Chapter 180: Elders Qian and Bai
Su Qian had not expected Yao Yan to speak so bluntly. The boy didn't try to hide anything—he just laid everything bare, even admitting to the unsealing of the Fallen Heart Flame. Did he really think Su Qian wouldn't act on this?
In truth, Canaan Academy had investigated Han Feng's mysterious "senior uncle" after the incident.
But in the end, they uncovered no useful leads. It seemed that every witness had been deliberately silenced. The only somewhat valuable information they recovered was that Han Feng's mysterious senior uncle appeared very young and was accompanied by two peak Dou Huang experts.
When Su Qian first received this information, he had briefly suspected Yao Yan. But ultimately, he had suppressed that suspicion. After all, with Yao Yan's age, how could he possibly have orchestrated such a plot? Besides, the academy had never offended him. They had always treated him kindly. And Yao Yan didn't look like that kind of person…
But reality had once again proven harsh.
Su Qian frowned, his internal dou qi stirring involuntarily. A wave of invisible Dou Zong pressure instantly enveloped Yao Yan. His expression turned cold, the warmth in his eyes vanishing. "Do you understand what you're saying? If all of this was planned by you, then I want to know—what was your goal?"
"The Fallen Heart Flame," Yao Yan replied as he raised his hand. In his palm floated a formless flame tinged with a milky white glow.
As soon as it appeared, Su Qian froze. He stared in disbelief at the flame hovering above Yao Yan's palm. A faint restlessness in his heart confirmed this wasn't an illusion—this was the real thing.
Anyone else might not have recognized it, but Su Qian had dealt with the Fallen Heart Flame for a hundred years. There was no way he could mistake it.
"...How is this possible? Didn't you already possess the Green Lotus Core Flame?" Su Qian asked in shock, staring intently at Yao Yan.
Heavenly flames were the most volatile forces under the heavens. It was unthinkable for someone to house two of them. Especially someone at Yao Yan's level—at most a peak Dou Wang. Even if he had advanced to Dou Huang, holding two heavenly flames should have been impossible.
Su Qian had never heard of anyone managing it, not even among the Dou Zong or Dou Zun.
And yet, Yao Yan had done it—and succeeded!
It was truly unbelievable!
The shock even momentarily drowned out the anger Su Qian had been suppressing. After all, no one could remain calm after being so thoroughly played.
"My cultivation technique is special—it requires multiple heavenly flames to function. I came to the Inner Academy solely for the Fallen Heart Flame. As for how I knew about it, that ties back to a legacy I inherited from a Dou Zun. According to that legacy, there were two Fallen Heart Flames in this place. That predecessor had once tried to fuse both, which resulted in his death... By the time I followed the map and arrived, an academy had already been built atop the location."
Yao Yan began weaving a half-truthful, half-fabricated tale, even managing to convince himself a little as he spoke.
Su Qian fell silent. He understood what Yao Yan was implying. If the boy wasn't lying, then the first Fallen Heart Flame sealed by the academy had originally been left behind by that Dou Zun, and beneath it was a second, even younger form of the flame that the academy had never discovered.
But if that were the case, why had that young flame never grown stronger over the years?
Had it been sealed by the Dou Zun?
Still, this explanation did help make sense of some things—like the baby flame now stored beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. That time when the flame's transformed dragon form exploded had seemed odd, and the resulting infant flame was strange as well. Now that Yao Yan had explained it, the pieces fit.
"That Fallen Heart Flame that night… you controlled it?" Su Qian asked, suppressing his boiling dou qi.
"Of course. After all, Han Feng also possessed a heavenly flame."
Yao Yan nodded. A deep blue flame emerged from his brow, exuding a calm aura like the tranquil sea—none of the overwhelming power it had displayed on that day.
"The Ocean Heart Flame?!" Su Qian's pupils contracted sharply as he stared at the flame floating from Yao Yan's body. In that moment, he no longer doubted a single word.
There really was someone who could simultaneously house multiple heavenly flames. Had Su Qian heard this a day earlier, he would've called it impossible. But now it was right before his eyes—three heavenly flames, all housed within one body, and completely subdued.
The Ocean Heart Flame hovering at Yao Yan's brow had indeed been subdued. Though not fully devoured yet, his Burning Formula had begun refining it with its unique dou qi. He could already use it in battle without issue.
And let's not forget the Bone Spirit Cold Flame within Yao Lao's soul form.
Yao Yan now controlled four heavenly flames. With the Five Wheel Departure Flame Technique from the Heavenly Flame Master, the amount of power he could unleash in an instant… even he didn't fully know.
One thing was certain—against low-tier Dou Zongs like Su Qian, he could severely injure or even kill them.
The destructive power of four heavenly flames combined wasn't as simple as 1+1.
"So it really was you that night…" Su Qian muttered, overwhelmed by emotion.
"I hold no malice toward Canaan Academy. I joined the Inner Academy to find a better opportunity to obtain the flame. As for why I didn't come clean… with your level of suspicion at the time, if I'd told the truth, I would've been expelled on the spot. So I had to use Han Feng as the villain—and use the chaos to clean up the academy's inner circle," Yao Yan explained slowly.
"Clean up? And what is your relationship to Han Feng?" Su Qian asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Han Feng's former teacher—Yao Zun… he was a Yao."
