"Why have you two come?"
Through the seal, Han Feng looked at Medusa and Cai'er outside with some surprise.
Medusa chuckled lightly and said confidently, "I knew you wouldn't die so easily."
Hearing Medusa's words, Han Feng immediately understood.
Did Elder Su Qian and the others think he was dead?
"Hey, did you get that Heavenly Flame?"
Medusa's gaze swept around, but she didn't find any trace of the Heavenly Flame.
Han Feng raised his eyebrows slightly.
You know me well...
"Yes. I plan to go into seclusion here for a period of time. After you go back, tell Qingyun and the others not to worry."
Medusa nodded, then didn't linger and went back with Cai'er.
In the scorching magma world, silence returned once more.
After Han Feng had initially adapted to the Fallen Heart Flame's attack methods, he adjusted his state and took out the seventh-grade Earth Spirit Heart-Replenishing Pill.
"Let's begin."
———
Cold years pass without notice. After Ye Qingyun learned of Han Feng's situation, she felt relieved. However, without the main pillar of support, life felt somewhat listless.
Everyone cultivated seriously, turning their loneliness and longing into motivation.
The Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower reopened after being closed for three months.
On the open ground outside the tower, a huge stone statue figure was erected, bearing a striking resemblance to Han Feng.
All the teachers and students knew that it was this "hero" who had sacrificed himself to suppress the demon under the tower.
In the deepest part of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, a figure had been busy recently.
Great Elder Su Qian now came to check the seal every day. He couldn't sleep without checking, and it had almost become a mental burden.
Today, he came for his usual inspection. However, during the process of checking the seal, his brows furrowed slightly.
"Something doesn't seem right."
Su Qian muttered to himself.
Then he checked carefully back and forth several times but did not find any obvious abnormalities. For a moment, he suspected that he might have been hallucinating just now.
After checking again, Su Qian helplessly withdrew his hand, thinking that perhaps he had been under too much pressure recently and needed to take some medicine.
At this moment, at the barrier below, Han Feng very stealthily burned a small gap, and then immediately repaired it with a sealing technique.
"Phew, Elder Su Qian has been too diligent lately."
Han Feng shook his head. To actually run into him during that brief moment, he had to admire the other party's dedication.
Three months had passed, and the Fallen Heart Flame had been successfully refined by Han Feng. The Flame Mantra had evolved to the mid-level Earth Rank.
The reason it took so long was, on the one hand, because Han Feng had stored too much energy in the Green Lotus Sea Heart Flame. If it accidentally exploded during fusion, the disaster it would bring to the Inner Academy would be no less than the Fallen Heart Flame breaking the seal.
Fortunately, it ended without mishap. Han Feng compressed those energies into a twenty-four-leaf lotus flower, which was now stored in his Dantian.
On the other hand, after devouring the Fallen Heart Flame, his Dou Qi had risen significantly, almost automatically breaking through the Dou Ancestor realm. Han Feng had painstakingly compressed it twice, becoming an awkward "Third Revolution Peak Dou Emperor," before finally stopping the momentum.
For the first time, Han Feng felt like he was about to overflow. The step towards breaking through to Dou Ancestor absolutely could not be delayed.
After leaving the sealing barrier, Han Feng descended deeper into the magma world.
He had a faint feeling that something was waiting for him there.
Following this inexplicable perception, Han Feng advanced at full speed.
However, he did not reach his destination, but a few roadblocks appeared.
Looking at the Flame Lizard that appeared before him, Han Feng's soul power burst out. The Innate Primordial Magnetism transformed into several silver chains and pierced into the opponent's body at an extremely fast speed.
"So that's how it is. In this magma world, the Flame Lizards have actually formed a unique magical beast family."
Han Feng glimpsed a part of the other party's soul memories, then tossed the fainted Flame Lizard aside.
These Flame Lizards were not strong enough and didn't know much. It would be better to take the opportunity to let them go back and lure stronger Flame Lizards to come.
At that time, he could make detailed inquiries.
Han Feng used his Heaven Origin Finger to plant an imprint on several Flame Lizards, then paid them no more mind and continued to follow the sensation deeper.
After descending for an unknown amount of time, Han Feng arrived at a place that seemed to be a Flame Lizard nest.
There were dozens of Flame Lizards here, but their cultivation was still not high. Han Feng didn't even make a move and dealt with all of them just with his soul power.
"This is..."
Han Feng ignored the Flame Lizards rushing over for support from above and looked towards a different space within the nest.
"Interesting. It's actually a folded space laid down by a Dou Venerate."
Han Feng stepped out and arrived inside the different space.
This space was very simple. The person who had laid it down seemed not to have had time to arrange anything.
However, the treasure hidden within was clear at a glance.
Han Feng's gaze focused, locking onto the humanoid skeleton not far away. In the hand of that humanoid skeleton, a brand new, nascent Fallen Heart Flame burned faintly.
"There's actually another Heavenly Flame hidden here?"
Han Feng instantly appeared in front of the skeleton, staring at the Fallen Heart Flame for a long time.
"What a pity. It's too nascent and useless for the evolution of the Flame Mantra."
This Heavenly Flame before him was neither an additional type nor did it have an overly powerful accumulation. Even if absorbed, the progress would not be great, far less useful than keeping it.
He had refined the academy's Heavenly Flame this time. Although he was an elder of the academy, he certainly couldn't stay in the academy for a long time like others. Therefore, it was also different from the expectations of Elder Shi Yuan and Headmaster Mang Tianchi.
According to Elder Shi, Headmaster Mang Tianchi had agreed to the refinement of the Fallen Heart Flame, but it was best if the refiner could stay in the academy for a long time to support the cultivation in the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower.
"It can be used to compensate the academy. Moreover, if this nascent Fallen Heart Flame is nurtured to maturity by the academy, it won't cause trouble again in the future."
Han Feng smiled. In this way, everyone would be happy.
He reached out to take this Heavenly Flame, but at the moment of contact, a sleeping soul power suddenly awakened from within.
"There really is something strange."
Han Feng narrowed his eyes. The Innate Primordial Magnetism transformed into chains that extended out, trapping the soul body that had suddenly rushed out. As for the Fallen Heart Flame, it naturally landed steadily in his hand.
"Spare my life, Your Excellency!"
The soul body hurriedly called out, afraid that the chains would pierce its soul.
Han Feng originally had no intention of killing it. After playing with the Heavenly Flame in his hand for a while, he looked up at the soul body hanging upside down in mid-air.
"Are you the Dou Venerate who fell here?"
Venerate Skyfire nodded repeatedly.
"Your Excellency has sharp eyes. I am Yao Tianhuo. I apologize for disturbing you just now. I hope you can forgive me!"
Han Feng withdrew the chains and put him down.
"It was not your intention. There's no need to apologize."
Han Feng looked at the nascent Heavenly Flame in his hand and said, "The Fallen Heart Flame has a special effect on soul bodies. It can break souls in attack and protect souls in defense. In your current state, if not for the protection of this Fallen Heart Flame, you would probably have dissipated long ago."
Venerate Skyfire gave a sheepish smile. After thinking for a moment, he took out a scroll from the storage ring on the skeleton beside him.
"Many thanks for sparing my life, Your Excellency. A small gift, just as a token of gratitude."