Battle Through the Heavens: Beauties Abound Starting with Yunlan and Her Disciples

339: Section 339Those who dared to call themselves “Young Emperor” all had colossal powers backing them, enough to shake the world.

His thoughts flickered. His mother-in-law, whom he had never met, was a genuine Nine-Star Dou Sheng. This backing was indeed solid. “You have found your protector.”

System Spirit’s will was calm and composed, beginning to enumerate for him one by one, “When you set off for the Central Plains, Yun Yun, Purple Wing, Medusa, and even Yinger by your side, can all possess the power of a Dou Zun, protecting your ordinary safety.

Once Yao Chan revives, she will have semi-Saint cultivation, enough to deter petty villains.

“As for the Ancient Eight Clans, I will speak. No one above Dou Sheng dares to lay a hand on you.” These understated words, however, contained an absolute dominance that commanded the world.

System Spirit’s radiant phantom turned towards the Young ladies surrounding Yun Xiancheng, a gentle light brushing over their faces one by one. “As for these good children who also care about

you.

“You are connected to Chenger’s vital energy, yin and yang complementing each other, making your cultivation speed far surpass ordinary people. Cultivate in peace at Jia Nan Academy for two years, and by then, everyone can reach the Dou Huang realm, thus gaining the power of self-preservation.”

As she spoke, she lightly tapped Yun Xiancheng’s forehead, bestowing some medicinal cultivation resources.

Finally, her gaze returned to her daughter. “Xun’er, you will return to the clan with me. When Chenger arrives in the Central Plains in the future, he will need your most trusted assistance! Clear the obstacles for him.”

Xiao Xun Er trembled slightly upon hearing this. She looked up and gazed deeply at Yun Xiancheng, her eyes full of reluctance, but ultimately it transformed into determination.

She broke free from Yun Xiancheng’s embrace and bowed gracefully to the radiant phantom: “Daughter… I obey.”

“As for those useless things outside, I will take them all with me.” System Spirit’s will swept beyond the space, as if looking at a group of ants.

After explaining all matters, the radiant phantom expanded again, finally giving Yun Xiancheng an incredibly firm embrace, filled with heavy and warm anticipation and care.

The light and shadow slowly dissipated, and this independent space also shattered inch by inch. When everyone stood on solid ground again, they had already returned to the Elders Bench’s lounge.

Outside in the arena, those arrogant Black Armored Guards, along with Ling Quan who had already fainted, had vanished without a trace, as if they had never appeared.

402 Fallen Heart Flame Erupts

A week after the Grand Competition ended, even though the students of the Inner Academy had finished their rest, their minds remained unsettled for a long time.

The Black Armored Knights who descended from the sky that day, and the white-robed immortal who astonished the world with a single sword, together staged a magnificent performance that overturned their perception. For the first time, they truly understood the meaning of “there are heavens beyond the pass, and people above people.”

Their past pride stemming from their talent was crushed into dust under the mountain-like pressure of the ancient clan. It turned out that they were merely fools sitting at the bottom of a well, looking at the sky.

In contrast, Yun Xiancheng’s snow-colored figure became an insurmountable monument, deeply etched in everyone’s hearts.

The splendor of that sword completely shattered the arrogance of all the Inner Academy’s prodigies. From then on, the title of “First in the Inner Academy” was no longer disputed; it belonged to only one person. And Yun Xiancheng, who usually kept a low profile, now had an added mysterious halo of being admired from afar, making the legends about him even more colored with

legendary hues.

Seven days later, in the early morning, in front of the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda. Grand Elder Su Qian, leading a group of academy high-ranking officials, had already been waiting there for a long time.

Seeing that familiar figure arrive with a group of Young ladies, he quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply to the white-robed young man at the head, adopting an extremely humble posture.

“Classmate Yun, regarding that day’s incident… the academy was weak and unable to lend a hand, which truly makes me ashamed.”

Su Qian’s words were full of guilt. He knew that their inaction that day had created an invisible rift between the two parties. “I hope Classmate Yun can be magnanimous about this matter.”

Yun Xiancheng stopped, his cool gaze sweeping over Su Qian without lingering.

His expression showed neither joy nor anger, only a slight nod, and he calmly brought the conversation back to the main topic:

“The past is in the past. Elder, today’s matter is only about cultivation. Has the bottom floor of the pagoda been opened for us?”

This nonchalant attitude of not pursuing the matter did not make Su Qian feel relieved; instead, his heart grew heavier. He would rather the other party be furious than this calm detachment.

He quickly made a “please” gesture, not daring to say another word: “Naturally, naturally. Everyone, please follow me.”

Yun Xiancheng’s gaze lightly swept over the accompanying Young ladies, landing on an exceptionally joyful figure in the queue. Hu Jia, in a fiery red outfit today, made her already delicate face even more radiant, with an undisguised joy in her eyes and brows.

