Inner Academy Meeting, Breakthrough!

Within the Inner Academy, in a secluded pavilion.

Two rows of figures sat on either side of the conference table. At the very end, in the central seat, sat a figure with white hair and beard.

His aged face was calm, like an old monk in meditation. His hands were clasped together as he leaned lightly against the back of his chair.

"Great Elder, confirmed news has arrived from the Enforcement Team. The time when the seal of the Fallen Fire Sect Ruins will break has been set—at the end of this month."

A yellow-robed elder with a slightly stooped figure reported.

"What do those two from the Library Pavilion think?"

"The two elders sent word that such an opportunity must not be missed. We must send people."

"Hm. The Fallen Fire Sect's history is even older than that of Jia Nan Academy. If the sect ruins open, many Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures will surely emerge. This trip is worth making."

The Library Pavilion could be considered one of the two foundations that allowed Jia Nan Academy to stand firm in the Black Corner Region. The precious opportunities stored within were the key to allowing the academy's top students to rise to another level.

But no treasure vault could simply take in without ever giving out. To maintain the Library Pavilion's endless operation, whenever an opportunity or Secret Realm appeared in the Black Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy would always be among those competing for it.

Jia Nan Academy was also a frequent visitor to the major Trading Houses and Auction Houses of the Black Corner Region.

Now that the Fallen Fire Sect Ruins were about to emerge, and the two big figures from the Library Pavilion had personally named it, Jia Nan Academy naturally had to claim a share.

"However..."

An elder hesitated before saying, "Great Elder, the Fallen Fire Sect is no ordinary place of opportunity. A hundred years ago, the sect suddenly sealed itself off. Rumor has it that it incurred heaven's wrath."

"Within the sect, the heavens collapsed and the earth split apart, while magma poured back in. From the Sect Leader and Grand Elder at the top to the ordinary disciples below, over ten thousand people perished without exception."

"Since then, the Fallen Fire Sect has become a Forbidden Zone for Living Beings, nearly forgotten by the world within its seal."

"Now that the Fallen Fire Sect has emerged again, who knows whether this is good or bad..."

"You are being overly cautious. After the Fallen Fire Sect's calamity, all the major forces of the Black Corner Region went to investigate. There was no longer any trace of life within the Secret Realm."

"As the years passed, it is only natural that the seal would erode and break. With such a great opportunity before us, are we supposed to sit by and watch the other forces of the Black Corner Region divide it among themselves?"

The elders all had their own attitudes and views, voicing their opinions one after another.

The elders of the Inner Academy had all heard, to varying degrees, about what had happened to the Fallen Fire Sect back then.

But no one knew what had truly occurred.

"Quiet."

As Su Qian's two calm words fell, the room immediately went silent.

"Since it is a place of opportunity, danger naturally cannot be ruled out. We cannot miss the Fallen Fire Sect's opportunity, but neither can we act rashly."

With a single sentence, Su Qian had made the final decision regarding Jia Nan Academy's expedition to the Fallen Fire Sect.

Back then, Su Qian had been among those Jia Nan Academy sent to investigate the Fallen Fire Sect Secret Realm.

At the time, he had only been at the initial stage of the Dou Emperor realm and was still serving in the Outer Academy, but all the major forces had jointly sensed that every living being within the Fallen Fire Sect had been wiped out.

"The Great Elder is right."

"Then we must choose the people going to the Fallen Fire Sect with great care."

"Even if the Fallen Fire Sect itself holds no danger, there are still those Jackals of the Black Corner Region eyeing it."

At those words, everyone's gaze once again gathered on Su Qian.

For such a major matter, Su Qian still had to make the decision personally.

"If we are speaking of familiarity with the Fallen Fire Sect, no one in Jia Nan Academy knows it better than I do." Su Qian raised his eyelids slightly.

Before the Fallen Fire Sect met with disaster, he had gone there several times for exchanges.

"However..."

Su Qian abruptly changed the subject.

