Heartflame Twins, Lava's Hidden Trail!

The affair of the Misty Cloud Sect, following the fall of the three Soul Hall protectors and the awakening of Yun Shan, could be considered temporarily settled.

After this battle, the Misty Cloud Sect suffered a severe blow to its vitality; most of its high-level combat power was lost, and its reputation plummeted.

Having regained his senses, Yun Shan was filled with remorse and lingering fear.

Had Lin Chen not intervened in time, he would not only have fallen into eternal darkness himself but would have dragged the entire Misty Cloud Sect into an abyss of no return.

Toward Lin Chen, he felt tearful gratitude and a reverence that reached into his very bones.

Without needing Lin Chen to say a word, Yun Shan took the initiative to open the Misty Cloud Sect's treasury, which had accumulated wealth over hundreds of years, to him.

Most of the rare medicinal herbs, high-tier monster cores, rare metals, and scrolls of cultivation techniques and Dou Skills were personally organized by Yun Shan and respectfully presented before Lin Chen.

"Master Lin, the great disaster that befell the Misty Cloud Sect was entirely my fault."

"These resources are merely a burden while they remain in the sect. It would be better to gift them to you, Master, so they may be put to good use. Please accept this as a token of the gratitude and apologies from everyone in the Misty Cloud Sect."

Yun Shan's tone was sincere, and his posture was extremely humble.

Lin Chen swept his gaze over the resources. Among them were many auxiliary materials needed for refining Tier 7 medicinal pills, as well as ancient objects containing special energy, which were indeed useful to him.

He did not decline, waving his hand to store most of them into his Storage Ring, leaving behind only the basic resources necessary for the Misty Cloud Sect's future reconstruction and the disciples' cultivation.

"Let the past be the past. See that you conduct yourself well from now on," Lin Chen said indifferently.

Yun Shan hurriedly bowed in acknowledgment.

Nearby, Yun Yun watched this scene, her heart filled with complex, indescribable emotions.

The sect had undergone a massive upheaval, and her teacher had nearly caused a catastrophe. Although the dust had settled, the Misty Cloud Sect was no longer the Misty Cloud Sect of the past.

As the Sect Master, she felt physically and mentally exhausted.

Yet, the end and salvation of all this were tied to the mysterious and powerful youth before her.

She looked at Lin Chen's still-calm profile, and the hazy sense of admiration and reliance in her heart grew increasingly clear.

But seeing his youthful face, she could not help but feel a sense of absurdity and bitterness.

She opened her mouth, seemingly wanting to say something, but did not know where to begin.

Having finished dealing with the resources, Lin Chen turned his gaze toward Yun Yun, as if he had seen through her confusion.

"The landscape of the Jia Ma Empire has changed; the Misty Cloud Sect needs to remain dormant for a long time."

"For you, this place is too small a stage."

Lin Chen's voice remained flat, yet it carried a power of guidance.

"The Central Plains is where the truly strong belong."

Yun Yun's delicate body trembled slightly, her beautiful eyes looking at Lin Chen, a flicker of imperceptible reluctance flashing through them.

She understood what Lin Chen meant. After this incident, she deeply felt the insufficiency of her own strength and realized she needed a broader world to temper and improve herself.

It was just... after this parting, she did not know when they would meet again.

"The Central Plains... I will consider it," Yun Yun replied softly, her tone carrying a touch of melancholy she herself had not noticed.

She wanted to ask if Lin Chen would be going, but the words died on her lips.

Lin Chen glanced at her, as if he had perceived her thoughts, and said calmly.

"Cultivate with peace of mind and stabilize the sect."

"One day in the Central Plains, we shall meet again."

This sentence, like a promise, instantly dispelled the gloom in Yun Yun's heart, making her eyes brighten once more.

She nodded firmly.

"Yes! I will definitely go to the Central Plains!"

"When the time comes... I will thank you again, Master!"

Lin Chen nodded slightly and said no more.

Having arranged the subsequent affairs of the Jia Ma Empire (primarily maintained by the new order established by Jia Xingtian, Hai Bodong, the Nalan Family, and the Mite'er Family), he did not linger.

