Teacher, You're So Good

Gu Rong immediately understood Ning Fengzhi's intentions and had no objection whatsoever—he too felt that giving the young man money outright would be somewhat insulting.

With the potential and strength Ye Feiyang had displayed, he was already worthy of being treated as an equal.

People with such strength were usually detached from worldly matters and would not care much for money.

Otherwise, he would not have chosen such a shabby place for his academy.

Perhaps before long, even Gu Rong would find it hard to catch up to him.

"Alright, leave it to me. I guarantee it'll be handled properly."

After returning to the little courtyard, Ye Feiyang had originally wanted to show off his cooking skills himself. But on second thought, there seemed to be quite a few people today. If he stir-fried dishes, how many would he have to make? It was simply too troublesome.

In the end, he set up a hotpot in the courtyard.

"Zhu Qing, come help me out. Rong Rong, go chat with your father and the others. Say whatever you want; there's no need to hold back."

Ning Rongrong instantly understood what he meant, and a wave of emotion rose in her heart.

Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong also caught the implication in his words, and their favorable impression of Ye Feiyang deepened further.

"Teacher, can I really?" Ning Rongrong still could not quite believe it.

"Go on, go on. Stop getting in the way while I prepare the ingredients." Ye Feiyang waved her off with feigned impatience.

Ning Rongrong immediately broke into a smile—in her eyes, her teacher was incredibly handsome right now. It seemed that he had already accepted her family.

Wait, Teacher was alone now. Didn't that mean both sides had already met each other's "parents"?

Thinking of this, she felt both happy and excited, and even her steps became lighter.

After Ning Rongrong left, Ye Feiyang and Zhu Zhuqing got busy.

Ye Feiyang was in charge of slicing the meat. The slices were as thin as cicada wings and arranged neatly on plates, looking utterly appetizing. Zhu Zhuqing busied herself washing all kinds of fresh vegetables and mushrooms. Before long, the entire stone table was piled full of dishes.

Once everything was nearly ready, Ye Feiyang instructed, "Zhu Qing, go call them out for dinner."

"Yes, Teacher. I'll go right away."

By then, Ning Rongrong had clearly already talked with Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong. Her face was full of smiles, and she was in an exceptionally good mood.

Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong, following behind her, still had slightly flushed faces. Clearly, they had just discussed something that had excited them greatly.

Neither could stop smiling. Their gazes at Ye Feiyang shifted again and again, filled with admiration.

Once everyone was seated, Ning Rongrong impatiently raised her chopsticks to take the first bite, only for Ye Feiyang to stop her. "Rong Rong, don't rush to eat. Go call Xiao Wu over to join us. The more people, the livelier."

Ning Rongrong pouted, but still got to her feet. "I'll go right now. Don't you dare start eating without me!"

The moment she finished speaking, she vanished in a flash.

Naturally, Ye Feiyang had his reasons for doing this.

When he mentioned Xiao Wu just now, his gaze had deliberately lingered on Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong. He had made his stance so direct to show them that Xiao Wu was under his protection.

Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong understood the meaning behind his words as well and nodded slightly in tacit agreement.

Ning Fengzhi was the first to break the silence. Looking at Ye Feiyang, he smiled. "Headmaster Ye, this way of eating is quite novel. It looks uniquely flavorful. When I return to the sect, I would like to try it as well. Would you be willing to tell me a little about how to make this broth?"

Ye Feiyang smiled in reply. "Of course. It's only a matter of pairing spices with the base oil. I'll write down the recipe for you later."

"That would be wonderful. Then I must thank you, Headmaster Ye."

Ning Fengzhi nodded, then added gently, "That young lady Xiao Wu, Bone Uncle and I met her before. She seems to get along very well with Rong Rong, and I quite like the girl too."

"Mm, Xiao Wu has good talent. I intend to take her as my disciple." Ye Feiyang followed his lead and made his position clear.

