Ash Yuanba’s dagger was aimed at Sauron’s root of life, about to strike down.
“Ash Yuanba, you are not your mother’s biological son, are you?” Sauron suddenly said.
At these words, the unruly child Ash Yuanba’s expression changed, and he shrieked, “Nonsense, nonsense! I am my mother’s biological son. If you dare speak such nonsense again, I shall not only castrate you, I shall cut out your tongue as well.”
Sauron was certainly not speaking nonsense.
Because women who possessed the Dragon Yin Severed Meridians were basically unable to bear children.
Originally, Ash Liren should have found it difficult to live past the age of twenty. But due to the extraordinary power of King Dongli Jiang Shang, the energy of Ash Liren’s Dragon Yin Severed Meridians was transformed into powerful cultivation.
Yet under this bone-piercing, icy cold energy, no foetus could possibly endure it.
Of course, this matter was not an absolute secret within the Ash clan. But whose child Ash Yuanba specifically was, no one knew.
In any case, not only did Ash Liren dote upon him and treat him as her own, but even Count Ash Mo, the City Lord of Rouran, was extremely fond and indulgent of this child.
Sauron said, “Your lawlessness and overbearing behaviour, is it because you want your mother to stay home with you often, rather than being away all the time? The more mischief you cause, the more worried she becomes about you. Is that not what you want?”
“Hmph, do you think yourself very clever?” Ash Yuanba said. “I do not attend school, and I drive away tutors, merely because they are too stupid. They cannot answer the questions I ask, and their lessons are utterly uninteresting.”
Sauron said, “I guarantee that my lessons will hold your eyes transfixed, and you will not wish to miss a single sentence.”
“Boasting…” Ash Yuanba said.
Sauron said, “Then shall we make a wager? In tomorrow’s first lesson, if within half an hour I cannot hold your eyes transfixed and leave you unable to tear yourself away, I shall resign of my own accord. How about that?”
“Not only must you get out, but you must strip naked and run a circle around our residence,” Ash Yuanba said.
“Very well.” Sauron said, “And if, within half an hour, I do hold your eyes transfixed and leave you unable to tear yourself away, what then?”
The unruly child said, “Then I shall acknowledge you as my master, and never cause mischief again. And in tomorrow’s lesson, I shall have three questions. Only if you answer them will I truly acknowledge you.”
Sauron looked at Ash Yuanba for quite some time, and said, “I know that the questions you ask must be very serious and earnest.”
“Hmph…” The unruly child Ash Yuanba moved the dagger away from Sauron’s root of life.
Sauron suddenly said, “In truth, no matter what, you would never truly use the blade. Because you would not do anything that would truly displease your mother.”
“You know nothing. Do not pretend that you understand me.” Ash Yuanba said.
Then, with a wave of his hand, he led the four martial arts youths out in a rush.
At this point, Sauron already had a general understanding of this unruly child.
This was indeed the most difficult student to deal with, because he was extremely, extremely clever, possessed of boundless energy, and his mind roamed freely through the heavens.
Basically, he could grasp anything with a single hint, and learn anything with a single lesson.
But,偏偏 he was interested in nothing, and did not know what he truly liked.
Moreover, on the surface he appeared overbearing and unruly, as if very naughty and ignorant. In truth, he was very precocious, and knew a great many things.
Of course, at the root of it all, this was a brilliantly clever, energetic adolescent in the throes of puberty.
Therefore, to awe him, the lessons Sauron gave needed to be extremely unexpected, extremely astonishing.
Of course, by this time Sauron already had a plan in mind.
…
“Mistress, the young master and the newly arrived Sir Yan Ziyu have made a wager,” the female warrior reported.
“Mm.” Ash Liren lay languidly.
The alien female warrior said, “Sir Yan Ziyu said that in tomorrow’s first lesson, he would hold the young master’s eyes transfixed and leave him unable to tear himself away within half an hour.”
Ash Liren said, “Difficult. Almost impossible.”
The alien female warrior said, “Who would say otherwise? Young Master Yuanba is brilliantly clever and knows a great many things. To try to awe him with some novel knowledge is basically impossible. However, Sir Yan Ziyu seemed very confident, saying that if he could not do it, he would strip naked and run a circle around our residence. And if he succeeded, the young master would acknowledge him as master.”
At this, Ash Liren finally showed interest. She sat up, her proud figure rising, and said, “Oh? Then I shall wait and see.”
The female warrior said, “Indeed, the fundamental reason young Master Yuanba has driven away so many tutors is that none of them could awe him.”
