However, this kind of ability could only be possessed by warriors of Rank Five and above. Yet today, these two children were merely at Rank Four, and they had already evolved such strength?
All the academic officers could not help feeling their hearts race, their lips trembling along with it.
Zhuang Sheng was the first to calm down. He gave the others a look, and the academic officers understood, immediately taking the other students off to a side training ground. Zhuang Sheng, meanwhile, led Jun Jiuqi and Chiyun to an empty clearing.
Zhuang Sheng carefully observed the pair's beast martial spirits and discovered that they had indeed condensed physical forms.
The two tiger beasts were far too lifelike, as if they were truly standing right before him. The crucial part was that these two tiger beasts seemed to possess intelligence; their gazes lacked the muddiness of other beast martial spirits, instead revealing a rare and profound clarity.
Truly miraculous!
What surprised him even more was Jun Jiuqi's beast martial spirit. The black tiger beast was something that had never appeared in the Jun Family before.
"Jiuer, would you allow me to observe your beast martial spirit up close?"
Zhuang Sheng's voice was gentle, as if he were afraid of startling Jun Jiuqi.
Jun Jiuqi nodded, letting him step forward.
Zhuang Sheng carefully observed the black white tiger, feeling more and more astonished the longer he looked.
The black tiger's eyes shifted as he drew closer, lively and full of intelligence, as if possessed of a conscious mind.
"Jiuer, launch an attack against me. Don't be afraid, use your full strength."
Jun Jiuqi knew that Zhuang Sheng was testing her strength.
It seemed this Zhuang Sheng had a discerning eye.
The reason Jun Jiuqi had manifested a "mutated tiger beast" was precisely to lay the groundwork in advance. That way, if any other abilities manifested later, it would all seem perfectly logical.
So-called "mutation" referred to a transformation occurring on the foundation of one's original beast martial spirit.
For example, a wild turkey mutating into a phoenix.
A flood dragon mutating into a true dragon.
A cat mutating into a leopard.
……
These were all mutated-type beast martial spirits, and the direction of their mutation was limited by one's bloodline. Perhaps due to some reason, a genetic mutation had occurred.
However, the direction of change for most mutated types was dangerous, and many could not be used for combat at all—commonly referred to as "trash beast martial spirits." Yet there were also mutations that developed in a favorable direction, though these were an extreme minority.
And Jun Jiuqi was one of that extreme minority.
As the black tiger lunged forward in a sudden assault, Zhuang Sheng felt a ferocious wave of force rushing directly at him!
Bang!
A fierce gale accompanied a burst of spiritual light, and Zhuang Sheng was actually forced back several steps before steadying himself.
The next second, with a whoosh, the black panther had already appeared behind him!
Sharp claws slashed through the air!
With a rip, Zhuang Sheng dodged, but a corner of his robe was still torn away!
In a mere ten moves or so, the astonishment in Zhuang Sheng's eyes grew heavier, and shortly afterward, he called a halt.
Jun Jiuqi waved her hand, and amidst a flash of light, the black tiger vanished from where it stood.
Zhuang Sheng suppressed his churning excitement, his eyes shining brightly as he looked at Jun Jiuqi!
Splendid!
Wonderful!
To think that the Third Young Miss was so young and had actually awakened a mutated martial spirit beast!
Through the test just now, Zhuang Sheng could be certain that her strength was at least at the Rank Four Initial Stage! Her technique in controlling the tiger beast was adept, and her strength and speed were far superior to the beast martial spirits of ordinary Rank Four warriors!
The crucial point was that she was only eleven years old!
Eleven years old!
Such a defying talent, even in Liucheng—no, across the entire Tianxuan Continent—was a rare sight!
Zhuang Sheng had once witnessed talented students from Shengting Academy, but he had seldom seen anyone at eleven years old possessing Rank Four strength, let alone someone with a mutated beast martial spirit!
Her potential was immeasurable!
A tempest raged within Zhuang Sheng's heart. Looking at the little girl not even reaching his chest, it felt as though he were looking at a rising star!
The Jun Family was about to give rise to a true genius!
If she could cultivate properly, one day she might truly shake the entire Tianxuan Continent!
As a teacher, what could be more fortunate than encountering a student of extraordinary talent?
Afterward, Zhuang Sheng tested Chiyun as well.
Though Chiyun's beast martial spirit was not a mutated one, his strength was equally outstanding.
Especially his physical strength, which even startled Zhuang Sheng.
A momentary lapse in concentration, and he had almost been caught off guard.
