Hu Qian stood frozen in place, his mind struggling to grasp the terrifying truth.
"Could this young man… really be at the Dou Zun level?" he muttered in disbelief.
Beside him, Su Qian narrowed his eyes. "Hu Qian, explain. What exactly happened? How did we come to offend someone like him?"
With a deep breath, Hu Qian briefly recounted everything: how Ye Feng and Ya Fei had arrived at Heping Town, how they were stopped by the law enforcement team, and how they had refused to give their names or swallow the pill designed to detect killing intent. Then… everything had spiraled out of control.
As he listened, Su Qian's expression darkened. "That method might work on Dou Huang or lower, but once you encounter a Dou Zong—let alone a Dou Zun or Dou Sheng—they won't obey such orders. No cultivator at that level would willingly consume a pill of unknown origin. They simply wouldn't place their lives in someone else's hands. And more importantly…"
He turned to glare at Hu Qian. "What makes you think a mere Dou Shi has the right to give orders to a Dou Zun?"
Hu Qian lowered his head in shame. As vice dean of the Outer Courtyard and overseer of Heping Town, the responsibility was clearly his.
"But…" he protested weakly, looking toward Ye Feng. "He's so young. There's no way he could be a Dou Sheng, right?"
Su Qian let out a quiet sigh. "Even with my cultivation, I can't sense his true level. Not even the two elders, Qianmu and Bailie, could gauge it. They've both stepped into the Half-Saint realm—and if even they can't see through him, then Ye Feng can only be a Dou Zun… or something even more terrifying."
"Dou Zun…" Hu Qian swallowed hard, sweat forming on his brow.
If that was true, then Jia Nan Academy had truly kicked a steel plate.
(Idk if my research is correct if it's correct then I'm wrong in my earlier chapters for Canaan Academy.)
He had long known never to provoke unknown powerhouses. His orders were clear: if a mysterious expert appeared, don't provoke, don't question—certainly don't ask them to ingest strange pills.
But how could he have known that a young man barely in his twenties would possess strength above the Dou Huang level? That assumption had led to disaster.
"If only the Dean were here…" Hu Qian sighed heavily.
Mang Tianchi, the Thunder Clan's pride and the current Dean of Jia Nan Academy, was a Dou Sheng. If he were present, they wouldn't be in this situation.
But unfortunately, no one knew where Mang Tianchi had gone.
As the three elders stood deliberating, Ye Feng's voice cut through the air.
"Are you all planning to just stand there and talk forever?"
Qianmu and Bai Lie exchanged glances. Then, Qianmu stepped forward. Though aged, his posture was respectful and composed.
Bowing deeply, he said, "Senior, if our Jia Nan Academy has offended you in any way, I hope you'll be magnanimous with a few juniors and not pursue the matter further."
Ye Feng raised a brow. "So… you're asking for peace?"
The words were light, yet they carried weight. A stillness fell over the courtyard.
"P-please," Qianmu finally said, his voice stiff.
"Alright," Ye Feng replied coolly. "If you want peace, then hand over the Fallen Heart Flame."
Qianmu's eyes trembled.
"F-Fallen Heart Flame?"
Su Qian, Hu Qian, and Bai Lie all stiffened. Even those unaware of what it was could tell something was wrong by the elders' reactions.
The Fallen Heart Flame was one of Jia Nan Academy's most closely guarded secrets. Even many Inner Academy elites, including the top-ranked Wang Ziyan, had no idea that Jia Nan Academy possessed a Heavenly Flame.
"If you want me to let this go," Ye Feng said flatly, "then bring me the Fallen Heart Flame. There's no room for negotiation."
Hu Qian stepped forward cautiously. "Senior Ye, our Dean is Mang Tianchi of the Thunder Clan… a Dou Sheng."
"I've heard of him." Ye Feng's expression didn't change. "He has some skill. He's qualified for me to deal with personally. Call him out."
"This…" Hu Qian hesitated, sweat rolling down his face. "The Dean… isn't in the Academy."
"Then don't waste time," Ye Feng said calmly, though there was a faint edge in his tone. "My patience is limited. If you want this to end peacefully, then hand over the Fallen Heart Flame. Otherwise…"
He paused, then added, "If Mang Tianchi wants to come looking for me—I don't mind wiping out the entire Thunder Clan."
Thud!
Hu Qian staggered slightly, his hand going to his forehead as pressure bore down on his chest. Cold sweat drenched his back.
Su Qian and Bai Lie didn't fare much better. The three elders had cursed Hu Qian dozens of times in their hearts by now. How could he have provoked such a monster?
And it was clear from Ye Feng's words—he didn't take the Thunder Clan seriously at all.
They were one of the Eight Ancient Clans, yes—but in name only. The Thunder Clan had no Nine-Star Dou Shengs, and even fewer who could step into the Emperor Spirit realm. They might have a few Six-Star Dou Shengs, but not a single one could stand at the peak.
Ye Feng, on the other hand, wielded the Power of Chaos—the energy of creation and destruction. Even at the Dou Zun level, he could threaten Dou Shengs. With his recent enhancements to spirit, body, and power, Ye Feng was confident he could take on a Six-Star Dou Sheng head-on.
Which was why he spoke so boldly.
For Su Qian, Hu Qian, and Bai Lie, this was an impossible situation.
If they didn't hand over the Fallen Heart Flame, Ye Feng would likely raze Jia Nan Academy to the ground.
But if they did… the Inner Academy would lose its foundation.
Without the Fallen Heart Flame, the Academy would become just another school.
As silence hung in the air, Bai Lie finally stepped forward, his tone respectful.
"Senior Ye, recently Qianmu and I have made breakthroughs in our cultivation. Before we speak again of the Fallen Heart Flame… I have a small request."
Ye Feng looked at him. "Speak."
"I would like to exchange a few moves with you," Bai Lie said with a slight smile, though his gaze was sharp. "Not as enemies—just to see how far we've come. Perhaps you could… help us test our limits."
He added gently, "Let us two old men see just how far apart we really are. Would that be alright?"