Huowu was an impatient person—once she decided to do something, she acted on it immediately without hesitation.
As she wished, she would face Shui Bing'er in battle the very next evening.
After walking out of the Battle Arena, Yan said to Huowu:
"Tonight was our first time working together, and it went rather smoothly. Tomorrow night, you just focus on Shui Bing'er—the other one, leave to me."
"Alright. Tonight was all under your control anyway. I feel like I just got a free win,"
Huowu teased, clearly not very satisfied with her own performance in the match.
Yan comforted her:
"Don't belittle yourself. The explosive power of the Iron Hammer brothers' Martial Soul Fusion Technique is enough to knock out any opponent of the same level. Tomorrow night, you can show your true strength."
"Okay, I definitely will."
Huowu's eyes shone with confidence at the thought of tomorrow's match against Shui Bing'er.
Afterward, Yan and Huowu went their separate ways. He soon met up with Yue Guan, who had been waiting for him not far ahead.
"Yan, what took you so long? Did you run into someone?"
"Mm. I met the captain of the Tianshui Academy team—Shui Bing'er. We've agreed to have a match tomorrow night. There's a Soul Sect at level forty-nine in that pair."
Yue Guan nodded slightly and said:
"Tianshui Academy, along with Shenfeng, Blazing Fire, and Thunderclap Academies, are all quite strong. Among the academies in the Heaven Dou Empire, they've consistently ranked in the top five. It's good for you to interact with them without revealing your identity—perhaps it'll help the Pope recruit them in the future."
Yan nodded silently and continued walking.
He understood what Yue Guan meant.
Ever since Bibi Dong had ascended to the position of Pope, she had been trying to recruit talented people from all over—whether from the Star Luo Empire or the Heaven Dou Empire.
The captains and vice-captains of these academy teams were all outstanding among the young generation of spirit masters—prime targets for every major power to win over. Naturally, the Spirit Hall would not miss such an opportunity.
Meanwhile, Shui Bing'er and Binglan had just finished collecting their reward of points and gold soul coins at the front desk, but they didn't hurry to leave. Instead, they waited in the main hall.
Some of their teammates were still competing, and they planned to head back together after everyone was done.
While waiting, the two of them began chatting about what had happened earlier that night.
Binglan said:
"That girl from Blazing Fire Academy is quite something—she actually came to us herself to ask for a match."
"Yeah. I misunderstood her before. She might seem proud, but in truth, she's a straightforward girl."
"Mhm. Tomorrow, just focus on dealing with her. Leave that Yan to me."
"Alright. I didn't expect him to be someone Huowu just met—not actually from Blazing Fire Academy."
As Shui Bing'er said this, the image of Yan surfaced again in her mind.
Curiosity tugged at her—she wanted to know who that boy really was. There was something unusual about him.
"Sister Lan, that Yan seems unpredictable. He might have techniques we don't know about. Be careful when you face him tomorrow."
"Don't worry. His flames are powerful, but I won't lose to him."
Binglan's tone sharpened as she spoke.
Though her spirit power exceeded Yan's by four levels, she had an uneasy feeling that winning wouldn't be easy.
"Yan looks about our age, but he's far more mature and composed than most. He knows how to hide his strength—and he didn't even reveal his true information to Huowu. I'd wager that the name he uses in the Battle Arena is fake."
"Really? So his name isn't Yama?"
"Bing'er, you're too trusting. You know the saying—'you can know a person's face, but not their heart.' Remember what I told you—don't get too close to him. After tomorrow's match, we probably won't cross paths again. Even if our Tianshui Academy has good relations with Blazing Fire Academy, he's not one of them."
"…I understand."
Shui Bing'er nodded in agreement, though a strange feeling still lingered in her heart.
Before long, the other girls from Tianshui Academy finished their matches as well.
When they heard that Huowu from Blazing Fire Academy had personally challenged Shui Bing'er, they were all quite surprised.
Fortunately, Yan wasn't actually part of the Blazing Fire Academy team.
Their teacher, Shui Yue'er, immediately decided that the entire team would come watch the match the next night to cheer for Shui Bing'er and Binglan.
Time passed quickly, and soon it was the next evening.
After an early dinner, Yan and Yue Guan arrived once again at the Battle Arena.
Huowu and Huo Wushuang had already arrived before them.
Seeing Yan, Huowu grew excited.
"Brother Yan, you're finally here—look over there!"
Following the direction of her finger, Yan looked up.
Behind the service desk hung a large, eye-catching screen displaying detailed information about two duos—Ice and Flame.
Blazing Duo Record: 1 win, 0 losses
Members: Level 44 Soul Sect "Yan Luo," Level 36 Soul Elder "Huowu"
Ice Duo Record: 4 wins, 0 losses
Members: Level 49 Soul Sect "Binglan," Level 36 Soul Elder "Shui Bing'er"
The screen also showed their scheduled match for the evening.
Although both duos included one Soul Elder, it didn't dampen the audience's enthusiasm in the slightest.
Many spectators had already witnessed the might of the Ice Duo—their undefeated record of four wins spoke for itself.
Yan's recent performances had also drawn attention. Since entering the Tokes Battle Arena, he had fought in five matches—both solo and in pairs—and remained undefeated every time, even against higher-level opponents.
Everyone was eagerly anticipating tonight's battle between ice and fire.
Huowu seemed to enjoy being the center of attention. As the cherished daughter of her family, she had always basked in the spotlight.
Yan scanned the area but didn't spot the girls from Tianshui Academy.
"Brother Yan, what are you looking for? They're not here yet."
"Mm. Since the match schedule's already confirmed, let's sign up and then head to the waiting area."
"Got it."
The two approached the service desk to register.
Just as they finished and were about to leave, a group of girls dressed in blue uniforms entered the hall.
Each one of them looked lively and full of energy.
"Brother Yan, they're here."
"Mm."
Among the dozen beautiful girls, Yan immediately picked out his opponents for the night—Shui Bing'er and Binglan.
The Tianshui girls had also noticed the large display behind the service counter.
"Wow! Sister Lan, Sister Bing'er—looks like the Battle Arena's really giving your match top billing tonight!"
"We'd better go buy tickets now, or we won't get any seats!"
"Yeah, let's go!"
The girls chattered excitedly as they hurried toward the counter.
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