Ash Liren closed her book and said, “Then sleep early tonight. Tomorrow, we shall see whether this newly arrived sir possesses true ability, or merely knows how to talk grandly.”
The female warrior said, “Fu Yuan remains very lazy. As Sir Yan Ziyu’s personal maidservant, she has been absent the entire day.”
Ash Liren frowned and said, “Let her be. Does she still beat her daughter?”
The female warrior said, “After she took her anger out on Qinqin last time, I went to warn her, saying that if she dared beat Qinqin again, we would throw her out. These past few days, she has not taken her anger out on Qinqin. In truth, every time after beating Qinqin, she herself also cries very hard.”
Ash Liren said coldly, “If she dares beat Qinqin again, you go and break her fingers.”
The female warrior started, then said, “Yes.”
“Sleep.” Ash Liren said.
Then, she walked into the inner room, came to a small bed, tucked little A’nan in, her jade hand gently caressing A’nan’s small face, a flash of heartache passing through her beautiful eyes.
Ever since Ash Luo had planted evil poison within A’nan’s body, she had lost a full circle of weight.
One could say that if not for Ash Liren’s supreme martial arts, A’nan would have died countless times over.
…
Early the next morning, Sauron rose.
Today was his first lesson. He needed to completely awe the unruly child Ash Yuanba within half an hour.
If he won, he would stay. If he lost, he would strip naked and run, then get out.
Of course, the reason he was excited was not because of this, but because he would likely soon see his daughter Fu Qinqin.
Because Ash Liren would likely have A’nan and Qinqin accompany the unruly child to the lesson together.
After breakfast, Sauron headed to the residence’s schoolroom.
At this time, the unruly child Ash Yuanba and the four youths were already seated properly.
But there was no sign of his daughter Fu Qinqin.
Seeing Sauron, the unruly child Ash Yuanba said, “Just wait to strip naked and run, then get out. Brothers, have the things been prepared?”
Immediately, one of the youths beside him fawningly placed a crate upon the table and opened it for Ash Yuanba to see.
Sauron glanced at it, and his scalp nearly went numb.
Inside were rotten tomatoes, rotten eggs, and even dog excrement.
“Hehe…” Ash Yuanba said, “Surnamed Yan, do you see these treasures? We have prepared four crates in total. If your lesson fails to interest me, I shall throw these rotten eggs and dog excrement at your face.”
Then, the other youths demonstratively placed the remaining three crates upon the table.
Sauron was speechless. Were this unruly child not Ash Liren’s son, he would have been beaten to death eight times over by now.
Previously he had merely beaten tutors and driven them away. Now he was actually throwing dog excrement at tutors.
A moment later, Ash Liren appeared, holding the little girl A’nan by the hand.
She had actually come to listen to today’s first lesson?
But still, there was no sign of his daughter Fu Qinqin.
The unruly child Ash Yuanba said, “A’nan, where is the little mute? Why did she not come?”
“Qinqin is not a mute. I hate you, I do not wish to speak to you.” Little A’nan said unhappily.
Ash Liren glanced at her son Ash Yuanba and said, “Three lashes. Come to your mother’s room tonight to receive them.”
She had established rules for her son. He was not permitted to call Qinqin a little mute. The first time, he would receive one lash, and each subsequent time, one additional lash.
This was the third time the unruly child had called Fu Qinqin a little mute.
“Understood.” The unruly child Ash Yuanba showed no fear at the prospect of being beaten. Instead, he seemed somewhat excited. It appeared that even being beaten by his mother was something he savoured.
Ash Liren said, “A’nan, answer your brother’s question now.”
Little A’nan said, “Qinqin is shy around strangers, so she did not come. But I think she dislikes brother, because brother always bullies her.”
The unruly child Ash Yuanba said, “What fun is there in bullying little girls? Bullying tutors is the real fun. A’nan, watch your brother bully this bearded tutor. In a moment, when he loses, he will have to strip naked and run a circle around our home.”
At these words, little A’nan actually showed an expectant gaze as well.
Ash Liren paid no heed to her son’s treatment of the tutor. Because yesterday Sauron had boasted grandly. If he could not deliver, then he deserved to be humiliated by a child.
“Begin, Sir Yan Ziyu.” Ash Liren said, then she too found a seat and sat down.
Sauron took a deep breath, temporarily setting aside his longing for his daughter Qinqin, and began his first lesson.
In this first lesson, he must awe not only the unruly child Ash Yuanba, but also Ash Liren.
