The autumn wind swept across the training grounds. More than a hundred students stood in orderly rows.
Elder Jiang stood at the front, his gaze slowly sweeping across the crowd.
"For the past two months," he began, "you have all been practicing Lin Arts. Many of you have already mastered the hand seals and incantations, and some have even learned several basic techniques."
He paused.
"But knowing a technique does not mean you can use it effectively. Only in real combat will your true ability be revealed. Today, we will test your training results."
He raised his voice slightly.
"We begin combat practice."
A murmur spread through the students.
Beside him, Elder Chen crossed his arms and called out loudly.
"You'll form groups of five for the sparring matches. Choose your own teammates. Let's see what you've learned these past two months!"
Elder Li added,
"Remember the principles of the Five Elements—generation and suppression. A team should balance wood, fire, earth, metal, and water. Don't stack the same element."
"Generating relationships can strengthen teammates. Suppressing relationships may not grant bonuses, but they can compensate for weaknesses."
He continued,
"Also divide your roles wisely—offense, defense, control, and support. A well-coordinated team can produce strength far greater than individual power."
The crowd immediately burst into activity as students began searching for teammates.
Lin Fei and Li Chen exchanged a glance and naturally walked toward each other.
A moment later, Liu Jinfá hurried over, panting.
"Brother! Let me join your team!"
"Of course," Lin Fei nodded.
Li Chen asked, "Jinfá, you cultivate Metal Arts, right?"
"Yeah," Liu Jinfá counted on his fingers.
"I know two techniques right now. Metal Art · Cleaving Palm, mainly offensive. And Metal Art · Iron Guard, more defensive."
He scratched his head.
"I'm not very skilled yet, but I can manage."
Before he finished speaking, two girls approached.
"Lin Fei, can we join your team?" Hu Mei asked with a smile.
She wore a light pink dress today, her skin glowing like jade. Beside her stood a short-haired girl in blue—Sun Ting.
"Of course!" Li Chen answered before Lin Fei could speak.
Then he scratched his head awkwardly.
"Uh… what techniques do you two know?"
Hu Mei blinked.
"I trained under Elder Li like you all, so I know some basic Wood and Water techniques. Also…"
She smiled slightly.
"I learned a healing art in Clearbrook Valley from Granny Liu—Spring Renewal."
"Spring Renewal?" Li Chen's eyes lit up.
"That means you can heal us?"
"Minor injuries only," Hu Mei replied gently. "But in prolonged combat, it can be very useful."
Li Chen rubbed his hands excitedly.
Then he turned to Sun Ting.
"What about you?"
Sun Ting spoke softly.
"I practice Fire Arts. I know Fireball and Light Illumination. One for attack, one for support."
"Light Illumination?" Lin Fei asked curiously.
"It can light dark areas," she explained, "and sometimes it can blind opponents at a critical moment."
Li Chen slapped his thigh.
"Perfect! That means our team has wood, water, fire, metal, and earth—"
He paused.
"Wait, we're missing earth."
"Me!" Li Chen pointed to himself.
"I have dual attributes—wood and earth. I learned Earth Art · Flying Stone. I'm not great at it, but it can still hit people."
Lin Fei nodded.
"Li Chen, you should plan the tactics."
Li Chen didn't refuse.
"Alright. Lin Fei and Jinfá will stay at the front, controlling and distracting the enemy."
"Sun Ting and I will stay in the middle for ranged attacks."
"Hu Mei stays at the back for healing and support."
The five exchanged glances and nodded.
Once most teams had formed, Elder Jiang spoke again.
"The arena will be split into two halves. Elder Chen will judge this side, Elder Li the other."
"Four teams will fight each round. Teams line up at the sides and wait for your turn."
Lin Fei's team stood along one edge of the field, waiting.
This would be his first real duel against students of the same year.
The fight in the forest before had been against older students—they had been completely overpowered.
But now, everyone here was a first-year student.
He was eager to see where he truly stood.
The first four teams entered the arena.
At Elder Chen and Elder Li's signal, the battle began.
Instantly the field erupted with flying techniques.
Twenty students clashed in chaotic combat.
Some stayed far away, casting spells in guerrilla style.
Some charged boldly into the enemy ranks.
Others hid behind teammates, waiting for opportunities to strike.
From the sidelines, Elder Jiang shouted constantly:
"Remember the Five Element rules!"
"Wood suppresses earth, earth suppresses water, water suppresses fire, fire suppresses metal, metal suppresses wood!"
"Wood generates fire, fire generates earth, earth generates metal, metal generates water, water generates wood!"
"Consider the elemental matchups before attacking!"
Lin Fei watched closely.
He saw an earth student raise a stone wall—only to have it easily broken by a wood entangling technique.
Wood suppresses earth.
He saw a wood student cast Leaf Dance, only for an enemy Fireball to ignite the leaves. The burning leaves spread into a chaotic field of flames.
Fire suppresses wood.
He saw a water student raise a water barrier against fireballs—only to be ambushed from the side by Earth Flying Stones.
Earth suppresses water.
The principles of the Five Elements were displayed vividly in real combat.
After a fierce exchange, Elder Chen and Elder Li signaled the end of the round.
The arena was in complete disarray.
Both elders cast techniques to clear the battlefield.
As the teams stepped down, Elder Jiang summarized:
"Think about your performance just now."
"Did you use elemental suppression against your enemies?"
"Did you strengthen your team through elemental generation?"
"Was your teamwork effective?"
"Discuss your strategy with your team before the next match!"
