Battle Through the Heavens: Harmony of Flame and Shadow

Jiang Yun continued to walk forward. The grandeur of the Heavenly Flame Training Tower was quite astonishing. From afar, it seemed like only the tip of the tower was visible, but upon closer inspection, even this tip was as tall as a three-story building.

Jiang Yun's gaze swept over the area. Many people around were traveling in groups, some wearing distinctive emblems, likely representing various factions. This indicated the numerous forces within the Inner Academy.

At this time, the students from Xiao Yan's cohort hadn't arrived in the Inner Academy yet. The current factions and powerhouses on the ranking list were different people, but they weren't weak either.

Jiang Yun found a vantage point and quietly watched the crowd below. He wasn't in a rush, as he had a Green Fire Crystal Card, allowing him to train on the fifth or sixth floor without urgency.

A large crowd had gathered on an empty plot near the tower, divided into several distinct areas. Each area had a large group of people sitting cross-legged, all wearing emblems, suggesting they were from various powerful factions within the Inner Academy.

"Dong..."

An ancient bell tolled, resonating across the area. As the bell rang, all the veteran students stopped their chatter and eagerly looked at the Heavenly Flame Training Tower.

"Open the tower!"

With the toll of the bell, an aged voice seemed to emanate from within the tower. The previously sealed black door at the top creaked open slowly, releasing a faint heat that caused the surrounding temperature to rise slightly.

"Those who want to enter the tower can go in now!"

The aged voice called out again, igniting the entire plaza. The sound of wind-breaking was heard as countless figures shot towards the tower gate. The crowd also surged towards the Black Tower.

Jiang Yun followed the crowd into the tower. As he approached the gate, he felt an irregular heartbeat, and the Sacred Heavenly Demon Flame in his dantian suddenly stirred.

Jiang Yun's face flushed, and faint white vapor began to seep from his body.

Some veteran students noticed Jiang Yun's condition and remarked in surprise at his age, "Who is this kid? Which elder's prodigy is he? How dare he enter the Heavenly Flame Training Tower unguarded for the first time?"

"Who knows? Maybe he's the grandson of an elder, brought here to experience Inner Academy life in advance?"

"Don't speculate blindly. He's Jiang Yun, the infamous newcomer who defeated the Black Demon and White Demon teams in the Fire Energy Hunt."

Someone in the crowd recognized Jiang Yun and explained, making everyone aware of his identity as the renowned prodigy. Their gazes toward Jiang Yun were filled with surprise and apprehension.

Of course, some had inscrutable looks, wondering about Jiang Yun's wealth, given his achievements.

Unaware of others' intentions, Jiang Yun inwardly focused on the invisible flame within his body. Though intangible, the flame's high temperature distorted the surrounding space, causing a burning sensation in his veins and organs and providing a sharp pain that revealed the terror of Fallen Heart Flame.

"Fallen Heart Flame is known as a cheat in training. It can refine Dou Qi, making it purer, saving time on refining external Dou Qi, and drastically speeding up cultivation. I wonder if my Dou Qi can still be refined?"

Cultivating the Scarlet Flame Treasure Canon, which was equivalent to a low-level Earth-tier technique on Dou Qi Continent, along with absorbing Sacred Heavenly Demon Flame since childhood, had made his Dou Qi extremely pure. Jiang Yun wasn't sure if the weak projection of Fallen Heart Flame would be effective for him.

As he pondered, he passed some strands of black-and-white Dou Qi through the flame. Already highly refined, his Dou Qi became even more condensed, although the change was minimal and not too evident.

"There is still an effect. Before reaching Dou Wang, the projected Fallen Heart Flame from the Heavenly Flame Training Tower should still be useful to me. After reaching Dou Wang, only the true body of the Fallen Heart Flame might help."

With that clarified, Jiang Yun willed the Sacred Heavenly Demon Flame to pounce on the formless flame like a hungry wolf.

Opening his eyes, Jiang Yun saw a group of people looking at him in astonishment.

"You freed yourself from the Heart Flame's burning?" The leading elder's eyes widened, his tone mixed with disbelief. After all these years, this was the first time he had seen anyone actively break free from the Heart Flame's burning.

"Is this the extraordinary aspect of the Heavenly Flame Training Tower? Interesting!" Jiang Yun asked knowingly.

The elder nodded, looking at Jiang Yun with sparkling eyes, "Good lad, you must be the prodigy of this batch! Truly capable. I am Elder Liu, the guardian of the first floor of the Heavenly Flame Training Tower. You can call me Elder Liu."

Elder Liu looked kindly at Jiang Yun, clearly approving of this young man's abilities.

Jiang Yun did not presume. In the Jia Nan Academy, an elder's status was high, requiring at least the strength of a Dou Wang.

Only the highly exceptional in the Inner Academy received special attention from elders because such individuals had the potential to reach or even surpass their mentors before graduation. Even Inner Academy elders would try to draw such people into their factions.

Where there are people, there is strife, whether for power or benefits. Jia Nan Academy was a massive entity, and neither the Inner nor Outer Academy was of a single faction.

"Jiang Yun greets Elder Liu!" Jiang Yun greeted respectfully, then asked, "Elder, I have a Green Fire Crystal Card. Can I go to the lower levels?"

Elder Liu looked at the Green Fire Crystal Card in Jiang Yun's hand with a flicker of surprise. He cautioned, "The card theoretically allows access to the fifth and sixth floors, but you're only an eight-star Great Dou Shi; it might be too early."

"Don't worry, Elder Liu, I have confidence!" Jiang Yun smiled faintly. Normally, training in the Heavenly Flame Training Tower would expose one to fire poison, which limited their stay.

