Taking Fallen Heart Flame, Subduing Sky Fire Venerable

"If I said I could let you continue living, and even go further?"

Facing the old woman's fury, Tang Chen remained unfazed and spoke each word clearly.

"What? Is that truly possible, sir?" At his words, the Dou Qi surging around the old woman instantly subsided, and even her form of address reverted to "sir."

"Do you think an eighth-grade alchemist like me lacks that ability?" Tang Chen's lips curved slightly, his tone calm and composed.

As if fearing she would not believe him, Tang Chen released his Spirit Realm soul power from his body and pressed it directly toward the old woman.

The instant she was locked onto by that soul power, the old woman felt as though she had fallen into the depths of hell. Her entire body stiffened, cold sweat poured down her back, and she could not move even a finger.

Only then did she understand how laughable her earlier thought of fighting to the death had been.

"Well?" Tang Chen withdrew his soul power and asked in a low voice.

Overcome with excitement, the old woman knelt directly before Tang Chen, her voice utterly sincere. "Lu Yan of the Heavenly Snake Mansion hereby recognizes you as my master. From this day onward, I shall obey all your commands."

"Very good. Mobilize all your forces and capture high-level snake-type magical beasts." Tang Chen nodded, quite satisfied with Lu Yan's attitude, and immediately issued his first order.

"Yes, sir!" Lu Yan replied respectfully. She immediately summoned her subordinates and gave the order, while issuing a proclamation throughout the mansion—henceforth, the Heavenly Snake Mansion would submit to Tang Chen, and no one was permitted to defy him.

After arranging everything, Lu Yan invited Tang Chen and Qing Lin into the Heavenly Snake Mansion and prepared an exceptionally luxurious residence for them.

"Take this. Find the medicinal ingredients listed on it, then bring them to me for refinement." Tang Chen took out a pill formula and handed it over unhurriedly.

Lu Yan accepted the formula. After merely glancing at the pill's effects, overwhelming joy rose in her heart. "Thank you, sir!"

"You may leave." Tang Chen waved a hand, unconcerned.

When Lu Yan left the residence, she tightly clutched the life-saving pill formula in both hands. Her entire body trembled faintly with excitement—the uncontrollable shudder of someone who had finally seen hope of survival.

Over the following days, several high-level snake-type magical beasts were escorted back one after another.

The Heavenly Snake Mansion acted swiftly. Its Dou Zong-level mansion master even took action personally and captured several low-tier seventh-rank snake-type magical beasts.

Professionals truly did professional work. They had an extremely deep understanding of the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and knew exactly where Qing Lin's limits lay. Under their careful guidance, Qing Lin had already controlled several seventh-rank magical beasts in succession, and her cultivation speed soared dramatically.

With the Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils and Tang Chen behind her, Qing Lin's status within the Heavenly Snake Mansion was even higher than that of the mansion master. Everyone treated her with utmost respect, and Qing Lin gradually adapted to life there.

As her strength continuously increased, her personality became more and more cheerful. Being bullied would never happen to Qing Lin again.

Seeing that everything had gotten on track, Tang Chen left a Space Jade Slip for Qing Lin and temporarily departed from the Heavenly Snake Mansion.

Because at Jia Nan Academy in the Black-Corner Region, another Heavenly Flame was waiting for him to claim.

Fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking: Fallen Heart Flame.

This flame was known as a "cultivation cheat." With it, Tang Chen's cultivation speed would undoubtedly rise to another level.

Back when he was still at the Dou Zong realm, he had to exercise some restraint in his actions. Now that he had broken through to the Dou Zun realm, he no longer had anything to worry about when taking Fallen Heart Flame.

Come to think of it, Tang Chen was doing a good deed this time. Not only could he help Jia Nan Academy resolve the major problem that was Fallen Heart Flame, but he could also return a more easily controlled infant Fallen Heart Flame to them.

Su Qian would probably laugh himself mad.

Tang Chen set out from the Heavenly Snake Mansion and sped all the way to Jia Nan Academy, arriving before long.

