‘Is that… a little rabbit demon?’
Normally, for a demon to take human form, they would need to reach at least the Golden Core Stage — and that was only for those with powerful bloodlines.
Generally speaking, most ordinary demons had to reach the Nascent Soul Stage before they could transform.
Why did the little rabbit demon before her look like a perfectly normal rabbit, and yet, upon observing her aura, she was merely at the ordinary Qi Refining Stage?
Hua Yan examined the little rabbit demon’s aura, her heart filled with doubt.
The white-haired Old Master in the courtyard saw Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang approaching from a distance.
The anxiety on his face eased slightly. Just as he was about to greet them, the middle-aged cultivator standing before him stepped forward first.
He pointed at Hua Xiangrong and shouted sternly:
“It was you, you wild girl! How dare you lay a hand on my child? Look at how you scratched his face! So young and already so wicked, using your trivial spells to bully others!”
The fat boy hiding behind him immediately began to wail while clutching his cheeks.
His cries shook the heavens, yet not a single tear could be seen.
He even peeked at Hua Xiangrong through the gaps in his fingers, a trace of smugness hidden in his eyes.
Hua Xiangrong took half a step forward. Although she was small, her presence was not at all intimidated.
“He was clearly the one bullying people first! During lunch, he deliberately bumped into Little Pomegranate and knocked over her entire food tray. The food spilled everywhere, and Little Pomegranate was so scared she cried! He even got her clothes dirty!”
Shrinking behind her, the rabbit-eared girl she called “Little Pomegranate” heard this and slightly raised the ears she had been using to cover her eyes.
She revealed a pair of reddened eyes and peeked at the pink-clad back in front of her.
“It was just children playing. What does a little bump matter?”
The middle-aged cultivator’s eyelids fluttered, completely unreasonable.
“My child is sturdy. Bumping into her is doing her a favor! You, on the other hand, were so vicious. My child is precious. If he is left with a scar, how will you compensate us?”
“How is that just playing around!”
Hua Xiangrong grew even angrier, but her arguments remained organized and her voice clear:
“The Master taught us that we should respect and love one another in the academy, and that we must not bully the weak! He bumped into her on purpose and knocked over the tray, so he was wrong first. I told him to apologize, but he pushed me instead, so I hit back! He is clearly in the wrong!”
The pink-haired girl glared at the middle-aged cultivator with clear eyes, not fearing his imposing manner in the slightest.
The Old Master standing to the side was startled upon hearing this, his mind blank.
‘Did this child, Hua Xiangrong, not just enroll today? When did I teach those things? This morning was clearly an arithmetic class…’
After a brief moment of confusion, he simply assumed that Yun Xuechang and Hua Yan had taught her well. He followed up in agreement:
“Yes, Rongrong is right. In the academy — “
“Hmph! What a sharp-tongued girl! I think you just lack discipline! Where are your parents? If you’re so capable, call your parents out here!”
The middle-aged cultivator, rendered speechless by a little girl’s rebuttal, immediately became humiliated and angry. He rudely interrupted the Old Master.
“I’m right here. What about it? Do you want a fight?”
Hua Yan drifted down from the sky and stepped forward, shielding Hua Xiangrong and the rabbit-eared girl known as “Little Pomegranate” behind her.
Her eyes narrowed slightly as the pressure of the Late Nascent Soul Stage was suddenly released:
“What, do you have… a problem with my way of teaching?”
“You… you…”
‘How could she be a cultivator at the Nascent Soul Stage!’
The middle-aged cultivator was instantly drenched in a cold sweat. But then he thought:
‘This is the Xiaoyao Sword Sect, and I am an Outer Sect Deacon after all. The sect has always been known for being protective of its own. This unfamiliar, bright woman is likely just a Rogue Cultivator who brought her child to the academy. She must be putting on an act and surely wouldn’t dare cause trouble on the Xiaoyao Sword Sect’s territory.’
Thinking this, he steeled himself and maintained a tough front, saying harshly:
“So what? This is the Xiaoyao Sword Sect. You aren’t even a member of our Xiaoyao Sword Sect. Don’t tell me you intend to ignore the sect’s rules and attack me?”
Tsk, rules again.
‘The people of the Righteous Path really are a hassle.’
Hua Yan felt a surge of anger and kneaded her pink fists, about to step forward and teach him a lesson.
But right then, a pair of slender, fair hands gently pressed down on her shoulders.
