Heavenly Flame Art

"Quite the runner."

Watching the energy spheres dart wildly about before him, Nalan Chenfeng's expression froze for a moment. Then a scorching wave of Dou Qi surged beneath his feet.

"Wind Flame Step!"

With a low shout, Nalan Chenfeng borrowed the recoil of that scorching Dou Qi wave and shot into the air like a cannonball. His hands snatched out rapidly, and when he landed, a pale green glow had appeared in his grasp.

"Medicinal ingredient..."

His gaze pierced through the pale green light, and a trace of disappointment flashed through Nalan Chenfeng's eyes.

He could see that within the sphere was a medicinal herb as green as jade. At its tip grew a fruit resembling a piece of polished jade.

"This Heaven Jade Fruit is good stuff too. Consuming it directly can raise one's Dou Qi cultivation, and it can be used to refine pills meant for Dou Wang-level experts. Unfortunately, I only have one chance..."

Nalan Chenfeng did not hesitate and casually flung it away.

Whoosh! Whoosh!

The sound of rushing wind rang out repeatedly in midair. Energy spheres of varying colors and shapes poured out from the energy barriers, filling the enormous chamber as they darted about unpredictably.

"I'll sense them first."

Nalan Chenfeng did not act immediately. Instead, he slowly closed his eyes and spread out his soul power.

Cultivation arts above Mid Earth Tier were no ordinary things. If he relied on luck alone, he might not find one even by the time he had to leave the Library Pavilion.

Moreover, having lived two lives, coupled with his peculiar ability, his soul power was far stronger than that of others at the same level.

At present, his soul perception was no weaker than that of an ordinary Dou Wang. It could even rival that of some Peak Dou Wang experts.

This enhancement of soul power would also increase along with his cultivation. It was a sensation he had only gained after breaking through to the Dou Ling realm.

On the Dou Qi Continent, soul levels were divided into four realms: Mortal, Spiritual, Heavenly, and Emperor. Below the Dou Wang level, however, the strength of one's soul power was not especially apparent.

Just as Nalan Chenfeng closed his eyes and used his soul perception to examine the energy spheres overhead,

Lin Xiuya, Liu Qing, and the others moved at once, turning into streaks of shadow as they flashed through the chamber, continuously grabbing at the light spheres shooting out from the surrounding energy barriers.

For a time, the entire chamber was filled with piercing whistles.

Lin Xiuya and the others rushed about busily. Whenever they caught a light sphere and discovered it was not what they wanted, they immediately discarded it without the slightest regret and continued racing to seize what they needed.

The hour they had was extremely precious. Clearly, none of them wished to waste this opportunity to enter the Library Pavilion.

"Chi!"

Han Yue was not idle either. Moonlight and icy wind intertwined around her as she weaved gracefully through the air. Frost flowers formed beneath her toes, tracing a beautiful arc through midair.

When she landed, an energy sphere exuding a chill had already appeared in her jade-like hand.

Han Yue's strength might not have been high compared with Nalan Chenfeng, Lin Xiuya, and Liu Qing.

But within the Outer Academy, it would be difficult to find anyone who could defeat Han Yue. Even Lin Yan would not dare claim he could certainly beat her.

"Thousand Frost Cold Origin Art, High Mystic Rank cultivation art..."

"Ah..."

After seeing the description within the energy sphere, a trace of disappointment flickered through Han Yue's clear, crystalline eyes.

"I hope he gets the cultivation art he wants..."

Han Yue paused slightly and glanced at the eyes-closed Nalan Chenfeng. Then she resumed catching the passing light spheres, working even harder.

She knew Nalan Chenfeng would not waste time so casually. There had to be a reason for what he was doing.

"Hahaha! An Earth Tier Dou Technique!"

A wild laugh suddenly rang out amid the chamber's constant whistling.

Lin Xiuya and the others hurriedly turned their heads, only to see Lin Yan holding a crimson sphere high in his hand.

Through the faintly visible glow, they could vaguely make out something resembling a scroll inside.

Clutching the crimson sphere tightly, Lin Yan could not help laughing smugly as his hand swiftly reached into it.

To him, if he could not find an Earth Tier cultivation art during this visit to the Library Pavilion, then an Earth Tier Dou Technique would do as well.

Yet just as Lin Yan's hand touched the inside of the crimson sphere, a tremendous rebounding force suddenly erupted and violently blasted his hand away.

In that brief instant,

the crimson sphere flared brilliantly, forcibly breaking free from Lin Yan's hand. It became a streak of light and shot into an energy barrier.

