"Cousin Xiao Yu, in less than half a year, it'll be time for the Inner Academy Selection Tournament. You'll be able to go then," Xun'er said gently, smiling as she saw the longing expression on Xiao Yu's face.
Just as the words left her lips, Ling Ying's voice suddenly echoed inside her mind.
"Miss… Young Master Xiao Se has encountered trouble."
Xun'er froze.
The warmth in her expression vanished instantly. Her face turned pale, and her eyes darkened.
"Xun'er? What's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?" Zhu Zhuqing asked softly when she noticed the sudden change.
"Ah… no… it's nothing. I'm just a little tired. I'll go rest for a bit."
Xun'er forced a faint smile, stood up, and walked out of the room. Her steps were steady, but her face remained unnaturally pale.
"What happened to her?" Xiao Yu asked, puzzled, having just snapped out of her own daydream.
Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, though deep down, she had a faint guess.
—
At the top of the pavilion, under dim light, Xun'er stood facing Ling Ying.
"Elder Ling, what happened to Cousin Xiao Se?" Her voice was calm—but her eyes betrayed urgency.
Ling Ying knelt on one knee.
"Young Master Han Feng of the Black-Corner Region gathered a group of powerful experts and invaded the Inner Academy. This subordinate was worried they might target Young Master Xiao Se, so I followed from a distance."
"I discovered that the Inner Academy has sealed the Heavenly Flame ranked fourteenth—the Fallen Heart Flame. Han Feng's purpose in entering the Inner Academy was to seize it."
Xun'er's brows tightened.
Ling Ying continued.
"After breaking the academy's barrier, Han Feng's group clashed with the Jia Nan Academy elders. Young Master Xiao Se and Elder Xiao Yixian joined the battle."
"Young Master Xiao Se was incredibly strong. At peak Dou Wang, he defeated Han Feng, who stood at peak Dou Huang, relying solely on his own strength."
"As for the Black-Corner Region experts Han Feng brought, they were nearly slaughtered by Elder Xiao Yixian after she broke through to Dou Zong."
Xun'er's fingers tightened slightly.
"But at the critical moment," Ling Ying's tone grew heavier, "the Fallen Heart Flame broke through its seal once again. It attacked the closest targets—Young Master Xiao Se and Han Feng."
"Han Feng, knowing he would not survive, used the last of his strength to drag Young Master Xiao Se into the Fallen Heart Flame. After swallowing them both, the flame returned to the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower."
Silence.
The moment Ling Ying mentioned that Xiao Se had been swallowed, a faint golden flame rose within Xun'er's eyes.
The dim light traced sharp shadows along her delicate features, making her expression appear unusually cold.
"And now?" she asked quietly. "What is Cousin Xiao Se's condition?"
"This subordinate does not know. There are two Dou Zongs within the Inner Academy, including Elder Xiao Yixian. I did not dare approach too closely."
He hesitated, then added carefully.
"But Young Master Xiao Se is extremely intelligent. When Han Feng dragged him into the Fallen Heart Flame, he did not seem to resist strongly. And when Elder Xiao Yixian saw him being pulled into the tower, she did not exert her full strength to save him either."
"It may be… that this outcome was what Young Master Xiao Se intended."
Ling Ying offered a bitter smile as he spoke his analysis.
From the perspective of an observer, certain details were difficult to ignore.
Xiao Se's plan, though bold, was not flawless. A sufficiently powerful outsider could detect subtle clues.
Of course—
The Inner Academy students watching the battle were mostly below Dou Wang. They had neither the experience nor the qualification to analyze such a confrontation.
Zi Yan had the strength—
But not the inclination.
Her mind was usually occupied with food, not schemes.
After hearing Ling Ying's explanation, realization dawned on Xun'er.
Based on her understanding of Xiao Se—
He never acted without profit.
He could be sincere and gentle toward those close to him.
But toward enemies—
He was ruthless and calculating.
Han Feng was likely just another piece on his board.
"No wonder Cousin Xiao Se hurriedly sent Zhuqing back to the Outer Academy…" Xun'er murmured softly.
A faint smile returned to her lips.
"Perhaps it truly was as you guessed. This was part of his plan."
Ling Ying nodded respectfully and faded back into the shadows.
