In the Black-Corner Region.
Su Qian looked at Shen Shihuang, genuinely at a loss for words.
Your strength seems to surpass even this old man's, doesn't it?
"If you don't mind, young friend, Jia Nan Academy would be delighted to welcome you."
Although Su Qian didn't know Shen Shihuang's background, Jia Nan Academy was a place dedicated to cultivating talented experts. As long as you had sufficient aptitude, Jia Nan Academy welcomed you.
Of course.
Shen Shihuang hadn't come to cultivate at Jia Nan Academy. He wanted to learn more about the cultivation system. After all, he had awakened at the Peak Nine-Star Dou Emperor level. That kind of leap didn't matter much for now, but he still felt he ought to consolidate his foundation.
Meanwhile.
Shen Shihuang looked at Mo Tianxing and Mo Ya and said with a grin, "You two, have you made up your minds? Give me one Low Earth Tier Dou Technique each, and I'll let you go."
"Otherwise..."
"You'll be stuck here. As for when this space will shatter, I couldn't say."
Mo Tianxing wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, fury showing in his eyes. "Kid, leave yourself a way out, and you'll have a way to meet again. Do you really have to take things this far?"
"Take things this far?"
Shen Shihuang frowned. "Sect Master Mo, have you misunderstood something? I just want a few benefits. How did that become taking things too far?"
"Sect Master Mo, this is what taking things too far looks like."
Shen Shihuang's aura suddenly changed. Black flames swept out from his body and surged before Mo Tianxing, then burrowed into him.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
In an instant.
Mo Tianxing's face twisted as he let out a roar, as if enduring unbearable pain.
"Mo Tianxing and I had no grudge against each other, yet you took a dislike to me and attacked me again and again. Did I ever go after you?"
"I'm even helping you leave this place now. If it were anyone else, you and your son would probably be left to fend for yourselves here, wouldn't you?"
Shen Shihuang extended a hand, and the black flames flew out of Mo Tianxing.
Mo Tianxing panted heavily and glared at Shen Shihuang. "Fine! I'll give them to you!"
Two Low Earth Tier Dou Techniques.
Both were incredibly precious to the Black Emperor Sect. Even so, these two techniques were treasures Mo Tianxing had collected over his lifetime. He hadn't even had time to practice one of them. He'd obtained it in some ruins after ambushing and killing a Dou Zong expert.
He'd planned to take it back and study it at his leisure, then astonish the other Dou Zong experts.
Looks like that plan...
Was over.
Mo Tianxing brushed his Storage Ring, and two scrolls appeared.
"Take them!"
Mo Tianxing slapped the two scrolls, sending them flying toward Shen Shihuang.
"Heh."
The Taisui Flame appeared and wrapped around the scrolls. Only after confirming there was nothing wrong did Shen Shihuang reach out and take them.
"Since this is all settled..."
"Let's all get out of here!"
The Taisui Flame on Shen Shihuang's body shot into the sky. Cracks appeared throughout the surrounding space, as if it were a sheet of ice.
Boom!
Amid the rumble, the entire space shattered. Su Qian and the others looked around and could only sigh. Not a single person in Jade City had survived. They had all died in the flames.
As for that.
Shen Shihuang felt nothing. Fengxiao Shiyan's ability was to draw out people's negative sides. Those who couldn't overcome their own darkness had only one fate: death. The Black-Corner Region truly lived up to its name.
The dark side's power outweighed the other.
"No wonder that fellow showed up here. With the rules of this place, it's practically paradise for him and Fengxiao Shiyan!"
Mo Tianxing brought Mo Ya over to the Black Emperor Sect's group of experts and glared ominously at Shen Shihuang. "Kid, the Black Emperor Sect will make you pay for today's grudge!"
With that.
He led several Black Emperor Sect experts away without looking back.
Shen Shihuang watched Mo Tianxing and the others leave.
He made no move, instead turning to ask Lin Xiuya and the others, "Tell me, am I a good person? If someone else had come, they'd definitely have chased them down and killed them."
"And he's going to make me pay? Didn't I just save their lives?"
"Honestly."
When Lin Xiuya heard Shen Shihuang, a strange look came over his face. But when he thought about it, the logic did hold up.
Su Qian came over.
He said to Shen Shihuang, "You should still be careful. The Black Emperor Sect has been around the Black-Corner Region for quite some time, and they have a decent foundation."
At that point, Han Yue interjected, "Great Elder, isn't the strongest person in the Black Emperor Sect Mo Tianxing, a Four-Star Dou Zong?"
"But Mo Tianxing can't beat him. Why be careful?"
Su Qian: "...!"
The other two Jia Nan Academy elders came over.
Su Qian said, "This young friend will be joining Jia Nan Academy as a student from now on."
The two Dou Emperor elders stared in surprise.
A Jia Nan Academy student?
They looked at Shen Shihuang. They'd seen him earlier, and this fellow had sent Mo Tianxing, a Four-Star Dou Zong, flying with one punch.
"Something's off."
"Your aura?"
One of the Dou Emperor elders, who specialized in fire, looked at Shen Shihuang in confusion.
Shen Shihuang smiled faintly.
"I was lucky. I just broke through from One-Star Dou Zong to Four-Star Dou Zong."
The two elders: "???"
Dou Zong.
Could people really break through like that?
They weren't Dou Zong experts, so they didn't understand. They turned to Great Elder Su Qian.
"Great Elder, what's going on?"
Su Qian: "Don't ask me. I don't know either!"
"Tsk, so does that mean the strongest student in Jia Nan Academy's history has just been born?"
"Seems like it. He's stronger than the Great Elder."
Su Qian: "...!"
Shen Shihuang joined the Jia Nan Academy family, just as he'd hoped.
Of course.
He went straight into the Inner Academy.
The moment he stepped into Jia Nan Academy.
Shen Shihuang's attention was drawn to an aura. It came from a tower, and there was something familiar inside: a Heavenly Flame Origin.
Following Shen Shihuang's gaze.
Lin Xiuya said beside him, "Brother Shen, that's the symbol of Jia Nan Academy, the Heavenly Burning Qi Refining Tower. Cultivating Dou Qi in there doubles your results."
Lin Yan spoke up beside him as well.
"But there's a hidden drawback. The fire poison is a real pain to deal with."
"So even though you cultivate faster, it's not necessarily all good."
Shen Shihuang looked at Lin Yan. "You mean the stuff inside your body?"
Lin Yan nodded. "That's right. I figure it'll take me two months to clear it out. Otherwise, it'll damage my foundation."
Black flames appeared at Shen Shihuang's fingertip. Before Lin Yan could react, Shen Shihuang touched it to Lin Yan's chest.
Sizzle, sizzle...
A wisp of black smoke rose from the top of Lin Yan's head.
"Hiss...!"
Lin Yan endured the pain.
His face twisted into a grimace.
"That's enough."
After about the time it took for one incense stick to burn, Lin Yan's complexion returned to normal. The black flames flew out of his body and entered Shen Shihuang's.
Lin Yan moved his limbs.
His face lit up with joy. "The fire poison in my body is really gone?"
Su Qian saw this.
"Is that also a Heavenly Flame?"
Shen Shihuang didn't hide it. "You could call it a Heavenly Flame, but it isn't listed in the Heavenly Flame Ranking."
At that.
Su Qian nodded in understanding. "No wonder this old man couldn't recognize it."
Han Yue asked curiously, "A Heavenly Flame outside the ranking? How did you get it?"
Shen Shihuang replied at once, "Oh, this flame has been inside me since I was born. You could say it's my innate flame."
Everyone: "...!"