Blazing Fire Academy!

After the heart-stopping battle at the Soul Arena came to an end and Yu Heng was defeated, Xiao Bai left with Li Yingxue.

Otherwise, trouble might have arisen.

On a forest path.

"Hey, Xiao Bai, where exactly are we going next?"

Without slowing down, Xiao Bai focused on the map in her hands. Her fingertip finally stopped at a marked location, and she tapped it firmly.

"Blazing Fire City!"

"Blazing Fire City? What kind of place is that?" Li Yingxue frowned slightly. She rarely left home and had seldom traveled far, so the name was completely unfamiliar to her.

Xiao Bai put away the map and patiently explained, "It is one of the Five Element Cities. The entire city is practically a holy land built for fire-attribute Soul Masters. More than eighty percent of the Soul Masters there possess fire-attribute martial souls or have deep ties to the fire element."

There was a trace of barely perceptible composure in her tone. Clearly, she was quite familiar with the place.

Yet Li Yingxue's expression became even stranger. She looked Xiao Bai up and down, then glanced at herself before lowering her voice. "I remember... you have an ice-attribute domain, right? Going to Blazing Fire City, which is packed with fire-attribute Soul Masters, isn't that like walking into a trap? What if they treat you as an outsider and target you?"

Her concerns were not unfounded. Between Soul Masters of differing attributes, especially extreme attributes, there was an innate sense of opposition and competition.

On someone else's home turf, it was indeed easy to fall into a passive position.

A confident curve appeared at the corners of Xiao Bai's lips as she gently shook her head. "Don't worry. There is no need to think too much about it. If you worry too much, you won't be able to take a single step forward."

"Several years ago, I was ordered to go to Blazing Fire City to expand our business. I established a branch there and built stable commercial ties with the city's dominant force—the Fire Family."

"With the Fire Family as our ally, no one in Blazing Fire City would be foolish enough to target people from the Li Family."

She paused. A cold glint flashed through her eyes, though her tone remained calm. "Besides, if someone really fails to recognize their place and dares to make a move against us... then no matter what force stands behind them, their family's businesses in Blazing Fire City will not survive more than two days."

The strength and confidence in those words left Li Yingxue slightly stunned. Soon afterward, warmth and a sense of security welled up within her.

Several days later, the towering crimson walls of Blazing Fire City appeared in the distance. Heat waves rushed at them outside the gates, and even the air seemed saturated with fire-attribute energy.

Xiao Bai led Li Yingxue straight toward a luxurious restaurant in the western part of the city called Flame Flavor Pavilion.

The entrance was packed with guests, and business was booming.

"Xiao Bai, this is... our family's branch?" Li Yingxue looked up at the imposing three-story establishment, her eyes full of disbelief.

She remembered that her father had recently transferred most of the family businesses to Spirit Hall for management. How could such a large self-operated business still remain?

"Come on, let's go inside and have a look." Xiao Bai patted her shoulder and stepped inside first.

The restaurant was noisy yet warm. The rich aroma of roasted meat mixed with the scent of alcohol and washed over them.

Manager Li Yue was smiling broadly as he attended to several important guests. The moment he caught sight of Xiao Bai and Li Yingxue from the corner of his eye, his smile froze for an instant. Then, with perfect naturalness, he turned slightly and quietly gave a few instructions to an attendant beside him, telling him to take over the guests. He then hurried forward, bowed deeply, and respectfully led the way.

This scene was witnessed by a young man sitting in the corner, dressed in luxurious red robes with hair like blazing flames.

He looked at Xiao Bai in confusion and quietly asked his confidant beside him, "Steward Wang, was that woman leading them inside the merchant who negotiated that important trade route with our Fire Family years ago?"

"Young Master, it was indeed her! The Li Family's chief steward, Xiao Bai!" his confidant promptly confirmed.

The red-haired young man pondered for a moment. A thoughtful gleam flashed in his eyes before he quietly ordered, "Go. Report to my father immediately. Tell him that the 'key figure' has come again and ask what the family head wishes to do."

Meanwhile, in a private room deep within the restaurant, Manager Li Yue stood respectfully before Xiao Bai and Li Yingxue, fine beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

"I did not know Lady Xiao Bai would visit in person. What brings you here? If you have any orders, this subordinate will certainly do everything in his power."

Xiao Bai casually sat in a chair and waved a hand, motioning for Li Yingxue to sit as well. Her tone was gentle. "Manager Li, there is no need to be nervous. I did not come to inspect the accounts today."

She pointed at Li Yingxue and smiled. "I am merely accompanying our young lady on her travels, taking a look at our own businesses along the way and helping her relax."

Li Yue visibly let out a huge sigh of relief, his tense shoulders easing.

He knew perfectly well that, because the restaurant had recently turned a considerable profit, he had privately kept a few extra "benefits" for himself. If Lady Xiao Bai, who was known for her strictness, found out, he feared he would not be able to keep his position.

Xiao Bai took in Li Yue's subtle reaction but did not mind. On the contrary, she felt that this degree of personal gain was more conducive to management.

Zhang Qingxuan had once taught Xiao Bai that water too pure harbored no fish. As long as it did not go too far, Xiao Bai generally did not pursue the matter. After all, being overly harsh was not necessarily a good thing.

She turned to Li Yingxue and smiled. "Yingxue, Manager Li understands the rules very well."

By now, Li Yingxue had restrained her initial surprise. She nodded reservedly.

Li Yue was an exceptionally shrewd man. He immediately took an exquisite, elegant jade hairpin from his sleeve. It was entirely crimson, with what seemed like flowing fire darting within it. Holding it out with both hands, he said, "Young Lady, this is a small token of my regard. It is a Fire Jade Hairpin. It can absorb fire elements on its own to nourish Soul Power. I hope Young Lady will accept it."

Li Yingxue did not refuse. She accepted the hairpin, casually gathered a lock of her dark hair, and fastened it into place. Against her icy skin and jade-like bones, the hairpin created a strangely beautiful sight.

"Mm, you have been thoughtful."

Seeing Li Yingxue accept the gift, Li Yue relaxed, but then he seemed to recall something.

"Oh, right. In a few days, the Water Family of Skywater City will come to Blazing Fire City for an Exchange Tournament. It will be quite a rare spectacle. If you two are interested, I happen to have invitations here."

As he spoke, Li Yue took two gilded invitations from his sleeve and placed them on the table.

"Mm, I understand!" Xiao Bai nodded.

"Then this subordinate shall take his leave!" Li Yue smiled as he withdrew, pressing the teleport button.

After Li Yue left, Xiao Bai picked up one of the invitations. Her gaze turned deep as she looked out at the blazing streets beyond the window. A meaningful curve formed on her lips as she murmured, "The Water Family of Skywater City... Hehe, this is interesting."

"I wonder whether that person will come along this time as well."

Li Yingxue keenly caught the unusual note in Xiao Bai's voice. She turned toward her, curiosity flashing in her eyes. "Xiao Bai, who is this 'person' you mentioned?"

Xiao Bai merely gave a mysterious smile and pushed the invitation toward Li Yingxue without answering directly.