Breaking the Tower

"Finally, I can see the world beyond the magma again. How I've missed it!" A phantom figure in white robes floated out of the Storage Ring. Heavenly Flame Venerate looked at the surrounding mountain walls and sighed.

After sighing, Heavenly Flame Venerate turned his gaze to Lin Ming and solemnly said, "Lin Ming, my soul is extremely weak right now and cannot remain here for long. I entrust the task of repairing my soul to you. Please remember, my soul can only sustain itself for a short time, so you must hurry..."

"Elder Yao, please rest assured, Lin Ming is not the kind of person who takes benefits and does nothing. I dare not say anything else, but within ten days, I will definitely repair more than half of your soul." As soon as Heavenly Flame Venerate finished speaking, Lin Ming immediately made his promise.

Hearing Lin Ming's words, Heavenly Flame Venerate nodded in satisfaction and immediately said, "If you have any questions while practicing the 'Five Rounds Leaving Fire Method,' you can ask me at any time. Since you have helped me, I will naturally not be stingy with my help."

"Then Lin Ming will thank Elder Yao in advance." Upon hearing this, Lin Ming immediately smiled and thanked Heavenly Flame Venerate.

Heavenly Flame Venerate waved his hand. Perhaps because of the Space Power he had used earlier, his soul had become much more illusory. Seeing this, he smiled bitterly, sighed, and moved, transforming into a beam of light and disappearing into the snow-white Storage Ring.

Seeing Heavenly Flame Venerate disappear back into his Storage Ring, Xiao Yan refocused his gaze, looking up at the dark membrane beneath the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. His brows furrowed, then slowly relaxed. Lin Ming's figure also returned to the magma and vanished without a trace.

The Inner Academy was bustling with activity today.

As is customary, the Inner Academy organizes a monthly event where all students enter the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower for cultivation, and the students of the Inner Academy are extremely supportive of this event.

Because entering the tower for cultivation on this day does not require paying any "Fire Energy," and today happens to be the group cultivation session for the month.

Therefore, shortly after the morning bell rang, a steady stream of people began to head towards the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. By the time the sun was high in the sky, the spacious plaza outside the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower was already packed with people.

"Thump~"

A clear and melodious chime suddenly rang out in the square, silencing the noisy crowd.

As the bell tolled, a whooshing sound suddenly rang out, and several figures flashed down from the sky, finally appearing on a high platform in the square.

Leading the group was none other than the white-haired Great Elder Su Qian, followed by several other elders of similar age.

"The time is almost up. Let's prepare to activate the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower." Upon arrival, Great Elder Su Qian glanced at the sky and immediately spoke.

"Yes!"

An elder respectfully responded and flew down from the high platform, landing outside the gate of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. He quickly formed hand seals, and then a burst of Dou Qi shot out onto the gate. Instantly, the heavy, pitch-black gate slowly opened amidst a series of creaking sounds.

"Remember, everyone enter in an orderly fashion. No fighting is allowed today, or you will be banned for a week..." Su Qian said calmly, his gaze sweeping across the room. However, before his words had even finished, his keen senses caused his expression to suddenly change, and his gaze abruptly turned to the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower. There, he clearly felt a terrifyingly hot temperature rapidly approaching. He immediately shouted sharply, "Something has happened in the tower! Close the tower doors immediately, quickly!"

Great Elder Su Qian's sudden shout silenced the entire hall. Countless eyes stared in astonishment at Su Qian's drastically changed expression, all completely bewildered.

Hearing Great Elder Su Qian's loud shout, although the elder did not know what had happened, he still slammed the heavy door shut at an extremely fast speed!

Shortly after the tower gate closed, the temperature in the entire world suddenly rose, and a rumbling sound like churning magma, accompanied by an earth-shaking tremor, rapidly approached.

"Damn it, it's the Fallen Heart Flame! Is that thing about to erupt again? Everyone, get out of the plaza immediately!"

The temperature inside the arena had just risen when Su Qian's expression turned extremely grim. This situation... had happened last year too...

"Bang!"

As soon as Su Qian's shout fell, a terrifying roar resounded, and everyone could see that the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower trembled violently.

"Bang!"

Another loud bang, and to Su Qian's horrified gaze, cracks the size of a thumb began to appear at the tip of the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower.

"Bang!"

Another deafening roar echoed, and cracks instantly covered the spire. This sight turned Su Qian's face deathly pale. Was the scene from years ago about to repeat itself?

"Boom!"

With a final, deafening roar, the incredibly sturdy spire finally shattered, and a column of crimson magma erupted from the tower like a volcanic eruption, shooting into the sky before finally pouring down amidst countless horrified gazes!

Lava poured down, and chaos erupted in the plaza. However, just a few meters from the ground, the lava suddenly solidified, and a clear laugh, filled with undisguised ecstasy, resounded like thunder across the sky.

"Haha, I, Lin Ming, am back!"

"Certainly!"

Crimson lava filled the sky, but just as it was about to fall, a voice rang out, and the lava that was about to fall immediately and strangely froze in mid-air. Its appearance was like blood filling the sky, extremely dazzling.

At the same time, the entire square was deathly silent, and everyone stared in disbelief at the sudden change in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower.

Although a year has passed and new students have joined the Inner Academy, the vast majority of them have experienced the changes of last year. Therefore, the changes in the Heavenly Flame Refining Qi Tower and the sounds coming out this time have brought them all back to the time of last year!

After a moment of stunned silence, they were jolted awake by a sudden, earth-shattering laugh that echoed through the sky. Immediately, someone exclaimed, their face contorted with elation, "Lin... Lin Ming? This guy's still alive? He really is alive! There's no mistake about that voice! There's no mistake!"

"Great Elder, it's Lin Ming! There's no mistake, it's that little fellow Lin Ming! Haha!" Upon hearing this, even the elder Qin Xuan couldn't help but exclaim.

"It's good that you're not dead, it's good that you're not dead! Little girl, you can finally relax now." Great Elder Su Qian smiled, his expression seemingly calm, but his tone revealed the shock, excitement, and emotion in his heart.