Pain, a pain that seared to the very marrow of his bones, was what stirred Xiao Yan from his unconscious state. With great difficulty, he opened eyes clouded with confusion, and all he saw was a scarlet redness, like fresh blood. As his vision cleared, he realized that this redness was molten lava, slowly flowing around him. Lava? Stunned for a moment, Xiao Yan suddenly snapped back to attention. His gaze swept around, and he was startled to discover that he was now completely surrounded by an endless sea of lava, and he seemed to be deep within it as no matter which direction he looked—up, down, left, or right—he saw only the scarlet lava.
His eyes wandered aimlessly, and then he noticed a mass of invisible flames burning fiercely about a foot away from him. And he…seemed to be inside this invisible flame? He shook his head vigorously, trying to clear the fog in his mind. Gradually, his thoughts became clearer, and he vaguely remembered being struck by the Falling Heart Flame before losing consciousness. But now, where was he?
“Deep underground, in the birthplace of the Falling Heart Flame,” a faint, aged voice suddenly spoke in his mind.
“Teacher? How are you?” Hearing this familiar voice while feeling helpless, Xiao Yan immediately felt like a drowning man grasping at a straw and asked hastily in his heart.
“I can hold on for a little while longer, my boy. You’ve been dragged here by the Falling Heart Flame for nearly half a month. During this time, it has been trying to absorb you, or more specifically, the Green Lotus Core Flame within you. While you were unconscious, I kept protecting you with the Bone Spirit Cold Fire. The cost, however, has been too high. I may not last much longer, and then you will have to rely on yourself.” The Pharmacist Elder’s voice was weak and urgent.
Xiao Yan was dumbfounded by this, and his gaze darted around, only then noticing that a layer of ghostly white flame enveloped his body. Around the exterior of this flame, a large mass of invisible flames swirled like snakes. Despite the Bone Spirit Cold Fire’s protection, the terrible heat still caused excruciating burns on his skin, which was the very thing that had roused him from his unconsciousness.
A wave of panic washed over him, but he forced himself to calm down and, with a raspy voice, asked, “How can I escape from here?”
For a moment, there was silence. Then, after a long pause, the Pharmacist Elder replied, “I’m not sure. We are deep below the earth. Here, the power of the Falling Heart Flame is almost endless. Unless I could regain my peak strength, perhaps we could break through its seal…and we must be deep within the lava, so if the surrounding flames were to retreat, the scorching magma would likely engulf you. Even your Inner Flame wouldn’t be enough to protect you until you reached the surface.”
“So we’re just waiting to die?” Xiao Yan’s body trembled slightly, muttering these words. If even the Pharmacist Elder, with all his skill, had no way out in such a dire situation, did that mean…
The Pharmacist Elder sighed softly, unable to offer any answer. If not for the Bone Spirit Cold Fire, Xiao Yan would have been burned to ashes long ago, even in his unconscious state.
Tightly clenching his fists, Xiao Yan’s dark eyes flashed with resistance. There were still many things he needed to do: cleanse the shame from the Xiao family, find his missing father, and fulfill a promise to a young maiden, to become a strong figure in her life… So…
“I can’t die here!” he declared with a voice filled with resolve and stubborn determination. After enduring so many hardships over the years, to give up now would render all those challenges meaningless. All those years of monk-like training had built both his strength and his resilient character!
Feeling the strong desire to live in Xiao Yan, the Pharmacist Elder chuckled and said, “You always have such spirited vigor. If that’s the case, I’ll do everything I can with my old bones.”
“Remember, my Bone Spirit Cold Fire might hold out for three more days. After that, I will pour all the remaining soul force into you and fall into a deep sleep due to the depletion. Everything will depend on you after that. I hope, when I wake, I’ll see a lively student.”
Silent for a moment, Xiao Yan then gritted his teeth and nodded slightly, his eyes tinged with red. “Teacher, don’t worry. I promised to create a body for your soul, so how could I let myself die here?”
