Following the instructor's strict order of punishment, the test commenced. At the center of the hall sat a massive Spiritual Crystal. Each student had to step forward and place their hand upon the stone to demonstrate their inner power.
First came Long-Wei. He placed his hand on the crystal with an arrogant air, and it instantly glowed a deep, murky gray.
"Dark Wind power! Level 7!" the instructor announced. The entire hall erupted in applause.
Next was Li Hua's turn. As he approached the crystal, the other students began to snicker. "Look at the 'Mung Bean General's' power," Long-Wei mocked.
Li Hua placed his hand on the crystal. At first, nothing happened. But the moment he looked at Seely and focused on his soul, a bolt of silver lightning surged through the crystal. The brilliance was so intense that the instructors had to shield their eyes.
"Level... the level is unmeasurable! This is a miracle!" the instructor shouted in amazement.
Finally, it was Seely's turn. She stepped forward hesitantly. "Don't be afraid, Seely, I am right here with you," Li Hua encouraged her.
The moment Seely touched the crystal, the lightning that had been crackling within it suddenly went still. Then, a vibrant emerald green light and a rose-colored healing mist began to pour out of it.
"The Life Force of Nature! She doesn't just control poison—she can bring life back to anything that has perished!" The instructor stood up from his seat in shock.
At the end of the test, Li Hua and Seely tried to congratulate each other. In the height of his excitement, Li Hua forgot the curse and reached out to grab Seely's hand.
"BOOM!"
The collision of their combined powers (Lightning and Nature) was too much for the crystal to handle, and it shattered into tiny pieces.
"My crystal!" the instructor wailed, clutching his head.
"Sorry, sir... it happened because our love was too strong," Li Hua said from the floor. Long-Wei's face turned as black as a piece of charcoal.
The instructor roared in anger: "Off to the library, now! Don't come out until it is spotless!"
Left alone among the dusty books of the library, Li Hua and Seely were busy cleaning the shelves as ordered. Agni stood guard at the door, keeping an eye out for any returning instructors.
"Li Hua, look at this," Seely called out, pointing to a large, ancient painting on the wall. it depicted a God and Goddess separating Heaven and Earth.
As Li Hua reached out to clean the painting, the silver mark on his wrist began to burn intensely. At the same time, Seely's mark began to glow. Unknowingly, they both placed their hands on opposite sides of the painting.
Instantly, the entire library shook slightly, and the painting split down the middle. Behind it lay a dark, narrow staircase.
"This place isn't even on the academy maps," Li Hua whispered in wonder.
They slowly descended the stairs into a secret chamber. In the center, on a stone plinth, sat an ancient book. Carved onto its cover was a symbol identical to the marks on their hands.
Seely began to read: "On the day Heaven and Earth were divided, love and curse were bound together. Though touch is forbidden, two souls shall protect the world with a single power."
Suddenly, a blue light radiated from the book, and a vision appeared before their eyes. They saw a General in golden armor (looking exactly like Li Hua) and a Goddess in white robes (looking exactly like Seely) standing upon the clouds. They saw themselves being exiled from the Divine Realm due to a mistake, and the curse being placed upon them—forbidding them from ever touching.
"Does this mean... we actually came from the Divine Realm?" Li Hua asked, trembling with realization.
Meanwhile, up in the library, Agni heard a strange noise. He peeked toward the secret door.
"General? Seely? Where are you guys?"
As he looked down the dark stairs, Li Hua and Seely emerged, shrouded in light. Terrified, Agni thought they were demons.
"Help! Demons!" Agni screamed, jumping backward and knocking a mountain of books onto himself.
"Don't worry, it's just us," Li Hua laughed, offering a hand to help Agni up.
"You're a 'Soul Pet' and you're still this scared?" Seely teased.
"I wasn't scared! I was doing a 'Tactical Retreat'!" Agni said, straightening his clothes. "But hey, this book is amazing. It even has the secret locations of the Five Elemental Diamonds!"