Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower

"Stay here and do not wander off; I shall return shortly."

Yun Zimo brought Zi Yan to a deep canyon in the southwestern mountains. After instructing her to remain where she was, he walked alone into the territory of the Snow Demon Sky Ape.

"Roar—gah!"

Outside the misty valley, Zi Yan heard the Snow Demon Sky Ape let out an angry roar, which then abruptly cut off. Barely a quarter of an hour later, Yun Zimo dragged the Snow Demon Sky Ape out.

"How was it? Did you get it?"

Zi Yan's large eyes blinked expectantly at Yun Zimo. A faint smile curled the corners of his mouth as he shook the jade bottle in his hand.

"Take this big guy back to be your pet."

Yun Zimo patted the feigning-dead Snow Demon Sky Ape and said to Zi Yan.

"Can it shrink? I know you understand human speech."

Seeing its "perfect" disguise seen through, the Snow Demon Sky Ape had no choice but to scramble up reluctantly. It cast a resentful glance at Yun Zimo before its body gradually shrank, transforming into a petite, adorable, snow-white monkey.

"Detestable human! I, a dignified Snow Demon Sky Ape, am actually being given to this... this... a shapeshifted Magical Beast King!"

As the Snow Demon Sky Ape felt the noble aura unconsciously radiating from Zi Yan, the roaring in its heart vanished instantly. With a slight movement, it decisively leaped onto Zi Yan's shoulder and rubbed its cheek affectionately against hers.

"I shall give you a name. Snow Demon Sky Ape... let's call you Yun Xue!"

Seeing the Snow Demon Sky Ape was so sensible, Yun Zimo nodded in satisfaction and bestowed the name.

"How hideous!"

Yun Xue curled its lip in its heart, but on the surface, it clung tightly to Zi Yan's shoulder, tacitly accepting the name.

Zi Yan curiously took Yun Xue off her shoulder and gently stroked its clean, soft fur. A pet?

"Let's go! Next."

Within a single day, the two had scoured the lairs of all the Dou King-level Magical Beasts in the vicinity, harvesting seven or eight rare treasures. The number of "pets" behind Zi Yan climbed to three; as for the others...

"Pah, shameless!"

The little purple bird, transformed from the Purple Nether Flame Sparrow, cursed the sycophantic Yun Xue in its heart, then proceeded to chirp and fly happily around Zi Yan itself.

Looking at the long list, Yun Zimo thought for a moment before putting it away. Too much is as bad as too little; after all, the guys further ahead were not to be trifled with!

It was the first time Zi Yan had so many playmates, and she couldn't help but dance excitedly through the mountain forest, with a purple bird flying before her, a docile white monkey in her hands, and a colorful cat leaping and playing by her side.

Yun Zimo quietly sheathed his sword. If these three Tier 5 Magical Beasts were to revolt simultaneously, he would be unable to kill them all in an instant, and Zi Yan would be in danger.

However, it seemed that for some reason, these three creatures had accepted Zi Yan, showing faint signs of acknowledging her as their master.

"Snow Demon Sky Ape, Purple Nether Flame Sparrow, and an Earth-Splitting Python Demon Tiger!"

Watching the three Magical Beast Kings acting as docile as livestock beside Zi Yan, Su Qian was speechless. This brat was truly too good at causing trouble! If these three beast kings were to go berserk, the academy would be in for another headache.

"Tell the elders of the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower to grant that little girl higher clearance, and bring over a cluster of Heart Flame Origin."

Fearing that if Yun Zimo stayed any longer he might accidentally dismantle the academy or lure a Magical Beast Emperor from the deep mountains into the Inner Court, Su Qian didn't care about the cost; he just wanted to send them away as quickly as possible!

"I wonder what the state of the Fallen Heart Flame is now."

Just as the First Elder Su Qian was nursing a headache, Yun Zimo was already peering curiously into the pitch-black cavern inside the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower.

"Little Brother Yun, do not go any further, or even if you are a Dou King expert, you will be burned!"

The duty Elder Huo of the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower saw Yun Zimo's movements from afar and hurriedly called out to warn him.

"Elder Huo."

Yun Zimo offered a salute, then leaned toward the cave and asked, "May I ask what lies beneath this cavern?"

"Little Brother Yun has likely already guessed, has he not?"

Elder Huo did not believe that with Yun Zimo's extensive knowledge, he wouldn't be able to guess what was down there; they had spent quite a bit of time exchanging knowledge recently.

