Upon hearing the question from the old man in the black robe, Xiao Yan’s heart suddenly jolted. His eyes darted around as he frantically turned his thoughts: “If I admit to seeing it, would this old man try to kill me to keep the secret?” After all, the Falling Heart Flame was immensely important to the Inner Academy. Therefore, it was no wonder Xiao Yan had such a thought.
The atmosphere in the air was tense and oppressive. Xiao Yan’s palms were drenched in sweat. The pressure emanating from the old man in the black robe was no less than that of Yun Shan from the Yun clan. With his current strength, if it weren’t for the Elder Pharmacist’s assistance, he would likely be subdued with a mere wave of the hand.
After much deliberation, Xiao Yan finally made up his mind. He decided not to admit that he had seen the battle inside the tower. However, just as he was about to respond, the old man in the black robe spoke again, “You must be Xiao Yan, right? It is said that different Heavenly Flames have an extremely vague connection. I suppose you sensed the anomaly in the tower because of the Heavenly Flame within you, am I correct?”
Xiao Yan was startled by the old man’s words but quickly calmed down. Many elders in the academy knew about his possession of a Heavenly Flame. What surprised him was that this old man could deduce some details. Moreover, his words indicated that he already knew Xiao Yan had sensed the movement inside the tower. Looking at the calm, aged face of the old man, Xiao Yan secretly breathed a sigh of relief. It was fortunate that he hadn’t denied it; otherwise, he might have been suspected of being deceitful.
“Indeed, I sensed something, but there seems to be a special seal on the Flaming Sky Tower. Once I stepped outside, the sensation became very faint,” Xiao Yan carefully replied.
“There’s no need to be nervous. I do not intend to punish you,” the old man in the black robe said, his eyes filled with a faint smile. He waved his hand and continued, “I just want to remind you not to mention what happened inside the tower to others.”
“I will definitely not tell anyone about what happened inside the tower,” Xiao Yan hastily assured him.
“I’m quite familiar with you, though we’ve never met. To be able to control a Heavenly Flame at such a young age is truly enviable,” the old man in the black robe said with a wry smile. The envy in his voice was genuine. The Falling Heart Flame had enabled the Inner Academy to possess the Flaming Sky Tower, a device for nurturing talents. And here was a young man who possessed a Heavenly Flame all by himself. How could one not marvel at that?
Xiao Yan gave a dry laugh but didn’t say much more on the topic. He bowed respectfully and asked, “May I know your name, Elder?”
Most of the elders in the Inner Academy were at the Dou Wang level, but the strength of the old man in front of him far exceeded theirs. According to Xiao Yan’s guess, if it wasn’t the elusive headmaster of the Inner Academy, it could only be the mysterious Great Elder…
“My name is Su Qian. I am the chief elder, and they usually call me the Great Elder,” the old man in the black robe said nonchalantly.
“As expected…” Xiao Yan murmured to himself. Although he had anticipated this, he couldn’t help but be slightly moved.
“Xiao Yan, you may have sensed some changes inside the tower. To be honest, there is indeed a significant problem, and although we can suppress it for now, it’s not a long-term solution. So, I hope you can assist the Inner Academy in the future,” Su Qian said solemnly.
“Even with the strength of the elders, it’s still difficult to suppress the problem. What use could my small Dou Ling strength possibly be?” Xiao Yan was stunned, hearing that Su Qian wanted his help.
“Having a Heavenly Flame, you can’t be judged by ordinary standards,” Su Qian smiled and continued, “Don’t be afraid. Whether you will actually be needed to help hasn’t been decided yet. We just want to explore all possible options for the worst-case scenario. If you are unable to assist, I won’t force you.”
Seeing that things had come to this, Xiao Yan could only nod with a bitter smile. “Alright, I will do my best if needed.”
“Good, I’m relieved to hear that,” Su Qian smiled, adding, “If you can indeed help, the Inner Academy will not let you down. Whatever you need—techniques, fighting skills, medicinal formulas—will be provided to your satisfaction.”
“I want the Falling Heart Flame. Can you give it to me?” Xiao Yan muttered in his heart but nodded eagerly, feigning surprise.
“The situation in the tower is temporarily stable, but there’s still a lot of work to be done. I won’t keep you any longer.” Smiling, Su Qian said, “Also, the ‘Strong Ranking’ competition is in four days. You should do your best. If you can make it into the top ten, it will be greatly beneficial for you.”
