Chapter 7: Father Is Not Up to the Task

“Uncle Zhang, why didn't we come by carriage?” Ye Qin asked curiously. He was still just a child, and the family clearly owned a carriage—wouldn't it have been quite grand to arrive that way?

Zhang Tiantian stood with his hands behind his back, answering sternly, “We can't afford the carriage parking fee.”

Ye Kun: “...”

Ye Qin: “...”

Ye Kun looked closely and saw that indeed, every horse had a wooden post in front of it for tying the reins.

Who would have thought—even this required a fee? This private school really knew how to make money.

Ye Qin pursed his lips, realizing he had no alternative, and could only follow Zhang Tiantian inside with a resigned air.

There were many private academies, big and small, in Taixi County, but this one was the finest. It was said the teacher had once been an official in Ankang Prefecture, though now retired.

But this man was widely traveled and deeply learned, holding a place of respect in Taixi County. Even the county magistrate would invite him to family celebrations, a testament to his influence.

“Please, come in. Mind your step,” the gate boy whispered softly. Within the courtyard, there was a broad open space, a graceful willow tree, and beneath it, stone tables and benches. The classroom was inside the adjacent building, from which now echoed the vigorous voice of an elderly man—all strength and vitality.

At least, in Zhang Tiantian’s eyes, the old man looked set to live for several more years yet.

Ye Qin wore an expression of excitement and nervousness, sneaking a glance inside to see so many children his own age.

“Brother, why do you look so unhappy today?” Ye Qin turned and asked curiously.

Ye Kun sighed, “Give it some time, and you’ll be wearing this very same look.”

“Impossible. I love learning! Studying makes me happy, studying helps me grow.” Ye Qin tilted his chin slightly, determined to make his parents proud.

Watching his younger brother’s enthusiasm, Ye Kun couldn’t help but remember that he had once been the same.

But he was still curious—why didn’t their father and mother teach them any real skills? Wasn’t it said that martial training should begin in childhood?

The old man at the front of the room was white-haired, his face etched with the marks of time, yet his small eyes sparkled with sharp intelligence.

“Teacher, there’s someone at the door,” a child called out from the classroom.

The old man paused, made a gesture, then slowly stood up, dusted off his robe, and hunched his way toward Zhang Tiantian.

“Sir,” Zhang Tiantian greeted him with a respectful bow.

The old man nodded and looked at the two children. “Let the children go in and sit,” he said.

Zhang Tiantian nodded. “Go on in. I’ll wait outside.”

Ye Qin, overjoyed, dashed inside at once, while Ye Kun entered at a calm pace, scanning the students and noting a few who seemed to radiate bad intentions.

They must be the local bullies.

Hmph, in front of Brother Kun, all are mere ants.

That was quite an act, though it lacked depth—but the tone was satisfying enough. Still, Brother Kun preferred to keep a low profile and said nothing.

The brothers sat cross-legged in a row, Ye Qin giving Ye Kun a mischievous wink.

As the elder brother, he naturally had to maintain his composure.

“Now, where were we?” Master Wei resumed his seat and asked.

A sweet-voiced girl replied, “Teacher, you were speaking about the Way of the Sword.”

“Ah yes, the Way of the Sword... This is of utmost importance and something you will all have to choose in the future.”

Ye Kun felt his interest piqued. It would be good to learn more.

“Teacher, are there other paths?” Ye Qin immediately asked, his face alight with the love of learning.

A few boys turned to glare at Ye Qin, their looks unfriendly.

Master Wei, however, was not displeased. He answered mildly, “Besides the Way of the Sword, there is also the Way of Magic. But only those with innate talent can grasp it. Your future achievements will depend on fate.”

“Teacher, are there only these two?” Ye Qin pressed on, his voice bright.

Master Wei opened his eyes and looked at Ye Qin. “On our continent of Xuan Yue, the Way of the Sword reigns supreme, accounting for ninety percent. Every adult will have their own sword, which will accompany them for life. The Way of Magic evolved from the Way of the Sword and has only taken shape in the past thousand years or so. But because it is so difficult, those who achieve mastery are rare. In all of Ankang Prefecture, there is but one outstanding practitioner—Morality Master.”

Ye Kun now had to revise his opinion. He had thought this elderly teacher would be dry and tedious—but to his surprise, the lesson was quite interesting, and all the children were listening with rapt attention.

“When you turn ten, you will begin formal training. That will be the turning point in your lives. I want to be proud of you. Perhaps one day, you may become the legendary Sword Emperor—it is not impossible.”

At those words, every boy’s blood surged with excitement. Though none knew what a Sword Emperor truly was, the name alone was awe-inspiring.

“But to become a Sword Emperor, first you must learn to write. Otherwise, if word spreads that a mighty Sword Emperor cannot even write his own name, wouldn’t that be embarrassing?”

With Master Wei’s words, the children burst into laughter, and even Ye Kun smiled. This old gentleman was actually quite humorous—impressive.

Brother Kun would have to take back his earlier thoughts.

But as for writing—Brother Kun truly didn’t know how. That was a headache.

Break time came quickly, and Ye Qin was still brimming with excitement. Studying was wonderful.

But soon, two boys approached.

“Hey, kid, like to steal the spotlight, huh? Whose family are you from? Name yourself!”

Ye Qin looked at the pair in confusion, then glanced at Ye Kun. “Brother, are they going to hit me?”

“Judging by the situation, that’s highly likely,” Ye Kun replied seriously.

“So should I call for Mother?”

“Uh... Father would work too.”

“Father won’t do.”

If Ye Ming heard his son say that, he’d probably faint in the outhouse, his grand image collapsing in an instant.

Even the boy standing beside them was taken aback. Was his expression not fierce enough? These two weren’t intimidated at all!

“I am Feng Dian, son of the Feng family!”

“And I am Yuan Zhen, son of the Yuan family!”

Ye Kun glanced at them. Feng Dian, the son of the Feng family, was rather chubby, like a dumpling, while Yuan Zhen, son of the Yuan family, was about the same as himself—probably the kind of child people would say was born under an unlucky star.

“Brother, they’ve announced themselves. Shouldn’t we do the same?”

“Little brother, make it fierce—like Mother does.”

“Alright, I understand.”

Ye Qin slammed his hand down on the long table, then cried out in pain, nearly fainting from the shock.

The whole class was bewildered.

Even Ye Kun was dumbfounded—Mother did indeed like to pound the table when angry, but goodness, this silly brother had even copied that.

“You gave me a fright! Turns out he’s an idiot,” Feng Dian muttered, eyes flickering. That table slam had startled him for a second.

After all, they were just children. Ye Qin hadn’t quite nailed it, but if he had, he might have really scared them off.