Hearing that deep, resonant voice echoing in his ears, Xiao Yan was momentarily startled, then suddenly sat upright on the stone platform, swiftly removing the Fire Crystal from its slot. His mind filled with astonishment as he murmured, "What's going on?" "The energy within the tower has become much more restless—this must be due to the Heart Flame of the Fallen." The voice of Yao Lao resonated within Xiao Yan, carrying a touch of excitement. "The Heart Flame of the Fallen?" Xiao Yan paused, his mind stunned, murmuring in surprise, "Didn't we expect at least several months before it would erupt? Has the timing been shortened?" "From what I can see, it hasn't yet fully erupted—right now, it's merely experiencing some significant surges." Yao Lao smiled, "However, the intensity of these surges confirms my prediction. Either in half a year or as early as two or three months, the Heart Flame of the Fallen within the Sky-Burned Qi Tower will fully erupt, and at that point, our opportunity to seize it may finally arrive. Nodding slightly, Xiao Yan's heart also warmed gently. However, this was not the time to dwell on it—now the turbulent energy surging within the tower was no longer conducive to meditation and cultivation. They had to leave as soon as possible; otherwise, if some unforeseen incident occurred and pulled him in, that would indeed be rather unfortunate. Leaping down from the stone platform, he swiftly rushed out of the first cultivation room. As soon as he stepped outside the door, a fierce, agitated stream of hot energy surged toward him, causing a burning sensation on his face. The corridor was now somewhat disordered, with several rooms being opened one after another, and students emerging from them, faces full of bewilderment, exchanging glances and furrowing their brows—this was the first time they had encountered such a situation. "Hey, Xiao Yan, are you alright?" Not long after Xiao Yan stepped out, the ninth training room nearby also opened. Lin Yan, agile as a monkey, leapt out and scanned the surroundings. Upon spotting Xiao Yan, he immediately called out. "All good," Xiao Yan smiled at Lin Yan, who had now jumped to his side, shaking his head. "I have no idea what's going on. The Tian Fen Qi Tower has never experienced anything like this before," Lin Yan said, brushing his hair with a look of mild confusion. Xiao Yan shook his head slightly, then suddenly turned and fixed his gaze toward the dark iron door at the far end of the corridor. Now, he could feel his Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire within him pulsing rapidly. As the flames surged, streaks of emerald light suddenly flowed into his eyes, transforming his dark pupils into glowing emerald eyes in an instant. A surge of emerald flame washed over Xiao Yan, and he immediately felt a warm sensation spreading across his eyes. To his astonishment, the darkness behind the iron gate began to fade gradually under the gaze of his emerald-flame pupils. Thus, the movements hidden within that darkness came into view within his field of vision. It was a distorted space, where intangible flames swayed like sprites, moving wildly. Suddenly, an unusual roar erupted, followed by a volcanic eruption of flame that surged forth violently, rushing straight toward the tower's peak. "Small spatial mirror, seal!" A dozen low, resonant voices, deep and aged, rose in the darkness, followed by a mighty, profound surge of energy. This energy coalesced upon the warped space, forming a vibrant, colorful light screen. The intangible flames repeatedly collided against the screen, causing both to tremble violently. Waves of powerful energy, strong enough to instantly shatter a Grand Combatant, radiated outward rapidly, eventually striking the four black walls and gradually dissipating. As Xiao Yan stared intently at the fierce clash between the two, a sudden low command rang out, causing him to feel momentarily disoriented. The jade-green flames in his eyes instantly faded, and behind the iron gate, darkness once again settled in, making it impossible to see the intense struggle within. "That intangible flame—must be the essence of the Fallen Heart Flame. Its power is indeed formidable; if not for the resistance it's encountering, this Heaven-Burning Qi Tower would likely be dismantled. The luminous screen—must have been formed jointly by the senior monks within the tower. Truly extraordinary; they've managed to forcibly contain the outburst of such a celestial marvel. Yet, unfortunately, we can't witness the full intensity of their duel. Otherwise, should