Main Chapter: Lose Conditions.

Not knowing about the group he had scared off. Or having the energy to care. Xuan Yi looked at the aftermath of his spell with a smile. Though his hand was hanging limply, and his eyes could barely remain open. Evidence of the strain the spell, that left a crater filled with purple flames, had caused.

Excited Lou Jian ran over to Xuan Yi but realizing that Xuan Yi was falling, caught him and helped him sit down. Realizing their friends state Fan Hua and Dai Tian rushed over.

As they settled down together. In his hazy state Xuan Yi heard a soft whistle.

"I didn't think you were the one who wanted to kill me."

The voice that was filled with humor was Ming Xie. Completely unbothered by her brush with death. Rather she had a look of excitement.

Xuan Yi shook his head. "... could, handle it." I thought you could, handle it. Was the gist of what he tried to say. But was too exhausted to get it out fully. Figuring out what Xuan Yi said, Ming Xie laughed she hadn't thought she was that strong in Xuan Yi's eyes.

Nearby Mou Lin was looking oddly at the purple flames in the carved out remains from the Blooming Moon Fire Lotus. That was slowly fading away as the Academy Field dispersed the flames and heal away the crater.

By the next minute there were no longer any traces of the spell. Yet Mou Lin was still staring at the same spot. He had to figure out a way how to explain how someone with under a month of interaction with spells. Pulled off a null-attribute, attuned, variant, pseudo-master level spell. Without facing any issues.

After thinking about it for a bit he decided he just wouldn't explain. If anyone asked him about it. He would claim that when it happened he was making sure the field had enough grass.

But what occupied his mind more than that, was the way the spell reminded him of Xuan Shen's favored spell. Except the version that Xuan Yi used was inferior in every way. It was like someone derived that lotus spell from Xuan Shen's own. Coming up blank on who could have done that, why they would have done that and how such a poor rip off ended up in Xuan Yi's hand. Mou Lin decided to think about it later.

Rustling his own hair Mou Lin gave a sigh and then turned to Xuan Yi.

"Xuan Yi, from this moment on you are not allowed to use that spell without permission."

In response Xuan Yi gave a weak nod.

"Well Ming Xie, since I had to save you. Hand over your bell to Xuan Yi."

"I wanted to try taking it on, though."

Despite making a small protest. Ming Xie did as Mou Lin said and attempted to give Xuan Yi the bell, but Fan Hua blocked her. Finding just how much Fan Hua despised her to be ridiculous Ming Xie threw the bell to Xuan Yi.

"So, now then who is going to challenge Xuan Yi?"

Some shock flitted across the group.

"Shouldn't Sir Lin, heal him first?"

"No, he is neither unconscious, severely wounded or facing death."

"Are those the only conditions an instructor will step in?"

"For the most part. So, who is going to challenge him?"

Hearing the answer to Fan Hua's question. Some of the class began thinking of the Bell Exam differently.

"I wish to group up with Xuan Yu."

The youth with a warlord's face, Dai Tian spoke up.

"No member of Class 1-A holding a bell is able to group up for this year's Bell Exam."

Hearing his response Dai Tian's expression grew hellish. Ming Xie unconsciously took a step back.

"Seriously, then we'll just wa-…"

"Qing Ruo Xuan Yi, accept my challenge."

Hou Dun cut off Lou Jian's word his challenge token readied at Xuan Yi. Several gazes turned on him, but Hou Dun didn't bother returning any.

"Accept."

Fan Hua looked at Xuan Yi but after looking at his expression she didn't make a fuss. She could tell Xuan Yi wasn't interested in holding the bell at this moment.

Walking over Hou Dun took the bell that Fan Hua passed to him and walked back to where Hou Xiang and Lou Jian were. While Fan Hua and Dai Tian once more strongly and sternly requested that Mou Lin heal Xuan Yi, who only needed to recover his stamina.

***

"Dun, you should return the bell."

Hou Dun looked down at Lou Jian. As there was a whole three years between them, the height difference made it easy.

"It's not right to take it like that."

Lou Jian, Hou Xiang and Hou Dun stood together in their junior cultivator robes. Their black boots bending the soft not-easily stained grass. The Spring wind lively blowing their grey robes about.

Hou Dun took stock of Lou Jian. The latter's junior robes weren't any lower in quality than his. On account of the Clan's sponsoring, a debt Lou Jian would have to pay back.

Thanks to those robes the latter looked the part of a noble scion. Well if you discounted his bearing, his short, black, messy hair that wasn't and couldn't be made into the style that was currently popular for young men of Ha Shi.

But that didn't matter, Lou Jian didn't stick out like the sore thumb one would expect. Like Hou Dun thought he would. He wasn't a beast dressed in fine clothes, like the one from that tale.

No, the normally jovial and warm-hearted youth. Now staring him "down" with a serious glint in his pair of light grey eyes. Looked like he belonged there. Looked like he had as much of a right to be there as he did. As if he had the right to talk to him as an equal.

"When you were brawling in the Lower Rings didn't you learn to exploit every opportunity?"

"We weren't that desperate."

Hou Dun raised a black brow and the black eyes on his emotionless face locked with Lou Jian's, but said nothing further.

"Hou Dun give it back or I will."

Taking out his own challenge token, Lou Jian gripped it tightly as he half-revealed it to Hou Dun.