Saving Zi Yan

Having obtained the juvenile Fallen Heart Flame, their next target was the mature Fallen Heart Flame.

After staying here for two days, Jiang Xing and Lin Shan had long since familiarized themselves with the location of the Heavenly Flame.

When the fire python formed by the mature Fallen Heart Flame saw Jiang Xing and Lin Shan again, it instinctively tried to flee.

Unfortunately, the gap in strength was far too great. Lin Shan quickly caught up with it and sent it back to its original form with a single palm strike, turning it back into a colorless flame.

Jiang Xing first stored the Fallen Heart Flame in a specially made container, then tossed the juvenile Fallen Heart Flame into the magma before having Lin Shan take him away.

In the original story, Jia Nan Academy had been somewhat unable to contain the Fallen Heart Flame. On top of that, Han Feng had taken advantage of the Fallen Heart Flame's riot to seize the Heavenly Flame. Thus, when Xiao Yan absorbed the Heavenly Flame, he could be said to have saved Jia Nan Academy's students and helped Jia Nan Academy, so Great Elder Su Qian had not blamed him too harshly.

If the mature Fallen Heart Flame were replaced with the more easily controlled juvenile Fallen Heart Flame, Jia Nan Academy would definitely be able to contain it. Jiang Xing was rather curious about what Xiao Yan would do then—would he forcefully seize it from the academy that had nurtured him, or would he give it up?

Thinking of this, Jiang Xing suddenly felt that he was becoming more and more like a villain.

Not long after Jiang Xing took away the Fallen Heart Flame, the elders guarding the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower sensed that something was wrong.

At first, they noticed that the tower's effect of accelerating cultivation had suddenly weakened. They assumed the Fallen Heart Flame's energy had become unstable and that it would soon return to normal.

However, after waiting for a long time without it recovering, they realized something was amiss.

Thus, one elder hurriedly went to summon Great Elder Su Qian. When Su Qian arrived and sensed the situation, he too discovered that something was wrong.

"Why has this Heavenly Flame's energy weakened so much?"

The Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower was the foundation upon which Jia Nan Academy stood; nothing could be allowed to happen to it. Therefore, Su Qian led several elders down to the bottom of the tower.

The moment they arrived, they saw that juvenile Fallen Heart Flame. The group stared at one another.

"This...?"

Su Qian: Where's my huge fire python??

After taking the larger Fallen Heart Flame, Jiang Xing had originally intended to return directly to the Snake-People Tribe. But he suddenly remembered that the mountain range near Jia Nan Academy held another one of Xiao Yan's fortuitous opportunities—Core Body Tempering Fluid.

Core Body Tempering Fluid was known as an earthly spiritual treasure, condensed through the power of heaven and earth. After a hundred years of condensation, it formed Core Mist, which possessed marvelous body-strengthening effects. After a thousand years, it formed Core Liquid, which could help one cleanse one's marrow and reshape one's bones. Core Body Tempering Fluid was the finest among Core Liquid. Not only could it cleanse the marrow and temper the bones, it could also help certain people at the peak break through their bottlenecks. Though the probability was rather low, its effects rivaled some top-grade medicinal pills. Because it possessed it, the Snow Demon Sky Ape could speak human language while still at the fifth tier.

This thing had provided Xiao Yan with no small amount of help in the early stages. Xiao Yan had relied on the Core Body Tempering Fluid to break through from an eight-star Da Dou Shi to a Dou Ling.

Although Core Body Tempering Fluid was no longer useful to him at his current strength, he could still steal it for Qing Lin.

Perhaps because she had controlled that Twin-Headed Fire Spirit Snake and had Yao Lao's Foundation Establishment Elixir, Qing Lin had gone from having no Dou Qi at all to the fifth stage of Dou Qi in less than a month after Jiang Xing brought her back and taught her to cultivate. It was simply terrifying.

This Core Body Tempering Fluid could be saved for Qing Lin to use when breaking through to the Dou Ling realm.

Thus, Jiang Xing flew in that direction.

Jiang Xing did not remember where that mountain range was, but it did not matter. Sixth-tier magical beasts could already speak. After Jiang Xing and Lin Shan casually found a bear-type magical beast and intimidated it, the magical beast obediently led the way for them.

