Upon hearing Ye Yin's words about Tang Hao, Tai Tan's expression changed dramatically. After a moment of internal conflict, he dropped to his other knee, fully prostrating himself on the ground.
"Grandmaster, as long as you're willing to accept me as your disciple and let me follow you to learn your forging techniques, I swear that from this day forward, I, Tai Tan, will have no further connection with Tang Hao. The Strength Clan will sever all ties with him as well."
Ye Yin offered a small smile but didn't immediately agree. "We can discuss the matter of an apprenticeship later. For now, you should focus on preparing the materials and forging the items I need. I can give you some pointers on the key difficulties of forging the core components, but whether you can actually succeed will depend on your own skill."
Hearing this, the flicker of disappointment in Tai Tan's eyes was instantly replaced by overwhelming joy. While he couldn't become a disciple just yet, receiving direct guidance from this mysterious grandmaster was an incredible opportunity in itself. His thick beard trembled with excitement.
"Thank you, Grandmaster! Thank you for your guidance!" he exclaimed. Although Ye Yin hadn't officially accepted him, he had offered to teach. As long as he performed well, becoming a true disciple was surely just a matter of time.
Ye Yin didn't hold back. He addressed the specific points where Tai Tan had failed in his earlier attempts to disassemble the crossbow and, combining his explanation with the demonstration, broke down the complex process into several simple yet profound key points. Each piece of advice was like a flash of lightning in Tai Tan's mind, opening up new pathways of understanding he had never considered.
The old patriarch listened with rapt attention. At times, he would slap his thigh in a moment of sudden realization; at others, he would fall into deep thought, his brow furrowed in concentration, only to begin gesticulating excitedly as a concept finally clicked into place. He was utterly and completely impressed by Ye Yin's mastery.
"Listening to the Grandmaster's words is worth more than a hundred years of my own hard work!" Tai Tan declared. "I'll go try again right now!"
With Ye Yin's guidance illuminating the way, Tai Tan finally managed to successfully forge one of the most difficult core components on his third attempt.
Ye Yin nodded in satisfaction and casually tossed a small, heavy pouch to the patriarch. "Here is a deposit of two thousand gold spirit coins. Once the full order is completed, come find me at Blue Tyrant Academy. My name is Ye Yin."
After saying his piece, Ye Yin didn't linger. He quickly left the Strength Clan's compound and made his way back to the academy.
A week passed. Blue Tyrant Academy was bustling with preparations, and classes officially began. During that time, Ning Rongrong had returned from her trip home. After seeing the incredible power of the hidden weapons, her father, Ning Fengzhi, had unhesitatingly agreed to a cooperation, though the finer details of their partnership still needed to be ironed out.
Once classes were in session, Ye Yin began to notice something odd. It was often said that female Spirit Masters were rare, yet here at Blue Tyrant Academy, they made up nearly half of the student body. He figured many of them had likely enrolled out of admiration for the fiery dean, Liu Erlong.
Although Ye Yin and his friends were still young, their immense power placed them all in the largest advanced class. As the bell rang, Ye Yin walked into the classroom. The moment he stepped inside, he felt dozens of eyes turn towards him. It wasn't surprising; he was handsome and clearly powerful—a combination that naturally drew attention.
His friends received a similar reception. Dai Mubai's striking double pupils, Oscar's delicate features, and Ma Hongjun's stout build made them stand out. Tang San, while having a more ordinary appearance, possessed a calm and steady aura that was intriguing in its own way. The three girls—Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong—attracted even more gazes, each possessing a beauty and figure far superior to their peers. As a group of eight powerful "transfer students" entering the advanced class together, they were impossible to ignore.
During the first lesson, many of the other students couldn't focus, their attention constantly drifting as they whispered amongst themselves about the newcomers. It was then that Ye Yin felt a distinct wave of resentment directed his way.
As soon as the class ended, a very muscular young man stomped over to their desks. "Hey, you," he said, pointing at Ye Yin. "Move. Go sit somewhere else. I want this seat."
