Sun Ritsu knew that he should have been focusing more on building his qi, but that was really hard with Sun Zhaoling going through his trial in front of him.

The Barefoot Sun took his galaxy staff and planted it in the center of the arena lawn. He used both hands to drive it down in the earth about halfway before turning it as one would a key in a lock. Then he let go of the staff and backed up fast, tugging his crewneck off in the process, revealing a body that was lean, darkened by the sun, and built well enough. In seconds the sweater was knotted about his waist so that it wouldn't get lost.

"Oh, ho ho. Someone's out here getting serious. Would you just look at that, Chow!"

"I am, Dan. Respectfully even."

"Now that's a body trained and molded by Sheer Will Academy if I'm not mistaken."

"Absolutely, Dan. One forgets how deceptively strong Sun Zhaoling is in his everyday attire."

"I'll say!"

While Zhaoling was backing up, something was happening at the opening in the ground where his staff, Nebula's Parting, slightly trembled. Roots bubble up from the grassy turf. Little sprouts popped their heads out.

Zhaoling, not only barefoot, but shirtless too, was preparing to leap toward the growing little geyser. Ritsu could see him thinking about where to plant his feet as he shuffled into a wider stance. It was all about timing it seemed. The sun clone was determined to make it work. Ritsu's heart raced as Zhaoling warmed up his body.

Then it happened, Dear Traveler. Roots whipped out, striking parallel to the ground in Zhaoling's general direction. The monkey saved himself with a backflip — one that was slow and mesmerizing until time rushed forward again, the rest of Zhaoling's movements registering as explosive feats of athleticism.

The roots swept and swelled about themselves, forming a wondrous braided cork. Sun Zhaoling managed to liberate his staff from the source and used it to pole vault himself vertically up the muscular, winding trunk.

"Sweet immortal peaches, I didn't know he was going to go this all out," Sparkplug whistled under his breath. He folded his arms and leaned back in his seat. "But I'm here for it. Go get 'em, Senpai! Teach that tree a thing or two!"

He's doing all of this without any immortal peaches. Ritsu smiled to himself. And to think, Zhaoling prefers it this way.

"Chow, am I going nuts or is Sun Zhaoling using his feet to tame the dangerous branches of what appears to be a... a bonsai tree?"

"Prunus serrulata, as the species is known, can be grown ornamentally or in the wild. And yes, it seems that Zhaoling is carving a silhouette out of the more rebellious growth media. This is difficult enough when the tree is not moving and one is working with tools and their hands."

"Exactly! The dexterity one would need to pull something off like this, am I right? Pst. Hey. Did I use that word correctly, by the way, Chow? Dexterity?"

"Yes. So much so that I couldn't have said it better myself."

The tree kept growing. Sun Zhaoling dodged and parried the berserk vines with sweeps of his galaxy staff. He dug the end of it in the various armpits of the branch network, anchoring himself right before pulling off another gymnastic stunt.

Ritsu felt as if he could watch his competitor go on for hours.

Zhaoling landed on yet another wild, snaking root. It swelled in protest before sinking inward with a rubbery splitting crack.

The force of his landing caused the root to give, splinter, and eventually break off as Zhaoling launched himself forward. The sun clone flew over the tree's tumultuous growth point, snatching his staff out from its deathgrip and turning it into a makeshift helicopter to avoid the wild growth.

Zhaoling came at the tree at the oddest of angles, digging and twisting his heels into the bark, coaching it in the shape that he saw fit. Not only did Zhaoling train a gigantic bonsai from infancy before the crowd. He also made it bloom.

Finally, the bonsai had worn itself out. The roots and branches snaked into place more easily. Blooming tips erupted with every branch that had gone still. The perfect blossom barely crept through the open hatch at the top of the stadium.

Then Zhaoling began his descent.

Ritsu had to shield his eyes from the sun. He wished he could have seen the whole thing — Zhaoling coolly skating down the warped, smooth entanglement of trunk, vine and branch.

He landed hard and confidently, the gently falling blossoms a sharp contrast to his unpolished exit.

Ritsu noticed the shocking state of Zhaoling's feet before Sun Xiao Dan pointed it out.

"Look there, he's bleeding, Chow. Oh wow. He's bleeding a lot actually. That tree really put up a fight."

"I could be wrong, but I believe a couple of his toes are broken too. We have seen displays like this from the Barefoot Sun before. It should be a surprise to no one that this monkey does not hold back."

Sun Zhaoling's medical team of sheep were ready to flood the lawn as soon as he was finished, but the sun clone waved them to stand back.

Even though he didn't have to, it was evident that Zhaoling wanted to complete his performance with a deep bow before the judges. It was quite the sight, Dear Traveler. What with those blossoms still falling and catching in the wind. Sun Zhaoling could barely stand on his feet, which, despite having won the battle against the bonsai, definitely took a beating.

The judges inclined their heads respectively and clapped. The eldest, Laozhi, took the longest in his acknowledgement. He closed his eyes and nodded sagely, as if in deep approval.

"Wow wow wow. What a show, Chow. Beautiful work on behalf of Sun Zhaoling. Just beautiful."

