Afterward, Lin Yuan and Su Qian chatted for a while, exchanging information and catching up on the major events that had occurred during Lin Yuan's seclusion.
During the nearly four months he had been in seclusion, quite a few things had indeed happened.
Among them, there were three matters that particularly caught his attention.
First, the Dou Ancestor-level force, the Black Emperor Sect, had been destroyed by a woman some time ago.
Second, Su Qian had received word that members of the Ancient Clan would be visiting Jia Nan Academy soon.
Third, Yao Lao had proposed a trade for the Fallen Heart Flame, but Su Qian had rejected it.
Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan chuckled softly and gently touched the area of his Qi Sea. The Fallen Heart Flame was currently inside it, helping him refine his Dou Qi.
"These two master and disciple really are persistent when it comes to Heavenly Flames!"
He walked over to the Gathering Flame Pot and greeted the five Elders who were currently pouring their Dou Qi into it. He then smiled lightly.
"Speaking of the Fallen Heart Flame and the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, there's still something I can do on my end. This wisp of seed flame can be strengthened a little further."
With that, Lin Yuan's mind moved. He separated a small amount of the Fallen Heart Flame's origin from his main body and slowly injected it into the seed flame inside the pot.
As Lin Yuan did so, the power of the seed flame became considerably stronger, while the Heart Flame produced after receiving the fire-attributed Dou Qi suddenly became several degrees hotter.
"Lin Yuan, you..."
"Elder Su, there's no need to worry. I merely took a little of the Fallen Heart Flame's origin to nourish the seed flame."
Lin Yuan waved his hand confidently.
"Just like a person's origin Dou Qi, as long as a Heavenly Flame only loses a small amount of its origin, it will recover after some time."
"While I'm staying at the academy, I'll continue doing this to accelerate the growth of the Seed flame and further enhance its ability to transform Dou Qi into Heart Flame."
"Only after its effectiveness improves can Jia Nan Academy, as an academy, gain greater room for development."
Upon hearing this, Su Qian looked at Lin Yuan with some surprise.
"I didn't expect you to see things at this level despite your young age. Choosing you as the next First Elder really was the right decision."
At present, the very thing restricting Jia Nan Academy from continuing to expand was the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower itself.
The core of Jia Nan Academy, the Inner Academy, was built around the concept of "Fire Energy." The Heart Flame produced by the Fallen Heart Flame was the foundation of the entire Fire Energy system.
Thanks to this system, the operation of the Inner Academy could practically be considered a business that required no capital.
The Fallen Heart Flame was like a machine that never stopped, continuously providing Heart Flame capable of tempering Dou Qi. The academy then converted it into "Fire Energy," the universal currency of the Inner Academy.
The numerous students exchanged cultivation techniques, medicinal materials, Dou Techniques, and other resources for Fire Energy.
As long as the Fallen Heart Flame existed, operating the Inner Academy not only consumed almost no resources, but the academy could instead use Fire Energy to exchange for the various resources collected by its students, thereby continuously strengthening its foundation.
Nurturing the Fallen Heart Flame was precisely one of the reasons Jia Nan Academy was so wealthy.
However, for the same reason, the amount of Fire Energy the Fallen Heart Flame could produce also limited the number of students the Inner Academy could accommodate, thereby restricting the academy's upper limit of development.
Previously, the relationship between the Fallen Heart Flame and Jia Nan Academy had been far too hostile, making it impossible to fully utilize it.
But the situation had now changed.
After the core of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower had changed from the Fallen Heart Flame's main body to its seed flame, its role had transformed from an uncontrollable resource pool into a controllable conversion apparatus that converted the Dou Qi of the fire-attributed Elders into Fire Energy.
Although human effort was now required to provide the Dou Qi, the production and circulation of Fire Energy had become completely controllable.
Which of the two methods was superior would still depend on how things developed in the future.