Ye Yin glanced up at him. The boy had a faint resemblance to Tai Tan. Is he already making a move on Xiao Wu on the very first day?
"Fine, we can switch places," Ye Yin said calmly. He then stood up and led Xiao Wu, Zhu Zhuqing, and Ning Rongrong to a different set of empty seats across the room.
The muscular guy, Tai Long, froze, his expression twisting in frustration. That wasn't what he meant at all. He had told the boy to move, not to take the beautiful girl with him! He stomped over to their new location. "Kid, you go sit somewhere else. I want to sit next to this pretty girl."
Ye Yin looked at him, his expression unchanging. "And what if I say no?"
"No?" Tai Long sneered. "Then you'll have to duel me. If you win, you'll have earned the right to sit here. Don't worry, I won't bully a kid like you. I won't even use my third spirit ability."
As he spoke, his already muscular body seemed to swell. The muscles on his arms nearly doubled in size, and his arms elongated, his hands now hanging down past his knees. A layer of coarse black fur covered his exposed skin.
"Tai Long, Spirit: Violent Ape. A rank thirty-seven, attack-type Spirit Elder1. Please advise."
"Ye Yin," he replied coolly. "No advice needed."
Before Tai Long could react, Ye Yin raised one hand, grabbed him by his shirt, and casually tossed him out of the classroom. With a loud bang, Tai Long's body crashed heavily onto the ground in the hallway.
The entire class fell silent, stunned. Without even releasing his spirit, he had thrown Tai Long out with one hand. What kind of monstrous strength was that?
"I'm not convinced! You ambushed me!" Tai Long roared from the floor, scrambling to his feet. "You just wait, I'll tear you to shreds!"
He was about to charge back in when four spirit rings rose from beneath Ye Yin's feet: purple, purple, purple, and black.
Tai Long's angry expression instantly turned to one of shock. A Spirit Ancestor2? And one with no hundred-year yellow ring, but a ten-thousand-year black ring?
Ye Yin's first and fourth spirit rings flashed faintly. Four invisible black rays of light shot out and struck Tai Long. A series of curses took effect: Slippery Feet, Lithe and Easily Toppled, and two mental curses that would make him shout at the sound of a bell and slap anyone who called his name.
Tai Long, who was just about to charge, suddenly felt his feet slip out from under him, and he fell to the ground with a loud thud. "What's going on?!" he yelled in confusion. He tried to get up again, but as soon as he got his feet planted, he lifted one slightly and his entire body immediately tipped backward, crashing to the ground again.
"What's happening?! What did you do to me?!" he shouted.
After struggling more than ten times, Tai Long finally managed to get to his feet, his head covered in lumps from the repeated falls. He wisely decided not to try walking on his own. "Someone help me up!" he yelled to his two friends in the classroom. "You two, come help me!"
His subordinates quickly rushed over. But before they could even touch him, a gentle breeze wafted through the hallway and over Tai Long's body.
"Ouch! Holy crap!" Tai Long yelped as he was knocked off balance once more, falling backward and landing squarely on his head. This was the effect of a Level 10 'Lithe and Easily Toppled' curse.
"What in the world is going on?!" Tai Long no longer knew what to say as he trembled on the floor.
Just then, he felt the strange curse on his body lift. It was the shortest-duration curse Ye Yin had ever used; although its intensity had been maxed out, it had only lasted for a few minutes. Tai Long finally, shakily, managed to get back to his feet.
At that exact moment, the sharp, urgent ringing of the class bell suddenly echoed loudly throughout the entire academy.
To Tai Long, the sound was like a mental bomb detonating right next to his ear.
"Why is it time for class again?!" he shrieked, his voice filled with primal terror. "It's so annoying! I'm so sick of this! Ah! Ahhhhhh!"
A heart-wrenching howl erupted from his throat. It was an extreme, unnatural fear response to the signal for class. The bell was the trigger, and his mind was now programmed to react with pure dread.
