were playing tricks on him.
Had it really only been a few months since this boy entered the Inner Academy? And he'd already leaped from a Da Dou Shi to the peak of Dou Ling?
Just how many secrets was this kid hiding?
"Grand Elder?"
Xiao Yuan waved a hand in front of the stunned elder's eyes.
"To think your talent is this terrifying... even that one... probably couldn't compare."
Su Qian murmured vaguely.
Xiao Yuan blinked. "That one"? Who?
"What would you estimate your current combat power to be?"
Su Qian continued.
"Hmm… I did take down a Snow Demon Ape with strength comparable to a Five-Star Dou Wang… But I'm not exactly sure where I stand now,"
Xiao Yuan replied thoughtfully.
"A Five-Star Dou Wang beast? No wonder you could move under a Dou Zong's pressure… your combat ability is certainly formidable."
Su Qian nodded, falling into a contemplative silence.
Again?
Xiao Yuan tilted his head. Why did all these elders love keeping people in suspense?
After a while, Su Qian said,
"With your current state, there's no need for you to participate in the upcoming Strong Ranking Tournament. You've just broken through to Nine-Star; it's better to consolidate your strength first. Once you feel ready, come to me. We'll see if you can break through to Dou Wang."
He added with a meaningful glance,
"By the way, your brother Xiao Yan's little girlfriend—Gu Xun'er—is about to leave the Inner Academy. Her clan has already informed us they'll send someone to retrieve her. I'm sure you two know a bit about her background. Their family… let's just say… it's not something you two can contend with right now. I can't intervene directly in conflicts between juniors, but if a student from our Inner Academy gets bullied inside the Academy... that's a disgrace."
Xiao Yuan raised an eyebrow.
Was the Grand Elder hinting at something?
"You want me to break through to Dou Wang soon, so I can show our Inner Academy's pride?"
he said with a grin.
"Not just that. There's another matter. Since you possess a Heavenly Flame, I'm sure you've sensed the danger stirring within the Academy?"
Su Qian said seriously.
"You mean… the Fallen Heart Flame?"
Xiao Yuan asked, his voice turning sober.
Though he'd focused entirely on cultivation these past few weeks, he had indeed faintly sensed the chaotic fluctuations from the depths of the tower.
It was gathering strength—clearly waiting for a chance to break free!
Su Qian nodded gravely.
If Xiao Yuan had sensed nothing, it would mean his control over the Heavenly Flame wasn't solid enough—and Su Qian wouldn't have entrusted him with the responsibility.
"Indeed. To be frank, the Fallen Heart Flame's rampages are becoming more frequent. Soon, it may try to break the seal. When that happens, the Inner Academy could be annihilated!"
Su Qian's expression turned grave.
"Every extra fighter counts. If you can reach Dou Wang in time, with your Heavenly Flame mastery, you might be a key force in suppressing it. So I hope you can break through before the Strong Ranking Tournament. If you do, you'll qualify as an Inner Academy Elder—and won't need to concern yourself with student competitions anymore."
Then he looked at Xiao Yuan with expectation.
"So… about cultivation resources—?"
Xiao Yuan asked, raising a brow.
"No worries. Elder-level resources surpass what students receive. And if you can handle it, I'll even allow you to train on the final floor."
Su Qian said generously.
"Then I've got no objections. Grand Elder, rest assured—Xiao Yuan won't disappoint you."
Xiao Yuan replied with confidence.
Seeing his confidence, Su Qian smiled in satisfaction.
Xiao Yan's potential as a Five-Tier Alchemist was impressive, but when it came to raw combat, the Academy needed someone like Xiao Yuan for a crisis.
Then, after setting up a soundproof barrier, Su Qian asked in a low voice,
"How's your progress with the cultivation techniques and battle skills the Headmaster passed to you?"
Xiao Yuan raised an eyebrow at the double-layered security—but said nothing.
"It's going well. I've even used the Headmaster's Earth-Tier Dou Technique to kill that Five-Star Snow Demon Ape."
he replied honestly.
"Excellent."
Su Qian nodded, visibly pleased.
To master an Earth-Tier technique while advancing in Dou Qi so rapidly spoke volumes about Xiao Yuan's talent and dedication. Such people rarely failed to achieve greatness.
And let's not forget—he was apparently so attractive he'd drawn a Dou Zong woman to come after him. Su Qian had never seen anything so absurd.
"Alright, go on then. With your cultivation speed, you don't need any guidance. If you need help, come find me. I'll support you however I can."
"Then I'll take my leave."
Xiao Yuan clasped his hands and exited.
