"You are... Yun'er, aren't you?"
Looking at the awakened Jiang Yun, Qing Ming's face cleared of all worry, replaced by excitement. He took a step forward and asked nervously, his eyes fixed on Jiang Yun, a look of apprehension on his face, afraid of hearing an answer contrary to his expectations.
Turning to look at Qing Ming, whose eyes held deep concern, Jiang Yun's heart warmed. The taut nerves from a year of struggle immediately relaxed. He offered Qing Ming a sincere smile.
"Senior Qing Ming, it's me! I succeeded!" Jiang Yun slowly said, simultaneously raising his hands. The black and white Holy Heavenly Demon Flame and the invisible Fallen Heart Flame appeared in his palms, dancing.
"Good, good, good!" Receiving the affirmative answer and seeing the dancing flames, Qing Ming's expression was so excited that he repeatedly praised, his body even trembling slightly.
"Child, you've suffered!" Seeing Jiang Yun's exhausted eyes, Qing Ming's heart tightened, a sour feeling rising within him.
Jiang Yun was still a child!
He found it hard to imagine what kind of profound belief had supported him, leading him to ultimate victory.
"Senior Qing Ming, please help me guard. It's time for the harvest!"
Jiang Yun didn't linger too long in the rare tranquility, speaking up immediately afterward.
After resolving the hidden danger in his body and understanding the origin of the strange flames on the Dou Qi Continent, Jiang Yun had a new plan. Many things were still waiting for him!
Time waits for no one!
Hun Tiandi, for the sake of becoming an Emperor, and the Hun Clan, who had planned for over a thousand years, had reached their final moment. If, in the ultimate battle, he couldn't grow strong enough to resist the opponent with his own power...
Then, even if he had trump cards and would be safe, it was something he couldn't tolerate. He had even grander goals awaiting him!
"So urgent? It wouldn't be too late to absorb it after a few days of rest!" Hearing Jiang Yun's request, Qing Ming was startled and tried to persuade him.
Jiang Yun gently shook his head. Although he was mentally exhausted now, it was also the best time for a breakthrough!
Moreover, Zi Yan had already woken up; he couldn't delay any longer!
"Alright! Be careful with everything!" Seeing Jiang Yun's resolute attitude, Qing Ming said no more. He knew Jiang Yun was a stubborn child, and decisions he made were rarely changed by anyone. Instead, he silently moved aside, strengthening the barrier and guarding Jiang Yun.
Seeing this, Jiang Yun adjusted his breathing for a moment, then looked at the small flame snake in his hand. His pupils turned a deep, inky black, and then he opened his mouth and swallowed the ball of flame, the small snake, into his stomach.
As the Origin Flame entered his body, a scorching heat silently spread from within. Jiang Yun quickly sat cross-legged, and milky white flames continuously erupted from the pores on his body.
Jiang Yun already had a plan for handling the Fallen Heart Flame. Unlike Xiao Yan, he didn't possess Flame Mantra, which could evolve by devouring strange flames.
There was a devouring relationship between strange flames. Often, a powerful strange flame encountering a weaker one would unhesitatingly devour the other's origin to strengthen itself.
This was a relatively crude method, far less safe and thorough than Flame Mantra. However, Jiang Yun also had his advantages.
The Holy Heavenly Demon Flame possessed a devouring attribute, allowing it to perfectly utilize the vast energy stored by the strange flame over many years to strengthen itself. This was the method Jiang Yun had conceived.
In this way, he would obtain the immense energy of the Fallen Heart Flame, and Jia Nan Academy would also acquire a strange flame seedling, as if reborn. This was a win-win situation.
He believed the Grand Elder would be pleased to see it!
Feeling the high temperature erupting within his body, under such heat, Jiang Yun felt his body gradually become scalding and even painful. Even though he had consumed a large amount of its power beforehand, the Fallen Heart Flame, with countless years of accumulation, naturally possessed extraordinary temperature.
"It's your turn to perform!"
Feeling the Fallen Heart Flame scurrying wildly and destructively within his body, Jiang Yun whispered. Immediately, the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame coiled in Jiang Yun's Dantian trembled.
The black flame transformed into a ferocious black dragon, roaring towards the small snake formed by the Fallen Heart Flame.
Inside Jiang Yun's body, the Fallen Heart Flame was like a turtle in a jar. With Jiang Yun's biased presence, the small flame snake was quickly swallowed by the giant dragon.
As the Fallen Heart Flame was swallowed by the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame, it began to resist fiercely. Although Jiang Yun had subdued it, this was not what was expected!