The classroom, which had been buzzing with whispers, fell completely silent. The only sound was Tai Long's pained, echoing howls. Everyone stared, stunned by this bizarre turn of events. Only the students from Shrek Academy understood what was happening. They knew that provoking Ye Yin was a fate worse than death. They would all rather face a Titled Douluo and be slapped into oblivion than be tortured by one of his strange, insidious curses.
Amidst the chaos, the classroom door was slammed open with a loud bang. Liu Erlong strode in, her fiery figure clad in a tight-fitting outfit that did nothing to hide her power. Her expression was like ice, and she carried the imposing aura of someone who was not to be trifled with. Her iconic red hair seemed to flutter with her rising anger. She had clearly heard Tai Long's piercing screams.
"What is all this noise about! Didn't you hear the bell? All of you—" Her sharp gaze swept across the room and instantly locked onto Tai Long, who was now rolling on the floor and wailing. Her anger had found its target. She marched over to him, looking down with a voice that sounded like cracking ice. "Tai! Long! You are going to get it from..."
The two words, "Tai Long," acted like a switch. The second mental curse was triggered.
In the middle of his scream, Tai Long suddenly froze. His wailing stopped abruptly, as if someone had pressed a pause button on the world. The next moment, with an instinctive speed that completely contradicted his weakened state, he sprang to his feet. He had no time to think, no time to recognize who stood before him. Was it a Spirit Saint? The vice-dean? The infamous 'mother tigress' of the academy? It didn't matter. Whoever called his name had to be slapped.
SLAP!
An incredibly crisp, loud smack exploded in the dead-silent classroom. Tai Long's large, fan-like hand, still covered in dust from the hallway, was fueled by the brute strength of his terror. It connected solidly and mercilessly with Liu Erlong's beautiful, heroic face, which was now frozen in a state of utter disbelief. The force was so great that it sent her fiery red hair flying back sharply. On her fair cheek, a bright red handprint instantly began to form.
Liu Erlong was completely stunned.
Everyone in the class was stunned. Tai Long had actually dared to slap Liu Erlong.
She herself couldn't process it. She could have easily dodged the blow, but she had never, in a million years, expected Tai Long to actually do something so insane.
She remained in that slightly head-tilted position for a full three seconds, completely unresponsive. Her beautiful eyes, which had been burning with anger just moments before, were now filled with extreme shock and bewilderment. Then, just as quickly as it appeared, the confusion receded like a tide, replaced by a volcanic eruption of pure fury.
An indescribable, utterly violent spirit power pressure exploded from her body like a physical tsunami. The air in the entire classroom grew thick and scorching hot. Desks and chairs groaned and creaked under the immense pressure. A faint crimson light surged around her, and the powerful spirit power fluctuations made all the students feel as if they were suffocating, an invisible boulder pressing down on their chests.
"Tai! Long!" she roared, her voice dripping with venom.
As she spoke his name, the stress response was triggered again. Tai Long's arm shot out, preparing to slap her once more, but this time, Liu Erlong was ready. She effortlessly blocked the attack. Slowly, with extreme stiffness, she turned her head back to face him. Crimson flames erupted from her body, and the furious wave of spirit power sent the surrounding desks and chairs flying across the room.
Liu Erlong grabbed Tai Long's outstretched arm and began furiously swinging him left and right, slamming his body back and forth against the hard floor with a series of sickening thuds. She continued the brutal assault until she felt that any more might actually kill him. She then stopped and threw his limp body to the ground.
Tai Long lay twitching, foam bubbling at his mouth. If he didn't receive medical attention soon, he might actually die.
"What are you all looking at!" Liu Erlong yelled at the terrified students. "Hurry up and get a healer for Tai Long!"
The moment she said his name, Tai Long, who had been completely unconscious, instantly shot up from the floor, his arm reflexively swinging for another slap. Liu Erlong's body shifted subtly, and she easily dodged the feeble attack.