Soon, it was Lin Fei's team's turn.
Five students slowly walked onto the field from the opposite side.
At the front stood Lu Zhenhuan.
Behind him were Lu Zhenyu, Zhou Qing, Wu Che, and Zheng Yan.
Lu Zhenhuan and Lu Zhenyu glanced over Lin Fei, Li Chen, and Hu Mei.
Lu Zhenhuan's lips curved slightly.
"What a coincidence."
"Indeed," Lin Fei smiled.
All five of them had entered the academy at Peak Spirit Awakening. This match would reveal how much they had improved in two months.
"Enough talking. Step forward and prepare," Elder Chen called.
Both teams walked to the center of the arena, standing five zhang apart.
"Bow."
The two teams saluted.
Students around the arena watched eagerly.
Among the crowd, Zhou Ping stood quietly in a blue training uniform, his gaze fixed on the field.
"The rules are simple," Elder Chen said.
"One side wins when the other team is fully defeated or surrenders."
He raised his hand.
"Prepare…"
"Begin!"
Both sides moved almost simultaneously.
"Wood Art · Leaf Dance!"
Lin Fei attacked first.
His mastery of beginner Wood Arts had become quite skilled. Fallen leaves instantly gathered around him, swirling through the air before shooting forward like flying blades.
"Earth Art · Stone Wall!"
Zheng Yan reacted quickly.
A half-man-high wall of earth rose from the ground, blocking the attack.
The leaves pierced into the wall with muffled thuds. Though the wall quickly collapsed, it successfully blocked the assault.
"Fire Art · Fireball!"
Lu Zhenhuan and Lu Zhenyu attacked at the same time.
Two head-sized fireballs flew over the crumbling wall, rushing toward Lin Fei and Liu Jinfá.
Lin Fei dodged sideways.
The fireball brushed past his shoulder, its heat scorching his cheek.
"Metal Art · Iron Guard!"
Liu Jinfá activated his defensive technique, golden light flashing across his body.
He actually tried to tank the fireball.
"Fatty! Fire suppresses metal!" Lin Fei shouted in alarm.
Too late.
The fireball exploded against him.
The golden glow shattered instantly.
"OW!!"
Liu Jinfá was blasted backward, falling headfirst to the ground.
"So hot! So hot!!"
He scrambled frantically, slapping the flames off his clothes.
"Fire Art · Fireball!"
"Wood Art · Entangle!"
"Water Art · Mist Veil!"
Sun Ting, Li Chen, and Hu Mei attacked together.
Sun Ting's fireball shot toward the enemy.
Li Chen's vines burst from the ground, instantly binding Zheng Yan.
Behind him, Hu Mei released a cloud of water mist that spread into a white barrier, blocking the enemy team's vision.
"Ahhh!"
The fireball exploded on Zheng Yan.
The vines binding him ignited, creating continuous flames.
Zheng Yan screamed and rolled on the ground trying to extinguish the fire.
Seeing his miserable state, Lin Fei hesitated and did not follow up with another attack.
At that moment, Lu Zhenhuan and Lu Zhenyu rushed out of the mist.
Seeing Zheng Yan burning on the ground, they showed no intention of helping him.
Golden light flashed in Lu Zhenhuan's palm as he rushed straight toward Lin Fei.
"Metal Art · Cleaving Palm!"
Lin Fei knew wood was suppressed by metal.
He dared not take the attack head-on and retreated repeatedly.
The strikes sliced past him, leaving deep marks in the ground.
He barely had time to defend himself.
Meanwhile, Lu Zhenyu formed hand seals.
"Earth Art · Shattering Stones!"
Dozens of egg-sized stones rose from the ground and shot toward Liu Jinfá, Sun Ting, Li Chen, and Hu Mei.
Liu Jinfá had just climbed to his feet.
Before he could steady himself, several stones struck him again, knocking him flat.
"Wood Art · Leaf Dance!"
Li Chen and Hu Mei counterattacked together.
Their flying leaves collided with the stones.
Some leaves broke through and shot toward Lu Zhenyu.
He quickly cast a fireball, burning them to ash.
When the flames died down, Lu Zhenyu stood completely unharmed.
But Zhou Qing and Wu Che had already rushed out of the mist.
Zhou Qing spotted Liu Jinfá lying on the ground.
"Wood Art · Entangle!"
Vines erupted from the earth and bound Liu Jinfá tightly.
Still dazed from the stone barrage, he was quickly tied up like a dumpling.
Meanwhile Wu Che rushed toward Zheng Yan.
"Water Art · Slow Flow!"
Streams of water condensed around Zheng Yan, extinguishing the flames on his body.
Seeing the situation worsen, Sun Ting fired another Fireball, forcing Lu Zhenhuan away from Lin Fei.
Lin Fei seized the moment.
"Wood Art · Entangle!"
Several vines burst from the ground toward Lu Zhenhuan.
But Lu Zhenyu reacted instantly.
One Cleaving Palm cut the vines apart.
"Fall back!" Lu Zhenhuan shouted.
The brothers quickly retreated to regroup with their teammates.
Both sides assessed the situation.
Zheng Yan had been burned but rescued.
Liu Jinfá, however, was bound and temporarily unable to fight.
Lin Fei breathed heavily, staring at Lu Zhenhuan.
Lu Zhenhuan looked back with a hint of surprise in his eyes.
For now, the battle remained evenly matched.
From the sidelines, Elder Chen stroked his beard and nodded slightly in approval.