However, possessing the Sacred Heavenly Demon Flame and having the Nine Divine Veins, Jiang Yun was not threatened by the fire poison in the Heavenly Flame Training Tower.

"Alright! You prodigies always have extraordinary plans." Elder Liu considered for a moment before nodding. He didn't doubt Jiang Yun's strength, as Jiang Yun's prowess in the Fire Energy Hunt was well known among the elders.

An eight-star Great Dou Shi defeating two five-star Dou Lings, possibly using Earth-tier Dou Techniques (or cultivation techniques), was a rare success even among Dou Wangs, highlighting Jiang Yun's remarkable capabilities.

Following Elder Liu, Jiang Yun arrived at the sixth floor. The pervasive heat in the air seemed almost tangible, with nearly invisible heat waves giving an almost physical form to the Heart Flame.

The sixth floor was sparsely populated, as mainly Dou Ling-level students ventured there.

Jiang Yun took out his Fire Crystal Card and swiped it at the door to the training room, which opened immediately.

Although Dou Qi Continent lacked artifact craftsmen, these extraordinary gadgets hinted at a previously thriving era of crafting, possibly remnants from that era's destruction.

Jiang Yun smoothly entered the advanced training room, inserted the Green Fire Crystal Card into the slot, and sat on an obsidian mat.

Instantly, an intense invisible flame appeared within him, denser than the Heart Flame he encountered earlier.

Jiang Yun willed his Dou Qi to flow towards the invisible flame. Sizzling sounds emerged as Jiang Yun began his journey of refining Dou Qi.

As Jiang Yun's technique operated, energy fluctuations surged, and Heart Flame energy gathered from all sides, forming almost substantial red energy.

These nearly real red energies swirled around Jiang Yun, then, as if pulled by an unseen force, crashed into his body, merging completely within him.

Jiang Yun's body absorbed all energy like a black hole, drawing more energy towards him.

At this moment, Jiang Yun resembled an endless vortex of suction, swallowing the rich Heart Flame energy in the training room.

Such a terrifying devour would shock others, who carefully absorbed energy, to stupor.

While Jiang Yun trained intensely, a strange fluctuation emerged from a dark pit in the center of the Heavenly Flame Training Tower.

Deep darkness stretched to the limit of vision, creating a dizzying effect with its total lack of light.

Suspended in that darkness was a colossal invisible flame python, around ten meters thick but with an unknown length.

This was the Fallen Heart Flame, now powerful enough to form intelligent, emotional fire spirits.

It was a threat even to Dou Zong cultivators.

The fire python, enveloped in distorted flames, had large triangular eyes continuously emitting invisible flames. It seemed to sense something, raising its head as if seeing through layers of seals to Jiang Yun's training room.

Roaring with rage, the Fallen Heart Flame shot out of the darkness. Just as it reached five meters from the pit's edge, the surrounding space rippled, and a spatial barrier formed.

Although the fire python's assault was grand, it only caused minor ripples on the spatial barrier without breaking it.

Failing to break through, the Fallen Heart Flame grew frantic, spewing invisible flames trying to burn the spatial cage. Regardless, the barrier stood firm.

After a prolonged bout of fury, the Fallen Heart Flame exhausted its strength, roared in anger, and retreated into the dark pit, dissolving back into an amorphous flame.

With its retreat, the spatial barrier faded and disappeared.

As the Fallen Heart Flame settled, a faint voice echoed within the tower, unnoticed by anyone else.

"Strange… the aura of the Everlasting Fire Body?"

Following the voice's disappearance, the meditating Jiang Yun subconsciously furrowed his brows briefly before resuming his calm.

"Not bad, already at the peak of nine-star Great Dou Shi. With a bit more settling, I can break through to Dou Ling."

Within the Heavenly Flame Training Tower, Jiang Yun slowly opened his eyes, and the surrounding flame vortex began to dissipate with his awakening. Though his cultivation hadn't dramatically changed, he was now half a step into the Dou Ling realm.

This was over twenty percent faster than his usual cultivation, making the effort worthwhile.

Moreover, he had gained something else.

Thinking of something, a flash of mystery crossed Jiang Yun's dark eyes before they returned to a calm state.

Feeling the surging power within, Jiang Yun smiled, gathered his belongings, and left the advanced training room.

"Kid, you trained for half a month on your first try. I thought something happened to you. Didn't expect you to come out lively. Looks like the recognized prodigy lives up to the name!"

Inside the Heavenly Flame Training Tower, Elder Liu chatted with Jiang Yun, his eyes filled with undisguisable curiosity.

The tower's training effect was well-known, but no trainee could stay long.

No one below Dou Wang could endure more than ten days due to the toxic Heart Flame, making long stays risky.

Yet Jiang Yun, a new student with his first exposure to the tower, stayed for half a month, breaking records even for senior students. This already marked him as extraordinary.

However, recalling Jiang Yun's impressive feats, Elder Liu felt it wasn't surprising. A similarly normal person wouldn't deserve the title 'prodigy.'

"Just small tricks!"

Jiang Yun chuckled lightly, his eyes tranquil, as if this exceedingly extraordinary feat was unremarkable to him.

Elder Liu, admiring Jiang Yun's talent, advised, "Youngsters should be full of vigor. Don't act too mature. Time flies, and you'll regret it when you're old."

Upon hearing this, a strange light flickered in Jiang Yun's eyes. He responded with a light laugh, "Thank you for the advice, Elder Liu."

"You can leave now. A girl has been looking for you every day. You're lucky, kid!" Elder Liu said in a teasing tone, eyes sparkling, lowering his voice conspiratorially.

(End of chapter)