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The wind and sand dispersed, and the Wildfire was contained within a certain radius. An Qi blocked the final strike from Shaomeng, which, despite both of them coughing violently, forced An Qi to stagger back a few steps before he managed to steady himself.
However, An Qi did not allow Shaomeng to gain an advantage. With a high sweeping kick, he struck Shaomeng's quickly raised arms, sending him flying several paces away.
Just as An Qi was about to pursue, he suddenly realized that Shaomeng's previous blow had landed squarely on his chest. A wave of soreness and weakness washed over him, causing him to drop to one knee as the pain began to spread slowly.
"Get up, An Qi! You are our first line of defense!" Yumeng shouted.
But with a furrowed brow, An Qi noticed that Shaomeng had already knelt down first, slowly attempting to rise.
Luo Yue seemed to sense Yumeng's thoughts. She neither wanted Shaomeng to truly win nor An Qi to lose. She vaguely recalled an experience in the cafeteria after her recovery when she had seen Yumeng talking animatedly with Shaomeng in a corner. Looking at the empty table beside her, she let out a soft sigh.
"Don't give up, you big guy! Get up!" Yumeng suddenly shouted, recalling a past event.
At that moment, Meng Jiang had unknowingly stepped down from the platform. Seeing that both were interested in this past story, he picked up where Yumeng left off.
An Qi was a chef from the Trial Ground family and the son of the Imperial Chef of the Trial Ground. Growing up with superior meals had shaped his robust physique, making him stand out among his more slender peers. Throughout his childhood, he was often accompanied by whispers and gossip.
"But how could someone so lively and humorous have such experiences?" Luo Yue asked incredulously as she looked at Teacher Meng Jiang. How could this be the same An Qi who was so passionate when joking around with Ran Xing and engaging in lively discussions with everyone?
"This is something that takes time to come to terms with," Meng Jiang continued. Since coming under his guidance, An Qi had gone through a period of adjustment...
Meng Jiang recounted stories from An Qi's childhood when he was often mocked by his peers and called names like 'fat pig' or 'elephant,' highlighting the contrast between him and his slim friends. Although An Qi resented it, Meng Jiang did not dismiss him because of it. Setting aside Vitality as a common trait among earth element users, Meng Jiang saw potential in this young man.
An Qi trained diligently, often practicing alone for long hours until he fully understood what he had learned for the day before stopping. Based on this characteristic, Meng Jiang had even advised him against such blind effort.
"I admire his talent and determination; however, that approach isn't sustainable and could harm his health. So I told him to try understanding first and then gradually practice, turning those complex concepts into his own language. This way, practicing would become smoother," Meng Jiang reminisced about nurturing An Qi while watching the two struggling to rise on stage.
"What happened next, Teacher Meng Jiang?" Luo Yue asked as her shock subsided, looking up at him for more details.
Meng Jiang frowned slightly as if anticipating the outcome and continued discussing An Qi's journey: under Meng Jiang's guidance, An Qi's learning speed skyrocketed. While most of his peers needed two years to complete their courses, An Qi finished most of it in just half that time. He also received unreserved teachings from Meng Jiang about Di Kun ~ The End and Earth and Heaven Mountain River Token. Due to An Qi's limited capacity for Vitality control, he could use these techniques but not fully master them. However, judging by today's performance, it seemed he could already manage the former and might even have enough stamina left to attempt Earth and Heaven Mountain River Token once more. It all depended on whether An Qi could rise after this.
Lung Shan was not concerned about the teacher-student relationship; instead, he seemed focused on finding some answers. At least with this nephew named Shaomeng, some of the effects from his earlier training were beginning to show results.
Shaomeng's mastery of Vitality had shown signs of improvement. Facing the highly talented individual mentioned by Meng Jiang, he managed to remain calm and nearly seized an opportunity for a decisive strike, even exceeding his own expectations.
However, it seemed that for strong opponents, it all came down to a final stroke of luck.
Both of them appeared to be pushing their physical limits in this last moment of suspense; as long as they could stand up, victory would be declared.
Shaomeng gritted his teeth, a fierce fire burning in his eyes as he looked at his opponent. An Qi was also gritting his teeth. Their bodies moved almost simultaneously, and after some emotional buildup, the scenery before Shaomeng seemed to distort in time and space.
Before him, it felt like he was witnessing Ran Xing unleashing Evil Thought for the first time. It also reminded him of the moment he had witnessed his father and uncle being killed by Evil Spirits. In that fleeting moment of confusion, Shaomeng briefly forgot the pain and stood firm, his movements precise and unhesitant.
At that moment, An Qi also stood up. They both rose at the same instant, and this sudden surge of emotion allowed Shaomeng to witness An Qi's brief standing before collapsing into dizziness. At that time, Qianwen's Divine Fall manifested, a surge of Vitality that Luo Yue and Yumeng had never seen before instantly healed An Qi's injuries. The outcome was clear: Shaomeng had won.
