Chapter 276

The fiery-tempered Fire Elder, seeing the enemy trying to escape, roared: "Chase!"

"Don't chase—keep chasing and the Inner Court is finished," Xiao Yan stopped the Elders who were about to pursue.

Although Xiao Yan also wanted to capture Han Feng, there was something more important to deal with right now.

Xiao Yan's attention had never once left the Falling Heart Flame.

"Stop pretending—you wouldn't be a Spiritual Flame if you could be subdued so easily," Xiao Yan didn't block Han Feng's departure, only stood silently in the sky, gazing at the Falling Heart Flame, pinned motionless beneath a thousand-layer Flame Sealing.

A Spiritual Flame that had gained sentience, having lived for years in the Earth's Core's Yanyan region, accumulating vast energy—how could it possibly be sealed by just a dozen Dou Wangs and a few Dou Huangs plus terrain?

No sooner had Xiao Yan finished speaking than the Falling Heart Flame suddenly opened its eyes—ssssss!!! A screech echoed through the air!

"What?!"

"Quick! Channel your Dou Qi!"

With a thud, before Hu Qian and the others could reinforce the sealing, the Falling Heart Flame suddenly sucked in violently—the residual Spiritual Flames left from the collision of Buddha Fury Lotus and Sea Heart Flame, as if they had legs, all flew straight into the Falling Heart Flame's mouth.

As the suction erupted from within the Falling Heart Flame, Su Qian and the others sensed it immediately, turning their gazes over—and their faces turned pale.

"Stop it!"

Su Qian moved instantly—his figure flashed, appearing like a ghost ten meters around the Falling Heart Flame—but before he could act, a massive cluster of scorching, invisible flame shot straight at his face, forcing him to dodge frantically.

The Falling Heart Flame's swallowing speed was terrifying—in the instant Su Qian dodged, all remaining Spiritual Flame residue was completely consumed.

With such a vast influx of flame energy, a force even more violent than before slowly surged from within the Falling Heart Flame, then spread throughout the entire Inner Court.

"What is this?!"

"Heart Fire?!"

Instantly, every student and Elder in the Inner Court felt an invisible Heart Fire ignite in their hearts—the students were no strangers to Heart Fire; they entered the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta precisely to cultivate with these Heart Fires.

"Damn it! Don't channel your Dou Qi through these Heart Fires!!!" Xiao Yan's Void Swallowing Flame sub-flame surged out and immediately extinguished the Heart Fires.

Although Xiao Yan had warned quickly, some impatient students, seeing the Heart Fires appear, thought it was just like training in the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta, and used their Dou Qi to pass through them, hoping to purify it.

But they forgot: Heart Fire can purify Dou Qi only because those Heart Fires are refined, pure Heart Fires.

The Heart Fire unleashed by the Falling Heart Flame is meant to kill!

"Ahh!!"

"How is this possible! It's not like the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta!"

"Save me! Help!!"

In an instant, many weak students burst into flame without external fire, their bodies emitting a sizzling, sizzling white smoke—fire had ignited inside them!

Not just students—even the Elders felt invisible Heart Fires surge within them, their cheeks turning crimson!

Seizing the moment the Inner Court Elders were distracted, the Falling Heart Flame erupted in a flame shockwave, shattering the thousand-layer sealing with a boom—like a Sea Giant Python, it burst through and shot straight toward Xiao Yan in the sky.

The greed in its gaze was unmistakable.

"Heh, want to swallow me?" Xiao Yan's eyes narrowed slightly—those who hunt must be ready to become the hunted.

Suddenly, a Seven-Colored Divine Light shot from afar!

Just as the Falling Heart Flame opened its maw to swallow Xiao Yan whole, a Seven-Colored Divine Light swept across—even the Falling Heart Flame, struck by it, saw its flames inexplicably weaken, as if some monster had devoured part of its energy.

"Xiao Yan, are you alright?!" Elder Su Qian rushed over, slamming out a palm—Dou Zong power surged forth; even without using a Dou Technique, a Dou Zong could already wield a touch of spatial power, slamming the Falling Heart Flame back hard.

Seeing Su Qian arrive to cover him, Xiao Yan offered him a strained smile—but his pale face betrayed his weakness.

Although Xiao Yan had defeated Han Feng, he did so using the Secret Technique Tian Huo San Xuan Bian, exhausting vast Soul Force to create the Buddha Fury Lotus.

Even with a Common Realm peak Soul Force, Xiao Yan was already strained by this string of battles and the Buddha Fury Lotus technique.

"That Seven-Colored Light just now was…" Elder Su Qian stared into the distance—that Seven-Colored Light had definitely belonged to a Dou Zong!

When had the Inner Court gained another Dou Zong—and he hadn't known?!

