As they left Zenki's office, Liu Yong and the others proceeded to the palace's grand dining hall to have their dinner. Liu Yong took the opportunity to introduce Zhang Yitian formally to the others, allowing them to get to know each other better.
"This is Zhang Yitian, my oldest disciple. You can consider him your Senior Brother," Liu Yong introduced Zhang Yitian to the others.
Liu Yong tapped Mingliang's shoulder and introduced him, "This is Mingliang, the second son of the emperor." He then patted Liu Wei's head and said, "As you may have realized, this is Liu Wei, my grandson." Finally, he smiled at Mengting and introduced her, "And this is Mengting, the second daughter of the emperor."
With a smile on his face, Zhang Yitian properly introduced himself to the others and chatted with them for a while. After a brief conversation, he suggested a friendly sparring session to gauge the current level of his fellow disciples.
Liu Yong smiled and readily approved the friendly spar, hoping it would help Zhang Yitian bond with the others.
The training stage in the training hall is a spacious and well-lit area, with high ceilings and smooth stone walls. The floor is made of polished wood, which gives a soft sound whenever anyone steps on it. At the center of the stage is a large circle marked on the floor, which serves as the sparring area. The circle is surrounded by smaller circles and lines that indicate the different elements and areas of the arena. The walls are adorned with various weapons, from swords and spears to staffs and bows, which are used for training and practice. There are also mirrors placed around the stage to allow the practitioners to observe their movements and improve their techniques. The air is filled with the scent of incense, which helps to create a peaceful and focused environment for the practitioners. Overall, the training stage is a well-designed and well-maintained area that is perfect for martial arts training and sparring.
As the eldest among them, Mingliang offered to be the first one to spar with Zhang Yitian, wanting to assess his strength and skills for the benefit of the others.
Zhang Yitian and Mingliang stood across from each other on the training stage, their gazes locked in unwavering concentration. With a calm smile on his face, Zhang Yitian stood confidently in the center, his lightning elemental power pulsing through his body with ease. Meanwhile, Mingliang stood tensely, his water elemental power at the ready, prepared to counter any incoming attacks. The atmosphere was tense, and the air crackled with anticipation as the two cultivators prepared to spar.
Zhang Yitian began the sparring match with a simple flick of his wrist, sending a bolt of lightning straight toward Mingliang. Mingliang quickly raised a wall of water to block the attack, but Zhang Yitian's lightning easily penetrated through the wall, striking Mingliang in the chest.
Mingliang stumbled backward, his breathing labored as he struggled to regain his footing. Zhang Yitian approached him calmly, a faint smile playing on his lips as he prepared for his next attack.
Mingliang knew he had to be more aggressive, so he launched a barrage of water attacks toward Zhang Yitian. But Zhang Yitian was too quick for him, easily dodging and weaving through the attacks with ease.
Zhang Yitian retaliated with a powerful surge of lightning that sent Mingliang flying across the training ground. The impact knocked the wind out of Mingliang, leaving him gasping for air as Zhang Yitian calmly walked towards him.
Despite being at a disadvantage, Mingliang refused to give up. He stood up and charged toward Zhang Yitian, summoning all of his water elemental power to create a massive wave that he hoped would engulf Zhang Yitian.
But Zhang Yitian was ready for him. He summoned a bolt of lightning that struck the wave, creating an explosive reaction that sent Mingliang crashing to the ground once again.
The match was over, and Zhang Yitian emerged victorious. He extended a hand to help Mingliang up, who took it gratefully. "Thank you, senior brother," Mingliang said, nodding in respect.
Zhang Yitian smiled warmly at him. "You fought well, junior brother. Your water elemental power is strong, and I look forward to sparring with you again in the future."
Mingliang nodded, a glint of determination in his eyes. "I will train harder and come back stronger, senior brother. Thank you for the lesson."
Zhang Yitian patted him on the back. "You have the potential to become a great cultivator, junior brother. Keep working hard and you will achieve great things."
With that, the two bowed to each other and parted ways, each walking away with a newfound respect for the other.
From that day on, Mingliang knew that he had a lot to learn from Zhang Yitian, and he resolved to train harder to improve his skills. As for Zhang Yitian, he remained humble and gracious, always willing to help his fellow disciples improve their abilities.
As Mingliang stepped off the training ground, Liu Wei stepped up to take his turn against Zhang Yitian.
Zhang Yitian looked at Liu Wei with a soft smile and patted his head gently, "Are you sure you're ready for this, little brother? Don't worry, Senior Brother won't go too hard on you."
Liu Wei frowned and shook his head, "I'm not a child anymore, Senior Brother. I'm ready to fight you with everything I have."
Zhang Yitian chuckled, "Of course, of course. But just remember, Senior Brother is still your senior. Don't be too upset when I win."
