Chapter 268 - 268: The Fish-Stealing Cat
"Screech!"
The transparent Fire Python suddenly emitted an extremely sharp hissing sound. An intangible sonic wave spread out abruptly, heavily impacting the surrounding energy walls. Intense ripples immediately began to oscillate on those energy barriers.
As the piercing hiss gradually subsided, the transparent Fire Python opened its massive jaws wide. Instantly, a vast surge of colorless flames violently erupted!
"Hold on!"
"First Elder! We can't hold on much longer! The seal at the earth's core is growing increasingly weaker!"
The transparent Fire Python let out another shrill hiss upon seeing the dark energy membrane weakening. Even First Elder Su Qian and the others could detect a hint of joy in its cry this time. The Fallen Heart Flame immediately put even more effort into rapidly spewing out that terrifying, matchless colorless flame.
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Just then, a tiny black spark-like flame slowly passed through the protective barrier and dripped into the magma below.
As the saying goes, an ant hole may cause the collapse of a great dike. Once a minuscule breach appeared in the barrier, spiderweb-like cracks swiftly spread out from the fissure.
"Damn it! The seal of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower is about to break!" Su Qian's face was aghast despite his usual composure, and his voice became somewhat shrill.
"First Elder, what should we do now?" an elder hurriedly inquired. They all understood the catastrophic consequences if the Fallen Heart Flame broke through the seal.
Su Qian's expression flickered. After a brief moment, he suddenly waved his hand and commanded sternly, "All elders, follow me out of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower immediately! The tower's seal won't hold much longer. We can only use the sealing formation left by the Headmaster back then. We'll attempt to seal it once more by borrowing the Inner Academy's earth vein!"
The First Elder led all the elders through a spatial teleportation array with a grand wave of his hand, and they appeared around the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
Dozens of figures surrounded the tower on all sides in the sky, unfolding their Dou Qi wings as they hovered in the air. Their variously colored wings fluttered slightly, appearing quite brilliant.
These figures stood scattered in the sky. Though their positions seemed random, they subtly formed some mysterious patterns!
Faint multicolored energy enveloped these figures, and threads of energy invisible to the naked eye quietly spread out.
...
"It's about to break," Xiao Yan murmured softly, gazing toward the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower as if sensing something.
As soon as his voice fell, a thunderous explosion that seemed to split mountains and crack the earth suddenly echoed across the sky. The supposedly impregnable spire of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower violently burst apart. A pillar of scorching magma erupted like a volcano under countless shocked gazes!
Queen Medusa glanced over at the commotion before turning to Xiao Yan. "Did you have a hand in this?"
"What do you mean 'had a hand in this'?" Xiao Yan rolled his eyes at her and righteously said, "I'm about to leave the academy. If the Heavenly Flame were to erupt after I left, the Inner Academy would be doomed. I'm doing this for the good of the Inner Academy."
"Heh, making excuses." Medusa couldn't help but be amused. Only this guy could make scheming sound so righteous.
At this moment, an excited and sharp screech suddenly rang out like thunder from the magma flow that had broken through the seal of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Magma rained down everywhere, and fierce flames rose up wherever it landed. In just a short time, the area within several dozen meters around the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower had transformed into a sea of fire.
As the magma scattered, an enormous transparent Fire Python over a hundred meters long shot out from within. Savoring its long-lost freedom, its huge triangular pupils were filled with an almost human-like wild ecstasy.
The moment the Fallen Heart Flame appeared, First Elder Su Qian shouted loudly, "All elders, heed my command! Form the Thousand Layer Sealing Formation!"
As Su Qian's shout fell, the several dozen Inner and Outer Academy elders suspended in the sky immediately responded in unison. Majestic Dou Qi surged out explosively, intertwining with one another in a lightning-like manner. As they intertwined, countless fine energy threads were reflected like refracted light. These energies intertwined intricately, and in just a moment, they formed an extremely dense energy web in the sky.
This colorful energy web repeatedly reflected. Hence, it was basically covered layer after layer. That manner was as though thousands of layers were superimposed on each other, and they all possessed an extremely shocking defensive strength.
The thousand-layer web pulled at the Fallen Heart Flame, attempting to drag it back into the magma-filled depths of the earth.
Medusa watched the powerful thousand-layer web wrestling with the gradually suppressed Fallen Heart Flame and asked, "Shall we join forces with those old fellows to subdue that Fire Spirit now?"
Xiao Yan slowly shook his head and said, "Don't underestimate the Heavenly Flame. It's not the right time yet. Besides, have you ever seen a cat that doesn't steal fish?"
Medusa's elegant brows knitted slightly, not understanding his meaning.
"The fish-stealing cat has arrived." Xiao Yan revealed a meaningful smile as he looked toward the distant horizon, where countless black dots were rapidly approaching.
People from a place like the Black-Corner Region would undoubtedly swarm over at the slightest 'whiff of fish'.
"Hehe, who would've thought the Inner Academy was hiding such a Heavenly Flame? First Elder Su Qian, you've kept this quite a secret."
As the light laughter fell, the clear sky suddenly rippled. A large group of figures leisurely emerged and hovered in the sky. Immediately, a bloodthirsty aura enveloped the skies above the Inner Academy!
Many elders hadn't even caught their breath. Countless students looked up in bewilderment at the large group that had suddenly appeared in the sky, utterly confused about the current situation.
