Chapter 2054: How to Tame the Rebellious Boy 03

After his acupoints were unsealed, Ji Lai zhi rubbed his sore neck and sneered, "Jin Chen doesn't know the rules of the martial world."

Today I let Chu Lao Si go, and even injured him like that; if I don't strike, am I supposed to wait for them to come settle the score?

Jin Chen lowered his gaze at him, "You can come tell me."

Ji Lai zhi nearly choked to death on a mouthful of tea.

He bent over coughing for a while, then looked up and saw that person had already returned to the East Wing Room.

"You're sick."

Ji Lai zhi muttered, irritably rubbing his face, his lips pressed tight.

The tutor my grandfather found somewhere, I can't beat him in a fight, and I can't shake him off.

——

After that day, Ji Lai zhi avoided Jin Chen as he walked, deeply feeling this person was abnormal.

They passed two days in peaceful coexistence, and Ji Lai zhi thought perhaps that person had listened to Shan Bo's words, felt disciplining him was useless, so like the previous tutors he turned a blind eye, planning to leave after enough days.

Until the third day.

At the first quarter of the Mao hour, the sky grew faintly light.

Ji Lai zhi suddenly heard the door open, and in his daze saw a shadow standing by the bedside, frightening him to the point of almost unleashing a secret technique on the spot.

A candle flame lit up from Jin Chen's hand.

Ji Lai zhi sat up in shock, his palm already gripping the dagger beneath the pillow, "What are you doing?"

"Get up, do your morning practice." Jin Chen hooked his lips at him, his gaze drifting downward a few times; sleeping, he was actually quite honest.

Under the lamp, observing the beauty, Ji Lai zhi was truly handsome when silent.

Ji Lai zhi glanced at the haze outside the window.

Ji Lai zhi: "You're sick!"

Jin Chen gave him a meaningful look, "Ji Lai zhi, you must call me Teacher."

He also lit the candle on the bedside table, and the room gradually brightened.

"Get up." Jin Chen said.

Ji Lai zhi tensed all over, and even that bit of sleepiness vanished.

When one's clothes are disheveled, one always feels a bit insecure, especially when facing a pervert of unknown strength.

After a quarter hour.

Ji Lai zhi sat in the Study, holding a brush in his mouth, his whole body filled with irritation.

Jin Chen stood before the main hall, still in that plain white robe, holding a volume of the Jianghu Name Register in his hand, content that should have been learned in childhood.

Ji Lai zhi had never studied it, but he had seen plenty over the past few years; there was nothing he couldn't answer.

But Jin Chen had already asked in succession about the several easiest-to-distinguish martial arts schools; Ji Lai zhi shook his head and said he didn't know, wearing an expression that said, "What can you do to me?" inviting a beating.

Upon hearing the fourth "I don't know," Jin Chen set down the scroll, his tone cold.

"Ji Lai zhi, only two incense sticks' worth of time remains before the morning lesson ends; whether you know it or not, don't say you don't."

The rebellious streak in Ji Lai zhi's heart surged fully; he flung the brush, "I don't know, I won't listen—if you can't take it, get lost!"

The Study fell silent for two seconds.

Ji Lai zhi slightly raised his chin, his beautiful, clear amber eyes brimming with stubbornness and hostility.

What's the point of feigning concern? Anyway, in the end we'll all be assimilated by the people of this Sword Manor.

Jin Chen tapped his fingers on the table, laughing angrily: "It's my fault, you lack discipline—how could you willingly listen to a lecture?"

In the next instant, Ji Lai zhi saw Jin Chen pull a ruler from beneath a stack of books.

Ji Lai zhi's face changed, and he turned and ran.

Being hauled back by Jin Chen was just a matter of a few breaths; Ji Lai zhi struggled desperately, but couldn't budge an inch, his shock growing.

Even Ji Yuan Shan might not be able to restrain him—what background does this frail tutor have!

Ji Lai zhi had no time for wild thoughts; soon his whole body went stiff, he stood dazed in a blank stare, lowering his eyes to see the red mark across his palm.

"You……"

The ruler fell again with a clean, crisp sound.

Jin Chen placed a slightly dangerous hand on his nape birthmark and asked softly, "Why did you lie and say you don't know?"

Ji Lai zhi felt like he was about to explode, holding back a breath in defiance: "Mind your own business!"

Another slap sounded, Ji Lai zhi was immobilized, his palm already red and swollen.

The sudden pressure was intensely strong; unfounded anger and grievance burst forth simultaneously, Ji Lai zhi choked out a low roar: "Even if you beat me to death it's useless—I won't learn, haven't you heard them say how badly behaved I am! If you're coming to teach me, you'd better prepare to be angered to death; I told you to get lost!"

Jin Chen fell silent for a few seconds, gently rubbing the hand on Ji Lai zhi's nape, "Ji Lai zhi, I don't care what happened to the previous tutors, nor do I care how others gossip about you."

"Now I'm teaching you, you must obey."

The cool fingertips were infected by the warmth of the nape, yet that subtle strange feeling never faded.

Ji Lai zhi calmed down, then sneered, "What if I don't listen?"

Jin Chen's rubbing motion paused, then he pressed firmly on the scarlet birthmark, his tone lax and teasing.

"These past two days, I've renovated the Observing Cloud Institute, hiding many things in dark places."

"If you don't obey, you'll get beaten."

A hard-to-describe chill crawled up from the tailbone, Ji Lai zhi's fingertips curled, and he couldn't even tend to the pain in his palm.

No wonder he could pull out a ruler at a moment's notice.

"Wait for me." Ji Lai zhi gritted his teeth.

Jin Chen finally released him, disregarding that threat, "Morning lesson will continue tomorrow; get up and have breakfast."

"Also, you must call me Teacher."

Jin Chen gave a second reminder.

Ji Lai zhi jumped up, dashed out of the Study hatefully, wishing he wouldn't have to stay another second.

——

The fifth morning.

Ji Lai zhi practiced swordplay in the courtyard, treating Jin Chen as an imaginary opponent, his strikes both precise and vicious.

Jin Chen sat by the stone table watching for a while, ordered a servant to fetch water, then leisurely picked up a few pebbles from under the tree.

Whoosh.

The pebble shot from Jin Chen's hand, flying straight at Ji Lai zhi.

Ji Lai zhi's eyes turned cold, he swung his sword and split the pebble in two.

Soon after, two more came, aimed respectively at the middle path and the vital gate.

What the hell is this guy up to!

Ji Lai zhi felt anger rise, drew his sword without a word and slashed, cutting down dozens of them.

Ji Lai zhi suddenly grasped something, using the same force he quickly turned and performed the sword technique with flowing ease.

In an instant his mind was shaken, his breath disrupted.

The eighth form of the Azure Cloud Sword Technique, which had stalled him for a long time, suddenly clicked!

Ji Lai zhi sheathed his sword, the wind stirred his hair, and he almost lost his footing.

Each form of the Azure Cloud Sword Technique tests one's inner energy and state of mind, let alone mastering it under such circumstances.

Jin Chen supported his shoulder, placed the handkerchief over Ji Lai zhi's face again, and gently wiped away the sweat.

Ji Lai zhi frowned, wanting to turn his head away awkwardly, but his chin was held so he couldn't move.

"...... How do you also know the Azure Cloud Sword Technique?"

He couldn't ignore this strange feeling of being cared for, his tone extremely awkward.

"There are myriad sword techniques in the world, but their foundations remain unchanged." Jin Chen ruffled his hair.

"Truly an excellent aptitude for martial arts—you grasp things instantly."