"Haha, then I wish Headmaster Ye success in taking her under your wing soon!"

Ning Fengzhi raised his teacup in salute. Some things did not need to be said aloud; they both understood.

"Headmaster Ye, if you come to Heaven Dou City someday, have Rong Rong take you to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's residence. I have a gift for you, as a small token of my appreciation."

At the word "gift," Ye Feiyang was immediately delighted—anything Ning Fengzhi gave would surely be worth a fortune!

If he could not use it himself, he could simply sell it and instantly become rich.

He was overjoyed inside, but his face remained calm. "Hahaha~ Sect Master Ning, you're too kind. How could I possibly accept..."

Ning Fengzhi waved his hand, his tone sincere. "Consider it an advance payment toward part of my daughter's tuition. I hope Headmaster Ye will not refuse when the time comes."

"Hehe, easy enough, easy enough." Ye Feiyang accepted with a smile. His eyes swept over the table before suddenly turning toward Zhu Zhuqing, who was bent over helping everyone cook meat. "Little Zhu Qing, don't you have any awareness at all?"

"Go get the fine wine I've been saving. Today, I'm going to have a good drink with Sect Master Ning and Bone Douluo!"

Zhu Zhuqing was holding a slice of freshly cooked meat when she froze. Raising her head, her beautiful eyes were full of grievance—she had been busy serving everyone and cooking meat for them. Did the mountain of meat in their bowls grow there by itself? And that counted as having no awareness?

Besides, where was this "fine wine he'd been saving"? Weren't those all gifts Rong Rong had given Teacher?

Teacher, can't you act like a normal person for once?

She complained inwardly, but still put down her chopsticks and obediently answered, "Yes, Teacher. I'll get it right away."

His words did not affect her mood in the slightest—after all, Teacher was still young and cared quite a bit about saving face. It was best to go along with him.

Before long, Ning Rongrong returned with Xiao Wu in tow.

The moment Ye Feiyang saw Xiao Wu, he frowned. "Xiao Wu, it's only been a few days. How did you become so haggard? Are you sick?"

Ning Rongrong quickly spoke up. "Teacher, you don't know this, but when I went to find her just now, she was hiding under the covers crying!"

Ye Feiyang's frown deepened at once.

When Xiao Wu saw Ye Feiyang, her eyes instantly filled with tears, like a child who had suffered an enormous grievance and finally seen family. Then, catching sight of Gu Rong nearby, she was so frightened that she did not dare move.

Ye Feiyang stood up directly and pulled her into the empty seat beside him. "Don't be afraid. You can tell me anything. I'm protecting you. Let's see who dares touch a single finger of yours. Hold back those tears, pick up your chopsticks, and eat first."

His words were both warm and domineering, instantly putting Xiao Wu at ease.

Gu Rong and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances and both smiled helplessly—they had not done anything at all, yet they had been unfairly saddled with the blame.

Ning Fengzhi gave a light cough, feeling it necessary to clear up the misunderstanding and make his stance known.

He took out a black card and pushed it in front of Xiao Wu, speaking gently. "Girl, you are Rong Rong's good friend, so you must accept this meeting gift. There are one million Gold Soul Coins on this card. Consider it spending money to buy whatever you like."

Xiao Wu abruptly lifted her head, her eyes filled with astonishment—was he trying to curry favor with her? It had to be because of Brother Feiyang!

Suppressing the panic in her heart, she quietly declined. "No, no need, Uncle. I... I have money myself."

Ye Feiyang's eyes nearly popped out at the sight—this was one million! He would be lying if he said he was not envious.

"If Sect Master Ning gives it to you, just accept it with peace of mind. Why be polite with him?" As he spoke, he turned to Ning Fengzhi with a smile. "Haha, Sect Master Ning, you've really spent too much."

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong immediately twisted the knife from the side. "Dad, do you look down on Senior Sister Zhu Qing? Why doesn't she get one?"