However, one thing was certain: strengthening the seed flame's ability to produce Heart Flame would increase the upper limit of students the Inner Academy could support and enhance the academy's potential for future development.
Strengthening the seed flame was also something Lin Yuan could do to fulfill his responsibilities and contribute his efforts as the future First Elder.
After a while, sensing the instinctive resistance from the Fallen Heart Flame's main body within him, Lin Yuan withdrew his hand and ended the first round of strengthening the seed flame.
"For now, this should be enough. Once the Fallen Heart Flame's origin recovers, I'll carry out another round."
Looking at the seed flame, which had become at least twenty percent stronger, a smile appeared on Su Qian's face.
"Little Lin, thank you for your efforts."
"It's nothing. Besides, it's something I should do."
Lin Yuan casually waved his hand before suddenly becoming serious.
"By the way, since Elder Su happens to be here, I'll give you the puppet we discussed earlier as well."
As he spoke, he lightly waved his sleeve.
A bronze-colored puppet appeared beside him.
After removing the soul imprint he had placed upon it, Lin Yuan transferred control of the puppet to Su Qian.
Afterward, he left the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
As he walked out of the tower, gentle sunlight poured down upon him.
After spending a full four months at the bottom of the tower, Lin Yuan could not help but relax.
He covered his face with one hand and looked at the azure sky through the gaps between his fingers. A relaxed and leisurely feeling filled his heart.
He lazily stretched before clasping his hands behind his head and leisurely making his way toward his small courtyard.
At this moment, two figures suddenly rushed past him in a great hurry.
"Old Xu, hurry up! Otherwise, we're going to miss Fairy Mu's pharmacology class. That's a lecture taught by a Dou Ancestor-level expert. We absolutely can't miss it!"
"Hehe! Little Guo, are you really going there to attend the class? You're obviously just lusting after her! Wake up! She'd never be interested in you."
"You're so high and mighty! If you've got the guts, then don't go!"
"Hehe, why wouldn't I? Getting to see Fairy Mu, one of the three most beautiful women in the Inner Academy, give a lecture is practically an eye treatment in itself."
The two joked around as they ran toward a nearby square.
Hearing their conversation, Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, a playful expression appearing on his face.
"Fairy Mu is that the pharmacology class Elder Su mentioned, taught by Xiao Yixian? When it comes to dealing with people, Elder Su really is far more capable than me."
"Inviting Xiao Yixian to teach at the academy, that's quite an interesting idea."
During Lin Yuan's seclusion, perhaps because he wanted to help Xiao Yixian integrate into the academy, or perhaps because he wanted to win her over, Su Qian had invited Xiao Yixian to become an honorary Elder of Jia Nan Academy.
Considering Lin Yuan's relationship with Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yixian naturally accepted without hesitation.
Afterward, she opened a course within the academy and occasionally taught the Inner Academy students about medicine and poison.
Her powerful strength, extraordinary beauty, and profound knowledge quickly earned her immense popularity within the Inner Academy.
She was especially respected among the female students, and many students and Elders had begun respectfully addressing her as Fairy Mu.
Naturally, Lin Yuan was happy for her.
Although his feelings toward the women around him were not entirely pure, with an element of personal benefit mixed into them, he sincerely hoped that they could be happy.
Xiao Yixian had suffered a difficult fate since childhood. She had walked this far entirely on her own, always alone.
Although her Woeful Poison Body had given her an extraordinary talent, it had also caused most of her life thus far to be spent in solitude.
Just like the inferiority complex hidden within Qing Lin's personality, Xiao Yixian also carried her own emotional wounds.
Jia Nan Academy was a place full of youthful vitality, making it an excellent environment for healing those wounds.
If Xiao Yixian could use her time at Jia Nan Academy to properly heal the scars hidden deep within her heart, that would be the best outcome.
With this thought, the corners of Lin Yuan's mouth curved upward.
He did not go to watch Xiao Yixian's class. Instead, he leisurely returned to his own small courtyard.
