Fire Born from the Heart, Tempering Sinews, Bones, and Soul!

Five years later, Blazing Academy.

Huo Wushuang looked at the two figures standing in the open space ahead. One was tall and voluptuous, with waist-length dark red hair, eyes like Fire Stars, and a gold-red academy uniform. Her long, snow-white legs were exposed to the air, one hand resting on her hip, her expression sharp.

It was Huo Wu.

The other also wore a gold-red academy uniform. He had handsome features and flowing red hair, stood 1.8 meters tall, and possessed a perfectly proportioned physique. His ruby-like eyes stared straight at the beauty before him.

It was Ji Bai.

Huo Wu was seventeen this year. She had long shed the immaturity of girlhood, and her talent at Blazing Academy was second only to Ji Bai's. She had now broken through to level thirty-seven, making her a model figure among the younger generation of the Four Elements Academies.

However.

Ji Bai was only twelve, yet he had already reached Huo Wu's current realm.

In the near future, he would surpass Huo Wu as well.

If Huo Wu was the standard-bearer of Blazing Academy, then Ji Bai was the leader of its younger generation.

"Although our Soul Power Levels are the same, I am several years older than you. I'll let you make the first move." Huo Wu slightly lifted her crimson eyes and parted her red lips.

Ji Bai remained calm. He extended one hand and said softly, "Senior, don't underestimate me. Make your move."

Hearing that, Huo Wu stopped being polite. Her Soul Power instantly boiled, and three Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—lit up in sequence, their brilliant halos swirling.

An orange-red flame phantom that closely resembled her suddenly appeared, flickering uncertainly as the temperature around it surged.

"First Soul Skill, Starfire Prairie Fire!"

Fine crimson sparks rained down from the sky, igniting into swathes of blazing flames the instant they hit the ground.

A densely packed field of fire instantly covered the entire sparring ground. Scorching heat waves rushed at him, sealing off every possible route of escape.

Facing the sea of flames surrounding him, Ji Bai's expression did not change, and his eyes remained utterly calm.

The next moment.

Purple-red flames rose around him as the Fire Phoenix suddenly appeared and soared into the sky. Three Soul Rings—yellow, purple, and purple—followed close behind, and the first Soul Ring abruptly lit up.

"First Soul Skill, Flame Spin Burst!"

Golden flames suddenly spun and erupted, a ring-shaped wave of fire exploding outward from him.

It forcibly crushed the surrounding flames.

This was not the first time Huo Wu had seen Ji Bai's first Soul Skill, and she had not expected her own first Soul Skill to accomplish much.

"Third Soul Skill, Fire Resistance Ring!"

As her third Soul Ring lit up, a ring of fire appeared around her and directly blasted back the incoming fire tornado, sending it flying away!

"Senior, be careful!"

"I'm getting serious now!"

As Ji Bai's words fell, his second Soul Ring instantly lit up, and dazzling golden-red light enveloped his entire body!

"Second Soul Skill, Bathing Fire Phoenix!"

"Bzzz—"

The original purple-red flames transformed into golden-red flames, instantly covering Ji Bai's entire body.

The Fire Phoenix Martial Soul also became far more imposing.

At the same time, a dense and heavy flame shield formed tightly around him, flowing with light and seeming indestructible.

The Bathing Fire Phoenix Soul Skill had come from the thousand-year Blazing Fire Luan Soul Ring he had absorbed.

This Soul Ring granted him a hundred percent increase to all attributes, while also doubling the power of his flames. When stacked with his first Soul Skill, the power of his flames increased by a full twofold!!

At the same time, in this state, his resistance to negative effects doubled. His resistance to fire and ice attributes also doubled, and against Soul Masters of the same level with ice or fire attributes, he could even achieve immunity.

Unfortunately.

Huo Wu did not yet understand this.

Her delicate brows lifted slightly, and intense excitement flashed through her eyes. Her desire to fight Ji Bai with everything she had reached its peak.

