Every soul master on the continent understood that all things were composed of elements, and that earth, water, wind, and fire were the four fundamental pillars of existence. To command all four at once was to stand at the threshold of creation itself.

Central Academy's records spoke of a three-element soul master in ancient times, yet even that prodigy had only reached the Soul Sage realm before being crushed under the strain of maintaining balance.

Legends claimed that if the four fundamental elements were ever brought into true harmony, their combined power would be terrifying beyond measure.

And now, before their very eyes, Lily was doing exactly that.

Her three soul rings shone brightly as the fire element trembled, struggling against the delicate equilibrium she was maintaining. She was not using much of any single element, but in order to give each one a stable form, her mind had to split into four streams of thought. The interactions between earth and water, water and wind, wind and fire, and fire and earth multiplied the strain exponentially.

Yet she endured.

The fire condensed into six blazing petals, which settled gently above the layers below. A four-colored flower now hovered in the air, rotating slowly, radiating a strange and profound beauty that felt almost sacred.

Not only the examiners, but even Ray, Raziel, and Violetta stared in shock.

They were the ones who knew Lily best, yet even they had never imagined her elemental control had reached such heights.

With this level of mastery, she could theoretically unleash a four-element fusion attack in combat.

Whether she would have the time to prepare such an attack in a real battle was another matter, but the mere possibility spoke volumes about her talent.

The examiners instantly understood that Lily had already reached the Spirit Sea realm. Without such a foundation, this feat would have been utterly impossible.

And still, she was not done.

Lily extended her hand for the fifth time.

Even the old lady stood up fully now, her expression openly astonished. There's more?

Golden specks of light streamed in through the windows, as if answering an unspoken call.

They gathered around Lily's palm, shimmering softly. Unlike before, she did not shape them into petals. Instead, she let the golden light revolve around the four-colored flower, forming a faint halo.

"I present this to you," Lily said, lifting her head. Her gaze locked onto the old lady, sharp and unwavering.

In a flash of silver light, the flower vanished from her hand and reappeared directly in front of the elderly examiner.

"Careful!" Giselle cried out instinctively.

Once released from Lily's control, the fragile balance between the four elements collapsed. The energies surged chaotically, threatening to explode at any moment.

Lily knew this better than anyone. She did it anyway.

She did not like the fact that this woman had injured Ray.

The old lady's surprise lasted only a heartbeat before melting into a calm, amused smile. With a graceful sweep of her arm, her wide sleeves billowed as a crescent moon manifested behind her, bathing the space in pale, tranquil light.

Nine soul rings rose beneath her feet.

This time, the students of class zero could clearly see them. Four purple, four black, and one red. A terrifying aura rolled outward as the rings revolved around her body.

The moment the moonlight touched the unstable flower, everything froze. The violent energies stilled as though lulled into a dream.

Then, little by little, the flower dissolved. Fire faded into warmth, wind dispersed into air, water evaporated into mist, and earth returned to dust. All elements reverted to their origin.

Nine rings.

A Spirit King?

The realization struck class zero like a hammer.

All four of them sprang to their feet, hearts pounding, limbs trembling. A red soul ring. A hundred-thousand-year soul ring. A living legend stood before them.

Even Lily, who prided herself on composure, felt her mind go blank.

To neutralize a four-element explosive construct instantly, one that had cost Lily more than five minutes and over sixty percent of her power to create, without even revealing her full strength… the gap between them was beyond comprehension.

"Good. Very good. Excellent." The old lady laughed heartily, then turned to Giselle. "Giselle did well convincing me to extend the exam period for these children. This girl doesn't need to take the remaining trials. Let her enter the inner court directly. A six-element soul master… even I find that hard to resist. This must be the first in the entire history of the continent."

She walked over to Lily, studying her carefully from head to toe, her eyes shining with unmistakable interest.

"Girl," she said with a smile, "would you like to become my disciple?"

Lily stayed silent.

