Divine Seal: Child of the Elements, starting with a contract with Gu Yuena.

"impossible--"

Using such a large number of spells continuously, even without considering the elemental fire shield attached to the equipment, one should have exhausted their spiritual power long ago. How could a third-tier spiritual power possibly sustain this?

The words he hadn't finished were stuck in his throat, and the hastily released third-tier magic collapsed the moment it touched the ground. The fire burned intensely, and the wind stung. Xuan Yuan Yan was engulfed in flames and wind, like a human torch, rolling around on the ground and letting out heart-wrenching howls.

"Guo, have mercy!"

Seeing this, Tan Wan and Lin Xin couldn't help but step forward and try to dissuade them.

With a calm expression, Gu Ao gently waved the standard staff in his hand, instantly separating the flames that were wrapped around Xuan Yuan Yan.

Although the flames subsided, Xuanyuan Yan looked utterly disheveled. His once magnificent golden magic robe was now covered in charred burn marks and was in tatters.

Surprisingly, apart from some minor burns that reddened his skin from the intense heat of the flames, he did not suffer any real serious injury.

"Since you've used something you shouldn't have, there's no need to keep it."

With Gu Ao's calm announcement, this contest, ostensibly a friendly exchange but in reality a battle, came to a complete end.

Gu Ao casually waved away the remaining elements in the air. His nonchalant gesture startled Tan Wan and Lin Xin, who were nearby. The fact that Gu Ao could still control magic so easily after a fierce battle showed that he was far from reaching his limit. His true strength was even more unfathomable than what he showed on the surface.

Xuanyuan Yan collapsed to the ground, his face as pale as paper. He clutched his barely-there magic robe tightly, not daring to look Tan Wan in the eye, and even less wanting the other to see his ugly state.

Having lost all face, he had no more reason to linger. He staggered around, turned around, and rushed out of the training ground without looking back, his back view disheveled and hurried.

The training grounds finally returned to calm, leaving only Gu Ao, Tan Wan, and Lin Xin.

"Gu'ao, I'm sorry. Xuanyuan Yan is too arrogant and acted impulsively. Please don't take it to heart." Tan Wan first expressed her apology, then asked with great interest, "Gu'ao, how did you do that? A third-tier fighter against a fourth-tier fighter!"

Lin Xin leaned forward and whispered in agreement, "There are also combination magic and fusion magic. Is this the ability of the Soul Furnace of the Same Origin?"

Gu Ao did not bask in the praise of others, but instead began to review the battle that had just taken place.

How to put it? It feels like two noobs are pecking at each other, taking turns attacking, like a turn-based game.

I was always a little nervous the first time, but luckily the result was pretty good.

In this battle, Gu Ao used a total of seven first-tier spells and five second-tier spells—Tan Wan and Lin Xin only recognized four of them: four third-tier spells and one fourth-tier spell.

The mana cost for a first-tier spell is at least ten points, for a second-tier spell it is thirty, for a third-tier spell it is fifty, and for a fourth-tier spell it is one hundred, totaling five hundred and twenty points.

This is just the lower limit. Apart from those first-tier spells, other spells cannot be cast with the minimum spiritual power. Furthermore, combination spells and fusion spells consume more spiritual power than individual spells. Therefore, the spiritual power that Gu Ao should have consumed is definitely greater than this number.

Xuanyuan Yan's judgment was theoretically correct; five hundred spiritual power was equivalent to the fourth rank, while Gu Ao was undoubtedly at the third rank.

However, as the Child of the Elements, Gu'ao only consumes 60% of the spiritual power of an ordinary mage when using any magic; in fact, he consumes less than 400 spiritual power.

The Child of Elements granted him an unprecedented level of affinity with the elements, allowing him to control them with ease and precision.

The same-origin spirit furnace allows him to almost never control the balance or conflict between elements, resulting in a natural and harmonious process.

The Child of Elements and the Spirit Furnace of the Same Origin have truly reached a perfect state of complementing each other and becoming one!

In addition, the pressure from Xuanyuan Yan was not as strong as expected, and the speed of his defeat far exceeded Gu Ao's imagination.

Using only a few low-level spells, the bracers, and mimicking the opponent's light magic, he easily defeated them. He didn't need to use the Repulsion Furnace, numerous fourth-level spells, or even more sophisticated combination and fusion spells.

Before the battle began, Gu'ao at least expected that the Repulsive Spirit Furnace would be used.

After this interlude, Gu Ao and Tan Wan and Lin Xin officially began their sparring, and this time it was a truly friendly exchange.

Both of them were disciples of prestigious schools, and their cultivation was temporarily higher than his. Although they might not be his match, their expertise and understanding of wind and fire magic were indeed commendable.

Gu Ao and Tan Wan had a true friendly match, with friendship taking precedence over competition, which ended in a draw.

Gu Ao was very accommodating, deliberately using the Repulsive Spirit Furnace during the sparring session to indirectly show his approval, indicating that Tan Wan was stronger than Xuan Yuan Yan.

However, objectively speaking, Tanwan is indeed stronger, both in terms of spiritual power and control over magic.

Moreover, she also used her own spiritual furnace—the Soaring Ten Thousand Miles Spiritual Furnace.

This spirit furnace is extraordinary. Gu Ao had seen it in the complete book of spirit furnaces given by the old man. It ranks among the top five spirit furnaces that magicians can use, and is the strongest spirit furnace of the wind element!

The exchange between Gu Ao and Lin Xin also went well.

After learning that Lin Xin wouldn't use magic to attack, Gu Ao not only didn't show any mockery or strange expression, but also expressed understanding, saying that Lin Xin must have his own difficulties.

As for persuading Lin Xin to learn offensive magic, Gu Ao wasn't that familiar with him yet.

After the battle with Xuanyuan Yan, and the real sparring and exchange with Tan Wan and Lin Xin, Gu Ao had basically made up his mind that even if Tan Wan and Lin Xin joined forces, they would not be his match—Lin Xin's inability to attack meant that his magic was indeed not very effective.

Self-confidence is built through repeated comparisons; an invincible spirit is forged through victory after victory.

Gu Ao's path to invincibility gradually began to take shape.

The three chatted happily, and half a day passed quickly. After agreeing on a time to meet again, Gu Ao watched the two step into the teleportation magic circle, their figures gradually disappearing.

After the two left, Gu Ao stood alone in the training ground, his gaze gradually becoming deep and unfathomable.

While exchanging magical insights, Gu Ao also chatted with them about everyday matters, learning that Lin Xin had not yet learned alchemy and also his age.

Thirteen years old.

Tan Wan is fourteen years old.

Gu Ao didn't remember how old Lin Xin was when he first appeared in the Demon Hunter Team selection competition in the original work, but he still remembered that he was qualified to participate in the next selection competition.

The age limit for the Demon Hunter selection competition is 25 years old.

In addition, Lin Xin was slightly older than Long Haochen, who was fourteen years old at the time.

If we could further confirm the date of the previous Demon Hunter Team selection competition, we might be able to deduce Long Haochen's current age.

In other words, it has been at least two years and at most seven years since the beginning of that grand prelude.