Chen Fan slowly opened his eyes, his long eyelashes fluttering slightly as he emerged from his meditation. The warm light of the morning sun bathed the world in gold, casting a soft glow through the open window. He squinted up at the sky for a moment, his thoughts gradually settling.
Rising to his feet with unhurried grace, he dusted off his robes, pushed open the wooden door, and stepped outside. The air was crisp, tinged with the scent of dew and the distant echo of clashing blades. As he made his way toward the training grounds, the familiar sight of knights and young heroes met his eyes—some practicing swordplay, others honing their magic.
Among them, his gaze landed on a lone figure standing away from the crowd. A girl, her form graceful, yet unwavering. Wang Yue.
Glancing around, Chen Fan noticed a few knights stealing covert looks at Wang Yue. Some of them seemed momentarily entranced, their gazes lingering as if lost in thought, captivated by more than just her magic.
A faint irritation stirred within him, subtle but undeniable, as his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.
She stood in silence, focused entirely on the magic swirling at her fingertips. Streams of red mana danced around her, drawn into elegant patterns by her command. Chen Fan's steps slowed. He watched quietly, observing her conjure spell after spell with an intensity that surpassed her peers.
It was astonishing.
For someone who had awakened her powers so recently, the strength she now displayed was comparable to a Two-Star Mage. He raised an eyebrow in surprise.
Meanwhile, Wang Yue herself was beginning to feel the toll. Her breathing grew heavier, her mana reserves thinner. Still, she refused to stop. The book she had been studying claimed that increasing stamina required consistent usage—forcing it to circulate, stretch, and expand its limit. More than that, she needed to achieve a level of mastery and stability over her magic. Only then would the next page of her mysterious book reveal itself. So far, it remained blank, no matter how long she stared at it.
"Kyah—!" A sudden, cold sensation touched her cheek, snapping her from her thoughts. She turned instinctively toward the culprit, only to find Chen Fan standing there with a slight grin, holding out a drink.
She pouted slightly and muttered, "It's not funny."
He only chuckled. "You were too focused. You didn't even sense me."
Wang Yue narrowed her eyes, scoffing. "Liar. I can sense anyone approaching now. Including their mana."
Chen Fan laughed gently and took a seat beside her as she finally accepted the drink and took a few slow sips.
"What are you doing here?" she asked, not bothering to mask her curiosity.
"Eh?" he tilted his head teasingly. "You make it sound like I'm a bother."
"You are. I'm training," she said bluntly, shooting him an annoyed look.
He grinned, completely unfazed. "Then why don't we spar a little? It's the best way to test your progress, right?"
Wang Yue paused, drink halfway to her lips. Truth be told, she was curious—her strength had grown, but she had yet to measure it in real combat. After a moment, she nodded. "Fine. But no full power. Match my level, understood?"
Chen Fan raised both hands in mock surrender, his tone light. "Alright, alright. I'll even go weaker than you."
"Hmph," she snorted, rising to her feet. "You'll regret saying that."
Together, they walked to the center of the training ground. The knights and heroes noticed the movement, pausing in their drills to watch with growing interest. After all, one of the fighters was the mysterious girl with legendary potential as an Elementalist, and the other—a calm, unreadable figure whom even the instructors treated with a strange respect. No one truly knew Chen Fan's strength.
As Wang Yue took her position, Chen Fan studied her closely. To his relief, the storm in her heart from the previous day had quieted. She looked focused now, determined. The eagerness to improve burned bright in her eyes.
Activating his Magic Eye, Chen Fan's vision shifted. Instantly, he could see it: her body was no longer that of an ordinary girl. Her entire frame was enveloped in a controlled layer of mana, circulating with rhythm and balance. She had learned to enter and exit this state at will.
So she's even able to suppress her mana presence completely… She could mimic a mortal perfectly if she wanted to.Awe flickered in his thoughts. What an extraordinary constitution.
"You can start first," Chen Fan offered, voice even.
Wang Yue didn't hesitate. She raised her palm, and at once, crimson mana coiled around her fingers, surging into a tight sphere. The energy flared, pulsing with heat and brilliance as she released a massive fireball, easily seven meters wide, roaring toward him with blazing force.
Chen Fan didn't flinch.
Still only at Qi Refinement Stage Five, he knew he couldn't confront it directly. Instead, he once again activated Magic Eye. Through the glowing patterns, he saw it—the uneven structure within the fireball, mana concentrations poorly distributed across its surface.
He raised a hand and flicked a tiny flame toward a specific point on the fireball.
A mere spark.
And yet, when it struck the weakened zone, the fireball trembled. The unstable mana flared chaotically, swirling out of balance—and with a sharp crack, it detonated mid-air in a burst of heat and color, never reaching him.
Gasps rippled through the spectators.
Wang Yue stared, wide-eyed.
Chen Fan simply smiled. "Size isn't everything," he said calmly.
A stunned silence fell across the grounds.
"I can't believe he stopped that with such a weak attack…"
"So this is the power of someone who can see mana…"
The crowd murmured, eyes fixed on the strange and silent battle unfolding before them. Many of them—knights and heroes alike—began to lean forward, eager to see and learn.
Wang Yue didn't back down. Her eyes narrowed, and without a word, she conjured a flurry of ice spikes and launched them toward Chen Fan. Dozens of sharp spears darted across the field like glimmering arrows.
