After walking down the spiral staircase for approximately five minutes, the view ahead suddenly broadened. When he turned another corner, a spacious tower hall appeared before Xiao Yan's eyes. The second floor of the Tian Fen Lian Qi Tower was about the same size as the first floor, though it felt slightly more serene and less crowded. While there were occasional students passing through, the atmosphere was noticeably more relaxed than the first floor, where movement was often difficult. Some students who had just stepped out of their training rooms to take a brief rest were momentarily surprised by Xiao Yan's appearance, but there was no significant commotion. After glancing at him, their attention shifted to other matters, murmuring among themselves, puzzled as to why Xiao Yan could still be down here at this time. Xiao Yan withdrew his scanning gaze and did not particularly mind the surrounding glances, simply stepping forward into the second floor of the tower. Upon entering, he inhaled a slightly scorching air, sensing that the heat in this second level was considerably stronger than in the first. It seemed that with each successive level of the Sky-Burned Qi Tower, the temperature rose steadily—imagine what the final level must be like! There, only the senior elders might dare to venture. Walking steadily, Xiao Yan moved along the circular corridor, passing the lower-level training rooms on the left side. However, as his ambition lay elsewhere, he did not pause, continuing his path inward. After nearly seven to eight minutes, he reached the area of the mid-level training rooms located deeper within the tower. Standing before a mid-level cultivation chamber bearing a sign indicating it's short on practitioners, Xiao Yan hesitated slightly before entering immediately. After a moment of thoughtful consideration, he quietly made his way toward the central area of the tower floor. Since he was keen on obtaining the Fallen Heart Flame, he needed to understand precisely what this central, bottomless black hole was. As he stepped out of the mid-level cultivation zone and entered the high-level cultivation area, the chambers here appeared more refined than those outside, and their numbers had significantly decreased. Xiao Yan carefully counted and found that there were only eighteen high-level chambers. At that moment, each of these chambers was marked with a special sign indicating that someone was currently practicing—clearly, these spaces had already been occupied. Deeper within the advanced training hall stood a tall, imposing wall. At the iron gate beneath the wall, three middle-aged men, each wearing their mentor's insignia on their chests, stood with composed, detached expressions, their gaze simultaneously fixed on Xiao Yan who was parked at the intersection across from them—conveying a strong sense of vigilance. Whispering softly to himself, Xiao Yan paused, then looked up toward a small mid-level training room located a little distance to his left. Such a compact training room could only accommodate three to five practitioners, clearly falling short in space compared to those on the first floor. Surveying the surroundings, Xiao Yan noticed that only one room above had a sign indicating it was short-staffed, and thus he promptly moved toward that mid-level training room. As he approached, he gently pushed open the door and entered quietly, closing it behind him. Soft lighting illuminated every corner of the room. At the center, there were five black stone platforms spaced about two to three feet apart. At that moment, four of these platforms already had practitioners meditating in lotus positions. Xiao Yan then stepped forward, lifting his leg and walking toward the remaining empty platform. Perhaps due to the sound of the door opening, the four students who had been meditating closed their eyes and glanced at Xiao Yan with cautious expressions as he approached. Only after confirming that he did not wear any insignia representing a faction did they exhale in relief. Xiao Yan also scanned the four of them, noticing that none of them bore any faction insignia on their chests—thus, they must be the free-standing students, those not affiliated with any particular faction. Though Xiao Yan himself did not wear a faction insignia, the four students remained silent, merely observing his every movement. At the very moment the Qing Huo Crystal Card appeared in Xiao Yan's hands, four gasps echoed throughout the training room—each carrying a touch of astonishment, admiration, and yearning. Noticing the four yearning glances coming from the side, Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, hummed softly, and a powerful surge of energy erupted from within him. As the strong aura radiating from Xiao Yan flowed outward, the four individuals on the side subtly adjusted their expressions, quickly drawing back their yearning gazes, unwilling to display even the slightest greed—clearly, Xiao Yan's presence far surpassed theirs in strength. Seeing that he had successfully impressed them, Xiao Yan then gradually calmed his energy flow, inserting the Qing Huo Crystal Card into the slot before him. A gentle glow immediately blossomed from the card. However, as the glow intensified, Xiao Yan suddenly realized that the amount of fire energy displayed on the card had been deducted for two days' worth of energy all at once! Frowning slightly, Xiao Yan murmured to himself, "Could it be that the cost for daily training increases as one goes deeper down? The Inner Courtyard truly is quite strict." Shaking his head in resignation, Xiao Yan gradually closed his eyes, forming meditation hand seals before him. After a while, his breathing settled, and he once again entered a state of cultivation. Though the room was spacious, the atmosphere felt slightly stagnant. After a while, an elder whose features were somewhat blurred by age gently cleared his throat, breaking the quiet with his voice. His deep, resonant tone echoed softly throughout the room: "Lately, that thing has been growing increasingly unstable..." Upon hearing this, the other elders all furrowed their brows. "Over the past few days, I've observed that the fluctuations emanating from 'it' have become much more intense than before, and the emotional tone it emits has grown increasingly restless and agitated," he continued, speaking steadily. "Given this trend, I believe it will likely mount a major resurgence within the coming years. If things don't go well, this could prove to be a significant challenge." "Shall we strengthen our defenses once again together?" If all else fails, we should inform the heads of both the Inner and Outer Palaces. This matter must remain confidential—otherwise, the people from Black Angle Domain will surely grow restless and come rushing in to seize it. Though our Inner Palace is nestled deep in the mountains, it's actually quite close to Black Angle Domain in the north. Should anything happen, the elder figures who have long been monitoring us will immediately respond. With their experience, they may well take notice of the seal on the Sky-Burning Qi Tower...” One elder paused thoughtfully. “Defenses will certainly need to be strengthened. However, the Head of the Palace is currently in deep seclusion, and the Head of the Outer Palace also enjoys traveling frequently. At present, no one knows exactly where he is.” The first elder slowly shook his head, then after a brief silence, suddenly turned his gaze toward an elder standing in the corner, saying, “Master Liu, how has the young one with the unusual fire been doing lately?” "Currently refining at the second level. Perhaps it's because he too possesses the unique fire energy, allowing him to withstand the erosion of fire toxicity. As per the Grand Elder's instructions, I've been giving him ample attention." The elder who had previously met Xiao Yan promptly rose, bowing respectfully. "Indeed." The first elder, dressed in a dark robe, nodded slightly, his voice deep and somewhat weary: "Well, I never thought it possible—just one heart-fire that fell, and now it has enabled the rise of my inner courtyard. Yet here comes a young man barely in his twenties, independently possessing this rare treasure. Truly, it's something to envy. "Among you elders, whenever you encounter this young man, please extend him every possible favor. Perhaps, when the heart-fire becomes unstable in the future, we shall still rely on his strength... Ah, we must not underestimate the power of the unique fire. This extraordinary phenomenon, born from the convergence of celestial and terrestrial essences, possesses devastating potential. Should anything go wrong, the very inner courtyard might face extinction." The senior elder, completely enveloped in his black robe, exhaled a long breath and said, "Yes!" The dozen elders below, once deeply respected by the inner academy students, now rose to their feet and responded respectfully. "Hmm, well, that's enough. All of you may now disperse. By the way, keep a close eye on the major powers in the Black Corner Region to the north—especially those few. The Blood Sect has recently been experiencing some unrest, reportedly due to the passing of the elder's son. Truly, it's quite troublesome..." The senior elder waved his hand, then cleared his throat and continued. The elders nodded slightly, then gently shifted their forms, dissolving into indistinct black silhouettes that drifted away with a soft breeze, vanishing into the solidly built room.