168: Chapter 168 Elders! Please Pick Up Your Morals!

"Senior, let's go."

After slaying a Dou Zong level Flame Lizardman with a single sword strike, Xiao Ting's expression didn't change at all. He raised his hand and controlled the flying sword to come before Venerable Skyfire.

Yao Tianhuo hid the surprise in his eyes, and his soul body turned into a streak of light, entering the flying sword. He found no discomfort; in fact, he felt very comfortable.

It made sense; this flying sword was refined by Xiao Ting using the essence of his Dou Zun skeletal remains, so he would naturally find it easy to handle.

"Actually, being a sword spirit isn't bad either," Yao Tianhuo joked.

"Senior, I don't like male sword spirits," Xiao Ting chuckled.

Wrapping the Fallen Heart Flame seedling with his Purple Heaven Flame, Xiao Ting arrived atop the head of the mature, python-like Fallen Heart Flame. He reached out and gave it a gentle pat: "Let's go, take me up."

Under the intimidation of the Purple Heaven Flame, the fire python formed by the Fallen Heart Flame was very obedient and immediately sprinted upward with Xiao Ting.

About fifteen minutes later, Xiao Ting saw the center of the barrier sealing the main body of the Fallen Heart Flame.

At this moment, many people were gathered around the perimeter of the barrier. First Elder Su Qian asked a Dou Huang expert responsible for maintaining the protective seal with a solemn expression: "Did Xiao Ting really tear open the barrier and break in by himself?"

"The Fallen Heart Flame didn't riot, but instead welcomed him quite joyfully?"

"And then Xiao Ting entered the Lava World?"

Su Qian found it all hard to believe.

If he were to enter the Lava World beneath the barrier's seal, the home turf of the Fallen Heart Flame, even he wouldn't be a match for it.

Xiao Ting's strength was indeed great; at the peak of the Dou Wang stage, he could first heavily injure the Gold and Silver Elders before finishing them off, and later slay the Medicine Emperor Han Feng.

But it would still be difficult to contend with the Fallen Heart Flame, especially the one within the Lava World.

Yet the guardian elder said the Fallen Heart Flame welcomed Xiao Ting's entry.

Did he think Su Qian was that easy to fool?

Right then, the surrounding temperature suddenly began to rise rapidly, and the fire-attribute energy in the world became extremely active. The sealing barrier left behind by Mang Tianchi followed suit, appearing with terrifying power.

"Has the Fallen Heart Flame gone berserk?"

Su Qian's expression changed drastically, and he immediately prepared to command the elders to form an array.

But in the next moment, he and the elders beside him witnessed a scene they would never forget.

The massive fire python formed by the Fallen Heart Flame flew out from the underground magma, all the way to the core of the barrier. Standing on its head was a young man with an otherworldly temperament—it was exactly the Xiao Ting he had worried was in grave danger.

"Thanks for the hard work."

Xiao Ting crouched down and patted the head of the Fallen Heart Flame.

"Roar!" The Fallen Heart Flame gave a response.

None of them understood the language of Heavenly Flames, yet they could all feel its current joy.

"What the hell!?" Many elders secretly circulated their cultivation techniques, using Dou Qi to stimulate themselves to ensure they weren't dreaming.

"First Elder." Xiao Ting stood up and nodded to Su Qian, smiling: "You've come at just the right time. Please open the barrier; it saves me the effort of having to tear through space to get out."

Su Qian: "..."

Despite being speechless and shocked, Su Qian moved very quickly, immediately forming hand seals to open a gap in the barrier.

To his surprise, the Fallen Heart Flame, which would usually strike the seal at any opportunity to try and escape, showed no unusual movement even as the gap appeared in space.

Xiao Ting took a step forward, his body drifting away like sparks and condensing a dozen feet in front of Su Qian in an instant. He spoke: "First Elder, I want to make a deal with the academy. I hope you can let me take the Fallen Heart Flame with me."

