Seeking Guidance

After physical training ended, the students on the field dispersed in twos and threes.

Some went to the cafeteria, some returned to their dorms, and others gathered to discuss the day's training.

Hu Fangyuan was still leaning beneath the large tree, having already put away the dozens of water droplets floating around him. His eyes were closed as he rested against the trunk, a small white jade bottle in hand. He had just taken a sip of Moonlight Dew and was enjoying the clear, refreshing sensation of his Spiritual Power recovering.

A cool sensation spread down his throat and into his mind. The fatigue from controlling water droplets for so long ebbed rapidly like a retreating tide. His temples no longer throbbed, his head no longer spun, and he felt clearheaded and refreshed once more.

He sighed in comfort and was just about to practice the Distraction Technique a little longer when he heard footsteps approach and stop before him.

Hu Fangyuan opened his eyes to find Gu Yue standing in front of him.

The girl wore a simple training outfit, her long black hair tied in a ponytail, with fine beads of sweat still dotting her forehead. Physical training had just ended, and her cheeks were slightly flushed, her chest rising and falling gently.

"Fangyuan, do you have time?" Gu Yue stood before Hu Fangyuan and leaned forward slightly.

Hu Fangyuan tilted his head and put away the little white jade bottle. "What is it?"

Gu Yue pressed her lips together and hesitated, seemingly organizing her thoughts. She was usually a girl of few words, cool and aloof by nature. This was her first time taking the initiative to seek someone else's guidance.

After hesitating for a few seconds, she finally asked, "Could I learn how to use elements from you?"

Hu Fangyuan blinked and chuckled. "By all rights, as an Elemental Envoy, you should be more accomplished at using elements than I am."

Even Hu Fangyuan had to admit that the girl before him seemed to be a darling favored by heaven. During physical training, she clearly had an easier time than the others.

It was not because she had particularly good stamina, but because all the elements in the air naturally favored her.

The wind element made her light and nimble, the light element replenished her energy, the fire element filled her with drive, the earth element strengthened her resolve, and the ice element kept her calm. Almost every element was helping her.

An innate constitution with such an affinity for the elements was something countless Elemental Soul Masters dreamed of.

Yet Gu Yue had possessed that affinity from birth.

But Gu Yue shook her head at his words, a measure of seriousness in her black eyes. "No. When it comes to elemental affinity, I do have an innate advantage. But my use of the elements is still only skin-deep."

She paused before continuing, "Besides, Teacher Wu told me to try pursuing combinations of multiple elements. But right now, I can't even get a handle on the most basic single elements, let alone the more difficult combinations."

Gu Yue's words were not groundless.

Granted, when she commanded the elements, they obeyed her as readily as her own limbs.

But it always came back to fireballs, Wind Blades, ice thorns... elemental attacks that had long since been done to death on the Douluo Continent.

Their power was decent, and their range was considerable, but bluntly put, it was a different broth with the same medicine, without anything new.

Yet Hu Fangyuan's sparring match with Wu Changkong that night a few days ago had opened Gu Yue's eyes.

So elements could be used like that!

A rapidly flowing Water Spear could prevent frost from freezing it instantly.

Scorching flames could turn into hundreds of Fire Needles to harass an opponent.

A high-pressure Water Blade could hide amid the flames and launch a silent sneak attack.

The Boiling Water Spear formed by blending water and fire was several times more powerful than using either on its own.

Such ingenious ideas had never even occurred to Gu Yue before.

She had always believed Elemental Manipulation meant amplifying the elements’ inherent power.

Bigger fireballs, faster Wind Blades, sharper Ice Spikes.

But Hu Fangyuan had made her realize that the forms, combinations, and transformations of elements were themselves power.

The same element, expressed in different ways, could produce worlds of difference in power and effect.

Hu Fangyuan seemed to notice the seriousness in Gu Yue's eyes, so he stood up, brushed the dust from his trousers, and asked, "Does Teacher Wu have anything else planned after physical training?"

