This rapid progression was the exact reason they weren't currently sitting in a stuffy classroom.
Over a month ago, Yoriichi had recognized that the academy's foundational curriculum was actively hindering her growth also. He had personally visited Teacher Ruo Lin's office.
Using his unyielding logic—and perhaps the unspoken, terrifying weight of his hidden potential—he had successfully convinced the Da Dou Shi to grant Xiao Yu an extended leave of absence from her daily lectures.
Ruo Lin had ultimately relented, but on one strict condition: Xiao Yu had to independently memorize the class topics, and at the end of every month, she had to report to the office for a rigorous cultivation check to ensure she wasn't slacking off.
Yoriichi had negotiated the exact same arrangement with the stern instructor of his own 'C' rank class before.
Freed from the classroom, their mornings were spent exactly like this—intense, practical spars. Afterward, they would leave the immediate dormitory districts and venture to the nearby water bodies: the massive, crystalline lakes and rushing rivers situated safely within the academy's heavily patrolled outer borders.
For the past month, Yoriichi had spent hours sitting at the bottom of these rivers, letting the rushing currents batter his body as he meditated on the elemental truths hidden within his scroll.
His intellect was peerless. He had completely comprehended the final stages of the Water Element section. He understood the absolute philosophy of fluidity, the shifting states of ice and vapor, and the crushing pressure of the deep. He had attained total enlightenment on the subject.
But there was a sad, highly frustrating reality to his enlightenment.
Despite perfectly understanding the element, Yoriichi still could not physically create water. His Dantian cyclone remained a brilliant, milky-white vortex laced with those golden sparks. He had fully expected the cyclone to mutate, perhaps taking on a blue hue or producing a liquid from his Dou Qi, but absolutely nothing happened.
It was a harsh reminder of the strict, unforgiving laws of the Dou Qi Continent. Mere philosophical comprehension could not override native elemental affinities. Maybe his inner 'Sun' was simply too pure, too dominant; it refused to allow the opposing element of water to manifest physically within his body.
While his sister, blessed with a native water affinity, could effortlessly conjure slashing waves, Yoriichi was restricted to projecting the illusion of water through sheer kinetic force. It was a puzzle he knew he would eventually have to solve faster.
To temper their practical skills, they had extensively explored the 'Safe Zones' nearing the edge of the dangerous Buffer Zone.
These were sprawling forests and rocky valleys where the Law Enforcement Units kept the beast populations strictly culled. They were only permitted to fight Rank 1 beasts, with the occasional, wandering Rank 2 predator.
For Yoriichi, even a Rank 2 Iron-Tusked Ape was dealt with in a single, effortless strike. But for Xiao Yu, it was the perfect crucible. She regularly matched herself against packs of Rank 1 Blue-Scaled Panthers. Initially, she had struggled, but now, armed with the Water Breathing style, she absolutely dominated them, moving through the packs with the lethal, fluid grace of a true martial artist.
"Alright," Xiao Yu groaned, finally pushing herself up from the grass. "I suppose I have rested enough."
She picked up her whip, and the two siblings spent the next few hours meticulously drilling her forms, correcting minute flaws in her wrist rotation and breathing rhythm.
As the sun began its descent, casting long, golden rays across the academy grounds, the intense training session finally came to a close.
"It is near afternoon," Yoriichi noted, looking up at the sky. He sheathed his katana and straightened his robes. "It is time. We must proceed to the Class Halls to demonstrate our monthly progress to our respective instructors."
Xiao Yu nodded, a confident smirk replacing her earlier exhaustion. "I can't wait to see Teacher Ruo Lin's face when she realizes I've jumped to a six-star Dou Zhe. She might actually drop her tea."
They walked together out of the unit area, joining the bustling main avenues of Jia Nan City. The streets were filled with students transitioning between combat sessions and the dining pavilions.
When they reached the massive intersection dividing the senior and junior classroom sectors, they paused.
"I will see you back," Xiao Yu said, giving him a quick, appreciative wave before jogging off toward the administrative building where Ruo Lin's office was located.
Yoriichi offered a slight nod, turning his steps toward the designated 'C' rank building.
Because the afternoon lectures had already officially dismissed, the sprawling, multi-tiered building was relatively empty. The quiet echo of his boots against the polished stone floors was a stark contrast to the usual chaotic roar of hundreds of freshmen.
He navigated the familiar corridors until he reached his specific classroom. The heavy wooden doors were propped open.
Inside, the stern-faced instructor was seated at the main podium, meticulously grading a stack of theoretical parchment exams. The room was bathed in the warm, orange light of the setting sun filtering through the large glass windows.
Yoriichi stepped over the threshold, his footsteps as silent as a ghost's. He walked down the center aisle and stopped a respectful distance from the podium.
He placed his hands together, bowing at a perfect, polite angle.
"Teacher," Yoriichi greeted, his deep, resonant voice breaking the quiet solitude of the empty classroom. "I have returned for my scheduled monthly evaluation."
The instructor's pen halted. He looked up from the parchment, his sharp eyes immediately locking onto the youth. He noted the vibrant, crimson hue that now dominated the boy's hair, and more importantly, his Dou Shi-level perception instantly slammed into the dense, highly compressed aura radiating from Yoriichi's body.
The instructor slowly set his pen down, a look of profound, entirely unmasked shock washing over his stern features as he realized exactly how much the 'C' rank anomaly had grown from past month.