Waited a Long Time, Finally Today Arrived (Seeking Collections, Seeking Free Recommendation Tickets~)

"Han Yue?"

"What brought you to the Outer Academy?"

Qin Han rubbed his nose and walked over, asking the obvious.

Han Yue turned around, her cool eyes settling on Qin Han.

"What else could I be here for?"

A rare hint of helplessness colored Han Yue's voice. "The Inner Academy has a lot of complaints about you, Captain Qin."

Qin Han gave an awkward smile. "Those old fellows from the Inner Academy gave you trouble again?"

"What do you think?"

"Elder Wu Tianlang may be protecting you, but the elders of the Inner Academy have reached the end of their patience."

Qin Han smiled sheepishly.

Ever since entering the Inner Academy three years ago, he had taken leave to go out more often than he attended classes.

Later, he had simply joined the Enforcement Team, spending less than one-fifth of his time in the Inner Academy.

It couldn't be helped. Aside from the Fallen Heart Flame, the Inner Academy offered extremely limited varieties and grades of flames.

Why would he sit in seclusion and meditate in the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower when searching for flame sources outside the academy was so much faster for leveling up?

Han Yue took two steps forward, her silver boots tapping crisply against the bluestone paving.

"The Elder Council has officially sent a letter to the Enforcement Team. This time, no matter what, they're taking you back to the Inner Academy."

Han Yue sighed softly. "With the Fallen Heart Flame beneath the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower, cultivation is several times faster than it is outside. Why would you ignore such an opportunity and spend all day hunting down criminals in the Black Corner Region? What exactly are you thinking?"

Qin Han shrugged, about to come up with an excuse to brush her off.

"Also, I'm the only one holding Moon Spirit together now. As the Vice Sect Master, aren't you taking things a little too easy?"

That left Qin Han feeling somewhat guilty.

He and Han Yue had entered Jia Nan Academy in the same year, and both had ranked among the top five students of their cohort, so they had naturally been more familiar with each other than most.

Later, during a mission in the Black Corner Region, the training squad Han Yue belonged to was ambushed. Qin Han happened to be passing by with the Enforcement Team and helped Han Yue's group escape by drawing away the enemy leader.

From that day onward, the silver-haired beauty renowned in the Inner Academy for her aloofness and icy demeanor rapidly grew closer to Qin Han.

A year ago, Han Yue had formed Moon Spirit and forcibly given him the title of Vice Sect Master.

But Qin Han had focused all his attention on gathering flames and increasing his strength. He almost never involved himself in sect affairs, leaving everything to Han Yue.

"I really have been busy lately..."

Han Yue let out a faint sigh. "This year's New Students will be entering the academy soon. Moon Spirit needs to recruit a few promising newcomers."

Qin Han had originally intended to refuse, but the moment he heard the words, "the New Students will be entering the academy soon," his heart jolted.

It was here.

He had waited an entire year for this day.

Last year, while handing over a mission for the Enforcement Team, he had seen a girl named Xiao Xun'er in the Outer Academy.

Though he had only caught a distant glimpse of her, her exceptional temperament, like a pure lotus, and the strange fluctuations faintly emanating from within her had immediately confirmed her identity to Qin Han.

Since Xiao Xun'er had already arrived at Jia Nan Academy, Xiao Yan would be enrolling in just one more year.

Naturally, Qin Han was not interested in Xiao Huohuo himself, but in the Green Lotus Core Flame within his body and Old Man's Bone Chilling Fire.

As for whether Xiao Xun'er currently possessed the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame, he had not dared approach her to investigate.

Still, two new Heavenly Flames were more than enough to excite Qin Han.

"Captain Qin?"

Seeing him lost in thought, Han Yue raised her smooth, jade-like hand and waved it before his eyes.

Qin Han took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement in his heart. An utterly different look of seriousness appeared on his face.

"You're right."

He nodded. "I'll go back."

The sudden change caught Han Yue slightly off guard.

"This guy..."

Before she could react, Qin Han had already quickened his pace and entered the Enforcement Team's station.

"Wait for me. Once I've finished the handover with Old Wu, I'll come find you."

Qin Han waved without looking back.

