Aftermath! Return!

Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy.

Zi Yan stood beside the enormous crater blasted out by Black Robe's strike, clutching a purple ponytail in her small hand, her eyes filled with confusion.

"Master, where did you go?" Looking at the ruins all around her, Zi Yan murmured sadly to herself.

Just moments ago, she had returned to the Inner Academy after receiving the signal. Yet after asking seven or eight academy elders along the way, not a single one had seen Gu He.

As she thought about it, Zi Yan's gemstone-like eyes suddenly dimmed. Then she burst into tears. "Waaah... Master, where are you? If you're gone, who's going to give me Spirit Medicine Pills to eat...?"

At that moment, a figure in white who happened to be walking not far behind Zi Yan heard her crying, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

"I've only been gone for a little while, and this little brat is already mourning me?"

Hearing the movement behind her, Zi Yan quickly turned around. When she saw that it was Gu He, her expression instantly turned to delight, revealing a row of pearly white teeth.

"Hehe, Master, it's wonderful that you're okay. I thought you..."

"You thought your master was dead?" Gu He shot Zi Yan a sideways glance and said irritably.

Seeing Gu He's expression, Zi Yan suddenly lowered her head, clutching that purple ponytail in her little hands, too afraid to speak.

Just then, an academy elder passed by. Upon noticing Gu He, his expression became somewhat excited. "Elder Gu He, it's wonderful to see you. The Grand Elder and the others are in the council hall and wish to discuss something with you."

Hearing the elder's words, Gu He nodded lightly. "Gu understands. I'll go with you now."

After seeing Gu He summoned away by the Grand Elder, Zi Yan stuck out her tongue, a sly smile appearing on her face.

Inside the council hall of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy.

Su Qian and Elder Qian and Bai stood at the center, surrounded by more than a dozen elders at the Dou Emperor level.

"Elder Qian, Elder Bai, the Fallen Heart Flame has broken out of the tower and vanished without a trace!" Su Qian sighed. "Our Inner Academy's Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower has now lost its original function."

"Yes. The Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower concerns the foundation of Jia Nan Academy. Now, we can only pray that the Headmaster returns soon." Bai Lie and Qian Mu nodded.

"Grand Elder, Elder Qian, Elder Bai, since the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower is useless now, should the upcoming competition for the top ten places in the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking simply be canceled?" An elder at the Dou Emperor level suddenly suggested.

"This... the competition for the top ten of the Strong Ranking certainly cannot be canceled. Otherwise, it would greatly diminish the students' motivation to cultivate." Su Qian pondered for a moment before continuing, "As for the rewards, we can replace the original fire energy and Heart Flame body tempering with cultivation methods, Dou Techniques, medicinal pills, pill formulas, and the like. What do you all think?"

"That works. I strongly support the Grand Elder's proposal."

"I support it as well!"

"It's just that the rewards corresponding to each ranking must be carefully considered."

Once Su Qian proposed changing the tournament rewards, the elders in the hall immediately began a heated discussion.

Just then, Gu He arrived. He had originally intended to quietly stand behind the group of elders, but Su Qian called out to him.

"Elder Gu He, you've come at just the right time!" Su Qian beckoned to Gu He with a smile.

Gu He had come intending to keep a low profile and merely listen until the meeting ended. Who would have thought that Su Qian's shout would make him the center of attention the moment he arrived?

Seeing this, Gu He could only walk helplessly over to Su Qian.

"Elder Gu He, these two are the Guardians of Jia Nan Academy, Elder Qian and Elder Bai."

"Elder Qian, Elder Bai, this is Elder Gu He, a Sixth-Grade Alchemist. You two should have met him earlier!" Su Qian swiftly introduced them.

"Gu He thanks Elder Qian and Elder Bai for saving me!" After Su Qian's introduction, Gu He cupped his hands toward Elder Qian and Bai in thanks.

"Mm! Not bad!"

When Elder Qian and Bai saw Gu He approach, a trace of admiration appeared in their ancient, still eyes.

"To reach Sixth-Grade Alchemist at such a young age, your future is surely limitless!"

Hearing Elder Qian and Bai's praise, Gu He humbly said, "You two overpraise me."

"No need to be modest. There isn't a second Sixth-Grade Alchemist to be found in the Black Corner Region now." Elder Qian and Bai smiled with narrowed eyes.

Hearing that, Gu He pondered for a moment, then said with some anger on his face, "Gu has also heard that Medicine Emperor Han Feng of Maple City was killed... Does the Soul Hall truly act with such unchecked arrogance?"

Seeing Gu He's angry expression, a sharp glint flashed through Su Qian's eyes as he hurriedly answered, "The Soul Hall is indeed a little too arrogant, but... with Elder Qian and Elder Bai here, even if the Soul Hall wiped out every force in the Black Corner Region, they would not dare touch Jia Nan Academy. Nothing will happen here in the Inner Academy."

Hearing Su Qian's words, Qian Mu and Bai Lie nodded in agreement. "Even if the two of us are no match for them, with the Headmaster's heaven-reaching methods, I believe no one would truly dare act recklessly."

By this point, Gu He also understood part of why Su Qian had called him here.

What Su Qian was thinking was that so much had happened in the Inner Academy today. Not only had there been an attack by the terrifying Black Robe, but a massive Formless Fire Python had also wreaked havoc within the academy. This could make someone who had only recently joined the Inner Academy feel that there was no safety here.

Therefore, Su Qian and the others were all acting very calm and speaking with confidence in the council hall, their goal being to steady everyone's minds.

Gu He saw through it but did not expose it, nor did he concern himself with such matters.

"Mm, Jia Nan Academy is indeed very safe in the Black Corner Region right now!" Gu He went along with their words.

After the meeting among the Inner Academy's leading figures ended, Gu He slowly returned to his own courtyard.

"Master, you're back! What did the Grand Elder and the others say?" Zi Yan, who had been waiting in the courtyard for a long time, asked curiously.

"They didn't say much. It was mainly about rebuilding the Inner Academy and changing the future Strong Ranking rewards," Gu He said blandly.

After hearing Gu He's words, Zi Yan's large, bright black eyes filled with thought.

The Strong Ranking reward—fire energy—had long been useless to her. Now that it was being replaced with other things, it naturally caught her interest at once.

"Figure it out yourself. If you can't take first place, you won't get any more Spirit Medicine Pills to eat!"

After leaving Zi Yan with those words, Gu He entered the room and quickly set up a seal. At his heart, a mass of invisible flame suddenly radiated an intense light.

This invisible flame was the true body of the Fallen Heart Flame. However, it had completely lost the wild fury it possessed when it had first broken free. It now rested quietly within Gu He's heart, tempering his body at every moment.

(End of Chapter)