Silence.
Whether it was the Inner Academy Elders or the powerful figures of the Black-Corner Region, everyone suddenly stopped fighting. As if by unspoken agreement, both sides broke away from their clashes and retreated behind Su Qian and Han Feng, all gazing with awe and dread at the colossal, formless serpent of flame writhing above the burning sky.
Su Qian's face darkened to an ashen hue. His fists trembled as he glared daggers at Han Feng and his allies.
'If not for these bastards,' he thought bitterly, 'how could the Fallen Heart Flame have found its chance to escape the seal of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower?!'
Though rage burned in his chest—enough to make him wish he could tear Han Feng apart on the spot—his expression softened slightly when he looked down at the Inner Academy below, now half-engulfed in fire. His aged face showed a trace of helpless sorrow as he commanded in a low, firm voice:
"The Fallen Heart Flame has broken free. Its rage has been sealed for countless years—it cannot be contained again without venting that fury. Let Han Feng and his people wear down its strength for now. Go! Evacuate the students first—they are the foundation of the Academy."
"Yes!"
The Elders, many already bloodied and bruised, bowed with grim faces and immediately turned to follow Su Qian back toward the Inner Academy.
Meanwhile, Liu Xi turned toward Zi Yan and said calmly, "Zi Yan, go find Xian'er. Protect her, no matter what."
Zi Yan's purple eyes blinked. "Big Brother, what about you?"
Liu Xi's gaze lifted toward the sky, locking on the raging, invisible serpent. His eyes gleamed with fierce confidence. "Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."
"Alright… just take care of yourself," Zi Yan murmured, her lips pursing, before she vanished in a flash of violet light.
At the same time, Han Feng's entire body trembled with excitement. His burning gaze fixed upon the Fallen Heart Flame, his clenched fists hidden beneath his sleeves. His dry lips parted, voice trembling with fervor:
"So it really is the Fallen Heart Flame… the so-called 'Cultivation Cheat Flame'! Look at it—it's already developed intelligence no weaker than a human, and the energy it radiates rivals that of a Dou Zong. Tricky… but magnificent."
Just then, the newly freed flame serpent let out a deafening roar. Its massive body coiled and shot toward the sky, its course aimed directly at Han Feng and his gathered forces. Within those triangular eyes flickered unmistakable greed.
A ripple of unease swept through the ranks of the Black-Corner experts. Blood Sect's master, Fan Lao—whose cultivation technique leaned toward the yin and cold—felt his scalp crawl. The heat radiating from the Heavenly Flame made his body tremble uncontrollably.
"Master Han," he rasped, "this thing is beyond terrifying! This wasn't part of our deal. Perhaps… we should withdraw for now?"
His words struck a chord with the weaker ones among them, who nodded nervously. Han Feng, however, shot Fan Lao a venomous glare. 'Useless coward—spoiling my momentum!'
He raised his voice, spreading his arms wide. "Do not panic! There are many of us, and that beast won't dare confront us head-on. Once we subdue it, each of you will receive double the number of pills I promised before!"
"Master Han is generous!" someone shouted.
Greed triumphed over fear. The sight of the oncoming serpent, the overwhelming heat, the pressure that made the air quake—all of it was suddenly bearable. The men of the Black-Corner Region were no strangers to madness; they'd risk anything for profit, even an assault on the Inner Academy itself.
"Spread out!" Han Feng barked. "Follow my command. Attack together—drain its energy! Once it's weakened, I'll handle the rest."
He raised both hands high, deep-blue flames erupting from his palms. In an instant, two massive flame halberds, each several meters long, formed above him, swirling with fierce killing intent.
The other Black-Corner experts unleashed their own techniques, the night sky filled with roaring energies and blinding colors.
When the flame serpent came within ten meters, Han Feng roared, "Attack!"
The two blue halberds shot forth like thunderbolts, followed by a barrage of multicolored energy blasts from the others. The combined force of more than a dozen powerful Dou Huangs struck the serpent squarely—explosions rocked the heavens, and the serpent's enormous body plummeted toward the ground.