Half an hour later, Qin Han and Han Yue walked out of Peace Town side by side.

In the open space outside town, a massive Griffin with a wingspan of over ten meters lay quietly on the ground. It was a flying Magical Beast reserved for the Inner Academy.

"Let's go."

Han Yue lightly leaped onto the Griffin's back.

Qin Han followed close behind and sat down on Blue Eagle's broad back.

At the Beast Tamer's whistle, Blue Eagle spread its wings and shot into the sky.

The fierce wind howled as the lands of the Black Corner Region rapidly shrank below them.

Qin Han looked down at that land steeped in bloodshed and chaos, without the slightest hint of attachment in his eyes.

"By the way, how far along are this year's new students with their enrollment?" Qin Han asked during the flight.

"Before heading to Peace Town, I made a special trip to the Outer Academy. Unfortunately, I missed the Outer Academy Competition. The new students are probably resting up and preparing to enter the Library Pavilion."

"Once they come out of the Library Pavilion, they'll probably be taking part in the Flame Energy Hunting Competition..."

Han Yue mused.

"The Flame Energy Hunting Competition..."

Qin Han's eyes flickered. He abruptly raised his head and said, "I want to guard the final checkpoint of this year's Flame Energy Hunting Competition."

Han Yue froze.

"What?"

"I'm saying that I want to meet this year's new students."

Qin Han grinned and winked at Han Yue. "Isn't Moon Spirit looking to recruit fresh blood? I'll scout things out in advance. What do you think? Dedicated enough, right?"

Naturally, Qin Han had no interest in worrying about Moon Spirit's affairs. He simply wanted to make contact with Xiao Yan—no, with the Green Lotus Core Flame—as soon as possible.

The Flame Energy Hunting Competition was the perfect opportunity to test him. Once Xiao Yan entered the Inner Academy, the guy would either be cultivating, forming factions, or refining pills. Who knew when they would get another chance to fight?

"Are you joking?"

Han Yue frowned.

"Half a year ago, you were already a Seven-Star Dou Ling. You want to deal with a group of Dou Shi and Da Dou Shi? Do you have a grudge against this batch of new students?"

"I'll suppress my strength. It won't affect the normal assessment," Qin Han assured her.

Han Yue still shook her head. "This year's Gatekeepers have already been decided. Luo Hou and the others."

"Then we'll do it by the rules." Qin Han spread his hands. "The Gatekeeper assignment for the Flame Energy Hunting Competition is, in the end, to earn Flame Energy. Give Luo Hou and the others three times the Flame Energy."

"If you still don't agree... have Luo Hou come find me."

A sharp glint flashed through Qin Han's eyes.

Han Yue lightly pressed her red lips together. After a long while, she said helplessly, "You really are generous..."

Qin Han had spent a long time away from the Inner Academy. The large amount of Flame Energy deposited onto his Fire Crystal Card every month was completely useless to him, so he had given the card to Han Yue for safekeeping, to cover Moon Spirit's daily expenses.

As for having Luo Hou personally come to Qin Han, that was even more impossible.

Luo Hou had only recently and barely broken through to the Dou Ling realm, while even Han Yue, a Six-Star Dou Ling, could not see through Qin Han's strength at all.

At most, only three to five people on the Strong Ranking could overpower Qin Han.

"Then it's settled. Once we get back to the Inner Academy and rest up, we'll set out!"

Seeing that Han Yue said nothing and merely rolled her clear eyes at him, Qin Han knew that the matter was settled.

Han Yue sighed helplessly. She should have known that bringing this guy back to the Inner Academy would not go so smoothly.

The Griffin's wings beat, whipping up powerful wind pressure. Its speed increased again as it carried the two of them darting toward the depths of the mountain range...

Meanwhile, deep within the mountains at the boundary between Jia Nan Academy's Outer Academy and Inner Academy.

Beside a young man carrying an enormous black ruler on his back, an aged figure suddenly materialized.

"Teacher, why did you come out?"

The old man gazed into the distance at the Griffin that had become a streak of flowing light in the sky, his voice filled with delight. "The Fallen Heart Flame really is at Jia Nan Academy!"