Set up the cauldron and light the fire.
Before long, wisps of cooking smoke rose from Lin Yuan's courtyard, while an intoxicating aroma drifted throughout the yard.
By the time Xiao Yixian finished teaching and returned to the courtyard, Lin Yuan and Zi Yan were already sitting at the table.
Seeing the faint smile on Lin Yuan's face, Zi Yan drooling over the food, and the steam rising from the delicious dishes on the table, Xiao Yixian's eyes softened even further in that instant.
She smiled gently and walked over to sit beside Lin Yuan.
"It's been a long time, Lin Yuan. Congratulations on successfully breaking through to the Dou Ancestor realm."
"Breaking through to the Dou Ancestor realm? Isn't that only natural for me?" Lin Yuan said confidently.
He then filled the wine cup before Xiao Yixian and smiled lightly.
"What about you? Have you gotten used to life in the Inner Academy?"
"Mm." Xiao Yixian nodded with a gentle smile. "I've never experienced an atmosphere like this before. I really like it."
"That's good…"
"Are you two ever going to finish?" Zi Yan curled her lips, staring intently at the food in front of her. She asked impatiently, "Lin Yuan, Big Sister Xiao Yixian is back too. Can I start eating now?"
Lin Yuan pinched Zi Yan's little cheek.
"Go ahead, you little glutton."
Hearing this, Zi Yan's eyes immediately lit up. She began devouring the food like a whirlwind, an intoxicated expression appearing on her face.
Lin Yuan and Xiao Yixian exchanged a smile.
Watching the girl's blissful expression as she ate was itself a pleasant sight, making their moods unconsciously brighten.
Suddenly, Xiao Yixian seemed to remember something. She handed several Storage Rings to Lin Yuan and said softly, "A few days ago, Zi Yan and I destroyed the Black Emperor Sect. These are the things we seized from them. See if there's anything useful to you."
"It really was you two?" Lin Yuan raised his eyebrows in surprise before asking curiously, "By the way, how did you end up falling out with the Black Emperor Sect?"
Unlike someone with a bottom line as low as his own, Xiao Yixian had not yet reached the point where she would slaughter people wantonly for profit.
For things to escalate to the point of destroying an entire sect, there had to be a reason.
Zi Yan, who was sitting nearby, swallowed the meat in her mouth when she heard Lin Yuan's question. A trace of murderous intent flashed through her eyes.
"Hmph! There was a pretty boy from the Black Emperor Sect who saw that I was small and tried to trick me out of my things. He even dared to drug me. I casually punched him to death. After that, his Dou Ancestor father came looking for revenge, so Big Sister Xiao Yixian killed him too."
"After killing them, we went to rob their treasury. We killed anyone who tried to stop us as well."
"Is that what happened?" Lin Yuan looked toward Xiao Yixian.
"Although she left out some details, that is basically what happened." Xiao Yixian nodded and added, "It happened a month ago, after we attended the Black Emperor City auction."
"Oh? The Black Emperor City auction." Lin Yuan nodded slightly and asked doubtfully, "Was there anything there that attracted your attention?"
"Not really." Xiao Yixian shook her head indifferently. "I originally only intended to obtain some Beast Flames. Attending the auction was simply a coincidence."
"I see. So you were collecting Beast Flames for Senior Yao?"
Hearing Xiao Yixian's words, Lin Yuan immediately understood.
The Heavenly Flame Venerable's expertise was centered around flames. Whether it was practicing the Five Ring Flame Separation Art or researching the True Flame Manipulation Art he had given him, both required Beast Flames.
Xiao Yixian then gave Lin Yuan a detailed account of what had happened.
In short, Mo Ya, the young sect master of the Black Emperor Sect, had become greedy for the Demon Puppet and attempted to seize it through various means, including using drugs.
However, the drug had little effect on Zi Yan. Instead, it enraged her, and she killed Mo Ya with a single punch.
