Wang Yan shook his head and said slowly, "No." Lin Qianyi froze slightly. "Why not?" Wang Yan's tone was gentle yet firm. "Qianyi, you're still so young, yet your Soul Power is already close to the Soul King realm. That's exceptionally rare. For one thing, I want you to conserve your strength and serve as our surprise weapon when we face Sun Moon Academy in the finals."
Lin Qianyi still wanted to argue, but Jiang Nannan quietly took her hand. Seeming to understand something, she bit her lower lip lightly before finally nodding. "All right." Seeing this, Wang Yan smiled in relief, and the group resumed discussing their countermeasures.
After the meeting ended, everyone gradually dispersed like a receding tide. Yet Lin Qianyi remained standing where she was, her brows faintly furrowed as though invisible thoughts had ensnared her. Wang Yan noticed her hesitation and could not help sighing softly. He knew her too well—her excessive thoroughness was both her greatest strength and a knot she found difficult to untie.
"Qianyi, what are you thinking about?" Wang Yan's voice was warm and concerned, like a spring breeze brushing over the heart.
Lin Qianyi slowly raised her head, traces of worry showing in her eyes. "Teacher Wang, you know that the semifinals only give us one chance. If we deliberately hide our strength, we may preserve ourselves for now, but we can't guarantee we'll ultimately win.
"Shrek Academy has indeed held first place for many years, but this time is truly different. Although the three main team members can barely compete, their injuries haven't healed. These dozen or so days probably won't be enough for them to recover to their peak condition. Our priority should still be to play it safe."
Wang Yan quietly listened to her, his gaze as gentle