New Year, for most people, was a joyous festival. At least, for the He Family Village and those nearby, it was a rare day of relaxation.

However, for the third generation disciples of the He family, it was simultaneously a day to showcase the fruits of their year-long cultivation.

On the third day of the New Year, all direct descendants of the He family gathered. Because of the holiday, even the wives of the three He Quanxin brothers were permitted to attend in the rear courtyard.

To hasten the independence of the third generation disciples and ensure their future success in cultivation, all the children were sent to live alone in their own small courtyards after the age of five, separated from their parents.

While this method was somewhat harsh, its effectiveness was undeniable. Among the three great families of Taicang County, the third generation disciples of the He family were undoubtedly the most outstanding.

At this moment, the training ground in the rear courtyard was fully prepared. He Quanming and his wife had closed their city shop and returned home, and the family sat together, enthusiastically discussing trivial matters. The entire courtyard was filled with a warm and joyful atmosphere.

He Wude sat in the center, watching the smiling faces of his children and grandchildren, feeling deeply content. Yet, as his gaze drifted toward a certain spot in the distance, a complex, peculiar shade entered his eyes, as if an unresolved knot in his heart lingered, causing him to feel melancholic even on this festive day.

He Quanxin sighed inwardly. As the eldest son, he naturally understood the Old Master's thoughts, but regarding this particular issue, he felt powerless. He glanced toward He Yitian and He Yiming, wondering if their presence might finally allow the Old Master's wish to be realized.

He Quanyi coughed lightly and said, "Father, it's almost time. Do you think we can begin?"

He Wude collected his slightly wandering thoughts and smiled, "Good, we can begin."

He Quanyi stood up, walked to the center of the field, and called out loudly, "Yizhang, you five, step forward."

He Yizhang and the other four third-generation disciples who were still at the fifth level of internal strength or below quickly ran out.

The five of them stood in a line. He Quanyi waved his hand again, and instantly, hundreds of manor guards rushed in with swiftness. They were usually well-trained, and at this moment, they exhibited their skills to the utmost, lining up neatly behind the five of He Yizhang in a moment.

The more than one hundred men bowed deeply to the Old Master He, and then began demonstrating the most fundamental set of boxing forms, one punch and one posture at a time.

This was not a combat technique, but a set of exercises purely for strengthening the body—a routine that disciples whose internal strength had not yet reached the sixth level practiced daily.

As for the guards standing behind He Yizhang and the others, they were all robust men who had cultivated internal strength, though their cultivation rarely exceeded the second or third layer.

Although their internal strength cultivation was minimal, it was more than enough to handle ordinary people, so this set of body-strengthening techniques had also been passed down to them.

The movements of the hundred-plus men were perfectly synchronized, as if they were one person, presenting a truly pleasing spectacle.

He Yiming watched silently, his mind drifting into contemplation. Just a year ago, he was one of these hundred-plus people, forced to endlessly practice this basic body-strengthening boxing that utilized no internal strength. Now, he sat in the viewing area observing their performance. The difference between the fifth and sixth levels was a chasm, a world apart.

While the mass boxing display was impressive, everyone knew it was merely an introductory spectacle. The real focus was the upcoming spar between the few third-generation disciples who had already reached the sixth level and above.

Moments later, the boxing demonstration concluded, and everyone returned to their places. He Wude rose to his full height, offered a few words of satisfied praise, and immediately distributed silver ingots as rewards, bringing universal delight.

Then, He Quanyi announced loudly, "Yihai, Yixuan."

He Yihai and He Yixuan responded simultaneously. They separated from their respective parents and walked unhurriedly to the center of the field.

He Quanyi nodded slightly. "Yihai, Yixuan, another year has passed. How has your cultivation progressed?"

He Yihai and He Yixuan exchanged a look. Their relationship was close, but at this moment, both were brimming with fighting spirit, their eyes alight with arrogance and defiance. As their gazes locked, the atmosphere instantly tightened.

He Quanyi retreated a few steps with satisfaction. "Show everyone the results of your year of effort. Let them witness your achievements."

The field immediately fell silent, all eyes fixed upon the two men in the center.

This was not their first time sparring in such a setting, so neither felt stage fright. After a mutual bow, they immediately unleashed their martial arts and began to fight.

Though He Yihai was named 'Sea,' he specialized in Fire element techniques. His dual fists moved in broad, sweeping arcs. When his technique was pushed to its limit, it resembled a prairie set ablaze by wildfire, radiating an intensely aggressive aura.

Fire element techniques were renowned as the most violent methods; in terms of sheer aggression, they even surpassed Metal element techniques. Furthermore, Fire techniques possessed a characteristic: when fully unleashed, they often manifested as an overwhelming, widespread force, as if such expansiveness were necessary to draw out their strongest power.