Noticing her beloved’s gaze, she immediately left the team, bounding like a happy fawn into his embrace.

Warm fragrance and soft jade filled his arms. The Young lady’s arms tightly circled his waist, and she looked up with her bright and moving face, her large eyes curved into crescent moons, full of pure joy.

Just as Yun Xiancheng was about to speak, his peripheral vision caught sight of another graceful figure who shouldn’t have been there, and he couldn’t help but show a hint of surprise: “Mei’er, why are you here? Yu’er isn’t coming?”

Here? Yu’er isn’t coming?

Xiao Mei walked gracefully forward, linking her arm with his other arm, and after a gentle smile, her words carried a touch of a young girl’s coquettishness!

“Replying to my husband, Sister Xun’er did give her spot to Sister Yu, but Sister Yu told me that as an older sister, she should be modest, so she transferred this opportunity to me.”

Yun Xiancheng’s fingertips moved, with a hint of helplessness but more often indulgence, as he gently ruffled her soft hair:

“You little girl, you’ve certainly gained a huge benefit. Since you’ve accepted your Sister Yu’s kindness, you must thank her properly when you go back.” Seeing this, Su Qian, who was nearby, quickly stepped forward to explain, his words becoming even more respectful:

“Replying to Classmate Yun, Lin Xiuya, who was originally ninth on the strong ranking list, suffered severe injuries and is still unconscious. After deliberation, the Elders’ Council unanimously agreed that Classmate Hu Jia performed exceptionally well in that day’s battle, losing with honor, and thus decided that she would fill this spot.”

He paused, then added: “Classmate Hu Jia was able to contend with that ancient clan’s armored warrior in the same realm to such an extent; although she didn’t win, the combat power she displayed far exceeded her peers. This honor is well-deserved. No one objected.”

Afterward, Su Qian briefly explained some taboos and precautions regarding the bottom floor of the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda, then personally led the way, guiding everyone into this giant pagoda symbolizing the core of the Inner Academy, going all the way down to the most mysterious bottom space.

The bottom of the pagoda opened up. The space here was far grander than everyone imagined, with a high ceiling and deep walls, stretching out of sight. At a glance, it seemed to have no end.

Unlike the dense cultivation stone chambers on the upper floors, this place was almost desolate in its emptiness, with only a chilling heat emanating from the central area.

“Everyone, please look.” Su Qian raised his hand and pointed forward, his voice echoing in the empty space. Everyone looked in the direction he pointed, only to see ten jade platforms, each the size of a cushion, neatly arranged on the ground not far away. The jade platforms were entirely emerald green, warm and translucent, with faint flowing light on their surfaces, clearly indicating they were not ordinary items.

The Young ladies obeyed, each choosing a jade platform and sitting cross-legged. Yun Xiancheng’s gaze, however, passed over them, focusing on the large deep pit in the very center of this space.

The pit was pitch black and bottomless, with only surges of invisible heat, condensed to the extreme, rising from it. His thoughts stirred; according to the original work, today was the day the Fallen Heart Flame would break its seal.

Once everyone was seated properly, Su Qian’s expression became unprecedentedly solemn. He said in a deep voice: “Everyone, beneath these jade platforms lies the foundation of the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda—the Fallen Heart Flame.

Next, this old man will draw forth a wisp of the Strange Fire’s origin to help you temper your Dou Qi.

This is a great opportunity, but it also comes with great risks. I hope everyone will concentrate and not be distracted.”

As his voice fell, Su Qian suddenly waved his large sleeve. Ten crystal-clear light clusters shot out from his sleeve, accurately hovering above each person’s head.

Under everyone’s bated breath, the light clusters shattered with a rumble, and a wisp of invisible, colorless flame drifted down silently, entering their bodies from the top of their heads.

As soon as the primordial heart flame entered their bodies, a violent burning sensation exploded in their meridians.

However, this energy, which would have made an ordinary Dou King suffer excruciating pain, failed to even stir a ripple in front of Yun Xiancheng’s vast, ocean-like Dou Qi, and was instantly assimilated and refined.

For him, this amount of energy was merely a drop in the bucket.

But through the Pact of One Heart, this energy, along with the insights gained from his own refinement, was divided into several streams and flowed upstream, quietly entering the body of each Young lady.

Yun Xiancheng calmly opened his eyes, which were clear. Not far away, Su Qian was muttering with a furrowed brow, his lips moving, and the worried aura was clearly audible.

“I wonder how many will succeed this time? In previous sessions, about half failed. However… this generation of children, each one is a dragon among men,

Perhaps, they might set a precedent…”

After only half an hour, Xiao Yi Xian, Yun Yan, and Zi Yan successively opened their eyes, their auras all surging significantly.

