After the thin man's humiliating defeat, the instructor couldn't help but chide Ye Chenfeng.
"Ye Chenfeng, do you plan to continue? At least give other students a chance."
Ye Chenfeng, who had just achieved intermediate mastery of his skills, shrugged. "Alright, just for you," he said, waving his hand with mock reluctance.
He actually wanted to squeeze in another match, but if the instructor insisted, he'd play along. His mere presence left the spectators buzzing. "Is he actually a high-level wizard?" one student whispered.
"Impossible!" someone else murmured, as the crowd fell silent, baffled by Ye Chenfeng's sudden address.
"Hello, everyone," he began smoothly, "my name is Ye Chenfeng. You may not be too familiar with me here at Pearl Academy, but I wanted to introduce myself. Please take care of me in the coming years—and maybe don't try targeting me, unless you're prepared for a beatdown." The crowd collectively gulped, each student nervously reassuring themselves that they'd steer clear of him. Ye Chenfeng left with a casual wave, his exit punctuated by stunned silence.
Dean Xiao, observing from above, exchanged a knowing look with the instructor, who scratched his head sheepishly. "Right," Dean Xiao muttered to himself, realizing what he'd unleashed.
Meanwhile, Mo Fan, hearing that Ye Chenfeng had departed, couldn't contain his laughter. "Hahaha!" he crowed, "All the resources are mine now!"
From that day, two legends swept through Pearl Academy: Ye Chenfeng, the unrivaled prodigy, and Mo Fan, a rising menace. Their names were whispered in awe and fear. Ye Chenfeng's fame exploded following his freshman tournament performance, though rumors of his background quickly spread. Whispers circulated that he had first awakened his powers four years earlier and had been recruited by Pearl Academy under generous terms.
One day, as Ye Chenfeng strolled through campus, he could feel the mix of admiration and fear in his classmates' glances. This suited him; the attention allowed him to focus more intently on his training. He closed his eyes, honing his mind on his magical progression. With his ice and fire systems reaching the third level of the intermediate stage, his space system at elementary level three, and his light and shadow abilities still at an entry level, he knew he was lagging behind Mo Fan, who had already achieved intermediate mastery in three disciplines.
Though aware of the gap, Ye Chenfeng had a secret advantage: his innate, dual-element awakening, a power Dean Xiao had once promised would grant him access to the coveted Three-Step Pagoda. Over a month passed before Dean Xiao called both Ye Chenfeng and Mo Fan to the library's top floor.
"Well, well," Dean Xiao smiled, "you two sure know how to keep secrets."
"Secrets? I've got nothing to hide!" Mo Fan protested, smirking.
"Really?" Dean Xiao raised an eyebrow, then turned to Ye Chenfeng. "And you, anything else you'd like to share?"
Ye Chenfeng chuckled. "Actually, yes. My true talent only became clear after my second awakening."
Dean Xiao's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "So, what exactly is your talent?"
With a faint grin, Ye Chenfeng extended his hand, conjuring a golden light of the light element, then revealing its opposites: black, red, and blue.
"Light and darkness, fire and ice," he explained. "Whenever I awaken opposing elements, they fuse, creating a natural reversal. Ice and fire, for example, merge to amplify my magical power."
Dean Xiao and Mo Fan stood dumbfounded, mouths agape.
"Mo Fan," Dean Xiao muttered, "didn't you say—?"
"Not a chance!" Mo Fan interrupted hastily. "I'm just an ordinary dual-element wizard!"
Dean Xiao sighed, shaking his head. "Ordinary? This generation has truly redefined it."