At that moment, she finally understood. Her furious gaze turned to Ye Yin, who had been watching the entire scene unfold calmly. If Tai Long had slapped her in a fit of rage earlier, that might have been explainable. But for him to still be trying to slap her while half-dead and unconscious? This was undoubtedly the work of Ye Yin's Fourth Spirit Ability.
"Ye Yin, you are going to explain this to me!" Liu Erlong roared. She then turned and stormed out of the classroom.
Under the curious and fearful gazes of his classmates, Ye Yin slowly stood up and walked out the door. He found Liu Erlong waiting in the hallway, her hands on her hips and her face a mask of fury.
"Tell me what's going on," she demanded. "And don't you dare tell me it has nothing to do with you!"
Ye Yin didn't speak. Instead, he gently reached out and rubbed the bright red handprint on her cheek. "Second Sister Erlong," he said softly. "Does your face hurt? Are you okay? This is all my fault. I honestly didn't expect you to be the teacher for this class. If I had known, I never would have done this."
His gentle touch and soft words seemed to catch her completely off guard. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks. She glared at him and swatted his hand away.
"He's just a little Spirit Elder," she huffed, trying to regain her composure. "How much strength could he possibly have? Now tell me, what exactly happened? You don't seem like the type of person who bullies his classmates
Ye Yin quickly explained what had transpired in the classroom, and Liu Erlong immediately understood. From her perspective, Ye Yin couldn't be blamed. If a man didn't react when someone was harassing his girlfriend, could he even be called a man?
While Ye Yin was talking, he noticed the resentment value from Tai Long and the other classmates continuing to rise in his system notifications. He could also hear intense, crackling sounds coming from inside the classroom—apparently, the healing process was quite vigorous.
At the mention of a man protecting his loved one, Liu Erlong suddenly fell silent, her mind drifting back to events from years ago. On her wedding day, Yu Xiaogang had simply fled. He was truly no man at all. Liu Erlong clenched her fists, a bitter feeling rising in her chest. How could she have ever fallen for someone like him? Comparing him to Ye Yin was like comparing the dirt on the ground to the heavens above.
"Since that's the case," she said, shaking herself from her thoughts, "let's go back to class."
Liu Erlong led Ye Yin back into the room. By now, with the help of several classmates using their healing abilities, Tai Long had managed to get back on his feet.
"Tai—" Liu Erlong started to say, but quickly cut herself off, remembering not to trigger the curse's keyword. "I'm giving you three days off," she said instead. "You should go home and rest."
Tai Long nodded repeatedly. He was injured so badly that he desperately needed to go home and recover. "Thank you, Dean," he mumbled, then limped out of the classroom and began the long walk back to the Strength Clan's residence.
He clutched his bruised face, his entire body aching as if it were about to fall apart. The furious roar of Vice-Dean Liu Erlong still echoed in his mind. All he wanted was to find a place to lie down where no one could see his pathetic state.
As he stepped into the familiar courtyard of his home, a voice like a booming bell exploded nearby. "Tai Long? Aren't you supposed to be in class? Why are you back so early? And what in the world happened to you? Who did this?"
Tai Long's father, the Mighty King Tai Nuo, was bare-chested and lifting heavy stone locks in the yard, his muscular body gleaming with sweat. He immediately saw his son's miserable condition, and his brows furrowed in anger. He dropped the stone lock with a thud and strode over.
"How did you end up like this?" he demanded, his loud voice filled with a furious, parental protectiveness. "Who beat you up? You tell your dad! Your dad will—" His large, fan-like hand instinctively reached out to pat his son's shoulder in a gesture of comfort.
The two words, "Tai Long," were like an invisible lightning bolt that struck the most sensitive nerve in Tai Long's mind. His previously listless body suddenly went rigid. A split second later, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he twisted with an eerie speed that was completely at odds with his injured state.
SLAP!
The crisp sound echoed through the courtyard. Tai Long's right hand, powered by a surge of pure, reflexive force, landed squarely on his father's startled, bearded face.
