trade

In the original story, beneath the Jia Nan Academy's Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower, two Fallen Heart Flames had actually been nurtured.

One was the 'adult form' currently before them, which had been suppressed for a long time, possessed mature intelligence, and was filled with soaring resentment.

Deeper down, at the core of the magma ley lines, a newborn 'infant form' was also quietly being nurtured.

However, in the original story, this infant form wasn't discovered until much later.

Now, perhaps due to the deep exploration of Shen Wen's Flame Ancestral Symbol, or because the violent riot of the adult Fallen Heart Flame had affected the ley lines, this infant form had revealed some traces ahead of schedule.

Shen Wen's mind raced, and he instantly understood many of the connections.

He didn't linger; with a thought, the space rippled slightly, and his figure disappeared from within the Formation, reappearing beside Su Qian.

Seeing Shen Wen return safely, and seeing that the Fallen Heart Flame below seemed temporarily suppressed, Su Qian breathed a massive sigh of relief and hurriedly stepped forward to ask, "Young Friend Shen, how is the situation? Are you injured?"

The other several Elders also cast glances of concern and inquiry.

Shen Wen shook his head and looked at Su Qian, a somewhat subtle expression appearing on his face.

"Elder Su," he began, "I have some good news and some bad news."

Su Qian's heart, which had just settled, instantly leapt back into his throat. He swallowed hard, his voice involuntarily tightening. "Please speak, Young Friend Shen."

Shen Wen pointed to the temporarily calm deep hole below. His tone was steady, but the words he spoke caused Su Qian's face to turn pale instantly:

"The bad news is that the power accumulated by this Fallen Heart Flame is far stronger than we estimated."

"The prowess it's currently unleashing is already comparable to a Douzong Peak. Even... if it disregards everything and draws upon all the energy of the magma ley lines for a final stand, it's not impossible for it to burst with the destructive power of a Douzun Peak for a short time."

"Furthermore," Shen Wen paused, watching the horror rapidly gather in Su Qian's eyes, and continued, "its condition is... worse than I previously judged."

"It has been imprisoned, utilized, and had its power extracted for too long. Its accumulated resentment and desire for destruction have seeped deep into its Origin. Right now, rather than a mass of Heavenly Flame, it is more like a Vicious Beast of vengeance that has been driven mad by torture and only wants to drag everything down with it."

"The possibility of a peaceful subjugation is... infinitesimal."

Su Qian's body swayed. He had to reach out and brace himself against the scalding stone wall to stay standing.

Destructive power at the Douzun level?

A Vicious Beast of vengeance?

An infinitesimal chance of subjugation? Every word felt like a heavy hammer smashing against his heart. If this were true, then Jia Nan Academy... He took several deep breaths of the scorching air, forcing himself to calm down, and asked in a raspy voice, "Then... what is the good news?"

Shen Wen's gaze shifted further down the deep hole, as if he could pierce through the layers of molten lava to see that newborn flame. A faint curve formed at the corner of his mouth.

"The good news is," Shen Wen withdrew his gaze and looked at Su Qian, his eyes flashing with a strange light, "underneath this, besides this 'old' one, there is also a 'new' one."

"One that was born not long ago, with newly awakened intelligence, not yet polluted by resentment, as pure as a blank sheet of paper..."

"An infant Fallen Heart Flame."

Shen Wen's voice wasn't loud, but it possessed a peculiar penetrating power that echoed clearly at the scorching, oppressive bottom of the tower.

"Perhaps, we can make a deal."

Su Qian barely managed to shake off his horror. Hearing this, he was stunned. "A deal?"

"Elder Su's concern is that if this mature Fallen Heart Flame is taken away, the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower will exist in name only, and the Jia Nan Academy's Foundation will be shaken, correct?" Shen Wen looked at him with a calm gaze.

Su Qian nodded bitterly. This was precisely the core issue over which he and the other Elders had been in constant disagreement and internal conflict.

Losing the Fallen Heart Flame would mean the Refining Tower's effectiveness would drop to less than ten percent, which would be a devastating blow to the academy.

Yet keeping it was like holding a bomb that could explode at any moment with enough power to destroy the entire academy.

"I will help you solve this problem." Shen Wen pointed beneath their feet. "That newborn infant Fallen Heart Flame with pure intelligence—I can help you guide and settle it into the core of this Formation."

His tone was certain, as if he were speaking of something trivial.

"Although the infant's power is far inferior to this mature one, its Origin characteristic of 'heart-fire soul forging' is identical."

"With it as the new heart of the tower, combined with an appropriate Formation for guidance, the Sky Burning Qi Refining Tower's Cultivation effectiveness might decrease by thirty percent in the Early Stage, but it will be safe and stable."

"And as time passes and this newborn Heavenly Flame gradually grows, its effectiveness will not only recover but may even become stronger."

Shen Wen paused, turning his gaze toward the colorless Fire Python below the deep hole, which still radiated a dangerous aura even while suppressed.

"As for this old, resentment-filled one... it goes to me. I will take it away and handle it, ending the trouble forever. For you, it is exchanging an uncontrollable disaster for a safe and reliable future Foundation. What do you say?"

Su Qian was completely stunned, his mouth hanging slightly open. The expression on his face shifted from shock to unbelievable wild joy, only to be covered by immense doubt soon after.

The six Elders behind him also stopped their meditation, casting gazes that were a mix of shock and suspicion.

The knot that had troubled the academy's upper echelon for so long and was nearly unsolvable... was being offered a seemingly perfect solution so casually by this young man?

"Shen... Young Friend Shen," Su Qian's voice trembled with excitement. He took a step forward, staring intently into Shen Wen's eyes as if trying to confirm the truth of these words. "Are you serious? Can that infant... truly replace it? And how can you ensure it is safely guided and settled? This... this is simply..."

He didn't finish the sentence, but the meaning was clear—this sounded too good, like an unrealistic fantasy.

Shen Wen didn't show any displeasure at being questioned; instead, he nodded understandingly.

Anyone facing such a sudden 'light at the end of the tunnel' would inevitably react with suspicion first.

"I have no reason to lie to you." Shen Wen's tone remained steady, yet it carried a convincing confidence. "Taking this mature Fallen Heart Flame benefits me. Solving your worries and leaving a safer tower heart is merely something I can do in passing to build some goodwill. As for how to guide and settle it..."

A wisp of Chaos flame danced on his fingertip, faintly emitting a pressure that caused the Fire Python below to shrink back once more.

"With this, and my slight mastery of Space Power, doing this isn't too difficult. The key is whether you are willing to trust me and cooperate fully."

Su Qian's chest heaved, his emotions churning violently.

He turned back to exchange looks with the several Elders; everyone saw the shock, hesitation, and an uncontrollable sliver of hope in each other's eyes.

Indeed, what reason did Shen Wen have to lie to them?

A scam always seeks profit, yet in the plan Shen Wen proposed, it seemed their academy was getting the better end of the deal.

Exchanging a bomb that was bound to explode for a safe and potential-filled new core.

Meanwhile, Shen Wen himself would take away that extremely dangerous, difficult-to-subjugate 'bomb'.

From the perspective of interest, Shen Wen was taking on the greatest risk.

But this was precisely what Su Qian found hardest to believe.

Would someone really be willing to do something so seemingly 'thankless'? Just to 'build some goodwill'?

Silence spread through the scorching air, broken only by the occasional gurgling of bubbles from the magma below.