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**
After resolving matters with Xiao Li, Mo Yu, Xiao Yan, and their group were finally able to return to the Inner Academy with peace of mind.
Mo Yu felt extremely satisfied with recruiting Xiao Li.
The three Xiao brothers were all remarkable. Xiao Yan, destined to become the Flame Emperor of the Dou Qi Continent, would achieve accomplishments unparalleled in thousands of years.
His eldest brother, Xiao Ding, was mature, wise, and adept at strategy and managing affairs. Even Hai Bodong admired his capabilities in the original story.
The second brother, Xiao Li, was ruthless and cunning. Although his personality was severe, he thrived in the Black-Corner Region, proving his capabilities.
Now that Mo Yu had been at Jia Nan Academy for several months, although Zi Huo was overseeing Yuan Manor, being a newly transformed magical beast, it lacked the experience to manage a faction effectively.
Xiao Li, however, had served as the second-in-command of the Desert Iron Mercenary Group and was well-versed in faction management. Coupled with his familial connection to Mo Yu, he would undoubtedly enhance Mo Yu's control over Yuan Manor…
Before leaving the Outer Academy, Mo Yu and Xiao Yan met with Xiao Mei and Xiao Ning.
The Xiao clan had suffered greatly, with many clan members perishing at the hands of the Yun Lan Sect and the Hall of Souls. Thus, Mo Yu and Xiao Yan were more understanding toward their clan members.
Any childhood grievances held within the clan were now insignificant to them, considering their mature perspectives.
This year's Inner Academy Selection Tournament was in about six months, and with Xiao Mei and Xiao Ning's current abilities, entering the Inner Academy could be challenging.
But with Xiao Yan's skill as a fifth-grade alchemist, ensuring Xiao Mei and Xiao Ning placed within the top fifty shouldn't be too difficult.
Mo Yu also gave them each a set of Swift Shadow Boots and Guardian Armor that he had refined earlier, enabling them to fight across one or two stars beyond their level.
With these matters settled, Mo Yu and Xiao Yan bid farewell and returned to the Inner Academy with Xun'er and Xiao Yu, riding the griffon.
When Mo Yu's group returned to the Inner Academy, there was less than a month until the Strong List Competition. The entire Inner Academy buzzed with anticipation, focusing on this intense, top-level competition.
The top fifty competitors in this ranking were among the academy's elites, and their battles drew everyone's attention.
In such excitement, the academy reached a peak atmosphere unseen in years.
For the top ten rankers, the reward was becoming a candidate for an Inner Academy elder, granting them a unique status to roam the academy nearly without restriction.
The Elder position in the Inner Academy was highly sought after—not only for prestige but also for access to the lowest levels of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
The students had long been aware of the benefits of accelerated training within the tower, and they yearned for the restricted lower levels.
Cultivating there could significantly speed up the journey to the Dou Huang level—provided they had the innate talent. However, even with the tower's help, reaching Dou Huang was far from an easy task.
Thus, anyone with even a hint of strength aspired to those top ten spots, where the position and privileges promised transformation into a formidable force!
Upon his return, Mo Yu immediately headed to the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, going directly to the sixth floor.
After a quick scan, he moved toward an unfrequented area on the floor.
Access to the sixth floor was restricted to Strong List members, making it less populated and providing Mo Yu with an isolated spot.
He had a specific purpose for coming here.
Mo Yu's intention wasn't to improve his ranking in the upcoming Strong List Competition; with his current standing as the third in the rankings, and if he unleashed his full strength, even Zi Yan, the young Ancient Void Dragon, might not stand a chance against him.
Attaining first place in the rankings would be an easy feat.
But Mo Yu's true goal lay not on the sixth floor—it was at the bottommost layer of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower!
With nearly a month until the competition, Mo Yu intended to dive to the tower's lowest level to absorb the source energy of the Fallen Heart Flame and infuse it with the energy of the Thunder Soul to advance to Dou Wang!
Mo Yu's reason for this was tied to his knowledge of the storyline: Yao Lao's eldest disciple, Xiao Yan's senior brother Han Feng, was about to reappear.
Han Feng was an orphan saved and raised by Yao Chen. Yet, manipulated by Mu Gu, he betrayed and killed his master to steal a technique known as the Flame Mantra.
Though unsuccessful, Han Feng obtained a fragment of it and earned the title "Medicine Emperor" in the Black-Corner Region.
Having practiced the Flame Mantra, Han Feng, apart from his rank fifteen Sea Heart Flame, had been seeking a second heavenly flame.
Naturally, the Fallen Heart Flame within Jia Nan Academy caught his attention.
If the storyline unfolded as expected, shortly after the Strong List Competition, when Xiao Yan and the top ten students entered the tower's bottom level, the Fallen Heart Flame would begin to break its seal.
Moreover, Han Feng, relying on his sixth-grade alchemist status, would rally a group to storm Jia Nan Academy and seize the Fallen Heart Flame.
At that time, the academy would be thrown into chaos.
