Making Progress Together (Part 1)

Time wove on, and autumn deepened. The leaves on Midtown High's campus turned from green to red and yellow, then quietly drifted down as time passed, as though laying a warm-toned carpet over the first semester of senior year.

For Lin Hai, Gwen, Peter, and Harry, this semester was both ordinary and extraordinary—they still had to face endless homework, exams, and extracurricular activities, yet each of them was moving forward along their chosen path, steadily advancing toward their goals.

On weekends, Kamar-Taj remained Lin Hai and Gwen's regular place of cultivation, and the training grounds seemed to be suffused with magic's distinctive presence.

"Focus, Gwen." Master Hamil's voice was as steady as an ancient well. "You can think of this energy as coming from within you, flowing through every part of your body under your control, and ultimately taking shape according to your will. A protective barrier is not a rigid wall. It is an extension of your will—a fluid, living shield."

Gwen shut her eyes tightly, fine beads of sweat forming at her temples. Her hands moved slowly before her as golden magical energy flickered like a disrupted television signal, occasionally bursting into dazzling sparks at her fingertips but struggling to form a stable shape. After a violent fluctuation of energy, the small outline she had painstakingly gathered vanished into the air again with a soft pop.

"Ah—!" She stomped her foot in frustration. "This is harder than solving an advanced physics problem! The energy output either overloads or cuts out. I just can't stabilize it!"

Lin Hai, who had just finished a round of training nearby, walked over with a smile as he wiped away sweat with a towel. "Hey, remember when I shattered three of Master Wong's precious teacups? You're already much better than I was back