Chapter 2055: How to Tame the Recalcitrant Youth 04

Ji Lai Zhi had been praised for his perceptiveness before, but the words that followed always carried criticism, and he rarely heard genuine praise.

He lowered his gaze to the cracks in the ground, only pulling away impatiently after his head had been rubbed several times.

Young master, you're obviously a genius—do you still need to say that?

Ji Lai Zhi looked up at Jin Chen, his high ponytail holding his long sword, brimming with inexhaustible spirit.

When he spoke, it was still rejection—almost stubborn rejection: 'You're just an instructor; why are you also supervising training? What does it have to do with you?'

At Sword Manor, most instructors only teach lessons and worldly wisdom, lest they become illiterate martial fools later.

Jin Chen's lips curved as he said, 'I accepted your grandfather's commission; how I teach and what I teach are my business.'

Ji Lai Zhi could never win an argument against him.

He forcibly crushed that sliver of hope in his heart; youthful nature never admits defeat: 'As long as you stay one day at Observing Cloud Institute, I'll always make you suffer.'

Having said that, he turned to leave—but Jin Chen grabbed the back of his collar.

'Rest fifteen minutes, have some tea, then we'll continue practicing later.'

Jin Chen's tone brooked no argument, and the sudden sense of being controlled that came from behind made Ji Lai Zhi's scalp tingle with a strange, unfamiliar discomfort.

Ji Lai Zhi swore he would make that person take a nasty fall.

The next day, in the Study.

The youth lounged in the wooden chair, his wrist guards thumping the table, not the slightest bit obedient.

Seeing Jin Chen sit at the desk and open a scroll, Ji Lai Zhi propped his elbow and said with a smirk, 'Last night I dreamed you fell into a cesspool; today I specially prepared a small gift to dispel bad luck.'

Hearing that, Jin Chen wasn't annoyed either; he leisurely lifted his gaze to look.

Ji Lai Zhi slowly reached out toward him, seizing the moment of inattention to fling open the iron cage hidden beneath the desk.

From the cage darted a small green-scaled snake, its fangs bared as it lunged at Jin Chen's neck.

This time it's sure! Ji Lai Zhi thought, his malicious grin flashing a tiger tooth—but his smile suddenly froze on his face.

Jin Chen actually grabbed the snake bare-handed!

Ji Lai Zhi didn't even see what Jin Chen had done; in a few moments the green-scaled poison snake lay docile in his hand, hissing and flicking its tongue.

Ji Lai Zhi: '……'

This is not good.

Jin Chen spoke coolly: 'The green-scaled poison snake, one of the Six Poisons of the Central Plains; a bite causes uncontrollable vomiting of blood, and death within half an hour.'

With each word, his aura grew colder, and Ji Lai Zhi felt the chill creeping up from his soles.

'Ji Lai Zhi, you don't need to study today.'

Ji Lai Zhi startled. 'What do you mean?'

What happened next was utterly beyond Ji Lai Zhi's control.

Jin Chen seized Ji Lai Zhi's hands without further ado, ignoring his struggle, drew out his waist sash, and tied his wrists together, suspending them overhead.

'Jin Chen! What are you doing!'

Ji Lai Zhi struggled desperately, lifted his leg to kick but was easily caught; all his martial arts mastery seemed useless before Jin Chen.

He sensed the vast disparity in strength between them, his heart filled only with panic.

After a moment, Ji Lai Zhi was suspended at the Study's doorway, his ankles bound together, his toes a few millimeters off the ground but unable to touch, his whole body supported only by his bound hands.

Ji Lai Zhi had to use inner strength to brace his core; his whole person was in extreme shock and at a loss.

From childhood he had suffered countless injuries; a split head and bloody flow were ordinary, and later, causing trouble everywhere, he was often badly beaten.

But he had never been this humiliated before!

'Jin Chen! Kill me, cut me, do as you wish—what right do you have to hang me up!'

Ji Lai Zhi's face burned with fury; the vermilion at the corners of his eyes flared even brighter, vividly turning his youthful appearance into a gorgeous ghost.

Jin Chen stood before him holding a disciplinary ruler, gazing at him lightly, an oppressive feeling lingering around him.

'You lack discipline, and now it just happens to be my responsibility.'