Tai Nuo just stood there, completely stunned. He clutched his burning cheek, his wide eyes filled with utter disbelief. My son… just slapped me?
"You little brat!" he roared, his shock instantly replaced by towering rage. "You've gone too far! How dare you hit your old man?!" He didn't care why his son was acting strangely; daring to lay a hand on him meant he needed a beating! Forget about who hurt his son—he was going to hurt his son now!
He roared again, and his fist, as big as a casserole pot, whistled through the air and smashed down on Tai Long.
The courtyard was filled with the sounds of ugly thuds and pained cries. Tai Long was already badly injured; he stood no chance against his father's angry blows. He was instantly beaten into a cowering mess, screaming for mercy.
"Dad! Dad! Stop hitting me! Listen to me—" Tai Long tried to explain while dodging the rain of fists.
"Listen to what?! Let your old man beat some sense into you first!" Tai Nuo was in a blind rage, his fists falling relentlessly.
Finally, Tai Nuo grew tired. He paused to catch his breath. "Tai Long, you tell me right now! Why did you hit your old man?! If you can't give me a good explanation..."
But he had said the name again. The curse was re-triggered. Tai Long's body flew up and once again slapped Tai Nuo across the face with a loud smack.
Tai Nuo's head froze, mechanically and stiffly turning back to face his son. "You dare to hit me again!" he bellowed. "You've completely rebelled!"
"Dad! Dad!" Tai Long was bruised and swollen, on the verge of tears, but his father's fists gave him no chance to speak.
After another brutal beating, Tai Long finally managed to get a few words out before his father could say his name again. "Dad… I… I didn't mean to… I've got this strange illness… As soon as someone calls my name… I just… I can't help but want to slap them! I don't even know how many people I've hit today!"
"Name? Strange illness?" Tai Nuo was stunned for a second, then grew even angrier. "Nonsense! You hit people just because they call your name? I've been calling you that for twenty years! Why didn't you ever slap me before? I think you're just looking for a beating! Speak! What exactly happened!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he raised his foot to kick him again.
"Tai Nuo! Stop! Why are you hitting him!"
A more authoritative, thunderous shout rang out. The old patriarch of the Strength Clan, Tai Tan, came rushing out of the house. He was even taller and more robust than Tai Nuo, his white beard twitching with anger. When he saw his precious grandson beaten so miserably, his heart ached. He quickly stepped between them, glaring at his son.
"Dad! This little beast dared to slap me!" Tai Nuo complained, pointing at the red mark still visible on his cheek.
Tai Tan frowned, shielding his grandson behind him. "Slap you? Tai Long is a good, filial boy. Why would he hit you without a reason? You must have done something outrageous! Speak! What did you do?!" He then turned, his expression softening as he looked at his grandson. He instinctively bent down to ask him directly.
"Tai Long, you tell Grandpa what happened. Grandpa will back you up!"
He had no sooner spoken his grandson's name than another incredibly crisp slap rang out. Tai Long's hand, acting on pure reflex, moved as fast as lightning and harshly connected with Tai Tan's wrinkled, now astonished, old face.
Tai Tan froze, completely petrified. He had lived for so many years and was a prominent figure in the Spirit Master world. When had he ever been slapped? And by his most beloved grandson, no less?
An indescribable mix of shame, indignation, and fury rushed to his head. His old face turned crimson, and his white beard trembled with uncontrollable rage.
You little brat!" Tai Tan's roar was so powerful it nearly tore the roof off the building. The slight pang of heartache he'd felt for his grandson was instantly incinerated by his towering rage, leaving not even a speck of ash behind. He grabbed Tai Long, who was still dazed from the previous beating, and brought his palm—as large as a cattail leaf fan and backed by decades of cultivation—down upon him. The force was far more vicious than any of Tai Nuo's clumsy fists.
The courtyard filled with the sounds of brutal smacks and heavy thuds.
"Ow! Grandpa! Stop hitting me! I really didn't do it on purpose! Owwwww!" Tai Long's pained screams echoed throughout the entire Strength Clan compound.