Watching the crimson sphere vanish directly into the energy barrier, Lin Yan froze for a moment. Then, unwilling to accept it, he turned into a shadow and slammed heavily into the barrier.

Bang!

Lin Yan crashed hard against the energy barrier, yet there was no reaction at all.

The barrier did not so much as tremble. Instead, Lin Yan was sent flying backward, spitting out a mouthful of blood before smashing into a wall pillar.

"Lin Yan, let fate take its course. Don't waste time."

Lin Xiuya gave him a reminder, then could not spare another glance at Lin Yan as he resumed seizing the things he needed.

The others once again reached for the spiritual lights flying through the air, while Nalan Chenfeng remained completely motionless.

Nalan Chenfeng's eyes were slightly closed as his soul perception spread outward like a tide, enveloping the air above.

Streams of light passed through his perception. Some were scorching like fire, some heavy as mountains, and some light and swift.

Every kind of light represented a different attribute.

"Nothing?"

Nalan Chenfeng frowned.

He had already sensed dozens of light spheres. He had found several Low Earth Tier cultivation arts, but a Mid Earth Tier cultivation art had yet to appear.

"That shouldn't be..."

Nalan Chenfeng pondered inwardly.

With Mang Tianchi's strength from years ago—an advanced Dou Zun, perhaps even a Half-Saint—it would not have been surprising if Jia Nan Academy's Library Pavilion housed a High Earth Tier cultivation art.

There was no way it did not even possess a single Mid Earth Tier cultivation art, unless...

"Could it be that cultivation arts of that level aren't simply left there for people to take..."

As that thought crossed his mind, Nalan Chenfeng immediately formed a plan.

Qian Bai Er Lao had said that everything in the Library Pavilion was covered by an energy layer. If one's hand could pass through it without obstruction, one could take the item away.

But the light spheres that flew out on their own were probably only the most superficial items. The true treasures had to be retrieved personally.

With that thought, Nalan Chenfeng opened his eyes and swept his gaze across the densely packed energy barriers on the surrounding walls.

These energy barriers varied in size and glow. Some shone brightly enough to dazzle the eye, while others were dim and nearly transparent.

The flying light spheres were precisely what these energy barriers spat out.

"So that's how it is..."

Nalan Chenfeng's lips curved upward slightly. He stomped his foot and rose into the air, heading straight for an exceptionally dim, nearly inconspicuous energy barrier on the wall.

That energy barrier was located in a corner at the very top of the wall. Without looking carefully, one would almost overlook it.

"Chengfeng..."

Han Yue looked up, confusion flashing through her crystalline eyes.

Lin Xiuya and the others were also drawn by Nalan Chenfeng's actions. They stopped what they were doing and followed him closely with their eyes.

"What is he doing?"

Liu Qing paused in surprise before speaking in a deep voice.

"That place... doesn't seem special."

Lin Xiuya frowned tightly. His gaze lingered on the dim energy barrier for a moment, but he could not discern anything unusual.

In midair, Nalan Chenfeng paused. He extended his right hand, spread his fingers, and pressed directly toward the energy barrier.

The instant his palm touched it, a warm sensation flowed into his hand. He was not violently repelled like Lin Yan had been earlier.

"There's something here."

Delight rose in Nalan Chenfeng's heart. The Dou Qi within his body circulated, and golden Dou Qi blazed brightly in his palm.

Chi!

Ripples spread across the energy barrier's surface as it began trembling violently.

Nalan Chenfeng's hand slowly sank into it, and a piercing burning pain surged through his palm.

"Come out!"

Nalan Chenfeng shouted lowly, clenched his hand fiercely, and pulled it back.

Whoosh!

A dazzling red light shot out from the energy barrier at an astonishing speed, leaving a long streak of radiance through the air.

Seeing this, Nalan Chenfeng stomped off the wall and shot forward, intercepting the red light in midair. Both hands shot out and caught it firmly.

The instant the red light entered his hands, a scorching aura spread outward. Nalan Chenfeng felt his palms burning, as though he had grabbed a ball of blazing fire.

"Such powerful fire-attributed energy..."

Nalan Chenfeng lowered his head. In his hands was a crimson sphere the size of a fist, its dazzling radiance staining the space before him red.

Within the sphere floated a scarlet scroll in silence. Its surface was carved with ancient patterns, and flames seemed to flicker faintly within them.

Through the energy curtain, Nalan Chenfeng clearly saw the words on the scroll.

"Heavenly Flame Art, Mid Earth Tier!"