"One-Star Dou Emperor!" Xiao Yu's head was spinning.
She had never imagined that her breakthrough would be so unusual—one night, and she had forged a legend.
"Now you know following me won't leave you at a disadvantage," Xiao Ze said with a smile.
"You sure do love to run your mouth."
"Still, before heading to the Inner Academy, I need to ask my instructor for permission," Xiao Yu said after getting dressed.
"Sure. I'll wait here."
Xiao Yu was quick and didn't keep him waiting long.
She told Instructor Ruo Lin so the woman wouldn't worry, and to avoid trouble. Otherwise, if someone simply vanished from the Outer Academy, it would draw the Enforcement Team's attention.
After that, the two wasted no time and flew straight toward the Inner Academy.
The location was rather concealed, and it would be hard to find without a special griffin. But Xiao Ze, a late-stage Dou Zong, could still locate it with his exceptional spiritual perception.
Soon, they swept over a stretch of primeval forest and arrived before a massive silver gate.
Directly in front of the gate, a gray-robed figure stood suspended in midair, as if he had been waiting for quite some time.
"Great Elder, sorry to have kept you waiting," Xiao Ze greeted him as he stepped forward.
The visitor was Su Qian, the Great Elder of Jia Nan Academy, who had secretly watched Maple City that night.
"Young friend, you came quickly," Su Qian said, gazing at Xiao Ze's youthful face as countless thoughts stirred within him.
A Dou Zong expert so young was truly a rare sight in this world.
"And this young lady is?"
When his gaze fell on Xiao Yu, his heart jolted. A Dou Huang expert?
She didn't look much older than Xiao Ze.
"This is my cousin, Xiao Yu. She's one of your Outer Academy students. Now that she's reached Dou Huang, I thought she should be able to enter the Inner Academy for further training, so I brought her along," Xiao Ze explained.
"Greetings, Great Elder," Xiao Yu hurriedly said.
"Excellent. Jia Nan Academy has a bright future!" The Great Elder's gaze swept over Xiao Yu, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"To have reached Dou Huang at such a young age—keeping you as a student would be a disservice to your talent. How about becoming a Heaven-Tier Instructor here?" He stroked his beard with a smile, his tone full of praise for the younger generation, as well as a warm note of recruitment.
Su Qian had presented her with a generous gift right from the start.
"Instructor? A Heaven-Tier Instructor?" Xiao Yu's lips parted slightly, and her heart jolted.
"Great Elder, this... this doesn't seem appropriate, does it?"
After all, she had only just arrived. If she became a Heaven-Tier Instructor, she'd be the envy of everyone.
Besides, having all those senior students in the Inner Academy call someone her age "Instructor" just felt strange.
"Strength comes first. With your Dou Huang cultivation, you could ordinarily become a Pavilion Elder in the Inner Academy. But since you're so young, it would be better to gain some experience at the grassroots level," the Great Elder explained.
"All right," Xiao Yu said, accepting the offer.
Xiao Ze watched it all unfold. Becoming an instructor seemed like a good choice for her.
"Cousin, go on into the Inner Academy first. I still have something to discuss with the Great Elder."
"Okay." Xiao Yu could tell the Great Elder and her cousin had important matters to discuss, so she went into the Inner Academy ahead of them.
"Great Elder, I've come to ask a favor. Would you be willing to grant it?" Xiao Ze said.
"Go ahead."
"I need the Fallen Heart Flame beneath the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower in our Inner Academy!" Xiao Ze got straight to the point.
The Fallen Heart Flame was the goal of his journey. With it, he could easily advance into the ranks of Dou Zun.
Only then would he be ready to make his way to the Central Plains.
In the Central Plains, where Dou Zong experts were everywhere and Dou Zun were as common as dogs, you wouldn't dare even mention your name without Dou Zun strength.
"The Fallen Heart Flame?" The Great Elder fell silent at the words.
The Fallen Heart Flame was the treasure of Jia Nan Academy. It had played a vital role in making the academy a famous institution on the Dou Qi Continent, attracting countless talented students and earning the academy a high standing and wide influence in the Black-Corner Region and across the continent.
Though it came with the risk of running amok, without the Fallen Heart Flame, what could Jia Nan Academy use to attract students from across the continent?
"Young friend, I'm afraid I can't agree to that. The Fallen Heart Flame is the foundation of Jia Nan Academy," the Great Elder said, shaking his head.
If Xiao Ze had asked for anything else, they might have been able to negotiate. But there was no way they could let him take the Fallen Heart Flame.
Otherwise, when the dean returned and found it gone, he'd beat the Great Elder to death.
"Great Elder, what if I could resolve the academy's concerns?" Xiao Ze said, unbothered. "You're worried that if I take the Fallen Heart Flame, the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower will lose its purpose. But what if I could keep the tower working just as it does now?"
"Of course, I won't take it for nothing. I'll trade something of equal value," Xiao Ze added, laying out his terms.
Now it was up to the Great Elder to decide.
He was so confident because he could solve the problem perfectly.
Taking the Fallen Heart Flame would indeed render the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower useless. But beneath that tower was another Fallen Heart Flame in its nascent stage.
It would be the perfect replacement for the mature Fallen Heart Flame.
The Great Elder looked at Xiao Ze's refined features, his mind tangled with indecision.
As a Dou Zong expert, he knew the talent of the young man before him well. It was only a matter of time before he became a Dou Zun.
If Jia Nan Academy could build a good relationship with him now, it would bring nothing but benefits.
After weighing it carefully for a long while, the Great Elder finally relented. "I can agree, but..."
"But the Fallen Heart Flame is no simple matter. If it runs wild, only a Dou Zun expert can suppress it by force. The only reason it's remained peaceful is the seal the dean placed on it."
The Great Elder knew all too well how powerful the Fallen Heart Flame was. If it ran wild, ordinary Dou Zong experts wouldn't be able to subdue it, let alone take it away.
"Great Elder, you can rest easy. I don't even take a mere Heavenly Flame seriously," Xiao Ze said with a smile.
With the perfected Flame Mantra, he could easily suppress not only the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking,
but even the Nihility Devouring Flame, ranked second.
"That's up to you. Just don't bring down my Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower."
"Thank you for your support, Great Elder."
After their conversation, Xiao Ze passed through the silver gate and entered the Inner Academy.
Xiao Yu had already found a Pavilion Elder and, with the Great Elder's written order, successfully become a Heaven-Tier Instructor in the Inner Academy.
Xiao Ze left her to it and followed the aura to a quiet pavilion.
"Who's there?" Xun Er, who had been cultivating, suddenly opened her eyes and saw a figure silently appear before her.
When she recognized him, her normally composed face lit up with delight. "Brother Xiao Ze, what brings you here?"
"Of course I came to see you," Xiao Ze said with a smile.
He drew her into his arms, and they embraced tightly, feeling each other's warmth.
"Xun Er missed you."
Leaning against his chest, Xun Er spoke softly.
"I'm here now." Xiao Ze stroked her long hair, his fingertips brushing the tips of her reddened ears.
Feeling the softness against his chest, Xiao Ze looked down and saw, amid a sweep of snowy white, a faintly visible, bottomless ravine.
"Have you gotten so chubby?"
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