At that moment, over by the Blazing Academy carriage, Feng Xiaotian appeared once more. After the promotion tournament ended, he had calmed down and reflected on everything that had happened. He came to understand that Lin Jie and Huo Wu had only interacted during their match—there was no romantic relationship between them.
Having figured this out, Feng Xiaotian's mood lifted significantly. Cheerfully, he ran over to find Huo Wu again.
Standing outside the carriage, he called out, "Brothers from Blazing Academy, mind if I come in for a minute?"
Everyone inside recognized that familiar voice instantly. No surprise—it wasn't his first time popping over uninvited. At this point, some people even joked he should be considered part of Blazing Academy himself.
Lifting the curtain, Huo Wushuang stuck his head out. "Brother Feng, what brings you to us this time?"
Feng Xiaotian thought about how he had confidently promised Huo Wu he'd defeat Lin Jie—only to lose to him instead. He chuckled awkwardly. "I came to apologize to Huo Wu. Is she here?"
Huo Wu's charming face appeared at the carriage opening. "You didn't do anything wrong—what's there to apologize for?"
Although she had never asked Feng Xiaotian to defeat Lin Jie for her, it had been something he declared himself. Still, he took her silence as tacit approval.
"Wu, I'm sorry," he said. "I said I'd beat Lin Jie for you... but I lost."
"You don't need to apologize. You weren't at fault. Lin Jie is simply too strong," Huo Wu interrupted gently. "Besides, right now I'm more interested in seeing how far he and his team can go in the finals."
As she said Lin Jie's name, a trace of his handsome figure flashed in her mind. But it disappeared quickly, replaced by a complicated light in her eyes.
Huo Wu had always pursued power—more fiercely than most male Spirit Masters. Lin Jie, with both overwhelming strength and exceptional looks, naturally captivated her. He had saved her before and left a deep impression in her heart. Still, what she wanted most was to defeat him—not for romance, not for revenge, but purely for the sake of victory.
Only by beating someone like Lin Jie could she keep her desire for strength alive.
But with the strength of Blazing Academy alone... that goal was nearly impossible.
Just then, she glanced at Feng Xiaotian and suddenly thought of a possibility—one that would require his cooperation.
"I have something to discuss with you. Come inside," she said.
"Eh? You want to discuss something with me?" Feng Xiaotian blinked, caught off guard. He had been about to leave, but upon hearing her invite, his heart skipped a beat.
Huo Wu turned to Huo Wushuang. "Brother, could you and the others step out for a while? I need to talk to Feng Xiaotian privately."
Huo Wushuang was about to question her but was stopped with a glance.
Now alone with Huo Wu, Feng Xiaotian felt his heart pounding wildly. He suddenly felt very self-conscious.
Looking at him, Huo Wu began, "Brother Feng, I know you've always liked me. And I know you've always treated me well."
Her words instantly sobered Feng Xiaotian, who murmured, "Don't tell me this is the part where you say I'm a good guy... but we're not suited for each other? If you're trying to give me the good guy card, I'll pass, thanks."
Huo Wu gave a slight frown. "That's not what I meant. I'm not thinking about relationships right now. I wanted to talk to you about the finals."
Feng Xiaotian blinked, confused. "What do you mean?"
She said plainly, "Brother Feng, do you really think our academy has a chance against Shrek Academy, the two seeded teams from the empires, and Spirit Hall's monstrous lineup?"
Feng Xiaotian had heard about the seeded teams and Spirit Hall's terrifying team from his teachers. He gave a wry smile. "Not likely. Actually... it's probably impossible."
Huo Wu nodded. "Exactly. Shrek Academy is terrifyingly strong. By the end of the promotion rounds, they had already fielded six Spirit Ancestors. It's not hard to guess—they're likely hiding even more. It's possible all seven of their core team members are Spirit Ancestors."
Feng Xiaotian sighed. "After losing to Lin Jie, I stopped thinking about winning. His strength is unfathomable. Even if we face them in the finals, I doubt we stand a chance. Their teamwork is impeccable. At this point, I just see the finals as a valuable training experience."
