Chapter 0: Qin Gou, Nothing More Than This
The Next Morning.
For some unknown reason, the old teachers of Heaven’s Substitution Academy, who had been indifferent and deliberately ignored me yesterday, became extremely enthusiastic and amiable today, even proactively asking Qin Gou if he needed to use their classes.
Old Qin, who typically ate soft but not hard, finally felt a bit embarrassed today. He was deeply moved and, in front of everyone, harshly criticized the barbaric and rude act of arbitrarily occupying others’ class time. Without hesitation, he fulfilled their wish, and Qin Gou once again took over all the morning classes.
“Mr. Qin!”
As soon as he entered the classroom, Jin Ping greeted him with a beaming smile. She pursed her lips and said with a smile, “This is for you.”
Qin Gou took the small black porcelain bottle from Jin Ping’s hand and asked curiously, “What is this?”
“It’s Little Black’s blood, the little black dog in the academy! That ghostly thing is despicable and cunning, with many tricks. I can’t guarantee it won’t harm you from the shadows, so I wanted to give this to you as soon as possible to ensure everything is foolproof,” Jin Ping said with a serious expression and tone.
Upon hearing this, Qin Gou understood implicitly and said with a smile, “I understand. Thank you, Jin Ping. You’re very thoughtful.”
The legend that black dog blood and donkey hooves are nemesis to ghost cultivators is widely spread. However, for ghost cultivators with real skill, these little tricks are not enough. Moreover, there are no ghost cultivators in Heaven’s Substitution Academy anyway…
But at least, the girl had good intentions.
“Alright, I won’t keep Mr. Qin any longer.” Jin Ping was satisfied, smiled sweetly, and walked back to her seat with her hands behind her back.
Meanwhile, Qin Gou casually placed the small black porcelain bottle on the lectern.
This scene was all witnessed by the seemingly silly little black dog playing by itself at the entrance of the classroom.
“This is outrageous, calling me a ‘ghostly thing’! Jin Ping has indeed been bought by Qin Gou. She seems to know a little about the Little Saint Monarch, but not everything! Even the Master of Arc-Moon Mountain would never have imagined that I would dare to cut off my own arm to prove my innocence and obediently let Jin Ping and the others take the blood as proof!”
“Seeing how Qin Gou is not carefully guarding my blood right now, just putting it down like a useless item, clearly shows that my composure and calmness last night worked, reducing the suspicion to the lowest level. Lord Jingle, can you see how exceptionally intelligent I am!”
“Alright, time’s up. Everyone, quiet down.”
At this moment, Qin Gou lightly tapped the lectern with his finger and said with a slight smile, “It’s me again for physical education today. Aren’t you all moved?”
“What?”
“Are we going to run non-stop like yesterday again?”
“So what? Mr. Qin paid out of his own pocket and gave us such precious Jade Bone Body Tempering Liquid yesterday. If you don’t want to run, I do!”
Qin Gou waved his hand nonchalantly and said, “Don’t worry, I’m not a devil. Why would I torture you like that every day? Today, we’ll change the method. I plan to personally test each of you to see your actual combat power. I believe that only by accurately understanding the true strength of each student can I teach them according to their aptitude.”
“How does Mr. Qin plan to test us?” a student asked with lingering fear.
“Of course, by having you all spar with me one-on-one. Regardless of the reason, no one is allowed to intentionally hold back. I will observe carefully, and any offenders will be severely punished.” As he spoke, Qin Gou’s gaze swept over everyone’s faces with a smile.
“Then, Mr. Qin, could you tell us your true cultivation realm?”
“Peak Dharma Aspect Realm.”
“What? The Fa, Dharma Aspect Realm?”
“What do you mean by ‘peak’? Doesn’t every cultivation realm only have early, middle, late, and peak stages?”
Qin Gou couldn’t help but chuckle and spread his hands, “Just a little classroom joke, and you took it seriously? I’m actually only in the late Li Jiu Realm.”
“Mr. Qin looks to be around our age, yet he’s already a late Li Jiu Realm expert?”
“Given time, Mr. Qin has the potential to cultivate the Dao!”
“But the difference in strength is too great.”
Jin Ping hesitated for a moment and said, “Indeed, Mr. Qin. Most of us are in the Qi Gathering Realm or Artifact Forging Realm. The strongest among us is only at the peak of the Artifact Forging Realm, and we haven’t even fully manifested our Natal Spirit Tools. This level of cultivation might have been considerable in the past in the mortal world, but compared to you, it’s too insignificant. If we really spar later, it’s inevitable…”
“You’re afraid I might accidentally go too hard?” Qin Gou asked.
Everyone nodded in unison.
Qin Gou frowned. True, his apparent late Li Jiu Realm cultivation was enough to make these little fellows hesitant, and his actual combat power, far exceeding that of the same realm, made it difficult to avoid a slip-up.
“Alright, give me three minutes to consider.” Qin Gou nodded slightly. “You all brainstorm too. Think of other ways to showcase your skills under my hand without getting hurt.”
For a moment, the entire classroom buzzed with lively discussion, while Qin Gou fell into a temporary silence.
Outside the door, the little black dog, which appeared unremarkable, had a flicker of disdain and contempt flash in its eyes.
“So that’s how it is. He wants to use mutual sparring to force out the ‘Little Saint Monarch’s’ true strength and expose his true colors?”
“Unfortunately, I’m not among those fools. It seems Qin Gou no longer suspects me and has decided to focus on those students. This is for the best!”
Muttering to himself, the little black dog grinned and, no longer paying attention to anything inside the classroom, trotted away.
“This Qin Gou is cunning and almost saw through my true form. Unfortunately, he entrusted the wrong person. That idiot Jin Ping blurted out that you were the mastermind at the time. And in that situation last night, if you had come to get the blood yourself instead of asking Jin Ping and the others, I’m afraid I would have been so scared that I would have confessed on the spot. In the end, you were still one move short.”
A human-like smile appeared on the little black dog’s lips, full of pride. “What Master of Arc-Moon Mountain? Nothing more than this!”
Just then, a surge of spiritual power suddenly enveloped the little black dog, causing its small body to soar into the air. A powerful suction force pulled it back into the classroom.
“What’s going on?”
The little black dog inexplicably crashed into a pair of arms. After a moment of dizziness and finally regaining its senses, it looked up and met Qin Gou’s gaze.
“We meet again, little one.”
“Awoo wuwu!” The little black dog screamed uncontrollably, its doggy eyes filled with terror and dread.
Qin Gou smiled, holding the little black dog in one arm. Suddenly, using spiritual power as a blade, he Painlessly plucked a strand of long fur from its body and held it tightly.
“Everyone, let’s use this.”
“It’s over, the second piece of evidence!”
The little black dog was instantly terrified beyond its wits, its heart and spirit shattered. Its fluffy tail stood straight and stiff like a pillar. What could be more representative of “always carried on your person” than its own dog fur, which also doubled as its human form’s clothing?!
