Lan An's condition indeed put Fire Mountain in a bind. His authority in the Fire Underworld Sect was formidable, but the Sect Leader held absolute sway. Still, as a powerhouse, Fire Mountain disdained deceit. He spoke earnestly.
"My influence in the Fire Underworld Sect falls short of the Sect Leader's, but I'll do my utmost to persuade him to end the grudge with the Poison Person."
Lan An pondered briefly. As Great Elder, Fire Mountain wasn't the sect's ultimate authority—a fact Lan An understood. The elder's forthright demeanor and deep love for his grandson sparked a flicker of respect in Lan An. Huo Li, brash and reckless, posed no real threat if spared.
Seeing Lan An's hesitation, Fire Mountain gritted his teeth and tossed a storage ring toward him, his voice tinged with a plea. "This contains five hundred thousand Supreme Spirit Stones, a token of my sincerity."
"Fine, his life is spared," Lan An said, accepting the ring without hesitation, nodding at Huo Li.
He wasn't one to drag things out. He'd already intended to spare Huo Li, and Fire Mountain's deference made further pressure unnecessary. Pushing harder might tarnish his image in the eyes of the Elf Queen and A Lian Ya.
"Wonderful! Restore your cultivation, boy!" Fire Mountain's weathered face relaxed, his gnarled hand clapping Huo Li's shoulder, channeling robust spiritual energy to aid him.
Huo Li seized the chance, unshackling his cultivation to return to Integration Realm. Heaven and Earth Spiritual Energy surged, rapidly mending his flesh and blood. Within moments, his external wounds healed by seventy percent.
Lan An sighed inwardly. The gap between Fusion and Integration Realms was a chasm. His attack, devastating as it was, barely scratched an Integration Realm expert like Huo Li once their true power returned.
Yet Huo Li's pallid face, drained of vitality, betrayed the toll of the Ascension Flame and Golden Combat Pills. His body slumped, listless, though his eyes shone with gratitude and renewed hope as he looked at Fire Mountain.
Fire Mountain, supporting his hulking grandson, inspected Huo Li's condition. His face darkened, his gaze toward Lan An now laced with deep wariness.
Lan An assumed Huo Li was fine, unaware of the storm brewing in the onlookers' minds. They'd expected Huo Li's Integration Realm recovery to erase all damage, yet his lingering injuries shocked them. The sweat and fear on his face spoke volumes—a Fusion Realm youth had left lasting wounds on an Integration Realm titan. Unbelievable without witnessing it firsthand.
Huo Li's heart churned with dread. He alone knew the truth: Lan An's thunder-flame attack would take at least a month to fully dispel, even at Integration Realm. Coupled with the pills' side effects, he'd be unable to wield spiritual energy for a long time, despite his realm.
"It's over. You two may leave," Lan An said, offering Fire Mountain a way out, mindful of the four Tribulation Crossing experts present. Etiquette demanded respect.
"My deepest thanks, Young Master Lan, and to the esteemed seniors. We'll take our leave!" Fire Mountain cast a grateful glance at Lan An, bowing to the four Tribulation Crossing figures.
Wu San Niang and the others nodded, a flicker of emotion stirred by the elder's devotion to his grandson. Fire Mountain tore open space, hoisting Huo Li, and vanished.
The heavens fell silent. Sea Continent's elites mentally cataloged the day's events, vowing to warn their factions against crossing Lan An. His terrifying backing and potential marked him as a future titan. None wished to provoke such a figure.
"Come, kid, time to head back. You've wandered long enough," Wu San Niang said, ignoring the crowd and appearing beside Lan An.
Her voluptuous figure stretched languidly, exuding effortless charm. "Greetings, Senior!" the Elf Queen and A Lian Ya bowed respectfully.
"Not bad, not bad," Wu San Niang said, eyeing the two women with a smirk. "Yan Yue Qi often speaks of the Elf Clan. Looks like you're all worthy of being my Little An's wives!"
The Elf Queen froze. A Lian Ya's face flushed like a ripe peach, her general's poise crumbling as she glanced shyly at Lan An.
Lan An's heart swelled with pride, though he maintained a serious facade, grinning at Wu San Niang. "Master, I've got a gift for you from this Sea Continent trip, stored at Dwarf Island."
"Oh? What gift?" Wu San Niang's eyes lit up like beacons.
She knew her disciple was wealthy, with discerning taste. If he deemed it a gift, it was no ordinary trinket.
"A secret, haha!" Lan An teased.
Wu San Niang shot him a look, but their banter ignored the three remaining Tribulation Crossing experts. "Hmph!" The Twin Ancestors snorted, stepping onto their cauldrons and tearing through space, vanishing in a flash.
