Tempering

In the cultivation room, Xiao Yun sat cross-legged atop a Black Stone. He took out his Azure Fire Crystal Card and slowly inserted it into the groove before him.

A faint click sounded, and a pale glow burst from the groove. As the glow appeared, Xiao Yun clearly saw the number on the Azure Fire Crystal Card decrease by one. A blazing aura immediately surged through the room, Heart Flame winding around him. He could clearly feel the Dou Qi within his body being slowly refined.

Seeing this, Xiao Yun immediately formed hand seals with both hands, closed his eyes, and entered a cultivation state. Once he did, his perception of the energy between heaven and earth became even sharper. He could sense the astonishingly dense fire-element energy in this cultivation room. Cultivating in such a place would undoubtedly yield far greater results for those with fire-attribute Dou Qi than for those with other attributes.

"Huff!"

A cluster of seemingly invisible flames, rippling with strange fluctuations, appeared within Xiao Yun's body without warning once more. However, it was much gentler this time, radiating only warm heat as it baked his internal organs.

Although the baking still caused some pain, Xiao Yun could endure it. Moreover, amid the tempering, every organ and meridian within his body was continuously strengthening. After enduring this tempering for roughly ten minutes, his mind stirred, and the Dou Qi within the vortex burst forth in an endless torrent, like floodwaters released from a dam.

The Dou Qi raced through his meridians before finally reaching the invisible flame under Xiao Yun's guidance. With a slight movement of his mind, the crimson Dou Qi that had long been waiting rushed straight into the flame like wild horses breaking free of their reins.

The instant the Dou Qi entered the flame, it began to churn violently like boiling water, wisps of white vapor rising from it. Xiao Yun could clearly feel the impurities in his Dou Qi constantly being stripped away, becoming increasingly pure...

The boiling did not last long before a strand of Dou Qi successfully emerged from the invisible flame. Compared to before, its volume had nearly been cut in half, but the energy contained within it and its density far surpassed what they had been previously.

After the first strand of Dou Qi had been successfully tempered, it circulated through a full cycle along the meridians in his body under the guidance of his mind before finally returning to the vortex. Calling up the Status Panel in his mind, Xiao Yun saw that the progress bar, which had originally displayed seventy, had become seventy-one.

Seeing the change on the Status Panel, Xiao Yun was delighted. This Falling Heart Flame truly deserved to be called a cultivation cheat. Simply tempering one strand of Dou Qi had raised his cultivation by one point. With another thought, strands of Dou Qi continuously poured from the vortex, traveled through his meridians, underwent the flame's tempering, and finally returned to the vortex.

It was a perfect cycle of tempering. Through such cultivation, Xiao Yun could clearly feel the Dou Qi within his body steadily growing greater and stronger. Before long, he would reach the peak of Seven-Star Da Dou Shi and break through into the realm of Eight-Star Da Dou Shi.

Within the spacious cultivation room, Xiao Yun's body was enveloped in a layer of invisible fluctuations. There was no precise sense of time during cultivation. Immersed in the joy of his rapidly increasing strength, he wished he could keep cultivating until he broke through to Dou Ling.

"Dong!"

Time flowed quietly like water during cultivation. When an ancient bell suddenly rang throughout the entire level of the tower, Xiao Yun slowly opened his eyes in the cultivation room. For a moment, the aura he could not quite control due to his breakthrough filled the room.

The instant his eyes opened, a faint red light flashed past them. Xiao Yun exhaled a breath of stale air that had been trapped in his chest, twisted his body, which had grown somewhat stiff from remaining motionless for so long, and could not help but chuckle as he sensed the changes in his Dou Qi.

"The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower truly lives up to its reputation. Cultivating for just one day on the first level is equivalent to three days of cultivation outside. It is only a pity that this Fire Poison prevents me from cultivating here for long."

Shaking his head, Xiao Yun was, after all, an expert at handling fire. He noticed a faint crimson trace within his body. This must have been the Fire Poison Elder Liu had mentioned.

It is a pity I do not have a Heavenly Flame to protect me. Otherwise, such a small accumulation of Fire Poison could not harm my body. Xiao Yun sighed inwardly, and his desire for Heavenly Flames grew even stronger.

Afterward, Xiao Yun stood up, pulled out the Azure Fire Crystal Card before him, and left the cultivation room. Academy rules stipulated that when new students entered the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower for the first time, they could not cultivate inside for more than one day. They had to wait until the invisible Fire Poison in their bodies dissipated before entering again to cultivate.

After leaving the cultivation room, Xiao Yun wandered around the Ancient Pagoda. He wanted to find Elder Liu and ask about the location of Falling Thunder Valley. During the time it took for the Fire Poison to dissipate, he intended to properly cultivate the Ten Thousand Thunders Body Tempering he had obtained from the Library Pavilion.

After making a round through the Ancient Pagoda, Xiao Yun finally found Elder Liu. He hurried over and explained his purpose. Afraid that Elder Liu would not believe him, he also took out the token his teacher had given him earlier.

"Fine. Since you are confident in yourself, and Old Fire has agreed to it as well, I will invite the First Elder and have him take you to Falling Thunder Valley." Elder Liu frowned, but in the end, he could not withstand Xiao Yun's persistent pleading and replied helplessly.

"Thank you, Elder Liu!" Xiao Yun said respectfully, his face full of joy.

Elder Liu nodded and took out a communication jade slip from his Storage Ring. After channeling his Dou Qi into it, a white-haired old man slowly walked over from beneath the Ancient Pagoda a moment later.

"First Elder." Upon seeing the old man arrive, Elder Liu bowed in greeting. He then patted Xiao Yun on the shoulder and left directly.

"It is you, Elder Su." Xiao Yun had not expected the so-called First Elder, the strongest expert in the Inner Academy, to be Elder Su from the Heavenly Fire Energy Hunting Competition a few days ago. Then again, the First Elder was named Su Qian, so there was nothing wrong with others calling him Elder Su.

"Little Yun, your teacher has already spoken to me about this matter. But you are only a Da Dou Shi right now. Going there is simply too dangerous."

Hearing Elder Su's words, Xiao Yun said with a determined expression, "Elder Su, this junior is only going to give it a try. If I cannot endure it, I will return immediately. Please rest assured."

"Since that is the case, you brat, I will take you to Falling Thunder Valley."

Seeing the determination on Xiao Yun's face, Elder Su helplessly flicked his sleeve. With a whoosh, the two instantly appeared in an open area outside the Ancient Pagoda. Then, surging Dou Qi roiled from his body as he carried Xiao Yun into the sky and sped southward.

So this is the strength of a Dou Zong? He has actually mastered part of the power of space. Truly terrifying. Light flashed in Xiao Yun's eyes as he realized he had already left the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. If such a person wanted to kill him, it would probably not be much harder than crushing an ant.

It is just that this posture is a little... Although Elder Su was a Dou Zong and could fly through the air, Xiao Yun was only a Da Dou Shi. Thus, Elder Su was currently using Dou Qi to hold him up by the collar, leaving him dangling from Elder Su like a doll.