Medicine Emperor Han Feng, Falling Heart Flame

Chapter Forty-Four

Beyond the sprawling mountains of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy lay a city known as Maple City. The city was not large, yet it held an influential position within the Black Corner Region.

There was no other reason than the fact that Medicine Emperor Han Feng of the Black Corner Region lived here.

After all, a Rank 6 Alchemist could stand on equal footing with Dou Emperor and Dou Zong experts, not to mention their utterly terrifying power to rally others!

Maple City had been named after Han Feng. Within the Black Corner Region, a place steeped in chaos and slaughter, only a scant few were entitled to such an honor, and Han Feng was one of them!

At the heart of the city was a bamboo grove, entirely unlike the noisy markets outside. Deep within the grove stood a Bamboo Tower, its lush green color like jade and carrying a faint fragrance of bamboo.

At that moment, a man was absorbed in a prescription in his hands, utterly focused and free of distraction.

Suddenly, the man raised his head sharply, his keen gaze shooting toward the distant northern horizon. There, he sensed a strange and faintly familiar energy fluctuation.

His brows furrowed slightly. The man was quite handsome, though his thin lips were pressed tightly together, lending him an air of cold severity. Yet it was precisely this that gave him an unusual charm.

"This feeling..." The man lightly tapped the scroll against his forehead and murmured softly.

"Heavenly Flames!"

The man suddenly closed his eyes and flicked his fingers. A Deep Blue Flame, clear as lake water, strangely emerged from within his body and tightly enveloped him.

This Deep Blue Flame was rather peculiar. It looked like a pool of crystal-clear lake water flowing, yet one's senses clearly told them that it was not water, but flame...

As the Deep Blue Flame rose, the man's Soul Power surged dramatically.

The previously vague sensation now felt as though it were flowing right beside him, becoming extraordinarily clear.

"The Heavenly Flames of Jia Nan Academy..."

Although he possessed tremendous influence in the Black Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy was also a colossal force. Ordinarily, he would not easily provoke Jia Nan Academy, but things were different now, because there were Heavenly Flames there!

"Han Beng!" The man abruptly turned and called out in a deep voice.

The moment his voice fell, a ghostlike figure flashed out and appeared within the bamboo hut. Dropping to one knee, he spoke in a hoarse yet respectful voice, "What are your orders, Master?"

"Take these tokens and inform the Earth Flame Sect, Eight Fan Gate, Blood Sect, and... have their sect masters come to Maple City within two hours. I need their help. Also, personally deliver these two tokens to that place and invite the two gentlemen to come as well."

The man casually waved his hand, flinging several oddly shaped tokens toward the kneeling figure. The latter caught them with lightning speed. Just as he put them into his storage ring, two more tokens, one gold and one silver, shot toward him.

Holding the unusual Gold and Silver Tokens in both hands, the expressionless figure's face shifted slightly as he said quietly:

"Master, you intend to invite them as well? They will not even meet most people. To invite them this time, I fear you will need to offer something that moves them."

"Just do as I say. If I achieve my goal, whatever they want will naturally not be a problem." The man waved a hand indifferently.

"Yes!" The figure did not hesitate further. After responding respectfully, he swiftly vanished into the darkness.

"A second Heavenly Flame... After searching for so many years, I have finally found a second Heavenly Flame! As long as I devour it, every problem will be solved!"

"That damned old man! If he had let me cultivate the Flame Mantra back then, none of this would have happened. What nonsense about having an improper disposition? My talent for alchemy far surpasses yours!"

Within Jia Nan Academy, Grand Elder Su Qian directed elder after elder as they reinforced the seal.

Yet with only a slight impact from the Formless Fire Python against the Five-Colored Barrier, the powerful backlash sent several elders flying.

The elders' faces were pale, blood spilling from the corners of their mouths. They hurriedly got to their feet and continued reinforcing the seal.

Bang!

The Formless Fire Python madly crashed against the Energy Net. With its enormous body and vast energy, every collision carried terrifying force.

On Jia Nan Academy's side, they could only use people to hold the line, constantly rotating them as they waited for reinforcements.

Yet after only two hours, all the elders aside from Grand Elder Su Qian looked grim, their internal injuries serious.

Grand Elder Su Qian's expression also grew increasingly grim. At this rate, they would not be able to hold out much longer. Falling Heart Flame would soon break through the seal.

Elsewhere, Xiao Yan found an excuse to separate from Zi Yan, Lin Xiuyai, and the others. After changing clothes, he quietly approached the Heavenly Flame Refining Pagoda.

"From the looks of it, the Inner Academy elders can't hold on much longer. Teacher, when do we make our move?"

Xiao Yan anxiously asked in his heart. Once Falling Heart Flame broke through the defenses, it would likely vanish at once. Finding it afterward would be extremely difficult.

"Don't rush..." Yao Lao's voice swiftly rang out in his heart.

"A large number of presences are approaching from the east. They should be experts from the Outer Academy. Let them wear down Falling Heart Flame a little longer."

Just a few dozen breaths after Yao Lao finished speaking, a large number of figures flew over and appeared in the sight of those from the Inner Academy.

"Haha, Elder Su, organizing our people took quite some time. I hope we haven't arrived too late."

An elderly, hearty laugh suddenly rang through the sky. Who else could that somewhat familiar voice belong to but Vice Dean of Outer Academy Hu Gan?

Seeing the reinforcements arrive at such a critical moment, Su Qian finally let out a huge sigh of relief. It seemed that the worst outcome would not occur today...

As reinforcements from the Outer Academy arrived at the Inner Academy, many influential experts from the Black Corner Region gathered in Maple City, far beyond the layers of mountains.

At last, amid the laughter of the man with a maple leaf embroidered on his back, the large group of experts soared into the sky. Spreading their Dou Qi wings, they shot toward the Inner Academy on the other side of the mountains!

Black winds swept across the land, and the howling Black Storm blew from one end of the Black Region Great Plains to the other.

As he drew closer and closer to his destination, Xiao Lin, dressed in white, stepped directly out of the darkness.

"Using this Black Storm, my speed is nearly the same as it would be on my own, but it saves a lot of effort."

Of course, if he could advance further and become a Dou Zun, he would be able to control and wield the power of space. By then, his travel speed would be even faster.

As for his hopes of breaking through to Dou Zun, Xiao Lin had placed them on this journey. If all went smoothly, he might attain the rank of Dou Zun before participating in the Sect Tournament!