Four Flames Collide

"How is that possible..."

Xiao Yan stared blankly into the air, muttering under his breath.

"He really fused two flames..."

Old Yao's voice came through. At this point, he no longer cared about exposing himself. "Two Seventh Rank Beast Flames with completely opposing attributes, forcibly fused to this extent... this boy's control over flames has already surpassed all reason."

"Other than the Fen Jue, is there another way to fuse flames?"

"Almost none."

Old Yao answered decisively. "At least, I don't know of one. The Fen Jue is the only path proven to work. But looking at this now, perhaps there are other possibilities."

Xiao Yan's throat bobbed.

He had always believed that Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus was his unique trump card, bestowed upon him by the Fen Jue and his means of killing enemies beyond his realm.

Yet now, right before his eyes, a Stranger Senior had accomplished something similar through a method Xiao Yan knew nothing about!

"Deal with what's in front of you first. Ask around carefully once you enter the academy."

Old Yao reminded him, "Even if he used only thirty percent of his strength in that strike, it'll be enough for you all to handle. The power of two fused Seventh Rank Flames already surpasses that of an ordinary Eighth Rank Beast Flame."

"This is only thirty percent?" Xiao Yan gave a bitter smile.

"Don't forget, he still has the Fallen Heart Flame inside him. He hasn't used that thing at all. So when he says thirty percent... he's probably telling the truth."

"Understood."

Xiao Yan took a deep breath, slung the Black Heavy Ruler back behind him, and raised both hands. A green flame sprang up in his left palm, while a purple flame rose from his right.

Then, his palms drew closer...

Two breaths later, the outline of a green-and-purple lotus pedestal gradually took shape in his palms. Flames flowed over its petals, giving off an energy fluctuation that made hearts tremble.

The instant the simplified Buddha's Fury Fire Lotus appeared, terrifying ripples immediately spread in every direction.

The older students watching from afar all took a step back.

"Another one who can fuse flames?!"

"What the hell is going on today?!"

Several Inner Academy elders could no longer remain seated. Their faces turned ashen. "Seal off this area!"

Another elder had already rushed to the edge of the field, roaring at the older students craning their necks to watch. "Get lost! All of you, get the hell back! Do you want to die?!"

The crowd stirred and began retreating, but their eyes remained glued to the field.

Xiao Yan's expression remained grave. Although the fire lotus had formed, compared to Qin Han's speed and proficiency in fusing flames, he was undeniably far too inexperienced...

In midair, Qin Han stared at the crystalline fire lotus in Xiao Yan's hands, his gaze burning with fervor.

"It's finally coming..."

Then he moved.

His right foot stepped forward through empty air, his Wings violently flapped, and his entire body dove downward three feet.

Borrowing the momentum of the dive, he gripped his sword with both hands. The purple flame on its blade abruptly contracted, all of it gathering within the foremost three inches of the edge and condensing into a dazzling Sword Light.

Whoosh—

The longsword swung out.

What looked like a wispy, weightless streak of fire made every hair on Xiao Yan's body stand on end, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints.

"Attack!!"

He roared and was the first to thrust the green-and-purple fire lotus from his palms.

The instant it left his hands, the fire lotus began expanding, spinning faster as it shot toward the Glazed Flame.

Almost simultaneously, the dozens behind him unleashed all their strongest techniques. Dou Techniques of every color surged together into a dazzling tide of energy, charging after that point of glazed light.

Dozens of attacks collided in the air five zhang above the ground.

Time seemed to freeze for half a beat.

There was no sound. At the center of the collision, light appeared first.

Blinding white radiance burst from the point of impact, instantly swallowing everyone's vision.

Only then came the sound—but it was no longer sound. It was a pure shockwave.

The center of the explosion caved downward. The ground seemed pressed down by an invisible hand, forming an ever-expanding bowl-shaped crater.

The Dou Qi linkage formed by the New Students collapsed the instant it came into contact.

More than forty New Students suffered a crushing blow. They all spat blood and were flung away like broken sacks, unconscious by the time they hit the ground.

Then came the few at the very front.

Wu Hao's Blood Rainbow Sword Ray lasted two seconds in the flames before it began to melt. The web of his hand burst open, his blood sword flew free, and he was hurled backward with his chest scorched black.

Hu Jia's Green Vine Net was effortlessly torn open, her Wood Attribute Dou Qi completely suppressed.

The leaking aftershock of flame swept over her. She gave a muffled grunt as her long whip flew from her hand, and the blast wave sent her tumbling more than ten zhang away.

Only two people were still standing on the field.

The collision of the four flames continued, the flames spinning wildly and devouring one another, forming a fireball over thirty meters in diameter.

The surface of the fireball constantly bulged and caved in. Once it reached a certain critical point, it exploded with a thunderous boom.

When the shockwaves and dust from the explosion finally dispersed, the field was dead silent.

Deep craters, burnt earth, people sprawled everywhere—only one person remained standing.

It was not Xiao Yan, but Xuner.

Xiao Yan had borne the brunt of the attack. He barely managed to raise a Green Flame barrier, but the barrier shattered the instant it came into contact with the shockwave.

His entire body flew backward, and his back slammed into a charred tree trunk. The sound of bones breaking was clearly audible.

Xuner fared somewhat better. Before the shockwave reached her, she formed a Golden Light Cocoon. The cocoon cracked but did not shatter, and she was merely pushed backward for over a dozen meters.

Qin Han was not surprised by this outcome.

Looking up into the sky again, Qin Han was clearly not completely unscathed either.

His face was visibly paler, and a faint trace of crimson seeped from the corner of his mouth.

Yet the delight in his eyes only grew stronger, because amid the lingering searing heat of the green flames, a familiar voice rang out in his mind:

[Green Lotus Core Flame, Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame detected... Origin Fire Seed replication and recording in progress...]

[Green Lotus Core Flame Origin Fire Seed successfully recorded. Current development level: 10%.]

[Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame Origin Fire Seed successfully recorded. Current development level: 10%.]

At this moment, the [Myriad Flames Compendium] on the Void Panel slowly opened. On the first page, within the Heavenly Flame Ranking, the illustration of the Green Lotus Core Flame suddenly burst forth with dazzling radiance before gradually fading, leaving behind only a faint green fluorescence.

As for the Purple Crystal Winged Lion Flame, Qin Han automatically ignored it.

"It worked!"

Qin Han was ecstatic, a trace of fervor coloring his dark eyes.

After waiting for over a year, he had finally obtained the second Heavenly Flame. All the flame essence he had accumulated in the [Myriad Flames Compendium] finally had a use.

Unfortunately, the move he had just exchanged with Xuner had not allowed the compendium to detect the aura of the Golden Emperor Burning Heaven Flame.

He did not know whether the Ancient Clan had yet to help her tame it, or whether she simply had not used it.

Qin Han landed back on the ground and said calmly, "I lost."

Supported by Xuner, Xiao Yan steadied himself and cupped his hands toward Qin Han with a bitter smile. "You let us win. Thank you for holding back, Qin Senior."

"I didn't go easy on you. You earned this yourselves." Qin Han wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and smiled freely.

"Xiao Yan, welcome to the Jia Nan Academy Inner Academy."

"I look forward to the day we can fight with all our strength."

Xiao Yan's expression turned strange. He swept his gaze across the devastated battlefield and joked, "I'm not looking forward to that day..."

"Hahaha!"

"My task is complete. Xiao Yan, see you in the Inner Academy."

Xiao Yan still wanted to ask about the fusion of flames, but Qin Han had already tilted his head toward Han Yue, gestured toward the Inner Academy with his lips, and walked away.