By cutting in line with a flashy body technique to enter the Firmament Nine-Story Tower, Yan Zhen had struck a heroic pose while offending members of White Fang. Soon enough, they would come looking for trouble.
Since fighting was forbidden inside the tower, they would only spout a few harsh threats before foolishly waiting outside for Yan Zhen to emerge. Then, now a Four-Star Mystic Master after his breakthrough, he would harvest them as fodder opponents.
These were merely minor members of White Fang. After Yan Zhen dealt with them, a Mystic General from the same group would show up to avenge them—and get turned into more fodder in turn.
In the end, Yan Zhen would face off against White Fang’s leader, Bai Ao, shattering the man’s skull and claiming his spot on the General Star List. That would be his official debut in the Inner Academy, revealing his edge to the world.
A tired old routine.
But the more clichéd, the more reliably it played out. Boring for readers, perhaps, but a blessing for Yan Zhen as the protagonist.
The instant he stepped into the Firmament Nine-Story Tower, a thunderclap exploded in Yan Zhen’s ears, leaving his head buzzing. At the same time, his limbs went numb, rooting him in place.
Whoa, here it comes—the xianxia version of that special electric tingle.
Yan Zhen circulated his mystic power into his palm and saw electric arcs crackling from it. He had no lightning attribute in his body.
But these feeble sparks were quickly and domineeringly expelled by the extreme flame within his mystic power. He regained control of his body.
Huangfu Wenqing, standing beside him, had gone pale from the sudden thunder shock. Clutching her head with a small hand, she said in confusion, “What’s going on? There’s nonstop thunder rumbling in my brain, and I can’t move my arms or legs.”
“Don’t worry,” Yan Zhen said quickly. “Focus your mind and circulate your power. It’ll pass soon.”
Huangfu Wenqing did as he instructed, steadying her mind with effort while channeling mystic power through her limbs and meridians. Sure enough, the thunder in her ears faded, and the stiffness left her body. She let out a slow breath of relief.
“I can tell this tower is brimming with immense wind-thunder power. But why does it cause a reaction like this?”
Yan Zhen thought for a moment, then decided to tell her. Leaning in close, he whispered, “There’s a Thunder Pool at the top of the Firmament Nine-Story Tower. It nurtures a wind-thunder crystal fire inside—one that converts all power into lightning. The rumbling in your head and the numbness in your limbs? That’s you getting zapped.”
“Wind-thunder crystal fire?”
Huangfu Wenqing blinked, then remembered. In his previous life, Yan Zhen had possessed one—a Heavenly Extreme Flame ranked twenty-first on the Extreme Flame List. Where wind and thunder converged into crystals, it appeared dazzling but packed explosive might.
Back then, she had been stuck at Mystic Lord Peak, lacking the catalyst to break through to the Mystic Ancestor Realm. Yan Zhen had noticed and gifted her a wind-thunder crystal. She refined its vast wind-thunder power and successfully advanced.
It was the only “gift” she had ever received from him in that life—and even that had come indirectly through Yun Xiu.
“So that’s where he got it…”
“What?”
“Nothing. It’s just… so incredible. No wonder it’s a Heavenly Extreme Flame.”
“The tower’s cultivation acceleration comes from the zapping effect of the wind-thunder crystal fire. It tempers mystic power and even expands the meridians.”
“That’s amazing.”
“Yeah. The Inner Academy earns its name largely because of this Firmament Nine-Story Tower. Cultivating here can boost your speed up to ten times that of the outside world—way better than a Mystic Gathering Array!”
“The Holy Land Academy lives up to its reputation… But how do you know all this so well?”
“Ahem. I… uh, heard it from Grand Elder. She said it’s a secret—don’t tell anyone.”
“Then why tell me? Because I’m not an ‘outsider’ but an ‘insider’?”
“No, because you’re my fiancée.”
“That’s basically the same. We just haven’t had the wedding ceremony yet.”
