47. The Lost Huo Wu

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"Are these tactics really conceivable within just 15 minutes?" Huo Wu asked in amazement.

"Fifteen minutes?" Quan Yi was momentarily startled before realizing that Huo Wu had misunderstood something.

"No, no, no, you're mistaken. I've been thinking about how to defeat Teacher Bai Yan since yesterday."

In truth, Quan Yi's strategies were not sudden strokes of genius but the result of careful analysis and meticulous calculations.

He had taken the experience and intelligence gained from their first battle and dedicated all his spare time to refining his approach, breaking it down bit by bit. Even while his body rested, his mind never ceased working.

Huo Wu's small cherry lips parted in shock, her gaze fixed on Quan Yi. At that moment, his figure suddenly seemed much taller in her eyes.

For the first time, she truly felt the biggest difference between them—attitude.

Whether it was physical conditioning, cultivating soul power, or training for combat, Quan Yi never slacked off. Every moment, he gave his all.

A sense of pressure unlike anything before weighed on Huo Wu.

In these past two days of combat training, she had already been giving her best effort, yet she still couldn't match him. Instead, she had become his burden, merely a supporting figure in his brilliance. As someone with boundless pride, Huo Wu found it difficult to accept this reality.

Doubt crept into her heart.

Can I really catch up to him?

Quan Yi was like a blazing sun—dazzling, scorching. The closer she got, the more she felt burned by its intensity.

A heavy silence fell between them. Noticing her unusual quietness, Quan Yi frowned slightly and asked, "What's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"

After a long pause, Huo Wu finally spoke, her voice low and uncertain.

"Xiao Yi… can I really catch up to you?"

Quan Yi immediately understood her meaning, but he hadn't expected the ever-spirited Huo Wu to feel discouraged.

"I won't slow down and wait for you," he replied.

He neither comforted nor reassured her. His words were sharp, cutting.

Huo Wu felt her heart sink. A stifling discomfort welled up inside her as if she had been abandoned at the bottom of a deep valley. Her vision blurred, heat pooling in her eyes, but she stubbornly held back her tears.

Quan Yi, unaware of her emotional turmoil, kept his gaze forward and continued walking.

"Because I see you as an opponent," he said calmly. "Don't expect me to pity you. If you want to catch up, then work harder."

What?

Huo Wu's teary eyes widened. The sadness that had been weighing her down suddenly vanished, replaced by a surge of energy.

The tears threatening to fall were forcefully suppressed, but one still slipped out. Hastily, she raised her hand to wipe it away before it could land on Quan Yi's shoulder.

"Hmph! Arrogant as ever! Who needs your pity? Don't flatter yourself!" she huffed, though her voice trembled slightly.

But within his words, she had heard something far more precious than comfort—recognition.

Quan Yi didn't call out her moment of vulnerability. Instead, he simply kept moving forward.

The gloom clouding Huo Wu's heart completely lifted. Being acknowledged as an opponent ignited her fighting spirit like never before.

"Quan Yi, don't get complacent," she declared, her eyes shining with determination. "Remember this—I'll always be right behind you. The moment you slack off, I'll surpass you. And when that happens, I'll make sure you never get the chance to overtake me again!"

Huo Wu raised her head, lifting her right hand high as she pointed toward the distant sun, her voice ringing out with determination.

"I swear—I will catch up to you!"

"Hahaha, how terrifying," Quan Yi chuckled, his spirits lifting as he saw Huo Wu's fighting spirit reignite. He smiled, playing along.

"Why are you laughing? You should be more nervous!" Huo Wu huffed, giving Quan Yi a dissatisfied pat on the shoulder.

"It's nothing," he replied casually. "Besides, I'm very nervous right now."

Quan Yi genuinely recognized Huo Wu's potential. Whether it was cultivation talent or combat ability, she was undoubtedly among the most gifted on the continent.

More importantly, he believed that if she put in enough effort, she could keep up with him.

That was why he had gone out of his way to push her. If there had been an insurmountable gap between their talents, he wouldn't have been so ruthless in encouraging her to chase an impossible dream.

But Huo Wu was different. She was only six years old—too young to be discouraged by a temporary setback. It would be a shame if she lost confidence so soon.

"Alright, your dormitory is just ahead," Quan Yi reminded her. "Make sure to get proper rest. Forcing yourself to train when you're exhausted will only backfire."

"Got it," Huo Wu replied, hopping off Quan Yi's back.

She hesitated for a moment before looking up at him, her cheeks tinged with a faint blush.

"T-Thank you," she muttered.

"You're welcome," Quan Yi replied with an easy smile.

Without another word, Huo Wu turned and hurried into the dormitory.

She felt embarrassed for showing her vulnerable side to him, yet at the same time, she was grateful. That mix of emotions left her feeling shy.

Quan Yi watched her disappear inside before turning away.

The playground—this place had practically become his personal training ground.

Arriving at his usual spot, he immediately resumed his training, refining his soul skills and honing his fire control.

His self-created soul skill—Flame Bullet, infused with the Seal of Rhinoceros, shot out into the distance.

"Boom!"

A thunderous explosion erupted ahead.

This was Quan Yi's final move in today's battle.

At this stage, it was his longest-range attack, his fastest strike, and his most powerful technique.

Moreover, this move had an added advantage—it could trigger a secondary explosion, further extending its attack range.

Like Huo Wu, Quan Yi's fire control abilities allowed him to execute a two-stage attack. However, in today's battle, he hadn't found an opportunity to display it.

Through his training, Quan Yi had discovered a valuable insight—Gang and Jian played a crucial role in improving his flame control.

If not for the grueling training he had endured, his ability to manipulate fire would never have reached its current level.

The cultivation of Gang and Jian was, at its core, a form of spiritual power refinement. Controlling flames also required spiritual power.

In essence, the two disciplines were closely connected.

This realization led Quan Yi to an intriguing thought—Gang and Jian could be considered a self-created soul skill in itself.

Without relying on soul rings, simply using soul power could produce a degree of offensive and defensive capability. By definition, this qualified as a self-created technique.

At that moment, his curiosity deepened toward the creator of his martial art—his own grandfather.

Just who was he, really?

"Boom! Boom!"

Two consecutive explosions echoed through the training grounds as Quan Yi executed another set of attacks.

Such precise maneuvers demanded immense mental strength, and fortunately, Quan Yi possessed a natural talent for spiritual power.

However, he hadn't focused much on this technique.

The biggest limitation was the 50-meter range restriction of the Seal of Rhinoceros.

While the power and range of his Flame Bullet would increase alongside his mastery of fire control and soul power, the Seal of Rhinoceros remained different—it had a strict distance limit.

Furthermore, the Seal of Rhinoceros was primarily a close-combat ability, not a long-range attack.