Ning Fengzhi's hand paused as he picked up food. He rubbed his forehead with a laugh of exasperation. "Look at my memory—I'm getting senile! Yes, yes, everyone gets one!"

As he spoke, he readily gave Zhu Zhuqing an identical black card.

Zhu Zhuqing knew that Teacher liked money, so she did not stand on ceremony and accepted it directly—even if she refused, Ye Feiyang would definitely urge her to take it. There was no need to beat around the bush.

Ye Feiyang waited and waited, but in the end, he received nothing at all.

He secretly curled his lip and grumbled inwardly. This filthy rich bastard really has no awareness! Everyone gets one except me, is that it?

"Headmaster Ye, allow me to offer you a toast." Ning Fengzhi raised his wine cup, his tone sincere. "Thank you for your careful guidance and care toward my daughter."

"Since she has entered my school, I will naturally treat her wholeheartedly. Sect Master Ning need not be so polite." Ye Feiyang raised his cup in return. Anyone could say the right things.

The meal was fairly harmonious overall, aside from a certain headmaster feeling just a tiny bit unbalanced because he had not received a gift.

After the banquet ended, Ning Fengzhi and Gu Rong took their leave.

The moment they left, Xiao Wu's forced strength completely crumbled. Tears fell like beads from a broken string, and she burst into tears.

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong looked at each other, having no idea why she had suddenly started crying. They hurried over, took her hands, and continuously comforted her.

Ye Feiyang understood that Xiao Wu must have endured a great deal of pressure these past two days. Feeling somewhat distressed for her, he stepped forward and rubbed her back to soothe her.

Afterward, he sent Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong off to train while he took Xiao Wu out for a walk.

The forest path was quiet and long. A breeze passed through, rustling the leaves and making the surroundings seem even deeper and more tranquil.

"Brother Feiyang... thank you." Xiao Wu's voice was still choked with sobs, but every word carried sincere gratitude.

Ye Feiyang sighed softly and reached out to pat her head, nearly knocking off the rabbit ears she had hidden in her hair.

He awkwardly withdrew his hand, gave a light cough, and looked into the distance. "In around ten days, I'll be taking Rong Rong and Zhu Qing away from here."

Xiao Wu hurriedly straightened her rabbit ears. Hearing that, her heart clenched sharply.

Without a second thought, she dropped to her knees before Ye Feiyang with a thud, her voice urgent. "Xiao Wu is willing to take you as her master! Teacher... is it, is it still not too late?"

She had already considered this thought countless times. At this moment, she no longer wanted to deceive herself—if she kept hesitating, she would begin to despise herself.

She had always acted decisively in the past. Why had she become so hesitant this time?

During this period of time together, she had truly felt how good Ye Feiyang was to her. Every day, she watched Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing train diligently without complaint. Not only had their Soul Power risen rapidly, but their combat abilities had also grown stronger and stronger. Whenever they mentioned Ye Feiyang, their eyes shone.

She had regretted it long ago, regretted that she had not immediately agreed to become his disciple.

At this moment, her eyes were incomparably determined. All she wanted was to follow the man before her. Even Tang San, her childhood friend, could not shake her resolve.

Ye Feiyang was startled by her sudden action and quickly bent down to help her up, a gentle smile on his face. "Of course it's not too late."

He deliberately wanted to add a little more weight to make Xiao Wu firmer in her choice, so he added, "To tell you the truth, the reason I was willing to stay here for a month was because I was waiting for you to say those words."

He intentionally slowed his tone, tugging at Xiao Wu's emotions. Before she could speak, he continued, "Since you are willing to take me as your master, come to my residence tonight. I'll give you a gift for becoming my disciple."

Xiao Wu's heart pounded at those words. Her nose stung, and her eyes reddened again—she had never expected to hear something so moving.

Had he stayed behind for her?

But what was there about her that was worth him doing this? Could it be... he had taken a fancy to her?

