"Hahahahaha, it's truly been a long time, everyone. By the way, how did you all know I was returning today?"
Mang Tianchi asked, puzzled. He hadn't announced his return in advance, so why were so many people here to greet him?
"Uh… Dean, it's like this…" Su Qian awkwardly recounted the events to Mang Tianchi.
"Oh~ So that's how it is!" Mang Tianchi suddenly understood. He thought, 'Of course, how could a few Dou Zongs know my whereabouts in advance?'
Mang Tianchi walked over to Xiao Li, then circled him a few times (a Canaan characteristic).
"You, kid, your name is Xiao Li, right?" Mang Tianchi spoke, his voice like thunder.
"Yes."
"Hmm~" Mang Tianchi placed a hand on Xiao Li's shoulder, then burst into hearty laughter: "Wahahahahaha, finally, a promising young talent! Ah hahahahaha.
Who dares say that without a Bloodline, a Genius cannot be born? You, kid, are very good. Cultivate your talent well; you have far more potential than those old fellows."
Mang Tianchi's personality was just like that—boisterous and free-spirited.
Most importantly, Mang Tianchi was fiercely protective of his own. Once, a graduate of Canaan Academy was adventuring in the Central Plains and offended a Dou Zong power. That power intended to publicly execute the graduate.
At that time, the Grand Elder of Canaan Academy was still Bai Lie. Upon hearing the news, Bai Lie immediately contacted Mang Tianchi.
On the day of the execution, Mang Tianchi appeared, enveloped in endless lightning, and annihilated that Dou Zong power with a single palm strike, then declared:
"Any Tom, Dick, or Harry dares to bully my Canaan Academy!"
From then on, Canaan Academy, nestled in the Northwest Continent, had its reputation resound throughout the Central Plains, with many Families from the Central Plains sending their children to Canaan Academy for their studies.
— — — —
Mang Tianchi was very satisfied with Xiao Li's talent. At only eighteen years old, he had reached the level of a five-star Dou King and was also a Sixth-Rank Alchemist—truly a good young man.
"I heard from Su Qian that you want to absorb the Fallen Heart Flame, right?" Mang Tianchi inquired.
"Yes, Dean."
Mang Tianchi turned to look at the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, and his previously pleasant expression immediately darkened.
"No! I do not agree to you absorbing the Fallen Heart Flame." Mang Tianchi frowned, directly rejecting Xiao Li.
"Why, Dean!" Xiao Li hadn't expected the Dean to disagree with absorbing the Strange Fire.
"Yes, Dean, this Fallen Heart Flame is like a ticking time bomb. If it stays in the Inner Academy, it will explode sooner or later. It's better to let young friend Xiao Li absorb it," Qian Mu frowned.
"Yes, Dean, young friend Xiao Li has refined many Elixirs for our Canaan Academy. With this merit, why can't he try to absorb the Strange Fire?" Bai Lie also spoke.
"Yes, yes." The other Elders also spoke. Most of them had consumed Elixirs refined by Xiao Li. Dou King Elders consumed Dou Ling Pills, and Dou Emperor Elders consumed Qing Yuan Pills. The strength of these Elders had significantly improved.
"Hey! You guys! I haven't been back for only a decade or so, and your elbows are already bending outwards! It's not that I don't want young Xiao Li to absorb the Fallen Heart Flame.
It's just that if he absorbs the Fallen Heart Flame now, he will definitely suffer a backlash! This Fallen Heart Flame has already developed sentience, and its energy has reached the level of a Dou Zong.
If young Xiao Li risks absorbing it, he will surely be burned to death by the Fallen Heart Flame!" Mang Tianchi said earnestly.
Mang Tianchi had just used his Soul Power to probe the Fallen Heart Flame and discovered that it was accumulating energy, which had already reached the level of a two- or three-star Dou Zong, and it possessed a certain degree of sentience.
If Xiao Li were to absorb this Strange Fire, he would surely die.
