Chapter 120: The Tenth Level (Please Subscribe, Third Update)

“So this is the origin of the Fallen Heart Flame?” Xiao Xie mused silently. Gazing at the bottomless black hole before him, he stepped forward, approaching its edge. Peering down, there was only pitch-black darkness, stretching endlessly into the depths of his vision.

This abyss seemed to run through the entire Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower. Were it not for the covering at the tower’s peak, this deep, shadowy pit might be visible from the sky above.

Within the darkness of the pit, one could sense, with careful attention, that the air here was far hotter than elsewhere. It felt as though something at the bottom was constantly radiating heat, supplying energy to the whole Sky Refining Tower.

“Fallen Heart Flame!” Xiao Xie felt the restless stirrings of the three strange fires within him and murmured to himself. With a thought, he released the aura of his three flames, letting them surge into the abyss.

Something within the black hole was awakened. In the infinite darkness, the space began to twist subtly, and soon, these twisted spaces, like invisible serpents, climbed toward the mouth of the pit at a terrifying speed.

“Retreat, quickly!” Xiao Xie grabbed Little Fairy Doctor’s hand and sprang back at once.

At that moment, the temperature around them rose sharply, and a piercing hiss echoed from the depths.

“Hiss… hiss…”

The strange sound crackled through the darkness like lightning, spreading and intensifying. In an instant, the dim surroundings blazed with light, the air grew ever hotter, and an ancient, terrifying aura slowly emerged from the black hole. Finally, it erupted from the endless darkness like lightning tearing through the night.

About two meters above the mouth of the pit, space became so twisted it was almost unnatural. Yet, even though the distortion was extreme, nothing could be seen with the naked eye. Apart from the contorted space and the hissing sounds, the entire area was shrouded in a peculiar atmosphere.

Xiao Xie willed a red flame into his eyes, and under the enhancement of the Hell Flame, he saw something above the pit: an enormous, invisible fire serpent, roughly ten meters thick, its true length unknown.

The fire serpent was shrouded in distorted flames, its maw agape, massive fangs as thick as Xiao Xie’s thigh pulsing with warped energy. Its giant, triangular eyes spewed invisible fire without cease.

With a furious roar, the fire serpent burst from the darkness. Yet, just as it neared the space five meters above the pit, the surrounding space rippled violently. With the aid of the Hell Flame, Xiao Xie could vaguely discern a peculiar spatial cage constructed around the black hole.

Despite its immense power, the fire serpent crashed against the cage, causing only a brief tremor. No further effect followed.

Frustrated by its inability to escape, the serpent grew wild. Invisible flames gushed from its maw, burning the spatial cage relentlessly. Yet, no matter how fiercely it burned, the cage remained steadfast.

After struggling madly for some time, the serpent finally exhausted itself. It let out a furious hiss toward the heavens, then, as space continued to twist, faded once more into invisibility and slipped back into the depths of darkness.

“Fallen Heart Flame!” Xiao Xie knew this fire serpent was the true form of the Fallen Heart Flame. Normally, it slumbered, but the stimulus from the three strange fires in Xiao Xie’s body had caused it to awaken prematurely.

“Let’s go,” Xiao Xie said to Little Fairy Doctor. With his provocation, the day of the Fallen Heart Flame’s rampage was not far off. If he tried to seize it now, success was uncertain—and he would certainly offend Canaan Academy. But if he waited until the flame went berserk, then acted, not only would he avoid making enemies, but Canaan Academy would owe him a favor. Thanks to his provocation, the flame would erupt within a month or at most three.

Xiao Xie and Little Fairy Doctor had just departed when Elder Liu, the floor supervisor, hurried over. Sensing the elevated temperature, his expression darkened. “This is bad. How could the thing awaken early? I must inform the vice dean.”

…

Xiao Xie and Little Fairy Doctor were unaware of what transpired after their departure. Ultimately, Little Fairy Doctor entered the cultivation chamber on the sixth floor to begin her training. She had gathered many poisons, and with the help of the Fallen Heart Flame, she could rapidly refine them. It was clear that her cultivation was about to enter another explosive phase.

Xiao Xie himself entered the tenth floor to cultivate. On this level, there were no distinctions of rank—only inner academy elders could train here. Xiao Xie’s sudden appearance surprised these elders.

“Xiao Xie, how did you get into the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower so quickly?” Elder Su, who had brought Xiao Xie and his companions into the inner academy the previous day, was present. Seeing Xiao Xie, he immediately came over.

“I wanted to try out cultivation here first,” Xiao Xie replied with a smile.

“What about Green Scale and Little Fairy Doctor? Did they come as well?” Elder Su asked, noticing Xiao Xie was alone.

“Green Scale is cultivating on the first floor; Little Fairy Doctor is on the sixth. I decided to come to the lowest floor myself,” Xiao Xie replied. Only those with at least five stars in Dou Wang could enter the tenth floor, so aside from Xiao Xie, the others here were elders.

Elder Su smiled, “Since it’s your first time cultivating in the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, let me introduce you to the place.”

With that, he led Xiao Xie through an unoccupied door into a room. Following Elder Su inside, Xiao Xie felt a cool sensation climb up from his feet as he stepped onto the stone floor, bringing a refreshing chill to his whole body.

The room was softly lit—neither glaring nor dim. Like the advanced chambers on the other nine floors, it was designed for solitary cultivation, so while not overly spacious, it was far from cramped, covering more than thirty square meters. At the center stood a broad platform made of black stone, raised two inches above the floor.

“This area in the center is where you cultivate,” Elder Su explained. “There’s a protruding slot here. You just insert your Fire Crystal Card, activate your technique, and the heart flame will flow ceaselessly into your body, allowing you to temper your Dou Qi, strengthen meridians and bones, and increase your power.”

Examining the platform, Xiao Xie indeed found a slot about an inch high for the card.

Elder Su continued, “You must remember, the heart flame contains a violent fire force. When purifying impurities from your Dou Qi, a trace of that force will mix in. So, you must be cautious. If you feel anything amiss, leave the tower and rest for half a day before resuming your cultivation.”

Xiao Xie nodded. “Thank you for the explanation, Elder Su.”

“It’s nothing. Since you’re familiar with the process, I’ll leave you to it.” With that, Elder Su turned and exited.

After Elder Su left, Xiao Xie sat cross-legged at the center of the platform, took out his violet Fire Crystal Card, and inserted it into the slot. A faint click sounded, and a gentle light burst from the recess. As the light appeared, Xiao Xie saw the number on his card drop from one hundred to ninety—ten points deducted instantly. The energy consumed on the tenth floor was ten times that of the first.

Soon after the deduction, Xiao Xie closed his eyes, laid his hands across his legs, and formed the cultivation seal, his body as motionless as an old monk in meditation. In the solitude and tranquility of his mind, only the steady, ancient rhythm of his heartbeat echoed gently.

Entering the cultivation state, Xiao Xie’s sensitivity to the energy of heaven and earth heightened dramatically. He sensed the dense, scorching energy filling the chamber. In such a place, those cultivating fire-type techniques would undoubtedly achieve far greater results than others.