Chen Fan moved casually, weaving through the barrage, deflecting some, dodging others. At times, he even used her own ice against her—redirecting their paths with flicks of fire or small kinetic bursts.
"Too predictable," he murmured.
Still, he stayed in place, observing. Waiting.
Then his eyes widened slightly.
With Magic Eye active, he saw it—thin strings of red mana beginning to wrap around him. Three threads, aligned in a triangular formation—left, right, and above.
Clever.
Wang Yue clenched her fist.
And the threads exploded.
A coordinated blast burst from three angles at once, engulfing Chen Fan in brilliant flames.
The crowd gasped again—this time louder. Was that the end?
As the smoke began to clear, the onlookers held their breath.
Chen Fan stood tall and unscathed, while across from him, Wang Yue panted heavily. Her legs trembled beneath her, on the verge of giving out. Her body, though brimming with mana just moments ago, now looked drained and fragile—clear signs of the toll her magic had taken.
Unseen by the others, just before the string-like threads of mana exploded, Chen Fan had quietly enveloped himself in a layer of Annihilation Qi, neutralizing the impact.
"I lost," Chen Fan said softly, surprising those nearby. He hadn't intended to rely on one of his trump cards. His plan had been to face her using only basic techniques. But her ability to manipulate mana from a distance had caught him off guard. With his power deliberately restrained, he found no clean method to counter her surprise attack without invoking something stronger.
"What do you mean, you lost?" Wang Yue asked, clearly dissatisfied, her brows furrowed as she stared at him. There wasn't a single scorch mark on him, no hint of strain. Meanwhile, she'd used everything she had—especially her distance mana control, a skill she'd only recently begun to master.
"I mean I had to use more strength than I should have. I underestimated you," Chen Fan replied with a small smile, walking toward her.
"Hmph. Now you know," Wang Yue muttered with a smug glint in her eyes, though deep inside, a quiet pride bloomed. She knew she couldn't match Chen Fan in raw power—but to exceed his expectations? That was something.
The moment of quiet pride quickly shattered.
Without warning, she felt her feet leave the ground as Chen Fan scooped her up into a princess carry.
"W-What are you doing?" she stammered, face turning red instantly.
"Look at you—trembling like that. Do you want to crawl out of the arena?" he said with a teasing grin.
"I-I can walk!" she protested, her mind spinning into chaos.
"Nope," he said flatly, already striding toward the edge of the training grounds. "It's not even the first time, right? Why are you making a fuss now? Or…" He leaned closer, whispering near her ear, "…is it hard to look at my face from this close?"
Her ears turned crimson. Catching the knowing smirks from nearby knights, she instinctively buried her face closer to Chen Fan's chest—though she carefully avoided touching him.
Once they reached a quieter area away from the crowd, Chen Fan gently set her down and summoned a small box of snacks from his phone. Wang Yue sat beside him, her head still lowered, trying to calm the flurry of emotions racing through her.
"Why so quiet now? Embarrassed?" he asked playfully, popping a piece of cake into his mouth.
"O-Of course I am! What if they misunderstand and think we're l-l-lovers?" she stuttered, cheeks blazing.
"Eh? I'm pretty sure the whole palace already assumes we're together. Didn't we fall asleep in the same room the other day? To them, that's more than enough," Chen Fan replied casually, as though it were no big deal.
"W-What?!" Wang Yue's head snapped up in shock, her eyes wide and burning red.
"It's just what people think." He took another bite of cake.
"It's just what they think," Chen Fan said casually, taking a bite of cake. Then, with a playful glint in his eye, he added, "Why? Want to start acting like a real couple for their sake? I wouldn't mind, you know." He smiled at her, teasing yet oddly sincere.
"W-Who would want to be your lover, you narcissistic pervert?!" she shouted, voice rising in flustered panic. "You're just using this as an excuse to get closer to me!"
Chen Fan chuckled, then turned his gaze away, looking out toward the horizon.
"Yeah… I guess I am."
"Huuh?" Wang Yue blinked in confusion, letting out a small, unintelligible noise. She quickly lifted her head to catch a glimpse of his expression, but could only see the side of his face and his ear, both slightly red. Her heart skipped a beat.
Wait… What did he just say?Was that… a confession?He said he wanted to get closer to me. Does that mean… he likes me?
Her thoughts spiraled, and her heartbeat roared in her ears.
What do I do…?What should I say?If he really likes me… does that mean our feelings are mutual?
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Wang Yue gripped her skirt tightly, her knuckles white. She couldn't think about anything else. Her mind was completely occupied with Chen Fan's words, searching for the hidden meaning behind them.
"If it bothers you… I can tell the others the truth," Chen Fan said suddenly, breaking her out of her trance.
"Ah—No. I didn't mean it like that," Wang Yue replied softly. She looked at him for a brief moment before lowering her gaze again. "I… I don't mind."
Chen Fan was silent for a beat. He opened his mouth as if to speak, then smiled quietly instead.
He hadn't expected those words to come out either—they'd just slipped from his lips naturally. Watching the way the sunlight shimmered against her slightly messy golden hair, he noticed the faint flush still painted on both her cheeks.
Every time he was with her, life felt… simpler. Peaceful. Like the kind of quiet joy he hadn't known he needed.
I want to stay near her, he thought. I want to see more of her. I want to see her smile more.
Still smiling faintly, he reached out and gently took her hand, placing it between them.
She flinched at the contact—but didn't pull away.
A soft, tranquil silence settled over them, and for a moment, nothing else mattered.