Gu Yue shook her head. "No. We have free time until school lets out."

"All right, then."

Hu Fangyuan glanced around. With people coming and going across the field, it really was no place to talk. After a moment's thought, he said, "Come home with me, then. It's quieter there, and more convenient."

Gu Yue froze for a moment, clearly not expecting Hu Fangyuan to invite her straight to his home. She hesitated briefly, then looked at his open, untroubled gaze and finally nodded.

"Okay."

The two walked side by side toward the school gates.

On the way, Xie Xie and Tang Wulin had just emerged from the cafeteria, steamed buns still held in their mouths. Seeing Hu Fangyuan and Gu Yue walking side by side, Xie Xie's eyes fixed on them. He nudged Tang Wulin with his elbow and whispered, "Hey, hey, hey, look. Hu Fangyuan and Gu Yue are walking together."

Tang Wulin looked in the direction he pointed, paused, then scratched his head. "Oh, they're probably discussing their studies."

"Discussing their studies?"

Xie Xie pursed his lips, disbelief all over his face. "Do they need to go home together to discuss their studies? I think there's something brewing."

Tang Wulin gave an "Oh," not quite understanding what Xie Xie meant. His mind held nothing but training and forging; he had no concept whatsoever of these matters between boys and girls.

Xie Xie rolled his eyes, not bothering to say more to this blockhead, and muttered to himself, "Tsk, tsk, tsk. Even someone as cold as Gu Yue would approach Hu Fangyuan on her own. Just what kind of dumb luck did that guy stumble into..."

Meanwhile, Hu Fangyuan and Gu Yue had already left the school.

The evening sunlight spilled over the street, stretching their shadows long.

People came and went along the road: students leaving school, vendors tending their stalls, and pedestrians hurrying on their way.

Gu Yue usually kept to herself and rarely walked so close to anyone. As she walked beside Hu Fangyuan, her hands lightly gripped the hem of her clothes, and she seemed somewhat ill at ease.

Hu Fangyuan, on the other hand, was perfectly natural. As they walked, he asked casually, "When you talk about Elemental Manipulation, what exactly do you mean? Changing the elements’ forms, or combining different elements?"

Gu Yue composed herself and answered earnestly, "Both. Teacher Wu said my understanding of elements was too shallow, that I only treated them as simple means of attack. He said elements themselves have no inherent attributes; it's the human heart that gives them those attributes. Wind can be gentle, or it can be sharp. Fire can be warm, or it can be destructive. The key is how you use it."

Hu Fangyuan nodded. "Teacher Wu has a point. But I figured all this out by tinkering around myself. I don't have any systematic method. If you really want to learn, we can talk as we practice."

He had never intended to keep anything to himself anyway.

When it came down to it, Elemental Manipulation was a matter of how one thought.

There was no great harm in telling Gu Yue. On the contrary, having someone else to discuss it with might even strike some new sparks.

Talking as they went, the two turned past two streets and arrived at the entrance to Hu Fangyuan's rented courtyard.

Hu Fangyuan pushed the door open and led Gu Yue inside.

The courtyard was small, with an old locust tree, a stone table, and several stone stools. It was clean, tidy, and neatly kept.

"Sit wherever you like."

Hu Fangyuan pointed at the stone stools, then went inside and brought out two cups of cool water, setting them on the stone table.

Gu Yue sat on a stone stool and surveyed the little courtyard. She had not expected Hu Fangyuan to rent a place on his own. She had assumed that a student with his background would live in the academy dorms or some large mansion.

"You live here by yourself?" Gu Yue could not help asking.

"Yes. It's convenient." Hu Fangyuan took a sip of water and sat opposite her. "There are too many people and prying eyes in the dorms. I usually prefer somewhere quieter."

What he did not say was that Gu Refining really was inconvenient to do in a dorm.

With a courtyard of his own, he could refine whatever he wanted without worrying about being discovered.