Special Teaching Methods of Commercial Dance

"You should sleep in my room from now on."

Li Mo suddenly said.

Clatter—

The sound of chopsticks and bowl hitting the ground followed his words. Ying Bing's utensils shattered into pieces on the frozen floor.

Li Mo was speechless for a moment before sighing helplessly.

"Look at this place—can you even live here anymore?"

"......"

Ying Bing didn’t respond, her gaze dropping to survey the state of the room.

A complete mess.

Even the bed she slept on was barely held together by unmelted ice. Once it thawed, the frame would likely collapse.

"Move to the side chamber. I’ve been sleeping comfortably in the main room," Li Mo added.

"Mm."

Ying Bing nodded, picking up another pair of chopsticks and resuming her meal with slow, deliberate movements, her body still slightly stiff.

Li Mo had no idea what had happened to her, nor did he know what to say.

Maybe she just needed some quiet time?

...

The afternoon was only halfway through.

The "ice block" had relocated to another room to continue her brooding—silent, unwilling to speak, and not even practicing her cultivation.

Meanwhile, Shang Wu returned first, her flawless face brimming with confidence.

"Master, you’re back from the library?" Li Mo asked.

"Mm."

Shang Wu nodded triumphantly, as if she had grasped the ultimate truth.

"So, have you figured out what to teach me?" Li Mo raised an eyebrow.

It made sense. Despite her youth, Shang Wu had already risen to the rank of elder in the Qingyuan Sect, her cultivation profound and her reputation fearsome. She was undoubtedly exceptional—just lacking experience in teaching disciples.

With a bit of study, guiding him should be effortless.

"I read in a book that a master should teach their disciple what they’re best at," Shang Wu declared, tilting her chin up.

"True enough," Li Mo agreed.

"After some thought, I realized I excel at three things." She held up three fingers.

Young Li Mo assumed a posture of eager attention.

Then, his esteemed master proudly announced:

"Fighting, drinking, and gambling."

Li Mo: "......"

Well… she wasn’t wrong.

But why did it feel so off?

"That book also said teaching should be hands-on. So, we’ll start with the first one." Shang Wu’s almond-shaped eyes narrowed, her lips curling into a smirk as she looked at him.

"Come on, let’s fight first. I’ll teach you as we go."

Li Mo: "?"

What an exemplary method of instruction.

"Can we… not?"

"No. I’m determined to be a proper master."

"Wait!"

"What now?"

"Before we start, could you at least tell me where that book is in the library...?"

Young Li Mo swore he’d burn that damned book the moment he found it.

Shang Wu’s eyes gleamed mischievously.

"I’ll tell you after we’re done."

"......"

Li Mo fell silent, a spark of defiance igniting in his eyes.

Though Shang Wu was infamous across the Qingyuan Sect—dubbed the "Innate Battle Prodigy," a name that could silence crying children—he wasn’t exactly weak anymore, was he?

He had once crossed blades with the Child of Destiny!

And last night, he’d even broken through in his internal energy, stronger than ever.

A hint of arrogance swelled in him. Maybe he wouldn’t lose too badly against his master.

He followed her out the back door to an open clearing.

Then—

The moment they stepped outside—

Hum—

A resonant hum filled the air as flames erupted around Shang Wu, engulfing the entire hundred-meter radius in an instant.

Silence fell.

Scorching heat surged from all directions.

In a flash, Li Mo felt as though he’d been thrown into a furnace, cut off from the outside world.

Inner Realm.

This was the power of an Inner Realm expert—projecting one’s mental landscape onto reality, creating a domain-like effect.

Wait, this isn’t right.

"Master, aren’t you suppressing your cultivation?" Li Mo asked, bewildered.

"First rule of fighting: If you can overpower your opponent, never bother with fancy tricks."

Shang Wu was dead serious about teaching him.

Li Mo: "!"

How the hell am I supposed to fight this?!

I forfeit!

Let me out!

But forfeiting was not an option.

His beautiful master was itching for a fight.

...

Half an hour later.

"Oww…"

Li Mo staggered back, clutching his throbbing forehead.

