46. Quan Yi’s strategy

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This time, it wasn't a combined soul skill from Huo Wu and Quan Yi—it was Quan Yi's own self-created combination technique.

By merging the Seal of Rhinoceros with the first version of the Flame Bullet, he had unleashed an explosion of immense power, sending shockwaves rippling through the air.

Yet, Quan Yi remained tense, his eyes fixed ahead, unwilling to let his guard down.

He had yet to see Bai Yan's figure emerge from the aftermath.

Then—

A faint coughing sound came from the center of the explosion.

"Cough… cough…"

As the smoke and dust slowly dispersed, Bai Yan's form gradually came into view.

Flames flickered across her entire body, radiating an astonishing pressure. She stood there, like a majestic fire phoenix—noble and unshaken.

Quan Yi's mind raced.

This must be another one of Teacher Bai Yan's soul skills.

With slow, deliberate movements, Bai Yan descended. As she landed, the flames that cloaked her body gradually faded.

Then, she clapped her hands together and smiled.

"Congratulations. You've passed this assessment."

Only then did Quan Yi and Huo Wu exhale in relief. They exchanged glances, then smiled at each other.

Huo Wu's body swayed slightly from exhaustion. Seeing this, Quan Yi reached out to support her.

Bai Yan walked up to them, shaking her head with a helpless expression.

"You two are really full of surprises. Your strength has already surpassed level 20."

She couldn't help but feel that she had completely miscalculated their capabilities. Despite limiting her soul power to level 20, she had been unable to secure a victory against them.

Turning to Quan Yi, Bai Yan's curiosity deepened.

"Quan Yi, was that last flame bullet your own soul skill?"

Although she already had a strong suspicion, she needed to hear it from him directly.

"Yes," Quan Yi replied calmly. "It's a soul skill I created, based on Huo Wu's technique."

Bai Yan studied him carefully.

Even now, after such an intense battle, he remained so composed.

However, there was an even bigger question she needed to confirm.

"How long did it take you to develop this soul skill?" Bai Yan asked.

Quan Yi hesitated for a moment before responding, choosing to hold back the full truth.

"It took me an afternoon."

In reality, he had succeeded after a single attempt, but he felt no need to reveal that detail.

Even so, Bai Yan was stunned.

Genius. This is true genius.

For a soul master to create their own soul skill in just one day… It was unheard of.

A strong Martial Soul and high innate soul power were important indicators of talent, but did they truly define a soul master's potential?

No.

Those factors merely reflected one's luck—not one's true ability.

Many gifted soul masters failed to live up to their natural talents due to their own limitations. Meanwhile, others who lacked innate advantages carved out their own paths through sheer willpower and intelligence.

Self-created soul skills were the ultimate proof of a soul master's true talent.

"Originally, I thought I had already overestimated your abilities," Bai Yan admitted. "But it turns out… I still underestimated you."

Her admiration was genuine.

"Teacher, you're exaggerating," Quan Yi said shyly, feeling a little embarrassed by the praise.

In his mind, his so-called self-created soul skill wasn't entirely his own. It was merely an imitation, made possible by his Martial Soul's ability to control fire.

Even so, the freedom brought by his fire manipulation had broadened his perspective, unlocking new possibilities he hadn't considered before.

Soul skills can only be obtained through spirit rings.

What a joke—at least in front of Quan Yi's Sun Gauntlets.

With the power of his Martial Soul, Quan Yi could control flames at will.

The same flames that other fire-type soul masters could only unleash through their spirit rings—he could summon with his own soul power alone.

He had merely glanced at Huo Wu's Flame Bullet, yet he could replicate it effortlessly.

The Sun Gauntlets was the undisputed king among fire attribute Martial Souls. Other fire-type soul masters could only bow before its brilliance.

Bai Yan shifted her gaze to Huo Wu.

Though exhausted from depleting her soul power, Huo Wu remained standing with the help of Quan Yi.

