The finals were brutal—fifteen teams would be eliminated in the very first round.
Before the drawing of lots, no one knew who their opponent would be.
Without knowing their enemy's strength, every team would go all out.
The three teams that had been granted byes were the most relaxed of all.
Yan and his teammates arrived at their designated rest area in good spirits, ready to watch the other matches.
Their entrance instantly drew everyone's attention.
The uniforms of the Spirit Hall Academy team were white, embroidered with six emblems representing the Spirit Hall.
Yan, Xie Yue, and Hu Liena each wore a purple medallion on their left chest—symbols of their status.
Among the Spirit Hall team, Yan was the most eye-catching.
He did not bother suppressing the blazing aura within him. His fiery red hair fell loosely down his back, striking and vivid.
The white uniform could not conceal the flame-like crimson markings across his body. He appeared pale-white with an undertone of molten, dark-gold red—unique and unmistakable.
The rest areas of Tianshui Academy, Blazing Academy, and Godwind Academy were situated right next to one another.
Shui Bing'er and the other girls from Tianshui soon noticed the Spirit Hall team—and Yan.
The girls were surprised and murmured among themselves:
"Isn't that the fire-attribute soul master we met at the Great Spirit Arena? The one called Yama?"
"It looks like him. But why is his flame aura so intense? I remember it only flared like that when he was in battle."
Shui Bing'er suddenly said,
"That's definitely him. I heard from Huo Wu that once a fire-attribute soul master reaches a certain level, they can freely release or suppress their flame aura. Maybe he's achieved that."
"Really? That's amazing…"
"When Sister Bing'er and Sister Lan fought him in the arena, wasn't he around level forty-four?"
"Yes. But now he's already above level fifty."
Shui Bing'er's attention was completely fixed on Yan; she didn't even notice her teammates' chatter.
She was certain—the Yan standing with the Spirit Hall Academy team was the very same Yama she had met at the Tokes Great Spirit Arena.
Nearly two years had passed since then, yet seeing him again—even from several hundred meters away—still made her heart flutter uncontrollably.
Huo Wu and Huo Wushuang had also noticed Yan.
"Little sis, you were right. Yan really is the fire-attribute soul master from the Spirit Hall team."
"Mm. He seems to have gotten a lot stronger too."
"Well, of course. He's one of the youngest Purple-Record Medallion holders in the entire Spirit Hall."
Huo Wu smiled.
"Brother, let's go talk to him."
"This isn't a good idea, is it? Look at that group—they're all so arrogant. We'd probably get turned away."
"Then you stay here. I'll go with Bing'er. I don't believe he's that kind of person."
Without waiting for him to object, Huo Wu was already heading toward Tianshui's side.
Huo Wushuang, unable to stop her, had no choice but to follow.
Huo Wu found Shui Bing'er.
"Bing'er, you saw him too, right?"
"Mm."
Shui Bing'er followed Huo Wu's gaze and nodded softly.
"I guessed right. Brother Yan really is the Spirit Hall Academy fire-attribute soul master. Shall we go talk to him?"
"That might not be appropriate…"
"What's inappropriate about it? The draw hasn't even happened yet. There's still time before the matches begin. We'll just say hello and come back."
"But…"
"What? Are you afraid he won't acknowledge us? Haven't you wanted to see him again? Come on—we'll go together."
"…All right."
Shui Bing'er couldn't resist Huo Wu's enthusiasm. Arm in arm, the two walked toward the Spirit Hall Academy rest area.
"Huo Wu, where are you going?"
Huo Wu turned and saw Feng Xiaotian approaching.
"To see someone."
"That fire-attribute soul master you mentioned before?"
"Mm."
"Where is he?"
"Over there at the Spirit Hall Academy rest area."
Feng Xiaotian followed her gaze and immediately spotted Yan.
His fiery long hair and the flame markings visible even through his uniform made him impossible to miss.
"Can I come with you?"
"Mm. Come along."
After what Yan had told Huo Wu the last time they parted, she had changed her attitude toward Feng Xiaotian significantly.
Huo Wu and Shui Bing'er walked in front, with Huo Wushuang and Feng Xiaotian trailing behind.
The two beautiful girls drew countless stares wherever they passed.
One was fire, the other water—a striking contrast.
Huo Wu had a fiery figure, sharp gaze, and confident stride filled with proud energy.
Shui Bing'er was cool and elegant, quiet and gentle, her every movement graceful.
Despite having completely opposite temperaments and attributes, the two girls had become close friends with no secrets between them.
As they drew closer to the Spirit Hall team, Shui Bing'er grew even more nervous. Her heartbeat quickened.
Huo Wu could clearly feel the sweat gathering in Shui Bing'er's palm.
"Bing'er, don't be nervous. We're all here with you."
"…Mm."
Yan also spotted the approaching group—Huo Wu, Shui Bing'er, Huo Wushuang—and guessed the boy beside them must be Feng Xiaotian, judging by his different academy uniform.
The Spirit Hall team members also noticed the four approaching them.
The two beautiful girls at the front immediately caught their attention.
"Looks like they're coming for us. Which academy are they from?"
"Sister Na, are they here for you?"
"No. I don't know them."
The others assumed they were girls Hu Liena had met during her training trips.
But Hu Liena shook her head expressionlessly, then glanced at Xie Yue and Yan.
Xie Yue chuckled.
"Don't look at me. I don't know them either."
Xu Yu asked,
"There are two fire-attribute soul masters among them. Brother Yan, are they here for you?"
"Mm."
Yan spoke simply, then stepped forward and walked toward the group.
"You're here."
Huo Wu beamed, unable to contain her excitement.
"Brother Yan, it really is you!"
"Mm. It's me."
"Brother Yan."
Shui Bing'er tried her best to stay composed, though she felt her heart racing.
After two years apart, Yan had grown taller, and with his rising strength, he seemed more mature—more charismatic.
Huo Wu teased,
"Brother Yan, you've gotten even more handsome! I can't believe you really turned out to be a member of the Spirit Hall Academy. And you even used a fake name to deceive us—we kept calling you 'Brother Yan' all that time!"
"That was during secret training. I had no choice. Allow me to properly introduce myself—I'm Xiao Yan."
"Xiao Yan? Then I'll keep calling you Brother Yan."
Yan nodded, then looked at the handsome boy standing beside Huo Wushuang.
"And this is?"
"Brother Yan, this is Feng Xiaotian, captain of the Godwind Academy team."
"Hello."
Feng Xiaotian quickly stepped forward to greet him.
He knew well that Yan had been the key influence that changed Huo Wu's attitude toward him.
"I heard that during the Heaven Dou preliminaries and promotion rounds, Godwind Academy took first place."
Feng Xiaotian replied modestly,
"Just luck. Some academies didn't show their full strength. But regardless of who it is—once they face the Spirit Hall Academy, they are destined to lose."
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