Instilling Yun Yun with Dog Path Theory, Fighting Queen Medusa for Heavenly Flames

Not long after Ji Changqing returned, Yun Yun also came back to the sect.

Before Ji Changqing even had time to wash up, Yun Yun saw his tattered clothes. Her eyes immediately welled with tears.

"Changqing, you... you've suffered."

Since childhood, she had never let Ji Changqing suffer much grievance.

But this trial was different. For Ji Changqing to suffer fewer injuries in the future, she had to harden her heart.

Thus, after applying ointment to Ji Changqing's wounds,

Yun Yun put on a stern expression, formed a disciplinary rod from Dou Qi, and gave Ji Changqing's palm three neither-light-nor-heavy strikes.

"Do you know why I'm hitting you?"

"No."

"Actually, I followed you in secret throughout this trip down the mountain."

Shock appeared on Ji Changqing's handsome face as he stammered,

"Master, you... I... How did I not see you?!"

"Hmph. If you had seen me, then all my years of cultivation would have been for nothing."

Yun Yun snorted and continued,

"The greatest mistake you made during this trial was knowing full well that you were in a disorderly group, yet failing to guard against being followed before searching for opportunities."

"Luckily, that young lady had a flying magical beast. Otherwise, you would have truly been in danger this time."

"Also, that cave looked quite well-hidden. Other than two scrolls of Dou Techniques, why didn't you take even a single spiritual herb?"

"Changqing, you're an alchemist. Wouldn't having spiritual herbs make it easier for you to practice Alchemy Skill?"

At this, Yun Yun struck Ji Changqing's hand three more times with the disciplinary rod.

Perhaps three strikes did not satisfy her anger, so she continued hitting him several more times.

"Hmph, I saw that girl's bamboo basket. It was so full of spiritual herbs that they were practically overflowing. Did you give her your share just because you thought she was pretty?"

At first, seeing Yun Yun hit Ji Changqing's hand, Nalan Yanran had tenderly held his hand and blown on it.

But upon hearing that last sentence,

Nalan Yanran immediately let go of Ji Changqing's hand and said indignantly,

"Master, hit that stinky senior brother a few more times!"

Ji Changqing's head was about to explode.

He explained helplessly,

"Master, Junior Sister, I got a flying Dou Technique and a high-grade Xuan-tier Dou Technique. I'm the one who got the better deal, okay?"

Those two Dou Techniques were too weak, so there was no need to hide them.

They could serve as the strength he displayed openly.

Ji Changqing had thought that explanation would satisfy Yun Yun and Nalan Yanran.

Who would have thought...

"What?! You even took advantage of that girl?!"

Ji Changqing: "..."

Yun Yun lectured him for over an hour.

In truth, Ji Changqing understood Yun Yun's feelings very well.

He could even empathize with them.

And Ji Changqing had this to say: everyone has their moment of glory. Don't mistake a moment for forever. What goes around comes around.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye, and it was once again time for the "mysterious senior" to train Yun Yun.

It was the same hillside.

Yun Yun lowered her head, her slender hands kneading the hem of her skirt. From time to time, she raised her beautiful eyes and anxiously glanced at the blue mist beneath the tree canopy.

Sigh, after three encounters, she had noticed something interesting.

This senior's habits seemed so much like Changqing's.

They both liked standing in inconspicuous places.

"If Senior sees Changqing, she'll probably like him very much..."

With that thought flashing through her mind, Yun Yun softly said,

"Mysterious Elder Grandma, Yun Yun knows her mistake. I definitely won't make a similar mistake again."

Whoosh—

Whoosh—

Several pebbles condensed from Dou Qi flew out of the blue mist in succession, each one striking Yun Yun squarely on her smooth forehead.

"Do you know why I'm hitting you?"

Yun Yun felt pain, but did not dare raise a hand to rub it.

"I... I know."

"Hmph. I had been following you in secret ever since you entered the Monster Beast Mountain Range."

Yun Yun stared at the blue mist in shock.

She had thought this senior had merely witnessed her battle with the Purple Crystal Winged Lion King. She had not expected her to have followed her from so early on.

"Senior, how did I not see... Ah..."

Halfway through speaking, Yun Yun froze.

Had she heard those words somewhere before?

I think that's exactly how I lectured Changqing...

A trace of oddness flashed through Yun Yun's heart, so she changed her phrasing.

"Then, Senior, did you see my eldest disciple?"

"I did. A fine and talented young man."

"Hehe, I think so too."

Hearing the Mysterious Elder Grandma she admired praise her disciple so highly, Yun Yun replied with delight.

"The greatest mistake you made when fighting that beast was failing to assess the gap between your strength and its."

Ji Changqing slowly instilled his Dog Path theories into Yun Yun.

In this regard, Yun Yun was clearly still inferior to Nalan Yanran.

"Remember this: whenever there is a battle, before fighting, you must first assess the difference in strength between both sides."

"Tell me, if you have a fifty percent chance of winning, what should you do?"

Yun Yun frowned as she thought, but before she could think for long,

a pebble struck her forehead.

Ji Changqing spoke in exasperation,

"Run! Of course you run!"

"Even hesitating for one second over this question is completely wrong!"

"What's the difference between a fifty percent chance and courting death? Why are you thinking instead of running?!"

Yun Yun stared somewhat blankly at the rippling blue mist beneath the tree canopy.

She had originally thought...

With this senior's abilities, even if she encountered a powerful enemy, she would fight to the death to uphold a strong expert's dignity.

Yet she had never expected such an answer.

Yun Yun realized something.

This senior seemed different from other experts.

Take her master, Yun Shan, for example.

They were simply polar opposites.

If it were Yun Shan...

What? Our strength is evenly matched? Then why are you acting so arrogant in front of me?!

"Hmph, let me ask you again. What should you do with a sixty, seventy, eighty, or ninety percent chance of winning?"

Yun Yun swallowed with difficulty.

The answer to the first question had shaken her confidence, and she stammered,

"Y-you should strike cautiously..."

Smack—

Another pebble hit her on the head.

The crisp sound made it clear this was not the first time.

"Why do you only know how to attack?"

"Does that even need thinking? Of course..."

Ji Changqing did not say the final word, "run."

If he instilled Dog Path ideology too thoroughly at once, Yun Yun might easily go astray.

Forget it. Better to take it slowly.

"Sigh, with a sixty percent chance, avoid the fight if possible. With seventy percent, call people over and gang up on them. With eighty percent, an ambush is best. With ninety percent, make thorough preparations."

"Lastly, with a hundred percent certainty..."

Yun Yun was completely dumbfounded.

Her worldview of "we cultivators should struggle against others, struggle against the earth, struggle against the heavens" was suffering relentless, violent blows.

She stared blankly at the blue mist, waiting for the senior's final words.

"With a hundred percent certainty, kill with one strike. Erase the soul and eliminate all future trouble."

That night, upon the hillside, Ji Changqing imparted the essence of the Dog Path to Yun Yun.

That night, upon the hillside, a new star of the Dog Path rose slowly.

Several more days passed in a flash.

On this day, Gu He came to visit alone, his tone solemn and earnest.

"Sect Leader, Gu He has made all the necessary preparations. I respectfully ask the Sect Leader to help me fight for the Heavenly Flames in the Tagor Desert!"