New Training, Uncle Li's Son?

The next day, everyone returned to Spirit Hall.

Qian Xunji called Ban Shu and Bibi Dong to Pope Palace, while Golden Crocodile Douluo returned to the Worship Hall.

As for Red Hare, Qian Xunji found someone who specialized in caring for horses to look after him. He even specifically instructed them to use only the best of everything.

In Pope Palace, Ban Shu stood with his head lowered, full of worry. It looked like he was in for a scolding after all.

Beside him, Bibi Dong patted him and raised a fist, giving Ban Shu an encouraging gesture.

Just then, Qian Xunji walked over and stopped in front of them. Then he slowly extended a hand.

Ban Shu was so frightened that he hardly dared breathe. All he could do was pray that his teacher wouldn't be too angry.

But Qian Xunji did nothing of the sort. Instead, he placed a hand on each of their heads and gently patted them twice.

"Xiao Ban, Dong'er, you did an excellent job completing my mission over the past six months. Very well done."

Seeing the slight curve of Qian Xunji's lips, Ban Shu finally breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed his teacher wasn't holding yesterday's incident against him. Thank goodness, thank goodness.

But then Qian Xunji's tone changed.

"But! That's still not enough!"

As he spoke, Qian Xunji took two plans out of his Soul Tool. One was clearly much thicker than the other.

"These are your missions for the next six months, perhaps even the next year. You'd better be prepared. This won't be like those little games you've had before!"

At that, Ban Shu's heart, which had only just settled, leapt back into his throat. Even Bibi Dong looked a little uneasy.

"Especially Xiao Ban!"

Qian Xunji glanced at Ban Shu. "To keep someone from having the leisure to pick up any more strange things, I've decided to double his training!"

"Double!"

"His training!"

Qian Xunji's words struck Ban Shu like a bolt from the blue, leaving his heart battered and bruised.

Looking at Ban Shu's bitter, twisted expression, Qian Xunji felt refreshed. He tossed the plans to them and left with a smile.

"Xiao Ban, stay strong."

Bibi Dong's lips twitched as she patted his shoulder and offered him her heartfelt encouragement.

"You've been laughing this whole time! You haven't stopped once!"

Ban Shu glared at Bibi Dong with dead-fish eyes, speechless. Under his pointed look, she finally couldn't hold back. Laughing uproariously, she slapped his shoulder again and again.

"Hey, Sister Dong'er, that's enough!"

Ban Shu irritably pushed Bibi Dong's hand away, then flipped through the plan, which felt exceptionally thick to him.

"This is so hard..."

Ban Shu wore a bitter expression. But what could he do? Qian Xunji had already made up his mind, and there was no way Ban Shu could change it.

The training plan for the second half of the year included everything from before, plus Soul Master combat practice, exercises based on textbook knowledge, and practical wilderness survival training.

On top of all that, Ban Shu had something even more important to do: take on missions assigned by Spirit Hall.

Though Spirit Hall wasn't part of either of the two great empires, its strength was in no way inferior to theirs, earning it the title of the Third Empire.

Spirit Hall claimed it had no intention of founding an empire, but the other two great nations didn't see it that way.

As a result, Spirit Hall had many espionage missions. Of course, Ban Shu couldn't get involved in those yet.

He was still too young, and Qian Xunji was reluctant to expose him to the convoluted schemes of those in power.

In Qian Xunji's heart, Ban Shu and Bibi Dong were already practically his own children. He wanted them to grow up happy and carefree.

Of course, that was as long as he wasn't corrupted by fate's will. But with Ban Shu around, no mishaps should occur.

In the morning, Ban Shu stared at the books—twice as many as before—and felt his head grow heavy. But there was no helping it. He had made this mess himself, so he'd have to finish it even if he cried.

At noon, Ban Shu went to see Red Hare and asked the horse keeper there to teach him a few tricks for caring for horses.

Ban Shu had decided to raise Red Hare himself so they could build a rapport.

In the afternoon, Ban Shu began his basic physical training again.

The training methods on Douluo Continent were extremely primitive. After all, not even a decent cultivation technique had ever appeared here. One Mysterious Heaven Skill was enough to outclass every meditation method.

Fortunately, Ban Shu had already made quite a few exercise machines from his previous life. They were useful for basic training, and Bibi Dong used them too.

He was just a homebody who hardly ever exercised, but even if he'd never seen a pig run, surely he'd seen pork on a plate. By copying what he remembered, he could at least make a few things.

Normally, combat practice came after basic physical training, but today was a little different.

Li Yan hadn't come alone today. He brought along a handsome young man in his early twenties, with a gentle air about him, to the training grounds.

"Xiao Ban, this is my son, Li Ling."

Li Yan patted his son and introduced him to Ban Shu. "From today on, he'll be your sparring partner. You two should get along."

"Hello, Brother Ling."

Ban Shu smiled politely at Li Ling. "It's nice to meet you."

Li Ling seemed a little shy. Facing Ban Shu, he only scratched his head and smiled. "Hello, hello. You're Ban Shu, right? My dad's told me about you."

Seeing that the two seemed to be getting along, Li Yan nodded in satisfaction. "Xiao Ban, from now on, you'll be sparring partners. Son, do your best."

"Okay, Dad." Li Ling hurriedly nodded.

Li Yan pulled Ban Shu aside, looking rather proud. "Well, Xiao Ban? This is my son, Li Ling."

"Mm."

Ban Shu rested his chin in his hand, nodded, and said with great seriousness, "He really is handsome and talented. But Brother Ling takes more after his auntie, doesn't he?"

"Huh? How did you know?"

Li Yan looked surprised. "Everyone says that. Did you all plan this?"

Ban Shu smiled and shook his head, then slowly stepped away from him. "Well, judging by your looks alone, Uncle Li, there's no way you could have had a son like Brother Ling."

"You brat! Finding new ways to insult me!"

Though Li Yan knew Ban Shu was only joking, he still glared at him and reached out to flick him on the forehead.

"Heh heh, can't catch me!"

Ban Shu nimbly twisted aside, dodging Li Yan's attack, then ran several meters away.

Li Yan was rather surprised. He hadn't expected Ban Shu to dodge his attack. Even though he hadn't used Soul Power, he was a Soul Saint. How could an ordinary person possibly evade him?

"What a Little Monster."

Once again, Li Yan marveled to himself. He reached out and effortlessly picked Ban Shu up. "You're still too green to take me on!"

Dangling in the air, Ban Shu crossed his arms and looked unconvinced. "Uncle Li, you're bullying me! I'm telling my teacher!"

"Go ahead and tell him."

Li Yan rolled his eyes. "Let's see if your teacher even listens to you."

"Hmph!"

Ban Shu folded his arms and puffed out his cheeks, looking utterly unwilling to admit defeat.