A week passed in the blink of an eye.
During this time, Xiao Ding and Xiao Li devoted themselves entirely to cultivation.
Rather than rushing to increase their cultivation further, Xiao Feng ordered them to first stabilize the strength they had gained from the Devouring Life Pill.
"Power obtained too quickly is unstable."
"If you cannot completely control your Dou Qi, then even if your cultivation is higher than your opponent's, your combat strength will not be."
Under Xiao Feng's guidance, both brothers followed an extremely strict training routine.
Every morning, they would spend several hours inside the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower, refining their Dou Qi under the tempering effects of the Fallen Heart Flame.
Afterward, they would head outside to consolidate their cultivation by repeatedly circulating their Qi according to their Earth Rank cultivation techniques.
Only after their Dou Qi had become completely stable would Xiao Feng allow them to begin combat training.
Their opponent...
Was none other than the newly advanced Sixth-Tier Magical Beast—the Snow Demon Sky Ape.
The ape possessed an enormous physique, terrifying strength, and countless years of combat experience.
More importantly, it understood Xiao Feng's intentions.
Instead of trying to defeat the two brothers, it continuously pressured them while adjusting its strength according to their limits.
Every exchange forced Xiao Ding and Xiao Li to become increasingly familiar with the explosive power of a Dou King.
At first, the two brothers could barely withstand ten exchanges before being sent flying.
However, as the days passed, they gradually adapted.
Their movements became smoother.
Their control over Dou Qi became increasingly refined.
Even the amount of Dou Qi wasted during attacks decreased significantly.
Whenever they finished sparring, Xiao Feng would personally point out every flaw.
"Xiao Li."
"Your attacks are powerful, but you rely too much on brute force."
"You always commit your entire body when striking."
"If your opponent dodges, you'll expose your back."
"Leave yourself a path of retreat."
Then he turned toward Xiao Ding.
"Elder Brother."
"Your strategy is excellent."
"But you're thinking too much during battle."
"Against someone stronger than you, hesitation lasts only an instant."
"That instant is enough to decide life and death."
The brothers carefully remembered every word.
Each evening, after recovering from their injuries with medicinal pills, they would quietly reflect on the day's mistakes before entering another round of cultivation.
Within only a week, although neither had broken through another star, their true combat strength had increased by more than thirty percent.
Even the two Guardian Elders praised their progress.
...
Meanwhile, Xiao Feng had begun another project.
One morning, he visited Guardian Elder Bai and Guardian Elder Qian.
The two elders were somewhat puzzled.
"What do you need from us?"
Xiao Feng smiled.
"I need your help collecting several newly born sub-flames from beneath the Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower."
The two elders looked at one another.
"Sub-flames?"
Xiao Feng nodded.
"Yes."
"The younger the better."
Seeing their confusion, he began explaining.
"A Heavenly Flame is a spiritual existence born from heaven and earth."
"When a Heavenly Flame remains in one place for thousands of years, its surrounding environment gradually becomes assimilated by its own flame essence."
"The land."
"The magma."
"The underground fire veins."
"Even the surrounding natural energy."
"Everything slowly becomes compatible with the Heavenly Flame."
The two Guardian Elders listened attentively.
Xiao Feng continued.
"Once a Heavenly Flame grows powerful enough, it occasionally releases tiny fragments of its own origin."
"These fragments are known as sub-flames."
"They are not independent Heavenly Flames."
"Rather, they are small flames separated from the main body."
"Although their intelligence is almost nonexistent, they still retain a trace of the original Heavenly Flame's characteristics."
He paused before adding,
"These sub-flames are extremely rare," Xiao Feng explained.
"They usually appear only around Heavenly Flames that have matured to a very high level."
"Generally speaking, a Heavenly Flame must possess strength comparable to at least a high-level Dou Huang before this phenomenon begins to occur naturally."
"Once it reaches the Dou Zong Realm, the surrounding environment becomes even more compatible with the Heavenly Flame's origin, causing the birth of sub-flames to become much more frequent."
Xiao Feng paused before continuing.
"Very few people on the continent know about this phenomenon."
"The reason is simple. Very few forces can actually observe a Heavenly Flame for such a long period of time."
"Whenever a Heavenly Flame appears, countless experts immediately fight over it. Once someone successfully refines it, the phenomenon naturally disappears."