"Ah? A Dou Zong-level Fallen Heart Flame?" Xiao Li was also stunned. He hadn't expected the Fallen Heart Flame to already be at the Dou Zong level so much earlier than anticipated?
"Heh, good thing I returned, otherwise you, kid, would have been burned to death, and our Canaan Academy would have been branded with the name of killing a Genius!" Mang Tianchi said exasperatedly.
"Then, Dean, what should we do?" Qian Mu asked.
"Let me think. If it weren't for this kid, I could suppress the Fallen Heart Flame with my strength and reinforce the Seal, but this kid wants to absorb the Fallen Heart Flame, and I don't have any way to weaken it.
Aha! I've got it!"
Mang Tianchi suddenly thought of a method, then looked at Xiao Li.
"Kid, you can forget about the complete Fallen Heart Flame; ten of you would be burned to death by it. I have a method: I will separate a portion of the Fallen Heart Flame's Origin for you to absorb.
That is, I will separate a sub-flame from the complete Fallen Heart Flame. This sub-flame will carry a part of the Fallen Heart Flame's Origin. You absorb this sub-flame, and then you Cultivate this sub-flame. It might even grow into a brand new Fallen Heart Flame.
This is much safer than you risking absorbing the complete Fallen Heart Flame, and this sub-flame's sentience will definitely not be high. If you carefully nurture it, it will become a great help to you in the future.
The complete Fallen Heart Flame already has sentience. Even if you are lucky enough to subdue it, what if it suddenly causes trouble when you are relaxed? Wouldn't you, kid, be finished? How about it, kid? Isn't my suggestion good?"
Mang Tianchi explained his method. Nurturing a complete Strange Fire from a sub-flame was not impossible; at least, Mang Tianchi knew someone who had actually done it.
"Alright, I'll listen to the esteemed Dean. Could the Origin of the Strange Fire you separate be a bit stronger, so it's easier for me to nurture it?" Xiao Li rubbed his hands and said.
He wasn't greedy; it was merely a matter of spending more effort to nurture the Strange Fire. This way, the safety factor would be higher, and safety was paramount.
"That's no problem. Let me see how much of the sub-flame your Physical Body strength and Soul Power can withstand."
Mang Tianchi placed his hand on Xiao Li's shoulder, using his Dou Qi and Soul Power to test Xiao Li's level.
"Heh, I didn't realize your body had some substance to it. Although you haven't Cultivated any Body Tempering Dou Techniques, your Physical Body strength is quite good, and a large amount of Medicinal Power has accumulated within you.
Emmmm, I think a Dou Emperor-level sub-flame should be about right. Leave the rest to me!"
Mang Tianchi instantly vanished, leaving behind a few wisps of blue lightning.
"Old Bai, the Dean's Cultivation seems to have advanced again; his mastery over space has deepened." Qian Mu, with the highest Cultivation, quickly found where Mang Tianchi had gone. Mang Tianchi had already reached the bottom of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower and was currently suppressing the Fallen Heart Flame.
"Indeed, the Dean's strength is unfathomable. Alas, I wonder when we will be able to Breakthrough to Dou Venerate?" Bai Lie was a bit hesitant; he had no direction whatsoever regarding Dou Venerate, nor did Qian Mu.
"Heh heh, originally I thought we would still be stuck at the Peak of Dou Zong for many years, but now I think we will soon be able to Breakthrough to Dou Venerate." Qian Mu suddenly laughed.
"What do you mean?"
"Heh heh, it all depends on this kid." Qian Mu pointed at Xiao Li.
"Oh? You mean Elixirs?"
"That's right, the Rank 7 Peak Elixir, Primordial Barrier Breaking Pill, helps those at the Peak of Dou Zong Breakthrough to Dou Venerate. I am currently only lacking an opportunity. Once the young fellow's Alchemy reaches Rank 7, I will ask him to take action once." Qian Mu stroked his beard and smiled.
"That is indeed a good method."