Xiao Yan knew he had taken too many medicines and needed to temper himself thoroughly with the Heart Flame.
He immersed himself in cultivation, passing his Dou Qi through the Heart Flame. He then guided the scorched Dou Qi, now greatly diminished in volume, through his meridians and into his Dou Crystal.
After just one Great Circulation, the Dou Qi in Xiao Yan's body had diminished considerably, far faster than when he practiced alchemy.
As his Dou Qi dwindled, his body began greedily absorbing the Fire-Attribute Energy permeating the air to replenish it, making his cultivation even more effective.
Between absorbing and tempering, Xiao Yan's Dou Crystal glowed softly. Already resembling a piece of jade, it grew finer still.
According to the veteran students, the first visit to the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower yielded the best results, and some even advanced a level. But that applied to ordinary students.
Most entered the Inner Academy as Seven- or Eight-Star Dou Practitioners, making advancement much easier. For a Seven-Star Da Dou Shi like Xiao Yan, advancing required an immense amount of energy. There was no chance of doing it all at once.
Besides, Xiao Yan had only recently taken a Purpleheart Barrier-Breaking Pill to win the Fire-Energy Hunting Competition.
If he had not just entered the Burning Heaven Qi Refining Tower, cultivating on its second or third floor would have suited his level better.
Xiao Yan understood all this. He devoted his entire mind to circulating his cultivation technique and thought of nothing else.
He did not know how much time had passed when an ancient bell tolled throughout the tower. In the cultivation chamber, everyone slowly opened their eyes almost in unison.
Some had grown so much stronger that they could not control their auras for the moment.
Xiao Yan