"No one is willing to leave a Heavenly Flame alone until it matures to the Dou Zong level just to study its natural evolution."
"Only ancient factions with unimaginable foundations, or forces that have possessed a Heavenly Flame for hundreds or even thousands of years, have the opportunity to observe this process."
"Among the known forces on the continent, the Burning Flame Valley is one of the few that has records regarding this phenomenon, as they have preserved and studied Heavenly Flames for generations."
"Likewise, Canaan Academy has unknowingly become another such place."
Both Guardian Elders suddenly understood.
The Blazing Sky Qi Refining Tower had existed for hundreds of years.
Throughout those centuries, the Fallen Heart Flame had remained sealed beneath the tower. Instead of being completely refined by a single person, it continuously absorbed the surrounding fire energy while subtly transforming the underground magma, fire veins, and even the natural energy of the area into an environment compatible with itself.
Under such conditions, tiny wisps of newly born sub-flames would occasionally separate from the main body. Although each one contained only an insignificant fraction of the original Heavenly Flame's power, they still retained many of its unique characteristics.
To ordinary people, these sub-flames were of little value.
But to Xiao Feng...
They were priceless materials for his research.
Three weeks passed in the blink of an eye.
During those three weeks, Xiao Feng practically secluded himself inside his private alchemy chamber.
The only thing occupying his mind was the True Flame Manipulation Art he had obtained from the Demon Flame Valley.
His objective was not to imitate the Earth Demon Old Ghost.
He wanted to surpass him.
On the Dou Qi Continent, Heavenly Flames possessed an unparalleled status.
Not only were they the greatest treasure coveted by every Alchemist, capable of greatly increasing the quality and success rate of medicinal pills, they could also multiply the combat strength of their owner.
More importantly...
Every Heavenly Flame possessed unique characteristics.
Some specialized in destruction.
Some excelled in purification.
Others contained mysterious abilities that no ordinary Beast Flame could ever compare with.
Among them, the Fallen Heart Flame, ranked fourteenth on the Heavenly Flame Ranking, was one of the most extraordinary.
It originated from the heart.
It refined Dou Qi.
It tempered bones.
Throughout the Central Plains, it possessed another famous title...
The Cultivation Cheating Device.
After refining the Fallen Heart Flame, a special Heart Flame would permanently remain within the cultivator's body.
Day and night...
Without requiring any conscious control...
It continuously refined every strand of Dou Qi flowing through the meridians.
Even while sleeping...
Even while eating...
Even while walking...
Cultivation never truly stopped.
It was precisely because of this terrifying characteristic that Canaan Academy had produced so many experts over the centuries.
Looking at the crimson sub-flames floating before him, Xiao Feng's eyes burned with determination.
"I don't need to recreate a true Heavenly Flame."
"I only need to recreate one of its characteristics."
"If I can reproduce even twenty or thirty percent of the Fallen Heart Flame's cultivation effect..."
"...that alone would be enough to change the future of the Xiao Family and the Fire City."
A genuine Heavenly Flame was a treasure born from heaven and earth.
Creating one artificially was simply impossible.
However...
Creating something stronger than an ordinary Beast Flame...
Yet weaker than a true Heavenly Flame...
That was a different matter.
An Artificial Heavenly Flame.
A flame that stood between the two.
It might never enter the Heavenly Flame Ranking...
But if it inherited even a fraction of a Heavenly Flame's unique properties...
Its value would still shake the entire continent.
With that thought, Xiao Feng immediately began experimenting.
Using the True Flame Manipulation Art as the foundation...
The naturally produced sub-flames of the Fallen Heart Flame as the core...
Various Fifth and Sixth Tier Beast Flames as stabilizers...
And dozens of precious Fire-attribute medicinal herbs as catalysts...
Experiment after experiment began.
Failure.
Failure.
Another failure.
Sometimes the flames exploded before stabilizing.
Sometimes they merged successfully but possessed no special properties whatsoever.
Other times they simply reverted into ordinary Beast Flames.
Three entire weeks disappeared like flowing water.
Countless Beast Flames were consumed.
Large amounts of medicinal ingredients vanished.
Even Fire Elder Huo sighed at Xiao Feng's extravagant experiments.
Only Xiao Feng himself remained calm.
Every failure meant another flaw had been removed.
Every explosion brought him one step closer to success.
Finally...
