Chen Yu felt a flicker of unease but nodded, his resolve unshaken. "How do I prove myself?" he asked, already guessing what she would say.

For a long moment, the woman said nothing. Her gaze bore into him, as though she were searching for any sign of deceit. Chen Yu could feel the weight of her scrutiny, and he remained still "Show me your strength," she said simply. "Defend yourself. If you can hold your ground, perhaps I will believe you."

The woman then released her aura, revealing that she was in the mid-stage of the Foundation Establishment realm already, despite looking so young!

"Wai-?!"

Before Chen Yu could react, the woman's eyes flickered with cold intent. Her flute rose to her lips, and with a single sharp note, the air around her shimmered. In an instant, spiritual energy surged toward him, cutting through the air like invisible blades.

Instinctively, Chen Yu leapt back, his body moving with the fluidity of lightning. "She's not testing me," he realized, heart pounding. "She's trying to kill me."

Without wasting a moment, Chen Yu activated his Heavenly Body Technique, feeling his muscles surge with elemental power. He couldn't afford to hold back—not against someone this dangerous. The wind whipped around them, and he watched as the woman advanced, her expression calm, but her eyes burning with intent.

She played another note, and this time, the air vibrated violently as sharp gusts condensed into multiple wind blades, each one whistling through the air with deadly speed. The ground around them bore the scars of her precision—gashes where the blades struck with the force of a knife cutting through silk.

Chen Yu's mind raced. This isn't just a typical fight. She's far more dangerous than I expected. He couldn't just dodge forever, but she was too quick for a direct counterattack. He needed to outthink her.

As she closed in, Chen Yu sent out a mental command. One of the Dominion Orbs that hovered by his side transformed into a jagged stone shield, intercepting the wind blades that flew his way. The impact shook the ground, but his defense held.

The woman's eyes widened as the orb shifted back to its spherical form, floating beside him. "An earth technique?" she murmured, her voice sharp with surprise. "You're using multiple elements? How…?"

Chen Yu smirked, shifting his stance as he summoned a second orb to launch at her, this one turning into a sharp spike of earth aimed at her chest. "You're not the only one full of surprises, lady."

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With a fluid motion, she dodged the strike, the spike barely grazing her robes. Her eyes narrowed, her mind clearly racing. She's learning my techniques. Chen Yu could feel it—the woman wasn't just powerful; she was adaptive. Each attack she dodged wasn't just luck. She was analyzing his movements, figuring out his weaknesses.

Another blast of wind surged toward him as she played another sharp note, forcing Chen Yu back. He gritted his teeth, feeling the pressure mount.

"I don't know how you got that emblem," the woman said coldly, her flute still raised. "But it doesn't matter. I'll kill you here and now for defiling my sect."

Chen Yu barely had time to dodge the next barrage, the wind blades slicing dangerously close to his skin. His mind raced. She's too fast. I can't keep up like this.

Thinking quickly, he slammed his foot into the ground, channeling his Qi into the earth. Stone walls erupted around him, blocking her next attack. But Chen Yu knew he couldn't just hide. He needed to turn the tide.

"Alright," he muttered to himself, wiping sweat from his brow. "Time for the next move."

With a flick of his wrist, the orbs floating beside him dissolved into thin streams of water. He sent them slithering along the ground, coating the battlefield with a thin, nearly invisible layer of water. The woman, focused on her next attack, didn't notice.

As Chen Yu summoned the element of water, his body became lighter, more fluid. The air around him seemed to shift, his reflexes sharp. He waited, watching as the woman prepared to launch another deadly assault.

She played another note, the wind around her spiraling into razor-sharp gusts aimed at his position.

Now!

Chen Yu pushed the water forward, sending it cascading toward her feet. The moment the water touched the ground beneath her, her footing slipped. Her eyes widened in shock as her balance wavered, and for a split second, her movements faltered.

"Got you!" Chen Yu shouted, raising his hand.

With a snap of his fingers, the water at her feet turned to steam, and from his palm, he summoned a powered-down, ball of scorching flame—Fire Shot. He wasn't trying to kill her, after all. The fireball streaked toward her, fueled by the sudden shift in elements. She barely managed to raise her flute to defend, but the fire struck hard, the explosion sending her tumbling back, flames licking at her robes.

Her expression twisted into one of shock as she rolled to her feet, panting, her flute slightly charred. "Fire too?" she hissed, disbelief dripping from her words. "How can you wield so many elements? No cultivator can have an affinity for all five."

Chen Yu's smirk widened as he summoned a second Dominion Orb, forming a barrier of crackling earth Qi around him. "It's a long story," he said, lightning flickering at his fingertips.

The woman's gaze hardened, her stance shifting as she adapted to the new situation. "Very well," she muttered, her tone cold. "I see I've underestimated you. But it ends now!"

She played a new melody, the wind howling as it circled around her, sharpening into an even deadlier storm. The energy she gathered surged, spiraling faster and faster until it seemed to distort the very air around her.

Chen Yu's heart raced. That's bad. Real bad.