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Fortunately, Quan Yi had always kept a low profile in the academy. To his knowledge, no more than five students had broken through the twentieth level.
Moreover, as long as he did not disclose his exact level, no one would be able to determine it.
Both Quan Yue and Su Ling'er were aware of his progress, but as long as Quan Yi behaved as usual, not many people would pay attention to him.
After a week of travel, it was finally time to part ways.
"This is where we say goodbye," Quan Yue said, though reluctance filled his heart. Still, he had to entrust Quan Yi with his well-being.
"Xiao Yi, don't push yourself too hard in training once you return to the academy. Your body comes first. We're always behind you, so there's no need to rush," he reminded.
This was Quan Yue's only request for his son. He was reassured by Quan Yi's maturity and level-headedness, never once worrying that he would cause trouble.
His only concern was his cultivation.
Quan Yue was not the kind of father who blindly indulged his children, yet Quan Yi's presence made him want to do so.
"Alright, Father, I'll make sure to rest properly." Quan Yue's concern warmed Quan Yi's heart, and his final words left him slightly flushed.
Knowing that there was always someone behind him, supporting him, filled Quan Yi with strength.
Quan Yue turned to look at Su Ling'er and gave her a slight nod.
Su Ling'er nodded back.
With just this simple exchange, they understood each other's thoughts.
"Alright, go on now."
During this journey, father and son had rarely found the chance to talk at length. Free from the burden of family affairs and cultivation, the trip had given them a rare opportunity to bond.
Through their conversations, Quan Yi had gained a deeper understanding of his father. Now, as they prepared to part ways, he felt reluctant to leave.
Stepping forward, he hugged his father tightly and whispered with a trace of reluctance, "Take care of yourself too, Father."
"Mm. Go on. We'll see each other again when you're on break," Quan Yue replied, gently patting his son's back.
With that, the convoy split into two groups, each heading toward their respective destinations.
Once separated, Quan Yi's group picked up their pace significantly, and he managed to reach his destination well before the academy reopened.
Inside Quan Jia Boutique—
Now that they were on their own turf, both Su Ling'er and Quan Yi finally relaxed. They slumped onto the chairs, their exhaustion evident. The sight was so unceremonious that it would have drawn laughter from onlookers.
After all, transportation in ancient times was far less developed than in past lives. Even for a soul master, traveling for over a month in a carriage was grueling.
If ordinary people could feel drained after just two days on a train, a journey of this length was undoubtedly a trial.
"I'll be staying here from now on. If anything happens, feel free to visit me. Are you sure you want to go straight back to the academy?" Su Ling'er asked curiously.
"Yeah, I haven't had much time to train properly during the trip, so I want to return and get back into my rhythm," Quan Yi replied.
Although the academy had yet to officially reopen, the long journey had forced him to slow down his cultivation. He was eager to make up for lost time.
Simply put, Quan Yi had treated the break as a vacation. Aside from cultivating his soul power, he had refrained from engaging in additional training throughout the entire holiday.
Since he hadn't undergone intense physical exertion, yet maintained the same food intake as during his rigorous training, his body had grown slightly larger in just a month.
Fortunately, as his height had also increased, his physique remained strangely well-proportioned.
However, if Quan Yi wanted to restart his hell-mode training, he would need some time to adjust. That was why he planned to return early—he needed to reacclimate before the academy officially reopened.
More importantly, he had another crucial reason: the mimetic cultivation environment.
After experiencing its accelerated training speed, he found it unbearable to return to normal cultivation.
It was like someone accustomed to watching videos at several times the normal speed—if suddenly forced to watch at regular speed, they would find it unbearably slow.
"Alright, alright, I really can't do anything about you," Su Ling'er said with a helpless smile. "I'll ask Quan Ying to see you off later. By the way, when you have time, bring some friends over to visit—especially your little girlfriend." Her expression carried a teasing glint.
"Little girlfriend? You mean Huo Wu?" Quan Yi sighed, feeling helpless toward his gossip-loving mother. "Mother, stop joking. We're not in that kind of relationship."
Ever since he had mentioned Huo Wu in his letters, Su Ling'er had taken every opportunity to tease him about it, frequently referring to her as his "little girlfriend."
"Really?" Su Ling'er's tone was full of skepticism, though the smile in her eyes betrayed her amusement.
"Hah~, if you keep this up, I won't dare to bring her here," Quan Yi sighed dramatically, pretending to be exasperated.
"Alright, alright, I was just joking. I won't tease you anymore. Now, off you go."
"Then I'm leaving now."
After resting for a while, Quan Yi boarded a carriage and headed straight back to the academy.
There were still four days before the new term officially began. Along the way, he noticed that many students had already returned, and unlike the quiet atmosphere when they had departed, the academy was becoming lively again.
As soon as he arrived at his dormitory, the first thing he did was take a shower. Washing away the accumulated dust and fatigue from the long journey, he felt more refreshed than ever.
After tidying up his room, he fell asleep early, preparing to resume his intense training the next day.
The Next Morning
At dawn, Quan Yi's internal clock woke him up right on time.
Today marked his return to training mode.
As he made his way to the academy's training grounds, he expected it to be empty. However, to his surprise, someone had arrived before him.
From a distance, a flash of fiery red caught his eye.
"Xiao Wu!" Quan Yi called out loudly.
The lithe figure warming up in the distance turned quickly upon hearing his voice.
That crimson silhouette—unmistakable.
It was Huo Wu.
Hearing Quan Yi's voice, her face instantly lit up with a delighted smile.
"Xiao Yi!"
Without hesitation, she abandoned her warm-up and ran toward him, her excitement evident.
"You're finally here! I came back a whole week ago!" she complained, puffing her cheeks slightly as she stopped before him.
She had returned early, waiting for his arrival.
"Sorry about that. I needed some extra time to obtain my second spirit ring," Quan Yi explained with a grin, his joy at seeing her just as evident.
"Your second spirit ring? It must be a good one, right?" Huo Wu eyed him up and down, noticing subtle physical changes that indicated he had successfully absorbed it.
"Yeah."
"Then hurry up! Show me!" she urged impatiently.
"Alright, then get ready to be impressed."
Quan Yi raised his hand, and in an instant, the Sun Gauntlet materialized over his fist. Then, a dark, eerie flame suddenly ignited in his palm.
"This is my second soul skill—Dark Flame."
The moment the black flame flickered into existence, Huo Wu felt an inexplicable sensation.
Ordinarily, red flames evoked warmth and heat, while black flames carried an aura of eerie coldness.
Yet, Quan Yi's flames were different.
Despite their pitch-black color, they radiated an intense heat, raising the surrounding temperature by dozens of degrees in mere moments.
Huo Wu couldn't suppress the surge of curiosity welling up inside her.
A flame like this—something she had never seen before—fascinated her beyond words.