“The top ten are all at the peak of the Dou Ling level. With my recent entry into the Dou Ling realm, how can I possibly make it in?” Xiao Yan said with a forced smile.
“You sly brat, don’t play dumb in front of me. I know your strength better than anyone. While it may be difficult for you to defeat Liu Qing and others, if you really go all out, apart from Liu Qing, Lin Xiuya, and Yan Hao, most others in the ‘Strong Ranking’ will struggle to match you,” Su Qian shook his head and laughed. “And despite only reaching the Dou Ling level two months ago, you have already advanced to the three-star Dou Ling level. This speed even makes me feel a bit shocked.”
Xiao Yan gave an embarrassed smile but was secretly astonished. It seemed that this old man had a lot of information about him. With his sharp insight, he had probably guessed most of his true strength. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have spoken like this. Additionally, he had only reached the three-star Dou Ling level two days ago, and Su Qian had instantly recognized his exact level.
“Boy, being low-key is good, but don’t pretend to be ignorant in front of me. I’ve seen many geniuses and oddities in my years in the Inner Academy,” Su Qian smiled at Xiao Yan’s embarrassment and waved his hand. “Alright, I have other matters to attend to, so I won’t keep you any longer. Remember, you must enter the top ten of the ‘Strong Ranking,’ and… our agreement.”
With a smile on his aged face, Su Qian’s body hovering in mid-air gradually faded, disappearing like a phantom. This eerie scene sent a chill down Xiao Yan’s spine.
After Su Qian disappeared, Xiao Yan finally exhaled in relief. Releasing his tightly clenched fists, the sweat on his palms made him smile bitterly. A brief conversation with this old man had made him feel like he was facing a formidable enemy. The gap between them was truly vast.
It was astonishing that this old man was so powerful. His aura was even stronger than Yun Shan. He truly deserved to be the Great Elder of the Inner Academy. Sighing, Xiao Yan thought to himself, if the Great Elder was this strong, how terrifying must the reclusive headmaster of the Inner Academy be? The Jia Nan Academy truly had its hidden tigers and crouching dragons.
With these thoughts, Xiao Yan leaped off the tree and sprinted towards Pan Gate in the deepening night.
The ‘Strong Ranking’ competition was the most intense and attention-grabbing event in the Inner Academy, and even in the entire Jia Nan Academy. The stringent entry requirements almost directly locked in the most outstanding students in the Inner Academy. Those who emerged victorious in such a competition were undoubtedly the cream of the crop, possessing exceptional talent. Every year, the top ten of the ‘Strong Ranking’ created illustrious reputations on the continent. Even the weakest among them would, at the very least, be a Dou Wang, dominating a region.
Though the entry conditions for the ‘Strong Ranking’ were extremely strict, it did not dampen the enthusiasm of the other students. The chance to see rare and powerful figures gathered in one place, engaging in exhilarating battles, was incredibly attractive. For the other students, it was as exciting as a thirsty man suddenly encountering a naked beauty.
As the ‘Strong Ranking’ competition drew nearer, the atmosphere in the Inner Academy intensified. Everywhere, the topic of conversation revolved around the competition. With the approaching deadline, the last thirty rankings were constantly changing. Those who usually kept a low profile burst forth, frantically striving to reach the highly coveted ‘Strong Ranking’!
However, after the previous challenge, no one dared to challenge Xiao Yan again. Thus, in these final few days, he enjoyed a rare period of peace, which felt somewhat uncomfortable for someone used to being busy.
Four days passed, and the moment the Inner Academy had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived. On the fourth morning, a ray of sunlight shone down, and the ancient bell in the depths of the Inner Academy sounded, echoing throughout the area.
As the bell rang, students with powerful auras, scattered across the Inner Academy, suddenly opened their eyes. Their eyes, filled with fiery fighting spirit, surged along with the ancient chime.
In a room, a young man in a black robe, sitting cross-legged on the bed, slowly opened his dark eyes. With a wave of his hand, a massive black shadow appeared, slung across his back. The broad ruler cut through the air, creating a whistling sound.
The young man in the black robe patted the heavy ruler on his back and turned his head, looking out the window. Feeling the surging auras from all over the Inner Academy, a smile curled on his lips, and the burning fighting spirit welled up in his chest.
“One of the top ten spots is reserved for Xiao Yan…”
Tai Sui Yellow Amulet Paper FuLu Taoist Love Talisman Traditional Chinese Spiritual Charm Attracting Love Protecting Marriage