The Divine Fire Sect

After everyone from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect left, Xiaofei trained even harder. Apart from cultivating Soul Power, he basically did nothing else every day.

But since he had yet to reach Level 70, Xiaofei's Soul Power progressed extremely slowly. Based on the current estimate, every subsequent level would take at least half a year to advance. In other words, it might take him three years to reach Level 70.

But Xiaofei no longer had that much time. According to the original story's timeline, in less than a year, Spirit Hall would launch a war to exterminate the major sects. Although Blazing Academy had expressed goodwill toward Spirit Hall, it had not submitted to them. Who knew whether Spirit Hall would wipe out Blazing Academy as well while they were at it?

That was why Xiaofei had been training more and more diligently lately, and his anxiety had grown increasingly intense. Even Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang could hardly bear to watch it anymore. Huo Wu had even forcibly dragged Xiaofei out to have fun.

That day, the Dean called several of them to his training room and said to Xiaofei, "Xiaofei, I don't know what you're so anxious about or why you're training so desperately. No matter what happens now, I'll handle it. Although the major sects have put quite a bit of pressure on me, this isn't the time for you children to risk your lives. You should steady your mind and advance step by step. With your talent and strength, you'll become a Titled Douluo within twenty years at most. By then, there will be very few people who can defeat you."

Xiaofei shook his head and said, "Dean, I'm afraid I won't be given twenty years. Right now, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Spirit Hall, and the Heaven Dou Empire are all willing to pay an unimaginable price to win us over. That shows how desperately they need strength. Their urgency means they've sensed danger—especially the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the Heaven Dou Empire."

"In the past, the Upper Three Sects could work together to balance Spirit Hall. But Spirit Hall traded one Pope for the Clear Sky Sect's withdrawal from the world. On the surface, both sides suffered heavy losses, leaving them locked in mutual defeat. But with the foundations of these two forces, nurturing a Titled Douluo is very easy."

"Although the Clear Sky Sect withdrew from the world, it has been accumulating strength all this time. Although it can't obtain resources from outside, it can still use its own foundations to develop. Spirit Hall, meanwhile, lost the Clear Sky Sect's restraint and entered a period of even faster growth. In theory, these two forces should now be the strongest."

"Although the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is known as the greatest auxiliary Martial Soul in the world and has two Titled Douluo, Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo, its own potential is quite limited. It has already developed to its peak. If no new strength joins it, I'm afraid it will begin to decline."

"The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan has always had only one Titled Douluo, Yu Yuanzhen. Its outward expansion is restricted, while its internal factions are numerous. Its strength comes from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul, but in truth, Soul Beasts with the lightning element are the rarest. That is destined to limit its development."

"So I dare bet that within one to five years, the continent will undergo major changes. They might even be the greatest changes in a century. At least one of the Upper Three Sects will probably be erased from existence. That's why I'm so nervous."

The Dean's expression grew solemn. "Xiaofei, I've actually realized that the continent may undergo major changes, but not as quickly as you say. I thought we had at least ten years to develop steadily."

"Actually, I recently met the Fire Leopard Sect's leader in secret. He is also close to becoming a Titled Douluo, and the Fire Leopard Sect has secretly submitted to Spirit Hall. Add Huyan Zhen of the Elephant Armor Sect, and I estimate that all four of the Lower Four Sects have submitted to Spirit Hall. In that case, they may launch the war even sooner."

The Dean fell silent for a moment before saying, "Come with me to the Huo Family Ancestral Secret Chamber."

The Dean led everyone to the secret chamber he had mentioned. It had been built in the rear courtyard of the entire academy, very close to the volcano. Clearly, everyone except the Dean himself—Huo Wu and the others included—had visited these chambers before. However, the Dean did not sit down. Instead, he felt around in a corner of the chamber for a while. Suddenly, the floor in that corner opened, revealing a passage leading downward.

The several of them followed the passage downward. The temperature of the air grew higher and higher. Finally, when they reached level ground, they discovered that the place was actually an ancestral shrine. Memorial tablets of the successive family heads stood inside, while at the very back was a statue made of an unknown material. The statue held a box in its hands. The group waited before performing a ritual greeting to the statue and tablets.

Huo Lie said, "Dad, how come I didn't know our family had an ancestral shrine like this?"

The Dean said indifferently, "I'll tell you when I'm about to die, or when you inherit the position of family patriarch."

The Dean continued, "Our family's origins go back a very long way. About ten thousand years ago, the Huo Family was also an extremely powerful sect. At that time, the sect was called the Divine Fire Sect. How many years the Divine Fire Sect existed, I don't know either. Back then, the sect's headquarters was located in the Undying Volcano. Since the Undying Volcano was extremely suitable for cultivating the Fire Element, the sect had quite a few powerful Titled Douluo. Its leader was even said to be a Level 99 Peak Douluo. Later, something unknown happened, and the Undying Volcano began to erupt. On top of that, there were enemies involved. The Divine Fire Sect's leader perished alongside those enemies, while the Divine Fire Sect was gradually buried beneath the endless volcanoes. The sect's people gradually left the Undying Volcano and developed in various parts of the Douluo Continent."

"After ten thousand years passed, the Divine Fire Sect completely disappeared into the river of history. Now, only two branch sects remain in the world: our Blazing Academy and the Fire Leopard Sect of the Star Luo Empire. The Meditation Techniques of both our families were adapted from the Divine Fire Sect's Meditation Technique. It is said that the Divine Fire Sect possessed purer Fire Element energy, making it even more suitable for Fire-element Soul Masters to cultivate."

After saying this, the Dean took the box from the statue's hands and opened it using a special method. He handed the sheepskin scroll inside to Xiaofei and said, "Xiaofei, I'm giving you the map now. The Undying Volcano is more suitable for cultivating the Fire Element. If you truly want to become stronger, go there and seek your own opportunity."

Xiaofei nodded and accepted the sheepskin scroll.

Three days later, Xiaofei, Huo Wushuang, and Huo Wu left Blazing Academy with the map. Huo Lie had originally wanted to go with them, but the three refused. They said that only by experiencing battle and danger could they truly become stronger.

Watching the three leave, Huo Lie suddenly asked the Dean, "Dad, ten thousand years have passed. Does the Divine Fire Sect's headquarters really still exist? Could it have burned to ashes long ago?"

The Dean shook his head. "Who knows? In any case, the opportunities and challenges inside the Undying Volcano are the best things for Huo Wu and the other two. Even if the Douluo Continent truly undergoes a great upheaval, our Huo Family will at least have preserved a trace of its lineage."

Huo Lie also nodded silently.