Although Jiang Yun had won the previous battle and almost gained control of the Fallen Heart Flame, this flame ranked quite high on the Heavenly Flame Ranking list. After countless years of condensation, it had developed sentience; how could it willingly be completely refined?
Fallen Heart Flame: I recognized you as my big brother, but you actually want to eat me?
Then, it began to resist. Inside the black dragon, the invisible fire python violently churned. The heaven and earth energy contained in the surrounding space also seemed to riot. Diverse, multicolored energies were clearly visible, forming tornadoes, trying to break through the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame's body to aid the Fallen Heart Flame.
However, the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame... or rather, the barrier set up by Jiang Yun was very sufficient. Not a single trace of external energy broke through the barrier to assist the Fallen Heart Flame.
But even though the external heaven and earth energy was blocked by Jiang Yun, the terrifying high temperature of the rampaging Fallen Heart Flame did permeate through the inky black flames.
Although the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame was of extremely high quality, a young sub-flame was still inferior in energy compared to the Fallen Heart Flame, which had grown for countless years.
As the flames permeated, Jiang Yun suffered. His body began to endure the burning of the strange flame, and fine beads of sweat quietly appeared on Jiang Yun's head.
Jiang Yun ignored the other party's rampage and mobilized the white Holy Flame from his Qi cyclone, rolling it towards the Fallen Heart Flame.
Layer upon layer, the Fallen Heart Flame was completely enveloped.
The complete Holy Heavenly Demon Flame was remarkably effective. The Fallen Heart Flame could no longer cause any trouble. Under the effect of the devouring power, the Fallen Heart Flame's resistance began to decrease. After half of the fire seed was devoured, the Fallen Heart Flame's resistance completely vanished.
Its fire seed was then like a medicinal pill containing vast fire-attribute energy, slowly integrating into the Holy Heavenly Demon Flame.
As the first wisp of pure energy entered his body, Jiang Yun's body, like parched earth, revived with vigorous vitality.
Jiang Yun instinctively operated the Crimson Fire Treasure Mirror, beginning to refine the pure energy within his body.
After refining one wisp of pure energy, Jiang Yun introduced another. The energy refined from the Fallen Heart Flame was extremely pure; it was completely refined into his own Dou Qi after several cycles of circulation.
Everything went as smoothly as water flowing into a channel.
The Dou King barrier within his body also began to slowly loosen!
The seclusion officially began!
"Old man, where do you think Xiao Yun went?"
In the Inner Court, a terrifying pressure suddenly erupted. Many students and elders felt difficulty breathing, their souls trembling slightly.
What sin have we committed?
Why is it always our batch that has problems? We never heard that life in the Inner Court was this exciting before!
Many complaining students revealed bitter smiles. These continuous incidents were too much for anyone to bear!
And the elders of the Inner Court were secretly calling out to the Grand Elder, hoping he would quickly resolve this Zi Yan problem, otherwise, life would be unbearable!
At this moment, the Grand Elder, who everyone looked up to, was looking helplessly at the girl in front of him?
She was dressed in a purple dress, with long purple hair flowing down her back. Despite her young age, her domineering figure was already taking shape. A pair of purple Dou Qi wings flickered behind her.
Her beautiful face, both tender and somewhat charming, was now cold. Her purple eyes, filled with nobility and mystery, were fixed on Su Qian, as if to say, if you don't give me a satisfactory answer, I'll pluck out your beard.
This person was none other than the breakthrough Zi Yan. She had finally grown up, and although she hadn't reached her full expectation, her appearance as a fourteen or fifteen-year-old was already very satisfying to her!
She was finally not a little girl anymore!
Originally, she had happily wanted to show off to Jiang Yun, but unexpectedly, she didn't find Jiang Yun, and instead received a bolt from the blue.
Looking at Zi Yan, who was exuding a dangerous aura, as if she had become a powder keg ready to explode at any moment, Su Qian calmly said, "Jiang Yun is in seclusion, breaking through to Dou King, at the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower. There are several elders stationed there, so you don't need to worry!"
"No!"
"That thing at the bottom of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower is very dangerous. I don't trust those weaklings; I want to see for myself!"
As soon as Su Qian finished speaking, Zi Yan immediately retorted, her words full of distrust for the elders guarding the tower.
"This..."
The Grand Elder was momentarily speechless. The elders guarding the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower all had the cultivation of a Dou King, and the most core bottom layer even had a Dou Emperor cultivation.
But now, Zi Yan had already advanced to the sixth rank. With her mysterious racial talent, Su Qian was truly unsure if the two Dou Emperor elders were a match for Zi Yan.