On the twenty-third day...
A tiny crimson flame hovered silently above Xiao Feng's palm.
It was no larger than a thumb.
Its aura was noticeably stronger than an ordinary Beast Flame.
Yet it lacked the overwhelming pressure of a true Heavenly Flame.
Most importantly...
It carried an extremely faint trace of the Fallen Heart Flame's unique aura.
Xiao Feng's eyes brightened.
"It worked..."
"Although only partially..."
"...it really worked."
He immediately conducted dozens of tests.
The flame's offensive power was only slightly superior to high-grade Beast Flames.
Its refining ability had also improved somewhat.
However...
Its greatest surprise lay elsewhere.
The Dou Qi passing through the flame became ever so slightly purer.
Although the improvement was tiny...
It undeniably existed.
To verify his theory, Xiao Feng selected several trusted Fire-attribute guards from Fire City.
Each of them received one Artificial Heavenly Flame.
"I don't want you to cultivate for the next seven days."
"Simply refine this flame into your body and continue your daily routine."
"After one week, report every change—no matter how small."
The guards respectfully accepted the order.
Seven days later...
All of them returned.
After carefully questioning every single person and comparing their cultivation records, Xiao Feng finally reached a conclusion.
Although none of them had cultivated during the entire week...
Their Dou Qi had still increased.
The increase was not large.
Yet every single person showed the exact same phenomenon.
After calculating repeatedly...
Xiao Feng slowly smiled.
"It really inherited part of the Fallen Heart Flame's ability."
"It's only around..."
"...ten percent."
He looked at the small crimson flame dancing above his fingertips.
Others might consider ten percent insignificant.
To Xiao Feng...
This was a miracle.
It proved one thing.
His path...
Was correct.
If ten percent was possible today...
Then twenty percent...
Thirty percent...
Or perhaps one day...
A true Artificial Heavenly Flame...
might no longer remain just a dream.
Xiao Feng looked at the dozens of research notes scattered across the stone table and let out a long breath.
For the past month, he had barely left the alchemy chamber.
His attempt to recreate an artificial Heavenly Flame had finally shown promising results.
However...
He slowly shook his head.
"It isn't enough."
Although the current artificial flame already surpassed ordinary Beast Flames by a considerable margin and had begun displaying faint characteristics unique to Heavenly Flames, it was still far from the result he truly desired.
After countless experiments using the Flame Manipulation Art together with the Fallen Heart Flame's naturally produced sub-flames, Xiao Feng had finally succeeded in creating a flame that stood between a Beast Flame and a true Heavenly Flame.
Its temperature...
Its purity...
Its stability...
All had improved tremendously.
Most importantly, it had inherited a tiny fraction of the Fallen Heart Flame's unique property.
On the Fighting Qi Continent, Heavenly Flames possessed an incomparable status.
Every Alchemist dreamed of obtaining one.
Not only could they greatly increase the success rate and quality of medicinal pills, but each Heavenly Flame also possessed unique abilities.
Among them, the Fallen Heart Flame was one of the most extraordinary.
Born from the heart itself, it continuously refined Dou Qi and tempered the body.
Because of this astonishing ability, many ancient experts privately referred to it as the Cultivation Cheating Device.
Once refined, the owner would continuously cultivate every moment of every day.
Even while sleeping.
Even while eating.
Even while walking.
The Heart Flame would silently refine the Dou Qi within the body without any conscious effort.
Xiao Feng naturally coveted such an ability.
Not for himself alone...
But for the Xiao Family...
Fire City...
Canaan Academy...
And every trusted ally around him.
If every Fire Attribute cultivator under him could obtain even a weakened version of that effect...
The overall strength of his faction would rise at an unbelievable speed.
Of course...
Replicating an actual Heavenly Flame was impossible with his current abilities.
His goal had never been one hundred percent.
Even twenty to thirty percent of the Fallen Heart Flame's cultivation effect would already be heaven-defying.
For that reason, Xiao Feng had spent three continuous weeks refining, adjusting, failing, and beginning again.
After producing several stable prototypes, he secretly selected a group of loyal Fire City guards, all possessing Fire Attribute Dou Qi.
He instructed them to refine the newly created artificial flames into their bodies before carefully recording every change.
One week later...
The guards returned.
After questioning every one of them individually and comparing their cultivation records, Xiao Feng reached an unexpected conclusion.