—
Deep beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
In the molten magma world.
Within a blazing mass of invisible fire floated two figures.
One was wrapped in deep blue flames.
The other—
In pink.
The figure enveloped in blue flame had completely lost its life force. The only reason it had not been reduced to ashes was because the Sea Heart Flame still clung to it.
The other figure floated in a cross shape, limbs spread wide, suspended calmly within the invisible blaze.
Behind him spread a pair of enormous black wings.
And extending from his back—
The sinister, scorpion-tail-like Evil God Hook.
Who else could it be but Xiao Se?
The hook was still embedded in Han Feng's chest.
Han Feng's body gradually shriveled.
His skin collapsed inward.
His flesh withered.
Until finally—
He turned into fine gray ash.
All that remained was a cluster of deep-blue flame, flickering quietly in the molten air.
Time passed.
No one knew how long.
At last, Xiao Se slowly opened his eyes.
He raised a hand to rub his forehead, which felt faintly sore.
"Brother, you're awake!"
A crisp, delighted voice echoed in his mind.
"Long Kui… are you alright?" Xiao Se asked softly.
He knew full well that he was currently within the Fallen Heart Flame. Though it was under his control and would not attempt to refine him as it had originally tried to do with Xiao Yan—
Its raw power still existed.
Long Kui did not possess something like Yao Lao's Bone Chilling Flame. Her soul alone could not withstand such heat without protection.
"Don't worry, Brother," Long Kui replied cheerfully. "I listened to you and didn't come out."
Xiao Se nodded slightly, relief washing through him.
He extended his soul power outward.
And froze.
His soul strength—
Had increased.
By a large margin.
He looked toward where Han Feng had been.
There was no body left.
Only the Sea Heart Flame remained, flickering gently.
"System. Open my status panel."
[Ding. Opening status panel.]
[Host: Xiao Se
Gender: Male
Age: 15
Cultivation: Nine-Star Dou Wang
Soul Level: Seventh-Rank Low-Tier Alchemist
Domain: Ice-Fire Domain
Sword Intent: 40%
Dou Qi Attributes: Fire (with a trace of Wood), Ice, Time, Space
Martial Spirit: Fire
Cultivation Techniques:
"Flame Mantra" (Low Earth Rank)
"Origin Soul Art" (Grade Unknown)
Heavenly Flames:
Green Lotus Core Flame
Ice-Fire Dragon Flame
Dou Techniques:
"Mirror Flower Shatter" (High Earth Rank)
"Crimson Flame Sword" (Mid Earth Rank)
"Ethereal Mist Step" (High Xuan Rank)
"Lion's Roar" (High Xuan Rank)
"Breath Concealment Art" (Unknown Grade)
"Eightfold Mountain Barrier" (High Xuan Rank)
Exchange Chances: 0
Draw Chances: 0
System Inventory:
Heavenly Palm Bottle
Fox Spirit Matchmaker Travel Ticket (Permanent)
Sword Path Supreme Travel Ticket (7 Days)
]
Xiao Se stared at the panel.
His cultivation had advanced to nine-star Dou Wang.
But more importantly—
His soul realm had broken through.
From being unable to reach the peak of sixth-rank—
To seventh-rank low-tier alchemist.
He had crossed an enormous bottleneck.
"How did my soul grow so much?" Xiao Se murmured internally. "I hadn't even reached peak sixth-rank before."
He turned inward.
"Long Kui. After I entered here, what exactly happened? And where did Han Feng's corpse go?"
Long Kui answered gently.
"After Brother brought Han Feng in, you fell unconscious. Your Heavenly Flames instinctively protected you. Han Feng's did the same."
"But the Evil God Hook…"
"It seemed to be devouring Han Feng's soul."
"Not long ago, his soul completely disappeared. Once his soul vanished, the Heavenly Flame he possessed lost its support and returned to its original state."
"Without the protection of his flame, his body was burned into nothingness."
She paused.
"Did you notice, Brother? Your soul feels much stronger now."
Xiao Se nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"It has broken through the bottleneck of a sixth-rank alchemist."
"I've stepped into the realm of seventh-rank."
The Evil God Hook had not merely killed Han Feng.
It had devoured his soul.
And through that devouring—
Xiao Se's own soul had ascended.
(End of Chapter)
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