The Pharmacist Elder chuckled again. “Focus on your recovery, my boy. After three days, it’ll all be up to you…”
Nodding firmly, Xiao Yan ceased his words, crossed his legs, and prepared to enter a meditative state. Pausing, he pulled out a beautiful green lotus platform from his storage ring and sat on it.
As he sat, the intense heat and pain greatly diminished, showing that the platform, being the source of the Green Lotus Core Flame, was an effective insulator against the extreme temperature.
“I forgot about these treasures of yours. This lotus platform might give us a better chance of survival,” the Pharmacist Elder said, surprised by the slightly reduced heat. “After I go to sleep, if you feel you can’t hold on, take the Earth Spirit Pill. It will help you endure longer. That pill was originally meant for absorbing the Falling Heart Flame, but now, it’s unclear who will be absorbed by whom…”
Xiao Yan smiled wryly and nodded, then closed his eyes and began to absorb the ambient fire energy to mend his weakened body.
Watching Xiao Yan gradually enter a meditative state, the Pharmacist Elder remained silent for a while, then sighed.
“Boy, this might be your trial. If you can escape, you will transform, just like a butterfly emerging from a cocoon. You will become a true powerhouse!”
Over two weeks had passed since that shocking battle. The once-ruined Inner Court had been renovated, and the Burning Heaven Tower remained open, still retaining its ability to boost cultivation, much to everyone’s delight. Yet, thoughts of the possibly-eroded young man at the tower’s depths cast a shadow over their joy.
Though the battle was over, as the Senior Elder Su Qian said, the name and the figure of that young man were forever etched in everyone’s minds. Perhaps, in the future, alumni would occasionally recall the epic clash and the hero who saved them…
Without Xiao Yan, the “Pan Gate” was cloaked in melancholy, but its strength continued to grow. Although the leader, Xiao Yan, was gone, Zi Yan’s inclusion elevated the “Pan Gate” to rival the lofty status of Lin Xiuyan and Liu Qing’s factions. Over time, this young force might soon stand alone, unopposed, at the top of the Inner Court.
Currently, the “Pan Gate” was managed by Wu Hao and Hu Jia, but they remained sub-leaders, making it clear to all new members that their true leader was the hero who saved the Inner Court—Xiao Yan! This rule was set to continue, so that while the teachers of the academy might be forgotten, the name ‘Xiao Yan’ would be unforgettable.
At the eighth level of the Burning Heaven Tower, a group of highly esteemed elders gathered. At their head was an old man in a wheelchair, looking particularly aged with his white hair.
“Senior Elder, the area is fully sealed off as ordered. The door to the ninth level is also secured; no one can enter,” one elder bowed respectfully.
The old man in the wheelchair, apparently Senior Elder Su Qian, looked far older than before, his sharp gaze the only sign of his former vigor. “Have we investigated the origins of the Black-Corner Region’s attackers?”
“We have, and will assemble a team to confront them. The disgrace of the Inner Court must be avenged.”
“Yes, sir!” The elders responded, anger in their eyes. The sudden attack had spread beyond the Black-Corner Region, and without a response, Jia Nan Academy would lose its dignity.
Nodding, Su Qian’s face softened, his frail fingers intertwining as he murmured, “Do you think he’s still alive?”
The elders exchanged glances, none daring to speak. Engulfed by the Falling Heart Flame and pulled deep into the earth, few could survive such a fate, even a Battle Sect.
Understanding their thoughts, Su Qian sighed. “I heard Xiao Yan’s second brother came to Jia Nan Academy and then went to the Black-Corner Region. Send someone to secretly protect him as a favor to the boy.”
With a wave, Su Qian’s wheelchair turned and disappeared into the darkness. The elders sighed, gazing at the black iron door, then withdrew.
Unbeknownst to them, deep beneath their feet, the ghastly white flames on the young man’s body were fading. The true ordeal had only just begun. No one knew whether he would emerge as a transformed butterfly or turn to dust. Deep in the lava, that unknown outcome hung in the balance.
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