Miss Lin, You Have Lost

Men at their birth, are naturally good.

Their natures are much the same; their habits become widely different.

If strictly not taught, their natures will change...

If a child is untaught, it is the father's fault.

If teaching is not strict, it is the lion's fault...

The sound of human reading frequently echoed from the Lion King's cave. Was this a distortion of bestial nature, or a loss of bestial morals?

If any cultivators were present, their jaws would surely drop.

Because the entrance to the Lion King's cave was already surrounded by all kinds of demonic beasts. They craned their necks and pricked up their ears, listening with absolute intoxication.

Even though they couldn't understand a word being said.

It just sounded very cultured, didn't it? In the future, when they went out, they could call themselves cultured beasts!

The demonic beasts outside the cave weren't afraid of the Lion King. Since they were all old neighbors, fighting and killing all day was just too outdated. Everyone acknowledged the Lion King's leadership and offered tributes every year in exchange for the right to live in this territory. In return, the Lion King was responsible for protecting this area from invasions by powerful foreign magical beasts.

After reaching the third tier, everyone gained sentience, so they should abandon the old concepts of the law of the jungle and endless slaughter.

Now that was what a proper beast should be like!

Unlike those wild animals in the second-tier magical beast group.

Snatching whatever they saw and biting whoever they met.

Completely lacking any beastly decency.

Inside the cave, Ye Shu was completely unaware of all this. He only felt like he was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

The little beast was very smart. It could learn in a single day what an ordinary human child would take a month to grasp. However, once it understood the meaning of every word, it started talking back.

Is this how this character is written?

Ah?

It is Father! Not Husband!

It is Father!!!!

Ye Shu crouched on the ground in despair, using a piece of chalk made from the bone powder of a third-tier rat demon to write down a line of words.

A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime.

Coo coo~

The little beast squatted in front of him, looking at the words A teacher for a day is a father for a lifetime on the ground. It shook its little head, then used its fleshy paws to erase the character for Father, and extended a sharp claw to forcefully carve out the character for Husband.

After doing all this, it shook its head triumphantly.

As if to say:

Now you can't change it, right?

Looking at the little beast's smug expression, Ye Shu suddenly realized that it wasn't that it didn't understand; it understood all too well.

This was a challenge to his authority!

Could he allow his authority to be challenged?

Absolutely not!

It is Father!

Ye Shu kept a straight face, pointing at the word Husband on the ground, and said emphasizing every syllable: It is Father! Meaning a father. A teacher is like a father, not a husband!

Gujiu gujiu—

The little beast shook its head and pointed at the word Husband on the ground.

It is Husband!

It is Father!

It is Husband!

It is Father!

It is Husband!

Until the sun set over the western hills and the Lion King returned, Ye Shu was still tirelessly correcting it. The little beast, however, was getting a bit angry. It arched its back, revealed two sharp little canine teeth, and hissed at Ye Shu.

Hiss—

A mere human dared to repeatedly defy this beast's expressions of love?

Spoiled by favor, he couldn't even tell who was the boss anymore!

Today, he must be taught a lesson.

The little beast tossed its head, hurried over to the Lion King in a few steps, and affectionately rubbed its head against the lion's foot. Then, it extended a small claw, pointed at the word Husband on the ground, drew a Father character under its foot, and began to chirp pitifully.

Chirp chirp, chirp chirp chirp!

Chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp chirp!

While crying pitifully, the little beast slandered Ye Shu's teaching, claiming that he wanted to be its father and completely disregarded the Lion King. At the same time, its little paws gestured as if holding a long wooden stick, and then it swung the imaginary stick fiercely, as if saying, This is how you should teach him a lesson!

After hearing this, the Lion King glanced at the pitiful little beast and then cast a profound look at Ye Shu.

Immediately after, the Lion King strode out of the cave.

You are done for~

Lin Qingxue, who was standing to the side, nudged Ye Shu with her elbow, looking like she was enjoying a good show.

The little beast also raised its head, looking incredibly arrogant.

Ye Shu's heart tightened, but he still held his head high and puffed out his chest, refusing to show weakness.

An upright man fears no slander!

Before long, the Lion King returned, holding a slightly curved sharp fang in its mouth. It looked as if it had just been snapped off from somewhere, and powder was still falling from the broken end.

Hmph hmph!

Seeing the broken fang, the little beast became even more smug.

It seemed to have already envisioned the scene where it used this broken fang to discipline Ye Shu, its beastly face filled with anticipation.

However, the Lion King walked over to Ye Shu's side.

Clang!

The broken fang was dropped at Ye Shu's feet. The Lion King raised its head, pointed at the little beast, and let out a low growl. It swung its paw forcefully, as if saying: I am leaving this girl to you. If she doesn't listen, beat her hard. You don't have to listen to me. If you can't beat her, call me anytime, and I will help you beat her!

The smugness on the little beast's face instantly froze.

