Within the pale-white halo of the magma world.
Xiao Se was in an unusually good mood as he leisurely examined the treasures stored inside Han Feng's Youhai Storage Ring.
Even though he had prepared himself mentally long ago, he still couldn't help sucking in a sharp breath of cold air.
Setting aside the Dou Techniques, cultivation manuals, and the Myriad Beast Cauldron for the moment, just the stack of high-grade pill formulas Han Feng had obtained by murdering his own master was enough to make Xiao Se's mouth water uncontrollably.
Among them all, the one that made Xiao Se's heart pound the hardest was the formula for the Eighth-Rank Blood-Rebirth Bone-Melting Pill.
This was no ordinary pill.
It was the key to reviving Long Kui.
"How do you feel, Senior Tianhuo?" Xiao Se asked with a faint smile as he slipped the Youhai Storage Ring onto the middle finger of his left hand. He turned to look at Yao Tianhuo, who had just finished refining the Soul-Melding Pill.
At this moment, Yao Tianhuo's soul was far more solid than before, completely free of the instability and haziness that had plagued him earlier.
"Hehe… many thanks, little friend," Yao Tianhuo said with heartfelt relief. "If not for this Soul-Melding Pill of yours, I fear that in just a few more years, I would have truly dissipated from this world."
His damaged soul had been greatly repaired, and his mood was clearly excellent. With a casual wave of his withered arm, the infant Fallen Heart Flame floated up from the white skeleton beneath him, hovering quietly before Xiao Se.
"A gentleman's word is his bond. This infant Fallen Heart Flame is yours as well."
Xiao Se nodded slightly. From the Youhai Storage Ring, he took out a specially prepared Fire-Gathering Gourd and carefully drew the infant Fallen Heart Flame into it.
This Fire-Gathering Gourd had originally been something Han Feng prepared for subduing the Fallen Heart Flame himself. Now, however, it ended up benefiting Xiao Se instead.
"Since Senior has recovered, this junior will take his leave," Xiao Se said calmly. He stored the Fire-Gathering Gourd into his system inventory, turned around, and spread his Evil God Wings, clearly preparing to depart.
"Little friend—wait!" Seeing Xiao Se actually about to leave just like that, Yao Tianhuo was utterly stunned by this outrageous move. He nearly choked on his own breath and hurriedly called out.
Hearing this, a sly glint flashed across Xiao Se's eyes. He turned around, feigning confusion. "Is there something else, Senior?"
"You little fox, stop pretending," Tianhuo Venerable said, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Just say it—what conditions must be met before you're willing to take this old man out of here?"
Originally, he had thought Xiao Se was a respectful junior who valued seniors. Who would have thought he was also the type who wouldn't release the hawk until he saw the rabbit?
"Hehe, Senior is being too harsh," Xiao Se said with a grin. "It's just that I've established a force in the Black-Corner Region. If Senior Tianhuo is willing to serve as a guest elder, I'm prepared to refine a body for you and revive you properly."
He paused slightly, then added honestly, "Of course, if Senior is unwilling, I'll still take your soul out of here all the same. I won't force you or interfere with your freedom."
"A refined body?" At those words, the slight gloom in Yao Tianhuo's heart instantly vanished. His expression turned excited as he exclaimed, "Little friend, are you serious?"
"Lying to you doesn't benefit me in any way," Xiao Se replied, spreading his hands with an easy smile. "So, how does Senior wish to decide?"
"Do I even have a choice?" Yao Tianhuo let out a bitter smile and sighed softly. "Very well. I can only hope this old man hasn't misjudged you."
As his voice fell, his form turned into a streak of white light that drifted into a snow-white Storage Ring.
"Senior, I'll have to trouble you for now," Xiao Se said apologetically. With a casual pull, he drew the snow-white ring—along with Yao Tianhuo's skeletal remains—into his system inventory.
After all, he had no intention of letting an outsider watch while he reunited intimately with his wives.
With a powerful flap of his wings, Xiao Se's figure transformed into a streak of golden light, shooting toward the direction of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower at a speed even faster than when he had arrived.
—
Jia Nan Academy.
Inner Academy, one corner—Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower.