To her credit, Shang Wu had held back—despite not suppressing her cultivation, she’d only retaliated with flick after flick to his forehead.

That slender jade finger might as well have been an insurmountable mountain.

No matter how he attacked, it always ended with a sharp snap against his skull.

"Is that all?"

Shang Wu rubbed her fingertips together, smirking.

"......"

Li Mo’s fists clenched.

Wind Shadow Steps!

His figure split into eight illusions, all lunging at Shang Wu from different angles.

Yet she merely snorted.

Thud—

The next moment, he was sent flying back even faster.

"Never lose your cool in a fight. Stay calm."

"You’re not some hot-blooded protagonist from a story. Anger will only make you sloppy against opponents you could’ve beaten."

"A true fighter can even spare the breath to taunt their enemy."

As Shang Wu spoke, Li Mo’s head spun from the repeated flicks.

His mind blanked, and in a moment of thoughtless imitation—

Hey, wasn’t this just sweet-talking? He could do that!

Almost instinctively, he blurted out:

"Old hag?"

Shang Wu’s smile froze.

The air turned to ice—except for the heat steadily rising around them.

"Heh… There’s one last rule I forgot to mention."

Her beautiful face twisted into a terrifyingly serene smile, each word forced through gritted teeth:

"Never provoke someone you can’t beat."

Li Mo: "!"

A gale of wind blasted against his face.

It was as if an ancient primordial beast had just awakened.

At that moment, young Li Mo’s scalp prickled with primal fear.

Pure survival instinct kicked in—he channeled the power of the World Seed.

The Unyielding Meteor Hammer materialized in his grip.

First Form of Stabilizing the Cosmos: Mountain Crusher.

Hum—

The air solidified. Everything around them trembled violently, warping as razor-sharp killing intent erupted outward.

Shang Wu, still in her wrathful state, arched an eyebrow.

BOOM!!

The earth quaked. The sun dimmed.

This was Li Mo’s first time wielding a divine weapon.

The sheer force of the hammer flooded the entire domain, even spilling beyond its borders. The strike was like a thunderbolt, like divine retribution—unstoppable and devastating.

And yet—

The terrifying hammer met a delicate, pale palm—and came to an abrupt halt.

All its overwhelming force dissipated in an instant.

"You brat."

Shang Wu’s hand trembled slightly from the hammer’s vibrations, her almond eyes wide with shock.

Li Mo hadn’t unleashed the weapon’s full power—he couldn’t, even if he tried. But the mere act of swinging it was astonishing.

Even she had needed to exert some effort to block it.

"I give up. Seriously, no more."

"Just flick me to death already."

Li Mo collapsed onto the ground, utterly spent, like a salted fish with no will to move.

Being a powerhouse was overrated.

"How did you do that?"

Shang Wu poked his cheek curiously, studying her disciple as if he were some rare specimen.

Li Mo recalled the hammer and grinned weakly.

"Anger doesn’t always unlock hidden power."

"But desperation does."

What kind of answer was that?

Suddenly—

Li Mo’s expression shifted to one of exaggerated surprise.

"Elder Qian?! What brings you here? Here to collect a debt?"

Shang Wu stiffened, whipping her head around to follow his gaze.

Empty as the void.

Where did Elder Qian come from?

When she turned around again, Li Mo had vanished without a trace, slipping away to who-knows-where—even the field she had deployed couldn’t detect him.

This was something Young Li had only just grasped.

If you can’t win, don’t stubbornly fight to the death.

Of the Thirty-Six Stratagems, the best is to flee.

"How did he escape?"

Ying Bing narrowed her almond-shaped eyes, thoughtfully examining a corner of the field.

She found the reason.

There, unnoticed until now, was a hole—as if burned through by some kind of flame.

"Shang Wu’s field is a projection of the Southern Bright Departing Fire."

"Not only can he wield divine weapons, but he can also break through an inner-scape field?"

Up in the pavilion.

By the window.

Ying Bing silently took it all in.

Her eyes, barely calmed, rippled uncontrollably once more.