The battle on the other side of the training field had already ended. Teachers and students alike had turned their full attention to Lin Fei's match.
At this moment, Liu Jinfá—Lin Fei's teammate—was still tightly bound by Zhou Qing's Entangle technique. He looked like a chubby fish caught in a net, wriggling desperately on the ground but unable to break free.
Among Lin Fei's team, only Sun Ting's Fire Arts could burn away the wooden vines. But because fire suppresses metal, using fire carelessly might injure Liu Jinfá. Moreover, in the middle of battle, Sun Ting simply had no chance to help him.
On the opposite side, Zheng Yan had been injured but could still move. He had already retreated behind Lu Zhenhuan's team and was now acting as support.
The situation was clear: four against five. Lin Fei's team was at a disadvantage.
Lu Zhenhuan glanced across the battlefield and curled his lips slightly, clearly confident.
He raised a hand and pointed at Li Chen.
"Li Chen, do you dare fight me one-on-one?"
Li Chen frowned.
Lu Zhenhuan continued,
"Back then, my grandfather and yours competed to become the Ninth Lin Master. Your grandfather won."
He smirked.
"Now that it's our generation, shouldn't we see who's stronger?"
Lin Fei hadn't known that the Giantwood Marquis and the Ninth Lin Master had such history. Seeing that Lu Zhenhuan was obviously provoking Li Chen, he quickly said,
"Li Chen, we're already outnumbered—we can't split up!"
Li Chen said nothing.
He simply stepped forward silently, moving to the side of the formation and distancing himself from Lin Fei and the others.
Then he looked at Lu Zhenhuan.
His gaze was calm—but unwavering.
"Come then," he said quietly. "Why not?"
Lin Fei froze.
He had rarely seen Li Chen like this. The usually mature and composed boy suddenly carried a sharp, undeniable pride.
Lin Fei knew persuasion was useless.
He took a deep breath and turned to face the remaining four enemies—Lu Zhenyu, Zhou Qing, Wu Che, and Zheng Yan.
He stepped slightly in front of Hu Mei and Sun Ting, raising his hands in a defensive stance.
"Don't worry," he said. "I've got this side."
Hu Mei looked at him and nodded gently.
Sun Ting bit her lip, trying to steady herself.
Meanwhile, Li Chen and Lu Zhenhuan had already begun their duel.
"Good!" Lu Zhenhuan snorted coldly.
Instead of retreating, he advanced.
Golden light flashed across his body.
Metal Art · Iron Guard!
Then he swung his right hand.
A golden palm shadow roared forward.
Metal Art · Cleaving Palm!
Li Chen had prepared for this.
He formed hand seals quickly.
Leaves around him suddenly rose into the air, transforming into countless green blades sweeping forward.
Wood Art · Leaf Dance!
Immediately he changed his seal again.
Earth Art · Shattering Stones!
Broken stones rose from the ground, mixing with the swirling leaves to form a storm of leaves and stones rushing toward the incoming palm strike.
The golden palm split through the storm, carving a gap—but its power was greatly weakened.
Using that opening, Lu Zhenhuan charged forward, closing the distance.
"Don't get distracted. Your turn!"
Lu Zhenyu shouted.
He and Zhou Qing attacked simultaneously.
Fire Art · Fireball!
Wood Art · Leaf Dance!
Two head-sized fireballs shot forward. At the same time, countless leaves turned into flying blades.
Wood generates fire—the leaves ignited, turning into flaming arrows that filled the sky.
The attack surged toward Lin Fei's group with more than double the power.
Lin Fei's eyes sharpened.
He formed hand seals quickly.
Wood Art · Leaf Dance!
Water Art · Mist Veil!
Lin Fei and Hu Mei cast their techniques together.
A thick mist spread before the three of them, blurring the enemy's figures.
When Lin Fei's red and yellow leaf storm passed through the mist, something unexpected happened—the leaves seemed to revive, transforming into fresh green leaves that were longer and tougher.
This was Water generating Wood.
The fireballs and flaming arrows collided with the green leaves inside the mist.
Orange flames and green leaves clashed like swarms of battling butterflies. Steam hissed into the air as fire and water met.
Burning leaves and green leaves fell endlessly from the sky.
The surrounding students watched in amazement.
Lin Fei locked onto two shadowy figures in the mist.
His hand seals changed again.
Wood Art · Entangle!
Several thick vines burst from the ground like lurking serpents, lunging toward Lu Zhenyu and Zhou Qing.
The two were focused on attacking and failed to dodge.
Their ankles were instantly caught.
"Damn!" Lu Zhenyu exclaimed.
The vines climbed rapidly up their legs, tightening.
