"Great Elder." Xiao Jietian's voice was calm, unhurried. "Now is when it is weakest. Your elders, form a formation. We will handle the attack."
Su Qian did not hesitate.
"Thousand Layer Seal Array—form! "
The elders' hands moved as one.
Seals formed. Energy converged.
The Fire Python sensed the shift. Its frenzied absorption of magma ceased. Its gaze snapped toward the forming array—
It lunged.
CRASH—
A water dragon met it mid-air, hurling it back.
It turned, hissing, eyes blazing with hatred at Shui Ye.
This man. Again and again. The worst wound—his work.
The elders' seals completed.
A net of multicoloured energy materialized above the Fallen Heart Flame—descending, constricting, trapping.
The Python thrashed. It had only just escaped the underground magma world. It would not return.
It gathered its remaining power and rammed against the net.
Medusa and the other two Dou Zongs struck in relentless succession, disrupting its every attempt.
Xiao Jietian was not idle.
"Xiao Yan Zi." His voice carried across the chaos. "Get ready."
Xiao Yan's eyes blazed.
"No problem, Tian Ge. I've been waiting."
His lips were dry. His pulse hammered.
Excitement. Anticipation. Hunger.
Black Sun Heaven Burning Divine Flame.
The Black Sun Burning Heaven Divine Flame is the supreme evolved form of the Pure Lotus Devouring Life Flame, reborn through ancient nirvanic trials and fused with the primordial essence of the Sun. It retains full devouring and life-force burns enemies' vitality, qi, and souls to fuel endless growth—while igniting into divine black flames of destruction and rebirth. This sacred fire annihilates all things, revives the bearer from ashes with amplified might, and bestows god-like regeneration, heavenly burning, and scorching supremacy.
It had evolved far beyond any Heavenly Flame recorded on the continent's ranking.
Even the legendary Emperor Flame, in its full glory, could not match this.
This will work.
He swept his hand forward.
The Black flame transformed into black Sun and pounced.
The Fire Python's serpentine pupils contracted.
Fear.
Primal. Involuntary. Absolute.
The lotus's maw opened wide and bit down.
Flame met flame. Energy clashed. Sparks—actual, physical sparks—rained across the battlefield.
Three Dou Zongs continued their assault.
The energy net continued its inexorable constriction.
Weakened, battered, desperate, the Fire Python loosed one final, defiant roar.
And then—
Its body was dragged, slowly, inexorably, back toward the pit leading to the underground world.
"Xiao Yan Zi. NOW. "
Xiao Yan plunged into the abyss.
Two streams of light—one crimson, one pure white—shot past Xiao Jietian's hand and overtook Xiao Yan's descending figure, entering the pit alongside him.
The white light made sounds.
"Woo woo woo—!"
The crowd erupted.
"Wait—Xiao Yan jumped into the pit?! Is he… is he sacrificing himself to save the academy?!"
"He's so brave! Sacrificing himself for all of us—I'm going to cry! Boo hoo hoo!"
"What was that white light? It looked like… a person?"
Confusion. Chaos. Tears.
The cave entrance sealed.
Multicoloured light. Then, overlaid—Xiao Jietian's Heavenly Flame seal.
The Fallen Heart Flame, already half-crippled, now faced a barrier even its peak self could not easily breach.
"Young friend Xiao Jietian." Su Qian appeared beside him, his brow deeply furrowed. "This was your solution? Xiao Yan… he'll be alright in there?"
"Great Elder." Xiao Jietian's voice was utterly calm. "Do not worry. It will be fine."
A pause.
"This academy's hidden danger will soon be resolved."
In the original timeline, Xiao Yan subdued the Fallen Heart Flame at near-peak condition. Now, it's weakened, battered, half-dead.
And I've prepared redundancies for every eventuality.
He will succeed.
[Xiao Jietian.] Little Fairy Doctor's voice, transmitted directly to his consciousness. She had remained hidden in the void, watching. [Many powerful auras are approaching the academy. Rapidly.]
He nodded—an imperceptible movement.
"Great Elder." His tone was casual. "How are the elders faring?"
Su Qian blinked, momentarily thrown by the abrupt subject change.
Then understanding dawned.
"You mean… Han Feng? He's coming now?"
His gaze swept across the Inner Academy elders—panting, drained, their Dou Qi heavily depleted by the formation.
"Currently, we have only myself, Elder Hu Gan, and the Outer Academy elder who was summoned here."
His eyes drifted to Medusa and the other two Dou Zongs. Their auras were completely concealed—a deliberate strategy.
If our strength appears too overwhelming, Han Feng might not come.
And if Han Feng does not come… those Soul Hall remnants will be much harder to find.
Su Qian's hand landed on Xiao Jietian's shoulder.
His voice dropped to a whisper.
"So. It falls to you all."
Xiao Jietian raised an eyebrow.
"No problem. Leave it to us."
A pause.
"But don't forget what you promised."
Su Qian straightened, affronted.
"Cough. Do you not trust my character? What I have promised, I will deliver."
Xiao Jietian's expression was unreadable.
"Zi Yan told me that Old Su's words are the least trustworthy. He always tricks her into gathering medicinal ingredients and doing hard labour—and she ends up with nothing."
Su Qian's hand, mid-stroke through his beard, froze.
His expression shifted through several distinct phases.
My little cotton-padded jacket… has become leaky?
He glanced at Xiao Jietian.
This young man's hair is definitely yellow.
…But he's also quite agreeable.
"That is absolutely untrue," Su Qian declared, drawing himself up to his full, dignified height. "How could I possibly do such a thing? She must have been babbling for snacks. Do not believe her."
A pause.
"What I have promised you, I will naturally fulfill."
"Heh heh…"
A light laugh drifted through the air.
"I never expected the Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy to be concealing a Heavenly Flame. Great Elder Su Qian… you truly know how to keep secrets."
The voice was smooth, cultured—almost pleasant.
"If this Han were not particularly sensitive to Heavenly Flames, I might truly have been deceived by you."
The sky darkened.
Approximately ten figures materialized in the air.
At their head stood a man of striking handsomeness—refined features, alchemist robes, an air of absolute self-assurance.
Behind him: middle-aged men and elders, their auras oppressive, their presence saturated with killing intent and the scent of blood.
In one man's grip—a figure.
An Outer Academy elder's badge gleamed faintly on his torn robes.
The man tossed the elder forward.
Su Qian caught him hastily.
His gaze lifted to the handsome figure in the sky.
His eyes narrowed.
His voice emerged—cold, sharp, utterly without warmth.