11 The Dean and Head Instructor’s Shock
With Shui Bailan mediating, Yan Zhen finally dispersed the attack that could have severely injured even a Mystic Ancestor. Dean Yu Qing sat back down, fuming.
“I won’t let you harm Instructor Yu Xuan,” Yan Zhen said calmly. “No matter how minor the punishment, I won’t allow it. Otherwise… besides that attack, I still have many other trump cards.”
Dean Yu Qing, who had just sat down, slammed her hand on the table again. “You dare threaten us?!”
“I didn’t say that.” Yan Zhen crossed his arms, looking completely unfazed. “I’m a model student, excellent in both conduct and academics. You can ask Instructor Yu Xuan.”
Dean Yu Qing was so angry she almost attacked again, but Shui Bailan quickly stopped her.
“Alright, that’s enough.” Shui Bailan said, “Yan Zhen possesses such abilities, proving Xuan’er’s good judgment. We’ll likely be family in the future, so there’s no need for such hostility. It puts Xuan’er in a difficult position.”
“Who’s family with this brat? Whether my sister accepts him is another matter!” Dean Yu Qing said angrily. “I’ve changed my mind. I don’t approve of this marriage!”
Yan Zhen rolled his eyes at the Dean, thinking, Instructor Yu Xuan and I are a match made in heaven. It’s not up to you to object.
“Almost forty years old, and still acting like a spoiled child. It’s laughable.”
This comment struck a nerve with Dean Yu Qing, making her jump to her feet again.
“Who’s almost forty?! Who’s acting like a spoiled child?! You little brat, I’ll beat you to a pulp!”
“—Both of you, shut up!”
Shui Bailan shouted, her voice amplified by Mystic Power, making Yan Zhen and Dean Yu Qing’s ears ring.
Seeing Shui Bailan’s beautiful face cold and her eyes sharp, clearly about to lose her temper, they immediately shut their mouths, realizing their childish argument was both immature and annoying.
Shui Bailan sighed, rubbing her temples. “Yan Zhen, release Xuan’er. She just returned and should go home to visit her family.”
Yan Zhen thought for a moment. “Can I go with her?”
“You want to go too? I’m afraid not.” Shui Bailan shook her head. “We don’t know how the Clan Head, Xuan’er’s mother, feels about this. If you go now, you might be arrested.”
Yan Zhen said firmly, “I’ll face this with Instructor Yu Xuan. I won’t let her suffer any injustice!”
If she went back alone, she would definitely be punished, and all his efforts would be in vain.
As Shui Bailan hesitated, Dean Yu Qing spoke up. “Let him go! He’ll learn his lesson when he sees my sister!”
“No,” Shui Bailan vetoed. “We should assess my sister-in-law’s attitude first, then decide. It’s best to talk to Elder Yu Mo as well.”
Yu Mo was Instructor Yu Xuan’s great aunt, the eldest of the three Yu sisters, and also a Grand Elder of the Inner Academy.
In Yan Zhen’s impression, Grand Elder Yu Mo had a gentle personality, somewhat similar to Instructor Yu Xuan.
“Alright, then Instructor Yu Xuan and I will go back now.”
Shui Bailan nodded. “Go… and don’t wander around. Focus on cultivating in your residence.”
Yan Zhen clasped his hands in respect, glanced at the childish Dean, and then swaggered out of the office, thoughtfully closing the door behind him.
Seeing him leave, Dean Yu Qing immediately complained, “Bailan, why are you taking his side?”
Shui Bailan sighed. “I’m not taking his side. I’m solving the problem… Do you want to experience that Mystic Skill he just used?”
Mentioning this, Dean Yu Qing calmed down, recalling the terrifying energy Yan Zhen had emitted. She frowned, puzzled. “What kind of Mystic Skill was that? He’s just a Mystic Master, yet it made even me feel threatened.”
“It seemed to be a special technique based on Extreme Flames.” Shui Bailan pondered. “Yu Qing, couldn’t you tell what kind of Extreme Flame he was using?”
“How would I know? I haven’t seen many Extreme Flames.” Dean Yu Qing pouted. “The Han family has a few, but they’re mostly low-ranked, useless things, not a threat at all.”
Extreme Flames ranked within the top hundred and those outside were on completely different levels. For example, Ignis Fatuus, even at full power, could only burn Mystic Generals and Mystic Kings. It was less effective against Mystic Lords and practically useless against Mystic Ancestors.
“And… I felt like there was more than one Extreme Flame’s aura just now.” Dean Yu Qing recalled. “You must have noticed it too, Bailan. Besides the initial gray flame, there were also crimson and gold-silver flames.”
“Now that you mention it, that’s true.” Shui Bailan was also confused. “But how could he possess three Extreme Flames?”
“Impossible. At his age and cultivation level, being able to refine one Extreme Flame is already incredibly lucky. Moreover, Extreme Flames are difficult to coexist. When two Extreme Flames approach each other, they either repel or devour each other. Throughout history, only that legendary Alchemist Saint from the Eighth Continent possessed two Extreme Flames.”
“Then perhaps the other two weren’t Extreme Flames, but some other kind of fire?”
“That must be it.”
“I’ll go check the records. That gray flame… it’s unsettling.”
“Go ahead. There are books about Extreme Flames on the central bookshelf in the underground library—actually, I’ll go with you.”
They descended the stairs to the underground library.
Since Yu Heaven Pavilion was built on a pond, it could also be called an underwater library.
The library mostly contained documents, teaching materials, and the collections of past Deans. There were quite a few records about Extreme Flames, as any powerful cultivator, especially alchemists, would be interested in such wondrous things.
After searching for a long time, they finally found a description matching the gray flame.
“The flame is gray, takes the form of a dragon, emits a sinister aura, exerts a formidable pressure, confuses the mind, and is cunning like a demon. This is the ‘Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire,’ the most difficult Extreme Flame to tame, ranked… thirteenth on the Extreme Flame List?!”
The two women looked at each other, their beautiful faces filled with shock.
The book also described: The Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire has a volatile nature. Its power is comparable to a Demigod, and only a Saint can tame it. Ordinary people should not approach this forbidden flame, lest they lose their lives.
The two women were even more shocked. Words like “Demigod” and “Saint” were completely incongruous with a Mystic Master realm freshman. But Yan Zhen had indeed displayed the Evil Spirit Dragon Breath Fire before them.
The grayish-black color, the dragon form, and the chilling, sinister aura, it all matched the description in the book!
“How did that boy manage to refine the thirteenth-ranked Extreme Flame?”
…
Yan Zhen didn’t know that after he left, the Dean and the Head Instructor specifically looked up the type of Extreme Flame he possessed. After leaving the pavilion, he entered the Fire Refining Starry Sky to retrieve Instructor Yu Xuan.
—He still needed to explain things to his beautiful master.
Beautiful Master had always been slightly hostile towards Instructor Yu Xuan and was probably jealous by now.
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