Zhou Qing struggled briefly before being dragged down to the ground.
"Sun Ting—now!" Lin Fei shouted.
Sun Ting had already prepared.
She inhaled deeply and formed hand seals.
Two fireballs condensed at once.
Fire Art · Fireball — Double Cast!
Two blazing fireballs shot forward through the mist, turning it into glowing steam.
BOOM!
The explosion echoed through the field.
Two muffled groans followed.
Then a stone wall rose within the mist, blocking the view.
Lin Fei wanted to press the attack, but suddenly Hu Mei cried out behind him.
"Tingting, what's wrong?!"
Lin Fei turned.
Sun Ting had collapsed to her knees, her face pale as paper.
"I… I'm out of spiritual power…" she gasped.
"That double fireball… used everything…"
Just then—
Earth Art · Shattering Stones!
More than a dozen stones flew out of the mist.
Lin Fei quickly used Leaf Dance to destroy them.
His remaining leaves attacked the stone wall.
Moments later, the wall collapsed.
But he could not see clearly inside the mist and dared not rush forward.
Meanwhile, Li Chen and Lu Zhenhuan continued fighting at the edge of the fog.
Li Chen darted and retreated, constantly casting Leaf Dance and Shattering Stones to keep distance.
Lu Zhenhuan, however, advanced like a hunting tiger, cutting through vines and stones with relentless Cleaving Palm strikes.
"Didn't your grandfather teach you anything else?" Lu Zhenhuan shouted while attacking.
"These beginner techniques can't stop me!"
His attacks grew fiercer.
Li Chen retreated step by step, barely holding on.
Lin Fei wanted to help—but wood techniques were completely suppressed by Lu Zhenhuan's metal arts.
He hesitated.
Then suddenly—
Li Chen stopped retreating.
He inhaled deeply.
His right fist drew slowly back to his waist.
Then—
He punched forward.
The punch was simple and unadorned.
Yet it carried overwhelming force.
Lu Zhenhuan was caught off guard.
The punch struck him squarely, forcing him back several steps.
Blood appeared at the corner of his mouth.
He stared at Li Chen in disbelief.
"Well?" Li Chen lowered his fist and smiled faintly.
"This is Empty Clarity Fist, taught by my grandfather."
"Are you satisfied?"
Lu Zhenhuan wiped the blood from his lips.
Excitement flashed in his eyes.
"Excellent, Li Chen."
He straightened slowly.
"Then I'll show you the technique my grandfather taught me."
Golden light flared across his body as he began forming seals—
"Xiao Fei, help me!"
Hu Mei's cry snapped Lin Fei back.
He turned quickly.
A layer of water membrane had wrapped around Hu Mei—Water Art · Slow Flow, which greatly restricted movement.
The mist ahead was fading.
The battlefield became clear again.
Lu Zhenyu stood nearby, his clothes burned and torn but still able to fight.
Beside him lay Zhou Qing, heavily injured from Sun Ting's double fireball.
Behind them were Wu Che and the wounded Zheng Yan.
Wu Che was forming hand seals—it was clearly his water technique that had trapped Hu Mei.
Lin Fei's heart sank.
Now it was one against three.
"Fire Art · Fireball!"
Lu Zhenyu launched another fireball toward them.
The blazing sphere roared forward.
Lin Fei could not retreat.
Hu Mei and Sun Ting stood behind him.
If he stepped back, they would be hit.
He gritted his teeth and formed seals rapidly.
Wood Art · Entangle!
Water Art · Slow Flow!
Thick vines burst from the ground, weaving into a dense wall before them.
At the same time, Lin Fei condensed water onto the vines, forming a heavy protective membrane.
The fireball struck.
BOOM!
The water evaporated instantly from the intense heat.
The vines ignited, crackling.
But they stopped the fireball.
The scattered flames never reached those behind him.
Lu Zhenyu looked stunned.
He formed seals again.
Another fireball came roaring.
Lin Fei repeated the same defense.
Another vine wall with water coating rose and blocked the attack.
Lu Zhenyu's expression changed.
He kept casting fireballs in rapid succession.
Again and again they clashed.
Finally—
Lu Zhenyu began panting heavily.
The continuous fireballs had completely drained his spiritual power.
His legs weakened.
He dropped to one knee, unable to cast another spell.
Wu Che immediately withdrew the Slow Flow technique.
He and Zheng Yan stood protectively in front of Lu Zhenyu, staring at Lin Fei warily.
Lin Fei also dropped to one knee, breathing hard.
He was exhausted—but he still had strength left.
The moment the control spell disappeared, Hu Mei rushed to support him.
Her eyes were full of concern.
On the other side, Li Chen and Lu Zhenhuan separated as well.
