Chapter 217: Settling Matters

The conversation concluded with both host and guest thoroughly satisfied. Zhu Huo soon departed contentedly; he still had to rush back to East Dragon Island to share this good news with the Elders and let the high-ranking members of East Dragon Island admire the majestic bearing of His Majesty the Dragon Emperor.

Meanwhile, Su Qian and Xiao Lin remained where they were.

"Don't you think you should explain something to me..." Su Qian glanced at Xiao Lin and said.

"Explain what?"

"What do you think!" Su Qian's voice rose slightly. He hadn't prepared for anything, yet he had been brought face-to-face with a top-tier powerhouse. If it weren't for the composure he had cultivated over these years as Great Elder, he might have been scared to death.

"Don't worry about those details." Xiao Lin did not answer, but instead said: "At least Zi Yan's background is clear now, isn't it? You old man can finally set your mind at ease."

"Hmph!" Su Qian snorted coldly and said nothing more.

"The Inner Academy's Strong Ranking competition is about to start, isn't it?" After an unknown amount of silence, Xiao Lin finally blurted out this question.

"That's right, it starts in a month." Su Qian looked at Xiao Lin with suspicion, "Why, have you actually become interested in these children's games?"

If he remembered correctly, whenever the Strong Ranking competition was held in the past, the other party had always been dismissive, calling it "children's games."

Although that was essentially the truth—it was merely a battle between a group of Dou Lings, not even meeting the minimum strength requirement for an Elder.

"It's nothing." Xiao Lin's expression was indifferent, "It's just that this time, the Strong Ranking competition will be a bit more interesting."

"You are certainly right about that."

Su Qian thought of Xun Er, the existence who had shocked the entire academy several years ago. Now, the only one in the entire Inner Academy who might be able to contend with her was likely Zi Yan, who was a Fifth-Tier Magical Beast.

Xiao Lin felt it necessary to give his old friend a heads-up, "You should be careful about the Fallen Heart Flame."

That good grandson of mine has been eyeing it all along!

But Su Qian didn't know that, "Fallen Heart Flame?"

"Could it be that the Fallen Heart Flame is about to erupt? That can't be right, the seal was just reinforced a while ago!" Su Qian said curiously.

"It's nothing, just pay a little more attention." Before the words had even faded, Xiao Lin's figure immediately vanished.

"You..." Su Qian stared at the spot where Xiao Lin had disappeared and sighed helplessly.

"Second Uncle, are there any other instructions?" Xiao Lin asked with confusion. He had originally thought Xiao Han would leave silently, never expecting to see the latter's figure the moment he returned.

"Take this." Xiao Han threw out a Storage Ring, which Xiao Lin caught.

"Inside are some fire-attribute resources; you can give them to him at the appropriate time."

"Yes!"

Subsequently, Xiao Han took out that Fallen Heart Flame seed again.

Feeling the familiar restlessness in his heart and the terrifying energy contained within, Xiao Lin's expression changed slightly:

"This is the Fallen Heart Flame?"

"Mm." Xiao Han nodded, "To be precise, it is a juvenile Fallen Heart Flame."

"Does this also need to be given to Yan Er?" Xiao Lin asked curiously.

"I am telling you to give it to Jia Nan Academy." Xiao Han rolled his eyes.

"Kid Yan took away Jia Nan Academy's treasure of the academy; don't you have to give them some compensation? Is it necessary for us to become enemies with Jia Nan Academy?"

"Understood!" Xiao Lin was clear now; he was aware of Xiao Yan's intentions regarding the Fallen Heart Flame.

Xiao Lin also understood that this was likely a way to minimize Jia Nan Academy's losses. By gifting a juvenile Fallen Heart Flame and using Dou Qi to nurture it for a period of time, it would grow into a new Fallen Heart Flame, and there would be no need to worry about the risk of betrayal.

"You kid, also remember: once your identity is exposed, evacuate Jia Nan Academy immediately." Xiao Han warned.

On the way to Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Han had received a message from Yi Huang. The current Xiao Clan faced great risks; in an emergency, one must act according to circumstances, and the possibility of breaking up the whole into parts could not be ruled out.

Xiao Lin had also long since received notice from Xiao Zhan, knowing that the current Xiao Clan was not safe and likely needed to lie low.

"What about Li Er?" Xiao Lin thought of another member of the Xiao Clan in the Black-Corner Region.

"Kid Xiao Li?" Xiao Han thought for a moment, "Let those brothers all go to the Central Plains to gain some experience."

Xiao Han felt a headache coming on. The other members of the Xiao Clan were easy to handle, but only the branch of the Clan Leader, Xiao Zhan, and the members of the several Elder lineages were at risk of facing extreme danger.

It was better to let them all go to the Central Plains to wander around. Although the power of the Soul Hall was strong there, the Xiao Clan's strength was not bad either, and they could help each other out at critical moments.

"I will arrange for the Xiao Clan members in the Central Plains to look after them."

Xiao Lin said worriedly: "Won't that expose those kids?"

In recent years, the Xiao Clan had secretly sent many members to the Central Plains. Some of these clansmen had sacrificed themselves due to various factors, but more had taken root in the Central Plains, becoming hidden pieces buried throughout the region.

But now, to expose the Xiao Clan's hidden hands because of Xiao Li and the others—even Xiao Lin, as a grandfather, was not very willing.

"Rest assured, it is just to provide these few little guys with some convenience at certain times; there is no major harm." In the Dou Qi Continent, although geniuses are very dangerous, sometimes they are also very safe.

They might be assassinated by those who are jealous of talent or harbor malicious intentions, but there will also be many factions and powerhouses who will extend an olive branch to them because of it.

Even if it doesn't work out, they will provide some help within their power to seek a favorable connection. Paying a small, insignificant price might lead to the possibility of using this favor in the future; no matter how you calculate it, it's not a loss.

And those few kids of the Xiao Clan all have this qualification, so Xiao Han does not believe it will arouse the suspicion of the Soul Hall.

If the Soul Hall truly dared to kill the wrong person rather than let one go, it would very likely cause a backlash from the factions across the entire Central Plains; such a consequence is something the other party simply cannot afford.

"Understood." Xiao Lin nodded to indicate he understood.

"Mm, in a while, you might still need to discuss some matters with that girl called Xun Er; pay attention." After Xiao Han left this sentence, he tore open a rift beside him and walked inside.

Langya Pavilion, Central Plains.

"How is it? Did you find anything?" Yi Huang looked at the Elder reporting in front of her with a grave expression.

"No." That Elder lowered his head in shame, "The other party left absolutely no clues. Everyone died without survivors; we couldn't even find the corpses."

Yi Huang leaned against her seat helplessly and whispered softly: "That's the eighth case."

Yi Huang said with a stern expression: "Continue the investigation. Apart from necessary operations, all intelligence missions of the Langya Pavilion in the Central Plains are to be halted. Focus all efforts on tracking down the person behind the scenes."

Only when Xiao Han was confirmed missing a hundred years ago had she used such a tone; from this, one could see how heavy Yi Huang's mood was.

"Yes." That Elder also knew the severity and complexity of the matter and left quickly.

Just as Yi Huang rubbed her aching temples once more, a reassuring voice sounded beside her ear:

"It seems someone needs my help!"