Its eyes widened in disbelief at the sight before it. Its own father was actually helping an outsider?

Awoo?!!

It let out an aggrieved cry, but the Lion King had already turned its head away, not even sparing it a glance.

The pity of a parent's heart.

Ye Shu shook his head and sighed. He then picked up the broken fang from the ground and approached the little beast with a wicked smile: Little darling, do you still dare to talk back to your teacher?

Smack smack smack—

Under Ye Shu's continuous whipping, the little beast finally couldn't bear it anymore. Teary-eyed, it lay on the ground, wiped away the word Husband, and changed it to Father, though a hint of stubbornness remained hidden in its eyes.

I will endure it for today, and take my revenge in the future!

Smack!

Bang!

Outside the small wooden cabin, by the riverside.

Sword light flashed, and water splashed everywhere.

A man and a woman were engaged in a fierce clash on the surface of the river. The sword light was like a rainbow. Ye Shu's eyes were sharp; every step he took kicked up a large splash of water, and every collision stirred up a sky full of mist.

Time flew by, and a month passed in the blink of an eye.

During this month, he sparred and practiced with Lin Qingxue during the day, pampered the little beast and taught it to read and write at night, and then held Xiaobai in his arms, telling her bedtime stories.

As for Danxia?

It seemed that his previous words had shaken her Dao heart. Even now, she had locked herself in the ring and refused to speak.

Ha!

Chirp chirp!

The little beast was watching the battle from the riverbank. Whenever Ye Shu was hurt by Lin Qingxue, it would arch its back and hiss viciously at Lin Qingxue. But when Ye Shu struck Lin Qingxue or gained the upper hand, the little beast would raise its head and let out excited chirps, as if it were the one fighting.

Bang!

There was another fierce collision, and the river water surged.

Ye Shu was knocked flying backwards. Although he wasn't seriously injured, his disadvantage was fully revealed. At this moment, he stood on the opposite bank, silently adjusting his breathing.

Lin Qingxue looked at Ye Shu with a complex expression. In just one short month, Ye Shu had made rapid progress. Although he was still at the ninth level of Qi Condensation, he now faintly showed signs of being evenly matched with her.

On the opposite side of the river.

Ye Shu stood up straight, a brilliant light flashing in his eyes.

He slowly raised his right hand. Spiritual energy flowed through his acupoints one by one and entered the Male Mandarin Duck Sword. The bandages on the blade naturally fell away, revealing the shattered blade. Spiritual energy flickered within the cracks of the blade, glowing faintly as if it were breathing.

With the universe settled in his heart, one sword strike could shatter mountains and rivers.

Bang!

Ye Shu stomped his foot, causing the river water to explode into countless splashes. His entire body shot toward Lin Qingxue like an arrow released from a bowstring.

That move again?

Lin Qingxue was startled.

She could tell that Ye Shu had poured all of his spiritual energy into the Male Mandarin Duck Sword, leaving only the spiritual qi required for his advancing footwork.

If this strike failed...

He would lose!

Facing this attack, which mirrored the one he had once unleashed upon Feng Mengli, Lin Qingxue felt a sudden surge of heroic pride. Back then, Ye Shu had consumed a hundred Qi-Restoring Pills and exhausted every drop of his spiritual qi for a single sword strike, only to be effortlessly blocked by Feng Mengli.

Now, he was gathering every last ounce of his strength to deliver this sword!

Back then, it was Qi Condensation against Soul Formation, a battle across realms.

Now, it was Qi Condensation against Foundation Establishment, still a battle across realms. If Feng Mengli could take it...

Then she, Lin Qingxue, could take it too!

Clang—

The Female Mandarin Duck Sword trembled excitedly in Lin Qingxue's hand, the blade radiating a brilliant azure light.

She did not retreat!

She was going to take Ye Shu's all-out strike head-on! She would use her sheer strength to prove to him that no matter how fast he progressed, no matter how high his aptitude, he was still no match for her!

Their figures rapidly closed the distance across the surface of the river!

Ten zhang!

Five zhang!

Three zhang!

One zhang!

The tips of their swords were about to collide!

Right at that moment—

Ye Shu suddenly gave a crooked smirk.

"I'm throwing ash in your eyes!"

"What?"

Lin Qingxue could not process his words in time.

The very next second, Ye Shu's left hand suddenly flicked toward Lin Qingxue's face, and a cloud of white powder instantly plumed toward her.

Having been pampered and sheltered since childhood, when had Lin Qingxue ever encountered such a street-brawl tactic?

Assuming it was a sinister substance like quicklime, she inwardly cursed him for being despicable.

She instinctively closed her eyes and swung her sword to defend herself.

By the time she opened her eyes again, Ye Shu was already standing right in front of her. The tip of his fragmented sword gently lifted her chin, a triumphant smirk resting on his face.

"Miss Lin, you may leave now."