Compared to the Bright Light Lock, the second magical artifact was less impressive—it was a Water Ring Token, which, when worn, maintained humidity around the body.
Tu Manli nodded. “It’s not an incredibly powerful artifact, but it’s well-suited for aquatic races. The fox clan really put thought into this.”
Unlike other aquatic beings, Ye Yang could live in the air for extended periods, so the Water Ring Token wasn’t very useful to him. He turned the palm-sized token over to examine both sides, then shifted back to his original form and swallowed the token along with the chest into his body.
“Eh?” Tu Manli hadn’t expected such a move and was momentarily startled. Then she realized it was probably a unique ability of sea hares.
“Sometimes I really envy you demons, each with your own unique abilities.”
Ye Yang said, “To be honest, I can’t store that much.” And it was true—the space inside his body was only one cubic meter, and that was after some cultivation. At the beginning, it had been no bigger than a thumb.
After all that commotion, half the morning was already gone. Ye Yang hurried back to class. He had heard there would be a practical class today, and he didn’t want to miss it.
·
Outside YCG’s premises, Bai Jun looked back and, seeing no one following, couldn’t hold back any longer. “Grand Elder, what exactly did that human cultivator say to you?”
Su Huaiyu’s gaze darkened slightly. “She said our young benefactor already has a mentor.”
Although Tu Manli hadn’t named the mentor, the fact that she specially mentioned it meant it was certainly some powerful figure they couldn’t afford to offend.
Bai Jun scratched the stray hairs on his forehead, still confused. “I don’t get it. Why did she have to say that privately? Who can’t hear it? It can’t be little Ye Ye himself, hahahaha! And what does it even mean?”
Without even glancing at him—clearly accustomed to this—Su Huaiyu simply said, “It seems our young benefactor has already caught someone’s eye.”
As the strongest of the You Su clan and the de facto decision-maker of the fox clan, Su Huaiyu had naturally investigated Ye Yang immediately after the incident. Even without detailed information, she had instantly sensed Ye Yang’s potential and decided to win him over.
The fox clan might appear powerful and ancient, but ever since the crisis several decades ago, their entire clan had been hanging by a thread. Su Huaiyu didn’t want to miss any opportunity to gain strength that could help the fox clan.
Still, this trip hadn’t been completely fruitless.
Su Huaiyu scrolled through Ye Yang’s social media feed, then narrowed her eyes and glanced over at Bai Jun.
This young man might be a bit simple—not at all like a fox—but he was obedient, his beauty was among the best in the clan, and he held a high seniority in the Bai family. That was why he had been chosen as an elder. But he had never been put in charge of any clan affairs. Now, it was finally time for him to start contributing.
Bai Jun was still muttering to himself, completely unaware that Huaiyu was about to put him to good use.
·
When Ye Yang returned to the classroom, Teacher Yu was still reviewing theory before the practical class. Ye Yang sighed in relief and slipped into his pool.
Yu Bei ignored him and continued the lecture:
“Why are the main types of YCG missions combat and containment? Kong Jiamu, answer.”
Kong Jiamu’s already raised tail lifted even higher. “Because since the spiritual energy resurgence, we live in a complex era. For humans, this is an era of frequent anomalies. For other races, it’s an era full of competition. YCG’s mission is to maintain peace across all realms, eliminate and contain anything that threatens stability, and allow all living beings to continue thriving.”
Yu Bei nodded, then called on Ke Ranzhou. “Anything to add?”
Ke Ranzhou flew down from her branch, politely bowed, and then said, “The spiritual energy resurgence has both advantages and disadvantages. For humans, human cultivators no longer face the threat of extinction. But ordinary humans’ peaceful lives have also been disrupted. Various newborn spiritual creatures rashly appear before humans, disrupting their peaceful existence and bringing them many dangers.”
“For demons, spirit beings, and the inhabitants of the Netherworld, we no longer need to sacrifice our elders to maintain our populations. Cultivation is no longer as difficult as it once was. But the spiritual energy resurgence also means the legendary great tribulation of the four realms is drawing closer. When that time comes, those without sufficient strength may not be able to protect themselves.”
Yu Bei was extremely satisfied. “Very good. That’s exactly right. That’s why we say the spiritual energy resurgence is both an opportunity and a challenge.”
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Little Thirteen and Lan Bao staring at him with worried expressions. Amused, Yu Bei added, “Of course, you don’t need to worry too much. The great tribulation isn’t coming that quickly. You probably won’t live to see that day.”
Little Thirteen and Lan Bao sighed in relief and let their minds wander again.
Yu Bei closed his eyes briefly, then continued the lesson. “YCG was established for one purpose: to maintain peace and allow all living beings to coexist. But achieving that is very difficult.”
He then spoke about the discrimination between races, ancient grudges, and the classic human saying: “Those not of my kind are sure to have different hearts.”
After finishing that, they officially moved on to the practical class.
The practical class, in simple terms, was combat and tactics training, including hands-on drills. As for why they had to learn this, the theory review beforehand had made it very clear. Since they were studying at YCG, mastering these skills was essential.
Even setting that aside, the practical class was important for the cubs themselves.
Unlike humans, no matter what path the cubs chose in the future, basic self-defense skills were a must.
