Unusual Behavior

She knew full well that remaining deadlocked like this was no solution. She had to find an opportunity to engage in close combat to turn the situation around. Yet just as her attention wavered for an instant, Situ Yu silently circled behind her and launched a sneak attack.

But how could Lin Qianyi be so easily caught off guard? Her body flipped nimbly through the air, and a pair of dazzling Azure Luan Wings abruptly spread from her back. They not only blocked the fierce attack but also gave a powerful flap, knocking Situ Yu several steps back.

In that fleeting instant, Lin Qianyi seized the brief opportunity and cried out, "Luan Phoenix Domain!" At her summons, the entire space seemed to be enveloped by a mysterious force. Situ Yu felt his Soul Power sink into a mire, and even his movements became sluggish. Taking advantage of this, Lin Qianyi swiftly closed in, stopped before him, and fixed him with a clear, resolute gaze. "You lost!"

Situ Yu froze slightly, then revealed a bitter smile. "A bet is a bet. We concede. You truly are formidable, miss." Lin Qianyi gave a slight bow and replied gently, "You flatter me, Senior Brother."

The referee's voice rang out at the right moment. "Yunluo Soul Tool Advanced Academy has forfeited the remaining match. Lin Qianyi of Shrek Academy is the victor."

The moment the match ended, Wang Yan anxiously wanted the Reserve Team students to leave first, leaving only Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, and Ling Luochen behind.

Lin Qianyi lightly tugged at the corner of her clothes and hesitantly spoke up. "Teacher Wang, this is a match involving Sun Moon Advanced Soul Tool Master Academy. If we stay to observe and learn, it may greatly benefit our future development."

Ma Xiaotao turned around and looked at her warmly. "Little Qianyi, what matters most for you right now is focusing on cultivation. Improving your own strength is the proper path. Leave this place to us." Dai Yueheng nodded in agreement beside her. "That's right. With us here, you should head back first."

Facing the firm gazes of the three senior students, the eight members of the Reserve Team still had their doubts, but in the end, they could only helplessly bid everyone farewell and slowly leave with lingering regret.

She and Jiang Nannan sat on opposite sides of the hotel sofa. Lin Qianyi paused with her cup in midair, her expression grave as she said, "Teacher Wang's behavior today was rather unusual."

Hearing this, everyone gathered around. Jiang Nannan softly asked, "Junior Sister, why do you say that?" Lin Qianyi slowly set down her cup and explained seriously, "I suspect Teacher Wang seems to be hiding something from us." Huo Yuhao nodded thoughtfully, as though he had already guessed part of it.

"Think about it," Lin Qianyi continued. "Why wouldn't Teacher Wang let us watch our opponents' match? Why did he make us come straight back to cultivate? It really doesn't make sense." Wang Dong furrowed her brow. "Maybe Teacher Wang has other plans and wanted to give us time to recover?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head. "No. Teacher Wang's tone was very different from usual, and the way he hurried off was suspicious as well. Watching the match and learning about our opponents is a crucial opportunity for the upcoming matches."

"Besides, this is a round-robin tournament. Watching matches now can still help us understand our opponents better," Lin Qianyi added. "Given Teacher Wang's usual way of doing things, he wouldn't easily give up such a good opportunity. There must be something else going on."

Wang Dong pondered for a moment before suggesting, "Then how about we sneak out and take a look?" Xu Sanshi chimed in from the side, "Could it be that this opponent is extremely strong?" Lin Qianyi nodded lightly, a trace of worry on her face.

He Caitou thought for a moment before saying, "There's no use just guessing. We can't see it up close, but that doesn't mean we can't see it from afar." Beibei raised a brow in confusion. "Oh? What do you have in mind, Cai Tou?" At that moment, He Caitou was fiddling with something on his person. Before long, an exquisite telescope appeared in his hand. Curiosity flashed through Xiao Xiao's eyes. "A telescope?"

"This is a telescopic Soul Tool. Here, Xiao Xiao, take a look first." He Caitou handed the telescopic Soul Tool to Xiao Xiao. Xiao Xiao nodded lightly and stepped forward. Looking through it, she could indeed clearly see the direction of the Battle Soul Arena.

Then He Caitou turned to Lin Qianyi. "Qianyi, come take a look too." Lin Qianyi responded at once. She gave a slight nod, then activated her Purple Gold Demonic Eye and looked through the telescopic Soul Tool. At a glance, everything inside the Battle Soul Arena came into view.

Just as the atmosphere of the soul battle grew exceptionally tense, she spotted a team composed entirely of Five-Ring Soul Kings. She slowly lowered the telescopic Soul Tool, and Beibei hurried over to ask, "Junior Sister, what did you find?"

Lin Qianyi's expression was solemn. "A team made entirely of Five-Ring Soul Kings. Their soul rings may not be the very best, but they absolutely cannot be underestimated." Huo Yuhao leaned over to take a look as well, then nodded thoughtfully. "So Teacher Wang didn't want us to watch because he was afraid it would shake our confidence."

Lin Qianyi's gaze was firm. "No matter what, now isn't the time to be discouraged. Even if we do suffer a blow, it isn't necessarily a bad thing. It can instead push us to keep improving."

Xu Sanshi agreed from the side. "Junior Sister is right. Beibei, don't tell me you were actually discouraged?" Beibei shot Xu Sanshi a fierce glare, while Jiang Nannan gave him an equally displeased look.

In the hotel lobby, soft lighting fell over everyone. Beibei's gaze swept across his teammates one by one, his voice steady and resolute. "We barely made it through the round-robin stage, and the main team members have gradually recovered their condition.

But our opponents will only grow stronger from here on. We must make thorough preparations. If we draw the two-two-three format—Xiao Xiao, you'll be paired with Qianyi; Cai Tou, you'll partner with Xu Sanshi; and lastly, it'll be me, Yuhao, and Wang Dong."

He paused, shifting his gaze toward Lin Qianyi and Jiang Nannan. "Qianyi, you and Nannan can also form a pair. The two of you work well together. One controls the wind, while the other excels at soft techniques. Your speed advantage cannot be underestimated."

Jiang Nannan replied softly, "All right, I have no objections."

Lin Qianyi nodded slightly. "Senior Brother, I understand."

Huo Yuhao's voice carried a hint of concern. "Senior Disciple Brother, Third Senior Brother, Qianyi... if we really encounter such a situation, what are our chances?"

Beibei frowned and pondered for a moment before slowly answering, "Around thirty to forty percent." A trace of worry flashed through his eyes.

Xu Sanshi cut in from the side. "Mine and Beibei's situations are about the same."

However, Lin Qianyi held a different view. "If I go all out, I should have a fifty percent chance."