Back at the Lionheart Pavilion, Xiao Yu was practicing Dou Techniques in the courtyard.
Her talent wasn't monstrous like Xiao Yuan's, so while she had advanced to Five-Star Da Dou Shi, she struggled to get the hang of her matching Earth-Tier technique, Bìshuǐ Níngbō.
Seeing her train, Xiao Yuan instinctively approached—but then alarm bells rang in his head.
Survival instinct engaged. He activated Thunder Flash and instantly disappeared before she could notice him.
Xiao Yu turned around, feeling someone had been watching—but found no one.
…A hallucination?
She shook her head and resumed training.
Back in his room, Xiao Yuan washed away the lingering scent of "someone else," changed his clothes, and made sure there was no trace of Medusa left. Then he stepped out—
And ran into Xun'er, who had just returned. She was staring at the ground, distracted, and didn't even notice him.
One look, and Xiao Yuan understood why.
He walked over and asked gently,
"Xun'er, why do you look so down?"
"Ah?"
Xun'er blinked, startled from her daze. She looked up at Xiao Yuan, hesitated, and then shook her head, flustered.
"It's nothing… I'm fine."
She tried to walk past him.
But then she stopped.
Still facing away, her voice was soft, almost regretful.
"Brother Xiao Yuan… can we talk?"
"Of course,"
he replied without hesitation.
Relieved, Xun'er led him to a private meeting room in the pavilion.
"Brother Xiao Yuan… I might be leaving soon."
she said, her voice tinged with helplessness.
"Leaving? Where to?"
Xiao Yuan asked, feigning surprise. He couldn't exactly say he already knew she was from one of the Eight Ancient Clans.
"It seems Brother Xiao Yuan had already guessed it, right? I've been away from the clan for years now. I've delayed my return several times, but this time… it truly can't be postponed any longer. It's just—I don't know how to break this to Brother Xiao Yan. I'm worried he won't be able to handle it. Our clan is far too vast and powerful… I can't tell you everything just yet, and honestly, I don't know what to do."
Xun'er could tell that Xiao Yuan wasn't surprised by her confession, so she smiled wryly.
"Still, Brother Xiao Yan listens to you the most. You must've already figured out what I'm trying to say, haven't you, Brother Xiao Yuan?"
"Don't worry. As long as I'm around, Xiao Yan will be fine. Besides, you should have more faith in that kid. He's not someone who breaks down over a single blow."
Xiao Yuan nodded with a warm smile, reassuring her.
"As expected of Brother Xiao Yuan… you always see further than the rest. Now that I've said this out loud, I feel much better. I'll leave Brother Xiao Yan in your hands."
Xun'er stood up and bowed slightly to Xiao Yuan to show her gratitude.
"You silly girl, no need to be so formal with me. But I do hope that next time we meet, I'll hear you call me 'Third Brother'. As for the forces behind you—no matter how powerful, I will never fear them. Trust me, there may be obstacles ahead for you and Xiao Yan, but the end will be beautiful. As for the ones standing in your way… as his big brother, I'll deal with them myself."
Xiao Yuan waved it off casually, grinning.
"Then… thank you, Third Brother!"
Xun'er beamed, her radiant smile returning.
"Alright, enough with the long face. If you keep this up, Xiao Yan will see something's wrong before you even tell him."
Xiao Yuan chuckled.
"Okay!"
Xun'er nodded sweetly, then winked playfully and waved.
"See you later, Brother Xiao Yuan!"
With that, she skipped out of the room.
"Tsk. Thank goodness she ended up in the Xiao clan. If I'd turned out to be her actual brother, that would've been a nightmare,"
Xiao Yuan muttered with an odd expression as he sensed her leaving.
"Ah! I forgot about Sister Xiao Yu!"
Snapping back to his senses, he slapped his forehead with a groan. In the blink of an eye, a flash of blue lightning surged, and he vanished from the room.
For the next month, Xiao Yuan split his time evenly between helping Xiao Yu practice her Dou Techniques, training his own techniques, and improving his alchemy skills.
Time in cultivation passed swiftly, and in no time, the month had flown by. Xiao Yuan had completed his objectives for this phase—his Dou Qi was solidified, and he was fully prepared to advance!
After notifying Grand Elder Su Qian in advance, Xiao Yuan entered the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower that night once it had closed.
Inside the tower, Su Qian wasted no time. He grabbed Xiao Yuan by the shoulder, and with a flash of Dou Qi, they disappeared from sight.
What surprised Xiao Yuan was that Su Qian didn't take him down the usual stairwell. Instead, he brought him directly into the sealed central core of the tower.
