The tremors in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower grew increasingly frequent, with ever-shorter intervals between them.
Fine crimson patterns occasionally surfaced on the tower's black stone walls, radiating a scorching heat that made one's heart tremble.
The students cultivating inside the tower all clearly sensed that something was wrong. The agitating heat in the air was growing stronger by the day.
Some of the weaker students were burned by the invisible Heart Fire during cultivation and had no choice but to withdraw early.
The entire Inner Academy was shrouded in a faint sense of unease.
In the Inner Academy's core conference room, the atmosphere was grave.
Great Elder Su Qian sat at the head of the table with his brows tightly furrowed. Several core Elders of the Inner Academy sat below him, every one of them looking solemn.
"Great Elder, we can't delay any longer! Just now, another crack appeared in the energy seal in the eastern section of the third level. Though it has been temporarily suppressed, the repairs are far slower than the damage!"
An Elder responsible for maintaining the seals reported urgently. His robes still bore marks from being scorched by the intense heat.
"The thing beneath the tower is growing more intelligent by the day. Each impact against the seal is stronger than the last. At this rate, it won't last more than a month—no, I'm afraid it may not even hold for half a month!"
Another Elder added, his voice carrying a trace of despair.
Su Qian's fingers tapped unconsciously against the table, producing dull thuds.
How could he not know how dire the situation was?
But he had tried every known method of reinforcing the seal, and the results had been negligible.
After years of accumulation, the Falling Heart Flame's power had reached