Chapter 270: Five-Star Dou Wang, The Unsealing of the Fallen Heart Flame!
Time flew by, passing quickly.
In the blink of an eye, two or three days had passed since the conclusion of the intense Inner Academy Strong Ranking Tournament. Even now, when people recalled the thrilling battles, they still showed expressions of amazement.
All across the Inner Academy, discussions about the exciting matches during the tournament continued. Among these, the most talked-about battles were Xiao Yan vs. Liu Qing and Xun'er vs. Lin Xiuya.
No one expected that Xiao Yan, the biggest dark horse of the tournament, could actually bring down a seasoned powerhouse like Liu Qing. Although, to be fair, the two only ended in a draw. Due to the heavy toll the fight took on both, they were unable to continue, ultimately tying for tenth place.
Considering that Xiao Yan had only been in the Inner Academy for half a year and managed to hold his own against the renowned Liu Qing, it was clear that his potential was terrifying.
At the same time, whispers about the "Twin Dragons of the Xiao Family" spread throughout the academy. After all, the Canaan Academy recruited many students from the Jia Ma Empire each year, and the Xiao Family's fame was well known in the empire. Thanks to the students from Jia Ma spreading the word, the title "Twin Dragons of the Xiao Family," referring to Mo Yu and Xiao Yan, echoed throughout Canaan Academy!
After Xiao Yan and Liu Qing stepped down, the tournament continued. Although the following battles were still intense, none could match the shock that Xiao Yan and Liu Qing had delivered.
Their battle had already surpassed the limits of an ordinary Dou Ling fighter. How could anyone top that?
The ranking matches dragged on until late afternoon, finally coming to a close. After a series of fierce battles, the new Strong Ranking list was finalized.
First place, as expected, went to the little monster Zi Yan. However, some speculated that if Mo Yu, the leader of the Ink Gang, had participated, the outcome might have been different.
Second place, unsurprisingly, went to Lin Xiuya. Without Liu Qing and with Xiao Yan emerging as a rising star, no one could challenge his position, allowing him to retain his spot as the second-strongest fighter.
Third place, originally Liu Qing's, was taken by Qian Mo in his absence.
The battle for fourth place was more intense, but against all odds, Lin Yan rose to the occasion, climbing from ninth place to fourth.
The competition for the remaining six spots was equally fierce. By the end of the day, only two of the former top ten managed to retain their ranks, with the rest being newcomers.
Although the official ranking placed Xiao Yan and Liu Qing in a tie for tenth, everyone knew that in their hearts, this spot truly belonged to the fierce Liu Qing and the rising Xiao Yan.
Additionally, Mo Yu's absence left many wondering. If he had participated, would everyone have had to shift their rankings down?
As the final battle concluded, just as the audience was preparing to leave, something unexpected happened that left them stunned.
According to tradition, after the Strong Ranking Tournament ends, there are usually a few exhibition matches where fighters can challenge anyone from the top ten. These are more for entertainment and not as formal as the official matches.
Most years, no one actually steps forward to challenge the top ten, as those who qualify are the elite of the Inner Academy. Challenging them without being at their level would be foolish.
But this year, the post-tournament exhibition match left everyone speechless.
The challenger was a beautiful girl whose appearance took everyone's breath away. And shockingly, she challenged none other than Lin Xiuya!
Even more surprising, Xiao Xun'er completely defeated Lin Xiuya!
This outcome stunned everyone. Lin Xiuya had long been the second-ranked fighter in the Strong Ranking, yet he was effortlessly defeated by the sweet and harmless-looking Xun'er.
Even after three days, whenever this was brought up, people's faces still reflected the shock they felt. No one had expected that the quiet and beautiful girl was hiding such terrifying power.
With Xun'er and Xiao Yan making such a splash, in just a few days, the reputation of Pan Gate skyrocketed, catching up with factions like Wolf Fang and Cracked Mountain, and even challenging the Ink Gang!
As the Strong Ranking Tournament came to an end, the Inner Academy gradually returned to normal.
However, this calm didn't last long. The next day, the academy was buzzing with excitement again.
Today, the top ten fighters from the Strong Ranking were about to enter the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower to undergo the rare and coveted Heart Flame Body Tempering process. This was an opportunity that made everyone envious.
In the Ink Gang, a large group had gathered around Lin Yan and Qian Mo, offering congratulations.
"Senior Lin Yan, Senior Qian Mo, congratulations!" A group of Ink Gang members looked at the two in admiration. The chance to undergo Heart Flame Body Tempering was priceless.
More importantly, only those ranked in the top ten could experience this process. It was rumored that decades ago, a top-tier expert from the Black-Corner Region had tried to trade a Tier Six pill with the Canaan Academy for a chance for his disciple to undergo the Heart Flame Body Tempering. But the academy refused without hesitation, showing just how valuable this opportunity was.
"Heh, there's no need to envy us. The Heart Flame Body Tempering is just one step toward breaking through to the Dou Wang level. It's not absolutely necessary; otherwise, the boss wouldn't have passed on it," Lin Yan said, waving his hand dismissively.
Qian Mo nodded in agreement. "I have a feeling that the next time we see the boss, he'll surprise us."