Ye Feiyang had no idea what Xiao Wu was thinking, but her guess was not entirely wrong—he had indeed "taken a fancy" to Xiao Wu, and had "craved" her for a long time. He had gone to all this trouble precisely to take her as his disciple.

"Then... can I still call you Brother Feiyang?" Xiao Wu lifted her head, her eyes full of anticipation.

Ye Feiyang did not really mind. It was only a form of address—besides, being called "Brother" by such a soft and adorable girl felt rather nice.

"Of course. But you can't call me that in front of others. You have to call me Teacher."

Having received permission, Xiao Wu's heart immediately leaped with joy, and a smile returned to her face. "Alright, I'll remember, Brother Feiyang!"

Seeing that her emotions had settled considerably, Ye Feiyang cleared his throat and added, "Rong Rong and Zhu Qing will reach level thirty soon. When the time comes, I'll take them to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for soul rings. Do you want to come with us? You can take me to meet Da Ming and Er Ming while we're there."

Xiao Wu's pupils suddenly contracted. She looked up in shock. "Teacher, how do you... how do you know Da Ming and Er Ming?"

Ye Feiyang smiled and gently rubbed the top of her head. "There are some things I'll explain to you slowly in the future. Just remember this: you will never regret the choice you made today."

Seeing that Xiao Wu's face was still somewhat pale, he brushed aside the loose strands of hair over her forehead, his tone softening. "Look at you. How did you wear yourself down like this? If I had returned a few days later, would you have fallen ill?"

Xiao Wu's nose stung, and tears nearly welled up again—this man was far too good at making hearts flutter. Why did she want to cry again?

She had to admit that the feeling of being cared for and held in someone's heart was truly wonderful.

Just as she was about to express her gratitude, Ye Feiyang put on a stern face and said, "Hold those tears back!"

He raised an eyebrow and deliberately teased her. "Where did that optimistic, smiling Xiao Wu go? Why have you turned into such a little crybaby? I still prefer the cheerful and lively you from before."

"I won't cry, I won't cry anymore! Teacher, I won't cry again from now on!" Xiao Wu quickly sniffed and forced herself to smile. "I'll go with you! I'll take you to meet them! When we get back, I'll explain everything clearly to Third Brother."

Ye Feiyang nodded slightly, but inwardly he pondered whether taking away the "sheath" that had originally belonged to Tang San would trigger changes in the later plot.

But on second thought, things had already reached this point. There seemed to be no need to care too much about how the plot would develop.

Thinking of this, he suddenly remembered something—

Should I make a trip to the Yin Yang Well? he mused. It's an excellent place for tempering the body, and there are plenty of precious natural treasures there. It's about time I went to take a look.

At the thought of those ten-thousand-year Immortal Herbs, his heart burned with excitement—that place would bear the Ye name in the future.

He had not gone before because the area was shrouded in poisonous mist, and Poison Douluo was always appearing and disappearing unpredictably. With only the strength of a Soul Emperor at the time, he had no confidence in dealing with him.

But now, he was absolutely certain of victory. Naturally, there was no reason to let such an opportunity go.

Ordinary training could improve one's physique, but with the aid of natural treasures and the special environment of the Yin Yang Well, who knew how much faster that improvement would be.

With so many benefits, why not?

Moreover, his own physique still had plenty of room to improve, making the trip all the more necessary.

He had actually been "craving" the Immortal Herbs growing there for a long time as well.

He looked at Xiao Wu and casually asked, "How much longer until you reach level thirty?"

The moment he asked, he slapped his forehead and said with a smile, "Look at my memory. I nearly forgot—you can now condense your own soul ring."

Xiao Wu could not help laughing—she felt as though she had no secrets at all before Ye Feiyang. Perhaps he even knew exactly how many hairs she had.

In the past, that feeling would have terrified her. But now, hearing him say this only made her feel safe—the feeling of not having to tread carefully because of her identity was wonderful.

She lowered her head and softly muttered something without context. "Teacher, you're so good."