"That's my ally—here to help me deal with the Falling Heart Flame," Xiao Yan said, eyes fixed on the Falling Heart Flame's direction.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Su Qian's eyes lit up with joy—if another Dou Zong joined them, their chances of resealing the Falling Heart Flame increased greatly!

"Xiao Yan, as long as you can protect the Inner Court students and reseal the Falling Heart Flame back into the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta, no matter the cost—I, Su Qian, will pay it!" Elder Su Qian declared boldly, hoping to move Mei Du Sha into action.

Xiao Yan turned to look at the Elder, his expression grave: "Elder, do you really believe we can reseal the Falling Heart Flame back into the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta?"

!!!!

Su Qian stared at the menacing Falling Heart Flame, sighed, and said: "If you have a plan, speak it."

"Elder, I do have the ability to reseal the Falling Heart Flame back beneath the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta—but within a year or so, once it regains its strength, the Falling Heart Flame will return, stronger than ever."

Xiao Yan looked earnestly at the Elder: "I am already a Dou Wang. I have no ties left in Jia Nan Academy—I will be leaving soon."

Xiao Yan's meaning was clear: Jia Nan Academy has indeed repelled Han Feng, and he has confidence he can suppress the Falling Heart Flame again.

But he cannot stay in Jia Nan Academy forever—meaning: there will be no next time.

When he is gone, will Jia Nan Academy still have the strength to resist the Black Horn Region—or a stronger Falling Heart Flame?

Elder Su Qian sighed—he understood perfectly. Even without the next time, if Xiao Yan hadn't defeated Han Feng, causing the Black Horn Region's wolves, tigers, and leopards to flee in terror, the real winner in a true battle would have been the Falling Heart Flame alone.

The Academy would have been destroyed anyway.

"Xiao Yan, you've done much for this Academy—say plainly what you need," Elder Su Qian said, his gaze serious.

"Elder, I won't hide it—my Cultivation Method is unique; it allows me to refine multiple Spiritual Flames. My friend's condition for helping is that he must enter the Spiritual Flame Space to absorb the Falling Heart Flame's energy and forge a Spiritual Flame Body." Xiao Yan spoke with solemnity.

Hearing Xiao Yan's words, Elder Su Qian understood instantly—Xiao Yan had set his sights on the Falling Heart Flame since the day he enrolled.

That mysterious Dou Zong ally must enter the Spiritual Flame Space to absorb energy.

Seeing the Elder's hesitation and gravity, Xiao Yan raised his hand: "Regardless, I will do everything I can to help the Academy through this crisis."

The Falling Heart Flame's gaze burned fiercely, locked on Xiao Yan—but it dared not move. It was weighing whether to flee immediately or swallow Xiao Yan, the source of Spiritual Flame origin, to grow stronger.

"Xiao Yan, are you on the Academy's side?" Su Qian asked suddenly, seriously.

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, his eyes earnest: "No matter what I become in the future, Jia Nan Academy remains my alma mater."

"Sigh… enough. The Dean once said the Falling Heart Flame cannot be confined forever. Since it's doomed either way, I'll give it to you." Elder Su Qian sighed—since the Falling Heart Flame had erupted and shattered its seal, he'd known it could never be contained again.

Xiao Yan's eyes lit up with delight; had the atmosphere not been so tense, he would have shouted aloud, "Elder, how wise!" and bribed him with several Elixirs.

"Since you say so, you must have a complete plan—how should we assist you?" Elder asked directly.

Xiao Yan chuckled and said, "I hope Elder and I work together to subdue the Fallen Heart Flame; the other Elders should use Sealing Arrays to weaken the Fallen Heart Flame's power."

Elder immediately waved his hand and barked, "All of you, switch to the Heavenly Cold Chain Array—reduce the Fallen Heart Flame's power!"

From Su Qian's mouth roared the command, and instantly, all Elders took their positions, channeling Dou Qi into the Academy's pre-set Array; a rustling sound echoed as dozens of icy Spiritual Energy Sealing Chains shot up from the ground and eerily wrapped around the Fallen Heart Flame!

As the icy chains encircled it, wisps of smoke curled upward from the Fallen Heart Flame, and a piercing shriek rang endlessly across the sky.

Seizing the moment his Heavenly Flame Three Mystical Changes Secret Technique still held, Xiao Yan activated the Burning Decree, and the Yin-Yang Twin Flames instantly burst forth from his Nascent Core.

"Divine Dou Technique—Yin-Yang Dual Poles!" Xiao Yan mentally roared, transforming into a streak of fiery arrow that shot straight toward the Fallen Heart Flame.

Sss!! Seeing Xiao Yan not flee but strike at it, the Fallen Heart Flame thrashed violently and lunged to bite him.