Without time to think further, she launched another attack. Her second Soul Ring blazed with light.

"Second Soul Skill, Flame Binding!"

Several thick, condensed crimson flame chains shot through the air, carrying scorching heat and binding force as they crisscrossed toward Ji Bai.

They were incredibly fast. At first glance, they seemed to seal off every angle of evasion, an intimidating sight.

Just as the Fire Chains were about to reach him, Ji Bai clenched both fists, and the flames suddenly spiraled, compressed, and condensed.

"Burst Spiral Fist!"

After the flames and Soul Power were compressed, their power rose to another level, increasing by more than double once again.

Ji Bai's fists were wrapped in rapidly spinning golden-red flames as he launched a fierce, domineering frontal strike!

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

Explosions rang out one after another as the flame chains shattered beneath his fists.

"Senior, others might find a control-type Soul Master like you troublesome, but my explosive power is far beyond that of ordinary people!"

As Ji Bai spoke, he charged toward Huo Wu.

Huo Wu's expression turned grave, and purple light suddenly burst from her third Soul Ring!

"Third Soul Skill, Fire Resistance Ring!"

Centered on her, a massive ring-shaped wave of fire exploded outward, and a powerful shockwave of flames swept through the area.

The most important aspect of this move was its ability to repel enemies and Soul Skills. Whether used for control or self-protection, this third Soul Skill was extremely useful.

But in the next second.

A shocking scene suddenly unfolded before her.

The shockwave from her Fire Resistance Ring, unleashed with full force, slammed fiercely into the flame shield surrounding Ji Bai.

The expected knockback did not happen at all.

"Senior, my second Soul Skill has powerful fire-attribute immunity!"

"Even though your third Soul Skill can repel Soul Skills and close-range enemies, it is ineffective against me!"

Huo Wu's entire body trembled, her eyes filled with disbelief.

In the Bathing Fire Phoenix state, Ji Bai's aura had completely transformed. With all his attributes doubled, his presence utterly overwhelmed Huo Wu's.

"Senior, the outcome has already been decided. There's no point in continuing. Stop."

Phoenix Fire coiled around Ji Bai as he spoke with complete composure.

"Xiaobai, do you think I'm the kind of woman who surrenders so easily?"

Huo Wu's body slowly rose from the ground.

She had actually used the power of Fire Resistance Ring to suspend herself in midair for a short time. This astonishing control also surprised Ji Bai.

"Senior, this is only a spar, not a fight to the death."

"Do you have to injure me, or get hurt yourself, before you're willing to stop?"

Ji Bai felt somewhat helpless. The fire vortex around him erupted again as he pressed forward.

"Here I come!"

Huo Wu once more activated the third Soul Skill, Fire Resistance Ring, still unwilling to accept it.

But...

In the next second, the previous scene played out once more.

Ji Bai directly broke through the Fire Resistance Ring and threw a punch at Huo Wu's face. Yet at the last moment, he abruptly stopped when his fist was only an inch from the tip of her nose.

"Boom—"

Terrifying waves of fire erupted and spread in every direction, yet they did not harm Huo Wu in the slightest.

Huo Wu's control over Soul Power was indeed exceptional, but Ji Bai's control had already surpassed hers.

"Whoosh!"

With a beat of his Phoenix Wings, Ji Bai pulled Huo Wu back down to the ground.

"Xiaobai, you've truly made me see you in a new light."

"I never imagined I would lose to a little boy five years younger than me."

Huo Wu stared unblinkingly into Ji Bai's eyes. She did not seem unconvinced by the outcome. A loss was a loss, and she had lost to a boy five years younger than herself. It was somewhat embarrassing, but fortunately, there was only one spectator here.

Ji Bai smiled slightly. "Thank you for the compliment, but... you can leave out the word 'little.'"

Huo Wu managed to hold it in at first, but in the end, she burst into laughter, trembling like a flower in the wind.