Su Qian's face darkened as he watched the group that had broken through the Inner Academy's barrier. His gaze slowly settled on the leading man dressed in an alchemist's robe. His eyes narrowed slightly as he sneered, "I wondered who it was. So it's Han Feng, the 'Medicine Emperor' of the Black-Corner Region."
"Hehe, the First Elder is too kind. That title is just something casually bestowed by friends in the Black-Corner Region. It shouldn't be taken seriously." The man called Han Feng revealed a faint smile on his thin lips and politely replied.
"Han Feng, this is Jia Nan Academy's territory. What is the meaning of coming here uninvited?" Deputy Headmaster Hu Gan's expression turned rather unsightly as he slowly rose behind Su Qian and shouted in a stern manner.
'So he's Han Feng, ranked third on the Black Ranking and the strongest alchemist in the Black-Corner Region?' Xiao Yan furrowed his brows upon hearing the name. His powerful Spiritual Strength allowed him to sense that something seemed to be hidden within Han Feng's body.
Han Feng chuckled lightly and said in a gentle tone, "A Heavenly Flame is a rare natural treasure. Imprisoning it here like this is somewhat too cruel. As alchemists, flames can even be said to be a kind of faith in our hearts. Therefore, I, Han Feng, would like to request the First Elder to release this Heavenly Flame. Please do not continue this act of imprisonment."
Su Qian was so angry that he laughed. "You sure know how to talk, Han Feng. If I remember correctly, you yourself have refined a Heavenly Flame. Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed for saying such things now?"
"If you want to snatch the Heavenly Flame, just say it directly. My Jia Nan Academy will take you on."
"Hehe, since the First Elder is so straightforward, then I, Han Feng, won't beat around the bush either. If the First Elder can hand over the Heavenly Flame, I, Han Feng, will reward you generously," Han Feng smiled and said respectfully.
"If it were your Master Venerable Yao saying this, I might really have to consider it. But you? Perhaps you should go back and cultivate for a few more decades. My Jia Nan Academy hasn't stood tall on the Dou Qi Continent for so many years based on empty reputation," First Elder Su Qian shouted. "Prepare for battle!"
He left behind more than half of the elders to continue maintaining the seal and prevent the Fallen Heart Flame from breaking through the thousand-layer seal, then deployed the remaining portion to directly face Han Feng and his group.
When Han Feng saw the elders of Jia Nan Academy drawing their weapons to fight, the gentleness on his face instantly vanished, replaced by a cruel smile. "Since that's the case, don't blame me for being ruthless."
As his voice fell, a deep blue flame suddenly rose from within his body like flowing liquid, gradually emitting an intense heat.
'That's... the Sea Heart Flame ranked fifteenth? How strange. Having two Heavenly Flames in one's body should cause an explosion. Ordinary people shouldn't be able to possess two kinds of Heavenly Flames.'
'This Han Feng's strength is only at the peak of Dou Emperor. How could he possibly have the strength of Ancestor Xiao Xuan to forcibly control two kinds of Heavenly Flames...'
Xiao Yan's eyes sharpened as he stared at Han Feng engulfed in blue flames. His instincts told him that this Han Feng was not simple. The fact that he came to seize a second Heavenly Flame meant he could use two kinds of Heavenly Flames.
Apart from using immensely powerful strength to forcibly suppress the Heavenly Flames, the only way was through the Flame Mantra.
At this time, not only the academy's elders but also powerful individuals from the Inner Academy like Liu Qing, Lin Xiuya, and Lin Yan all stepped forward to stand with the academy through this crisis.
"Mister Gold, Mister Silver, that Su Qian is at the Dou Ancestor realm. I'll trouble you two to delay him while I obtain the Heavenly Flame. Once I succeed, I'll naturally provide the pills you desire," Han Feng shouted toward the sky. Subsequently, two mysterious figures appeared, one in golden robes, one in silver robes.
A cold light flashed in Su Qian's eyes upon seeing the Gold Silver Elders. He sneered, "Heh, I've long heard that the Gold Silver Elders, twins ranked first and second on the Black Ranking, can contend against a Dou Ancestor when joining forces. Let's see if you truly have that ability!"
The gold-robed elder sneered, "I don't deny that your strength is formidable, Su Qian. Even we brothers fighting together cannot defeat you. But without you, who else in your Jia Nan Academy can stop the several Dou Emperors from the Black Skeleton's Tomb, Ground Fire Sect, and Eight Gates?"
Su Qian gnashed his teeth. If it weren't for the Fallen Heart Flame, the Inner Academy had several Dou Emperor elders, not to mention that Hu Gan was at the peak of the Dou Emperor realm.
But now, the Fallen Heart Flame had tied up many people.
Su Qian's face turned icy, but he couldn't be bothered to waste more words. He slowly rotated his palms, and majestic Dou Qi surged out from them, causing even the space to tremble slightly.
"First Elder Su Qian, I'll ask you one last time. Will you hand over the Heavenly Flame or not?" Han Feng's patience was wearing thin. He gazed at Su Qian and the others and asked coldly.
At this moment, a voice rang out from afar before Su Qian could respond, "Hand over my ass!"
A pair of blood-red Dou Qi fire wings blotted out the sky. Xiao Yan stood alone behind Han Feng's group, giving the impression that he alone was surrounding all of them.