Chapter 80: Chapter 76: Du Youqian’s Education of Love

"What are you looking at?" The boy stepped forward to protect his sister, baring his teeth fiercely. "Watch out, or I’ll kill you!"

Liao Minmin smiled faintly. "Do you know how many people I’ve killed these past few days? Little runts like you? I’ve killed hundreds. Just like this—hand up, blade down. SWISH. One down."

As she spoke, her smile suddenly vanished, her eyes turning exceedingly dangerous.

Sensing her killing intent, so thick it felt tangible, the boy, like a small animal sensing danger, quickly put on an innocent smile. "Pretty sister, I was just kidding!"

Liao Minmin shook her head. "I wasn’t kidding. Don’t mess with me, or I’ll make you regret ever being born."

As she spoke, she snuck a glance at Du Youqian. Seeing that he had no reaction, she relaxed and continued with the "loving education" of the two new children.

The boy smiled innocently. "Of course not, pretty sister. I just want to be friends with you."

"Hmph. Drop the act," Liao Minmin said. "Listen to the Old Ancestor and don’t cause trouble. Otherwise, I’ll start by cutting you a few times. Don’t worry, with the Old Ancestor here, you won’t die. No matter how badly you’re injured, he can save you."

The boy lowered his head, not daring to speak again.

But the glint in his eyes showed he hadn’t truly given in.

Du Youqian looked at them, feeling a headache coming on.

’Looks like I’ll have to put in some effort to straighten out this kid’s twisted values.’

Du Youqian actually knew a thing or two about child-rearing.

In the life before last, he had raised so many descendants. Although none of them had amounted to much, at least they hadn’t turned out crooked.

He reckoned that if the Cultivation Realm had certification exams, he could probably pass one for a High Level Chicken Soup Master with no problem.

’Kids, drink this bowl of chicken soup, and from now on, you’ll roll with me.’

’Oh, wait, I misspoke. In this situation, chicken soup probably won’t work.’

’Time to use some loving education.’

And what is loving education?

Du Youqian took out his Top Grade Flying Sword.

After a moment’s thought, he stuffed it back into his Storage Treasure Pouch and took out a different one—a failed practice piece.

Just as Liao Minmin had said, with him around, the two children couldn’t die no matter how severe their injuries.

So... time for some enthusiastic education!

The specific details of this educational process will be omitted.

In short, Du Youqian gave up the idea of a quick tour by Flying Boat. Instead, he took the Sanxiao on a backpacking trip, engaging in some hiking and wilderness survival training.

Especially when passing through the Woniushan Mountain Range, Du Youqian took them back to the wooden cabin where they had once lived to reminisce about past hardships and appreciate their present comforts. The two newly acquired little ones were exceptionally well-behaved and heartwarming.

In truth, Du Youqian hadn’t beaten them much.

Both children were extremely obedient and adept at reading people’s expressions. After witnessing his power, they didn’t dare to offend him in the slightest.

Du Youqian wasn’t some kind of monster; his hands didn’t itch just because he hadn’t beaten them.

By the time their group arrived at the North Shore Market on the border of the Wu and Qi Kingdoms, the two children had fully recovered.

They looked like two exquisitely carved jade figurines—well-mannered, polite, clever, and sharp.

However, Du Youqian couldn’t guarantee that if you were to cut them open, their hearts wouldn’t be black.

’Whatever. This is the best I can do, given my teaching abilities.’

At least, in his opinion, these two children knew how to be grateful.

Even if they were black-hearted toward others, they would never defy him, their life-saving benefactor.

Especially when his Flying Sword was so exceedingly sharp.

"Du Yuhuan, Du Yuxi, you two will go with Minmin into the Marketplace and act as her servants. Don’t talk much. Just keep your mouths shut and your eyes open."

With that, Du Youqian looked at the girl. "Du Yuhuan, same old rules. If you make a mistake, I’ll punish you. If Du Yuxi makes a mistake, I’ll punish you too."

Du Yuhuan said in a small, weak voice, "Yes, Old Ancestor."

"Old Ancestor" was a title they had come up with on their own, after learning that this "Immortal Master Qiu’s" master was a good friend of their ancestor, Du Youqian. 𝑓𝓇𝘦ℯ𝘸𝘦𝑏𝓃𝑜𝘷ℯ𝑙.𝑐𝑜𝓂

"Old Ancestor!" Du Yuxi said anxiously. "If I make a mistake, you can just punish me. Why punish my sister? That’s not fair!"

Without even looking at him, Du Youqian said to Du Yuhuan, "If he talks back or tries to bargain again, I’ll consider it a failure on your part to teach your younger brother properly. Understand?"

"Understood." Du Yuhuan’s face flushed, whether from shame or fear, it was hard to tell.

Du Yuxi immediately fell silent.

Du Youqian always maintained this kind of high-pressure demeanor in front of them.

What else was he supposed to do?

’Am I supposed to be their nanny? Coddle them and ask if they’re warm enough, terrified they’ll be left with psychological trauma and get depression?’

’These are his descendants from more than ten generations later, not his own sons.’

’He felt no particular affection for them, and both Law and his own mindset gave him the authority to educate them strictly.’

’Although he might need their help to overcome a calamity in the future...’

’...that would be in another life.’

’Qiu Yuanqing is being harsh to you now. What does that have to do with me, Du Youqian, in the next life?’

As for Liao Minmin, Du Youqian had already reminded her repeatedly.

Besides, she had matured a lot, so Du Youqian felt he could trust her.

Meanwhile, Liao Minmin led the Du Clan siblings swaggering through the North Shore Market, making a great show of buying things and playing the part of a newly-minted, second-generation immortal.

She didn’t buy what was practical, only what was expensive. The main goal was to appear extravagant.

Of course, thanks to Du Youqian’s prior arrangements, everything she purchased was planned out. Nothing was excessively overpriced, and it was all useful.

For example, there were supplementary materials for refining the Celestial Demon Sacrifice Pill, materials for a Magical Artifact Du Youqian planned to forge, and some Spirit Medicine Seeds he intended to plant.

Even though Du Youqian was wealthy now, he wasn’t in the habit of being wasteful.

When they came out after their shopping spree, the Sanxiao were all rather silent.

They knew part of the plan and were worried the fish they were baiting was too big, worried that Du Youqian wouldn’t arrive in time...

Even after stepping into the range of the Array, they couldn’t suppress their anxiety.

It wasn’t until the battle erupted abruptly and Du Youqian activated the Array, concealing their figures and quickly moving them away from the scene, that they finally breathed a sigh of relief.

After the aftershocks of the battle had completely faded, Liao Minmin led the Sanxiao as they cautiously approached, step by step. They saw three corpses lying on the ground, and the area within the Array was a complete mess.

Du Youqian, meanwhile, was nonchalantly looting the corpses. After finishing, he shook his head and looked at Liao Minmin. "It’s not them... Rest for a bit. We’ll come back in a couple of days."

With that, he tossed the few bottles of Elixirs and two shoddy Lower Grade Spiritual Artifacts he had just looted to Liao Minmin. "A reward for you all. You can decide how to distribute them."

The eyes of the Sanxiao lit up.

The things Du Youqian looked down on were true Immortal Treasures to them!

That little bit of resistance they had felt before finally vanished.

And so, on his fourth fishing trip with them, Du Youqian finally hooked the people he had been waiting for.

The two Tribulation Cultivators were now old and frail, their hair prematurely gray, but Du Youqian still recognized them at a glance.