For a brief moment, triumph flashed across their faces.
Then, the temperature spiked.
A wave of invisible fire burst from the serpent's body, sweeping outward like the wrath of the heavens. A split second later, a massive column of formless flame erupted from its maw, surging straight toward Han Feng's group.
The beam ripped through the air faster than lightning, leaving a glowing afterimage in its wake—the air itself vaporized.
"Dodge!" Han Feng shouted, his voice tinged with panic.
They moved just in time. Even so, the heat of the passing flame made several Dou Huangs' faces twist in agony as their skin blistered.
A golden-robed old man snarled, "Han Feng! If you have a method to suppress it, now's the time to use it! Otherwise, it'll burn us all alive before it tires!"
"Fine!" Han Feng's eyes burned with pain at the cost he was about to pay. Gritting his teeth, he summoned two frost-blue jade bottles into his hands. Cold vapor spilled from them, freezing the very moisture in the air.
As the serpent lunged again, Han Feng's lips curved in a thin smile. With a powerful swing, he hurled the bottles straight at the beast's head.
"Explode!" he commanded.
The bottles shattered in midair, unleashing an overwhelming wave of freezing mist. The world turned blue. In seconds, the serpent was engulfed, its fiery body dimming as frost crystallized over it. Its flames weakened, its movements slowed, and its aura shrank drastically.
"Now! All out!"
Han Feng's triumphant roar spurred the others into action. Under the lead of the Gold and Silver Brothers, countless beams of destructive energy rained down upon the subdued serpent.
Even the mighty Fallen Heart Flame could only thrash helplessly. Its deafening roars of pain echoed across the Inner Academy as the freezing mist and attacks tore at its essence.
...
By now, Su Qian had completed the evacuation of nearly all students. When he and the Elders returned and saw the Fallen Heart Flame's weakened state, his face darkened instantly.
"Stop them! Don't let them take the Heavenly Flame!"
He dashed forward, the other Elders close behind. Liu Xi followed among them, his eyes darting between Han Feng and the serpent, a plan already forming in his mind.
"Damn it," Han Feng cursed under his breath as he saw Su Qian's group closing in. "We'll end this quickly. No matter what, I'm taking a Heavenly Flame today!"
Before he could regroup, the Inner Academy Elders struck first. Energy flared as the battle reversed—this time, they were the ones on the offensive.
Liu Xi's right hand tightened into a fist. Green fire surged around him as the Green Lotus Core Flame bloomed into existence. A lotus of pure flame spun in his grasp, its stem held firmly between his fingers.
"Flame Manifestation!"
In a flash, Liu Xi appeared behind Han Feng and swung the blazing lotus downward.
"You again!" Han Feng snarled, whirling to face him. "Fine—this time, I'll finish you off!"
His hands swept upward, the Sea Heart Flame roaring to life. A massive flaming hand condensed, catching the falling lotus. The two Heavenly Flames collided violently, their powers evenly matched.
But Liu Xi's gaze wasn't on Han Feng—it was fixed on the distant, fading serpent.
His Spiritual Power surged outward, wrapping around the creature.
"Soul Dominion!"
A wave of invisible force struck the serpent's head like a hammer. The beast convulsed, dazed, just as Liu Xi's will bound it like an unseen net.
'Your body… will serve me now,' he thought with a faint smirk. 'Let's see how you like it, Han Feng.'
Turning back toward his enemy, Liu Xi shouted boldly, "As a member of the Inner Academy, I will never allow you to take the Fallen Heart Flame!"
Then, under everyone's stunned gaze, he commanded the serpent.
The titanic flame beast lunged forward—straight at both of them. In an instant, Han Feng and Liu Xi were swallowed whole, vanishing into the serpent's maw. The fiery body twisted and dove back into the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
From within the serpent, two muffled, half-distorted voices could be faintly heard:
"You lunatic!"
"Grand Elder! I'll hold them off for now! Once you've driven out the Black-Corner bastards… remember to fish me out later!"
(End of Chapter)
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