Main Chapter: Warm ups.

"Wait!"

Lou Jian suddenly yelled out.

"Xuan Yu and Ming Xie already have bells."

"You just realized that?"

Asked Hou Xiang her palms pressed to her ears.

"Don't worry about it the Bell Exam doesn't start until the afternoon."

Hearing Hou Dun, Lou Jian settled down blissfully ignorant of some of his classmates' glares.

"That reminds me, Sir Lin, why do you have the bells early."

"I stole them."

Fan Hua gasped and reared back.

"Seriously…"

And she wasn't the only one showing a shocked expression.

"Now, now no need to treat your instructor like some horrible criminal. I just thought it would be good for you guys to get some practice in. The bells will be going to you guys anyways. Afterall you guys still are the only one who can cast spells.

And based on the spars we have been having I decided to give the bells to the two who are the strongest currently. So, feel free to group up and steal the bells from them."

"Wait…"

Pretending he didn't hear Ming Xie, Mou Lin continued.

"Lou Jian, Tan Cui, Seung Do and Dai Tian. I suggest you fight Xuan Yu together. Xuan Yu is pretty capable all round, but his strength is in spells. Let Lou Jian be the vanguard, Tan Cui assault and Seung Do ranged. Dai Tian assist whenever you see an opportunity."

Though the four only waited until Mou Lin finished to move. Xuan Yu rose and distanced himself the moment he heard his name. With one-hand hidden under an altered sleeve. Xuan Yu fell into his martial stance as his hidden hand finished up a spell.

Lou Jian was the first to rush Xuan Yu and seeing Xuan Yu unmoving he hesitated a little, but still struck out with all his might. Then, he found himself floating. And after feeling three strikes he hit the ground. His hand, ankle, stomach and back throbbing with pain.

After Lou Jian's unintentional, unplanned sacrifice. His three teammates finished their plan and made their move.

5 bolts of Moon Fire flew at Xuan Yu and the moment they neared Tan Cui appeared at his back aiming at his vitals. Sensing her movement beforehand Xuan Yu moved to the side at the last moment. But through a combination of Tan Cui's skill and Seung Do control. None of the 5 bolts hit Tan Cui. Passing by without any grazing her.

Xuan Yu rippled backwards, pulling his distance and then jumped. Narrowly moving over Dai Tian who charged at him coated in a half-dome Still Pond.

Landing behind Dai Tian, Xuan Yu stepped in the back of the former's knee, forcing him to kneel. Just as the 5 bolts reached them. Turning into a wave of flame as it cascaded over Dai Tian's Still Pond.

As the flame faded, Xuan Yu, saw Lou Jian charging at him at full speed. Lou Jian on the other hand saw Xuan Yu forcing Dai Tian to be still. With the purple light of a Moon Fire spell glowing at the back of the latter's head.

Then that purple light turned to him and Lou Jian froze up, stumbled and ended up face first in the ground.

Ignoring Lou Jian, Xuan Yu raised his finger upward and finally release his spell. Two beams of Moon Fire clashed Xuan Yu's and Tan Cui. Equal in strength the two collided, spread and then faded.

Landing squarely on her feet Tan Cui turned her half-closed eyes to look elsewhere. While Dai Tian rose to his feet to do the same. As the Xuan Yu that was holding him faded away.

Getting to his feet Lou Jian turned to see what they were looking at and suddenly felt loss about the flow of this battle.

A Xuan Yu was standing behind Seung Do. His finger at the latter's neck with the purple lights of a delayed Moon Fire spell at his fingertip.

Suddenly, a bang run out and Lou Jian rolled before falling unconscious.

As Tan Cui and Dai Tian turned to look at him. Xuan Yu slowly lowered his leg.

Watching them Ming Xie whistled but then was reminded of a certain detail.

"Fan Hua, Hou Dun, Hou Xiang and Xuan Yi. I suggest you do your best to cooperate to fight Ming Xie. Unlike Xuan Yu, she is a highly aggressive combatant. So, you guys will be playing defense mostly. Hou Dun, Hou Xiang guard Fan Hua. Fan Hua focus her down with your arrows. Xuan Yi you are on assist."