His figure flashed, turning into a streak of light that vanished from the peak of Misty Cloud Mountain, heading straight for the Jia Nan Academy in the Black-Corner Region.

Jia Nan Academy, Inner Academy.

When Lin Chen's figure appeared once more, First Elder Su Qian greeted him immediately, his attitude even more respectful than before.

The sporadic news arriving from the Jia Ma Empire—though not detailed, the major events such as the change in leadership of the Misty Cloud Sect and the fall of the Soul Hall powerhouses were enough to give him a glimpse of the whole—had already given him a new understanding of Lin Chen's influence.

"Master Lin, you have returned," Su Qian said respectfully.

"Mm." Lin Chen nodded and stated his purpose directly.

"First Elder Su Qian, I have come for the Fallen Heart Flame."

Su Qian's expression turned solemn upon hearing this, and he did not answer immediately.

The Fallen Heart Flame was, after all, one of the foundations of Jia Nan Academy.

Lin Chen continued.

"I know the importance of the Fallen Heart Flame to the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower."

"I do not intend to take it by force, but rather wish to propose a trade."

"By chance, I have obtained a nascent Fallen Heart Flame."

He flipped his palm, and a tiny, transparent flame—faint yet unmistakably radiating the aura of pure heart fire—danced upon his fingertips.

This tiny flame was something he had simulated using the Karma Fire Red Lotus after capturing the aura of the Fallen Heart Flame at the bottom of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower!

This was, naturally, a "blank check" he had written based on information from the original story.

Yet, he had absolute certainty that he could honor it immediately.

"A nascent Fallen Heart Flame?"

Su Qian's eyes lit up fiercely. He stared intently at the tiny flame, feeling the pure heart fire energy within it, and his breathing grew ragged!

"Is what you say true, Master?!"

"Naturally."

Lin Chen's tone was firm.

"Replacing the mature Fallen Heart Flame in the tower with this nascent body will result in slightly weaker effects initially."

"However, its growth potential is superior, and it is easier to control. It will be sufficient to maintain the operation of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower, perhaps even more stably and for a longer duration."

"In return, I can take away the mature body that has already developed sentience and is on the verge of rioting, thereby resolving a major threat for the academy."

"It is a win-win situation. I wonder what the Great Elder thinks?"

Su Qian's heart hammered against his ribs!

For Jia Nan Academy, this proposal was nothing short of a godsend!

As time passed, the Fallen Heart Flame within the tower had grown increasingly sentient, and its energy had become ever more violent.

In recent years, the frequency and intensity of its attempts to break the seal had increased daily, to the point where even he, a Dou Ancestor, felt a sense of dread. It had long since become a sword hanging over the academy's head.

If he could replace this ticking time bomb with a stable, obedient nascent body while still maintaining the efficacy of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower, it was an opportunity he could only dream of!

As for how Lin Chen would subdue the mature Fallen Heart Flame, that was no concern of his.

He had long been convinced of this Master's methods.

"Good! It shall be as you say, Master!" Su Qian nodded heavily, almost without hesitation.

"On behalf of Jia Nan Academy, I thank you for your generosity, Master!"

"No need for formalities; we are simply taking what we each require."

Lin Chen put away the disguised tiny flame.

"There is no time to lose. I shall head to the bottom of the tower now."

"I will lead the way for you, Master, and guard the perimeter. I will ensure no one disturbs you!"

Su Qian said immediately.

The two quickly arrived at the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower deep within the inner academy.

Because the students had been evacuated in advance, the interior of the tower was empty and silent.

The further down they went, the more intense the scorching heart fire energy became, enough to make even an ordinary Dou Emperor feel uncomfortable.

Passing through the passage at the bottom of the tower, an extremely scorching aura rushed toward them.

Before them lay a boundless world of crimson magma, flowing slowly like a vast sea.

From time to time, massive bubbles would rise from the depths and burst, releasing terrifying heat.

Here, the air was distorted, and it felt as if the Dou Qi itself were about to ignite.

Lin Chen could clearly sense that in the deepest reaches of this magma world, a violent, scorching, and rage-filled consciousness was awakening.

Its energy intensity had reached the threshold of a Dou Ancestor!

The Fallen Heart Flame!

