Chapter 1291 - 920: Burning the Academy

Jiang Nan’s voice was full of grievance, her big watery eyes mistily staring at him.

However, facing Jiang Nan’s little expression, Zhang Chen just smiled: "I don’t know you? You’re the kind of woman who won’t give up until you achieve your goal. How could you so easily leave in a huff."

In his previous life, he hadn’t dated many, but definitely not too few, and he had experienced quite a few tactics women use to manipulate men.

Jiang Nan, although quite skilled in manipulation, was still far from those top-notch tea masters of the 21st century.

"You heartless man, I’ve come to this and you still won’t coax me." Jiang Nan stomped her foot in anger, turned around, and walked back to Zhang Chen: "I have something I want to ask Zhong Xiang for help with, seeing how you have an extraordinary relationship with him, could you put in a good word for me?"

"No way!" Zhang Chen mercilessly refused: "A woman who looks down on me, I have no reason to help her."

Jiang Nan did look down on Zhang Chen, otherwise she would have married him long ago. Why should Zhang Chen help a woman who looks down on him?

For desire? Zhang Chen had plenty of money, couldn’t he just buy a courtesan from a brothel?

"You..." Jiang Nan, seeing Zhang Chen’s merciless refusal, pointed at him, speechless.

"In my eyes, you’re no different from Shen Ling, the only difference being she has slept with other men and is already tainted, while you have only slept with me and are still considered clean." Zhang Chen’s words were harsh.

"If you don’t help me, if I can’t get to know Zhong Xiang and use his force to deter those with ill intentions, I’m afraid it won’t be long before I’m forced into a corner by others. If you want to see me become tainted, then just stand by and watch!" Jiang Nan’s eyes stared at Zhang Chen: "I just can’t believe it, a big man would sit by and let his woman be forcibly taken by others."

Zhang Chen looked at Jiang Nan, feeling speechless, as she truly knew how to manipulate a man’s mind, but was Zhang Chen just any man?

"If you don’t marry me, you will marry someone else in the future, being taken by other men is just a matter of time, why should I help you?" Zhang Chen lightly smiled, showing no intention of helping her.

"I offended Gong Chun! I used Gong Chun to get into the Academy, he promised to send me there, and then I would become his concubine, but I stood him up, now Gong Chun is putting more and more pressure on me, if I can’t find new support, I’ll eventually be taken by Gong Chun." Jiang Nan’s eyes looked at Zhang Chen: "I heard you have a grudge against Gong Chun, you wouldn’t let him take me, would you?"

"Gong Chun? Really a pitiful guy, being played around by you." Zhang Chen hesitated for a moment, feeling a little sorry for Gong Chun.

"Wait here, when Zhong Xiang wakes up, I’ll ask her to protect you for a while." Zhang Chen said to Jiang Nan.

He could choose not to help Jiang Nan, but he was more than happy to cause trouble for Gong Chun.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan’s face lit up with joy, and she leaned in to Zhang Chen, speaking softly: "Can you teach me your cultivation technique?"

Zhang Chen discreetly took a step back, decisively refusing: "No!"

"Why can you teach her, but not me? I’ve shared intimacy with you, could your relationship with her be closer than with me?" Jiang Nan questioned.

Zhang Chen shook his head: "You’re different! There can be many women with whom I’ve shared intimacy, but Zhong Xiang is my future chosen ally, a true comrade worth entrusting everything to is very rare. One is an object for venting, the other is a comrade I can turn my back on, which do you think I should trust?"

"I can also be your comrade!" Jiang Nan leaned in, pressing closer.

Zhang Chen glanced at Jiang Nan, mercilessly saying: "You see men only as playthings, to you, all men are fools, you’re not someone I can trust."

Zhang Chen extended a hand, pressing it against Jiang Nan’s advancing head: "Keep your distance from me, don’t taint my purity, otherwise how will I find a wife in the future?"

He used the same line on Jiang Nan as he did on Shen Ling, causing Jiang Nan to roll her eyes, angrily shaking off Zhang Chen’s hand, she huffed and walked to the side, breathing heavily.

Neither of them spoke again until after a small half-day had passed, Zhong Xiang opened her eyes, a strange Qi Mechanism emanating from her body, even though the Dragon Qi suppressed all of Kyoto, firelight still emerged around Zhong Xiang.

"This is the Heaven-Opening Fire!" When Zhang Chen saw the flame emerging around Zhong Xiang, he was filled with shock, instantly recognizing the origin of this flame, as he had dealt with the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit before, very familiar with the Heaven-Opening Flame.

But Zhang Chen quickly realized he was mistaken, it was merely the Qilin Flame, possessing part of the Heaven-Opening Flame’s power.

"So it turns out that what Zhong Xiang integrated into her body was strands of the Heaven-Opening Flame, no wonder even the Qilin Flame couldn’t suppress it." Zhang Chen suddenly understood.

It’s known the Qilin Flame is among the top flames in Heaven and Earth, not inferior to the Sun True Flame or Earth Flame, yet it still couldn’t suppress the flame invading Zhong Xiang’s body, how strange.

