"Finally, we're back."
Within the Endless Forest, near the Jia Nan Inner Academy, Yan Qingshan and Zi Yan slowly appeared outside the inner academy amidst the rustling wind. Gazing at the sprawling buildings within the giant sinkhole, Yan Qingshan couldn't help but crack a smile.
"Little Yan... Qingshan, I remember you have a faction in the inner academy, right? Do you need me to help you hold down the fort? I'm among the top three on the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking, a genuine Dou King expert, you know!"
Zi Yan was originally going to call Yan Qingshan "Little Swallow," (Xiao Yan Zi) since she had been on the receiving end of his mischief for so many days and wasn't entirely without opinions. But when Yan Qingshan shot her a glance, she shamelessly chickened out. She mumbled, then spoke with her usual haughtiness.
"Not needed for now, I have some other ideas."
Yan Qingshan pondered for a moment before shaking his head. Then he whispered to Zi Yan, "If I remember correctly, the Inner Academy's recent Strong Ranking Competition is happening soon, right?"
Zi Yan nodded and replied, "That's right, the Strong Ranking Tournament is probably in the next two months. The Small Blade Yang Sheng (previously Little Sword) you defeated was previously ranked thirty-sixth on the Strong Ranking. By defeating him, you automatically secured the thirty-sixth position. There should be quite a few benefits next year."
The Jia Nan Inner Academy's Strong Ranking is both a ranking and a combination of honor and benefits, allowing students to gain more advantages from the inner academy. The thirty-sixth position on the Strong Ranking is already considered among the top tier of experts in the entire inner academy. Moving further up is no small challenge for a Dou Master.
Once one enters the Strong Ranking, the generous treatment is enough to make many envious. The thirty-sixth rank on the Strong Ranking can receive two hundred days of Fire Energy from the inner academy each month.
Calculated at six days of Fire Energy per day in the sixth floor of the Blazing Sky Refining Qi Tower, there would still be an surplus even if one cultivated continuously for a month without coming out. The sixth floor of the Blazing Sky Refining Qi Tower is generally only used by Six-Star Dou Spirit for cultivation, so such a large sum of Fire Energy would tempt anyone.
A strange gleam suddenly flashed in Yan Qingshan's eyes. He lowered his head and said, "Zi Yan, what do you think? Is it possible for me to enter the top ten of the Strong Ranking in this competition?"
"Top ten on the Strong Ranking? You... that's highly unlikely!"
Zi Yan looked at Yan Qingshan in surprise, as if saying, "How could you even have such a thought?" Then she pouted, "Most of those currently in the top ten of the Strong Ranking are veteran students nearing graduation, including me, the top three are all Dou Kings.
"And ranks four to ten are very close to Dou King, I even suspect that the top few have already broken through to Dou King these past few days. Most of these people are close to graduation, so this is likely their last Strong Ranking competition, and no one will give up.
Although your Di-tier Dou Skill is powerful, the arena is not like the outside. They are not like Yang Sheng, whose strength is insufficient. Knowing your trump card, they won't give you time to 'kite' them and unleash powerful Dou Skills."
Zi Yan's explanation seemed to make sense, but Yan Qingshan had no intention of giving up on this idea. If he could successfully enter the top ten of the Inner Academy's Strong Ranking, he could become a candidate for an Inner Academy elder.
Once he had this special status, he would almost be able to move freely among the students of the Inner Academy. Elder and student are two completely different identities, and countless people fought tooth and nail to reach that step.
In the Inner Academy, only elders were qualified to enter the lower levels of the Blazing Sky Refining Qi Tower. The benefits of the Blazing Sky Refining Qi Tower in increasing cultivation speed were already well-known to those in the Inner Academy, so they naturally coveted the last few layers that students were not qualified to enter.
These were not what Yan Qingshan valued most. More importantly, the top ten of the Strong Ranking could obtain a portion of the Fallen Heart Flame's original Heart Flame.
After body tempering with the Heart Flame's origin, the possibility of breaking through to Dou King would be greater, and it would even benefit those who had already broken through to Dou King.
It was precisely because the top ten of the Strong Ranking had so many benefits that this Strong Ranking Competition was a fierce struggle every year, with everyone wanting to glimpse the Strong Ranking, and even ascend to the top ten.
"With my current strength, against an ordinary Dou King in a life-and-death battle, the probability of winning is not small, but that would require me to use all my trump cards, and an Inner Academy Strong Ranking is not worth such an effort from me."
Yan Qingshan shook his head. With his current strength, using his Heavenly Flame and various Dou Skills and secret methods, the probability of defeating or killing an ordinary Dou King was not small.
However, he was full of a sense of crisis and was unwilling to expose his full strength in the Strong Ranking Competition. Yet, he still intended to secure a spot in the top ten of the Strong Ranking. This meant he had to find some methods. He looked down at Zi Yan, smiled, and beckoned, "Zi Yan, let me tell you..."
Zi Yan's small ear leaned towards Yan Qingshan's face, listening as he whispered his plan. The little girl's face was filled with surprise, her mouth wide open.
"If Old Man Su discovers this method of yours, it will be a big problem."
Zi Yan whispered, looking left and right as she spoke, as if afraid of being discovered.
Yan Qingshan chuckled, "As long as we're not discovered, it's fine, isn't it? Just tell me if you can do it!"
"I want more money, no, more meals!"
Zi Yan thought for a moment, then looked up, making her request with a smile.
"Alright, alright, you just come over every night."
Yan Qingshan nodded repeatedly. Anyway, refining medicinal ingredients for Zi Yan wouldn't take him much time. He had rarely used the Green Lotus Core Flame in the Inner Academy before, simply because he didn't want others to discover that he possessed a Heavenly Flame.
In Battle Through the Heavens, Heavenly Flames are extremely precious. Even Dou Venerate and even Dou Saint would collect Heavenly Flames, and the Yan and Yao clans among the ancient eight clans have been collecting Heavenly Flames.
Throughout the entire Battle Through the Heavens saga, those who possess Heavenly Flames are invariably connected to top-tier powers. There are pitifully few Heavenly Flames outside of the eight clans. The Sea Heart Flame is entangled with the Hall of Souls. The Pill Tower, which possesses the Three Thousand Blazing Flame, and the Burning Flame Valley (焚炎谷 - Fén Yán Gǔ), which possesses the Nine Dragon Lightning Flame, both have Dou Saint experts presiding over them.
Even Xiao Yan and Yao Chen came from the ancient eight clans, and Xiao Yan even had the subtle support of the Gu Clan, which is why no one came knocking to snatch his Heavenly Flames.
If Yan Qingshan, a mere Dou Spirit of ordinary background, were to be exposed as possessing a Heavenly Flame, who could guarantee that trouble wouldn't follow?
Yan Qingshan and Zi Yan reached an agreement. Zi Yan's small figure quickly darted towards a certain direction in the inner academy—the inner academy's medicinal ingredient management library, which was where she intended to find her rations. After all, it wasn't the first time the inner academy's elders were helpless against her.
"This girl is quite impetuous!"
Yan Qingshan chuckled and shook his head, silently mourning for Elder Yao, who managed the medicinal ingredients. Then he flew towards his own courtyard.
He was currently only a Three-Star Dou Spirit. Although his cultivation progress wasn't slow, he still wanted to be faster—not a blind increase in cultivation, but the fastest possible increase while maintaining stability.
Body tempering with the Origin Fallen Heart Flame was better the earlier it was done. Since he had set his sights on the top ten of this year's Strong Ranking, he wouldn't let it go.