"Huo Wu, your dual-handed control is truly impressive," Bai Yan praised. "It requires extraordinary precision. But what I admire most is your perseverance."

Though Huo Wu's radiance was not as dazzling as Quan Yi's, Bai Yan still considered her a remarkable soul master—one with both talent and heart.

The most striking thing about Huo Wu was her ability to unleash astonishing strength in the most critical moments.

That kind of unwavering determination and mental fortitude was an invaluable quality, one Bai Yan deeply respected.

More importantly, Bai Yan had noticed something else—Quan Yi's presence had ignited a competitive fire within Huo Wu.

A goal drives motivation, and for Huo Wu, Quan Yi was that goal.

"Huo Wu, I hope you never lose this spirit of perseverance."

With that, Bai Yan clapped her hands. "Alright, you two should rest well. Same time tomorrow."

As with yesterday, she didn't overcomplicate the post-battle analysis. Instead, she simply acknowledged their performance before turning to leave, knowing they needed time to recover.

Tomorrow, they would review the fight in detail.

Huo Wu let out a tired breath, then pointed to an open spot nearby.

"Help me over there. I need to sit down and rest."

Quan Yi, however, frowned. "I can just carry you back to the dormitory. You need proper rest."

Just like yesterday, he planned to drop her off before heading to the training grounds for more practice.

At his words, Huo Wu's face instantly turned red.

Not again!

She vividly remembered the embarrassment of being carried yesterday.

"N-no need!" she stammered, flustered. "I'll just sit here for a bit. I don't want to trouble you."

Quan Yi, oblivious to her thoughts, simply nodded. "It's fine. You're as light as paper."

Seeing his unwavering insistence, Huo Wu was torn between her pride and her exhaustion.

Finally, after an internal struggle, she sighed and relented.

"Fine… but can you carry me on your back this time? That way, it'll be less tiring for you."

"No problem."

As Quan Yi carried her on his back, Huo Wu noticed something—there were far fewer people watching this time.

She quietly exhaled in relief.

Her once-tense body relaxed, and her dangling feet began to swing gently back and forth.

A question suddenly came to her.

"Xiao Yi, how did you know the teacher would come down instead of retreating back up?"

She stared at the back of his head, admiration shining in her eyes.

When Quan Yi had planned the final sequence of attacks, he hadn't explained much to her. He had simply instructed her to execute her part to the best of her ability.

Now, she was truly curious about how he had predicted Bai Yan's movements so precisely.

"Because," Quan Yi began, "the teacher was completely focused on your long-range attacks and my Seal of Rhinoceros. She overlooked me as a threat."

"Under the pressure of limited time and relentless attacks, Teacher Bai Yan would naturally take risks to bait you into using your soul skills."

"She has extensive combat experience, which meant she would pick the safest course of action. And in that moment, moving toward me was the safest option."

"Compared to your Flame Bullets, the stones I threw seemed easier to dodge."

Quan Yi turned his head slightly, glancing at Huo Wu.

"But make no mistake—this wouldn't have worked without you."

"If you hadn't remained calm and executed your attacks perfectly, we wouldn't have forced the teacher into that position."

This was precisely why he hadn't told Huo Wu his full plan in advance—he didn't want her to hold back even slightly.

Only by giving her absolute best could they truly deceive an experienced fighter like Bai Yan.

Quan Yi genuinely admired Huo Wu's strength.

Her combat talent far surpassed ordinary soul masters.

She was only six years old, yet her potential was limitless.

A true genius.

Quan Yi acknowledged this fact.

But when it came to himself—he never once considered himself a genius.

Everything he had achieved so far was due to his parents, his family, and his own relentless effort.

If he had been born into an ordinary farming family, he wouldn't have been able to afford soul beast meat since the age of two.

That was why he trained so hard.

Because he didn't want to waste the opportunities given to him.

He would never take them for granted.