"Its fire is formless, arising from the heart. If I am not mistaken, it should be the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking and known as the 'Cultivation Cheat Code,' correct?"

Yun Zimo slightly stirred his own emotions, and a tiny cluster of invisible flames instantly ignited in his chest.

"Hehe."

Elder Huo smiled without answering.

"This is the cornerstone of our Inner Court. Every long-standing power must have a cultivation treasure land to support it, and this is the treasure of the Inner Court!"

Yun Zimo nodded. That was indeed true. Just like the Gate of Life and Death within the Misty Cloud Sect, the place where successive sect masters passed away—it was precisely because of its existence that the Misty Cloud Sect could endure for hundreds of years despite several ups and downs.

However, Jia Nan Academy was truly daring, keeping a Heavenly Flame comparable to a high-level Dou Ancestor imprisoned as a natural "milking cow." Were they not afraid of playing with fire and getting burned?

With Mang Tianchi, a Dou Venerate, not present in the Inner Court, it was no wonder the Fallen Heart Flame was difficult to control when it erupted.

"I wonder which level Xiao Yi Xian is on?"

As the two walked down the winding stairs, conversing, Yun Zimo finally asked about Xiao Yi Xian.

"Deep at the bottom of the tower, where the effect of the Heart Flame is strongest."

"Your little girlfriend has a truly firm temperament. Even for us, being scorched by the Heart Flame like this would cause us to retreat early due to the accumulation of fire poison. I never expected her to persist. Every day when the elders come to deliver food, the little girl can still offer thanks, looking as if the fire poison does not exist at all."

Elder Huo spoke of Xiao Yi Xian with a tone full of surprise and regret, lamenting why such a promising talent was not his own student.

Yun Zimo smiled slightly; Xiao Yi Xian possessed the Woe Poison Body, meaning the most potent toxins in the world were merely nourishment to her. While this heart fire was not technically a poison, there was no reason for Xiao Yi Xian to fear it.

"I am truly grateful for your care over these past few days, Elder."

Yun Zimo said respectfully, but Elder Huo merely waved his hand. To help a talented junior avoid unnecessary detours so they might one day master their own destiny—to them, that was the greatest thanks of all.

"We have arrived. Go find her in the training room yourself; I shall not disturb you."

Elder Huo pointed toward a training room as he spoke to Yun Zimo, then turned and headed for the control room at the base of the tower; he still had to retrieve a cluster of Heart Flame Origin to fulfill his duties.

Yun Zimo clutched the access card and crept cautiously into the training room. Within the vast space, only a single figure in white sat cross-legged. A vibrant purple glow illuminated her face, which bore a bewitching, seven-colored hue, while the usually violent and chaotic poison Dou Qi remained gentle and obedient.

The Fallen Heart Flame truly lives up to its reputation as a ranked Heavenly Flame.

Yun Zimo marveled inwardly. With Yao Lao's fire seal suppressing the Woe Poison meridians and the Fallen Heart Flame taming the poison Dou Qi, Yun Zimo was almost certain that Xiao Yi Xian's Woe Poison Body would not erupt uncontrollably again before she reached the level of a Dou Ancestor!

It was unknown how much time had passed when Xiao Yi Xian's eyes snapped open. The heart fire within her subsided, and the poison Dou Qi flowed back like a gentle stream into her slowly rotating purple Dou Crystal.

"A Dou Grandmaster!"

Yun Zimo exclaimed in astonishment. In just one month, Xiao Yi Xian had crossed the entire Dou Master realm to break through to the Dou Grandmaster level. Combined with her uncanny poison Dou Qi, she could even hold her own against a high-level Dou Grandmaster! Surely, even the most gifted prodigies were no better than this...

"Zimo!"

A smile appeared on Xiao Yi Xian's typically indifferent face. She stretched her body slightly before happily demonstrating her strength to Yun Zimo. With a mere thought, purple Dou armor slowly covered her entire body. As she channeled her Dou Qi to execute a fist technique, the wind whistled as if tearing all things asunder.

It seems I must reach the Dou Emperor realm as soon as possible...

Yun Zimo fell into a brief silence. Xiao Yi Xian's cultivation speed was truly terrifying, and this was without her consuming any poisons. If she were to disregard the consequences and gorge herself on toxins, he feared she might already be a Dou Ling or even a Dou King by now!