Relying on his innate perception of Heavenly Flames, he instantly locked onto the flame's location. He then tore through space and headed straight for where Fallen Heart Flame resided.

At the bottom of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower.

A crack opened in space, and Tang Chen stepped out from within it. He looked around, his gaze finally settling on the enormous transparent fire python.

Sensing that familiar Heavenly Flame aura, Tang Chen's lips lifted slightly as he smiled. "I've finally found you."

The enormous transparent fire python also noticed Tang Chen and sensed the Heavenly Flame aura emanating from him. The instinct of Heavenly Flames to devour one another was instantly stirred, and greed immediately surfaced in its pupils.

"Well, aren't you bold? You want to devour me?" Tang Chen's smile widened. With a flash of his figure, terrifying spatial power instantly imprisoned the fire python.

The fire python sensed the danger and tried to struggle free, but it was already too late. Tang Chen had no intention of giving it any chance to escape.

He clenched his hand toward the fire python, and its enormous body exploded apart, turning into transparent flames that filled the sky.

Tang Chen swept his gaze across the flames and quickly locked onto the Fallen Heart Flame origin hidden within. With a casual beckoning gesture, the origin obediently landed in his palm.

Without any further preparation, Tang Chen directly swallowed it, as easily as if he were eating a small after-meal snack.

With his current strength, devouring Fallen Heart Flame required practically no effort. Just two hours later, he had completely refined it.

His Dou Qi level had also risen from a one-star Dou Zun to a two-star Dou Zun.

"Heavenly Flames lower on the ranking are becoming less and less useful for improving my strength." Tang Chen sensed the changes in his power and muttered to himself.

After devouring Fallen Heart Flame, Tang Chen turned his gaze beneath the magma. "Let's take that other Fallen Heart Flame too."

As soon as he spoke, his figure moved, swiftly flying into the depths of the magma.

The deeper he descended, the more terrifying the temperature of his surroundings became.

Tang Chen knew that quite a few Lizardmen lurked below, and their strength was extremely formidable. Out of caution, he expanded his soul perception to its limit and remained alert to every movement around him.

Before long, several Lizardmen entered the range of his soul perception. Their strength was roughly at the Dou Emperor level.

Dou Emperor-level Lizardmen were not enough to catch Tang Chen's attention. He did not alert them, instead concealing his aura and continuing his search.

At last, a transparent barrier appeared before him. Tang Chen smiled and entered it without hesitation.

Inside the barrier was a vast white space. At its center sat a skeleton, and a cluster of transparent flames floated in its hand—the infant Fallen Heart Flame.

Tang Chen stared at the skeleton, his brow slightly furrowed as he shouted coldly, "Get out here already!"

"Please do not take offense, friend. I am merely a soul body and pose no threat to you." An aged voice sounded from the skeleton. Immediately afterward, an elderly soul body in white robes floated out from the bones, his tone carrying a trace of ingratiation.

"Submit to me, and I can help you revive in the future. What do you say?" Tang Chen did not beat around the bush and spoke directly.

The old man nodded in agreement without much hesitation, because he had no other choice.

Not only was he no match for Tang Chen, but his soul power was nearly exhausted. If he did not replenish it soon, his soul would scatter sooner or later.

Seeing Sky Fire Venerable submit, Tang Chen stored him in a jade bottle. He then picked up the infant Fallen Heart Flame and swiftly left this underground magma world.

This place was too dangerous for him to linger. He feared that some unforeseen accident might occur.

Outside, Jia Nan Academy.

At this moment, Jia Nan Academy was already in complete chaos. Many students cultivating in the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower discovered that the effect that had originally accelerated their cultivation had mysteriously vanished.

Su Qian hurried over upon receiving the news. Through his perception, he discovered that the Fallen Heart Flame which had existed beneath the tower for many years had actually disappeared without a trace.

This left him utterly baffled.

"Could it have been those people from the Black-Corner Region?" Su Qian frowned deeply and began considering who could have such a motive.

The area around the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower was packed with students watching the commotion.

Just then, a playful voice rang out from the crowd:

"What are you all doing here? What's so interesting? Let me have a look too!"