Liu Wei rolled his eyes, "We'll see about that, Senior Brother."
As the two took their stances, Liu Wei's determination was clear in his eyes. But Zhang Yitian couldn't help but smile, seeing the fire in his young junior's spirit.
Liu Wei was determined to prove himself and show that he was not just a child. He focused his earth elemental power and prepared for the fight.
Zhang Yitian could feel the power emanating from Liu Wei, but he remained calm and confident. As the fight began, Liu Wei tried to attack with his earth elemental power, but Zhang Yitian effortlessly dodged and weaved around the attacks.
Using his lightning elemental power, Zhang Yitian struck Liu Wei with a quick and powerful bolt of lightning, causing Liu Wei to stumble backward. Despite his efforts to use his earth elemental power to defend himself, Liu Wei found himself struggling to keep up with Zhang Yitian's lightning speed.
As the fight continued, Zhang Yitian's lightning elemental power proved to be too much for Liu Wei's earth elemental power to handle. Despite his best efforts, Liu Wei was quickly defeated.
After the fight, Liu Yong approached Liu Wei and praised him for his efforts, reminding him that he still had much to learn and grow. As for Zhang Yitian, Liu Yong commended him for his lightning-fast reflexes and powerful elemental mastery.
Before the next match with Mengting, Liu Yong inquired about Zhang Yitian's current cultivation level. "Master, I am currently at the Beginner Spiritual Ascending level," Zhang Yitian replied with a hint of pride. Liu Yong praised him for his dedication to cultivation but reminded him that it was important to remain humble.
Zhang Yitian stood in the center of the training ground, facing his junior sister Mengting. "Are you ready?" he asked, with a small smile on his face.
"Yes, Senior Brother," replied Mengting, her eyes fixed on him. She took a deep breath and focused her energy, preparing to use all the elemental powers at her disposal.
The two combatants started to circle each other, their movements flowing gracefully. Zhang Yitian initiated the attack by unleashing a bolt of lightning toward Mengting, who reacted swiftly by erecting a wall of earth, completely nullifying the lightning's impact. Zhang Yitian was taken aback by Mengting's skillful use of elemental correlation, and he thought to himself, "She knows her stuff."
Zhang Yitian was taken aback as Mengting suddenly surged towards him, propelled by the power of the wind. He had always believed that a person could only wield one type of element in their lifetime, so Mengting's ability to use multiple elements simultaneously was intriguing. "Interesting," he thought to himself.
At the last moment, Zhang Yitian dodged and threw a lightning-charged punch toward Mengting's abdomen, but it was blocked by an earth armor that she summoned in anticipation. Mengting then executed a roundhouse kick, imbued with the power of fire, aimed at Zhang Yitian's head. However, he managed to avoid it by quickly crouching down.
Zhang Yitian leaped backward while channeling lightning to his fingers, gathering power. Mengting sensed what he was doing and mirrored his actions, causing Zhang Yitian to be stunned. "Don't tell me she can use all the elements?!" he thought in amazement. Finally, he unleashed the gathered lightning toward Mengting, only for her to counter with her lightning. The two lightning strikes collided, creating a massive explosion that sent dust flying everywhere.
Zhang Yitian barely managed to stand up when he saw a massive block of ice hurtling toward him. He quickly rolled to the side, but to his surprise, a powerful wave followed closely behind. Caught off-guard in his rolling position, he was unable to evade the wave, which struck him and sent him flying out of the training stage, ending the friendly spar with Mengting.
As he rose to his feet, Zhang Yitian climbed back onto the stage and noticed Mengting bowing toward him. "Thank you for letting me win, Senior Brother," she said with gratitude. This made him smile wryly, as he knew that it was her exceptional skill that won her the match, not his mercy.
As Mengting received the congratulations of Mingliang and Liu Wei, Zhang Yitian couldn't help but approach Liu Yong with a puzzled expression. "Master, is she really at the same cultivation level as me? And how is it possible for her to use all the elements?" he asked.
As Liu Yong finished explaining about Mengting's rare physique, Zhang Yitian furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "Master, does this mean that Mengting has the potential to become a powerful cultivator?" he asked curiously.
Liu Yong nodded, "Indeed, with her Primordial Physique, Mengting has the potential to become a great cultivator. However, she will still need to work hard and overcome many obstacles to achieve her full potential."
Zhang Yitian looked at Mengting, who was still receiving congratulations from her fellow disciples. "I'll do my best to support her and help her achieve her goals," he said determinedly.
Liu Yong smiled, "That's good to hear, Zhang Yitian. As a senior brother, you must guide and support your juniors. Remember, we are all part of the same family here."
Zhang Yitian nodded, feeling a sense of responsibility and honor as a senior brother. "I won't let you down, Master," he said with determination.