we ever encounter the Fallen Heart Flame again, we'd have a solid foundation to draw upon." With a sigh of regret, Xiao Yan turned his head and spotted a senior monk, his face flushed with urgency, standing at the corridor entrance, shouting sharply at the students still lingering there. Hearing the elder's command, Lin Yan merely shrugged, said nothing, and took hold of Xiao Yan's arm, quickly heading out toward the exit. The energy within the tower was growing increasingly restless, and staying put always left him feeling uneasy. After a brief glance back at the iron gate, Xiao Yan followed Lin Yan swiftly, leaving the increasingly noisy and dynamic Tianfen Qigong Tower. Xiao Yan did not join in these meaningless discussions. His gaze remained steadily fixed upon the towering spire that had broken through the earth. Perhaps due to the seals affixed to the tower itself, the sensation of turbulent energy upon exiting the tower had faded to nearly imperceptible levels. Nevertheless, thanks to the subtle connection between the Qinglian Earth-Core Fire and the Fallen Heart Flame, Xiao Yan could still sense that within the tower, intense clashes between seals and counter-seals were unfolding. He wondered whether the inner courtyard elders could contain the current surge of the Fallen Heart Flame. If so, he might still have some preparation time; but if not—then he would likely have to act now. Though hurried, the success rate of such a move would probably not be very high. Xiao Yan frowned intently. He naturally knew that if the Fallen Heart Flame broke through the Tian Fen Qi Tower, he would have to act immediately—otherwise, the Flame would gain sentience and, once freed, would automatically retreat and hide somewhere, making it difficult for him to locate it later. "Don't worry," the Herbal Elder smiled, soothing Xiao Yan's tense demeanor. "This disturbance of the Fallen Heart Flame isn't particularly intense this time. Moreover, the Inner Court elders aren't exactly passive—there's Senior Elder overseeing the situation, so the Flame will find it difficult to break free from its seal." Hearing the Elder's reassurance, Xiao Yan finally exhaled, easing his tension. "Come on, Xiao Yan," said Lin Yan suddenly. "Staying here won't do any good. The elders will handle these matters." A spatial seal enveloped the Tian Fen Qi Tower, and Lin Yan, being unaware of the intense struggles within, didn't wish to wait any longer. Xiao Yan paused thoughtfully, then gently shook his head—how could he possibly move now? Thus, he could only come up with a hasty excuse and make do with it. Seeing that Xiao Yan was unwilling to leave, Lin Yan could only sigh and said, "If you'd like to stay here, then by all means, stay. I must be off now—hey, remember, the 'Strong Ranks' tournament starts in four days. If you meet me then, don't expect me to hold back!" Though slightly nervous, Xiao Yan still managed a gentle smile, and only after watching Lin Yan fade into the crowd did he turn back and refocus his attention on the Tianfen Qi-Tower. As time passed, the number of people lingering outside the tower steadily decreased. Soon, the once bustling crowd had thinned to near emptiness, leaving only Xiao Yan standing atop a tree branch outside, eyes closed, deeply sensing the intense and breathtaking clashes unfolding within the tower. Although aided by the Qinglian Earth-Heart Fire, Xiao Yan could sense the energy fluctuations within the tower, he could not clearly observe the direct collisions as he had previously inside the tower. When the standoff continued until the setting sun cast a slanting glow across the sky, he finally sensed the turbulent energy within the tower beginning to gradually subside. "It seems the elders have gained the upper hand for now," Xiao Yan breathed a long, relieved sigh, having benefited from the delays of the Inner Court's senior elders, which allowed him ample time to prepare. With a light chuckle, he set aside the weight pressing on his throat, turned, and prepared to return to Panmen. Yet as his body merely pivoted from the tree branch, he suddenly stiffened, his eyes widening in astonishment at the black-robed elder hovering nearby before him. The elder wore a black robe, with white beard and hair, his eyes as cold and sharp as blade edges. Simply a glance at Xiao Yan caused every pore on his body to tighten instantly. What most startled Xiao Yan was that this very man was precisely the elder who had previously startled him when the medicine elder had been preparing the Spirit Pill deep in the mountains!