Tai Nuo watched, dumbfounded for a moment, and then it suddenly clicked. He pointed at his son, who was now rolling on the ground under the patriarch's assault, and shouted at Tai Tan, "Dad! See?! You see it now, right?! Don't you think this brat deserves a beating?"
Tai Tan, even as he continued to land blows, also understood. This beating is well-deserved! How dare he hit his father? And how dare he hit his father's father? He absolutely deserves this!
Finally, Tai Tan stopped, looking down at his grandson, who was now curled up on the ground, whimpering. He was both furious and helpless.
Tai Nuo panted heavily. "Tai Long! You've really gone too far. Now, explain yourselves to the two of us, and make it clear."
Tai Tan also spoke, his voice a low grumble. "Long'er, tell us what happened. Grandpa knows you must have a reason. You didn't mean to hit Grandpa, did you?"
Tai Long, who had been completely drained of strength, suddenly shivered. Both his father and grandfather had said his name. He sprang up from the ground like a coiled spring. This time, he wasn't just slapping one person. Both of his hands swung out in wide arcs.
SLAP!
His left hand connected hard with his grandfather, Tai Tan.
SLAP!
His right hand connected just as hard with his own father, Tai Nuo.
Two crisp smacks rang out almost simultaneously, landing precisely on the two astonished faces of the men who had just finished beating him.
Tai Tan and Tai Nuo stood frozen for a moment in brief, dead silence.
The next second, an unprecedented roar erupted from the entire compound. "You scoundrel! We'll beat you to death today!"
The father and son completely lost control. All thoughts of a doting grandfather or a protective father were swept away by those two resounding slaps. With unprecedented synchronicity, their eyes red with fury, they both rolled up their sleeves and unleashed a brutal father-son tag-team beating on Tai Long.
Fists and feet rained down like a furious storm. Tai Long couldn't even scream anymore. He had become a human sandbag, spinning like a top under the combined wrath of his father and grandfather. The servants of the Strength Clan had long since hidden themselves far away. Listening to the roars and sickening thuds from the courtyard, they were all silent, with only one thought in their minds: the Young Clan Master might have finally sealed his own fate this time.
Sometime later, after Tai Long had been beaten countless times, he was finally tied to his bed, where he managed to explain the whole story.
"So that's what happened," he croaked. "Ever since that kid used some spirit ability on me, I've been like this. I can't hear anyone call my name, or I'll just… slap them."
Tai Nuo snorted coldly. "Damn it! You utterly useless piece of trash! You don't even know what happened, and you let yourself end up in this miserable state? You hurry up and recover. Once your injuries are healed, I'll go get revenge for you."
"Don't! Dad!" Tai Long said quickly. "This is a matter between us students. If you get involved, won't that just make me look even more pathetic?"
Tai Nuo gave him a light kick. "Nonsense! My son is being tormented like this. If I, as his father, can just stand by and tolerate it, then I don't deserve to be called the Mighty King Tai Nuo." That was one reason. The other was that he had also received a few slaps because of this mess, and he absolutely had to get even.
Tai Long wore a helpless expression, deeply regretting his decision to come home. He should have known something like this would happen. "Dad, you're making things very difficult for me," he pleaded with a bitter smile. "How am I supposed to continue at the academy after this?"
"What nonsense," his father scoffed. "Others graduate at rank thirty, but your rotten academy has to have some special advanced class. And even then, they don't care when you get beaten up like this. Once I catch that kid, I'm going to have a word with your teachers."
Tai Long felt a little embarrassed. "Well… I was the one who started the trouble. It had nothing to do with him."
Tai Nuo snorted. "And you still have the nerve to say that. You started a fight and let someone beat you into such a pathetic state. You're a real embarrassment. Didn't they give you three days off? Good. Three days from now, I'm taking you there myself! You're not allowed to refuse!"
