Fallen Heart Flame

Xiao Yan successfully obtained the one-year leave he wanted. Although Ruo Lin was deeply displeased and felt that Xiao Yan was completely wasting his talent, they had already made an agreement, and she absolutely could not go back on it now.

Xiao Yan was somewhat excited, because he could finally go out and see the wider world.

Although he had previously trained in the Magical Beast Mountain Range, strictly speaking, that did not count as a long journey, since the Magical Beast Mountain Range was close to Wutan City.

This time was different. Not only would he leave Wutan City, he would even leave the Gama Empire and begin to come into contact with the true secrets of the Dou Qi Continent.

He was already growing impatient, wishing he could sprout wings and fly away from Canaan Academy at once, completely overlooking the feelings of those around him.

For example, Xiao Xun'er, who had grown up alongside him as his childhood sweetheart, felt rather miserable at the moment, and it was even written all over her face.

She had thought that after coming to Canaan Academy, she could attend classes and leave school together with the Xiao Yan she loved. Who would have thought that he would ditch her and strike out on his own as soon as school began? Xiao Xun'er felt miserable enough to cry.

The two little beauties from Luolan City were also somewhat unhappy. They had taken a liking to this powerful and imposing Xiao Yan, originally intending to rely on their outstanding beauty to kick Xiao Xun'er aside and win Xiao Yan's heart. They had not expected him to refuse to play by the rules, leaving the moment he said he would without giving them any chance to react.

Emotions seemed contagious. No matter how thick-skinned Xiao Yan was, he could still sense an oppressive atmosphere filling the air.

When he turned around, he immediately found three pairs of resentful eyes fixed on him, making his whole body shudder.

"Xun'er, don't worry. I'll be back in a year at most. Stay at the academy and focus on your studies." Xiao Yan did not know how to comfort Xiao Xun'er, because he was definitely leaving.

Xiao Yan cultivated differently from ordinary people. He simply could not cultivate step by step like everyone else. The technique he cultivated required him to constantly devour Different Flames. Depending on the rank of the flames he fused, his cultivation would rise by varying degrees, without any side effects.

This technique was practically heaven-defying. At least on the Dou Qi Continent, no technique could compare to the Flame Mantra—not even techniques created by Dou Emperors.

With such a cheat at his disposal, Xiao Yan had no mood to settle down and cultivate. Leaving was a necessity; only by going out could he find Different Flames. Canaan Academy did not have anything that could rapidly raise his cultivation.

It could not exactly be said that it had nothing. After all, the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower still suppressed a Fallen Heart Flame. If he could devour and fuse it, his cultivation would instantly soar three levels like a rocket.

However, with Xiao Yan's current cultivation, daring to fuse the Fallen Heart Flame would be like an old man hanging himself—asking for death.

He could not think about the Fallen Heart Flame for now, but he could still set his sights on other Different Flames. Yao Lao had information on one: the Azure Lotus Core Flame in the Tagor Desert, ranked nineteenth on the Different Flame Ranking List.

Although its ranking was not especially high, it was precisely a flame of this level that Xiao Yan could fuse with his current cultivation. Even if he failed, Yao Lao could save his life, so there was no risk of dying.

Xiao Yan said a few more words and barely managed to soothe Xiao Xun'er's heart. As for the other two little beauties, he completely ignored them.

What a joke. Being lovey-dovey with other girls in front of his actual wife was practically suicidal. Xiao Yan's soul had been shaped by the internet culture of modern society—how could he make such a low-level mistake?

Besides, although the two little beauties were indeed quite pretty and were even a rare pair of twin sisters, they were still a notch below Xiao Xun'er. They had only known each other for a few days, and Xiao Yan had no real feelings for them at all.

Ignoring the resentful gazes of the twin sisters, Xiao Yan left the moment he said he would, without the slightest hesitation.

"Not bad, kid. I didn't expect that even with the plot changed so much, he could still rise so quickly. If I didn't have the System, then relying on my own cultivation, I still wouldn't be able to catch up to him even by the time I died." Watching Xiao Yan depart, Xiao Xian suddenly sighed inwardly.

However, he had no intention of stopping Xiao Yan. Xiao Yan's eventual rise into the Flame Emperor whose name shook the world was inseparable from his experiences. If Xiao Xian stopped him from going out to train, he did not know whether the Flame Emperor of the future would still appear.

Xiao Xian had no intention of showing himself. Instead, he vanished soundlessly. When he reappeared, he had already arrived at Canaan Academy's sacred cultivation ground—the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower.

With a casual slash, he tore open space and stepped inside, appearing directly in the Magma Lake at the very bottom of the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower.

"Roar!"

This Magma Lake had an owner. The instant Xiao Xian appeared, the owner of the lake sensed him.

A dense crimson flame rose from the Magma Lake, transforming into a red fire python. Its enormous body swayed amid the flames as it opened its mouth and let out a roar.

The Fallen Heart Flame had already developed intelligence. Though it could not speak, it could still roar.

It had been trapped by humans within the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower for over a thousand years. Every moment, it wanted to escape, yet it was suppressed each time. Over the long years, countless traces of vicious resentment had accumulated in its heart.

Thus, the Fallen Heart Flame deeply hated humanity. Yet while suppressed, even if its hatred were boundless, there was nothing it could do. Not only could it not harm humans, it was instead forced to help them advance their cultivation.

Being unable to kill its enemies while having to passively help them raise their cultivation was simply more agonizing for the Fallen Heart Flame than death itself.

Still, it was not without benefits. Although it had been suppressed for over a thousand years, the Fallen Heart Flame had accumulated an immense foundation through the energy of the Magma Lake, one it could transform into cultivation at any moment.

Moreover, after over a thousand years of constant assaults, the seal's power had grown weaker and weaker. It believed that after a few more attempts, it would completely break free. Then would come the time for the Fallen Heart Flame to take revenge upon humanity.

It had never expected that before escaping, a human would actually deliver himself to its doorstep. It was simply an unexpected delight.

The Fallen Heart Flame was ecstatic. It did not even have time to check the intruder's cultivation before impatiently leaping out. It could not wait another moment; it desperately wanted to kill a few humans to vent the rage in its heart.

If the Fallen Heart Flame had taken a closer look, it would have noticed that Xiao Xian had torn through space and appeared directly here. It probably would not only have abandoned any thought of revenge, but would have tucked its head tightly back into the magma.

On the Dou Qi Continent, not just anyone could wield the power of space. One had to advance to the Dou Saint realm. Only Dou Saint experts could shatter space, travel through the void, and even create an inner space attached to the Dou Qi Continent. The residences of the Ancient Eight Clans were places like this.

Although the Fallen Heart Flame was powerful, its current strength was at most comparable to a peak Dou Zun. Forget the legendary Dou Emperor—even if a Dou Saint expert arrived, it would have to kneel.