Yao Yan answered calmly.
"No wonder…" Su Qian paused, then understood. His expression turned grim as he said coldly, "So now I know everything. But you're not worried I'll keep you here permanently? Even if you've grown stronger, you're still no match for a real Dou Zong!"
He intended to give Yao Yan a proper lesson—to teach him not to be so reckless in the future. Crossing the wrong people could ruin his potential and his life.
"If one of the academy's hidden elders intervened, I would indeed be helpless. But against you, Grand Elder... I'm not afraid." Yao Yan smiled gently, full of calm confidence.
"You've got some nerve!" Su Qian laughed in disbelief.
He was a genuine two-star Dou Zong, not someone boosted by pills or tricks.
"Don't hit Big Brother!" Zi Yan, sensing Su Qian's aggression, opened her arms and shouted at him with a fierce glare.
Su Qian's rising momentum instantly collapsed. Watching this little girl stand up for Yao Yan left him at a loss, unable to maintain his stern expression.
"Zi Yan, it's fine. You couldn't beat me anyway," Yao Yan said gently as he patted her head.
"…Okay."
Zi Yan blinked, gave Yao Yan a look, and stepped aside after confirming he was serious.
Su Qian's mouth twitched at the sight. Gritting his teeth, he growled, "Let's see if that mouth of yours still works after this!"
"I'd like to test my strength, too. Please advise me, Grand Elder," Yao Yan said with a respectful bow.
"Cut the crap!"
Su Qian could no longer hold back. Though he harbored no killing intent, he was definitely angry. After all, Canaan Academy had been used as a tool in Yao Yan's plan. Now that he knew the truth, how could he not be upset?
With a cold snort, he slapped at Yao Yan.
But this palm strike wasn't full force. He didn't even use much dou qi—just his physical strength. At the Dou Zong level, one's body was significantly refined. Even without dou qi, his raw power was enough to defeat most Dou Huangs.
Smack.
Yao Yan met the attack head-on. A booming shockwave burst from the clash of their hands.
Seeing Yao Yan casually matching him, Su Qian's eyes showed surprise. "So you really are a Dou Huang. Your talent is terrifying."
"Peak four-star Dou Huang. Not bad, I suppose," Yao Yan said modestly.
Su Qian's mouth twitched again. He hadn't expected such a response. Dou qi surged from his palm, condensing into a powerful force that launched Yao Yan into the sky. "Don't blame me if you get hurt!"
"Zi Yan, I'm fine~" Yao Yan reassured her as wings of dou qi spread from his back and he soared upward with the force.
"Hmph!"
Su Qian snorted and stepped into the air. A ripple of spatial energy shimmered around him, and he teleported after Yao Yan. Midair, he formed a palm of pure energy and struck.
That palm strike could crush most Dou Huangs.
But Yao Yan wasn't your average Dou Huang. He didn't use dou qi—just clenched his fist and punched, plain and simple.
His body, as tough as a seventh-tier magical beast's, exploded with terrifying strength. The air before him shattered. His punch blasted through Su Qian's energy palm and surged toward him.
Su Qian hadn't expected such power. He raised his arms to block, but was still sent flying back over ten meters. He barely steadied himself, staring at his reddened hands and torn sleeves. His face flushed in embarrassment—he hadn't even taught the boy a lesson, and instead got smacked himself.
"Let's stop here, Grand Elder. You're no match for me," Yao Yan said gently.
"How arrogant. I'm a Dou Zong, boy!" Su Qian's pride was wounded. With real frustration rising, he began forming seals to unleash a Dou Technique—but was interrupted by an aged voice.
"Enough. Keep going and you'll only humiliate yourself further."
High in the sky, two elderly figures had appeared without anyone noticing. Their presence was faint, almost imperceptible, as if space itself had been warped around them. Their mastery of spatial force was so refined, they could shift their presence to another space entirely—unless one had sufficient strength, they couldn't even be touched.
Su Qian looked at Elders Qian and Bai, and a trace of embarrassment appeared in his eyes. He didn't argue—after all, an old man like him sparring with a teenage boy was already undignified enough.
"What a terrifying soul force for someone so young… His soul has already reached such a realm—it's unbelievable," the older of the two said, opening his eyes with a gleam.
Su Qian flew up and introduced Yao Yan to them, briefly summarizing the situation—especially the part about the Fallen Heart Flame.
"No wonder you could control it that day. It seems the legacy you received also taught you how to refine it," Elder Qian nodded with interest.
"May I ask, was your legacy from a Dou Zun?" he added.
Su Qian was surprised. He hadn't expected the two elders to be interested in that detail.
Yao Yan, however, didn't hesitate and nodded. "Yes, it was a Dou Zun's legacy. But it didn't contain much of value—mainly a cultivation method. If you'd like to study it, I can make you a copy."
He hadn't expected to attract Elders Qian and Bai, nor for them to take interest in his fabricated story. With their strength, if they turned hostile, it might be troublesome.
Well… maybe just a little troublesome.
"No need. And you don't need to overthink. At our level, breakthroughs depend on ourselves. Other people's paths may not suit us. Besides, we're far too old to bully a junior," Elder Bai said with a warm laugh, seeing through Yao Yan's concern.
"We're just curious about the name of that senior you mentioned," Elder Qian added calmly.
(END CHAPTER)
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