Though it was a massive deep pit, spiral pathways surrounded its edge. They stayed close to the outer perimeter, far from the pit's center. Yet even from this distance, Xiao Yuan could feel an intense heat.
His Yin-Yang Flames stirred actively in response.
"We're here."
As a Dou Zong, Su Qian moved incredibly fast. Before Xiao Yuan could fully register what he'd seen, they'd already arrived.
Blinding light filled the previously dim space. Xiao Yuan reflexively shielded his eyes with his Heavenly Flame and took in his surroundings.
It was a vast, empty tower chamber—larger than any floor above, with very few training chambers. The openness gave a sense of scale.
Soon, Xiao Yuan's gaze landed on a massive opening in the center of the floor, dozens of meters wide. Looking up, he saw a similarly huge hole at the top, perfectly aligned. Clearly, every level of the tower was linked this way.
Su Qian waved his hand, and two figures flashed into view—elders of the Inner Academy, though Xiao Yuan didn't recognize them.
"Sit,"
Su Qian gestured to a special jade platform nearby. It radiated a soft green glow.
Xiao Yuan sat down and immediately felt a soothing coolness envelop him, insulating him from the external heat.
Su Qian whispered to the elders, who then walked toward the central pit. They formed seals with their hands and chanted softly.
With a hum, a hazy ripple of energy formed around the deep pit—an invisible but incredibly solid seal.
"So they've gone to great lengths to contain the Fallen Heart Flame…"
Xiao Yuan thought.
A palm-sized glowing sphere slowly emerged from the pit, suspended in mid-air. Xiao Yuan's eyes lit up in anticipation.
Seeing this, Su Qian smiled faintly. With a wave of his sleeve, the glowing sphere turned transparent, revealing an invisible flame.
"This is the Core Heart Flame,"
Su Qian explained.
"It's extremely rare. We can only collect three to four a year, depending on luck. It's useless to anyone above the Dou Wang level, but for those beneath, it can help temper their bodies and pave the way for advancement. However, the pain is intense and carries some risk."
But Xiao Yuan showed no hesitation—only eagerness.
Su Qian grinned.
"I knew that wouldn't scare you. Alright, focus your mind. Use this chance to advance to Dou Wang!"
With that, the flame was released and fell straight into Xiao Yuan's head.
As soon as it entered, Xiao Yuan began to tremble. His face flushed red like a furnace, and steam began seeping from his forehead.
"Grand Elder… will he really succeed?"
the two elders whispered, watching Xiao Yuan's young face twisted in pain.
"Though this won't directly push him to Dou Wang, if he endures, he'll lay the foundation for the breakthrough. With his talent, once he gets through this, rising to Dou Wang will be no trouble at all."
Su Qian replied confidently.
Pain. Bone-deep agony.
Even refining the Earth Core Body Milk hadn't hurt like this!
The flame burned from within. Invisible and relentless, it surged through his bones, blood, and meridians. Even his Dou Qi felt like it was boiling.
Every moment dragged like a lifetime. Xiao Yuan nearly wished he could just pass out—but instead, his senses grew sharper, amplifying the torture.
Still, he endured.
Gradually, he began to notice subtle changes:
His Dou Qi became more refined, his bones and muscles tempered like steel, and his Qi palaces compressed their energy further—laying the groundwork for his advance.
For three days, he endured the Core Heart Flame's torment.
But by the end, the redness in his face faded. A refined, concentrated aura emerged from within him. Though the outward change was small, Xiao Yuan knew: he was just one step away from Dou Wang.
Swish!
He opened his eyes. A sharp gleam shot out, startling the two elders.
For a moment, they even felt:
"If he attacked us now… we might not be able to stop him."
But before they could speak, Xiao Yuan pulled out a pill refined by Xiao Yan over the past month.
He swallowed it whole.
Boom!
The Ice Spirit Pill—made from the Snow Demon Ape's Tier 5 ice-type magic core and specially blended herbs—unleashed a freezing storm in his body!
Unfazed, Xiao Yuan summoned his Yin-Yang Flames and began refining it. The energy condensed into icy droplets, fed into his Water Qi Palace.
Ice crystals formed on his skin, freezing him into a sculpture.
The two elders watched, stunned.
"Is he really planning to break through now?"
Inside the ice, Xiao Yuan continued refining, converting energy into pure water-elemental force and strengthening his Qi Palace.
The icy glow spread from his kidneys through his body. A soothing, spring-like warmth flowed through him.
And with it—his aura began to rise steadily.
Time passed unnoticed.
Inside the crystal shell, the young man walked steadily toward the realm of true power.
(END CHAPTER)
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