"As long as the academy agrees, taking the Fallen Heart Flame is not difficult."
Xiao Ting turned around and beckoned toward the Fallen Heart Flame inside the sealing barrier.
Boom!
The colossal flame python rapidly dissipated until only a nearly transparent, colorless flame sphere roughly three meters in diameter remained.
Su Qian and the others: "..."
Was this really the same Fallen Heart Flame that had always tried to outwit them and break the seal at every opportunity?
"Elder, please release the seal. It will naturally follow me afterward." Xiao Ting smiled lightly at Su Qian.
"Really?" Su Qian was still worried the Fallen Heart Flame was merely acting.
"Don't worry. There's no problem at all." Xiao Ting released his soul aura. "If anything happens, just hand control of the array to me. I can suppress and reseal it immediately."
The pressure from that soul aura made Su Qian suddenly recall that Xiao Ting's soul realm was comparable to an ordinary Dou Ancestor at the early Spirit realm.
The Thousand Layer Sealing Formation left by the Grand Elder would be especially effective if controlled by a ruler of the Spirit realm.
"Then let us release the seal."
Su Qian's expression turned serious. He exchanged glances with the elders controlling the array and began forming hand seals. A special Battle Qi fluctuation instantly swept through his body, shaking space itself.
Several elders also formed their own seals. Their inner Battle Qi transformed into special energy waves that shot toward the array, manifesting the Thousand Layer Sealing Formation.
When the grand formation fully appeared, Su Qian's Battle Qi surged and landed at the center of the formation as a special seal.
Elder Huo and Qin Xuan watched the Fallen Heart Flame warily, gathering Battle Qi and ready to unleash battle techniques at any moment.
"Open!"
As the formation shifted, Su Qian led the elders in changing their seals simultaneously.
A sound like rotating gears suddenly echoed from the center of the formation. A thunderous force erupted and transformed into special energy that flowed into the formation.
A large gap suddenly appeared in the Thousand Layer Sealing Formation. The Fallen Heart Flame instantly turned into a torrent of light and fled into the Purple Beast Flame in Xiao Ting's hand.
"Go!"
Xiao Ting's thoughts moved. He placed the young Fallen Heart Flame at the core of the formation.
"Seal!"
Su Qian led the elders in forming seals in the opposite direction.
After a simple operation, the Heavenly Flame that was the source of the Thousand Layer Sealing Formation changed.
Su Qian and the elders controlling the formation could clearly sense that although the Fallen Heart Flame was still young, with the formation's help it could absorb lava power and satisfy the needs of cultivators below the Dou Spirit level.
Students who wished to train at the Dou Spirit or Dou King level could come to the lowest level of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower and cultivate together with the Fallen Heart Flame by operating the formation.
Over time, as the Fallen Heart Flame grew stronger, they would no longer need to control the formation themselves.
And this Fallen Heart Flame would become Jia Nan Academy's guardian flame.
"Elder, starting tomorrow I will take charge of the Alchemy Department and refine 5th-rank pills for all elders and students who need them."
Xiao Ting casually stored the Purple Beast Flame and said something that shocked Su Qian and all the elders.
The opportunity for 5th-rank students to refine pills without any restrictions was an extremely rare and precious gift for the entire Jia Nan Academy!
When the time came, elders who needed materials would bring them to Xiao Ting for refining. After the materials were processed, the academy would use its accumulated resources to commission Xiao Ting to turn rare and valuable ingredients into precious pills, which would then be used as rewards and foundation for elders and students.
"Elders, I shall take my leave now."
Xiao Ting wanted to use Jia Nan Academy's resources to improve his alchemy skills and expand his own stock. He could have refused payment—he had already received an advance. However, fees should still be handled according to regulations.
After bidding farewell to Su Qian and the others, Xiao Ting quickly arrived outside the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
Fortunately, just as they reached the tower entrance, he saw Xiao Yan walking over.
"Brother Xiao Ting, you're finally back from seclusion."
Xiao Yan smiled happily and quickly approached.
"Third Brother, perfect timing. Come with me."
Xiao Ting smiled faintly and threw a punch that seemed to tear space apart.
Passing students gasped in shock.
"Let's go." Xiao Ting stepped into the spatial rift.
Xiao Yan: "..."
This was probably what it meant to possess whimsical power.
"Can I do it?" Xiao Yan asked nervously, afraid he could not withstand the world on the other side of the spatial rift.
"What are you afraid of when I'm here?" Xiao Ting released his soul power and wrapped it around Xiao Yan's body. "If you don't go, I'll give all the benefits to Xun Er. Don't you want to bring the Heavenly Flame with you anymore?"
"I'm going!" Xiao Yan stepped into the spatial rift without hesitation.
Xiao Ting guided him through dozens of feet of spatial turbulence, then shattered space and emerged in the Inner Court.
This courtyard had been gifted to him by Su Qian and the others when he was promoted to Honorary Elder of the Inner Court. It was a scenic spot near the mountain behind the academy.
The flowers and plants in the courtyard were beautiful, the stone table was spotless, and not a single fallen leaf could be seen. It was obvious someone had been maintaining it all along—Xiao Ting never imagined it was the work of Little Fairy Doctor and Qing Lin.
"For you."
Xiao Ting sat on the stone bench and raised his hand, manifesting Purple Beast Flame and releasing the Fallen Heart Flame.
Because its energy had been evenly distributed by him, it was only at half its peak value, but its essence remained unchanged.
This was a new ability of Purple Beast Flame that Xiao Ting had discovered after breaking through to the Dou Emperor realm. It allowed him to absorb various flames, study their origins, fuse them, and strengthen special effects.
In other words, Purple Beast Flame also possessed the ability to generate Heart Flames from the Fallen Heart Flame and automatically refine Battle Qi to accelerate cultivation.
The Fallen Heart Flame's own effect was limited; its ability to accelerate cultivation at the Dou King stage was almost negligible.
But Purple Beast Flame was different. It could be continuously upgraded without limit.
For someone who had already focused on body tempering, this was like a new cheat code falling from the heavens. It continuously tempered his inner Battle Qi and improved along with his cultivation level.
Furthermore, after Purple Beast Flame analyzed its origin, with sufficient energy it could split into many newborn Fallen Heart Flames with identical origins.
Ignoring the energy enhancement ability and focusing only on the basic evolution technique, he could mass-produce people who cultivated Flame Mantra.
Of course, he had no intention of doing so, nor would he write it down in any notes. It was wiser not to reveal this true core information and trump card to anyone.
"This is?!"
Xiao Yan suddenly stood up and swallowed hard.
"Fallen Heart Flame!" Yao Chen's soul materialized, extremely shocked. "Xiao Ting, to think you actually brought this back. Aren't you afraid the Jia Nan Academy elders will fight you to the death?"
Xiao Yan had already trained in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower and knew what it felt like to cultivate with the help of the Fallen Heart Flame. He had only scratched the surface, yet he was already somewhat addicted. He now understood why direct descendants of Dou Ancestor families from Central Plains, like Han Yue, came to Jia Nan Academy for further study.
Therefore, he fully understood how important the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower was to Jia Nan Academy. After discussing with Elder Yao, he had decided not to pursue the Fallen Heart Flame.
Yet here it was, right in front of him.
"Don't call me big brother. You're the big brother!"
…
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