"Master, be careful!" Su Qian stopped at the entrance of the passage, his expression grave as he offered a warning.

Even as a Dou Ancestor, he dared not venture deep into the magma to face that enraged Heavenly Flame.

Lin Chen nodded, his gaze fixed on the churning magma.

He patted the seven-colored little snake coiled around his wrist.

"Little one, what lies below will be good for you. Get ready."

The seven-colored little snake seemed to understand his words; its tiny body wriggled slightly, radiating a sense of anticipation.

At this moment, Medusa's consciousness had yet to awaken!

The next instant, a suit of blood-red Dou Qi armor surged around Lin Chen. He took a single step and plunged directly into the roiling magma, which was hot enough to melt refined iron!

As he entered the magma, terrifying heat and pressure squeezed in from all directions.

However, Lin Chen's Dou Qi armor was incomparably sturdy, its blood-red radiance sealing the magma out.

Like a fish in water, he dove at high speed toward the energy source he had sensed.

The deeper he went, the greater the pressure and the higher the temperature, to the point where strange fire-attribute creatures began to appear.

But upon sensing the hair-raising aura emanating from Lin Chen, they all fled in terror.

He did not know how deep he had descended, but the color of the surrounding magma had shifted from crimson to a nearly transparent cyan-white.

The temperature here was enough to vaporize an ordinary Dou Emperor instantly!

Suddenly:

"ROAR!!!"

An intangible roar that struck directly at the soul exploded from the deepest part of the magma!

The magma below churned violently, and a massive, invisible fire python surged out from the depths!

This fire python was composed entirely of invisible flames, yet its form was incredibly solid, its thick body capable of crushing mountain peaks with ease.

A pair of giant serpentine eyes were filled with violence and rage; this was the true form of the Fallen Heart Flame!

It had sensed an intruder, and from this intruder, it felt a massive threat!

The invisible fire python opened its maw, and an invisible shockwave of flame capable of incinerating the soul, carrying a scorching heatwave that tore through space, slammed fiercely toward Lin Chen!

The magma along its path was instantly vaporized into nothingness, and even space itself rippled with distortion!

"Hmph, stubborn and foolish."

Lin Chen let out a cold snort, neither dodging nor even blinking an eye.

With a flick of his thought, the eerie and magnificent Red Lotus Karma Fire rose from within his body. The blood-colored flames bloomed like a lotus, instantly shrouding his entire form!

The moment the Karma Fire appeared, the violent fire-attribute energy of this magma world seemed to hit a pause button, all of it turning docile.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire, King of All Flames, was far superior in rank to the Fallen Heart Flame. Merely the aura it emitted caused the entire magma world to tremble slightly!

The invisible flame shockwave crashed into the Karma Fire, but like a stream flowing into the sea, it failed to stir even a single ripple.

It was instantly assimilated and absorbed by the Red Lotus Karma Fire, leaving not even a scrap of energy residue behind!

The fire python manifested by the Fallen Heart Flame visibly stalled, its massive body freezing in place.

For the first time, a look of uncertainty and suspicion appeared in its giant eyes, accompanied by a trace of instinctual fear!

It could clearly feel that the blood-colored flame before it was the nemesis of all its fire-attribute energy.

If it were to be touched by it, it would likely be burned to nothingness in an instant!

"Suppress!"

Lin Chen did not give it time to react, his hands forming a seal.

Boundless Spirit Realm soul power surged out like a tsunami, fusing completely with the Red Lotus Karma Fire.

It transformed into a blood-colored net of fire that blotted out the sky, carrying the majesty of divine judgment as it descended to shroud the invisible fire python!

Upon the fire net, the Red Lotus Karma Fire burned fiercely, every wisp of flame containing the power to purify all things.

Wherever it passed, the magma parted automatically, and even the air was scorched until it emitted a "hissing" sound!

"ROAR!!!" The Fallen Heart Flame sensed a fatal threat and struggled and roared frantically.

It mobilized the energy of the entire magma world, and countless flame spears as thick as arms shot up from the magma.

They condensed into dozens of giant flame pythons, crashing madly toward the blood-colored fire net!

RUMBLE!!!

The magma world was in total revolt!

