Breaking Through!

Han Yue's Sword Tip gleamed with cold light, while earth-yellow Dou Qi condensed around Wen Yan's body until it seemed almost tangible.

The two auras collided, and even the air let out faint explosions.

A world-shaking clash was about to erupt the next moment.

"Hmph!"

A crisp feminine shout descended from above.

Not from the arena entrance, but directly from midair!

Everyone instinctively looked up, only to see a tiny purple figure plummeting like a meteor.

Wen Yan's expression changed drastically. The pressure descending from above made every hair on his body stand on end.

With a strange cry, he no longer had the leisure to care about Han Yue before him. His earth-attributed Dou Qi erupted without restraint as he crossed his arms over his head. A heavy shield, solid as rock, instantly formed!

Boom—!!!

The purple fist slammed fiercely into the rocky shield.

In less than a second, a series of cracking sounds rang out. Wen Yan's feet plowed two deep furrows across the arena floor, and he only barely stabilized himself at the edge of the platform, nearly coughing up blood.

"Zi Yan Xue..."

He looked up in shock and fury, but before he could finish speaking, the purple figure came down on him again, her fist accompanied by a shrieking gale.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Wen Yan was in utter disarray. He could only barely protect his vital points as he was beaten back again and again, completely unable to retaliate. It was an utterly one-sided crushing.

The spectators stared blankly. No one dared interfere, or even say another word.

They feared angering this little ancestor and becoming her next target.

With the Strong Ranking Competition so close, if they got beaten up and injured now, they would have nowhere to cry about it.

"Enough, Zi Yan! How can you cause trouble in a place as important as the arena?"

A dignified shout rang out, suppressing the chaos in the arena.

Su Qian had appeared at the edge of the platform at some point, his expression stern.

With a sweep of his sleeve, a gentle but resilient force separated Zi Yan from the already bruised and swollen Wen Yan.

Blocked by that force, Zi Yan had no choice but to stop punching.

She turned around angrily, her little face filled with murderous fury. Her amethyst-like eyes swept viciously across the students in the stands who had been chattering earlier.

Especially those from Liu Qing's faction. Everyone caught by her gaze felt their scalps tingle and instinctively shrank their necks.

Su Qian frowned tightly as he looked at the wrecked arena and the still-shaken crowd. In a deep voice, he said, "There are rules regarding the Strong Ranking Competition. This matter will be discussed later."

"The arena will return to normal order! All unrelated personnel, return to your places. No gathering or loud clamor is permitted!"

The students fell silent and began dispersing one after another. Zi Yan also shot Su Qian a fierce glare before turning and flying away.

Ever since returning from the Fallen Fire Sect, Su Qian had gone to inspect the ruins and the seal several times, and she had followed him every time.

Like Han Yue, she did not believe Qin Han had simply died. During Su Qian's later attempts to force his way into the ruins, Zi Yan had also pestered and demanded to come along.

Watching the direction in which Zi Yan had departed, Su Qian sighed silently. How could he not want to save Qin Han? But saving someone did not mean throwing away one's life...

However, just as the commotion here was beginning to die down—

Rumble!!!

A tremendous roar from deep beneath the earth suddenly came from the depths of the academy, making the entire ground tremble slightly.

Immediately afterward, an incomparably pure and violent scorching aura spread from the direction of the Heavenly Refining Qi Tower!

Su Qian's expression changed instantly. "What happened?! Wasn't the seal at the bottom of the tower just reinforced?!"

His figure flickered, and he vanished from the spot. "All students, move away from the Heavenly Refining Qi Tower immediately! Elders, maintain order and activate the outer defensive formation!"

The students fled in panic away from the Qi Tower, while the Inner Academy elders moved swiftly as if facing a great enemy.

Meanwhile, Su Qian appeared at the very bottom level of the Heavenly Refining Qi Tower with near-teleportation speed.

The temperature here was terrifyingly high. The air warped, and the radiance of a powerful sealing formation flowed through the space, firmly locking down the crimson, churning lava world below.