With the pure energy and refined insights secretly supplied by Yun Xiancheng, the pain they endured was greatly reduced, while the benefits they received increased severalfold.

This massive torrent of energy, circulated and nourished by the Pact of One Heart, allowed all the Young ladies who had formed a bond with Yun Xiancheng to experience explosive growth in their cultivation, no matter where they were.

All those who were Great Dou Masters broke through to the Dou Ling realm; and the Young ladies who were already Dou Ling also shattered their bottlenecks, progressing remarkably. The last to awaken was Liu Qing. Though only a thin line separates a Dou King from a Peak Dou Ling, the difference is like heaven and earth.

The energy she needed to refine was also far greater than others. Even with Yun Xiancheng’s assistance, by the time she finally emerged from that deep state of cultivation, the sun had risen and set, marking a full day.

She slowly opened her eyes, feeling the Dou Qi surging within her, having steadily stepped into the Peak of a One-Star Dou Master.

At this point, each of the five received 20% of the heart flame energy back into the family network, and every young lady eternally bound to Yun Xiancheng gained an entire portion of heart flame origin energy out of thin air.

As for Xiao Yan, Nalan Yanran, Han Yue, Hu Jia, and Xiao Mei, the five of them were still engaged in a arduous tug-of-war with that wild heart flame energy.

Their pretty faces were pale, their bodies drenched in sweat, trembling slightly, yet they all gritted their teeth, their eyes showing no trace of retreat, only the firm resolve to be tempered by fire into steel.

Time flowed on, and another two days passed. Yun Xiancheng remained seated quietly to the side, protecting the Young ladies who were still cultivating. Suddenly, he slightly raised his eyelids, and his gaze sharpened instantly.

The entire tower bottom space began to tremble violently without warning. The scorching heat from deep within the earth’s core surged more than tenfold at this moment. In the bottomless pit in the center, endless darkness began to churn and condense.

Finally, two points of crimson light appeared out of thin air, rapidly expanding, transforming into a pair of blood-red giant eyes that obscured the sky.

In those eyes, there was not a trace of emotion a living being should possess, only the purest, most primal desire for destruction and monstrous hatred, locked firmly onto Su Qian.

Su Qian felt a chill run through him, a fear originating from the depths of his soul making his limbs turn cold. He cried out in alarm, his urgent shout distorting and changing in the trembling space.

“Not good—! This beast has actually erupted ahead of schedule today!”

403 Fishing in Troubled Waters

“All Elders, immediately proceed to the pagoda! All students, quickly retreat to a hundred li outside the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda, no lingering!”

Su Qian’s shout, imbued with powerful Dou Qi, rolled like thunder through every corner of the Inner Academy. The sound waves reverberated, making people’s eardrums buzz. The students of the Inner Academy looked bewildered; they stopped everything they were doing and looked up at the violently trembling giant pagoda.

From the Great Elder’s unprecedented urgent command, they sensed an unusual aura of danger, so they all, filled with doubts, obediently retreated to the outer perimeter.

Meanwhile, the Inner Academy Elders scattered throughout the academy, regardless of their cultivation level, lost all trace of their leisure the moment they heard this command.

Each of them looked solemn, knowing that this highest-level warning could only be related to one existence—the Fallen Heart Flame. Without a moment’s hesitation, figures shot into the sky, transforming into streaks of light, converging on the giant pagoda from all directions. Amidst the dispersing crowd, a group of Young ladies moved against the flow.

Liu Fei led the sisters of the Moon Spirit and converged with Xiao Yu, Xue Ni, and others. They did not retreat; instead, they stopped at the edge of the dangerous hundred-meter warning line.

Their beautiful eyes were tightly fixed on the shaking giant pagoda, filled with an unyielding concern.

“What should we do—my husband, he’s still inside!” A young lady from the Moon Spirit clenched her fist, her voice taut with anxiety, carrying uncontrollable panic. “Calm down, concern leads to disorder.” Liu Fei took a deep breath, forcing herself to compose herself.

Her past experience managing Liu Gang came into play at this moment. She looked around at her flustered sisters, analyzing clearly.

“First, we need to determine if rashly approaching will cause him trouble. If the answer is yes, then the best thing we can do is wait here quietly.”

These steady words brought a moment of calm to the surrounding panic.

The Young ladies all nodded, suppressing their anxiety deep in their hearts. Just then, on the body of the Heavenly Flame Training Pagoda, mysterious runes suddenly lit up, interweaving into a colorful giant light screen that enveloped the entire pagoda.

That was the Elders who had arrived, jointly activating the sealing array on the pagoda’s body.

Inside the tower bottom space, Su Qian was desperately maintaining the internal defense hub, fine beads of sweat already seeping from his temples.