But Huo Wu shook her head. "No. We still have a chance. That's what I wanted to talk to you about."
"A chance?" Feng Xiaotian was surprised.
"I want to withdraw Blazing Academy from the finals and form an alliance with your team. The two of us would merge our strongest members to form a new lineup to compete in the finals."
Feng Xiaotian hesitated. "But that doesn't seem... acceptable. Each academy represents an elemental faction. Merging our teams might not pass the tournament committee's approval."
Huo Wu smiled calmly. "I'm only asking for your thoughts right now. And it would be entirely voluntary. If you're willing, I have a way to make it work."
Without hesitation, Feng Xiaotian nodded. "Of course I'm willing! If we combine forces, we'd have a full team of Spirit Ancestors. We could definitely challenge those elite teams."
Huo Wu agreed. "It's all voluntary. Since you've agreed, talk to your teammates and instructors. Blazing Academy will officially withdraw from the tournament, and we'll compete under the name of Godwind Academy. My father is the principal, and I have the authority to make this decision."
Though she spoke calmly, Feng Xiaotian could hear the intense desire for victory behind her words.
She looked him in the eye. "If your team agrees, we'll need to start training together immediately—before we reach Spirit Hall City."
Feng Xiaotian scratched his head and gave a strained smile. "No one on our team would refuse a chance like this. My only worry is the tournament committee."
Huo Wu scoffed. "Transfer students switch schools all the time. And as for the committee—leave that to me."
Feng Xiaotian went silent, his gaze fixed on Huo Wu.
"What are you staring at?" she asked, a bit uncomfortable.
He sighed. "Huo Wu... is victory really that important to you? Do you know what you're sacrificing?"
A flicker of determination shone in her eyes. "It's not just about winning. I want to be strong. If someone sees no hope of victory in what they're doing, they'll lose all confidence. And if you lose confidence, your future is already doomed. I won't accept that. I want to move forward with hope. That's how I'll keep getting stronger."
Hearing her words, Feng Xiaotian felt a deep jolt in his heart. He never realized Huo Wu had this side to her. Before, his pursuit of her had been largely based on appearance. But now he saw something more—something far more admirable.
She was right. Once a person loses faith, their path in life stagnates. They'll never accomplish much again.
While traveling, Blazing Academy and Godwind Academy reached a secret agreement to merge for the finals. This matter was kept strictly confidential—aside from the two academies involved, no one else knew.
Meanwhile, life in the Shrek Academy carriage was peaceful and relaxed. Some were cultivating, others chatting and laughing.
Among the original team, only Oscar and Tang San hadn't broken through to the Spirit Ancestor level yet. As a result, the two trained the hardest—every day, devoting nearly all their time to cultivation.
Lin Jie, as the strongest among them, spent less time cultivating. More often, he was dealing with external affairs alongside Liu Erlong and Flender.
Thanks to the battles in the qualifiers and promotion rounds, plus intense training these past days, several members had already advanced a full level in Spirit Power. Especially those who had consumed immortal herbs and had their bodies transformed.
Current Spirit Power Levels:
Lin Jie: Rank 47
Zhu Zhuqing: Rank 45
Xiao Wu: Rank 45
Ning Rongrong: Rank 45
Dai Mubai: Rank 44
Ma Hongjun: Rank 43
Tang San: Rank 39
Oscar: Rank 38
The others looked at Lin Jie's rapid improvement with a mix of envy and confusion. After all, he was only the fourth youngest among them—yet clearly the strongest.
What puzzled them most was this: they all knew Lin Jie's innate Spirit Power was only rank 4. Even after taking an immortal herb, how could he possibly cultivate this fast?
In truth, Lin Jie had absorbed two immortal herbs half a year ago. He had been tempered by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, and had even fused with two dragon spirits, which left him with a massive reserve of dormant energy in his body.
If not for the fact that he actively suppressed his cultivation speed, he'd be even higher in rank by now.
At this point, the cellular vitality in Lin Jie's body had reached a saturation point, and the spiritual body he had long hoped to achieve had finally been fully formed after years of refinement.
His cultivation speed now rivaled—or even exceeded—that of so-called geniuses.