Main Chapter: A failure surrounded by geniuses.

"Huh?"

In the silence that followed Hou Xiang was the first to respond. All her previous refinement was gone, and she grabbed Lou Jian's collar and glared at him.

"What do you mean you gave up?"

"I couldn't learn it."

Lou Jian shrugged helplessly, and Hou Dun looked thoroughly disappointed as he shook his head.

"I didn't think you were the type to give up."

No longer looking at him she turned her gaze away from Lou Jian. The way she slumped one could easily tell how dispirited she was.

"It is fine. I asked Yue for permission and he said you can do the spell you learned."

Yue referred to Mou Yue who was Mou Lin's cousin and the Elder in charge of Education.

"Alright!"

Lou Jian stepped forward and did 10 hand signs. Then intertwined his hands with only his finger and thumbs extended. Amethyst lights began to gather at his fingertip and then formed a ball.

"Moon Fire Shot!"

The ball fired out leaving a trail behind like a comet. Hitting the training dummies arm. Leaving a gaping hole in it with flickering amethyst flames. Lou Jian who fired it was covered in sweat and breathing heavily, clearly exhausted.

"It looks like we both need to work on our aim, Jiung."

"Yeah, I totally thought I was gonna miss."

Ming Xie who was sitting on the ground with a leg flat as she rested her head on her knee. Spoke without inflection. That technique had the highest damage output of all the techniques her classmate had done so far. It could even break the barrier Xuan Yu showed off early. But other from the damage the technique was pathetic.

Yet it was enough for some of his classmates to see him as more than just a loudmouth.

"Jian, why didn't you tell us about it?"

"Well, I was only able to use it late last night, or maybe this morning."

As Lou Jian responded to Hou Dun he chuckled. And Hou Xiang calling him an "idiot," helped him sit down.

"So, Teacher, how did I do?"

"50 marks, 3 on control, 6 on activation speed, 20 on damage, 16 on duration and 5 on efficiency."

Lou Jian was completely floored by his low score and Hou Xiang and Hou Dun was laughing at his expression.

"Seriously? But wasn't it super cool?"

Mou Lin thought for a while.

"Not particularly."

"Seriously?"

After the levity, next up was Fan Hua, who stepped forward before she was called.

She performed 15 signs and then a beautiful bow made of Qi spread out before her. Gasps and sounds of surprise and awe rang throughout the crowd. Grabbing the bowstring she pulled back and bright arrow of Moon Fire formed in her hand.

Steadying her gaze, her arrow flew and struck the center of the training dummy. Flames cascaded out and covered it burning it for over a minute before leaving only charred remains.

"Fan Hua you're amazing."

Xuan Yi was the first to praise her and then others. Though she was feeling happy from the praise. She tried to keep her face straight, but it was obvious she was smiling.

"Since, I'm the one with an innate talent. I can't let you guys show me up."

Next, she did 5 signs slightly slower than Dai Tian and released a Still Pond barrier. It had no special features and seemed as if it was it a perfect copy of what Mou Lin had done. But just like with Dai Tian it was one step below it.

Flicking the air Mou Lin tested the barrier and it held up against the attack and then faded.

Next, was flicker and Fan Hua didn't hesitate to initiate it. Rippling it to beside the dummies. With the image of her fading away rapidly. Once again, her results were only a step below what Mou Lin had shown.

"Good job, Fan Hua, it is not just your innate talent improving but you are as well."

"Thank you, Sir Lin."

Fan Hua walked over to Xuan Yi and Dai Tian who welcomed her warmly and then it was Xuan Yi's turn. The person who had the highest talent.

Xuan Yi stepped forward and he did nothing special. His Moon Fire was a perfect copy of what Mou Lin did and he fired it just like the former did. It smashed the training dummy and charred it.

His flicker had nothing special but was exactly like Mou Lin's and his Still Pond was just the same.

Standing there with his three techniques complete. There was not a single one that was flashy or stylized.

"Sir Lin, would you mind telling us Xuan Yi marks?"

After Fan Hua asked Mou Lin checked Xuan Yu who nodded his head.

"Full marks for all three."

"So, Teach, who won?"

"Yeah, who's the winner."

After hearing Xuan Yi's results. Ming Xie and Lou Jian spoke up.

"You all did pretty well and took different paths. How am I to judge you all with one measure?"

"How about by mastery? Those of us who did delayed spells can get an extra 10 points. While those of us who did variant spells can get an extra 20 points."

Seeing the others were fine with it. Mou Lin calculated it.

"Ming Xie, 157. Hou Dun, 94. Hou Xiang, 177. Seung Do, 116. Dai Tian 213. Xuan Yu, 330. Tan Cui, 260. Lou Jian, 70. Fan Hua, 311. Xuan Yi, 300."

Hearing their results all kind of discussions broke out within the group. Like;

"Of course you would get the lowest score, Jian."

"I seriously tried ya'know."

"Yeah, you should think of giving him a reward yourself Xiang."

"Hah, um, uh, why the heck would I do that?"

That was between the Hou siblings and Lou Jian. And;

"Xuan Yu's at the top again, huh?"

"It makes you wonder what his secret is."

"Everyone has secrets. I'm sure you do as well."

"I was going to invite you for a meal but forget it."

That was between Ming Xie and Seung Do. And finally;

"I didn't know Tan Cui was that capable. According to what Sir Lin said she could have learned the Still Pond spell in time for the evaluation."

"She is more than capable. I don't recall ever seeing her fail anything, but she also doesn't seem to care for much. It troubles me as her friend."

"Is that why she's always asleep, Tian?"

"She isn't always asleep. She is just nocturnal. It is hard for her to be awake during the mornings, but she is troublingly lively enough in the evening and nights."

"Sounds like Big Brother."

"Maybe their kindred spirits."

Xuan Yu and Tan Cui who were being discussed where napping near each other. The sound of rain on the barrier lulling them to sleep. They were pretty close by because Xuan Yu had rolled Tan Cui out of her position and took it for himself. Which almost caused the two to fight but they handled it with a game of rock-paper-scissors instead.