Perfect: Many children, many blessings! Join the chat group!

"Young friend Zhu Chen, I was able to rebuild my body and return to this world thanks to the materials you provided. This is a gift I prepared for you as a token of my gratitude. I hope you won't find it offensive."

After exchanging a few pleasantries with Zhu Chen, the old apothecary handed several jade bottles to Zhu Chen.

These jade bottles contain pills that he personally refined.

As a master alchemist, the only thing he can offer now is elixirs.

"You're too kind, Dr. Yao."

Zhu Chen did not refuse the gift from the old doctor and accepted it immediately.

Just then, ripples appeared in the space beside him.

Three more people arrived here via the cross-border passage.

It was Naruto Uzumaki, Lin Dong, and Han Li!
Naruto Uzumaki and Lin Dong greeted Zhu Chen and the others warmly as soon as they arrived.

Han Li remained as low-key as ever. He nodded to Zhu Chen, then concealed his presence and stood quietly to the side. Unless one was deliberately paying attention, one would hardly notice his presence.

Seeing that everyone had arrived, Zhu Chen immediately turned to Xiao Yan and asked, "Xiao Yan, now that everyone is here, shall we set off?"

"Okay, everyone, follow me!"

Xiao Yan's spirits lifted, and he immediately took the lead and walked outside.

In addition to Zhu Chen, Xiao Yan, Lin Dong, Han Li, and Naruto Uzumaki, the group heading to the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor Cave also included Yao Lao and a little girl dressed in a purple dress who looked quite charming, but with a hint of wildness in her eyes.

This woman is none other than Zi Yan, who ranks first on the inner court's strength list at Canaan Academy.

On the way to the Heavenly Flame Qi Refining Tower, Zhu Chen secretly transmitted his voice to Xiao Yan, "How did you convince Zi Yan to come along?"

Xiao Yan replied smugly, "That's easy. I first used pills to get to know her, and then I found an opportunity to tell her about her father being trapped in the magma world at the bottom of the tower. As soon as she heard that, she couldn't sit still and insisted on coming to see. However... her current cultivation level is only Dou Wang, and her Taixu Ancient Dragon bloodline has not been fully awakened yet. I don't know if that old man Zhu Kun can recognize her."

Zhu Chen turned around and glanced at Zi Yan following behind, then continued to transmit his voice to Xiao Yan: "It's alright. Your teacher is now a nine-star Dou Sheng with an Emperor-level soul, which is enough to deal with any changes. Even if Zhu Kun doesn't recognize his own daughter for a while, as long as Yao Lao is there, there shouldn't be much of a problem."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Yan breathed a slight sigh of relief.

……

Led by Xiao Yan, Zhu Chen and his group soon arrived at the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower in the inner courtyard of Canaan Academy.

However, as soon as they approached the tower gate, they were stopped by two Canaan College students on duty.

"Halt! The Heavenly Flame Refining Tower is closed today. Please leave immediately."

One of the students said indifferently.

Lin Dong frowned and was about to step forward to subdue the two, but Xiao Yan stopped him with a hand. "Don't use force. Elder Su Qian of Canaan Academy has been good to me. I don't want to hurt his students."

Just as the two sides were locked in a stalemate, Zi Yan suddenly squeezed out from behind the crowd.

She stood with her hands on her hips, glaring at the two students, and said in a cute but fierce tone, "Hey! You two, where are your eyes? Can't you see I brought these people? Get out of the way!"

The two students' expressions changed immediately upon seeing that it was Zi Yan.

This guy is the number one on the inner court's strength list, known as the "King of Brute Force." He's famously hot-tempered and incredibly strong, so they wouldn't dare mess with him.

The two exchanged a glance and quickly made way with smiles: "So you're Senior Sister Ziyan's friends, please come in, please come in." With Ziyan, the "inner courtyard bully," clearing the way, Zhu Chen and the others entered the Heavenly Flame Refining Tower without any trouble.

The space inside the tower was very vast, but the further down you went, the more violent and scorching the fire-attribute energy in the air became, as if it would bake you dry.

This kind of environment is completely unsuitable for cultivation.

Clearly, the Fallen Heart Flame sealed at the bottom of the tower is becoming increasingly unstable.

The group went straight to the deepest part of the tower.

This is a huge circular plaza, with the ground in the center covered with mysterious runes, forming a powerful sealing formation.

But at this moment, the light of the formation flickered erratically, and wisps of invisible flame occasionally darted out from the gaps, causing the surrounding air to distort.

That was the heart fire of the Fallen Heart Flame, capable of igniting the fire within the human body, scorching the fighting spirit and meridians—truly bizarre and powerful.

The old man looked at the seal with a solemn expression and said, "The seal here is on the verge of breaking. The Fallen Heart Flame is about to break free. Very well, I will open the passage to the magma world!"

After saying that, he waved his sleeve, and a surge of boundless battle qi erupted out, directly striking the weak point of the seal in the center of the square.

"—Boom!"

There was a muffled sound.

The ground shook violently, and the seal was forcibly torn open, revealing a world of crimson magma radiating terrifying heat below.

"--boom!"

However, the moment the passage was opened, a sharp hiss suddenly rang out from the lava lake.

Immediately afterwards, a gigantic fire serpent formed entirely of molten lava, carrying an aura of destruction, suddenly burst forth from it and opened its blood-red maw to swallow them whole!
This fire python was engulfed in invisible flames, which was the true form of the Fallen Heart Flame!

"careful!"

Naruto exclaimed in surprise and instinctively began to form hand seals.

But Yao Lao merely glanced at the charging magma fire python, flicked his finger, and a beam of battle qi, refined to its extreme, struck the fire python precisely at its vital spot.

"--laugh!"

The seemingly ferocious magma fire python let out a mournful cry, as if a balloon had been punctured. Its massive body instantly collapsed, turning back into a shower of magma, leaving only a ball of invisible flame the size of a human head, which was firmly imprisoned in mid-air by Yao Lao's battle qi.

That was the original spark of the Fallen Heart Flame.

The old man brought over the unruly strange flame and looked at Xiao Yan, saying, "Xiao Yan, this Fallen Heart Flame is quite remarkable, especially its body-tempering effect, which is very beneficial to cultivation. Why don't you take this opportunity to subdue it?"

Xiao Yan turned to Lin Dong and said, "Thank you, teacher. But I told Lin Dong before that the Fallen Heart Flame here should be given to him first. Anyway, there is also a Fallen Heart Flame in the Strange Fire Plaza of the Tuoshe Ancient Emperor's Cave. I will go and get that one. This one can be given to Lin Dong. With the Heart Flame's assistance, his cultivation speed will definitely be faster."

Upon hearing this, a look of surprise immediately appeared in Lin Dong's eyes.

He didn't stand on ceremony and immediately clasped his hands in thanks to Xiao Yan and Yao Lao, saying, "Thank you, Fourth Brother, thank you, Yao Lao!"

Seeing that Xiao Yan had made a decision, Yao Lao could only nod with satisfaction, and then manipulated the imprisoned source of the Fallen Heart Flame, slowly sending it to Lin Dong.

...(End of chapter)