Anping vs Gu Yuena

He dashed across the playground, swiftly reaching the center where Wu Zhangkong stood. "Teacher Wu."

Wu Zhangkong appraised him, "You possess commendable physical strength. Shed your iron clothes and engage in combat with her. Win, and you're exempt from running." His tone remained composed.

Anping, uninterested in a seemingly pointless confrontation, tested the waters, "Can't we avoid the fight?" Despite anticipating Wu Zhangkong's likely refusal, he felt compelled to make the plea.

"No. On the battlefield, can you ask your foe to refrain from combat? Will your enemy grant you mercy?" Wu Zhangkong dismissed the notion, issuing a direct command, "Thirty meters apart, prepare."

They retreated to the designated distance, standing poised for Wu Zhangkong's signal.

"Commence."

"Greetings, I'm Gu Yuena," she said with a smile, fixing her gaze on Anping.

Caught off guard, Anping pondered, 'Why wasn't her name initially Gu Yue? Did something unexpected transpire?'

Gu Yuena interrupted Anping's wandering thoughts, "Hey, why are you in a daze?"

Anping, brought back to the present, replied, "Oh, hello, my name is Anping."

Class 5's students observed the unfolding spectacle, their curiosity piqued by the impending clash between the two, oblivious to the reasons behind the confrontation.

Wu Zhangkong, displeased with the hesitation, coldly instructed, "Start quickly!"

Responding to Wu Zhangkong's urgency, Anping swiftly unleashed his martial spirit, fortifying himself with a protective magic barrier.

As Anping's spirit blossomed, two yellow spirit rings materialized beneath Gu Yuena's feet, revealing her status as a spirit grand master akin to Anping.

Initiating with a nonchalant ice arrow technique, three crystalline arrows streaked towards Gu Yuena at remarkable speed.

Confronting the airborne threat, a flicker of red light emanated from Gu Yuena's body as her spirit ring glowed. Three fireballs materialized, colliding with the oncoming arrow. In a resonant pop, the fiery onslaught dispersed upon impact.

As the arrow veered off course, closing in on Gu Yuena, her form shimmered with silver light, vanishing from her original spot.

Sensing a subtle distortion in the space behind him, Anping swiftly executed a flash technique. A burst of silver brilliance accompanied his relocation to a distant point.

Flash, a spatial spell accessible during the wizard apprenticeship stage, possessed a simplistic structure yet demanded considerable magical energy, setting it apart from other sleights of hand at this level.

Observing Anping's sudden appearance at a distance, Gu Yuena displayed surprise, but she wasted no time. A verdant glow enveloped her, and a green wind blade hurled towards Anping.

With a resounding crash, the wind blade collided with an ice wall conjured by Anping, scattering powdery white remnants.

Elements collided and danced in the arena—wind blades, fireballs, and ice shards whirled unpredictably. Intermittent flashes of strong light and silver brilliance contributed to a spectacle that left the students on the track awestruck, feeling as if they had stepped into a realm beyond their own.

"Stop! That's enough!" Wu Zhangkong's cold command echoed, compelling both combatants to halt and approach him.

Fixing a stern gaze on Anping, Wu Zhangkong's tone remained icy, "Are you here for a spectacle and fireworks? Do you plan to battle until the end of the world if you have sufficient spirit power? Gu Yuena, I'm unsure. Anping, you don't lack these methods—why aren't you utilizing them? As I've emphasized before, treat every confrontation as a battlefield. Deploy your full strength, for even when a lion confronts a rabbit, leave no room for your opponent."

Anping, contemplating for a moment, raised a valid concern, "But not every encounter involves an enemy. What if there are casualties?"

"Can you cause casualties while I'm here? Do you doubt my abilities?" Wu Zhangkong retorted, his expression tinged with resentment.

Perceiving Wu Zhangkong's frustration, Anping felt a twinge of helplessness, realizing he needed to demonstrate something. Quietly constructing a spell model, his palm faced the grass, releasing ripples of energy. Sensing the eerie aura, Wu Zhangkong and Gu Yuena instinctively took a step back.

In the blink of an eye, the undulating energy reached the lawn, triggering a rapid transformation. The once verdant expanse metamorphosed into a desolate sight—yellowed grass crumbled into sand with a mere touch, swept away by a passing breeze that reduced it to fine powder.

Naraku's Withering Technique, a conceptual second-level magic, exhibited an uncanny effect surpassing many formal spells despite its lower classification.

Anping lifted his gaze towards Wu Zhangkong. "So."

Witnessing the spell's impact, Wu Zhangkong, relieved that Anping possessed strategic knowledge, sighed, "Use this ability sparingly."

Observing the spectacle, Gu Yuena directed her inquiry to the teacher, "Teacher, does this mean I passed the test?"

"You pass, but first, reveal your origins and disclose your martial spirit," Wu Zhangkong asserted.

Complying, Gu Yuena produced a letter of recommendation, presenting it to Wu Zhangkong. "This is from my junior academy. As for my martial spirit, I am an elementalist."

"Elementalist?"

Observing Wu Zhangkong's perplexed expression, Gu Yuena elaborated, "I can command six elements, but my Spirit ring isn't affixed to any specific element. Consequently, I can manipulate elemental changes, though amplifying their strength proves challenging. My primary spirit skill, Elemental Tide, prolongs my spirit power duration and enhances my elemental control. The second, Elemental Control, intensifies my mastery over the elements."

Wu Zhangkong, absorbing Gu Yuena's explanation, pondered; her abilities seemed almost as profound as Anping's martial spirit.

"Very well. You're now a member of Grade 1, Class 5," Wu Zhangkong affirmed.

"Thank you, teacher," Gu Yuena expressed gratitude with a sweet smile.

Wu Zhangkong's tone turned cold, "In that case, let's join the run. It's a mandatory exercise. Anping, you're not exempt; join the run as well."

Anping, indifferent to objections, accepted the iron jacket from Wu Zhangkong, donned it, and headed towards the assembling crowd.

"Why the iron chains?" Gu Yuena queried as she followed Anping's lead in the run.

Anping responded casually, "Well, exercise, I guess. Even though it's not particularly beneficial."

Curious about Anping's martial spirit, Gu Yuena inquired, "Your martial spirit appears to be a book, yet it possesses diverse elemental abilities. Isn't it unusual for book-type martial arts to focus on auxiliary systems?"

Anping shrugged, "I don't know."

Meanwhile, Tang Wulin assisted Xie Xie to his feet, complimenting, "You guys are amazing."

Gu Yuena modestly acknowledged, "It's alright."

"Much more impressive than me. By the way, I'm Tang Wulin. What's your name?" Tang Wulin found Gu Yuena particularly enchanting.

"I'm Gu Yuena."

Xie Xie interjected with a touch of jealousy, "I'm Xie Xie. My name means 'thanks.' Is there anyone else with two rings like you two, wielding both ice and fire, and casually dodging in space?"

"In a world with countless people, martial spirits of all kinds exist. How many have you encountered?" Anping responded dismissively.

Observing the activity in the middle of the playground, Tang Wulin inquired, "What is Teacher Wu doing?"

"Handling Gu Yuena's admission procedures," Anping explained.

Switching the topic to Gu Yuena, Tang Wulin asked, "What's your current level?"

"I just reached Level 21. I missed the registration time due to a breakthrough in cultivation," Gu Yuena disclosed, addressing Tang Wulin's curiosity.