Zi Yan opened her mouth, ready to respond to Xiao Jietian's offer—
"Ahem!"
Su Qian's cough cut through the air like a blade.
"It seems everyone is prepared." His aged voice carried across the crowd, smooth and unhurried. "Since all are present, I shall not waste further words."
He coughed again—deliberately, pointedly.
Over my dead body will you take her right in front of me.
His gaze swept across the assembled students.
Then his hand rose.
Creak—
The heavy black doors of the tower groaned open, releasing a wave of scorching heat that washed over the crowd.
"Those ranked in the top ten of the Strong Ranking will follow me inside." Su Qian's tone was calm, but carried undeniable authority. "The Qi Refining Tower is closed to all others today. Unauthorized entry will result in a six-month ban."
A pause. His eyes swept the外围 crowd.
"Xiao Jietian. You will also enter."
The unspoken implication was clear: You're coming with me. Away from my granddaughter.
The surrounding students collectively shrank back.
The Heavenly Flame Training Tower was the lifeblood of Inner Academy cultivation. Everyone who had experienced its benefits sang its praises. Six months of exclusion wasn't just a punishment—it was a death sentence for one's cultivation progress.
Su Qian paid their fearful expressions no mind. He turned and strode into the tower.
Xiao Jietian followed, still holding Han Yue's hand.
Behind them, Zi Yan hurried to catch up, Xiao Yu close at her heels.
Further back, Xiao Yan walked arm-in-arm with his good brother Lin Yan, deeply engaged in conversation.
Xiao Jietian glanced back at them.
Xiao Yan Zi… you'd better not be bent.
If you are, I have a backup plan. I can straighten you out.
Lin Xiuya and Liu Qing entered in turn, their expressions solemn.
Through their clasped hands, Xiao Jietian transmitted a wisp of his fully evolved flame into Han Yue's body.
"Yue'er. This is my flame." His voice was soft, intimate. "It will protect you from any fire poison within and will not interfere with the body tempering effect."
Han Yue felt the warmth of his flame spread through her meridians. His concern, his care—it wrapped around her heart like honey.
A sweet smile bloomed on her lips.
He flicked another flame toward Xiao Yu, accompanying it with a brief mental explanation.
Xiao Yu nodded quickly in thanks.
Xiao Jietian knew this precaution was likely unnecessary. But he would rather be redundant than regretful. Even the projections of the Fallen Heart Flame carried fire poison—how much more so its source?
They followed Su Qian deeper into the tower.
Zi Yan alone wore an expression of barely suppressed impatience.
She's always hated coming here, Xiao Jietian recalled. A magical beast's natural aversion to flame.
He took her small hand and transmitted a thread of his Extreme Wood Lightning energy into her body.
Zi Yan's eyes widened.
"What is this?" The usual irritation she felt in this place had vanished. "It feels… comfortable. I used to hate coming here."
"This is my special energy." He sent another thread. "It can help you."
Su Qian observed the exchange. His gaze toward Xiao Jietian softened—almost imperceptibly.
At least he's good to her.
"Follow me closely." Su Qian's voice was stern. "Do not wander. Do not look around without permission. Violators will have their qualifications revoked. Understood?"
The others nodded seriously, duly intimidated.
Only Xiao Jietian and Zi Yan remained unruffled.
Half an hour of following Su Qian brought them to a familiar space.
The seal of the Fallen Heart Flame.
But today, twenty metres from the cave entrance, ten specially crafted jade platforms had been arranged in neat formation.
Xiao Yan's gaze swept across the vast chamber, settling on the cave mouth.
So this is the lowest level of the Qi Refining Tower.
Where the Fallen Heart Flame resides.
"Follow me."
Su Qian led them to the jade platforms and halted.
"All of you, sit."
Zi Yan, intimately familiar with this process, immediately claimed a platform and sat cross-legged.
The others followed suit.
Xiao Jietian squeezed Han Yue's hand gently, signalling her to go.
She hesitated.
"This is of little use to me," he murmured. "I'm here for something else this time."
"…Okay."
She gazed at him—long, lingering—then walked to an empty platform and sat.
Once all ten were seated, two elders who had been standing guard began forming hand seals.
As their seals completed, clusters of milky-white light shields floated up from the seal at the cave entrance.
Within each shield, as it gradually clarified, a transparent flame could be faintly seen—rising, dancing, alive.
Su Qian observed the crowd's curious expressions and explained:
"What you see before you are called Origin Heart Flames."
A pause.
"Each year… three or four clusters… enough to pave the path to Dou Wang."
His tone grew graver.
"However, body tempering carries considerable risk. The pain it inflicts is extremely difficult to endure. Failure will also damage the body."
Lin Yan swallowed. "Great Elder… what was the success rate in previous years?"
"…Fifty percent."
Fifty percent.
A coin flip.
Everyone except Zi Yan broke out in cold sweat. They stared at the dancing flames before them with undisguised trepidation.
Su Qian's voice was patient, understanding.
"Dou Wang is a major watershed. Countless cultivators remain stuck at Dou Ling their entire lives."
He paused.
"If you succeed in this Heart Flame Body Tempering… you will never have to worry about that bottleneck. Endure this pain, and the door to Dou Wang will always remain open to you."
His gaze swept across the peak Dou Lings before him.
Then it landed on Xiao Jietian.
"Of course, if you possess talent like Xiao Jietian's… you may not need to endure this pain at all."
Ten pairs of eyes turned toward Xiao Jietian.
Freak. Absolute monster.
Handsome, talented, strong—what did this guy do in his past life to deserve this?
Su Qian composed himself.
"This is the final time I will ask."
His voice was heavy. Solemn.
"Accept… or withdraw?"
The contestants exchanged glances.
No one moved to withdraw.
Such an opportunity was too precious. If they didn't even try, they would slap themselves every night before sleep in regret.
Xiao Jietian met Han Yue's gaze.
He cast her an encouraging look.
He had many methods to improve her aptitude. But some things she needed to experience herself. Some growth could only be earned through struggle.
We cultivators contend with men. With the earth. With the heavens themselves.
To succeed is to defy fate.