Three days later, Tai Nuo forcibly dragged his son back to Shrek Academy. Many of the passing students recognized Tai Long, but seeing Tai Nuo's fierce and menacing appearance, no one dared to approach. They all sped up as they passed the entrance.
After waiting for a long time, they finally saw Ye Yin approaching with Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing. When Tai Long saw them, he quickly began winking at Ye Yin, trying to signal for him to get away.
But Ye Yin just walked closer. "Tai Long, what's wrong with your eyes?" he asked, stopping in front of them. "Why do you keep blinking? Did you get some sand in them?"
Those words immediately caught Tai Nuo's attention. He looked from the handsome boy to the three beautiful girls beside him, nodding in admiration. No wonder his foolish son had lost his mind. If he were young again, he'd definitely try to snatch one of them to be his wife, just like he had with his own wife back in the day. Seeing his son's panicked expression, his gaze fell squarely on Ye Yin.
"Was it you?" Tai Nuo growled, his anger flaring now that he had found his target. "Were you the one who made my son so miserable?" He stretched out his large hand, aiming to grab Ye Yin by the shoulder.
Using the upgraded Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, Ye Yin quickly retreated, easily dodging the grab. "You must be Tai Long's father?"
"That's right. I am the Mighty King Tai Nuo," he snorted. "You made my son suffer like this. Shouldn't you give me an explanation?"
Ye Yin looked Tai Long up and down slowly. "I remember Tai Long wasn't this miserable when he went home," he said thoughtfully. "How is it that after three days of recovering at home, his injuries look even worse than when he left?"
Tai Nuo's mouth twitched. Indeed, his son's injuries were much worse now, thanks to the countless father-son beatings he had endured.
Ye Yin then added, "I wonder which idiot hit him."Ye Yin added calmly, "I don't know which idiot hit him. What do you want with me? You should go find the idiot who hurt your son."
Tai Nuo was speechless. The "idiot" who had given Tai Long a beating was none other than himself and his own father. He let out a frustrated snort. "What nonsense! This is all your fault, anyway!"
Xiao Wu glanced at Tai Long with disdain. "So this is how your family works. You hit the young one, and the old one comes out to fight for him. If we beat up your dad, is your grandpa going to show up next?"
Tai Long's face flushed with shame. "Don't misunderstand, it's just because my dad saw my injuries, that's why he's so upset… But you're right, if my grandpa really did come, that would be a huge problem."
Tai Nuo glared at Xiao Wu. "Little girl, this concerns you too. If you hadn't seduced my son, would any of this have happened? You're a real troublemaker. So young and already learning how to lead men on."
Xiao Wu was stunned for a second, then her temper flared. "What the hell are you talking about?! Who are you calling a seducer?!"
"Weren't you the reason this brat used a spirit ability on my son?" Tai Nuo growled. "Once I'm done with him, I'll teach you a lesson too. What's so great about him? He's nothing but a pretty boy. And you three are all involved!"
As he spoke, he lunged at Ye Yin again. His body shifted subtly, easily dodging the attack as four spirit rings—three purple and one black—rose from his feet. When Tai Nuo saw the spirit ring configuration, he couldn't help but widen his eyes. Hearing his son talk about it was one thing, but seeing a ten-thousand-year ring on a four-ring Spirit Ancestor with his own eyes was another matter entirely.
He quickly masked his surprise with a sneer. "So you're using your spirit against me? Fine, I'd like to see how strong you really are. Great Ape, possess!"
With a roar, his entire body grew several inches taller. With a series of tearing sounds, his dark, bulging muscles ripped his shirt to shreds, revealing a frame as hard as steel. Five spirit rings—two yellow and three purple—swirled around his body with a dazzling light.
"So what if you have a ten-thousand-year spirit ring?" he boasted. "I have one more than you! Are you scared now, kid? If you're scared, just surrender. Let me give you a good beating, and then I'm taking you to your academy's teachers to settle this. I'm a Rank 58, strength-type Spirit King, so you better think carefully. Fists and feet don't have eyes; if I accidentally break your leg, you'll have to forgive me."