"Kid, those two have plenty of Strange Fires. Next time, I'll find a way to snatch them for you," Wu San Niang said, licking her lips.
Lan An jolted. He'd sensed the Twin Ancestors possessed multiple Strange Fires, some unknown. Swallowing hard, he asked, "Could they have top-one or top-two Strange Fires?"
Wu San Niang laughed, eyeing him like a fool. "Viet Dragon Star records sixteen Strange Fires, but that's not exhaustive."
Lan An blinked, stammering, "There are more?"
"It's possible," the Elf Queen nodded. "Viet Dragon Star is vast, with uncharted corners. Undiscovered Strange Fires aren't surprising."
Her Pseudo Heart of Nature, found in a hidden realm by her seniors, was unknown before its discovery.
Lan An's mind raced. The Strange Fire List only cataloged known fires—sixteen in total. But Viet Dragon Star could hide more. "The Dan Clan's gone to great lengths, collecting unrecorded Strange Fires. Still, they're far from top-two, let alone top-one," Wu San Niang said dismissively, unimpressed by the Twin Ancestors' arsenal.
"How strong is the top-one Strange Fire?" Lan An asked, curiosity burning.
The Elf Queen and A Lian Ya leaned in, ears perked.
"Born at the dawn of creation, it gained sentience over eons, taking human form. Decades ago, I suffered a loss to her," Wu San Niang said, each word laced with respect.
The trio gasped, exchanging stunned glances, hearts roiling. If Wu San Niang, a Tribulation Crossing expert decades ago, had lost to it, the top-one Strange Fire rivaled that realm.
"It's appeared multiple times on Viet Dragon Star, not controlled by man or beast, but fighting on its own. Subdue it? No one in this world has," Wu San Niang said, her voice heavy with admiration.
Lan An exhaled, his heart pounding. His curiosity about the top-one Strange Fire surged, a burning desire to encounter it. In the cultivation world, all things could gain sentience. A Strange Fire taking human form wasn't shocking.
"Not a bad disciple you've got there, Tam Niang," Bach Vo Sinh said, stepping through the air with a casual smile, his gaze fixed on Wu San Niang. Only she was worthy of his conversation.
"Haha, of course. Unlike your scheming pup, always plotting," Wu San Niang sneered, her tone sharp.
Clearly, Bach Hieu Sinh's actions hadn't escaped her notice. "Still sore about that loss, huh?" Bach Vo Sinh chuckled, unfazed.
Wu San Niang snorted, saying nothing. In their youth, during the Four Academies Tournament, Yan Yue Qi and Qin Meng Ying shone, but Bach Hieu Sinh's cunning outwitted them, leaving them last. It was Wu San Niang's greatest hope and bitterest defeat, a lingering thorn.
Bach Vo Sinh's mention reopened old wounds. If not for Lan An, the Elf Queen, and A Lian Ya, the Mad Queen might've attacked.
Seeing her sour expression, Bach Vo Sinh turned to Lan An with a knowing look. "The Four Academies Tournament bans Golden List prodigies to maintain balance. A pity."
"There's such a rule?" Lan An asked, puzzled.
"Indeed," the Elf Queen explained. "In Dark Origin Continent's history, a beast with supreme bloodline reached Sixth Rank before a hundred years, earning a Golden List spot. The rule was made for him. Heavenly Beast Academy was quite frustrated then."
It made sense. Beasts with innate bloodlines often started strong. Lan An nodded but pointed at himself, confused. "When did I make the Golden List?"
"Soon, from what I've heard," Wu San Niang said, shaking her head at her prodigy, a mix of pride and exasperation.
Before twenty, topping the Golden List—an unprecedented feat. It filled her with pride, yet regret that he'd miss the Four Academies Tournament.
"Haizz," Lan An sighed, frustrated. The tournament was his chance to amass Fame Points, now lost.
"My business is done. I'll take my leave. Hopefully, Sacred Lotus Academy improves next time," Bach Vo Sinh said, his jab at Wu San Niang complete. He melded into the void.
The crowd, seeing the spectacle end, bowed to Wu San Niang and dispersed. Today's events—four Tribulation Crossing experts clashing—would spread across Sea Continent like wildfire.
Seeing Lan An's dejected look, Wu San Niang patted his shoulder. "You can't compete, but your little wives can, right? They've been in seclusion for a while. Any progress?"
Lan An nodded, though his gloom stemmed from missing Fame Points, not concern for Sacred Lotus Academy's performance. He trusted his women—securing the championship would be no challenge.
"Soon…" he murmured, sensing the rising auras from the Palace Tree, his eyes brimming with anticipation and longing.