Their duel seemed evenly matched.
But when Lu Zhenhuan saw that his brother had exhausted his spiritual power, his expression darkened.
He looked at Li Chen.
"Let's end the duel here today."
Li Chen cupped his fists, his knuckles red.
"Anytime, Brother Lu."
Both returned to their teams.
Now the situation was:
Each side had one injured member and one exhausted member.
Those still able to fight were:
Lin Fei, Li Chen, Hu Meivs.Lu Zhenhuan, Wu Che, Zheng Yan.
Three versus three.
But anyone could see that Lin Fei's side held the advantage.
Because Lin Fei, Hu Mei, and Li Chen all possessed Innate Spiritual Power Level Ten.
On the opposing side, only Lu Zhenhuan had the same level.
Lu Zhenyu had been completely drained by Lin Fei.
Lu Zhenhuan's face turned dark with anger.
His fists clenched.
"Enough. That's far enough."
Elder Chen's voice rang out.
He leapt lightly into the center between the two sides.
"Take your teammates off the field. This match ends here."
Lu Zhenhuan asked,
"Then who wins?"
Elder Chen thought for a moment.
"Call it a draw."
"But the three of us would definitely beat them," Hu Mei protested.
Lu Zhenhuan looked annoyed but said nothing.
At that moment Elder Jiang spoke from the sidelines.
"Not necessarily."
"You three mainly cultivate Wood Arts. Lu Zhenhuan's Metal Arts suppress yours."
"Either side could still win."
"This is just training—there's no need to fight to the end."
Hearing this, Hu Mei stopped arguing.
Both teams carried their exhausted or injured teammates off the field.
Lin Fei went to help Liu Jinfá up.
The chubby boy burst into tears.
"Waaaah… none of you helped me…"
"I was tied up the whole match by those stupid vines!"
"I almost died from all the flying fireballs, leaves, and stones!"
Lin Fei tried pulling the vines apart.
"What could we do? You're the only metal user—and wood suppresses metal!"
Elder Chen saw him struggling and casually waved his hand.
A flash of golden light cut through the vines instantly.
He looked at Lin Fei with approval.
"Good kid. Using wood techniques to block fire and even exhausting your opponent's power—you've got talent."
Lin Fei scratched his nose, a little embarrassed—and a little proud.
More five-on-five matches followed throughout the day.
But the most astonishing battle belonged to Zhou Ping's team.
Not because it was evenly matched—
But because Zhou Ping alone fought with the power of five opponents.
Lin Fei watched as Zhou Ping stood calmly at the front.
His hand seals shifted constantly.
Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth—all five elements flowed effortlessly from his hands.
He applied the principles of generation and suppression with perfect mastery.
Every incoming technique was countered by a stronger opposing element.
Within half an incense stick's time, all five enemies lay defeated.
Zhou Ping simply stood there, expressionless, as if the fight had been nothing.
The students around him were stunned.
Even the Lu brothers and Hu Mei looked shocked.
Li Chen muttered,
"My heavens… what kind of monster is Zhou Ping…"
Elder Jiang, Elder Chen, and Elder Li all nodded repeatedly.
Elder Jiang finally declared:
"Among the first-year students—Zhou Ping is the strongest."
At the end of the day's training, Elders Jiang and Li used advanced healing techniques to treat the injured students.
Since everyone had used only beginner techniques, even serious injuries were quickly healed without lasting effects.
On the way back to the dormitory, Lin Fei and Li Chen kept discussing the lessons from the battle.
They hadn't faced Zhou Ping themselves later in the day, and their later opponents were far weaker than the Lu brothers.
But after watching and fighting all day, both of them gained a deeper understanding of real combat.
Elder Jiang had announced that five-on-five combat training would be held every week.
It was preparation for the Young Lin Master Tournament.
"When does that tournament happen?" Lin Fei asked.
"It's held once every three years," Li Chen replied.
"The soonest we could participate would be in our third year."
"Can everyone join? Even senior students?"
"Of course," Li Chen said.
"But there are two divisions. Lower Division is first through third years. Upper Division is fourth through sixth years."
He calculated quickly.
"We could participate twice."
Lin Fei looked thoughtful.
"There must be many powerful competitors."
"Yes," Li Chen nodded.
"Young Lin Masters from across the entire Lin Continent will compete. There will definitely be people like Zhou Ping."
Lin Fei thought for a moment.
"What do you think… if we fought Zhou Ping today… could we beat him?"
Li Chen shrugged.
"Hard to say. We'd have to fight to know."
"Maybe next week we'll get the chance."
Lin Fei nodded.
Already, in his mind, he was imagining the moment when he would face Zhou Ping in battle.