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— Chapter 321 —
"Are you ready?" Han Yuan said after waiting in the small forest near the dormhouse.
Zi Yan gave him a thumbs-up, "The usual route is secured, the elders shouldn't be able to catch us."
"Good," Han Yuan nodded in satisfaction as he grabbed Zi Yan by her collar. "Let's move then."
"Hey, hold me correctly!" Zi Yan resigned from this position, and then complained right away.
Yet, Han Yuan casually ignored the little dragon girl's plea and smiled in response instead. "The time is tight, let's leave immediately."
"DAMN, YOU-!"
Zi Yan's frustrated cries were cut short as Han Yuan used Flying Thunder God Steps and moved rapidly in the air, making their appearance blur if not invisible to naked eyes.
Yes, they are moving that quickly.
Combined with Zi Yan's innate talent as the Ancient Void Dragon to ignore spatial barriers to a certain degree, even those hidden elders who guarded the Inner Court couldn't catch them with their perception.
Han Yuan and Zi Yan moved their way into the Inner Court, and saw a giant ancient white tower.
Han Yuan sighed, "No matter how much I see the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, it's still as impressive as my first time seeing it."
"Is that so? I don't see anything attractive from that tower," Zi Yan commented bluntly.
"That is because there is nothing to eat from that tower, right?" Han Yuan teased Zi Yan, making her flush in shame.
Zi Yan, who had her thoughts exposed, huffed and puffed, "Hmph, I don't know what you're talking about."
"Just focus on the damn mission!"
Han Yuan shrugged, "Alright, just ignore my baseless words."
The truth is that Han Yuan couldn't forget the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower is not simply because it looks amazing from afar, but because he knew it was the site where the Fallen Heart Flame got sealed.
As a bonafide Heavenly Flame Collector, Han Yuan really valued the Fallen Heart Flame because of its Yin-heavy Nature, a great force to improve one's mind and spiritual force.
After all, three of his currently refined Heavenly Flames are elemental ones, only Enma the Ten Thousand Beast Flame is an exception.
Unfortunately, even Enma's conceptual power focuses more on blood, especially Magical Beast's bloodline.
Since Han Yuan founded the way of Spirit Master in the Dou Qi Continent, spiritual power or mental force will be crucial for every Spirit Master he awakened.
There is no way Han Yuan is going to recruit alchemists only, right?
Not only that wouldn't be an effective strategy because not everyone has a Fire (major) and Wood (minor) affinity needed to be alchemist, but also they also don't have a heaven-defying artifact such as the Sky Poison Pearl like Han Yuan.
So, Han Yuan is really determined to get the Fallen Heart Flames. Yes, he wanted two of them.
One in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, and the other inside the Magma Domain beneath it.
Although the second one is rather difficult because Han Yuan has to negotiate with someone to get it, he will still do it.
Han Yuan sighed, 'Well, before that, I also have to find an alternative for the Jia Nan Academy.'
'At the end of the day, once I got the Fallen Heart Flames, the academy would lose its appeal and experience a serious downfall as the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower is the reason why Jia Nan Academy could recruit so many geniuses.'
'If there is no Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower that could increase one's cultivation speed, no one would even bother to enter Jia Nan Academy.'
Han Yuan carried Zi Yan around the Inner Court for a while before she finally pointed out the location of the 'big bad ape' that bullied her once.
"There! That's the cliff wall where the ape built his nest!" said Zi Yan. She pointed her finger at the hidden cliff wall surrounded by tall forest.
Han Yuan surveyed the area and sensed some presence, a group of Inner Court students.
"Hmm, do you know those people?" Han Yuan asked while moving Zi Yan's small body to another direction.
Zi Yan tilted her head and agitated her blood slightly, transforming her eyes into that of a dragon with slit, increasing her dynamic and vast view.
She opened her mouth in surprise, "Those guys… They are from the competition not too long ago, Power Ranking Students!"
"What are they doing here?"
Han Yuan rolled his eyes at her, "How could I know, I am not part of the Inner Court yet."
Zi Yan laughed sheepishly, "Hehe, if I'm not wrong they are doing a mission to get Flame Energy points."
'Flame Energy points, huh?' Han Yuan mumbled to himself.
As a reader of the original story, Han Yuan knew the Inner Court is different from the Outer Court by a lot.
Not only is there no curriculum in the Inner Court because the academy supports free growing space for geniuses, but they also don't use normal currency there. Flame Energy point is the currency in the Inner Court, allowing one to purchase nearly anything.
Still, most of the Flame Energy points are actually circulated in the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. After all, the genius training revolved around it.
"Ah, not good! They actually entered the Snow Demon Sky Ape's territory!" Zi Yan said in panic.
"Hmm, didn't you just say that they were Power Ranking Students?" Han Yuan put on a confused look. "They are supposed to be quite strong, no?"
Zi Yan facepalm herself, "They are! But I forgot to mention to you that they are new Inner Court Students!"
"They just entered the Power Ranking like yesterday."
"..." Han Yuan's mouth twitched.
Meanwhile, a group of three Inner Court students are facing a horde of Rank 3 Magical Beasts at ease.
Each of them has reached the high Dou Grandmaster realm in their early twenties, showing just how talented they are.
The leader of the group is a dashing young man in dark blue battle attire. His name is Lin Xiuya, ranked 94 in the new Power Ranking.
Besides Lin Xiuya, there is a muscular young man in a black robe, and a young woman in a beautiful silver-white robe.
The black-robed young man is Yan Hao, ranked 95 in the new Power Ranking.
Lastly, the charming young woman in silver-white is Han Xiayue, ranked 96 in the new Power Ranking.
—
(A/N: To avoid confusion, I have decided to rename BTTH's character Han Yue into Han Xiayue. Honestly, when I name Han Yuan's sister, I forgot there is a character with the same name)
—
"These Magical Beasts aren't enough to make me sweat!" Yan Hao shouted smugly while swinging his flail around.
Lin Xiuya frowned slightly as he cut Rank 3 Magical Beast in half, "Don't get too cocky, Yan Hao."
"The mission told us that this part of the forest is territory of a dangerous Magical Beast."
"Once we get the Purple Crescent Grass, we will leave immediately."
Han Xiayue nodded before adding, "Xiuya is right. Even though I am quite confident escaping from Rank 4 Magical Beast, the Rank 5 Magical Beast is a completely different beast."
Yan Hao cleared his throat and then said in embarrassment, "Ehem, fine, I am just saying."
"Let's just get the damn grass and leave this place quickly."
As three of them focused on completing the mission, a ferocious roar of a beast stunned them.
ROOOOOOAAAAAAARRRRR!!
They felt shiver down their spines as a storm swept the forest.
"Run!" Lin Xiuya shouted in panic.
Yet, even without him shouting, Yan Hao and Han Xiayue already ran with all their might.
They just entered the Inner Court, they can't afford to die here.