Domain, Li Fire.
With a boom, the flower of Groundbreak erupted. A magnificent, beautiful flower of flame instantly enveloped Lu Ling's position. A towering pillar of fire pierced the clouds, and the spectacular flames even reached Ding Yumian herself!
Every spectator was dumbstruck. This was Fierce Fist?
From its appearance, calling it Nine Palaces merged into one would not have been an exaggeration! Was this what a fight among the top hundred looked like!?
Ding Yumian's innate Fire Element talent deserved much of the credit for producing such a terrifying effect: her Fire Element spells covered twice the area of ordinary magic!
In terms of attack power alone, Groundbreak was in no way inferior to the third-level Nine Palaces. The improvement Nine Palaces offered lay more in its range. Against a single target, Groundbreak was also a good choice.
Now the scorching Groundbreak flames had struck Lu Ling squarely at their very center, yet Ding Yumian did not dare relax in the slightest. She already had the Star Map for Mind Shock ready in her hands.
That trace of composure Lu Ling had shown earlier definitely had not been an act!
"Taking Groundbreak head-on really is rough." Lu Ling's voice came from within the brown flames.
He was actually unharmed!
Now it was not just Ding Yumian who was shocked. Even the spectators outside, who did not understand what was happening, were stunned. That was second-level Intermediate Magic!
Before the brown flames had dispersed, a crimson-gold figure of fire suddenly charged out, racing toward Ding Yumian at tremendous speed.
Startled, Ding Yumian instinctively released the spell she had ready in her hands!
"Mind Shock!"
As always, pale pink psychic ripples struck Lu Ling, but they failed to stop him in his tracks!
Psychic Element magic ultimately targeted only the mind. It could not greatly affect a mage's physical movements.
"I haven't drawn a Star Map, and I cast faster than you do. What can Mind Shock do to me?"
Lu Ling continued to accelerate. His physical fitness had long since far surpassed an ordinary human's. Even a casual leap was well beyond the level of an Olympic champion!
The distance between them kept shrinking, and Lu Ling still showed no sign of stopping!
Ten meters, six meters, two meters!
Ding Yumian's expression shifted slightly, a rare trace of panic appearing on her face. It was already too late to draw another Star Map!
A flash of cyan light swept over her, and in the blink of an eye, she was clad in lightweight armor.
The white-haired youth wreathed in black flames was strikingly conspicuous. With a single lunge, he shot straight up to Ding Yumian.
The fierce wind stirred by his tremendous speed sent Ding Yumian's smooth black hair flying wildly.
A strong hand mercilessly seized Ding Yumian by the throat and lifted her like a little chick.
"Ah!" Even clad in armor, Ding Yumian could not help crying out in pain.
But it was not over yet!
A scorching lava Star Map was taking shape beneath their feet, and fire elements gathered around the white-haired youth's hand in an even greater concentration than before.
"Li Fire, Fierce Fist, Heavenly Flame Funeral!"
At his command, Lu Ling gripped Ding Yumian by the throat and slammed her brutally into the ground, as though he would crack even this sturdy arena!
"Show mercy!" Wei Rong panicked at the judges' stand.
A strike at such close range could kill someone! A mage's body was so frail that even with an Armor Magic Tool, taking this blow would definitely be no easy matter!
How had such a rash brat ended up in the Fire Institute?! Just a moment ago, he had thought the boy was well-behaved. Now it seemed he had completely misjudged him!
Unfortunately, the white-haired youth in the arena did not seem to hear him. The only answer Wei Rong received was roaring fire and a soul-shaking explosion.
Though it was Heavenly Flame Funeral, the blast did indeed go down into the ground.
A crimson-gold cloud of fire instantly exploded across the competition platform. Tongues of flame filled the air, coiling through the space and even lashing directly against the protective barrier.
At the sight of those crimson tongues of flame filling the air, every student in the stands was left shaken, all contempt gone from their eyes.
"...Was that a human?"
"What kind of fighting style was that..."
"He was actually that ruthless even to the department beauty..."
"Quick! Quick! Where's the Healing Mage!? Get ready to treat her immediately!"
Wei Rong jumped straight down from the judges' stand, roaring furiously.
Challenge weeks like this were generally not as grand as the welcoming day, but Healing Mages were still provided. Well before Wei Rong jumped down from the judges' stand, a Healing Mage had already arrived at the entrance to the competition platform, waiting for the crimson flames filling the air to disperse.
Only... why had those terrifying crimson flames still not vanished...
Meanwhile, within the sea of fire, several layers of golden light shields enveloped the two people inside.
The girl's clothes were slightly disheveled. Her Armor Magic Tool had long since deactivated automatically, unable to withstand the fierce heat. Her school uniform bore quite a few scorch marks, and the white knee-high stockings covering her long, straight legs had been burned away entirely, revealing sacred, snow-white skin.
Still shaken as well, the girl panted softly, staring motionlessly at the white-haired... beauty who still had a hand around her throat.
Up close, she had not expected Lu Ling to be so handsome.
"Sorry, I did that on purpose."
Lu Ling withdrew his hand and apologized rather remorsefully. While she was distracted, he took off his jacket. He helped Ding Yumian sit up, then draped it over her back.
He had controlled his strength very well. The instant Ding Yumian's Armor Magic Tool vanished, he had withdrawn the flames and formed light shields. She should not have suffered any serious injuries.
"Feeling any better?"
Such intimate gestures left Ding Yumian a little dazed again, and she could not help feeling a trace of shyness.
And... this feeling is so warm... my body feels so light. I don't have to deliberately control my emotions anymore. It was a feeling she dearly missed.
"Thank you..." she murmured, her voice very, very soft-so soft that Lu Ling had to strain with all his might to hear those threadlike words.
"I caused all of this, so there's no need to thank me." Lu Ling gave an awkward chuckle.
Ding Yumian shook her head and blinked her lively eyes.
"No, you used your full strength just now, and I didn't sense any killing intent in your eyes. You fulfilled your promise."
Giving an opponent the greatest respect naturally meant going all out. She felt Lu Ling had lived up to what he had said at the very start of the challenge.
"And you even protected me at the very last moment... it's only right that I thank you."
As she finished speaking, Ding Yumian smiled. Anyone who knew her would certainly have been astonished. Ordinarily, Ding Yumian was expressionless, without emotion or desire, and was practically more frightening than a nun who had renounced the world!
"Your smile seems to have magic in it. Just looking at it makes me feel quite a bit happier." Lu Ling smiled politely, not sparing his praise.
"Thank you." Ding Yumian returned an even brighter smile.
As they chatted and smiled, Lu Ling devoted some of his attention to sensing the power coming from within Ding Yumian.
A Psychic Element Calamity Survivor truly was incredible. Such palpable mental power, as vast as the sea. Manifested in reality, it could give tangible form to one's emotions, even affecting others...
"Fierce Wave! Flood Roll!"