"What did you say?" Su Qian showed an expression of disbelief. In his impression, Xiao Ting wasn't the type to have wild fantasies: "Xiao Ting, you should be clear about the importance of the Fallen Heart Flame to the Jia Nan Academy's Inner Academy. It is the foundation of the Burning Sky Qi Refining Tower, and the Burning Sky Qi Refining Tower is one of the pillars of the Jia Nan Academy."

"On the Fighting Qi Continent, some powerful families and factions are willing to let their descendants study at Jia Nan Academy precisely because they value the cultivation acceleration effect brought by the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower."

Xiao Ting asking him, the First Elder, to resign would be more plausible than wanting to take the Fallen Heart Flame.

Hearing this, Xiao Ting smiled calmly: "First Elder, the eruptions of the Fallen Heart Flame have become more and more frequent over the years, and you all find it increasingly difficult to cope. Perhaps one day it will break through the seal, destroy the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, and escape, right?"

This was a fact that Su Qian could not refute, but he wasn't afraid either: "I have been in contact with the Headmaster, asking him to return to Jia Nan Academy when he has time. When that happens, the problem of the Fallen Heart Flame will be easily solved."

"Even if the Headmaster comes, he will just reinforce the seal, delaying the time until the Fallen Heart Flame breaks out. It treats the symptoms, not the cause." Xiao Ting raised his hand, condensing the Purple Heaven Flame: "I have a method here to solve it once and for all."

"Why doesn't the academy directly nurture a Fallen Heart Flame that is absolutely loyal to the academy and won't betray or cause trouble?"

As he spoke, the Purple Heaven Flame turned into the shape of a budding lotus flower and then bloomed, revealing the Fallen Heart Flame seedling within.

"This is..." Su Qian and the others' expressions changed drastically, their gazes becoming fervent.

"A Fallen Heart Flame, a seedling," Xiao Ting said with a smile. "Its basic abilities are the same as the mature body, and the heart flame it releases is enough for students below the Dou Ling level to use."

"As for the core heart flame needed to satisfy the cultivation needs of Dou Ling and Dou Wang, as long as the elders regularly activate the great array to help the seedling devour magma energy, it won't be a problem."

"It won't take much time for this Fallen Heart Flame to grow. When that time comes, many elders and deacons of the Inner Academy can be liberated. They won't have to stare at the sealing barrier and control the array anymore, worrying about which day the Fallen Heart Flame might suddenly erupt."

"With more elders regaining their freedom, it will bring more support to the Inner Academy."

Su Qian and the surrounding elders had to admit that Xiao Ting's proposal made their hearts flutter.

The Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower would be unaffected, and the crisis of the Fallen Heart Flame erupting would be completely resolved.

If nurtured well, the Fallen Heart Flame could even protect Jia Nan Academy.

There seemed to be no reason to refuse this deal.

"There are many elders present, and the Disciplinary Elder is here too. Why don't we take a vote on whether to agree to Xiao Ting's deal—trading the Fallen Heart Flame for a Fallen Heart Flame?" Su Qian's gaze swept across everyone's faces.

Seeing this, Xiao Ting spoke: "First Elder, I have completely stabilized my strength as a Tier 5 Alchemist. For the next period, I will refine more medicinal pills in the Inner Academy."

"I expect it won't be long before I can break through to the Sixth-Rank."

The elders: !!!

Who are you threatening?

Or rather, who are you tempting?

Do you think we'll agree just because you said that?

"I agree." The Fire Elder was the first to raise his hand: "Xiao Ting is helping the academy; I think he should be given a reward."

Everyone: As expected, you old fogey have the least backbone.

"This elder feels there is no problem." The Disciplinary Elder covered his mouth and gave a light cough: "This is indeed a deal beneficial to both parties."

No one expected even the Disciplinary Elder to defect.

Is a Sixth-Rank Alchemist really that attractive?

Well, the facts speak for themselves!

"Alright then, we agree to this matter." Su Qian made the decision on behalf of everyone, then asked: "But that peak Fallen Heart Flame—how are you going to take it away?"

.