The collision of terrifying energy caused the magma to surge like a tsunami, with massive waves hundreds of feet high sweeping toward the surroundings.

It was enough to completely swallow a mountain peak!

However, in the face of absolute power suppression, all of the Fallen Heart Flame's resistance was in vain.

The fire net formed by the Red Lotus Karma Fire, like a red-hot iron meeting ice, ignored the impact of those energy pythons.

It easily melted through them and purified them!

The moment the giant flame pythons touched the fire net, they vanished into nothingness like melting snow, without even a shred of room to resist!

Finally, the blood-colored fire net firmly ensnared the true form of the invisible fire python!

"Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."

The Karma Fire scorched the body of the invisible fire python, emitting a teeth-grinding sound.

The fire python let out a wail of extreme agony, its massive body twisting violently.

The snake tail lashed out wildly against the surrounding magma, whipping up monstrous waves, yet it could not break free from the constraints of the fire net—the net clung to it like maggots on rotting bones, refusing to let go.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire continuously infiltrated its energy source, rapidly refining and stripping away its energy and consciousness!

The fire python's body shrank at a speed visible to the naked eye, its once solid serpentine form becoming increasingly translucent.

The brutality and rage in its eyes were gradually replaced by fear.

It attempted to mobilize its final shred of energy to self-destruct, only to discover that its internal energy had long been sealed by the Karma Fire; it did not even possess the qualification to self-destruct!

This process lasted for roughly the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.

In the end, the massive invisible fire python vanished completely, leaving behind only a cluster of the purest, flickering invisible flame essence:

The core fire seed of the Fallen Heart Flame!

Lin Chen opened his mouth and inhaled, swallowing the invisible fire seed into his body.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire exerted its power, beginning to rapidly refine this potent energy.

Just then, the small Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python on his wrist suddenly let out a hiss of longing.

Its tiny body radiated a rich, seven-colored glow.

Lin Chen's heart stirred, and he channeled a small portion of the most gentle Fallen Heart Flame energy, slowly feeding it into the small snake's body.

"Hiss!"

The small snake's body shuddered violently, and its seven-colored radiance flared brilliantly.

The scales on its body became even more crystalline and translucent, and a powerful suction force emerged from within it.

It greedily absorbed this pure heart-fire energy; this energy held indescribable benefits for stabilizing its soul and accelerating its fusion with the Seven-Colored Heaven-Swallowing Python body!

Its aura grew stronger at a speed visible to the naked eye, and its eyelids trembled, as if it might awaken at any moment.

Lin Chen felt the changes in the small snake and smiled slightly.

At the same time, after the Red Lotus Karma Fire within him had completely refined the Fallen Heart Flame, it suddenly fed a portion of the pure energy back into his dantian!

A stream of warm energy flowed through his entire body, and Lin Chen could clearly feel his cultivation base beginning to rise steadily.

His aura, originally at the peak of a one-star Dou Emperor, rapidly broke through to a two-star Dou Emperor and continued to march steadily toward three-star.

It finally stopped at the early stage of a three-star Dou Emperor!

Although this increase was not massive, it had tangibly strengthened his power.

One must know that Lin Chen's cultivation system differed from that of ordinary people; he relied primarily on slaying the strong and devouring their souls and energy to break through rapidly.

The cultivation growth brought by the Heavenly Flame's feedback was more of a finishing touch rather than his primary path.

Even so, being able to leap directly from a one-star to a three-star Dou Emperor was enough to demonstrate the purity of the Fallen Heart Flame's source energy.

However, just as he was about to fully digest this feedback energy.

The Red Lotus Karma Fire within him suddenly transmitted a strange fluctuation to him.

This fluctuation pointed toward the deeper reaches of the magma below!

Lin Chen snapped his eyes open, a flash of astonishment crossing them:

"As expected!"

"Down there... there is the aura of another Fallen Heart Flame!"

Without the slightest hesitation, Lin Chen carefully tucked the soon-to-awaken small snake into his robes.

With a movement of his body, he braved the even more terrifying pressure and high temperatures!

Following the direction sensed by the Red Lotus Karma Fire, he dove deeper, toward the very bottom of the magma!