"That thing beneath the tower has become increasingly restless. It causes trouble once or twice every month now. When the Headmaster sealed it away back then, he said that one day, that thing would strike back."

"Judging from the signs of its recent disturbances, if we are even slightly careless, Jia Nan Academy may face utter destruction. Therefore... I fear I cannot leave to make the trip."

Su Qian shook his head slightly, a trace of gravity showing in his clouded eyes.

"This..."

A troubled look flashed across the yellow-robed elder's face. "Should we find a way to contact the Headmaster? Ask him to return and oversee things?"

"Who will contact him? You, or me?"

Su Qian replied irritably.

"The old man appears and disappears like a dragon. Who the hell knows where he is?"

Su Qian paused before shaking his head. "For the Fallen Fire Sect expedition, Headmaster Hu Gan will lead the team. Have Elder Wu of the Enforcement Team bring people to assist him, and send several experienced elders from the Inner Academy as well."

"But the number cannot be too large. The seal on the Fallen Heart Flame still requires the combined efforts of the elders."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The yellow-robed elder hesitated for a moment. "Great Elder, the Inner Academy is short on manpower as well. Aside from the elders, should we consider sending several students along?"

In the past, expeditions to the Black Corner Region in search of opportunities were usually accompanied by Inner Academy students, serving as a form of training.

Some simpler opportunities were even turned directly into Fire Energy Missions by the academy and assigned to the Inner Academy for students to complete independently.

"The dangers of the Fallen Fire Sect expedition are unknown. Anyone below the Dou Wang level may be in danger if they go. Within our Inner Academy, only Girl Zi Yan possesses such strength."

"That girl has squandered no small amount of the Inner Academy's Heavenly Materials and Earthly Treasures over the years. Having her put in some effort... wouldn't be a bad idea."

At the mention of Zi Yan, most of the elders wore complicated expressions. Clearly, they had suffered no small amount at her hands in the past.

"Great Elder..."

"There may not be only one student in the academy who has reached the Dou Wang level."

The speaker was the Duty Elder on the final floor of the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower.

"I vaguely sensed a student attempting to break through the Dou Wang Barrier. Over the past two days, that power has steadily grown fuller and stronger, already showing faint signs of a breakthrough!"

"Is that true?!"

"Hahaha! Other than Zi Yan, Jia Nan Academy has not produced a Dou Wang-level student in many years. This truly is tremendous news!"

"Elder Tai, quickly tell us—who is about to break through? Lin Xiuyai? Or Liu Qing?"

"Uh..."

Under everyone's gaze, Elder Tai spoke a name none of them had expected.

"The fluctuations are coming from Training Room 46. The one attempting to break through to Dou Wang should be... Qin Han?"

At the very bottom of the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower, Training Room 46.

The scorching energy in the air seemed to be frantically stirred by an invisible hand, forming a flaming vortex centered on Qin Han.

His cross-legged figure flickered in and out of view amid the heatwaves, his robes fluttering despite the absence of wind.

Within his Dantian, the Dou Qi Qi Whirlpool that had once rotated slowly was now collapsing and condensing at an unprecedented speed!

The energy was compressed to its limit, turning into viscous, radiant liquid. Then, from a central point, a powerful suction force erupted as it began transforming toward a solid state.

Boom—!

At a certain instant, all the liquid energy ignited and solidified at once. A round crystal roughly the size of a fist, deep azure throughout yet flowing with luminous halos within, abruptly took shape!

A tyrannical aura several times stronger than before suddenly burst forth from Qin Han's body.

The energy vortex gathered within the training room was swallowed in a single gulp.

Qin Han abruptly opened his eyes. A phantom of an azure lotus seemed to flash through his gaze, and scorching brilliance nearly shot out from his eyes.

He slowly exhaled a breath of turbid air flecked with sparks. The vast Dou Qi within his body surged like a mighty river.

"Dou Wang... achieved!"