At the bottom level of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, within the Inner Academy of Jia Nan Academy.
Stepping in here felt like entering another world.
The air was thick with heatwaves, the temperature so high it distorted vision. Each breath felt like swallowing a flame, as scorching heat pierced directly into the lungs. Fiery red light spilled from a deep cavern at the center, illuminating the entire space.
Due to its lower position, the cavern on this level was particularly conspicuous. Its opening was wider than any on the levels above, and the interior was filled with a dark red hue, like solidified blood, exuding an eerie aura.
Outside the deep cavern, a cylindrical energy shield sealed it tightly. Mysterious patterns, like winding snake scales, covered the shield's surface, pulsing with surging energy. Powerful ripples of energy continuously spread outwards, accompanied by faint, low-pitched explosive sounds.
The Inner Courtyard Grand Elder, Su Qian, sat cross-legged not far from the energy shield, his senses attuned to any subtle change.
In the silence, a faint sound of liquid flowing suddenly broke the quiet, like ripples on a lake.
However, despite its quietness, this sound instantly made Su Qian's expression turn grave. His eyes snapped open, his gaze shooting towards the deep cavern like a sharp sword.
He flickered and appeared at the edge of the deep cavern, but the sound seemed to have sensed his approach and vanished without a trace in an instant.
Gazing at the heart-palpitating deep cavern, Su Qian hesitated for a moment before placing his hands on the violent energy shield.
Under his control, the energy shield, which could easily injure a Dou Wang expert, became as docile as a trained pet. As he moved his hands, the shield split open, creating a passage.
Su Qian flashed inside, using his Dou Qi to shield himself from the heatwaves. His gaze once again probed into the deep cavern.
With the enhancement of Dou Qi, the scene below the deep cavern gradually became clearer.
It was an ocean of lava, its color a strange, dark red, as if countless drops of blood had been mixed in.
Su Qian knew that the Fallen Heart Flame was hidden within. However, facing such a harsh environment and the Fallen Heart Flame, which had already developed sentience, even he, a Dou Zong expert, dared not rashly enter.
But he had clearly sensed a flow of immense energy just moments ago, and now the lava world was as calm as water, leaving him filled with confusion.
"Bang!"
Suddenly, a faint sound came from the lava world, like a heartbeat, causing Su Qian's own heart to skip a beat.
At this moment, Su Qian was completely certain that the Fallen Heart Flame was likely becoming restless again!
At the same time, dull thuds sounded one after another, becoming louder and more rapid.
Eventually, the sounds matched the rhythm of Su Qian's heartbeat exactly!
Abruptly, a violent and immense energy erupted from the surface of the lava sea, creating waves of fire over thirty feet high. The roaring sound was deafening.
Su Qian's expression changed drastically. He recognized that this energy belonged to the Fallen Heart Flame, and its intensity was several times stronger than before!
"Damn it, this beast was feigning weakness all along!"
Sensing this energy fluctuation, Su Qian instantly realized the problem.
In past years, the Fallen Heart Flame would occasionally erupt, but each time, Su Qian and the Inner Courtyard Elders would suppress it. Although troublesome, it had always been within their control.
Only now did Su Qian realize that all of this had been deliberate on the part of the Fallen Heart Flame. The beast had been feigning weakness, lulling those outside into a false sense of security while accumulating power, all for the purpose of breaking free in one decisive burst!
Within a few breaths, Su Qian understood the whole story and immediately prepared to summon reinforcements to strengthen the seal.
Since the Fallen Heart Flame was no longer hiding its strength today, it meant that this time, it might be serious.
Just as Su Qian made his decision, a sky-shattering roar erupted from the lava sea below the deep cavern. The lava churned violently, and a terrifying energy permeated the area.
After a while, the lava suddenly became still, but the energy grew closer and closer.
"Boom!"
The next moment, a pillar of lava shot into the sky, and a transparent fire python with a massive body roared out!
Its head was over ten feet wide, and its entire body was wrapped in invisible flames. The energy generated by its colossal body caused space itself to tremble.
"Fallen Heart Flame!"
"Chirp!"
Under Su Qian's gaze, the fire python let out a sharp shriek. Wherever the sound waves reached, the lava roared like thunder, and flames sprayed everywhere.
After venting its fury, it sensed Su Qian at the opening above. Its triangular pupils instantly locked onto its target.
"Chirp!" It shrieked again, its massive body slapping the lava, and it shot upwards along the deep cavern like lightning!
"Not good!"
Su Qian's face changed drastically. He quickly withdrew from the energy shield and rapidly formed hand seals. A brilliant energy shield instantly sealed the cavern's opening.
At the same time, a thunderous shout tore through the sky.
"All Elders, immediately proceed to the tower! All students, evacuate to a hundred meters away from the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower!"