With a beast leading the way, Jiang Xing and Lin Shan hurried toward the Snow Demon Sky Ape's dwelling.

As they were about to arrive, Jiang Xing suddenly sensed energy fluctuations from a battle in the direction of the Snow Demon Sky Ape.

Upon arriving near the Snow Demon Sky Ape's dwelling, Jiang Xing saw a little girl fighting the Snow Demon Sky Ape.

The little girl had purple hair, wore a purple robe, and possessed delicate features.

Zi Yan?

Seeing these traits, Jiang Xing immediately thought of Zi Yan.

The little girl was incredibly strong. Though her fist was tiny, it contained immense energy. When it collided with the Snow Demon Sky Ape's enormous fist, the little girl merely took one step back, while the Snow Demon Sky Ape was knocked back three steps.

"How did I forget about her!"

Seeing the little girl's terrifying brute strength, Jiang Xing finally became certain that she was Zi Yan.

In the original story, Zi Yan's father, Ancient Void Dragon Dragon Emperor Zhu Kun, had coveted the Ancient God Mansion and been trapped by a scheme set by Tou She Ancient God. As a result, Zi Yan had been stranded outside. After accidentally consuming Transformation Grass, she turned into human form and was brought back to the Inner Academy by Jia Nan Academy's Great Elder. Only with Xiao Yan's help was she returned to Ancient Dragon Island to be raised. In the end, after absorbing the Dragon Phoenix Origin Fruit, her cultivation even reached the early Four-Star Dou Saint realm.

She was practically a tiny cheat character. If he could trick Zi Yan into coming with him and help Ancient Dragon Island unite, he would not only gain the support of the Ancient Void Dragon clan, but could also have Zhu Kun help him when opening the Ancient God Mansion...

Tsk, tsk, tsk. How had he forgotten about her from the start?

After being knocked back by Zi Yan once again, the Snow Demon Sky Ape let out a furious roar and pounded its chest with its fists, beginning to awaken its Berserk Bloodline. Its aura then began to surge wildly.

The Snow Demon Sky Ape was the magical beast that guarded the Core Body Tempering Fluid, and its strength was comparable to that of a Dou Wang. In its berserk state, its strength could reach the level of a five-star Dou Wang. However, any method that increased one's power instantly came with side effects, and the Snow Demon Sky Ape's Berserk Bloodline was naturally no exception. Once activated during the day, it would enter a weakened state at night.

The fact that Zi Yan had forced the Snow Demon Sky Ape to activate its Berserk Bloodline showed just how furious it was.

At this moment, having fully awakened its Berserk Bloodline, the Snow Demon Sky Ape's aura had reached the level of a five-star Dou Wang. Roaring in fury, it lunged at Zi Yan.

Zi Yan was also startled by the Snow Demon Sky Ape's sudden surge in strength. Her expression changed drastically, and she immediately spread her Dou Qi wings to flee.

However, the berserk Snow Demon Sky Ape was even faster than Zi Yan. It swept close to her at terrifying speed, raised its enormous fist, and smashed it toward her.

The Snow Demon Sky Ape was too fast. By the time Zi Yan reacted, its fist was already nearly before her. Knowing she could not evade it, Zi Yan could only hurriedly throw out a fist to block it.

The two fists collided. Zi Yan's hastily thrown punch could not stop the Snow Demon Sky Ape at all, and its fist slammed viciously into her body.

Zi Yan was sent flying dozens of meters by the Snow Demon Sky Ape. Yet after knocking her away, the Snow Demon Sky Ape clearly had no intention of stopping. It let out an excited roar, then charged toward Zi Yan again, leaping into the air and swinging its fist down at her head.

Lying on the ground, Zi Yan sensed the power behind that punch. Her little face turned pale with fright, and she closed her eyes in fear.

Bang!

Suddenly, a figure flashed over and appeared before Zi Yan. He also threw out a fist, blocking the blow that had been meant to strike Zi Yan.

Hearing the sound of the fists colliding, Zi Yan slowly opened her tightly shut eyes.