At this moment, observing the flames emerging from within Zhong Xiang, Zhang Chen’s heart suddenly understood. Heaven-Opening Fire contained the most fundamental laws in Heaven and Earth, embodying the power of the Heavenly Dao Law. No wonder Zhong Xiang’s Qilin Fire couldn’t suppress it.

It is also understandable that the Dragon Qi of Kyoto could not suppress Zhong Xiang’s flames. After all, it is the power inherited from the Four Spirits of Heaven Opening, one of the oldest forces in the world.

The power of the Dragon Vein comes from the Heaven and Earth Spirit, which is the ancestor of the Great Dao, and the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit is equivalent to the Heaven and Earth Spirit. It is normal for the power of the Great Dao’s Dragon Qi to fail to suppress the power of the Heaven-Opening Fire Spirit.

"You can exert your Bloodline Power even under the suppression of Kyoto’s Dragon Qi?" Jiang Nan was utterly shocked by the flames emanating from Zhong Xiang, her eyes filled with disbelief.

This is Kyoto! Under the Dragon Qi, all techniques are suppressed, and everyone is mortal, but you can perform your Divine Techniques; how is everyone else supposed to compete? Wouldn’t Kyoto be at your beck and call?

The power of Heaven-Opening Fire was excessively formidable. The cold pool surrounding Zhong Xiang immediately evaporated, turning into mist that soared into the sky. The waterfall behind him dried up completely, and the mist in the air was decomposed by the intense heat into hydrogen and oxygen, then ignited, resulting in a cataclysmic explosion that shook the entire Academy.

The Academy trembled as if in an earthquake; tall pavilions swayed precariously, and stones rolled down from the mountains. Everyone turned to the soaring flames, stepping anxiously in that direction.

"Apologies, I have just started Refining and suppressing this trace of fire and cannot control it completely!" Zhong Xiang glanced at Zhang Chen, the rock at his feet beginning to melt.

"I’ll wait for you at the pavilion," Zhang Chen, sensing the commotion drawing people from all around, began to swiftly retreat. His form flickered and he vanished from sight.

It wasn’t that he feared others, he just didn’t want people associating Zhong Xiang’s transformation with himself, to avoid causing trouble.

"By the way, that woman has stirred up some trouble; please look after her for me." As Zhang Chen’s voice echoed from afar, he left Zhong Xiang standing there, who then glanced at Jiang Nan but remained silent.

"Also, I’ll need Miss Zhong to hold off the Gong Family for me." Jiang Nan wore a smile on her face.

Zhong Xiang coldly glanced at her, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, merely closing his eyes and concentrating on controlling the flames within him.

Before long, the rock beneath Zhong Xiang’s feet had turned to magma, spreading throughout the waterfall area.

Scholars and teachers hurried from the Academy, and upon seeing Zhong Xiang standing amidst the flames, they were struck with shock in their eyes.

"That’s Zhong Xiang! He’s managed to suppress his weaknesses!" The Third Prince, Chai Wenxin, stared at the flames around Zhong Xiang, a fervor in his gaze: "What kind of flame is this that can break through the blockade of Dragon Qi? If I, the Solitary King, could marry Zhong Xiang, who in the entire royal city could rival me?"

Chai Wenxin immediately realized Zhong Xiang’s worth; as the only extraordinary being in the royal city, Zhong Xiang could sway the entire situation.

"Such a terrifying flame, even capable of burning through the power of Dragon Qi. The Great Victory royal family will surely be uneasy; if mishandled, the Zhong Family will undoubtedly become the target of the Great Victory royal family’s eradication efforts. After all, how could the royal family tolerate anyone threatening their rule?" Sir Zhu Xun approached from afar, gazing cautiously at the flames around Zhong Xiang.

"How frightening Zhong Xiang is!"

"I wonder how the Great Victory royal family will react!"

...

The onlookers murmured amongst themselves, their eyes filled with awe as they watched the flames surrounding Zhong Xiang.

At this moment, members of the Gong Family arrived, and Gong Chun, noticing Jiang Nan standing with Zhong Xiang, signaled her to come over: "Miss Jiang, please come this way."

Upon hearing this, Jiang Nan looked at Gong Chun without speaking, then turned to Zhong Xiang, who had his eyes tightly shut. Suddenly, Zhong Xiang opened his eyes, coldly glaring at Gong Chun: "From now on, Jiang Nan is under my protection. All of you from the Gong Family, get lost as far as possible. If I catch you pestering Jiang Nan again, I’ll break your third leg."

Upon hearing this, Gong Chun’s face changed drastically: "Zhong Xiang, how can you be so domineering? Jiang Nan and I are mutually affectionate. No matter how forceful you are, you can’t smash the lovebirds apart!"

"Didn’t you hear me?" Zhong Xiang asked coldly.

Gong Chun’s face turned various shades as he stood there without daring to retort, as the flames around Zhong Xiang were too intimidating.

Jiang Nan now looked at Gong Chun with an aggrieved expression: "Lord Chun, I have offended Zhong Xiang, and she insists that I stay by her side... I... I..."

She made a tearful gesture, which shattered Gong Chun’s heart. He quickly said: "Miss Jiang, don’t cry. Temporarily endure by this demon’s side. I’ll find help and definitely rescue you from this demon’s den."