They were both brought back to the ground and exchanged handshakes and praises. Refined Hall took an early lead with a score advantage, and cheers erupted throughout the arena.
As they approached Qianwen again, they were met with that familiar, kind gaze.
"Child, Wildfire can rage fiercely but does not symbolize friendship. However, your performance was commendable; maintaining such composure in critical moments allows you to perform even better. What do you think?" Qianwen reached out to grasp Shaomeng's slightly trembling hands.
"The Commander is right," Shaomeng replied, lowering his head. He hadn’t anticipated the sudden distortion of time he experienced earlier, but now that the match was over, there was no need to dwell on the past.
Qianwen moved forward to take An Qi's hand. This child had grown up under the watchful eyes of both him and Meng Jiang. They had both witnessed An Qi's diligence and talent, so his tone softened a bit.
"Child, you performed very well today; perhaps this is your moment to reap the rewards of your hard work. Congratulations! And don’t be discouraged—balance friendship with skill improvement; greater rewards await you in the future. I hope you will continue this way," Qianwen patted the boy on the shoulder before urging them to shake hands again amidst applause as they were slowly sent off.
At this moment, it was also halftime for two matches, allowing for a two-hour break.
The two returned to their respective teams where Luo Yue and Yumeng were waiting with refreshments.
"Here, wipe off your sweat," Luo Yue said as she handed them each a towel before glancing at Yumeng.
Yumeng paused for a moment before quickly understanding Luo Yue's intention.
"Thank you," Shaomeng said as he took the towel, feeling Yumeng’s gaze on him was different from usual. An Qi and Luo Yue noticed this change too and discreetly called Meng Jiang aside while Lan An had already gone off to eat.
At this moment, they gazed at the empty trial arena when it seemed that Yumeng spoke first, inquiring about what had just happened with Shaomeng.
"What? My past?"
“It's just a guess. Perhaps you are carrying something...” Yumeng said halfway through, suddenly turning her back and falling silent.
Shaomeng was taken aback. “What do you mean?”
Although there was indeed something to it, Shaomeng did not understand the purpose of Yumeng's sudden question and stood there momentarily confused.
This situation made An Qi, who was nearby, feel anxious. She had been the one to bring gifts and cook for everyone, only to have her efforts disrupted by Shaomeng’s unexpected encounter. It was quite frustrating, but seeing Shaomeng in a daze seemed to calm An Qi's emotions a bit.
“Luo Yue, do you think Ran Xing has come back?” An Qi suddenly asked, seemingly hitting upon the very reason Luo Yue had just pulled her aside.
Luo Yue nodded gently. She wasn't sure when it had happened, but Ran Xing had left a unique impression in her perception that transcended the ordinary senses. Whenever Ran Xing was nearby, Luo Yue began to wonder if this person, who had disappeared for half a month, would finally return to see the one he had made a promise to under the wind chimes.
“I can confidently say that it's likely true. You know him best; no one understands him better than someone who cares for him. But if he really is back, he needs to clarify some things with you. Otherwise, all your efforts will be in vain, and I won’t let him off easily.”
This reassured Luo Yue somewhat, and she slowly nodded. This reckless kid could not possibly make her angry again.
Thus, the two of them walked together towards the cafeteria while chatting.
“Carrying resentment and regrets must be hard on your heart,” Yumeng continued to face away from Shaomeng. She seemed to have caught a glimpse of something in Shaomeng's eyes earlier—some past memories. Although she hadn’t experienced them herself, she didn’t want to bear such burdens in order to become stronger.
“No,” Yumeng suddenly turned around, looking at Shaomeng who had just emptied his cup.
This seemed beyond Yumeng's expectations. Could it be that Shaomeng had finally come to an understanding?
Shaomeng pondered for a moment before slowly lifting his head.
“If someone talks about it with me, it doesn’t hurt because it becomes an echo. What do you think?” Shaomeng boldly placed his hand on Yumeng’s shoulder.
These words genuinely satisfied Yumeng, and she smiled as she grabbed Shaomeng’s arm. Who would have thought that the previously wooden Shaomeng would suddenly become so insightful?
"Then let me listen carefully, because only a true heart can hear the echo, right?" Yumeng smiled, seemingly having reached some preliminary conclusion. In our usual language, it meant that I seemed to have seen through you!
Shaomeng placed his other hand over Yumeng's, and it felt as if he had captured her like prey. However, this was a different kind of hunter—was it the echo or the true heart? Although he had no answers, rejecting a girl who had something to say would likely become another regret for him as he reflected on the past.
Time passed, though neither of them noticed how long it had been before they finally headed to the cafeteria.
Meanwhile, in the cafeteria, Luo Yue finally spotted that guy whom he hadn't seen for half a month, just as An Qi had asked earlier. It seemed this would be an unusual lunch; while the outside remained peaceful, the cafeteria buzzed with activity.
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