…
Sauron took out a crate, and from it produced the first prop for his lesson. A cup, a glass cup.
“What is this?” Sauron asked.
“A cup…” Below, only the little girl A’nan answered.
The unruly child scoffed, showing disdain.
Sauron came before A’nan and said, “What is your name?”
“Ashi Nan.” A’nan said. She had indeed been adopted by Ash Liren as her daughter.
Sauron handed her the cup and said, “Examine this cup.”
A’nan took it, looked at it curiously, then handed it to Ash Liren.
Ash Liren observed it briefly and found nothing unusual about the cup. It was merely an ordinary glass cup.
“Show me.” The unruly child Ash Yuanba said.
Sauron handed the glass cup to Ash Yuanba. He turned it over and over but could make nothing of it, then ordered, “Prepare the rotten eggs. Two minutes have passed, and this lesson is utterly uninteresting.”
Then, the four youths picked up rotten eggs. At the unruly child’s command, they would hurl them at Sauron’s face.
Sauron placed the cup upon the table, retreated two feet, placed his hands behind his back, and said, “I am now two feet from this cup. I shall absolutely not touch it with anything, yet I can shatter it.”
“Impossible…” The unruly child said bluntly.
Ash Liren also looked on in puzzlement, her beautiful eyes widening.
Even with her martial arts, she would need to flick out dragon power to shatter the cup.
Yet now this Yan Ziyu had his hands behind his back, and his martial arts were so poor. It was basically impossible for him to strike objects from a distance. That was something only a Dragon Warrior or above could accomplish.
Instantly, everyone’s eyes fixed upon Sauron, disbelieving that he could do it.
Sauron aimed at the cup, and suddenly let out a piercing scream from his mouth.
“Aaah…” A sound almost rivalling a dolphin’s call.
“Bang…” The glass cup upon the table suddenly exploded.
Instantly…
The unruly child and the several youths leapt to their feet, staring in disbelief at everything before them.
And Ash Liren’s beautiful eyes also widened, because she could clearly sense that the scream emitted by this Sir Yan Ziyu contained no dragon power whatsoever. It was merely an ordinary scream, albeit an extremely piercing one.
This was, of course, the simple principle of resonance. However, Sauron had prepared for this moment for who knew how long, and had experimented who knew how many times.
Sauron picked up the fragments of the glass cup and said, “Not only can I accomplish this. As long as one finds the principle, many people can accomplish it. And the most difficult part is finding this principle.”
Instantly, the unruly child Ash Yuanba’s eyes were filled with boundless curiosity.
But Sauron immediately set this segment aside, saying, “The first section of today’s lesson is concluded. Next comes the second section. This second section can only be viewed by two people, Lady Ash Liren and Young Master Yuanba!”
A’nan said, “Why may I not watch?”
“Because you would be frightened.” Sauron said.
At these words, Ash Liren said, “Take the young lady out. All of you, out.”
“Yes!” Instantly the female warrior led A’nan out, and the other several youths followed. Then they closed the door and retreated far away.
The entire room was left with only Sauron, Ash Yuanba, and Ash Liren.
Sauron took from the crate a cup carved from stone, very sturdy.
“Young Master Yuanba, smash this cup upon the ground.” Sauron said.
Ash Yuanba picked up the stone cup and smashed it fiercely upon the ground. Yet it remained intact, very sturdy.
Sauron placed this sturdy stone cup upon the table, then retreated over a dozen metres and said, “Next, from over a dozen metres away, I shall shatter this stone cup.”
Instantly, the unruly child Ash Yuanba opened his eyes to their widest, fearing to miss a single moment.
Then, Sauron produced his second prop.
This was today’s trump card. It was meant not only for Ash Yuanba to see, but more importantly for Ash Liren to see.
This trump card was the first epoch-making weapon from his secret laboratory.
A short handgun, using black powder, firing steel shot.
From over a dozen metres away, he aimed at that sturdy stone cup and pulled the trigger.
“Bang…” A great sound, a flash of fire, and that sturdy stone cup became fragments.
Instantly, the unruly child Ash Yuanba screamed with excitement, staring in complete disbelief at everything before him.
This, this was too miraculous, too inconceivable.
And in Ash Liren’s heart was shock. She deeply sensed the terror of this thing.
Although, compared to a bow and arrow this thing was still far inferior, more like a toy. But what if this thing were magnified tenfold, a hundredfold?
Sauron looked toward Ash Yuanba and said, “Now, are you willing to acknowledge me as your master?”