Afterward, Mo Tianxing, the Sect Master of the Black Emperor Sect, came seeking revenge, only to face Xiao Yixian.
Mo Tianxing was merely a four-star Dou Ancestor, and his strength was already inferior to Xiao Yixian, who had broken through to the five-star realm. Moreover, over the past few months, Xiao Yixian had received guidance from the Heavenly Flame Venerable, making up for all her previous weaknesses. With the assistance of her Heavenly Flame and Woeful Poison Body, her combat strength had become even more outstanding.
In the end, Mo Tianxing barely had any chance to resist. Before he could even self-destruct, Xiao Yixian had already killed him on the spot.
After that, Zi Yan and Xiao Yixian went to the Black Emperor Sect and completely looted it.
"I see. Well done." Lin Yuan nodded and said indifferently, "He dared to lay a hand on Zi Yan. I'll deal with his soul properly later."
As he spoke, he accepted the Storage Rings and leisurely began inspecting them.
When he saw the mountain-like piles of scrolls, medicinal ingredients, and Magical Cores inside, the corners of his lips involuntarily curled upward.
"The trading center of the Black-Corner Region. In terms of wealth, it far surpasses the Flame Valley."
Among the items seized by Zi Yan and Xiao Yixian, there were quite a few Earth Class cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques.
There were seven low- and mid-level Earth Class cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques in total. In the Black-Corner Region and the northwestern continent, possessing so many of them would be enough to trigger a bloody storm.
However, although these Earth Class cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques could be considered extremely valuable, they had limited benefits for Lin Yuan. At most, they could further strengthen his foundation.
For him, something that could produce an immediate effect would have to be at least a high-level Earth Class Dou Skill or above.
High-level Earth Class techniques and Dou Techniques were practically standard equipment for forces with Dou Venerable-level strength and were extremely rare outside the Central Plains.
Over the years, Lin Yuan had destroyed quite a few sects, but the only high-level Earth Class cultivation technique or Dou Techniques he had obtained was the Pheonix Bell from the Pheonix Sect.
Of course, the True Flame Manipulation Art, which the Earth Demon Old Ghost had spent many years improving, might also qualify as a high-level Earth Class Dou Technique.
Compared with the gains in cultivation techniques and Dou Techniques, the harvest of medicinal ingredients and Magical Cores pleased Lin Yuan even more.
For many years, the Black Emperor Sect had been the largest circulation channel in the Black-Corner Region. Precisely because of this, the amount of medicinal ingredients under its control was enormous.
The Black Emperor Sect's medicinal ingredient reserves were even more impressive than Han Feng's former collection.
"The Black Emperor Sect was able to support a Sixth-Grade Alchemist. Its medicinal ingredient reserves really are extraordinary. There are quite a few Seventh-Grade medicinal ingredients as well. This means I'll be able to refine several more Seventh-Grade pills."
"Unfortunately, I didn't find any trace of the Bodhisattva Body Transformation Saliva. It seems the Black Emperor Sect hasn't obtained it yet."
After carefully inspecting everything, Lin Yuan thought to himself.
"The time when the Bodhisattva Body Transformation Saliva appears at the auction is still far too early. Fortunately, I didn't place too much hope in the Black Emperor Sect back then."
"But, how did this thing end up in Mo Tianxing's hands so early?"
His gaze fell upon the dried corpse inside one of the Storage Rings, and a trace of delight flashed through Lin Yuan's eyes.
"Well done, Zi Yan and Xiao Yixian."
Lin Yuan gave the two girls a thumbs-up.
"Hehe!" Zi Yan revealed a smug smile upon hearing this. "Lin Yuan, you'd better thank me properly this time. The Black Emperor Sect's treasury was hidden extremely deeply and secretly, and its defensive measures were also incredibly powerful. It was all thanks to this great Miss Zi Yan."
"Don't forget what you promised me before. Hurry up and help me refine the Transformation Pill."
"Don't worry. I remember everything…"
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