"Dead Flame!" Xiao Yan formed hand seals and furiously pushed the Dead Flame, instantly unleashing a sky-covering wave of black Dead Flame toward the Fallen Heart Flame.

The black Dead Flame enveloped the Fallen Heart Flame, continuously decaying its Divine Flame energy, while the white Life Flame isolated the Fallen Heart Flame's Heart Fire, shielding Xiao Yan.

Ssssss!! The Fallen Heart Flame violently whipped its body, shaking off the Dead Flame, then opened its mouth—only ten meters from Xiao Yan.

"Mei Du Sha!"

As Xiao Yan spoke, a graceful figure with hair like a waterfall of red stepped down from Space.

Arms crossed, she gazed at the invisible fire serpent, a cold smirk curling on her lips: "A mere Spirit Serpent dares to be arrogant before Wang?"

With a thunderous boom, before all eyes, Mei Du Sha gathered a seven-colored palm imprint and slammed it hard onto the serpent's head.

Finally, with a deafening crash, the charging invisible fire serpent collided violently with Mei Du Sha's seven-colored palm imprint.

Mei Du Sha's terrifying energy slammed the invisible fire serpent's Fallen Heart Flame straight into the magma world beneath the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta.

Seeing Mei Du Sha step down from Space, Su Qian's face paled: "Is this the legendary Mei Du Sha? And her Bloodline has already evolved successfully—she's reached Dou Zong realm!"

Xiao Yan said, "This is my friend, here to help me reclaim the Fallen Heart Flame. Come, let's enter the Di Xia Shi Jie."

Saying this, Xiao Yan unfurled his Dou Qi wings and led the charge through the massive hole blasted in the Tian Fen Lian Qi Ta; Mei Du Sha cast a cool glance at Su Qian, then followed Xiao Yan into the Di Xia Shi Jie.

Seeing Mei Du Sha appear, Su Qian could only sigh helplessly: You claim you don't know martial arts? You've even brought a Dou Zong!

Mei Du Sha's pressure dwarfed even that of the Gold and Silver Elders—Xiao Yan's setup was clearly for conquest!

Before his eyes stretched a crimson as fresh blood; slowly widening his gaze, Xiao Yan realized the red was countless slowly flowing rivers of magma.

Mei Du Sha stood beside Xiao Yan, watching the Fallen Heart Flame absorbing Earth Core power from the magma, and said, "Hey, this thing's regaining strength—surely you don't have no other plan?"

Xiao Yan smiled faintly, retracting the Yin-Yang Twin Flames into his Nascent Core. When he entered the ninth level, he had already discovered the Fallen Heart Flame's true body resided within an underground magma Sea.

"This is indeed where you were born—but in the Earth Core World, the Blue Lotus reigns supreme!"

The Burning Decree surged wildly; all the Qing Lian Di Xin Huo Xiao Yan could summon erupted from his body at once!

As the Qing Lian Di Xin Huo poured forth endlessly, the flame coalescing above Xiao Yan's head grew increasingly emerald green; in a few blinks, it twisted strangely, then suddenly, a lotus entirely formed of Qing Lian Di Xin Huo appeared.

This blue fire lotus was as clear as jade, with streams of emerald-magma-like substance swirling within it, dazzlingly beautiful.

"Ha!" Xiao Yan slammed his palm down—every bit of Qing Lian Di Xin Huo above his head surged into the lotus base; guided by his will, the lotus plunged into the magma world.

Gong gong gong!!! The entire magma world erupted in violent tremors, as if an earthquake had struck.

Ssssss!!! The invisible fire serpent burst violently from the Earth Core magma, terrified—it realized it could no longer control the magma's Earth Vein power!

Pu!! A colossal blue lotus suddenly erupted from the magma Sea, as if born pure from mud yet unstained—born from magma yet unburned!

Born deep within the Earth, tempered, fused, compressed, and carved countless times by Earth Fire—ten years to awaken a Spirit, a hundred to form a shape, a thousand to become a lotus; when fully matured, its hue turns blue-green, and at its heart blooms a cluster of blue flame—known as Qing Lian Fire, also called Qing Lian Di Xin Huo!

Near volcanic regions, it can even trigger volcanic eruptions—creating nature's destructive force!

Xiao Yan's Soul Force surged forth; though this was the Fallen Heart Flame's birthplace, its power was no longer under its control—it was now under Xiao Yan's command!

Pa! Under Xiao Yan's Soul Force control, the magma formed a giant hand that clamped down, gripping the invisible fire serpent tightly.

"Got you," Xiao Yan stood atop the towering blue lotus, his right hand clenched in a loose grip.

The Shen Mi Zhi Yi of Qing Lian Di Xin Huo can only be fully unleashed beneath Earth Veins in the magma world—normally it may seem unremarkable, but in this specific place, its power becomes limitless!

(End of Chapter)