Yue Liang perched proudly on Jian Dan's shoulder as they walked toward Tianjian Peak, chatting idly along the way.
"What did you say to Jade? She looked pretty shaken afterward."
"We were arguing over who's the boss. Her strength doesn't compare to mine, and she hasn't had any real achievements either. Everything she relies on comes from the Master. I pointed that out, and she didn't take it well."
Yue Liang flicked his tail as she answered.
"And then?"
"So I told her about how I fought alongside the Master in the Chilang Secret Realm, rescued cultivators, killed those black-armored insects, and forced the larva out of Xu Meixia's body. I also listed my feats at Purple Sky Sect!"
Yue Liang's fluffy face glowed with pride. Jian Dan laughed and asked, "And after that?"
"Then I showed her our portrait together. Only then did she completely accept it. Afterward, she went straight to seclusion training."
Jian Dan burst out laughing, reaching up to scratch Yue Liang affectionately behind the ears.
"You really handled that well. Just a few words and you managed to send your rival packing. Looks like no one's going to challenge your position as top dog anytime soon."
Yue Liang shyly scratched her cheek with a little paw and said earnestly, "Master, that's only natural. We're both beast cultivators serving at your side. Competing is inevitable. But don't worry, it's just internal conflict. We can manage it."
"Hah! So you know the difference between internal and external conflict. What about external conflict, then?"
Jian Dan was thoroughly entertained.
"When facing external threats, we stand united. That's the agreement we've made."
"Good. As long as you've reached an understanding. Jade's a bit naive, so help guide her more."
"Don't worry, Master. As the senior, I'll keep her in check!"
Yue Liang thumped her chest, cheerfully taking the task to heart.
Chatting and laughing, the two made their way to the base of Tianjian Peak.
Waiting for them there was an old acquaintance—Yu Yuanhai, the steward of Tianjian Peak.
"Steward Yu, it's been a while. Your cultivation has improved again."
"Yu Yuanhai greets the Jian Lu Zhūnzhu. Your praise is too generous. I'm not even a fraction of your level. Please, this way."
Yu Yuanhai was the Nascent Soul cultivator Jian Dan had once saved from Hua Chunshan while passing through Huanle City on her way to the Nether Valley under her Mo Yue identity. He had since advanced to the early stage of Divine Transformation.
Yu Yuanhai had only recently received the assignment to welcome the Jian Lu Zhūnzhu. When he saw the name, he wasn't completely certain it was her. But the sight of Yue Liang on her shoulder confirmed her identity.
His thoughts were mixed. A hundred years ago, this same person had come to him to accept a sect mission, insisting on replacing her regular flying vessel with a warship, and had saved his junior in the process.
Then she disappeared quietly, only to return a century later with late-stage Void Refinement cultivation. She had become something of a legend within the sect.
"Steward Yu, are there any restrictions for teaching in the Tongzi's Hall?"
"None at all. Everything is at the Zhūnzhu's discretion. Two hours a day, six days a week, with one day off."
"What ages?"
"Between five and ten. For now, there are only twenty students."
"Understood."
"Zhūnzhu, we've arrived."
On a side peak of Tianjian, a courtyard had been built. The buildings were arranged in a line: lecture hall, cultivation hall, talisman hall, artifact hall, and formation hall.
In the open space in front of the courtyard, a sword practice field lay close to the cliff edge. A pathway ran down the center, and the other side was filled with spirit plants of various kinds.
The facilities were thorough. Clearly, these twenty children were highly valued by the sect.
"The twenty students are already waiting in the lecture hall."
"Thank you, Steward Yu."
Jian Dan nodded and headed toward the hall.
Yue Liang, curious about human children, stayed perched on her shoulder, eyes scanning the surroundings.
Cotton Candy had just returned this morning. After a long time away from the sect, he had gone to visit his old friends. The artifact spirits like Tun Tian had swarmed him with questions, so he had been delayed. When Yue Liang told him Jade had entered seclusion, he didn't mind. This time, Cotton Candy had taken the form of a white cloud nestled in Jian Dan's hair.
"Greetings, Zhūnzhu!"
All twenty children stood and bowed in unison. They wore the white sect robes of Tianjian Sect, crisp and clean.
"Sit," Jian Dan said.
"Thank you, Zhūnzhu!"
Looking at their young, innocent faces, Jian Dan suddenly felt a pang of sentiment. She really was getting older. Maybe it was time to exchange for that Beautifying Pill.
"This is our first meeting. Let's get to know each other. I am Shan Yunzu, courtesy name Jian Lu."
After introducing herself, she pointed to a child in the front row.
"You first."
"Yes, my name is Zhao Yunhai, from Tianyu Peak, and—"
Before he could finish listing his background, Jian Dan cut him off.
"Just your name and age. That's all."
She gave him a glance that made him shrink into his robes and quickly correct himself.
"My name is Zhao Yunhai. I'm seven years old."
"I'm Yu Jiajia. I'm seven years old."
"My name is Letian, I'm—"
Once all twenty children had introduced themselves, Jian Dan sat behind the desk, and Yue Liang jumped down to sit beside her.
All forty eyes locked onto Yue Liang, full of curiosity, excitement, and a barely restrained urge to move.
"Zhūnzhu, who is she?"
One bold child asked, eyes gleaming like stars as he looked at Yue Liang.
"This is my companion, the raccoon beast Yue Liang."
Upon hearing his introduction, Yue Liang puffed out his chest and wagged his tail, giving the class a greeting.
"Can we pet her?"
Several younger children had already risen from their mats, waiting for permission.
Jian Dan sent a voice transmission to Yue Liang.
"Play with them a bit. See what their constitutions are like."
"Yes, Zhūnzhu."
She knew that anyone selected for this hall already had exceptional aptitude, so she wanted to evaluate them from a different angle.
"You want to pet her? Fine. That depends on your own ability."
Jian Dan's tone was lazy, almost teasing.
In the next instant, Yue Liang flashed to the desk of the child who had spoken. The boy lit up with joy, reaching out to touch her—but Yue Liang blinked away again, reappearing on another desk.
Soon, all twenty children were chasing her around the sword training ground, their excited shrieks echoing off the cliff walls.
Amid the chaos, Jian Dan had already begun her first lesson.
For the full two hours, not a single child managed to touch a strand of Yue Liang's fur. In the end, they were all sprawled across the ground, thoroughly exhausted.
Jian Dan raised an eyebrow. Their physiques were quite solid. Clearly well-nurtured. Time to start proper training.
"Class is over for today. Your assignment is to go home and think: why couldn't any of you touch Yue Liang?"
The kids struggled to their feet, dusting themselves off and bowing.
"Yes, Zhūnzhu."
"You're not allowed to ask anyone else. Think for yourself. Don't try to fool me—I'll be watching each of you."
The children murmured among themselves for a moment, then all responded with one voice.
Jian Dan nodded in satisfaction and returned to her cave residence with Yue Liang.
Back in her quarters, she finally brought out her brushes and inkstone.
Based on her observations from today, she drafted a modified body-tempering decoction drawn from the Jade-Bone Demon Body Art It was meant to strengthen their physique. The formula to widen the meridians would come later, after the children began channeling qi into their bodies.
She stored the list in her storage bracelet. Yue Liang hopped onto the table and said, "Zhūnzhu, when I was helping catch insects at Purple Sky Sect, I got a reward from Zi Qing Zhēnzūn."
With a tap of his paw on his storage collar, a white jade bottle appeared on the table.