The moment Xiao Lin stepped into the first level of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, a flicker of "Heart Fire" spontaneously ignited within his meridians. He paused, steadying himself as he experienced the unique sensation of this invisible flame tempering his Dou Qi.
"So this is the essence of the Fallen Heart Flame? As long as one is within this tower, the Heart Fire incessantly calcines the Dou Qi, forcing the body into a state of perpetual cultivation!"
Xiao Lin instantly saw through the mystery. It was this very property that made Jia Nan Academy the ultimate "Sacred Ground" for cultivation in the Northwest. Cultivating here was several times faster than in the outside world, and this was only the first—and weakest—level. The tower consisted of nine levels, with the efficiency increasing the deeper one descended toward the magma below.
However, for a Dou Zong like Xiao Lin, the first level offered almost zero benefit. He noted that the first level was best suited for those at or below the Da Dou Shi realm before turning his attention to the task at hand.
Each level of the tower featured twelve private cultivation rooms and a large communal area. Initially, Xiao Lin and Su Qian had discussed placing one massive "Mega-Array" to cover the entire tower. It would have saved Xiao Lin immense effort, but Su Qian vetoed the idea for a strategic reason.
"The tower suffers from periodic riots of the Fallen Heart Flame," Su Qian had warned. "If a riot occurs and you've placed one large array, a local disturbance might cause the entire system to collapse. It is safer to place numerous smaller arrays."
This was why it had taken the Academy a full month to gather materials. Xiao Lin wasn't just building one array; he was building thirteen individual Gathering Qi Arrays per level. Across nine levels, that totaled over one hundred individual formations. Even for a Dou Zong, the mental strain of such a repetitive, high-precision task was staggering. But Xiao Lin was a man of his word. He began his descent.
The Tiered Buffer System
To maximize the Academy's "Elite Education" philosophy, Xiao Lin and Su Qian designed a tiered system of efficiency:
-Levels 1-3: Rank 1 Gathering Qi Arrays (For junior students).
-Levels 4-6: Rank 2 Gathering Qi Arrays (For elite students and teachers).
-Levels 7-9: Rank 3 Gathering Qi Arrays (For Elders and high-level experts).
Xiao Lin would have gone higher, but as a Rank 3 Spirit Array Master, he had reached his current limit.
He worked from dawn until the sun dipped below the horizon. When he finally emerged from the tower's exit, his face was the picture of total exhaustion. His "Lao Liu" composure was gone, replaced by a look that said he had been thoroughly "drained."
Setting over a hundred physical arrays in a single day was a feat that would have hospitalized a lesser master.
Xiao Lin had originally planned to test the "Double Buffer" effect immediately after finishing, but the mental fatigue was too great. Cultivating in the Tower was different from normal meditation; because the Heart Fire is constantly working, the mind never truly rests. It's a grueling process that wears down the spirit over time—which is why no one, from students to Elders, stayed inside for long periods without coming out for "fresh air."
"Phew... it's finally done," Xiao Lin exhaled, taking a deep gulp of the outside air.
He didn't need to rush. According to his agreement with Su Qian, he now held a "Permanent Free Pass." He could return whenever his spirit was refreshed.
As he walked away, he looked back at the dark tower. He knew that with the addition of his arrays, the overall strength of Jia Nan Academy was about to experience a vertical leap. The "Double Buffer" era had officially begun.
The moment Xiao Lin stepped out of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, the crowd that had been waiting outside for an entire day turned their gaze toward him as one.
Su Qian, the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy, rushed forward with a mixture of excitement and anxiety. With Principal Mang Tianchi perpetually absent and the two guardian elders remaining detached from daily affairs, the burden of the Academy's development fell entirely on Su Qian's shoulders. He had worried himself gray over the years. Now that Xiao Lin had promised to elevate the Academy's very foundation to a new level, how could Su Qian not be anxious?
His heart hadn't known a moment of peace since Xiao Lin entered the tower.
"Elder Lin, how is it?" Su Qian asked.
Everyone present—students, teachers, and elders alike—held their breath. Over the past month, word had spread that the new "Elder Lin" was an Array Master capable of placing a formation that would effectively "double-stack" their cultivation speed. To a cultivator, there was no greater temptation than a shortcut to power.
Xiao Lin looked at the sea of eager faces. Despite his profound mental exhaustion and the desperate urge to simply collapse into bed, he knew he had to give them an answer.
"Great Elder, I have not failed my mission. Everything was a success! Everyone, if you wish to experience the tower's new speed, you may enter now."
As soon as the words left his mouth, Su Qian's heart finally settled back into his chest, replaced by an irrepressible joy. Simultaneously, a deafening cheer erupted from the crowd.
The elders were even more ecstatic than the students. To a Dou Wang or Dou Huang, the tower's original effects were negligible. But they had heard from Su Qian that with Xiao Lin's arrays, even a Dou Zong would benefit. To these veterans stuck at bottlenecks for years, this was nothing short of a miracle.
"It's a success? Move aside, I'm going in first!" "I'm going too! Don't push!" "I'm an Elder, let me through!" "In the face of cultivation, all are equal! Even Elders have to queue!" "I've saved my Fire Energy for months just for this day!" "Ah! I ran out of Fire Energy last week... curse my luck!"
The entrance to the tower became a scene of chaotic enthusiasm. Fortunately, the Academy's strict "Fire Energy" payment system acted as a natural filter, otherwise, the tower might have been physically burst apart by the sheer volume of people.
With Xiao Lin's tiered Gathering Qi Arrays, the tower's structure had been optimized for maximum efficiency:
Levels 1–3: Now ideal for anyone below the Dou Ling realm. Most ordinary students would find their sanctuary here.
Levels 4–6: Enhanced with Rank 2 Arrays, these levels provided a massive boost for Dou Wangs and Dou Huangs.
Levels 7–9: Featuring Xiao Lin's strongest Rank 3 Arrays, these were now the exclusive domain of Dou Zong powerhouses (Low, Mid, and High stars respectively).
While a lower-level student could technically attempt a deeper level, the "Double Buffer" speed would likely cause their foundation to become unstable—unless they were a freakish genius.
"Elder Lin, on behalf of every teacher and student in this Academy, I thank you," Su Qian said, bowing with deep solemnity.
Xiao Lin quickly reached out to support the Great Elder, preventing the full bow. "Great Elder, there is no need for such formality. I am now a part of Jia Nan Academy; what benefits the Academy benefits me as well. Besides, I need the tower to cultivate too!"
Su Qian looked into Xiao Lin's sincere eyes and nodded firmly. "Good! From this day forth, Elder Lin will always be a pillar of our Academy!"
After a brief exchange, Xiao Lin excused himself. His spirit was drained to the limit. He didn't even stay to watch the first wave of results.
While Xiao Lin retreated to his pavilion, Su Qian couldn't resist entering the tower himself. When he felt the refined Heart Fire surging with the added density of the Gathering Qi Array—actually providing a noticeable pull even for his Dou Zong cultivation—his gratitude toward Xiao Lin reached a point beyond words.
Meanwhile, back at his own pavilion, Xiao Lin didn't even have time to lie down. The moment he relaxed his mind, the massive amounts of energy he had handled during the day, combined with the lingering effects of the tower, surged through his meridians.
Without even trying, he crossed the threshold.
Xiao Lin had officially broken through to a 2-Star Dou Zong.