Inside the most luxurious carriage of the convoy, Qian Renxue sat alone, dressed in an elegant golden court gown. Her makeup had been removed, and her long, golden hair draped freely over her shoulders. She looked serene—composed, noble, and breathtakingly beautiful.
Li Chang'an entered, offering a formal bow.
"Your Highness, may I ask what matter required my presence?"
Even as he spoke, his gaze—frank and unrestrained—swept over her exquisite figure.
Qian Renxue was long used to such behavior from him. Instead of retreating, she deliberately straightened her back, the faintest hint of a smile at the corner of her lips. After all, her beauty existed for this man to see.
"I called you to discuss business," she said calmly. "We'll be returning to Spirit City soon. Once there, I'll need to report to her at night. I'd like you to accompany me."
She took a sip of tea and gestured for him to sit.
Though her relationship with Bibi Dong had long since grown cold, blood ties still existed. Facing the Pope alone would be… uncomfortable. But with Li Chang'an beside her, she felt she could endure it.
Li Chang'an sighed and nodded helplessly.
"Very well. I'll go with you."
'Wonderful,' he thought darkly. 'Now my teacher's going to find out I've been flirting with her daughter…'
Qian Renxue continued, "Before leaving, Emperor Xue Ye gave me another task."
"What kind of task?" Li Chang'an frowned. The old emperor was no fool—any order from him surely carried ulterior motives.
"He wants me to purchase, at any cost, a number of high-level soul tools from Spirit City's black market. He also instructed me to recruit researchers from the Spirit Hall's Institute of Martial Research, and to acquire intelligence reports of all kinds—whatever I can get."
Li Chang'an chuckled quietly.
Such activities were nothing new. Both empires and the Upper Three Sects were doing the same—it was merely a matter of how much money they were willing to spend.
Still, the emperor's sudden urgency was telling. He clearly sensed the growing threat of the Spirit Hall. But what of it?
History moves forward like a wheel, Li Chang'an mused. Those who stand in its way will only be crushed beneath it.
And unfortunately for them—he already knew exactly where that wheel was heading.
"Do as he asked," Li said simply. "The Spirit Hall has surely prepared for this. They won't be caught off guard."
With that, the matter was settled.
"Anything else, Your Highness?" he asked.
"Of course."
Qian Renxue rose gracefully, her eyes glinting as she stepped closer—until she was standing right before him, her voice a soft whisper.
"I missed you."
The carriage rocked gently.
Then came a muffled command from inside: "Reinforce the sound barrier. Stabilize the carriage."
Moments later, the "meeting" began—its vibrations echoing faintly even through the wheels.
The guards outside exchanged confused glances. The prince and that young man had been "discussing business" for an awfully long time, and for some reason, the four horses pulling the carriage were walking… rather unevenly.
Half an hour later, Li Chang'an emerged, hands on his hips, the picture of self-satisfaction.
---
Elsewhere in the convoy—
"Brothers of Blazing Academy, may I come in?"
A familiar voice called from outside their carriage—it was Feng Xiaotian.
Though his match with Li Chang'an had left him battered, his injuries were mostly superficial.
"Feng, what's the matter?" Huo Wushuang lifted the curtain, his brow furrowing slightly.
Feng Xiaotian smiled awkwardly.
"Nothing urgent. I just wanted to speak with Huo Wu—to apologize."
From behind her brother, Huo Wu appeared, her face radiant yet cool.
"What do you have to apologize for? You didn't do anything wrong."
Seeing her, Feng Xiaotian's eyes lit up—then dimmed with guilt.
"Huo Wu… I'm sorry! I failed your expectations. I couldn't beat Li Changsheng…"
"Enough." She cut him off, her tone calm but firm.
"You didn't fail me. That man was simply stronger than either of us expected. He's… terrifyingly strong. Losing isn't shameful. What matters now is seeing how far he can go in the finals."
At the mention of Li Chang'an, Huo Wu's eyes softened briefly. Her obsession with strength burned hotter than most men's ambition.
Li Chang'an's power—and the kiss they'd once shared—had left an imprint on her heart. She didn't know if it was admiration, attraction, or rivalry… but she knew one thing: the stronger he was, the more she wanted to surpass him.
After a moment's thought, she looked back at Feng Xiaotian with new determination.
"Come in. Brother, stay too. We have something important to discuss."
---
Inside the carriage, Huo Wu's tone was cool, businesslike.
"Today, we'll talk cooperation—not feelings."
Feng Xiaotian grinned. "Fine by me. Whatever you say."
"Don't joke," she said sharply. "I'm serious. Think from a position of interest, not emotion."
She paused, then continued:
"Tell me, Feng Xiaotian—what meaning do the finals still hold for us?"
He blinked. "What do you mean?"
"Do you really believe we can defeat Crimson Rose Academy? Or the imperial academies backed by the two empires? Or worse—the Spirit Hall Academy?"
Feng Xiaotian smiled bitterly. "If I'm honest… no. It's nearly impossible."
"Not nearly," Huo Wu said coldly. "Completely impossible. Crimson Rose hides their strength too well. Every one of their members is at least a Spirit Ancestor—and one of them has yet to even reveal her true power."
Feng Xiaotian sighed.
"After losing to Li Chang'an, I stopped worrying about such things. Even in a team match, we'd never beat them. Their coordination is flawless. The finals, for me, are just a chance to gain experience now."
Huo Wu shook her head. "No—it doesn't have to be that way. There's still a chance. That's why I wanted to see you."
She looked at both men and spoke calmly:
"I want Blazing Academy to forfeit our spot in the finals."
"What?!" Feng Xiaotian's eyes widened. "You fought so hard to qualify! Why give it up now?"
Even Huo Wushuang turned in disbelief.
Huo Wu met their gaze evenly. "Not give up—combine. I want Blazing Academy and Godwind Academy to form a single team for the finals."
Feng Xiaotian froze. His earlier playful thoughts vanished entirely. "That… might not be allowed. We represent different elements. Even if we agreed, under whose banner would we compete? The tournament committee would never approve it."
"Leave that to me," Huo Wu said. "All I'm asking is—are you willing?"
Without hesitation, Feng Xiaotian nodded. "Of course I am. If our teams merge, we'd have an entire roster above level forty, and far more tactical options. We could actually challenge the strongest teams."
Huo Wu's eyes softened slightly. "Good. Then let me handle the rest. Convince your teammates and instructor. Blazing Academy will yield its title and fight under the name of Godwind Academy. We'll simply transfer enrollment temporarily. My father's the dean—he'll agree."
Though she spoke with calm authority, Feng Xiaotian could feel the fiery passion behind her words. It was the kind of resolve only someone utterly hungry for victory could possess.
"We don't have much time," Huo Wu continued. "Barely ten days of travel left. Discuss it quickly. If all goes well, we'll begin joint training at once."
She paused, then added, her tone edged with challenge:
"You've already created one fusion technique before, haven't you? Perhaps together, we can create a second one."
Feng Xiaotian's eyes gleamed.
"You mean—like your team's combined attacks during the qualifiers? A coordinated pseudo fusion skill?"
Huo Wu nodded.
"It may not be a true Martial Soul Fusion, but if our teamwork is perfect, we'll shock the entire continent."
Her gaze was unwavering, filled with conviction.
She would win—no matter the cost.
She would prove herself to Li Chang'an.
She must.