Jun Jiuqi gave Chiyun a warning look for acting up on his own, and Chiyun grinned, finally stopping his mischief.
Soon, Zhuang Sheng discovered that Chiyun possessed astonishing strength, and his defensive power was first-rate.
Seeing Chiyun's white tiger smash a piece of profound ironstone—specially used for trial training—into smithereens with a single punch, Zhuang Sheng once again had people bring out higher-grade stones.
This kind of stone was specially used for strength training, and every single piece weighed a thousand catties.
Ordinary students of the martial hall couldn't even dream of shattering this stone; leaving a trace on it was already extremely difficult.
Yet Chiyun held back not at all. With a single punch from his white tiger, the profound ironstone was pulverized into dust!
Such formidable strength left the academic officers standing nearby dumbfounded!
"Good thing we evacuated the students just now, otherwise it definitely would have caused a commotion."
The academic officers whispered among themselves. At that moment, they accidentally caught sight of a figure standing by the archway.
When they recognized who it was, everyone was startled.
"Old Patriarch..."
Jun Ting waved a hand, his gaze falling upon the two short figures in the distance.
Several academic officers fell silent, exchanged glances, and then quietly withdrew.
Jun Ting simply stood in the distance, watching Zhuang Sheng instruct the two children.
Before they knew it, a short half-hour passed.
"...I roughly understand the situation now. Since the two of you have never systematically studied before, starting tomorrow, I will instruct you individually."
Seeing the two children, one large and one small, listening earnestly, Zhuang Sheng felt somewhat consoled.
"Power, speed, mindset, technique, body... not a single one can be lacking. I will start teaching you from the basics..."
Talent was one thing; what was most to be feared was arrogance.
How many individuals with exceptional natural endowments in the past had fallen due to "self-righteousness" and "arrogance"?
Although the Little Miss had already passed the best age for enlightenment, starting now was still not too late.
Unknowingly, Zhuang Sheng spoke at great length.
Jun Jiuqi was fine; she listened with an expressionless face. Although she had long since known all of this inside and out from a very young age, she still had to put on a show here in the Jun Family.
As for Chiyun, he had long since grown impatient with listening.
Until a "rumble" interrupted Zhuang Sheng's eloquent speech.
Chiyun's stomach rumbled.
He clutched his empty belly, his small eyebrows drooping down.
He had only eaten that tiny bit this morning, and he had been hungry for a long time.
He wished noon would come quickly.
He wanted to eat meat.
"Jiujiu, I'm hungry." The little fellow looked pitifully at Jun Jiuqi beside him.
"Hold it in."
Jun Jiuqi spat out two words with a trace of annoyance.
Chiyun pouted, "But I'm really hungry, I can't hold it in."
With that, completely ignoring Zhuang Sheng in front of him, he let out a "thud" and sat squarely down on the ground.
He shamelessly sprawled out his two short little legs, adopting the posture that unless he was given food, he wouldn't get up.
Jun Jiuqi was speechless; this little brat's old bad habit was acting up again.
Normally, whatever he was told to do, he would do without a second word.
The prerequisite, however, was that he had to be fed.
Otherwise, he would go on strike, and nobody's words would work.
Because this morning had been far too rushed, Jun Jiuqi had forgotten to tell the people below to prepare more breakfast yesterday, only letting Chiyun eat some random pastries to tide him over. She had figured they would have a proper, hearty meal after school, but she hadn't expected... that in less than an hour, the little brat would go on strike.
Jun Jiuqi estimated that Zhuang Sheng had talked too much, exhausting the little brat's patience, so he was deliberately throwing a tantrum here.
Jun Jiuqi sighed inwardly, but outwardly she couldn't show it. She assumed the airs of an elder sister and issued a warning: "Get up."
"I won't."
"Ge—t u—p!"
Jun Jiuqi heightened her tone. The little brat was throwing a temper tantrum and simply leaned backward, this time lying completely flat on the ground.
Zhuang Sheng also wore a look of helplessness. However, regarding Chiyun's behavior, not only was he not angry, but he even began to engage in self-reflection.
He figured that he had momentarily gotten carried away and talked too much, and since the opposite party was a five-year-old child who had grown up in the countryside and was used to being free and unfettered, it was completely normal for him to lose his patience and get hungry.
So be it; it was their first day anyway, and he could teach them slowly in the future.
Thus, the usually stern Zhuang Sheng broke his own principles for the first time when faced with the throwing and rolling Chiyun.
