An intangible flame rose and burned within his heart, steadily channeling streams of Qi from the Dou Crystal. After being refined by the flame, this Qi flowed back into the spiraling core of the crystal. Under this flawless cycle, the Dou Crystal—originally no larger than a thumb—had grown to nearly the size of a pigeon's egg. Moreover, the luminous glow within it became increasingly smooth and radiant. A continuous surge of inner flame rose from near the heart, providing Xiang Yan with an inexhaustible source of refining energy. After prolonged operation, nearly every aspect of the circulation within his body had evolved into an automatic, programmed process. The battle energy no longer required Xiang Yan’s conscious control—it flowed spontaneously from the battle crystal, traversed the flame pathways according to its established route, and then returned to the crystal. Naturally, Xiang Yan did not hesitate to disrupt this rare, self-sustaining state of cultivation. His mind remained calm and composed, as serene as an elder monk in meditation, undisturbed by any external stimuli, quietly observing the battle crystal grow increasingly radiant. Dòu Jīn's sudden move initially surprised Xiao Yan slightly, but soon he was filled with exhilaration, realizing that the opportunity for advancement had arrived! Though he forcefully suppressed the rising surge of joy, he issued no commands to Dòu Jīn, merely observing its subtle actions with the calm demeanor of a spectator. Suspended within the spiraling aura, the rhombus-shaped Dòu Jīn suddenly emitted a subtle pull. As this pull emerged, Xiao Yan noticed that the robust Dòu Qi still circulating through his meridians began to be drawn like a rushing flood, flowing silently with a deep, resonant roar, swiftly converging toward the spiraling aura located in his lower abdomen. At this moment, not only were changes occurring within Xiao Yan's body, but significant activity was also taking place outside of him. As the energy emitted by the battle crystals began to exert a pulling force, the energy surrounding Xiao Yan instantly surged and rippled. A short while later, waves of warm energy started rushing in, converging rapidly around him at the center. Due to the significantly higher energy levels within the training room compared to the outside environment, the energy streams formed a faint, swirling vortex that became clearly visible to onlookers as it rapidly developed around Xiao Yan. The other four students in the training room were startled from their meditation states by the sudden commotion. When they saw the energy vortex forming on Xiao Yan's body, they all paused in surprise, then expressed clear admiration—obviously recognizing what this phenomenon signified. "This guy has been meditating without eating or drinking for nearly four days—what a strange one..." One of the students, watching Xiao Yan desperately absorbing energy from his surroundings, murmured. Since Xiao Yan arrived at the training room four days ago, he had never moved an inch. While the other four students had gone out several times to rest before returning to train, Xiao Yan had remained in place, continuously meditating under the students' astonishment. Had it not been for the fact that Xiao Yan's breathing remained steady, they would have surely reported the situation to the tower's instructors. "I've just learned—he's actually the leading freshman of this year, named Xiao Yan, and he's quite strong. It's said that even Fu Ao from the Bai Clan has been defeated by him." A slightly delicate-looking girl, her eyes fixed on Xiao Yan's face, spoke carefully. "So he's Xiao Yan?" Hey, I used to doubt the rumors about him, but now that I've seen him, it seems they must be true. Upon hearing this, the other three students immediately looked surprised—though they hadn't joined any faction, they were still familiar with Xiao Yan's reputation. "Hush, please keep it quiet—what if we disturb him during his advancement? Then we'd be in trouble..." the woman gently placed her finger over her mouth. "Yes," the other three nodded in agreement, fully aware that interrupting someone during their advancement would surely set them into a furious rage. ... Within the cyclone, the Dou Crystal continued to exert a steady suction, drawing back all the Dou Qi within the meridians. Yet the Dou Qi flowing continuously from outside into the body did not immediately get absorbed by the crystal as the internal Qi had been—instead, it was guided to pass through the invisible flame within the body, undergoing refinement, then circulating once more along the meridians before finally being incorporated into the crystal under the satisfied gaze of Xiao Yan. Though no one directly controlled the crystal's actions, it executed each step—absorption, circulation, refinement—with flawless precision, and its mastery of timing and balance even surpassed what Xiao Yan himself could achieve when personally involved. In fact, Xiao Yan's hands-off approach seemed to yield the most remarkable results. With the passage of time, the suction power emanating from the battle crystal has grown increasingly strong, and the energy flowing in from the outside and entering the body has become faster and more intense. If it weren't for the terrain here, allowing the intangible flame to continuously appear, the refining flame might eventually dwindle and cease altogether. Once the intangible flame fades, the refining process would automatically vanish, and at that point, Xiao Yan would have to take personal charge. Otherwise, if the fragmented energy simply continued to seep into the battle crystal, not only would the advancement stall, but the very body might suffer irreversible damage. Both within and outside the body operate smoothly under the command of the battle spirit, making this advancement undoubtedly the most effortless one for Xiao Yan—thanks to the benefits of the intangible flame, he successfully stepped back and became a hands-off observer. After nearly twenty minutes of the suction force released from the Combat Crystal, it gradually weakened. As the suction diminished, the energy vortex forming around Xiao Yan began to fade slowly, eventually dissipating completely. The final, somewhat fragmented energy flowed through the intangible flame, eventually shrinking to nearly one-tenth of its original size, circulating once along the meridians before penetrating the battle crystal at the heart of the vortex. As the last drop of combat energy was infused, the slightly trembling crystal suddenly solidified. The faint luminescence on its surface surged dramatically, casting a brilliant, radiant light that illuminated every part of its interior with clarity. Under this unusual glow, Xiao Yan could faintly sense that his meridians, bones, and even cells were emitting an imperceptible, soothing sigh—like a deep, contented breath. This radiant light persisted for only a few dozen seconds before gradually receding, dimming steadily until it finally vanished entirely. As the light faded, the concealed battle crystal emerged, fully revealed. As the Dou Crystal materialized, it emitted a subtle tremor once more, a robust stream of Dou Qi surging forth and eventually flowing like a vibrant green tide, winding and coiling through the meridians, rushing swiftly and delivering waves of rich, abundant power to Xiao Yan! Xiao Yan stared at the rhombus battle crystal, now nearly two or three sizes larger than before, and felt the battle energy reserves within it—more than double what they had been previously. With a long, deep breath, he finally exhaled in relief—this grueling cultivation had certainly not been in vain. As his tightly tensed mind gradually relaxed, Xiao Yan began to lose his cultivation focus, his spirit growing dim and heavy. Soon, he stepped out of his meditative state. Twisting his body slightly to settle in, Xiao Yan finally drew out the green flame crystal card before him. A casual glance revealed his astonishment—eight days' worth of flame energy had already been deducted. "How long have I been training?" Xiao Yan furrowed his brows, turning to ask one of the students. "Four days," the student promptly replied. "Only four days of training... that explains it." With a sigh of relief, Xiao Yan felt a quiet sense of satisfaction. Just four days, and he had already broken through to the seventh star level—something that would typically take one or two months in the outside world. "The Falling Heart Flame... truly possesses endless wonders. Its projected fragments enable such rapid progress. If it were to consume the core flame instead, how drastically slow the training process would become?"