Ming Xie gave a huge sigh as she jumped back. While Fan Hua summoned her bow with a smirk.

"First Hunt, Fear."

Fan Hua fired off her Moon Fire Bolt, but Ming Xie smashed right through it, with her Still Pond Fist. Though the flame surrounded her she didn't flinch, continuing her charge.

Hou Dun and Hou Xiang jumped in front of Fan Hua and working together formed a large Still Pond right as Ming Xie neared. Giving the spell in front of her only a single glance. She smashed her spell-enhanced fist against it. But it didn't budge.

Thinking Ming Xie couldn't get past, Fan Hua began to create a stronger version of her early attack. As Xuan Yi fired a Moon Fire bolt at Ming Xie's back.

"Second Hunt, Weakness."

As the flames approached, red flecks started to float into her eyes. And she jumped. Above the Still Pond spell and the flames that coated them. Then she came crashing down smashing her fist into the sibling's Still Pond and broke it. And before they could recover, she charged at Fan Hua.

A second Still Pond showed up protecting Fan Hua, courtesy of Xuan Yi. But Ming Xie smashed through it easily. Sinking her fist into Fan Hua even as Xuan Yi's Moon Fire spell hurled towards her.

Ignoring it completely, Ming Xie laid into Fan Hua. As the Moon Fire spell was about to hit her it cascaded outwards. Having hit Ming Xie's own Still Pond spell.

Noticing Xuan Yi was closing in on her, she finished off Fan Hua. As Ming Xie and Xuan Yi clashed Hou Dun and Hou Xiang clashed the two supported Xuan Yi with spells. But after;

"Third Hunt, Concern."

None of them could do anything substantial to her.

Noticing she didn't have anyone else to fight. Ming Xie was unsatisfied, her artificially induced bloodlust unsated. Then she noticed Xuan Yu was out of opponents as well.

Ming Xie charged off, but Xuan Yu avoided her and a kick to her mid riff sent her flying off course. As she landed on her feet. She saw a Still Pond being fired in her direction.

Smashing through it she rushed forward and struck but Xuan Yu caught her and used her own speed to send her into the ground. Then without a change in expression fired Still Ponds at her, like he did before. Forcing her further and further into the Academy Field.

"Did I not mention that you don't get extra points for holding more than one bell?" Mou Lin wondered too himself. As the two "fought."

Walking over to Xuan Yu, Mou Lin got him to stop and Ming Xie was finally able to get out of the hole she was dug in.

And then courtesy of the spell he stole from Xuan Yu. He split into 9 and went to help his other students while he made sure of Xuan Yu's well-being.

Once his students were in better health. He noticed a few things like the raw anger and hatred in Fan Hua's eyes. The self-disgust and disappointment in Hou Dun. The determination and guilt rising in Lou Jian and the turbid emotions in Xuan Yi.

But as Mou Lin didn't believe there was a correct way to feel. He did not intend to do anything about them. Or call attention to it for now. After letting everyone catch their breath. He let his copies fade.

"It is your first-time sparring, but it will not be the last. Oh, wait!"

Mou Lin slapped a fist into his palm.

"I forgot to mention that if any of you guys do not manage to hold the bell for 24 hours. You will be removed from Class 1-A. Also, you are not allowed to use spells against anyone that is not in Class 1-A for the entirety of the Bell Exam."

"Seriously-…"

"Lou Jian!"

Hou Xiang called out surprisingly loud.

"Yeah?"

"You can't get kicked out."

"There's no way I will. So, you don't either Xiang, Dun!"

"Right!"

"… yeah."

"Well, it looks like some of you guys are pumped. How about we do another round of battle. This time all of you guys can go up against Xuan Yu."

At Mou Lin's word Xuan Yu glared at the latter. But Mou Lin pretended he didn't notice. And then something happened. Something that made Mou Lin pretend he couldn't look at anything but the sky.