Although none of them had deliberately cultivated during that entire week...
Their Dou Qi had still increased.
Not by much.
But it had increased nonetheless.
After countless calculations...
"The efficiency is roughly ten percent..."
Xiao Feng muttered while writing the final result into his notebook.
Ten percent.
Only one-tenth of the original Fallen Heart Flame's cultivation effect.
For ordinary cultivators, that was already miraculous.
For Xiao Feng...
It was merely acceptable.
"I'll continue once it reaches twenty or thirty percent."
"That should be the ideal balance between stability, cost, and practicality."
He slowly closed the notebook.
Unfortunately...
He simply didn't have enough time.
There were too many matters awaiting him.
This project would have to be postponed.
After organizing the priority of his future plans, Xiao Feng quietly listed them one by one.
The first priority...
The Chaos Purple Breaking Pill.
A genuine Seventh-Tier Mid-Level Medicinal Pill.
Its refinement would be extremely difficult even for many veteran Seventh-Tier Alchemists.
Yet Xiao Feng had no choice.
Only by successfully refining it could he help one of Canaan Academy's peak Dou Zong elders break into the Dou Zun realm.
A Dou Zun powerhouse...
That single breakthrough would drastically increase the academy's strength and provide him with another reliable protector before the continent descended into chaos.
The second priority...
The Misty Cloud Sect.
More specifically...
Yun Shan.
Xiao Feng gently tapped the table.
According to the original timeline, Yun Shan's personality had gradually changed after being secretly manipulated by the Hall of Souls.
In reality...
Yun Shan himself was not an evil person.
His ambition was great, but his character had not yet completely deteriorated.
Evidence of that could easily be seen through Yun Yun's personality.
Her righteousness, kindness, and integrity had all been taught personally by Yun Shan before his corruption.
As for Nalan Yanran becoming somewhat arrogant...
That was more a consequence of her own talent, background, and circumstances than Yun Yun's teachings.
If Xiao Feng could remove the Soul Imprint planted by the Hall of Souls before everything spiraled out of control...
Then Yun Shan could become an ally instead of an enemy.
The Soul Clearing Pill he had developed was specifically designed to cleanse foreign Soul Marks and restore clarity to one's spiritual consciousness.
Combined with his Peak Mortal Realm Soul Power...
He had considerable confidence in removing the Hall of Souls' influence.
As for the Hall of Souls Protector secretly stationed around Yun Shan...
Xiao Feng wasn't overly worried.
Even if Canaan Academy still lacked a Dou Zun, Guardian Elders Bai and Qian were both Peak Dou Zong experts.
Together with Grand Elder Su Qian...
Taking down a single Hall of Souls Protector would not be impossible.
If successful...
The entire Gamma Empire could be peacefully unified under one banner without internal conflict.
Once that happened...
The Xiao Family could openly develop within the empire for several more years without constantly worrying about hidden enemies.
Perhaps...
They would never even need to abandon the Xiao surname.
The third priority...
Queen Medusa.
More precisely...
Her evolution.
Xiao Feng recalled the records left behind by ancient Beast Tamers.
The Ten Thousand Beast Heavenly Flame possessed one of the purest beast-origin flame auras in existence.
It was almost tailor-made for Medusa's bloodline evolution.
If everything proceeded perfectly...
There was a possibility that she could evolve directly into the Eight-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python, surpassing the original timeline entirely.
As for the legendary Nine-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python...
Xiao Feng merely smiled.
"That's asking too much..."
Even he wasn't optimistic enough to believe such a miracle could happen at the current stage.
Still...
An Eight-Colored Heaven Swallowing Python was already more than enough.
A stronger Medusa meant a stronger Jia Ma Empire.
Because Xiao Feng understood something that no one else on the continent did.
The greatest danger facing the Gamma Empire wasn't the Misty Cloud Sect...
Nor the Black-Corner Region...
Nor the neighboring empires.
It was the Hall of Souls.
Once they began secretly manipulating the surrounding kingdoms, wars would erupt across the northwest.
thousands would die.
Countless souls would become nourishment for their terrifying grand plan.
Against such enemies...
The Gamma Empire alone could never survive.
Only by unifying every possible ally before that day arrived...
Would they possess even the slightest chance of resisting the storm that was destined to sweep across the entire Dou Qi Continent.