The seven groups scattered. Feng Xiaotian stood in the center of the training ground, his gaze sweeping over everyone.
Feng Lingtian and Jiang Lin walked to the easternmost corner of the training ground.
"What are the limits of your Spirit Eyes?" Feng Lingtian asked.
Jiang Lin fell silent for a breath. "I don't know. I haven't tested them yet."
"Then let's test them today," Feng Lingtian said. "Use your Spirit Mapping to project everything you can see to me. Don't hold anything back."
The faint golden sheen in Jiang Lin's light brown eyes brightened. An image appeared in Feng Lingtian's mind-the position of every person on the training ground, the direction their Soul Power flowed, even the rhythm of their breathing, all as clear as lines carved into his mind.
Feng Lingtian closed his eyes, taking in the image. Thirteen people, thirteen masses of Soul Power. Zhong Yue's Soul Power was heavy and steady, like a rock that had taken root. Su Mei'er's Soul Power was lively and ever-changing, its wind and lightning attributes constantly circulating within her. Lu Hanxiao's Soul Power was cold and condensed, like a thin layer of ice covering the surface of his meridians. Ji Ning's Soul Power was sharp and light, every cycle crisp and clean. Ye Qingyu's Soul Power was pure and gentle, like a quiet stream. Su Ran's Soul Power was mild and enduring, carrying a faint, fresh fragrance of grain.
Feng Lingtian's perception lingered between Su Mei'er and Su Ran for a moment. Though their Soul Power had different attributes, there was a subtle similarity in the frequency of its fluctuations. He made a mental note.
There was his older brother, too. Feng Xiaotian's Soul Power was wild yet concentrated, like a fierce beast lying dormant.
Finally, Feng Lingtian's perception settled on Lu Qing. Lu Qing's Soul Power was sharp yet restrained, like a blade resting in its sheath. But Feng Lingtian could sense that the edge of that blade was far longer than what it currently revealed.
Feng Lingtian opened his eyes. "That's enough."
The light in Jiang Lin's pupils faded, and fine beads of sweat appeared at his temples. Feng Lingtian glanced at the sweat. "How wide is your range?"
"The entire training ground," Jiang Lin said.
"How long can you maintain it?"
"At full output like that, fewer than thirty breaths."
Feng Lingtian nodded once. The entire training ground, thirty breaths. It wasn't enough yet. But once Jiang Lin's level rose, the duration increased, and the range expanded-he alone would be the eyes of the entire team.
Two double-hours later, Feng Xiaotian called everyone back to the center of the training ground.
"In pairs, show us what you've just been working on together," Feng Xiaotian said.
The groups stepped forward in turn.
Zhong Yue and Bai Yu went first. Zhong Yue walked to the center of the training ground, and a phantom tortoise shell condensed before him. Bai Yu stood three paces behind Zhong Yue and gently shook her wind chime. The amplification settled over Zhong Yue, a pale golden glow appearing along the edges of the phantom shell as it grew considerably more solid. With a low shout, Zhong Yue transformed the phantom into a massive shield and rammed it into a training post, which shattered on impact. Bai Yu's chime sounded precisely as Zhong Yue exerted his strength-not early, not late, but at the very instant his power erupted. Feng Lingtian watched it all. Defense and amplification were the most basic combination, but Zhong Yue and Bai Yu had shown true coordination.
Su Mei'er and Ji Ning were the second group. Su Mei'er's Wind Lightning Chains interwove into a net in the air, constantly tightening. Ji Ning darted through it, activating Swallow Return and changing direction repeatedly, each turn faster than the last. The gaps between the Wind Lightning Chains grew smaller, and Ji Ning's turns pushed closer and closer to the limit. They were forcing each other to reveal their boundaries. Feng Xiaotian watched it all. The hardest part of coordination between the control system and agility attack system wasn't keeping up with one another. It was knowing where the other person's limit lay, then stopping right at its edge.
Lu Hanxiao and Lu Qing were the third group. Neither used any flashy techniques. Lu Hanxiao charged forward, his Snowy Owl's perception locking onto the wooden post. Lu Qing cut in from the flank and unleashed his Wind Scythe. Their attacks struck the same spot at exactly the same instant. No words, no exchanged glances, not even a gesture. Feng Xiaotian watched it all. The understanding between these clan cousins wasn't something trained into them. It came from spending years together, until even the rhythm of their breathing had become the same.
Cheng Luo and Shi Yan were the fourth group. Cheng Luo's Wind-Binding Vine shot from his palm and wrapped around Shi Yan's bell-shaped phantom. Shi Yan gave a low shout, and the phantom shook violently. Sound waves spread outward, shaking the Wind-Binding Vine slightly loose. Cheng Luo's second vine was already waiting there to fill the gap. Shi Yan shook it again, and Cheng Luo filled the gap again. They went back and forth, neither willing to yield. Feng Lingtian watched it all. The contest between control and defense wasn't about who could overpower whom, but who could adapt to the other's rhythm first.
Su Ran and Ye Qingyu were the fifth group. Ye Qingyu walked to the center of the training ground and gently raised both hands before her. A wisp of blue-green wind rose from her palms, coiling and drawing together into the shape of a zither. Its body was long and slender, like a willow leaf bent by the wind. Its surface was an extremely pale sky blue, growing lighter toward the tail until it was almost transparent. Its strings were as fine as silver threads, only a few in all, arranged quietly like droplets hanging on a spiderweb after rain.
Ye Qingyu laid her fingers on the strings and plucked gently. The notes rippled outward, spreading quietly in circle after circle.