The ruler lifted Ji Lai Zhi's chin, a calloused finger pressing onto the birthmark at the back of his neck; from afar it looked as if Jin Chen were embracing him in his arms.

The ever-closer distance only made Ji Lai Zhi feel hard to breathe, and he trembled slightly involuntarily.

'Tomorrow you still have to copy from memory the Martial World Record, hands-free.'

Jin Chen's tone was cold as he lowered the ruler: 'Strike thirty times, count yourself.'

Ji Lai Zhi shocked: 'You dare…… ah!'

A muffled sound— a slap.

Eighteen years old, and this was the first time he'd ever been disciplined— a spanking, or with a ruler!

'Jin Chen! I won't let you off… ah!'

Jin Chen exerted a bit more force, his voice low: 'If you talk back again, I'll give you fifty strikes.'

Ji Lai Zhi forced his curses back, just wanting to quickly end this so-called humiliating lesson.

'Thirty… just thirty, hurry up!'

The thin robe offered no protection; the ruler whipped down hard and fast, constantly changing direction.

At first Ji Lai Zhi could still stubbornly count, but later his voice grew hoarse from the severe pain.

In a daze, Ji Lai Zhi inexplicably recalled that scene from his childhood.

In Sword Manor an extremely dangerous mechanism array had been added; he and Ji Si Yao couldn't resist going to look, and when Ji Yuan Shan found out he harshly reprimanded Ji Si Yao— that day was just as brutal.

Back then, the young him didn't quite understand why Father only reprimanded the younger brother— was it indifference, or as the uncles said, too much indulgence?

'Sixteen…… uh…'

The blows brought Ji Lai Zhi back to his senses, and he couldn't hold back a sob.

Hearing the weak sob, Jin Chen suddenly stopped and pressed once more on the back of Ji Lai Zhi's neck.

Jilai Zhi flinched violently, opened his damp eyelashes to look at him, and a flicker of panic and helplessness flashed in his eyes.

"What else do you want to do?"

Jin Chen's tone softened, yet still without much fluctuation, "How many strikes have you received?"

Jilai Zhi furrowed his nose for no reason, feeling aggrieved, "Fifteen strikes..."

"What should I call you?" he asked again, producing a handkerchief from his bosom.

Jilai Zhi held back his anger, bit the tip of his tongue, and had no desire to shout.

But his butt still burned with pain; this person is not at all easy to provoke.

"Sir." Jilai Zhi squeezed out the honorific from his throat, turning his head away, unwilling to look at Jin Chen.

Jin Chen replied softly, casually set the ruler aside, folded the handkerchief and wiped the moisture from Jilai Zhi's eye corners.

Compared to the earlier reprimand, his action was gentle, even a bit itchy.

Jilai Zhi uncomfortably shifted back a bit, but his body had no leverage; it would have been better to stay still.

He remained in Silence, staring blankly at Jin Chen, still puzzled, "Why didn't you hit me?"

Jin Chen lowered his eyes and drew a bottle of antidote from the folds of his disheveled clothes.

"You brought the Blue Scale Snake venom antidote, preparing to use it on me, didn't you?"

Jilai Zhi: "..."

Jilai Zhi reacted after a few moments, changed the subject, "Are you still going to hit me?"

Jin Chen raised his hand and patted Jilai Zhi's head, his tone gentle.

"I can tolerate your occasional mischief, but not to excess. Furthermore, bringing the Blue Scale Snake is not entirely the reason you were hit."

Jilai Zhi's gaze grew more bewildered, even forgetting to resist, "Why?"

Jin Chen hooked the snake to show him, pressing the pattern on its tail, his voice cold, "This is a juvenile Blue Scale King Snake, more venomous than the Blue Scale Snake, with almost no antidote."

"If you dare to lock it in an ordinary snake cage, any carelessness will get you bitten to death."

Jilai Zhi froze, recalling last night when he snatched the snake from the night stall and shoved it into the cage, a cold sweat breaking out on his back.

"That thieving boss cheated me!"

Jin Chen lightly tapped his head, "Discerning people's hearts, honoring teachers and valuing the Dao—these are what you need to learn."

Jilai Zhi, aware he was in the wrong, lowered his head and remained silent.