Non-humans inevitably had more dealings with other non-humans, and many demons and spirit beings still had the habit of resorting to a fight when words failed. For many non-humans, a fight could sometimes be more effective than hours of conversation.
The content of the practical class was also straightforward: fighting against the virtual enemies conjured by Yu Bei, simulating the containment of frenzied creatures or monsters, and sparring against each other.
There’s not much to say about the first two types—they’re already quite formulaic. Only in sparring against each other do the cubs show creativity, always coming up with new moves.
Before Ye Yang arrived, the top spot in sparring had always belonged to Ke Ranzhou. Despite her light and delicate appearance, her offensive power was nothing to scoff at.
The green phoenix clan’s innate ability is pathfinding. In ancient times, they could accurately deliver messages to any location. This ability might sound unremarkable, but it implies a terrifying principle: the green phoenix clan can go anywhere!
Ordinary secret realms and barriers cannot stop them.
Applied to combat, this ability becomes even more formidable—no one can predict where Ke Ranzhou’s next attack will come from.
Moreover, the green phoenix’s beak is a natural weapon. Even Lan Bao, with his thickest hide and toughest skin, couldn’t withstand Ke Ranzhou chasing him around and pecking him.
Add to that Ke Ranzhou’s sharp mind, her skill at analyzing opponents’ weaknesses and openings, and her ability to manage her stamina efficiently—she’s not afraid of consecutive battles either.
But once Ye Yang arrived, things changed.
Ye Yang could heal himself!
Not only that, but Ye Yang’s original form was very small, making it easier to dodge attacks. Combined with his immense strength, he seemed to have no weaknesses.
The first time he sparred with Ke Ranzhou, Ye Yang had almost no combat experience. His only fight had been in Luoyang City, where brute force had overcome all skill—no technique whatsoever. Yet even so, he had easily defeated the experienced Ke Ranzhou.
Ke Ranzhou dove down from above, launching a lightning strike from the sky. Ye Yang had no idea how to respond—he acted purely on instinct. His bouncy, squishy body leaped up, dodging the first attack, then with a duang he landed on Ke Ranzhou’s back, nearly sliding off her smooth, green feathers.
Before he could fall off, Ye Yang launched himself directly upward and threw a heavy punch, knocking the green phoenix straight to the ground.
Everyone was stunned—including Ye Yang himself. He had held back his strength, terrified of hurting Ke Ranzhou.
But that only happened once. After that, Ye Yang never got the chance to jump onto Ke Ranzhou’s back again, and he often got viciously pecked by the green phoenix, who had grown familiar with his patterns.
But Ye Yang recovered quickly. As long as he found one opportunity, he could defeat the green phoenix.
After a few practical classes, Yu Bei started secretly worrying again. He checked on Ye Yang’s mental health more frequently, terrified that one day he’d wake up to find his most adorable student had turned into a violent, battle-hungry monster with immense strength.
From then on, Ke Ranzhou never took first place again. But her attitude toward Ye Yang improved significantly. She even started greeting him proactively—something even Kong Jiamu had never experienced. As a result, Kong Jiamu sulked and gave Ye Yang the cold shoulder for a long time.
·
Soon, it was noon again.
Ye Yang remained in his original form, lying on top of Little Thirteen’s head. With Little Thirteen’s pata pata footsteps, they became the first to arrive at the cafeteria.
“See? I told you this is way faster than you walking on your own. The humanoid form just isn’t agile enough!”
A few days ago, Little Thirteen had finally achieved full shapeshifting. His humanoid form was a chubby little toddler about three or four years old, with a round face and a protruding belly. He disliked it intensely.
Ye Yang thought it was rather cute, but Little Thirteen insisted that he would shapeshift into a tall, handsome form. Until then, he would never use his humanoid form again!
By the time they got their food and sat down, the cafeteria was packed.
Ye Yang transformed into his humanoid form, took a bite of steamed egg with minced meat, and sighed contentedly. “So delicious!” Ever since tasting bin grass in Luoyang City, Ye Yang had become very interested in foods outside his usual diet. After trying the human food section at the cafeteria once, he had never eaten seaweed again.
Little Thirteen pried open a clam, slurped out the meat, and chewed away.
Huan Huan had a bowl of cut-up fruit. He ate delicately, occasionally tossing a piece to Lan Bao.
Lan Bao had his usual raw meat feast today, but this time with some honey. He ate with great joy, and after finishing, he still wasn’t satisfied—he got back in line and also offered to buy Huan Huan another drink.
“What’s been going on lately? The cafeteria wasn’t this crowded before.” Little Thirteen finished eating first and sat on his stool, bored, looking around.
“Because lots of people from branch offices have come.”
Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice rang out. The three at the table looked up simultaneously to see a young boy, carrying a tray piled high with various sweets, pastries, and desserts.
Seeing the one person, one monkey, and one otter staring at him, the young boy didn’t show the slightest nervousness. Instead, he broke into a big, adorable smile. “Mind if I sit here?” he asked—even as he plopped himself down right next to Ye Yang.
Ye Yang was speechless.
Not that there was anything wrong with letting the young boy sit at their five-seat round table. But wasn’t he being a little too familiar?
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