"Never mind, then let's rest for a quarter of an hour before continuing..."
Hearing that they were only resting for such a short time, how could Chiyun be willing?
So, sprawling on the ground, he made a massive fuss.
"Only a quarter of an hour? That's too short! No, no, no! I'm tired, I'm both tired and hungry! I want to eat! I want meat!"
His short little legs flailed on the ground, and no matter what Zhuang Sheng said, he simply refused to get up.
Zhuang Sheng's expression was starting to crack.
But as for Chiyun directly lying on the ground throwing a tantrum and howling miserably, Zhuang Sheng had been an academic officer for so many years, and this was truly his first time seeing such a sight.
For a moment, he only felt his head throbbing with pain.
In the past, students would be scared witless just by seeing his dark face, immediately becoming obedient and well-behaved.
As for Chiyun, who ignored his dark face and threw a shameless tantrum, Zhuang Sheng was somewhat at a loss for what to do.
Jun Jiuqi looked at Chiyun's smug little eyes and her mouth twitched.
You little brat, trying to throw a tantrum with her, are you?
Jun Jiuqi remained expressionless.
"I'll count to three."
Before that "three" could even escape her lips—with a sharp "snort"—the little brat who had just been making a scene on the ground instantly sprang up and stood at attention, with a speed that couldn't possibly have been faster.
Utterly spineless.
Zhuang Sheng's mouth twitched, his expression rather intriguing.
"Pfft!"
In the distance, Jun Ting couldn't help but chuckle upon seeing this scene. At that moment, Zhuang Sheng finally noticed the Old Patriarch's arrival.
Hurriedly paying his respects, Jun Ting walked over. "I was just taking a casual stroll and happened to wander into the training ground. Zhuang Sheng, let's take a rest before continuing."
"Yes."
Since the old master had spoken, Zhuang Sheng naturally complied.
With that, Zhuang Sheng glanced at the pair of siblings before him, telling them to rest first and that they would continue in half an hour.
Very quickly, he withdrew.
Leaving one old man and two children staring at each other in blank dismay.
"Who are you?" Chiyun glared, his tone displeased.
His mood was currently bad, so of course he wouldn't have a pleasant expression.
"Take a guess?" The old patriarch had a rare streak of childlike innocence and deliberately teased Chiyun.
"Guess my foot? I can't be bothered to guess! If you've got nothing to do, get lost quickly!" Chiyun waved his little paws, his mouth still muttering "Shoo, shoo."
The next second, he took a hit right on the forehead.
"Ouch! Jiujiu, why did you hit me?"
"Where are your manners? This is our grandfather."
Jun Jiuqi couldn't bear to look at this stupid dragon cub.
"Grandfather? Is a grandfather anything special?"
Chiyun curled his lip in disdain, then belatedly realized what had been said.
He pointed at the smiling old master. "You're Daddy's daddy?!"
Daddy's daddy?
Jun Ting was amused by this form of address.
"That's right, I am your daddy's daddy, and also your biological grandfather."
So it was him, huh.
Chiyun curled his lip. Having figured out who the person in front of him was, he immediately stopped talking.
Anyway, he had no interest.
At that moment, Chiyun suddenly twitched his nose toward a certain direction, and then his eyes lit up. "Why do I smell the scent of meat?"
Very soon, Uncle Hai was seen carrying a food box as he appeared. "Master."
"Hungry? I had Xu Hai prepare some food. Come and eat," Jun Ting said with a smile.
"Really?"
The little brat, who had been indifferent just a moment ago, immediately changed his attitude.
With a flash, he arrived by Jun Ting's side, and the next second he was already hugging the food box and refusing to let go.
Chiyun excitedly opened the lid, and upon seeing the contents inside, he let out a "wow." "There's my favorite braised pork knuckle! And roast chicken, Jiujiu! Jiujiu! There's even the rice pastries you like!"
Jun Jiuqi's gaze flickered, and she instinctively looked toward the old master beside her.
Jun Ting met Jun Jiuqi's gaze and smilingly beckoned to her.
Jun Jiuqi didn't move.
Jun Ting didn't mind either, walking over on his own to sit down in a pavilion nearby.
Uncle Hai walked over. "Little Miss, why don't you go have a bite as well? This was specially ordered by the Master for the small kitchen to make."
Jun Jiuqi still wanted to give Uncle Hai some face, seeing as he was someone her own father cared for and respected.
She walked into the pavilion unhurriedly.