Su Ran walked over to face Ye Qingyu. He did not sit, merely stood still. He raised his right hand, palm upward, and pale green light flowed from his fingertips. It wasn't Ye Qingyu's smoky blue-green, but a warmer green, like the tips of tender shoots newly sprouting on branches in early spring. The light gathered in Su Ran's palm, condensing into the shape of a grain seedling. The seedling was tiny, only palm-sized, its soft leaves unfurling with their tips drooping slightly, quiet and still. This was Su Ran's Martial Soul, Wind Grain.
Su Ran did not rush to guide the zither's notes. He simply held Wind Grain in his palm and let the seedling's presence spread naturally. When the notes reached it, the seedling's leaves trembled gently, as though brushed by wind. Then the notes began to draw back, one layer, two layers, three layers, rippling around the seedling. Echo Amplification activated, and the notes reverberated between them.
The seedling's leaves swayed gently amid the zither's notes, its grains filling out little by little. It wasn't Su Ran guiding it. Wind Grain was listening.
Feng Lingtian watched the scene. Ye Qingyu's zither notes spread outward, while Su Ran's Wind Grain gathered inward. One outward, one inward. If this coordination between the food system and support system worked, the entire team's staying power would improve considerably.
Once every group had finished its demonstration, Feng Xiaotian walked to the center of the training ground.
"Today was only the beginning. Starting tomorrow, gather here every afternoon after classes end. One double-hour: basic coordination, lineup rotations, live combat practice-we'll work through them one by one. Attend classes as usual the rest of the time. Neither will interfere with the other."
No one on the training ground spoke. But Feng Xiaotian could see that the fire in everyone's eyes was still burning.
As the team dispersed, Feng Xiaotian stayed where he was. His gaze settled on Lu Qing.
"Lu Qing, stay a moment."
Lu Qing stopped. Lu Hanxiao glanced at his older clan cousin, said nothing, and followed the others out of the training ground.
Only Feng Xiaotian and Lu Qing remained on the training ground. The setting sun slanted in through the entrance, stretching their shadows long.
Feng Xiaotian walked up to Lu Qing. "You held back your Wind Scythe three times today."
Lu Qing said nothing.
"The first time, when you and Lu Hanxiao attacked from both sides, your Wind Scythe's edge shifted an inch off course. The second time, when you cut the wooden post alone, the scythe blade didn't fully extend. The third time, Cheng Luo's Wind-Binding Vine came toward you from the side. You instinctively wanted to cut it, but you stopped your Wind Scythe halfway through." Feng Xiaotian looked at Lu Qing. "What are you holding back?"
Lu Qing remained silent for a long time.
"My Wind Scythe is different from other people's." Lu Qing's voice was quiet. "It isn't a single scythe."
Feng Xiaotian's gaze sharpened slightly.
Lu Qing raised his right hand. Pale green light gathered in his palm, gradually taking the shape of a Wind Scythe. Its blade was a half-moon, its edge gleaming coldly. But the light did not disperse-on the other side of the scythe blade, a second blade of light was slowly taking shape, thinner, finer, and sharper than the first.
"Twin scythes," Lu Qing said. "I've been keeping the other one hidden."
Feng Xiaotian looked at the two scythe blades existing side by side. "Why don't you release it?"
Lu Qing fell silent for a breath. "Because once I release it, I can't rein it back in." He looked at the twin scythes in his palm. "Lu Hanxiao is my younger clan cousin. His Snowy Owl is a natural perception-type Martial Soul. I've known since I was little that no matter how hard I trained, in other people's eyes, I would always be 'Lu Hanxiao's older clan cousin.' No matter how fast my Wind Scythe is, it can't outpace his Snowy Owl. No matter how strong my perception is, it can't surpass his Night Owl Gaze."
Lu Qing paused. "So I put the other scythe away. Since I couldn't measure up, there was no need to compete."
Feng Xiaotian looked at Lu Qing without speaking.
The setting sun sank a little farther. The shadows on the training ground stretched even longer.
"You don't need to compete with him." Feng Xiaotian's voice was quiet but steady. "The strength of Lu Hanxiao's Snowy Owl lies in locking on and predicting. Where does your Wind Scythe's strength lie?"
Lu Qing raised his head.
"Twin scythes," Feng Xiaotian answered for him. "A single scythe slashes; twin scythes rend. The path of a single scythe can be predicted, but no one can guess how twin scythes will change direction. Lu Hanxiao can lock onto one target, but he can't lock down attacks coming from two directions at once."
Feng Xiaotian looked into Lu Qing's eyes. "Your Wind Scythe isn't his shadow. It's a blade he can never lock down."
Lu Qing said nothing. But the second blade of light among the twin scythes in his palm shone a little brighter than before.
"Starting tomorrow, you don't need to hold back your Wind Scythe anymore." Feng Xiaotian turned and walked out of the training ground, pausing at the entrance. "Release it. Let me see what it truly looks like."
Lu Qing stood where he was, watching Feng Xiaotian's retreating figure disappear through the entrance. He lowered his head and looked at the twin scythes in his palm. The two blades hovered side by side, one bright and one dim, one large and one small, like a pair of wings.
Lu Qing clenched his hand, and the twin scythes dissolved into green light. He raised his head and strode out of the training ground.
Night fell. Feng Lingtian lay in bed, looking at the moonlight outside the window.
Zhong Yue was already snoring. Lu Hanxiao's breathing was even and light. There was not a sound from Su Ran's bed.
Feng Lingtian recalled everything that had happened on the training ground that day. He remembered everyone's expressions when Feng Xiaotian announced the seven-person starting lineup. Those selected had excitement and pressure in their eyes. Those placed among the substitutes had a fire in their eyes that burned hotter than anyone else's. Especially Lu Qing-Feng Lingtian now knew what that "blade resting in its sheath" he had sensed through Spirit Mapping was.
Twin scythes.
There's far more depth to Lu Qing than he lets on, Feng Lingtian thought.
Feng Lingtian slowly closed his eyes.