Now, under He Yihai's full exertion, his body faintly glowed red, like a fire spirit madly releasing potent flames, an astonishing sight that instilled apprehension.

He Yixuan was the complete opposite. He specialized in the Water element's Rippling Force, and the combat skill he employed was the Gentle Palm, one familiar to He Yiming. Although this skill was known as a common technique, its actual combat effectiveness was hardly inferior to many so-called exclusive techniques.

When he deployed his Gentle Palm, it was neither too aggressive nor too restrained, seeming almost as if he were practicing alone, completely unmoved by the torrent of fire shadows.

Although the exchange was not a fight to the death, the sheer scale of their engagement was spectacular and dazzling. The vast majority of the spectators were visibly moved, their entire focus completely captivated, unable to look away.

He Yiming, however, slightly furrowed his brow. While his two elder brothers were putting on a magnificent show, in his eyes, there were flaws everywhere, and he felt a strong sense of flashiness over substance.

Comparing them silently to Hu Bin, He Yiming's expression shifted slightly. He realized that if his two elder brothers encountered Hu Bin separately, the outcome for both would likely be dire.

This wasn't solely due to Hu Bin possessing the formidable, exclusive combat skill of the Thirty-Six Styles of Mountain Splitting; it was determined by the overall momentum, the nature of the techniques employed, and other factors.

Hu Bin’s techniques were simple and practical. Even when evading He Yiming's Rolling Stone Fist, his movements were direct, often involving a simple roll on the spot. Though this might look clumsy, the actual effect was surprisingly good.

In contrast, his two elder brothers, despite creating dazzling displays, had techniques filled with unnecessary flourishes and whistles, maneuvers that seemed useless in a life-or-death clash.

He looked toward his grandfather and father; their faces wore smiles, and they seemed oblivious to any underlying issues. He scratched his scalp, puzzled. Could he possibly be mistaken?

Little did he know that this feeling stemmed precisely from having survived a life-and-death battle with Hu Bin. He Yihai and He Yixuan, though older, lacked such experience. In sparring among peers, life-or-death fighting was impossible, making flashy techniques an inevitable byproduct.

As for He Wude and the elders, while they could perceive the flaws, correcting them was anything but easy. This kind of refinement could only come after enduring multiple deadly confrontations. Someone like He Yiming, able to discern so much subtlety from just one such experience, was indeed exceedingly rare.

After fighting for a considerable time, He Yihai’s technique, resembling a boiling sea of fire, began to falter first. He Yixuan, meanwhile, was quietly and steadily gaining the upper hand.

He Yiming watched without speaking. He vaguely felt that the strength of his second and third brothers was actually quite evenly matched; in terms of pure internal strength cultivation, perhaps the second brother, Yihai, even held a slight edge.

But after a few exchanges, He Yixuan clearly gained the advantage, which he was gradually turning into a winning position. Barring surprises, he would certainly be the victor.

Frowning, a great doubt arose in He Yiming's mind. He calmed himself and watched intently. After a moment, he faintly detected a subtle secret: Third Brother Yixuan's Gentle Palm possessed an ability to counter Second Brother's Fire element technique.

Although this counter-force was not strong—it was almost negligible—with every continuous clash, this restraining power accumulated, eventually becoming the primary factor determining the victory.

He Yiming watched for a long while, his eyes faintly gleaming, his heart surging like turbulent tides, raising massive waves within.

In the mainstream Five Element internal cultivation methods, there had always been theories of mutual generation and mutual restraint. He had never paid much heed until now. With his internal strength reaching the seventh level and having practiced the main techniques of two of the elements, he was gaining new insights.

Witnessing the Water and Fire techniques clash between his two brothers brought him a sudden, profound awakening.

This realization would be immensely beneficial to his future cultivation, causing him immense joy.

Some things, no matter how often they are heard, can never leave as deep an impression as personal experience.

After surviving a fight for his life, He Yiming grasped the concept of practicality. Today's battle of Water versus Fire further enlightened him on the Tao of the Five Element cycle of overcoming. Only now had he truly entered the grand hall of the Five Element arts.

Ps: Looks like we get the Sanjiang recommendation tomorrow! This is the first major promotion for this book, so I ask all readers to please support it as much as possible! Clicks, recommendations, and collections—the success of this book, and whether it can secure a spot on the Weekly Click, Weekly Recommendation, and New Book rankings next week, depends entirely on the level of support from my brothers! ^_^ [bookid=1429437,bookname=《Battle States Era Miscellaneous Schooler: Lü Buwei》]