“That’s a huge difference.”
“Hey! You two, stop right there!”
The happy couple’s banter was interrupted by an angry roar from behind, shattering the mood.
Huangfu Wenqing’s face darkened instantly. She turned to see White Fang members who had caught up—nearly twenty of them, quickly surrounding the pair.
The other Inner Academy students filing in stopped rushing to the cultivation chambers. They stood at a distance, content to watch the drama unfold.
Yan Zhen had been waiting for this. After the leader finished his threats and turned to leave, he saw Huangfu Wenqing lash out with a slap—unleashing Cloud Heaven Palace’s King Xuan Skill, Thousand Leaves Sky-Brushing Hand. It moved with blinding speed, splitting into countless afterimages like a thousand willow leaves brushing through the sky.
Slap-slap-slap!
It was just one strike, but it echoed more than a dozen times. The Seven-Star Mystic Master from White Fang flew backward, spinning through the air before crashing to the ground. He spat out a glob of blood and two teeth, his head ringing fiercely.
Not just White Fang’s crew or the onlookers—even Yan Zhen was stunned.
Instantly unleashing a King Xuan Skill? That fierce?
The power was reduced, sure, but instant activation was absurd. Yan Zhen clearly remembered that in the script, during their decisive battle, she needed hand seals just to use a General Mystic Technique.
The Seven-Star Mystic Master staggered to his feet, clutching his swollen face. With a leaky lisp, he mumbled, “You dare hit me?”
Huangfu Wenqing snorted coldly. “If you’re not convinced, bring it on. A mere Seven-Star Mystic Master? I’ll even let you have one hand.”
Such was the confidence of a peak Mystic Ancestor Realm powerhouse from her previous life.
The Ten Realms of Xuan Dao: The first five were still mortal. From Mystic Lord onward, one underwent a complete transformation. By Mystic Ancestor Realm, they transcended the ordinary—just as seventh-tier Mystic beasts could take human form.
Hence the saying: “Mystic Ancestor experts are terrifying indeed.”
Though Huangfu Wenqing was only a Five-Star Mystic Master now, her mastery and application of mystic power and Mystic techniques surpassed even Mystic Kings. Beating opponents one or two stars higher was effortless.
Her wind Mystic power excelled in speed, and her sword made up for destructive force. If a real fight broke out, the enemy wouldn’t even finish channeling power before she one-shot him—dead.
The White Fang man flew into a rage at her words and lunged, only for the on-duty elder to arrive and halt the fight. After more empty threats, they slunk away in fury.
Yan Zhen breathed a sigh of relief. Finishing the fight now would derail everything.
But he hadn’t expected Huangfu Wenqing to be this formidable. He couldn’t afford to underestimate her anymore. Otherwise, he’d need his trump card to win their two-year battle pact—and that would be humiliating.
Afterward, Yan Zhen led Huangfu Wenqing to a prime cultivation chamber. After deducting 100 points, they began cultivating.
Both were on the verge of breakthrough. With the wind-thunder power’s tempering, they advanced smoothly by dusk. They exited the tower together, ascending the cloud ladder to the mountaintop platform.
White Fang’s group was already waiting, clearly planning to gang up.
“Persistent bunch.”
Huangfu Wenqing stepped forward, but Yan Zhen held her back. “Let me handle this.”
The plot had arrived—it was his time to shine.
Yan Zhen charged into the crowd, unleashing the Ninth Explosion of Eight Extremes Explosion. One punch dropped one foe. Under Starry Sky Dance’s enhancement, they couldn’t even graze his sleeve.
After harvesting the fodder, Yan Zhen and Huangfu Wenqing left. Each returned to their residence.
Grand Elder was still out, likely discussing Yan Zhen’s matters with the Yu Family.
After a quick wash and changing into dashing casual clothes, Yan Zhen leaped from the window toward the Cliffside Small Building, resuming his mission to court his fiancée.
