At the very bottom of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower lay a massive cavernous opening, sealed tightly by a brilliantly colored energy barrier.
This barrier was extraordinarily powerful, designed specifically for suppression. At critical moments, any Inner Academy elder could activate it. Its sole purpose was to prevent the Fallen Heart Flame from running wild.
At this very moment, deep within the cavern, an enormous invisible fire python—dozens of meters long—was slamming violently against the barrier.
Cracks were beginning to spread across the multicolored shield.
"What's the situation?" Great Elder Su Qian had sensed the disturbance within the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower and rushed to the tower's base immediately.
"Great Elder, the Fallen Heart Flame seems determined to break the seal this time," one of the elders reinforcing the barrier replied grimly.
Normally, when the Fallen Heart Flame realized it couldn't break through, it would lose patience and retreat to the magma world below, calming down for a period of time.
But this time…
It had been attacking relentlessly for far too long. Several elders responsible for maintaining the seal were already running dangerously low on Dou Qi.
"Everyone, reinforce the seal with me!"
Su Qian's expression darkened, though he did not panic. His hands formed rapid seals as he shouted, "Seal!"
As his voice fell, the surrounding elders formed hand signs in unison.
Within the depths of the cavern, another layer of radiant energy barrier condensed into existence.
The formation of the new shield allowed the elders to breathe a sigh of relief.
But before their relief could settle—
The invisible giant python surged upward again, this time dragging with it an enormous torrent of blood-red magma. It erupted from the depths with overwhelming force, like a tidal wave crashing into a cliff, and slammed viciously into the barrier.
"Not good! The Fallen Heart Flame is using its core heart-flame energy—it's going all out! Hold the line!" Su Qian's face changed drastically as he shouted.
Boom!
The first, already-damaged layer of the barrier exploded instantly.
The second layer began to fracture, spiderweb cracks spreading rapidly across its surface.
Boom!
Another ferocious impact.
The second layer held on only for a brief moment before shattering completely.
With the barrier destroyed, the Fallen Heart Flame was finally freed from its restraints. A colossal column of crimson magma, dozens of meters wide, erupted skyward from the cavern. It surged along the tower's inner energy walls and, under the horrified gazes of Su Qian and the other elders, smashed heavily into the ceiling of the tower.
The sudden turn of events left even Su Qian rattled.
"Quick! Form the Thousand-Layer Seal! Notify Elder Xiao Yixian and Hu Qian immediately!"
—
Black-Corner Region.
Maple City.
In a bamboo forest at the heart of the city stood a quiet bamboo house.
Inside, a handsome middle-aged man stood by the window, eyes closed.
He tapped a silver scroll lightly against his forehead, as if deep in thought.
"This feeling…"
His brows knitted tightly as countless fragments of information flashed through his mind. His thin, slightly sinister lips pressed together, giving him an air of cold sharpness.
After a long moment, his eyes snapped open. A glint like lightning flickered within them.
"It's a Heavenly Flame."
His previously calm heart stirred violently.
He narrowed his eyes, then slowly closed them again. His palm suddenly extended outward.
A deep blue flame, clear and translucent like lake water, emerged from within his body and enveloped him completely.
In an instant, the temperature within the room rose sharply.
The blue flame then retracted back into his body.
"Han Beng!"
The man's voice was calm but carried authority.
The moment his voice fell, a shadow flickered into the room like a ghostly apparition. A figure appeared and knelt on one knee.
"What are your orders, Master?"
"Take these tokens," the middle-aged man said, tossing several strange-looking command medallions from his storage ring. "Invite the Earth Flame Sect, the Eight Gates, the Blood Sect, and the Gold and Silver Elders. Tell them that if I achieve my goal, what they desire will not be a problem."
"Yes."
Han Beng did not hesitate. He bowed respectfully before vanishing back into the darkness.
Watching the space where Han Beng disappeared, the man slowly clenched his right hand.
A faint smile curved at his lips.
"A Heavenly Flame… Heh. To think it was hidden within Jia Nan Academy. I've searched for it for many years."
This man—
Was Han Feng.
—
Back at the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower—
Spurt!
Under another ferocious impact from the Fallen Heart Flame, several elders exhausted their Dou Qi reserves and spat out blood. Struggling to maintain flight with their Dou Qi wings, they retreated from the tower's range.
With several elders withdrawing, the remaining elders felt the pressure increase drastically.
In just a few short hours, of the eighteen Inner Academy elders, thirteen had already stepped down.
Only five remained, struggling to endure.
"Damn it!" Su Qian stared at the increasingly unstable tower ceiling, his expression growing uglier by the second. "What is wrong with the Fallen Heart Flame? Why is it burning its own origin energy just to break the seal?"
This was the final barrier.
If the tower ceiling shattered and the Fallen Heart Flame burst free—
Within moments, the entire Inner Academy would likely be swallowed by magma.
Hidden within the Vast Sea Universe Barrier, the Little Fairy Doctor watched as elder after elder retreated, blood staining their robes.
Even she couldn't help but feel astonished.
So many elders attacking together—even including a Dou Zong among them—and yet they were being battered so miserably.
A natural wonder like the Fallen Heart Flame truly deserved its fearsome reputation.
"It looks like they won't last much longer," she said softly, turning to Xiao Se beside her. "When do we move?"
Xiao Se glanced toward the eastern horizon, eyes narrowing slightly.
"It's about time," he replied in a low voice. "A large number of auras are approaching from the east. The Outer Academy's experts must be coming to reinforce. If we delay further, the Great Elder might grow suspicious."
The Little Fairy Doctor nodded.
Her figure flashed out from the Vast Sea Barrier and streaked toward the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
Behind her, Xiao Se spread his Evil God Wings. With a powerful flap, he shot forward in pursuit.
"Great Elder, forgive us," Xiao Se's voice rang out, amplified by Dou Qi so that it echoed clearly in the ears of Su Qian and the other Inner Academy elders. "I was in a critical stage of breakthrough, and Elder Xiao Yixian was protecting me. That is why we arrived late."
"It's Elder Xiao Yixian! And Xiao Se—he's already broken through to Dou Wang!"
Seeing the two arrive at such a critical moment, the elders were shocked—but relief quickly followed.
With a Dou Zong-level expert like the Little Fairy Doctor and Xiao Se—who also possessed a Heavenly Flame—joining the battle, the Fallen Heart Flame would no longer be able to stir up much trouble.
"Ha ha! Elder Su, we're here as well!"
As if fortune favored them twice over, Hu Qian and the other Outer Academy experts soon arrived.
With the combined efforts of two Dou Zongs, several Dou Huangs, and dozens of Dou Wangs, the Fallen Heart Flame gradually began to calm.
While Su Qian and the Inner Academy elders breathed sighs of relief at the arrival of reinforcements—
Beyond the mountain ranges surrounding Jia Nan Academy, in Maple City—
Powerful figures of great influence within the Black-Corner Region were gathering one after another.
Earth Flame Sect.
Eight Gates.
Blood Sect.
The Gold and Silver Elders.
Han Feng had moved.
And all of it—
Was unfolding precisely according to Xiao Se's plan.
(End of Chapter)
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