Hearing this, the Ink Gang members all nodded. Mo Yu had become somewhat of a legend within the gang. Though they didn't understand why he skipped the Strong Ranking Tournament, they trusted he had his reasons.
After exchanging a few more words, the large group from the Ink Gang headed toward the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower.
Not only the Ink Gang, but also Xiao Yan's Pan Gate and Lin Xiuya's Wolf Fang arrived at the scene.
Lin Yan glanced at the Wolf Fang members trailing behind Lin Xiuya. There were only about twenty of them, and while they were all strong, most were around the level of a one-star Dou Ling.
Meanwhile, the Ink Gang, after inadvertently advertising their weapons during the Strong Ranking Tournament, had attracted many new recruits. Among them were nearly ten Dou Ling-level fighters.
With twenty Dou Lings in total, the Ink Gang now matched Wolf Fang in numbers and even surpassed them in quality. Adding in the rest of the gang, the Ink Gang had thoroughly outclassed Wolf Fang.
Thinking about their leader's prowess, Lin Yan couldn't help but marvel.
His attention then turned to Pan Gate. Initially, he hadn't thought much of this new faction, but after Xiao Yan defeated Liu Qing, Lin Yan knew that Pan Gate's rise was inevitable. With Xiao Yan as the core, and their ability to sell medicinal pills, Pan Gate was growing rapidly in popularity—almost as fast as the Ink Gang.
However, remembering the close relationship between Mo Yu and Xiao Yan, Lin Yan smiled to himself. As long as the "Twin Dragons of the Xiao Family" were alive, the Ink Gang and Pan Gate would never be enemies.
As he pondered this, Lin Yan suddenly furrowed his brows. He noticed that Xiao Xun'er, the same person who had defeated Lin Xiuya, was not present with Pan Gate.
While Lin Yan was deep in thought, the Inner Academy had restricted access to the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower, allowing only the top ten fighters inside. As the large group from the Ink Gang arrived, they immediately drew attention.
Various murmurs spread through the crowd, but Lin Yan and his group, confident in their numbers, pushed through like a sharp blade, finding a spot near the entrance of the tower to sit.
Not long after the Ink Gang settled in, Liu Qing and his Cracked Mountain faction arrived as well.
Shortly after Liu Qing's arrival, several more figures appeared. Half an hour later, a rush of wind could be heard from the sky, and a group of elderly figures appeared outside the tower's entrance.
Leading them was none other than the Grand Elder, Su Qian.
"Heh, it seems everyone is here," Su Qian said with a glance around the area. Without wasting any time, he waved his hand, and with a creaking sound, the heavy doors of the tower slowly opened.
"The top ten, follow me inside. Everyone else, you are not permitted to enter today. If you try, you will be banned from the tower for six months," Su Qian said sternly, causing the crowd to shrink back in fear. He then turned and led the top ten into the tower.
As they followed Su Qian inside, the top ten fighters felt the envious gazes of everyone else.
Meanwhile, in the deepest part of the Heaven Burning Qi Refining Tower, time passed unnoticed.
Day after day, time flew by, and soon it had been a month and a half since Mo Yu had arrived at the bottom of the tower.
In the silent depths of the tower, time flowed without interruption, until one day, something unusual happened—something that broke the monotony.
A massive energy vortex suddenly appeared above Mo Yu's head, swirling like a whirlpool. As the vortex slowed and finally stopped, a torrent of energy poured down like a rainstorm, forming a cyclone that Mo Yu absorbed into his body.
The moment the immense energy entered his body, the previously calm expression on Mo Yu's face changed. His aura, like a dormant volcano, suddenly erupted, rising rapidly!
At the same time, his silver eyes, which had been closed for nearly two months, slowly opened, trembling slightly!
As his eyes opened, silver lightning crackled across his gaze. At that moment, a faint crackling sound echoed through the quiet depths of the tower.
With the opening of those silver eyes, an overwhelming aura that had been dormant for over a month began to stir, like a sleeping lion waking and letting out a deep roar.
Under the pressure of this aura, the floor of the tower began to tremble, and small cracks started to spread from where Mo Yu sat, covering the ground like a spiderweb.
"Five-Star Dou Wang!"
"I can't believe the remaining energy from the Heavenly Thunder boosted me by five stars!"
Feeling the power coursing through him, Mo Yu's silver eyes flashed with excitement. He hadn't expected that after breaking through to Dou Wang, the leftover energy from the Heavenly Thunder would push him all the way to five stars!
With this newfound strength, he could likely even hold his own against a Dou Huang (Dou Emperor) for a few rounds!
However, before Mo Yu could fully enjoy his success, his sharp spiritual sense detected the approach of more than a dozen familiar auras from the upper floors of the tower.
"Could it be? Is today the day for the Heart Flame Body Tempering?" Mo Yu thought, his face darkening. "Talk about timing… it feels like I'm walking right into a trap."
As Mo Yu's mind raced, something else began to stir nearby. From the ground beneath him, violent and intense energy began to surge up from the magma below.
As this wild energy rose, the previously calm magma world erupted into chaos. Winds howled across the magma surface, whipping up fiery waves more than thirty feet high before crashing down with a thunderous roar, like the earth itself was shaking.
Seeing this, Mo Yu's expression darkened.
The Fallen Heart Flame was about to break free from its seal ahead of schedule!
(End of Chapter)