Mo Yu's plan to leverage the Fallen Heart Flame's source power to break through could be completely ruined unless he opted to be sealed at the tower's base for two years, as Xiao Yan had done, eventually subduing the Fallen Heart Flame and advancing to Dou Wang.
However, this option did not appeal to Mo Yu.
Not only would two years at the tower base be a huge time sacrifice, but Mo Yu held little interest in the Fallen Heart Flame.
Since he had chosen thunder as his path to become the Thunder Emperor, he had no desire to cultivate with another heavenly flame.
The Fallen Heart Flame may be dubbed a "cultivation hack" for a reason: once refined, it produces a constant internal flame known as Heart Fire, which requires no control and continuously tempers the user's dou qi day and night. This relentless refining is akin to being in a perpetual cultivation state, enhancing the process far more effectively than ordinary training.
However, this effect is only significant below the Dou Wang or Dou Huang level. Upon reaching Dou Zong or even Dou Zun, the boost becomes almost negligible—hence, why the Fallen Heart Flame ranks only fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame List instead of making it into the top ten.
Mo Yu realized that with his current cultivation speed, absorbing all the Thunder Soul energy within the Divine Qi Seal would almost guarantee his breakthrough to Dou Wang. Afterward, the Fallen Heart Flame's cultivation boost would no longer suffice to keep up. His plan, therefore, was to absorb the Thunder Soul energy in time to break through to Dou Wang, before Han Feng arrived to cause trouble and before the Fallen Heart Flame's seal weakened.
The best place within the Inner Academy for rapid power improvement was naturally the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower. Combined with Mo Yu's mastery of unique techniques, the tower's lowest level was his ideal choice. As for his special technique? It was none other than the Flash Void Breaking Thunder, a thunder that could pierce through space itself.
...
In a hidden spot on the sixth floor, Mo Yu held the Flash Void Breaking Thunder, his eyes fixed on a spot half a meter ahead. After a moment, he noticed faint, nearly imperceptible wrinkles in the space. Following these wrinkles with his gaze, he discovered they formed a barrier-like wall, shielding the entire Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower.
"A space lock!" She Lao's voice echoed in Mo Yu's mind. "Only a Dou Zun could set up such an impenetrable barrier. Likely the work of a master from the Jia Nan Academy. Without a specific technique, even a Dou Zong would be unable to pass through."
Mo Yu nodded in understanding. As the academy's cultivation sanctuary, the tower's main purpose was to seal the Fallen Heart Flame. A barrier even a Dou Zong couldn't breach wasn't surprising.
Yet, while this space lock could hinder a Dou Zong, it wouldn't necessarily stop Mo Yu. Now that his Flash Void Breaking Thunder had matured, it was time to put it to use.
In the desolate corner of the sixth floor, Mo Yu slowly activated the Flash Void Breaking Thunder, forming seals with his hands. Waves of formidable energy rippled from the thunder, spreading outward. When the invisible waves reached the space wrinkles, the area before Mo Yu rippled like a water mirror. Soon, an invisible hand seemed to tear a door-shaped rift open.
"As expected of the Flash Void Breaking Thunder," Mo Yu murmured with a satisfied grin as he observed the portal.
"Impressive!" She Lao exclaimed. "This thunder soul can create a portal even a Dou Zong couldn't manage. With this skill, not even a Dou Zong would be able to hold you back."
Mo Yu gave a slight smile. Although the Flash Void Breaking Thunder lacked the offensive power of other thunder soul types, its value lay in its irreplaceable function.
After a brief reflection, Mo Yu stepped into the invisible doorway. Emerging from the spatial portal moments later, he blinked as his eyes adjusted to the glaring light.
He found himself in a vast, empty space within the tower. It was much larger than any upper level and felt desolate due to the absence of cultivation chambers. His gaze eventually fell upon a massive, several-dozen-meter-wide pit at the center.
Looking up, Mo Yu noticed that each floor of the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower seemed to have a large opening aligned directly with the deep pit below.
"This deep pit at the bottom should lead directly to the Fallen Heart Flame's true form," he mused with excitement.
Approaching the dark pit, Mo Yu felt an intense heat enveloping him. When he was about twenty meters away, he stopped and peered into the depths. Around the pit, energy ripples slowly appeared, forming a faint yet formidable barrier.
"So there's an energy lock here too. It seems the Inner Academy takes great precautions to guard the Fallen Heart Flame," he thought.
"No elders stationed at the bottom? A perfect opportunity!" he grinned, sitting cross-legged near the pit.
Being so close to the Fallen Heart Flame, Mo Yu could feel the intensity of the Heart Fire far surpassing that of the sixth floor.
Thus, over the next month, Mo Yu set himself a goal: to absorb all the Thunder Soul energy and break through to Dou Wang!
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For exclusive access to 200+ advanced chapters and more, visit my Ko-fi page and support the journey: ko-fi.com/laoyao95
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or Support me at patreon for 200+ advanced chapters :
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