Yet at that moment, the sealing barrier was fluctuating violently, emitting a strained hum.

What made Su Qian's pupils contract even more was the blurry figure by the edge of the lava lake below. His entire body was covered in solidifying and melting lava that continually dripped from him, and he was locked in fierce combat with a gigantic Fire Serpent.

Stormy waves rose in Su Qian's heart. How could someone have entered Jia Nan Academy's Underground Lava World without anyone noticing?!

Who was this person?!

He focused his gaze. When the figure dodged once, and the side of his face was briefly illuminated by the lava, Su Qian was struck as though by lightning. His entire body froze, and his mind nearly shut down at once!

"Qin... Qin Han?!!"

That face was covered in grime and burn marks, but its features were unmistakable. Su Qian could not possibly be mistaken.

After the shock came indescribable ecstasy.

"Qin Han! Hold on!"

Su Qian let out a furious roar, his hands forming seals as swiftly as lightning while his vast battle qi surged into the core of the seal.

The heavy curtain of light immediately split open a crack barely wide enough for one person to pass through. The terrifying heat and fire poison below seemed to have found an outlet, gushing out madly!

"Get out, now!!"

Qin Han, who was locked in battle with the Fire Serpent, heard the familiar voice and was instantly invigorated. He forcefully took a tail strike from the Fire Serpent, using the momentum to shoot toward the crack.

The Fire Serpent formed from the Fallen Heart Flame was no less intelligent. Sensing that the seal had opened, it let out an excited hiss, abandoned Qin Han, and twisted its massive body as it tried to charge through the crack.

"Wretched beast! Get back!"

Su Qian shouted furiously and struck downward with his palm from afar. Boundless battle qi condensed into an enormous azure hand that slammed viciously into the Fire Serpent's head!

Boom!

The Fire Serpent was sent flying back into the depths of the magma by the fully charged blow, tumbling endlessly.

In that fleeting instant of obstruction, Qin Han shot through the crack like an arrow leaving the bow, landing steadily at Su Qian's side with a whoosh.

Looking at the living, breathing Qin Han before him, his aura still powerful, even Su Qian's composure could not hold. His lips trembled slightly with excitement, and for a moment, he did not know what to say.

A short while later, deep within the Inner Academy, in Su Qian's secluded cultivation pavilion.

The atmosphere was lively and excited.

Not only was Su Qian present, but Hu Gan, who had received an urgent message, and several other core Inner Academy elders had also rushed over, crowding the already cramped pavilion.

Everyone's gaze was focused on the young man, now dressed in clean robes.

"Qin Han... you, you really returned from the Fallen Fire Sect..."

Even Hu Gan's voice trembled.

"Yes, Vice Dean."

Qin Han bowed. "This disciple was fortunate enough to escape from the Underground Lava World."

"What exactly happened?"

Su Qian pressed him. Even with his steady temperament, he had rarely been so flustered. "What happened in the Fallen Fire Sect afterward? How did you end up beneath the Heavenly Refining Qi Tower? And Yun Qianhang..."

At the mention of that name, all the elders' faces darkened.

Qin Han nodded, gathered his thoughts, and began recounting his experiences in the Underground Lava World.

When he spoke of the Fallen Fire Sect's attempt to steal the Fallen Heart Flame, the elders nearly slammed their hands on the table and rose to their feet, each of them glaring and cursing furiously.

"A bunch of Hypocrites, and they dared covet Jia Nan Academy's Supreme Treasure? They deserved the backlash!"

"Exactly! Not a single one of those brats from Earthflame Gate can be spared! They dared attack Jia Nan Academy—we must hang them from the Dead Soul Tree!"

"..."

Su Qian raised a hand, signaling everyone to quiet down. "The Fallen Fire Sect has been destroyed, and Earthflame Gate can no longer amount to anything. The Outer Academy and the Enforcement Team will handle the aftermath."

"As for what happened back then, too much time has passed, and there is no factual basis for it. Do not spread it around."

"Understood!"

The elders all nodded.