Hearing this, Qin Yun finally breathed a sigh of relief. Although he was hardly a good man,
he rather liked Lei Yan's personality. If he had accidentally crippled him, he would not have felt good about it either.
"Please accept this as my apology-a fifth-tier Dou Wang Pill. With this pill, Brother Lei might be able to advance another step."
Qin Yun brought out his gift of apology. After all, what had happened earlier was entirely due to his failure to control himself.
"Then thank you, Young Pavilion Master. I'll convey your kindness to him once he wakes." Su Qian had not intended to accept the pill at first.
As far as he was concerned, injuries were inevitable in a spar, and Qin Yun had already held back for a long time. By any reasonable measure, he was not at fault.
But Qin Yun insisted on giving it to him, so he could only accept it in the end.
Seeing him accept the pill, Qin Yun finally let the corners of his mouth lift. Now that his apology had been accepted, he could make a small request.
"Great Elder, I've heard that Jia Nan Academy has a Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower that greatly improves cultivation efficiency. Could we experience it for ourselves?"
Qin Yun finally broached his request in a roundabout way.
"Well... that's no problem. I might refuse if it were someone else, but there's no issue with you." Su Qian hesitated briefly before agreeing.
According to the rules, the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower was reserved for the academy's students and elders. Outsiders were not permitted to use it.
But he was the great elder, after all, the highest authority on the surface. They were also from the Wind and Lightning Pavilion, which had come specifically to establish friendly relations, and their character had proven excellent.
Making a temporary exception was therefore acceptable.
Soon, under Great Elder Su Qian's guidance, they arrived at the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
The moment they entered, a wave of heat struck them in the face. The temperature inside was at least a dozen degrees higher than outside.
Even on the first floor, the three of them felt the Dou Qi within their bodies grow more active.
If they circulated it through their bodies now, their cultivation efficiency would improve significantly.
"This is only the first floor, so the effect isn't particularly strong, but it can still increase cultivation speed by about ten percent.
"There are ten more floors below us. With each floor you descend, cultivation speed increases by another ten percent.
"On the lowest floor, the tenth, the increase reaches one hundred percent."
Elder Su Qian spoke with a proud expression. This was the sea-calming pillar that anchored Jia Nan Academy.
"But although cultivation becomes more efficient the farther down you go, there seem to be some side effects. I can sense impurities lingering here."
As a Five-Star Dou Zong, Fei Tian immediately sensed something strange mixed into the air.
Absorbing small amounts would not place much strain on the body, but larger quantities could affect the mind.
"Yes, we call that substance fire poison. There's nothing we can do about it, though. After all, there's no such thing as a free lunch.
"As long as you don't cultivate on the lower floors for too long at a time, there shouldn't be any problems.
"As for the fire poison, you need to have someone remove it before going down to cultivate again. That will help you avoid some of the side effects."
Su Qian naturally knew about this problem, but knowing about a problem did not mean knowing how to solve it.
Maintaining the current situation was already good enough. He no longer hoped for anything better.
"If I'm not mistaken, the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower improves cultivation speed because of the fourteenth-ranked Fallen Heart Flame, doesn't it?"
Qin Yun let the secret slip with an air of casual intent, while considering his next move.
"..." Hearing the question, Su Qian did not answer. Instead, he looked at Qin Yun thoughtfully.
After all, the Heavenly Flame in Jia Nan Academy's possession was a tempting morsel, coveted by many.
The academy had suffered repeated attacks before because people had tried to seize the Fallen Heart Flame by force.
With Qin Yun bringing it up now, Su Qian could hardly avoid drawing certain conclusions.
"Elder Su Qian, there's no need to overthink it. To be honest, I do want the Fallen Heart Flame, but I won't resort to plundering it by force.
"I'd like to discuss a few things with you in private, Great Elder. Would you do me that favor?" Qin Yun smiled faintly, intending to strike a deal.
"...Very well. Go to the council hall first. I'll join you in five minutes."
Su Qian had originally wanted to refuse outright. After all, the entire academy depended on this Heavenly Flame to survive. They could not give it up under any circumstances.
But considering the opposing side's Five-Star Dou Zong strength, he clearly could not win a fight. It was better not to speak in absolutes, so he chose to meet them privately in five minutes.
Five minutes later, they met in the council hall. Besides the trio and Su Qian, however, two figures entered, one wearing a black cloak and the other a white one.
The moment they entered, Fei Tian's hand trembled slightly around his cup.
These two cloaked figures were no ordinary experts. He could not fathom their strength at all, but one thing was certain: both were stronger than him.
"My respects, Elder Qian and Elder Bai." Qin Yun seized the initiative with his greeting.
"Hmm?" Hearing someone identify them at a glance, the two gave murmurs of surprise, but said nothing more, merely nodding in acknowledgment.
Su Qian, standing beside them, handled the introductions. "I didn't expect you to know their identities, Young Pavilion Master Qin.
"That's right. In truth, I'm merely the academy's public representative. These two are its ultimate trump cards, both Nine-Star Dou Zong."
Su Qian placed particular emphasis on their strength. Although they had gotten along fairly well earlier,
that did not mean they stood on the same side. When it came to major decisions concerning the academy, Su Qian had no intention of being forced into doing anything that would betray it.
"Rest assured, I have no other purpose in coming here. I'm simply interested in your academy's Heavenly Flame," Qin Yun said candidly.
"If it's the Heavenly Flame you want, there's nothing more to discuss. The Fallen Heart Flame is the greatest driving force behind Jia Nan Academy. Without it, our academy would be as good as finished."
With the two powerful elders backing him, Su Qian felt much more confident. He refused decisively and made it clear that he did not wish to discuss it further.
"Anything can be traded for something else of sufficient value. I believe even the Fallen Heart Flame is no exception."
Qin Yun seemed certain that they would be satisfied with what he had to offer.
"No..." Su Qian felt that Qin Yun was failing to appreciate what was good for him. Had he not heard his refusal? Why was he... Wait, what was that?
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