Ye Yin simply shook his head as his first and fourth spirit rings flashed in quick succession. He cast two curses. The first was a physical one: Paralysis, with a duration of twenty-four hours. The second was a mental one: an overwhelming urge to hit his son as soon as he felt the sensation of paralysis. This one would last for an hour.
Suddenly, an indescribable, itching numbness shot up Tai Nuo's spine. It felt like thousands of ants crawling deep inside his bone marrow, and it instantly engulfed his entire body.
"Hiss!" Tai Nuo gasped, his body trembling violently. The sensation was a maddening combination of numbness, itching, and stinging pain. It was so uncomfortable he felt like he was about to jump out of his own skin. He instinctively reached back to scratch, but the feeling wasn't on the surface; it was darting around inside his bones and muscles. The bizarre feeling twisted his face into a pained grimace. "Why am I so numb all of a sudden?"
Just as the maddening sensation reached its peak, Tai Nuo's mind buzzed, as if a switch had been forcibly flipped. An extremely strong, irresistible urge erupted like a volcano, instantly overwhelming all reason: Hit his son. Immediately. Right now. Hit his son hard.
The thought came so fiercely and unreasonably that it felt as if the itching all over his body would torment him to death if he didn't obey.
Tai Nuo abruptly turned his head. His eyes, bloodshot from the itching and the sudden violent impulse, stared fixedly at his own son. Tai Long was still standing beside him, completely bewildered and unaware of the impending disaster.
Tai Long was startled by his father's man-eating gaze and instinctively took a step back. "Dad… Dad? What's wrong? Your face is so red…"
Before he could finish his sentence, Tai Nuo roared like a clap of thunder. "You little beast! Take this!"
He couldn't control himself at all. His fist, as big as a casserole pot, whistled through the air. He paid no mind to the fact that they were at the academy's main entrance, nor did he care how many people were watching or that his son's injuries had yet to heal. He slammed his fist with full force into Tai Long's face, which had just barely begun to de-swell.
BANG!
The punch landed squarely. Tai Long didn't even have time to grunt; his entire body was sent flying two or three meters backward like a broken sack, landing on the ground with a heavy thud. Stars spun before his eyes, and the corner of his mouth, which had just healed, split open again, blood flowing freely.
"Ow!" Tai Long clutched his aching face, utterly bewildered. "Dad! Are you crazy?! Why are you hitting me again?!" Didn't we agree you'd bring me here to get even? Why am I the one getting hurt again?!
Everyone at the entrance—students, teachers, and guards—was stunned. They all gaped, watching the scene in disbelief. Tai Nuo, a clan leader, was violently beating his own severely injured son at the entrance to Blue Tyrant Academy without any warning. What was going on? Was this some kind of live-action family drama?
The moment Tai Nuo threw the punch, the excruciating itching sensation miraculously receded like a tide. A sense of indescribable relief washed over him. But the comfort lasted only for a second. Seeing his son wailing on the ground and the shocked looks on the faces of everyone around him, Tai Nuo himself was bewildered.
"I… I… Tai Long!" He looked from his own fist to his son on the ground. Immense shock and guilt surged through him. He instinctively rushed over to help him up and apologize. "Is your face okay?"
But the moment Tai Nuo's hand touched his son, the damned, bone-deep itching sensation returned, even more intense than before.
"Ugh!" Tai Nuo let out a painful groan, his body once again trembling uncontrollably. The powerful, irresistible urge to hit his son overwhelmed him like a tsunami.
"You unfilial wretch! I'll beat you to death today!" he roared, his eyes bloodshot as his reason was once again swallowed by the curse. He slapped Tai Long across the face with a loud crack.
Seeing his father's crazed appearance, Tai Long was scared out of his wits. He no longer cared about the pain and immediately tried to scramble away. He was supposed to be here to get even, right? At this point, he'd rather his dad succeed in getting revenge than fail and keep taking it out on him!