Maintaining the Stalemate! Waiting for Sea Heart Flame!

Maintaining the Stalemate! Waiting for Sea Heart Flame!

"Screech—!"

Seeing the newly formed grand formation above it, the Fire Python let out a shrill cry toward the sky.

The piercing sound waves spread rapidly like tangible force, crashing wildly against the energy barrier like an ocean tide.

It had already tasted the sweetness of freedom. No matter what, it would never return to that world filled with magma and fire poison.

Besides, tempting food was waiting for it outside.

The Fire Python fixed its gaze firmly on Jiang Han, its pupils filled with greed.

"Everyone, be wary of this beast's counterattack!"

"I've already sent out the signal. The Vice Dean and the elders from the Outer Academy will also be arriving. Once we join forces, we'll surely be able to seal it again!"

Watching the Fire Python continue its assault, Su Qian's expression was grave.

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

The Fire Python's enormous body carried incomparably fierce momentum as it slammed into the grand formation again and again.

After dozens, even hundreds, of impacts!

Finally.

A gap was blasted open in the formation.

Though it had not yet collapsed, the Fire Python's violent energy aura surged straight into the heavens through that opening.

This vast energy fluctuation could be clearly sensed even from within the Black-Corner Region.

"New trouble is coming."

The instant that violent energy leaked out, Su Qian's expression turned even uglier.

Jiang Han glanced at Su Qian and guessed what he was worried about.

It was nothing more than the people in the Black-Corner Region who coveted Strange Fire coming to disrupt things.

Black-Corner Region, Maple City.

A city named after a person.

"This... this is the aura of Strange Fire!"

Inside a pavilion, a man dressed in an alchemist's robe suddenly opened his eyes, excitement flashing through them.

The finely embroidered character for maple on the back of his robe was especially conspicuous.

Han Feng, a figure of tremendous influence within the Black-Corner Region.

Not because of his Peak Dou Huang cultivation, but because he was an alchemist approaching the seventh rank.

An alchemist close to the seventh rank was quite rare even across the entire continent.

Even Dou Zong experts had to show him some courtesy when they met him.

After all, an alchemist close to the seventh rank possessed an incredibly powerful ability to rally others!

As if to confirm his suspicions, Han Feng slowly closed his eyes and flicked his fingertips.

A Deep Blue Flame, like clear lake water, emerged from within his body and tightly wrapped around him.

This Deep Blue Flame was quite peculiar.

It actually looked like a mass of clear lake water flowing about.

Yet one's most direct senses clearly stated that this was not a pool of water, but a flame.

Sea Heart Flame, ranked fifteenth on the Strange Fire List!

As Sea Heart Flame rose, Han Feng's soul perception greatly increased.

The sensation that had previously been rather vague now seemed to surge right beside him, becoming exceedingly clear.

"It really is Strange Fire!"

Han Feng withdrew Sea Heart Flame, then turned to look northward. His gaze sharpened, as though he had identified something.

"The Strange Fire aura seems to be coming from Jia Nan Academy's Inner Courtyard. Could it belong to them?"

Having confirmed the location, Han Feng frowned slightly and murmured to himself.

Although he held enormous influence in the Black-Corner Region, Jia Nan Academy was also a colossal force.

Ordinarily, he had no desire to provoke them, but that was only when there was no temptation involved.

And Strange Fire was a temptation he simply could not resist!

"Take this and invite the sect leaders of the Earth Flame Sect, Eight Gates Sect, and Blood Sect, as well as the Gold Silver Gentlemen. I need their help with something!"

Han Feng took a token from his robes and handed it to the guard beside him, his gaze sharp as lightning.

"Yes!"

The guard answered, then quickly rose and left.

Jia Nan Academy, Inner Courtyard.

Heavenly Flame Training Qi Tower.

The Fire Python was still relentlessly crashing into the energy net.

Every collision from its enormous body carried an utterly terrifying force.

Time passed bit by bit.

After roughly two hours of the Fire Python's nearly crazed assaults, one elder finally could no longer hold on.

"Pfft!"

The elder was the first to exhaust the Dou Qi in his body, spraying a mouthful of blood from his mouth.

"Step back first!"

Hearing Su Qian's words, the elder mobilized the last of his Dou Qi, flapped his Dou Qi Wings, and slowly descended.

Seeing an elder leave the battle, the Fire Python seemed to glimpse the dawn of victory, and its attacks grew faster and faster.

A quarter-hour later.

The second elder retreated after vomiting blood.

Half an hour later.

The third elder was forced back.

Watching the elders withdraw one after another, Jiang Han wondered whether he should leave as well.

He had also considered acting now to teach Fallen Heart Flame a lesson for treating him as prey.

But if he acted now, what would happen to Sea Heart Flame?

He was still waiting for Sea Heart Flame to come knocking.

Every man for himself, or heaven and earth would destroy him!

In the end, Jiang Han chose to keep waiting.

However, he was in no hurry to withdraw. Instead, he even increased his Dou Qi output.

If Fallen Heart Flame broke through now and Su Qian's group failed to handle the situation, then the Thousand-Hundred Two Elders might emerge and successfully suppress it.

If that happened, Sea Heart Flame would never come.

Thus, his goal was to maintain the current stalemate.

The elders could not seal Fallen Heart Flame, but it could not break free either.

"Jiang Han, I'm honestly surprised that you can still hold on!"

Su Qian noticed Jiang Han and could not help voicing his praise.

Over the years, he had dealt with Fallen Heart Flame constantly, but he had never truly witnessed the terror of Fallen Heart Flame when it fully erupted.

Today, he had experienced it firsthand. This thing born of heaven and earth truly was terrifying!

Several hours had passed, and only ten people remained now, including himself.

Fortunately, Fallen Heart Flame had also consumed a great deal of energy. Although the frequency of its impacts had not decreased, their force had weakened considerably.

"Elder Su, we aren't too late, are we?"

After another quarter-hour, a hearty elderly laugh came from afar.

Jiang Han recognized the familiar voice the moment he heard it.

"If you had come any later, we really wouldn't have been able to hold on."

Seeing Vice Dean Hu Qian and his group arrive, Su Qian finally let out a sigh of relief.

"Elder Su, isn't the boy I recommended pretty capable? See that? So many old fellows have already failed, but he's still holding on."

Hu Qian pointed at Jiang Han, his every word seeming to take credit before Su Qian.

After saying that, Hu Qian waved his hand and addressed those behind him. "Replace the Inner Courtyard Elders and let them rest for a while."

Within several breaths.

The experts who had arrived from the Outer Academy flew up and smoothly took over maintaining the Energy Shield from the Inner Courtyard Elders.

"Kid Jiang, aren't you going to rest?" Hu Qian asked.

"Young people have strong bodies. We need more tempering," Jiang Han replied.

He had to ensure that the stalemate lasted until Han Feng and the others arrived.

At the same time.

Outside Maple City, many highly influential experts from the Black-Corner Region gathered together.

Led by Han Feng, they rose into the sky one after another, unfurled their Dou Qi Wings, and raced toward the Inner Courtyard.

Clearly, they had already uncovered the location of Jia Nan Academy's Inner Courtyard through various means.