Looking at Zi Yan's resolute expression, Su Qian felt a headache. He softened his tone and gently said, "Jiang Yun is in seclusion, breaking through to Dou King. If you disturb him at this time, and it causes his breakthrough to fail, wouldn't that be..."
Su Qian didn't finish his sentence because he saw the increasingly active spatial power around Zi Yan, knowing that she wouldn't be at ease until she saw Jiang Yun with her own eyes.
Helpless!
Su Qian had no choice but to compromise. "Alright, keep the commotion small, and try not to disturb Jiang Yun."
"Whoosh—" Su Qian hadn't even finished speaking when a purple flash streaked before his eyes. Zi Yan's figure was nowhere to be seen. Looking in the direction of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower, a purple stream of light was rapidly descending.
"Alas—what sin have I committed!" Su Qian, still in place, sighed helplessly. At this moment, he wished he could go back in time and slap his past self twice.
An elder nearby, who heard Su Qian muttering to himself, was somewhat speechless. Grand Elder, when you say that, can you please hide that uncontrollable smile at the corner of your mouth?
Earlier, it was said that the Grand Elder was a person who said one thing but meant another. Now it seems...
It was true!
"Alright, elders, please evacuate the students! See if there are any injured students. Injured students will all receive a third-grade healing pill from the Alchemy Department. You may all disperse!"
Perhaps realizing his expression, Su Qian composed himself and began the cleanup work for Zi Yan, much like a worried old father.
"Yes!"
The elders all cupped their hands in response and dispersed, beginning the cleanup work.
Nodding, Su Qian also flashed away, heading towards the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower.
"Thump, thump, thump"
A series of crisp footsteps sounded. A purple silhouette was rapidly heading towards the bottom floor of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower.
After Jiang Yun set up the Spirit Gathering Array, the heaven and earth energy inside the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower was about three layers denser. However, Zi Yan didn't notice it at all at this moment.
Or rather, her mind wasn't focused there at all!
The elders guarding each floor also appeared along the way, watching Zi Yan depart and secretly sighing!
What a terrifying little girl!
Soon, Zi Yan arrived at the bottom floor of the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower and met the two Dou Emperor elders guarding it, Elder Shi and Elder Huang!
"Where's Xiao Yun?" Looking at the two, Zi Yan eagerly asked.
"He should be in Cultivation Room Number One!" Elder Shi nodded slightly at Zi Yan, a relieved smile on his face, and pointed to the innermost room.
Nodding, Zi Yan quickly headed towards Cultivation Room Number One. Upon reaching the door, Zi Yan's brows furrowed instantly, her heart tightening. Under the astonished gazes of the two elders, she suddenly kicked out.
"No..."
"Bang—"
After a loud bang, Zi Yan's face darkened, and she suddenly looked at the two. A terrifying dragon might emanated from her, and she said in a cold tone, "Xiao Yun, where is he?"
Suddenly, being stared at by Zi Yan, the two felt a chill in their hearts. Hearing Zi Yan's words, they went to Cultivation Room Number One to look and immediately cried out in alarm.
"Impossible, where did he go?"
The two, in disbelief, opened each cultivation room on the bottom floor one by one, but there was no sign of anyone.
"I'll ask again, where did Xiao Yun go?" Just then, a cold voice came. Zi Yan in the distance, her purple eyes had turned into terrifying vertical pupils, and faint purplish-gold scales appeared on her fair skin.
A terrifying pressure emerged. At this moment, she was no longer that innocent little girl, but rather like an empress ruling the world.
Facing such a Zi Yan, although Elder Shi and Elder Huang were both Dou Emperors, a feeling called fear quietly emerged in their hearts at this moment.
"This..."
"Zi Yan, calm down!" Just as the two elders didn't know how to answer, Su Qian's figure appeared at the bottom of the tower and hurriedly spoke.
Seeing Su Qian arrive, Zi Yan immediately stabilized her emotions, but she still stared coldly at the two, wanting an answer.
"Elder Shi, Elder Huang, what happened? Where is Jiang Yun?" Seeing Zi Yan calm down, Su Qian breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly asked.
"We don't know either. A year ago, we personally saw him enter this room!"
The Grand Elder's appearance also gave the two a sense of stability. Having regained their composure, the two were also bewildered and explained.
Hearing this, the Grand Elder's brows furrowed into a frown. A perfectly fine living person, and you're telling me he's gone?
He couldn't have been swallowed by the Fallen Heart Flame, could he?
Wait...
Fallen Heart Flame?