The loud shout echoed through the Inner Academy, and the previously bustling academy fell into dead silence.
Following suit, figures flickered out from the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower. Elders immediately put down their tasks and flew towards the tower.
They all knew that if the Grand Elder was this grave, it could only be the Fallen Heart Flame.
It was also thanks to the commotion Xiao Yan caused more than half a year ago that the matter of the Fallen Heart Flame being sealed at the bottom of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower was no longer a secret within the Inner Academy.
...
At the base of the tower.
A brilliantly colored energy shield suddenly descended like a giant dome, tightly sealing the deep cavern.
As the energy flowed, ripples spread across the surrounding space. The seemingly casual barrier was, in fact, imbued with the formidable sealing power meticulously constructed by the Inner Academy.
This defensive line was originally prepared to suppress the violent surges of the Fallen Heart Flame. Any Elder could activate it in a critical moment, easily intercepting the Fallen Heart Flame.
However, this energy shield, which had never disappointed the Elders, was now facing an unprecedented test.
"Grand Elder!"
Inner Academy Elders arrived one after another.
But Su Qian had no time to respond to their greetings, his gaze fixed intently on the deep pit.
In everyone's perception, a scorching aura surged towards them like a tsunami. The surface of the energy shield instantly rippled with urgency, as if a massive stone had been dropped onto a calm lake.
The next second, crimson magma, carrying world-destroying power, erupted from the bottom of the tower. It was like a blood-red giant hammer, heavily impacting the energy shield.
Crack! Crack!
Muffled sounds echoed as fine cracks spread like a spiderweb. With a crisp snap, the seal dramatically collapsed!
The long-accumulated riot of the Fallen Heart Flame exceeded everyone's imagination. Even the seemingly indestructible barrier was no match for it in the initial clash.
"Everyone attack together, stop it!"
"Seal!"
Su Qian shouted in a deep voice. Afterimages of his fingers flickered as he rapidly formed seals, activating all the remaining seals prepared for the Fallen Heart Flame.
The other Elders did not dare to hesitate, joining in to assist.
Instantly, the space above the deep pit vibrated, and another five-colored energy shield materialized in response.
However, the crimson magma, carrying the violent energy of the Fallen Heart Flame, acted like a frenzied beast. Instead of being suppressed, it became even more ferocious!
It was pushed down once, only to surge up again. In less than a minute, the vibrant multicolored light was completely shattered, breaking into countless starry specks.
Without the energy shield's seal, the dozens of meters wide magma pillar broke free from its restraints, erupting like a volcano and shooting straight towards the top of the tower!
The moment the magma pillar collided with the tip of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, it was like a collision of comets, causing the entire colossal tower to tremble violently.
At this moment, both the Elders within the tower and the Inner Academy students who had already evacuated outside could clearly feel the scorching heatwave.
This heatwave seemed to possess sentience, conveying a sense of joy at the prospect of seeing the light of day again.
"Grand Elder, what do we do now?"
As they watched the Fallen Heart Flame begin to break free, the Elders' expressions were extremely solemn.
Su Qian's face was also grim, but he was not flustered.
"Let's get out first. This beast can't turn the world upside down!"
Many Elders did not understand the basis of Su Qian's confidence, but they dared not ask further. Silently, they followed behind Su Qian, quickly flashing out of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower.
It was at this very moment that the Fallen Heart Flame, carrying the magma pillar, began to impact again, striking the top of the tower fiercely.
Feeling the unparalleled might, the Inner Academy students' faces turned pale. Many Elders even believed that the Fallen Heart Flame was about to completely break free.
But unexpectedly, at this critical juncture, the dark tower tip suddenly lit up with a layer of energy barrier as thin as a cicada's wing.
This barrier, though seemingly fragile and weak, stood like a steel wall against the impact of the Fallen Heart Flame, completely unmoved!
After failing to break through twice in a row, the Fallen Heart Flame seemed to become even more agitated. The magma pillar receded slightly, and then the surging fire waves on its surface intensified. A giant python, completely transparent and covered in invisible flames, slowly extended its ferocious head.
"Hiss, is this the true form of the Fallen Heart Flame?"
"I suddenly admire Xiao Yan. He actually dared to set his sights on this thing. If the Grand Elder hadn't stopped him, his grave would probably be covered in three feet of grass by now."
"Now is not the time for jokes. The Fallen Heart Flame's state is clearly not right. If the Grand Elder and the others can't stop it, we might be in trouble!"
"Looking at the Grand Elder's expression, it shouldn't have reached this point."
The students watched from afar, whispering amongst themselves.
Although they were willing to help, facing the Fallen Heart Flame, anyone below the Dou Huang level would only cause trouble.
Among the students, even those in the top ten of the Strong Ranking, like Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing, only possessed Dou Ling strength at this time.
Inside the tower.
