Xiao Jietian knocked on the pavilion door. It opened automatically, and he stepped inside.
At a table sat Elder Su Qian, the Great Elder of the Inner Academy, immersed in paperwork.
"Great Elder, what can I do for you?" Xiao Jietian asked respectfully, bowing.
"It's nothing particularly urgent. I just wanted to chat with you for a bit. Please, have a seat." Su Qian tidied the documents before him and smiled warmly.
Xiao Jietian sat in the spot Su Qian indicated. With a wave of his hand, a tea set appeared. Su Qian poured a cup for Xiao Jietian with movements slow yet elegant.
"This is Cloud Mist Green Bud. It calms the mind, relieves fatigue, and improves energy absorption. Cultivating in this state can boost your speed."
Xiao Jietian took a small sip. His mind cleared, and he could feel the free-floating energy of heaven and earth with greater clarity.
"Great Elder, taking out such a valuable item—surely this isn't just for a casual chat?"
Su Qian blinked slightly at the directness, then smiled:"You're perceptive. I won't beat around the bush. That flame you displayed earlier—is it a different fire? I couldn't quite discern it."
"Yes, it is a different fire, but it's not on the current strange fire ranking list."
A bright red flame floated above Xiao Jietian's palm.
"Your flame is peculiar. At first glance, it resembles a beast fire, but I sense the aura of a newly formed different fire."
Su Qian studied the Life Spirit Purifying Devouring Fate Lotus Flame carefully, puzzled. Ultimately, he could only attribute it to the boundless, wondrous nature of the world.
"Young friend Xiao Jietian, I came this time to discuss something with you… or perhaps to test something." Su Qian stroked his beard and smiled.
"What is it?" Xiao Jietian guessed it might involve the Fallen Heart Flame but didn't rush to answer.
"Could we move to another location? I'll explain there, and you can decide afterward."
"Alright," Xiao Jietian agreed.
Su Qian took his arm, and in an instant, they vanished from the pavilion. They reappeared in a space bathed in a faint red glow.
In the center of the space was a massive pit, over which hung a colossal, intricately patterned dome.
Many elders from the Inner Academy, mostly Dou Wang-level, were stationed around the pit. They stood respectfully as Su Qian arrived, then returned to reinforcing the protective shield.
They were puzzled by Su Qian bringing Xiao Jietian here but wisely kept their questions to themselves.
The closer they approached the pit, the hotter the air became. Looking down, the opening wasn't black—it glowed red. Below, molten magma churned violently.
Xiao Jietian immediately knew: the Fallen Heart Flame lay within.
"Is this the aura of a different fire?" he feigned curiosity.
"Yes," Su Qian said solemnly. "This is the Academy's greatest secret, and the foundation of the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda. Inside lies the Fallen Heart Flame, fourteenth on the strange fire ranking list."
He regarded the pit with a mixture of awe and fear. The flame's presence had allowed the Inner Academy to flourish—but it was also a latent danger. In recent years, it had erupted intermittently.
"I came hoping to see if your different fire can help us gauge the Fallen Heart Flame's current state. If possible, we may even suppress it."
Su Qian explained the origin of the Fallen Heart Flame and its increasingly unstable condition over the years.
Xiao Jietian remained silent, letting his different fire appear in his hand. The magma roared in response, surging violently.
A giant, translucent Fire Python emerged from the depths, its massive head rising as it studied Xiao Jietian.
The Life Spirit Purifying Devouring Fate Lotus Flame erupted, forming a giant red Qilin above the protective shield, roaring at the depths below.
The Fire Python hesitated, then recoiled into the magma. Xiao Jietian caught the brief flicker of fear in its eyes. The Qilin dissolved, and his flame returned to his body.
"Great Elder, this fire has developed sentience. Its strength will keep growing in this magma. Even with your protective shield, containment may fail in about half a year."
Su Qian's face fell. He knew firsthand how each eruption had grown stronger over time, and his Dou Qi reserves were stretched thin trying to maintain the shield.
"Do you have a solution? Can your different fire suppress it?" he asked, hope glimmering in his eyes.
Xiao Jietian shook his head. With his full Dou Zong strength, dealing with the Fallen Heart Flame wouldn't be difficult—but he had no interest in entertaining such flames. That was Xiao Yan's domain.
"I do have a method. You could have whoever set up this shield reinforce it or install additional layers. That could extend its stability for a century."
He examined the shield carefully. "It's worn, its current power barely thirty percent of its peak."
Su Qian sighed. The shield had been left by the Academy's elusive former dean. Tracking him down was impossible—he had not been seen for decades.
"If the Fallen Heart Flame erupts, the Inner Academy could be consumed in flames," Su Qian said grimly.
"I have another approach," Xiao Jietian continued. "But the Academy's status may decline afterward. It would at least preserve it. It depends on what you're willing to sacrifice."
Su Qian's excitement dimmed slightly as he considered the risks.
"Can you explain this method?" he asked, eyes burning with anticipation.
"My method: release the Fallen Heart Flame before it reaches its full power. Then, people from Boundless Heaven Hall can assist and resolve the situation completely."
Su Qian's gaze sharpened. He had met members of Boundless Heaven Hall before. Even the two he had encountered—a Hall Master's wife and a Supreme Elder—were terrifying in strength. He knew the task would be formidable, yet Xiao Jietian's confidence inspired hope.