“Let me handle it.”
Yun Xuechang held back Hua Yan and stepped forward slowly. Her cold, crimson eyes held a chilling authority:
“You say Yan’er is not from the Xiaoyao Sword Sect, but what about me?”
Her voice wasn’t loud, but every word was calm:
“I can at least say a few words for my own daughter, can’t I?”
?!
The middle-aged cultivator’s pupils shrank.
Why was Yun Xuechang here? Wasn’t she supposed to be away on an Evil Purging mission?
Having just returned to the sect and being poorly informed, he realized things were bad.
‘Wait, she said “her own daughter.” Could it be…?’
The middle-aged cultivator shifted his gaze to Hua Xiangrong, who was clinging to Yun Xuechang’s leg and poking her head out to make a face at him.
He examined her closely.
After seeing how the lower half of her face was extremely similar to Yun Xuechang’s, his heart sank to the bottom of the valley.
‘I’ve never even heard of Yun Xuechang having a Dao Companion, so how could such a large daughter appear out of thin air?!’
He snapped his head toward Hua Yan, but she only crossed her arms and returned a cold sneer.
Yun Xuechang’s voice continued:
“My Rongrong made it clear. Your child was the one who bullied others first, knocking over the meal, and refusing to admit his mistake. Only then did Rongrong step in to stop him. In terms of reason, your child should be the one to apologize. In terms of rules, the Xiaoyao Sword Sect academy strictly forbids the strong from bullying the weak. As a father, you did not teach your child to follow the rules, but instead came here to make a scene — which rule does that follow?”
The middle-aged cultivator’s previous arrogance vanished instantly.
Cold sweat poured down his forehead, and the anger on his face was replaced by a fawning, stiff smile:
“Sword… Sword Head Yun? Ah, haha, if you had said earlier that she was your daughter, this would all be a misunderstanding… a huge misunderstanding…”
He hurriedly grabbed the fat boy beside him and slapped the back of his head:
“Quickly! Apologize to your two junior sisters! Tell them you shouldn’t have bumped into anyone or refused to admit your mistake!”
The fat boy was frightened by his father’s attitude and didn’t dare wail anymore. He muttered:
“S… Sorry…”
“The apology must be sincere.”
Hua Xiangrong stood with her hands on her hips, refuseing to let him off.
The middle-aged cultivator lightly kicked the boy and said sternly:
“Louder! Be more sincere!”
“I’m sorry! I shouldn’t have bumped into you on purpose or knocked over your food tray!”
The fat boy finally forced out some tears and shouted.
Only then did Hua Xiangrong give a huff and turn her head away. She then began to comfort the rabbit-eared girl beside her:
“Little Pomegranate, how is that? Do you think this is okay?”
“Yes.”
Little Pomegranate looked at her cute yet reliable face and slowly moved her long ears away from her eyes.
She nodded gently, her voice as faint as a mosquito’s buzz.
Seeing this, the middle-aged cultivator hurriedly offered a fawning smile to Hua Yan and Yun Xuechang again:
“It was my lack of discipline. I’ve made a fool of myself before the two of you. These Spirit Stones are meant to be…”
As he spoke, he reached for his Storage Pouch.
“There is no need.”
Yun Xuechang raised her hand to stop him:
“I only hope that you will discipline him strictly from now on and no longer tolerate bullying. If there is a next time, it won’t be as simple as an apology.”
“Yes, yes, yes! I will certainly discipline him! Certainly!”
The middle-aged cultivator bowed and scraped repeatedly, pulling the fat boy along as he turned to leave, fearing that staying another second would lead to Yun Xuechang holding him accountable.
His hurried, pathetic state made him look like a completely different person from the arrogant man he was moments ago.
He had only taken two steps when a cold, deep female voice came from the courtyard entrance, carrying an unquestionable pressure:
“Stand still.”
Everyone looked toward the sound and saw a woman dressed in black robes with flowing cloud patterns standing before the steps.
Her dark hair was tied high, held by only a single Cold Jade Long Hairpin.
Her face was beautiful, yet it was covered in a frost-like chill, with an air of detachment and gloominess lingering in her eyes.
Her gaze swept over everyone and finally landed on Little Pomegranate’s drooping, pale-gold ears.
Her eyes darkened slightly.
“You cannot leave yet.”
The mature woman with the cold aura stepped forward slowly. Her gaze locked onto the middle-aged cultivator as she spoke each word clearly.