The massive head extending from the magma pillar stared intently at the ink-black tower tip. There, a curtain-like energy barrier was slowly rotating. The seemingly weak barrier possessed extremely terrifying defenses.
"Screech!"
A piercing shriek tore through the air. The invisible fire python hissed upwards, its sound waves like solid objects crashing into the energy layer at the tower tip, causing ripples to spread across it.
Boom!
Before the echo of the hiss even faded, the giant python formed by the Fallen Heart Flame opened its mouth wide. A massive ball of invisible flame surged out, instantly causing the temperature of the entire space to soar. Even with the energy shield blocking it, the distant students felt unbearably hot. They hurriedly circulated their Dou Qi to form protective barriers and retreated further away.
Looking from afar, one could see that wherever the invisible flames passed, the space warped like a distorted mirror, exhibiting strange folds, as if even the air itself was twisting and deforming under the high temperature.
These flames, capable of incinerating the void, would likely turn a person into a wisp of smoke the moment they made contact.
The flames did not advance quickly. It took about half a minute before they finally collided with the energy barrier at the tower tip.
As the two made contact, there was no deafening roar, only the sizzling sound of boiling oil being poured onto snow, with wisps of thick smoke rising.
The seemingly thin energy barrier displayed astonishing resilience. Despite the scorching flames, it remained completely unmoved!
Seeing this, the Inner Academy elders felt a little relieved.
In contrast, the Fallen Heart Flame let out an angry shriek, and more invisible flames poured out like a tide, vowing to completely burn through this obstruction.
Its persistence was effective. Under the continuous assault, the energy barrier finally showed signs of fatigue. As time passed, it became thinner and thinner, its luster dimming, and it grew increasingly transparent.
"Chirp!"
The Fallen Heart Flame seemed to sense victory was within reach, its shrieks laced with excitement and triumph as it spewed flames with ever-increasing speed.
Another five minutes passed, and the energy membrane was like a candle in the wind, on the verge of shattering at any moment.
The seal can't hold! Prepare to activate the Thousand Layer Seal left by the Dean!
Su Qian's expression was solemn as he took out several jade slips and crushed them.
At this point, the Fallen Heart Flame escaping the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower was a foregone conclusion.
However, it wouldn't be so easy for it to regain its freedom.
When the former Dean of Jia Nan Academy left, he had left behind a seal called the Thousand Layer Seal.
This was the last resort to suppress the Fallen Heart Flame!
Su Qian had immense trust in the Dean, and as long as that final resort was still there, he wouldn't panic.
It was just that even if the Thousand Layer Seal could suppress the Fallen Heart Flame's energy, resealing it back into the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower would not be an easy task.
At the very least, he alone could not achieve it.
It was for this reason that Su Qian had requested reinforcements.
As his voice fell, Su Qian was the first to move, darting towards the tower's summit.
The Inner Academy elders followed closely behind.
Just as everyone thought the final confrontation with the Fallen Heart Flame was about to begin, an unexpected change occurred.
The void above the tower's summit suddenly tore open like a curtain.
The next moment, three figures stepped out from within.
The leading youth stood tall, his handsome features seeming familiar to many of the elders and older students of the Inner Academy.
On his left and right, two beauties accompanied him.
The woman on the left had silver hair like a waterfall cascading down, her fair face framed by painterly eyes, her cool demeanor exuding a mysterious charm.
The woman on the right had a graceful figure, with alluring curves, and her beautiful face was captivating.
"Chen Xiao?!"
Upon seeing Chen Xiao's face clearly, the Grand Elder's movements faltered.
His expression of surprise lasted only a moment before turning to anxiety.
"Chen Xiao, quickly get out of the way! The Fallen Heart Flame is about to break free, avoid its edge for now!"
The position where Chen Xiao and the other two were currently standing was directly above the tower's summit.
Therefore, if the Fallen Heart Flame broke through the seal, the three of them would inevitably bear the brunt of it.
Realizing this, Su Qian seemed to forget the sight of the three appearing and tearing through space, a feat only achievable by those above the Dou Zun realm.
Hearing the Grand Elder's shout, Chen Xiao couldn't help but chuckle. He glanced sideways at the Fallen Heart Flame, which was exerting all its might to continuously assault the sealing barrier.
"Avoid its edge?"
"Heh, Grand Elder, no need to worry. I've returned precisely to eliminate this hidden danger for the Inner Academy!"
As his words fell, Chen Xiao extended his right hand, and a bone-chilling white flame suddenly ignited from his palm.
With a thought, the bone-chilling white flame transformed into a majestic dragon, lunging directly at the Fallen Heart Flame.
The next moment, everyone witnessed the extremely ferocious, invisible fire python's triangular pupils flash with visible fear. As if encountering its natural predator, its assault on the barrier ceased abruptly. It instantly retreated to the depths of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, not daring to show itself again.
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