The crackle is finally revealing its true power. It's the inner fire of python, which is a "level 4 spiritual beast" . This is the same flame that the alchemist used to defeat the alchemist in the Imperial Capital. The alchemist says that he doesn't want to use the flame for the sake of the competition, but only because he wants to stand a better chance by using it. The crackle chirps that he couldn't beat him in the imperial competition, and that he's still going to fail this time. He's not the only one with a special flame in the herb hall, the alchemist says. He says that the flame from the moonfire eagle is a level 6 spiritual beast, which means that it's been passed down from generation to generation in the flower rain. He asks the alchemist how he got this flame, and the alchemist tells him that he can't be strong enough to inherit it, because the alchemist has to be the chief alchemist. The old hag asks if he has anything prepared for the final that he hasn't shared with everyone, and he says that if he does, then he'll use his flame.