"I would agree, Dan. It appears that our contestant is finally satisfied with his work."

Chow Jia Hui's observation was correct. As soon as he had received acknowledgement from the judges, Zhaoling allowed his medical team to tend to him. The spirits all dressed in wool business suits gathered the athlete onto their shoulders and carried him off the field.

It was clear by the shy manner in which he waved to his adoring fans that Zhaoling thought this all was a bit much. But he let his team do their job. Funnily enough, as soon as Sun Zhaoling was carried back through the concrete tunnel, the bonsai tree unceremoniously unraveled itself and retreated back into the earth like a Kraken sinking down into the ocean deep.

"Okay well, that was literally the coolest thing I ever saw." The voice came from Ritsu's left. To his relief, Sun Shan sounded much less whiny that Yong Kid.

"Senpai always goes all out."

Ritsu turned his head. "Senpai?" He noticed that he had referred to the Barefoot Sun as such earlier.

Shan nodded. "Yep, that's what we call our upperclassmen at the academy. Old habits, you know."

Yong Kid leaned into the conversation without an invite. "Aren't you in the same graduating class as the Barefoot Sun, though?"

Based on the widening of Shan's eyes, Yong Kid's directness caught him off guard, but he laughed goodnaturedly and said, "Technically you're right! But Zhaoling has always seemed too far ahead of me to see him as an equal. Tie Quan too. That's why I call them both Senpai."

Yong Kid muttered something along the lines of what a loser before completely dismissing himself from the convo and leaning back in his seat.

Ritsu shot Shan a more encouraging look. "I get it."

"Thanks." Sun Shan held his hand out for Ritsu to shake. "Spark. It's what my friends call me. Please don't ever call me Sparky. You might hear some people call me Sparkle-P, but that's only for premium subscription fan club members."

"Got it. Nice to meet you." Ritsu shook his hand, not surprised by the faint crackle of spiritual static that passed through their joined palms. "I'm Sun Ritsu. I don't have a nickname or a fan club yet."

Our hero was being far too modest about that last bit. Anyone with eyes could tell that the growing crowd of spectators that would gather on the roof of the Lunch Hero was nothing other than a local fan group. But since Ham Song and Seven were both too far away to correct him, Sparkplug simply accepted those words.

"Lucky you," he said. "Once you get fans, they start writing stories out loud about what you are to them. Then your gratitude only becomes a burden. You want nothing more than to live up to their expectations."

Sun Ritsu, knowing nothing about the modern world of idol culture, was about to ask Sparkplug what he meant, when the speakers erupted with the results of Sun Zhaoling's scores.

There was no doubt among the judges that what Zhaoling accomplished was an act of something wondrous and true. He received extremely high marks almost entirely across the board. The only judge was one of the rabbit spirits, who took a good chunk of points off for the many bloodstains left behind on the tree.

By this time, Zhaoling's managers had escorted him to his seat among the other contestants. He was also back in his crewneck, this time with a damp towel rolled and tucked into his collar. As soon as Zhaoling sat down, Sparkplug spun around to ask about his wounds.

"They only had to reset one toe and the rest were just cuts." Zhaoling flexed his bandaged feet. "The casters like to exaggerate. I should be fine before the next trial."

"I won't let you beat me, Zhaoling."

The gruff challenge came from Sun Tie Quan, who apparently was next. Everyone turned their heads as the muscular, blue-haired contestant rose to his feet and took a moment to adjust his quilted shoulder pads. He tossed his long ocean blue mane over his shoulder before making his way out of the section and onto the lawn.

"Do your best, Tie Quan," Zhaoling replied, as if this exchange was perfectly normal for them.

The feeling of wonder and awe had left Sun Ritsu by now. He remembered Bodhi's words from earlier, reminding himself that these sun clones were his opponents. At the end of the day, he needed to overcome them.

Sun Zhaoling is amazing, but... he uses his feet to get the job done. No matter the cost. As for Sun Tie Quan...

Something suddenly whizzed by Ritsu's cheek. At first he thought it was the wind, but it was clear that it was simply Blue Force's levitating staff going to aid its master.

"Whoa! Tell your staff to watch it, Senpai!" Sparkplug yelled at his peer's back. Then he turned to Ritsu and held up a tissue. "Here. Take this. You're bleeding."

It was only a whisper of a cut, but Ritsu knew that was no accident. Especially with the look Blue Force shot over his shoulder. Ritsu told Sparkplug no thanks and used his own sleeve to wipe his cheekbone. He met Tie Quan's gaze without blinking.

"Don't take it personally," Sparkplug said. "Tie Quan only acts immature like that when he sees someone as a potential rival. The way he is with Sun Zhaoling is as polite as he'll ever get."

Even though Ritsu no longer had the qi to back up the threat Blue Force felt that he posed, it still felt good to be acknowledged than to be written off like he had so many times before.

Speaking of someone who writes off our beloved hero, little Sun Yong Kid was not having the greatest of times.

"Blue Force is next?" He moaned, bending over and planting his head between his knees. "I think I really am going to be sick."

How are you feeling about all of this, Dear Traveler? Are you ready for the next phase in the trial? Let's see how Sun Tie Quan intends to win over the judges.