On the afternoon of the fifth day of the exchange competition, Blazing Fire Academy faced off against the Elephant Armor Academy.
This was Blazing Fire Academy's last match in the exchange tournament. Having lost three consecutive matches against the Skywater Academy, Godwind Academy, Thunder Academy, the Blazing Fire Academy team was burning with determination—they had to win this final match, or Blazing Fire Academy would be at the bottom. Huo Wushuang the match, Huo Wushuang called everyone together and said only two sentences: "We must win this match. We, Blazing Fire Academy, need a victory."
Huo Wu stood beside her brother without speaking, but the Fire Shadow Halo in her hand had already begun to slowly rotate. Huo Wu had watched the entire match between the Godwind Academy and Skywater Academy that morning, and she stared at the scene where Feng Xiaotian and Shui Bing'er shook hands for several seconds before looking away. That inexplicable irritation hadn't dissipated yet—perfect, she could just unleash it all on this match against Elephant Armor.
After the referee finished announcing the start of the match, both sides released their Martial Soul. On the Shi Suo Elephant Armor Academy side, Hu Yanli led the Huyan Li, with four Defense System fighters at the front, Shi Suo providing support in the center, and Shi Gu providing continuous amplification from the back. On the Blazing Fire Academy side, Huo Wushuang stood at the very front, a phantom of Fire Wolf condensing behind him, its flame-formed body reaching a full two meters in height. Huo Wu stood beside her brother, her Fire Shadow Halo spinning in her palm, its light more dazzling than in any previous match.
The match began. Elephant Armor Academy launched the first attack, with Diamond Mammoth charging head-on at the Blazing Fire Academy defense line. Hu Huyan Li's beast armor gleamed with a cold, hard silver light in the sunlight. Huo Wushuang met Hu Yanli's Huyan Li head-on, and the Fire Wolf and Diamond Mammoth collided, Huo Xing flying. At the same time, Huyan Yan's Shi Suo blocked Huo Wushuang's movement from the side, while Huyan Feng's Shi Mao aimed straight at the Support System in the back row.
Blazing Fire Academy was suppressed from the start. The heavy Martial Soul of Elephant Armor clashed head-on, and Blazing Fire Academy's defense line was constantly forced back. Huo Ling and Huo Ming were forced to retreat repeatedly by the Shi Mao, and their amplification chain was interrupted several times.
Huo Wu stood on the flank and observed that after each charge, the Elephant Armor's Defense System would make a very brief retreat—after each charge, Huyan Li would take a small step back, regain its footing, and charge again. The first time, Huo Wu didn't move. The second time, she observed the rhythm of the retreat. The third time, she made her move.
The Repelling Fire Ring suddenly erupted from Huo Wu's center. The crimson ring of Lie Yan violently rippled outwards, more intense than any before. The pent-up frustration from three consecutive defeats, the irritation from witnessing that scene that morning, and the desperate situation of being at the bottom if Blazing Fire Academy Fire Ring its last match— Huo Wu poured all her emotions into this attack.
Huyan Li and Huyan Ba were forced back two steps, creating a crack in their formation. Huo Wushuang seized this opportunity to break through, while Fire Wolf pressed Huyan Li Huyan Li, followed closely by Huo Yu's powerful attack, and Huo Yun flanked from the side. For the first time, Blazing Fire Academy gained the upper hand in a direct confrontation.
In the ensuing match, Blazing Fire Academy fought with increasing ferocity. Huo Wu continuously unleashed Repelling Fire Ring on the flanks, and every time Elephant Armor's Defense System tried to regroup, they were shaken apart by her Fire Ring. Elephant Armor Armor's proud ironclad formation was repeatedly shattered by Fire Huo Wu.
Huyan Li gritted his teeth and withstood Huo Wushuang's frontal pressure, but his flanks were constantly torn apart by Huo Wu, and his formation could not be reassembled. In the end, the Blazing Fire Academy pressed down to the last line of defense of the Elephant Armor. All four Defense System were restrained, the Support System and Agility Attack System were cut off by Huo Yun's flank, and Huyan Yan's Shi Suo was smashed by the Huo Yu head-on. The Elephant Armor's ironclad formation was broken in an instant.
The referee blew the whistle. Blazing Fire Academy won.
Huo Wushuang withdrew his fist, breathing heavily, then looked up at his father on the high platform, Huo Xiao, the dean of the Blazing Fire Academy. Blazing Fire Academy had finally won a beautiful comeback victory. Huo Xiao stood on the high platform, nodded to Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu, and finally showed the first relaxed and satisfied smile of this exchange competition.
Huo Wu stood in the center of the arena, the lingering flames of the Repelling Fire Ring still slowly dissipating around her. Sweat trickled down her forehead, dampening the ends of her fiery red hair, but her eyes shone brightly. She murmured to herself, "We won. The Elephant Armor was heavily armored, but we won decisively."
Huo Wu subconsciously glanced around the stands. Godwind Academy had finished his competition in the morning and had no matches in the afternoon, so only a few students were sitting in the stands. Feng Xiaotian wasn't there. Huo Wu dejectedly looked away, wiped her sweat, and followed the team off the field.
Huo Wushuang caught up from behind and patted his sister on the shoulder. "Well done in the last match." Huo Wu turned her head, her lips twitching slightly in a smile.
That evening, Huo Wu took a walk alone in the academy. She and her team were all happy after winning a brilliant comeback, but she couldn't quite explain the emptiness she felt inside. The moon hung in the direction of the back mountain, and the academy was quiet. Huo Wu walked along the path outside the guesthouse for a while, and unknowingly arrived near the back mountain of the Godwind Academy.
She was about to turn back when she heard Shui Bing'er's voice—"Why are you giving me something so valuable?"
Huo Wu paused, moving closer to the shadows of the trees in the direction the sound came from. Through the gaps in the branches, she saw two people in the twilight— Feng Xiaotian was handing a small porcelain bottle to Shui Bing'er Shui Bing'er, who was looking down at the pill in her palm, the icy blue light reflecting on her face.
Huo Wu couldn't hear what Feng Xiaotian Shui Bing'er, but she saw Shui Bing'er remain silent for a moment before her ears turned slightly red. She solemnly said, "Thank you. I'm looking forward to it too," and then turned and ran away quickly. Feng Xiaotian stood there, watching Shui Bing'er's figure disappear into the twilight.
Huo Wu leaned against a tree trunk, arms crossed, a cold smile playing on her lips. She had fought tooth and nail on the court that afternoon, wanting him to see it. He hadn't come. So that's what he was preparing for that afternoon.
Huo Wu turned and left the back mountain, her steps faster and heavier than when she came. The night swallowed most of her figure, with only a glimpse of her fiery red hair flashing by in the darkness.
As night fell, Feng Lingtian was the only one in the alchemy room. He had disassembled and reassembled the original Resonance Stone repeatedly, and a stack of rough paper covered with patterns had appeared next to him. He repeatedly studied the resonance patterns in the first stage, drawing and crossing out new patterns.
The core logic of the second phase is almost clear—just one last thing is missing. That new Shitou is almost ready to shine in the palm of my hand.