"Girl, do you want to become my disciple?" the old lady asked again, a faint smile still resting on her lips.

Lily took a deep breath before shaking her head decisively. "I don't want to."

"I don't want to?" The old lady stared at her, momentarily stunned. "Why?"

"There's no reason," Lily replied quietly. "I just don't want to."

"Lily, watch your words." Giselle hurried forward, her voice tight with urgency. "Do you even know who you're speaking to? She is one of the elders of Central Academy's most closely guarded Sea God's Pavilion. Her title is Silver Moon. She is the Silver Moon Spirit King, an existence that stands at the very summit of the continent. Being accepted as her disciple is an opportunity countless people would beg for with their lives!"

The four students stood stunned. Before today, none of them had known the identity of this frail-looking old woman.

Yet the name Silver Moon Spirit King alone was enough to send chills down the spine of any soul master who had even a passing knowledge of the continent's history.

Six years ago, she had been infamous across the entire Xynnar Continent.

Unrestrained, eccentric, and utterly unpredictable, she had followed only her own whims, turning the soul master world upside down with her rampages.

It was only after the Central Academy personally intervened and brought her back that peace gradually returned.

Since then, she had vanished from public view, becoming little more than a terrifying legend whispered among the powerful.

Lily met Giselle's gaze, then lowered her head slightly, her fingers tightening at her sides. After a brief hesitation, she shook her head again. "She hit Ray. I don't want to be her disciple."

Neither of them had expected that answer.

Of all possible reasons, Lily's rejection was rooted in something so simple and so personal. Her displeasure came from the single punch that had sent Ray flying earlier.

The elderly woman's brows snapped together. "Ridiculous!" she snapped. "That boy's claw is no ordinary thing. If I hadn't used a bit of force, those golden scales of his might've grabbed my old bones and injured me. I didn't harm him at all!"

The two middle-aged examiners exchanged disbelieving glances. To anyone else, her words might have sounded sharp, but hidden beneath them was an explanation… even an apology.

She was actually explaining herself to a thirteen-year-old girl.

Lily turned to look at Ray.

"Lily, I'm really fine," Ray said hurriedly, the words tumbling out in a rush. "Honestly. You should think this through carefully." He understood better than anyone just how precious this opportunity was.

Lily turned back toward Elder, her expression earnest and unwavering. "Wherever they go, I will go too. We won't be separated. If they enter the inner court, then I'll enter as well."

The old woman stared at her for a long moment before letting out an irritated snort. "What a troublesome child. Fine. Do whatever you want. I don't care anymore."

She flicked her sleeve sharply and turned away, her figure already retreating.

Her reaction left Giselle momentarily stunned. Recovering herself, she hurried after the old woman, trying to explain on the students' behalf, but the old woman clearly had no intention of listening.

Ray grabbed Lily's arm the moment the old woman disappeared. "Why did you do that?" he asked, unable to hide his anxiety. "Do you have any idea what kind of chance you just gave up? That's a nine-ringed Spirit King! One of her soul rings is even a hundred-thousand-year-old red ring! People like her are rarer than phoenix feathers. I can't believe you rejected her outright."

Lily met his gaze, her eyes calm and sincere. "She hit you. I wasn't happy."

Those few words silenced Ray completely.

Raziel and Violetta exchanged odd looks, unsure whether to laugh or sigh.

Raziel finally broke the silence, rubbing his chin. "You know, I always thought I was pretty arrogant. Turns out I was wrong. Lily, this is what true arrogance looks like. I'm impressed."

Violetta giggled softly. "Big sis Lily really is… straightforward and quite simple."

Ray could only sigh inwardly. Will this affect our exam? That Spirit King clearly holds enormous authority within Central Academy. If we've truly offended her, things might not end well for us.

His worries were confirmed moments later.

Giselle returned, her face pale and rigid. She pointed at Lily with a trembling finger. "You! Do you know how many people would give up everything just for a chance to become her disciple?"

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