By now, eight full months had passed since Xiao Se was dragged into the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower by the Fallen Heart Flame.
During these eight months, the area surrounding the tower had been completely renovated into a vast plaza.
At the very center of the plaza stood a towering statue, several zhang tall.
The statue depicted a young man holding a strangely shaped purple longsword. He wore a set of azure academy robes, his posture tall and straight. A warm, gentle smile rested upon his handsome face, making his refined features appear even more striking.
At this moment, a slender, graceful young woman stood silently before the statue.
She gazed at the familiar face carved in stone, her eyes misted with tears. In a choked, trembling voice, she murmured, "You little pervert… couldn't you have just hidden yourself like you did back at the Xiao Clan? Why did you have to show off at a time like this?"
Her voice broke as she continued, "In the end, all you left behind is this stupid statue. Was it worth it? If you're really dead… what am I supposed to do?"
As she spoke, another young woman in a light purple dress approached from behind her.
"Cousin Xiao Yu," she asked softly, "are you still feeling sad about Cousin Xiao Se?"
Hearing this, Xiao Yu turned around. Upon seeing who it was, she suddenly threw herself into the other girl's arms, tears streaming down uncontrollably.
"Xun'er… that little pervert's life has been so miserable," Xiao Yu sobbed. "He became an orphan at just three years old. The Xiao Clan's snobs shut him out, and he wandered outside for three whole years with only the old steward to rely on."
Her voice grew more broken with every word. "Now that he's finally made something of himself, this happens… wuu…"
By the end, Xiao Yu could no longer finish her sentence, her sobbing completely overtaking her.
"Don't worry," Xun'er said gently, patting Xiao Yu's back as she comforted her. "Didn't the Little Fairy Doctor say so? Cousin Xiao Se will be fine. He's just in seclusion inside the tower."
She continued, trying to reassure both Xiao Yu and herself, "And three days ago, didn't the Heart Flame inside the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower suddenly disappear? That might be because of Cousin Xiao Se. I believe he'll come out soon."
Although she was comforting Xiao Yu, Xun'er's own eyes had already turned red.
Just like Xiao Yu, ever since entering the Inner Academy, Xun'er had come to this plaza almost every few days.
Each time, she left disappointed.
It wasn't until three days ago—when the Heart Flame inside the tower abruptly vanished—that she finally learned Xiao Se had been alive all along, and that he might have even succeeded in refining the Fallen Heart Flame.
But three days had passed.
Why hadn't he come out yet?
The worry she had just managed to put down once again rose into her heart.
—
Boom!
Just as the two beauties were lost in sorrow over the man they loved, a deafening explosion suddenly erupted from within the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower.
Xiao Yu and Xun'er looked up in shock.
At some point, the pitch-black top of the tower had been sealed by a mirror-like sheet of frozen space.
Under their stunned gazes, a crisp cracking sound rang out as countless long, narrow fractures spread rapidly across the mirror.
Boom!
With a final thunderous roar, the enormous mirror shattered completely. The solid tower tip enclosed within it disintegrated as well, turning into countless specks of white light that vanished under the sunlight before the two girls' eyes.
Magma erupted violently from within the tower, instantly drawing the attention of the Inner Academy's elders. In a flash, the entire area descended into chaos.
Because the tower's collapse had occurred almost instantaneously, by the time the elders arrived, all they could see was surging magma. Their faces turned pale with fear—anyone unaware of the situation might have thought the Fallen Heart Flame had erupted once more.
Just as the elders hurriedly circulated their Dou Qi, preparing to reconstruct the seal, the magma suddenly retracted on its own, not spilling outward at all.
From within it, a tall, slender figure slowly emerged, golden flames rising around his body.
He swept his gaze across the surroundings before finally locking onto the two figures standing near the statue—Xiao Yu and Xun'er—both frozen in shock.
Amid their joy and disbelief, he leapt forward, crossing the distance in the blink of an eye.
"Shurima—your emperor has returned… ah, spit, spit!" The golden flames around his body gradually faded as Xiao Se laughed. "Xiao Yu. And Xun'er. I'm back."
The plaza fell silent.
And then—
The world exploded.
(End of Chapter)
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