"Why does this hexagram appear?" Maria asked, tracing the glowing pattern on the scroll.
"I don't know," Lei Ting admitted. "But ancient scroll masters claimed hexagrams amplify a scroll's power."
"By how much?"
"That's what I'm testing." He carefully stored the perfected **Fireball Scroll** and grabbed a blank parchment.
As his brush danced across the page, Maria watched in awe. Most mages spent years mastering **one** spell—yet here Lei Ting crafted scrolls like scribbling grocery lists.
*My man is extraordinary*, she thought, cheeks warming at the memory of their clumsy kiss.
---
**The Experiment**
In a barren field outside the manor, Lei Ting activated the **normal** Fireball Scroll first. Flames erupted across a ten-meter radius, lasting precisely five seconds.
Then came the **hexagram scroll**.
Identical flames appeared... until they **didn't** vanish.
**Whoosh!**
A **second** firestorm ignited spontaneously after the first dissipated!
"**Replication!**" Lei Ting whooped. The hexagram didn't strengthen—it **duplicated** the spell!
Maria's eyes sparkled. "Imagine dropping **two** tier-six spells on an enemy!"
Lei Ting grinned. *Now we're talking.*
---
**Three Days Later**
Progress stalled. Of thirty scrolls attempted, only four low-tier spells manifested hexagrams. High-tier attempts failed utterly.
*Patience*, Lei Ting told himself. *Rome wasn't built in a day.*
Meanwhile, under Maria's stern supervision, Sisi and Erik crammed meridian charts like their lives depended on it.
"Memorize **all** pressure points," Maria ordered. "Or no vacation treats!"
The threat worked wonders. Even flighty Sisi buried her nose in scrolls.
---
**Cooling Off**
When the summer melons ripened, Lei Ting revived an Earth tradition—**well-chilled watermelon**.
"Genius!" Sisi gasped as Lei Ting hauled melons from the icy well.
Erik, mid-bite, panicked upon hearing seeds could "sprout in your stomach."
"**She's lying!**" Lei Ting laughed, sprawled on the porch with Maria.
Peace reigned... until **Carlos** came sprinting.
"**Young master!**" The guard captain skidded to a halt, juice dripping down his chin. "There's a **girl** here to duel you!"
Three female glares instantly scorched Lei Ting's back.
"**What girl?**" he hissed, kicking Carlos' shin.
---
**The Challenger**
At the gate stood **Aijier**, her greatsword planted defiantly in the dirt. Sunlight gleamed off her lightweight armor, sweat beading on her forehead.
"Lei Ting," she declared, voice colder than a winter stream. "I challenge you."
Lei Ting blinked. "Aren't you **hot** in that getup?"
Aijier's battle aura flickered. "I... have combat aura."
"Pfft. Come inside for some melon first."
"Just water is—" Her stomach growled.
Lei Ting smirked. *Gotcha.*
**Will the ice princess accept this truce? Or is combat inevitable?**