He noticed that Xiao Yan and the other Young ladies had already awakened from their cultivation. Although their aura was powerful, their expressions still held a hint of confusion.

He immediately turned to the white-robed youth who had remained as still as a pine tree from beginning to end, urging anxiously: “Classmate Yun, this place is about to lose control! Take them and leave quickly!”

Yun Xiancheng slowly opened his eyes, nodding slightly to the anxious Su Qian. He stood up, surveyed the successful Young ladies, and began to walk. His steps were steady and unhurried; the earth-shattering changes around him did not cause his body to sway in the slightest.

Just as they left the core area, Xiao Yan leaned close to Yun Xiancheng, lowering her voice, her eyes, usually sharp, now filled with fervent anticipation:

“Husband, this Fallen Heart Flame... how should I absorb it?”

Yun Xiancheng turned his head, a faint smile playing on his lips, and patted her hand reassuringly: “No rush, just wait here.” His gaze turned to the increasingly violent energy center below, and he calmly revealed the secret:

“This beast has been accumulating power for many years; this eruption cannot be suppressed by Jia Nan Academy’s seal. When Elder Su Qian and the others retreat, that will be our time to act.”

As soon as these words were spoken, the few recently awakened Young ladies gathered around.

Hu Jia’s big eyes were full of surprise: “What’s going on? Husband, you already knew there was something down here, and that it would come out?”

Yun Xiancheng nodded with a smile, then briefly explained the true nature of the Fallen Heart Flame and his real purpose for this trip to the Young ladies. This earth-shattering plan made the Young ladies’ eyes widen in astonishment, their emotions fluctuating between shock and anticipation.

Moments after he finished speaking, a figure, carrying a scorching heatwave, rushed out of the passage below, looking somewhat disheveled. It was precisely Great Elder Su Qian. Having just escaped danger, he looked up and saw Yun Xiancheng and his party, composed and still in place.

“What’s going on!” Su Qian was both shocked and angry, his aura somewhat unstable. “Didn’t I tell you to evacuate immediately? Why are you still lingering here!” “Elder, there’s no need to worry, this student has his own judgment.”

Yun Xiancheng bowed to him from a distance, his manners impeccable, yet his words conveyed an unyielding will. “I trouble Elder and your colleagues to fully maintain the external seal, just for a moment for us.”

With that, without waiting for Su Qian to speak further, he led the Young ladies and turned, walking against the direction of escape, towards the source of the tremor, the scorching depths of the earth’s core, with a calm and unhurried gait.

Su Qian felt a splitting headache. He watched the receding figures, a multitude of words stuck in his throat.

He vaguely guessed that Yun Xiancheng’s target was the Heavenly Flame, but... Xiao Yan already possessed a Heavenly Flame, and Yun Xiancheng himself was of the wind attribute. Why would they take such an extraordinary risk to covet this ferocious object that didn’t even match their own attributes?

Unable to understand, he could only temporarily put it aside. The situation was critical now, leaving no room for detailed thought.

As the Great Elder, protecting the academy was his duty, and he absolutely could not pin his hopes on the adventurous actions of a group of students. He gritted his teeth, his figure soaring, and flew out of the pagoda.

As for the safety of those children, only a sigh remained in his heart. May they, good people, be blessed with good fortune.

Within the tower bottom passage, invisible heart flame had permeated like a tide.

Every inch of air here was filled with a scorching heat capable of incinerating souls. Ordinary cultivators would be instantly ignited by inner demons and reduced to ash if they took even half a step in. However, Yun Xiancheng and his party walked as if on flat ground. A thin, cicada-wing-like layer of azure cloud gas spread out from Yun Xiancheng’s feet, enveloping all the Young ladies.

The invisible flames, capable of melting metal, would quietly dissolve upon touching this cloud gas, like spring snow meeting the sun, unable to advance an inch.

“Ah, when did I... reach Nine-Star Dou Ling?” Nalan Yanran, walking in the group, took a moment to inspect herself internally, her beautiful face filled with joyful surprise, completely devoid of the tension of being in danger.

Liu Qing, beside her, softly explained:

“You just refined an entire portion of heart flame origin. Through the Pact of One Heart constructed by our husband, that energy was amplified and purified, then equally distributed back to each of us.

Each of us ten then received two more portions. With such Overlay, breaking through four stars is entirely reasonable.”

As they spoke, her own powerful aura of a Three-Star Dou King faintly appeared, and Han Yue, by her side, had also broken through that chasm and stood firmly in the Dou King realm.

The fortune gained in these few short days surpassed years of hard work in the past, filling every young lady with unprecedented confidence in the future.

Amidst this relaxed conversation, the group had already reached their destination—the core of the seal. The scene before them could only be described as apocalyptic.