Inside the pavilion, the little brat was already devouring his food like a starving ghost. With a braised pork knuckle gnawed in his left hand and roast chicken in his right, his face was smeared shiny with grease—simply a sight too hideous to behold.
This old master's intelligence network was quite efficient.
He even knew what they liked to eat.
Jun Jiuqi sat down inside the pavilion. While gnawing on a pork knuckle, Chiyun didn't forget to hand her a rice pastry.
If one ignored those greasy little chubby hands.
Jun Jiuqi frowned, practically writing the words "disgust" all over her face.
Chiyun chuckled, grabbed the wiping cloth on the table, and frantically wiped his greasy little paws until they were clean. Only then did he discard the cloth and once again pick up a rice pastry to hand over.
He had almost forgotten that Jiujiu was a neat freak.
Jun Jiuqi still felt a bit disgusted, but she took it anyway and began to eat slowly.
Her actions were unhurried and composed, standing in sharp contrast to Chiyun beside her, who looked like a reincarnated starving ghost.
Every gesture of hers exuded a certain elegance.
It was as if she had been cultivated in etiquette since childhood, carrying nobility right down to her bones.
Jun Ting's eyes flickered. This granddaughter of his didn't look like someone who came from an ordinary marketplace village.
This aura about her was simply impossible to conceal.
The reports from the subordinates stated that these two children had appeared in Si Family Village a year ago, previously raised by that rebellious son's father-in-law's family.
Jun Qingfeng claimed outwardly that when his daughter was born, her health was weak, and since he spent year-round traveling as a guard, Lv Xiuer alone couldn't manage to care for her at home, which was why the child was left to be raised at Lv Xiuer's maiden family's place.
Later on, when their son was born, it was a similar situation.
Afterward, once the health of the son and daughter had improved, coupled with the fact that the daughter could help Lv Xiuer look after the home and take care of her younger brother, Jun Qingfeng had no more worries behind him, which was why he brought the two children back home.
Jun Ting thought about it carefully and always felt something was a bit off. Given that rebellious son's temperament, how could he possibly endure having his children away from his side?
It seemed he still needed to dispatch people to investigate thoroughly.
Jun Jiuqi was not unaware of the scrutinizing gaze fixed upon the top of her head. In truth, the identities of herself and Chiyun could not withstand scrutiny.
They were not the true bloodline of the Jun Family, but so what?
They were Daddy and Mommy's children, and that was enough.
Jun Jiuqi was not afraid of Jun Ting discovering the truth; at worst, she would take Daddy and Mommy away from the Jun Family in the future. Anyway, as long as she was around, nobody would be allowed to make Daddy and Mommy suffer any grievances.
Ever since Daddy and Mommy had picked her up, coupled with the year of living together day and night, Jun Jiuqi had long since regarded them as her true family in her heart.
Jun Jiuqi had grown up living in the strictly disciplined Imperial Palace where distinctions of high and low were sharply drawn, and the education she received was merely how to be a diligent, self-disciplined monarch who worked for the country and the people.
That good emperor father of hers had only the towering imperial authority in his eyes, which was why he had always been extremely stern with her.
As for her birth mother, she had passed away when she was very young. Thus, she had practically never experienced the warmth of an ordinary family.
It wasn't until she met Daddy and Mommy that her frigid inner heart gradually grew warm. That feeling of being unconditionally and wholeheartedly loved, cherished, and spoiled gradually healed the scars within her heart.
It was precisely because of this that Jun Jiuqi gradually let down her guard against the Jun Qingfeng couple, sincerely accepting them as her family.
To put it simply, for the current Jun Jiuqi, the Jun Qingfeng couple were the most important people in her world.
Therefore, she would not allow anyone to hurt them, not even if the other party were someone blood-related to them.
The interior of the pavilion fell somewhat silent.
Only the smacking and chewing sounds of Chiyun eating could be heard.
Chiyun focused on eating delicious food, while the grandfather and granddaughter beside him maintained a silent confrontation.
Neither of them spoke.
Anyway, the prevailing vibe was essentially: *if I'm not embarrassed, the person who is embarrassed is someone else.*
Uncle Hai, watching from the side, shook his head repeatedly and took the initiative to break the deadlock. "Little Miss, the Master specially ordered the servants to prepare these dishes. I wonder if they still suit your palate?"
Upon hearing this, Jun Jiuqi instinctively glanced at Jun Ting.
Jun Ting glared at Uncle Hai. "When did I order people to make this? Talking nonsense!"
"This old servant is not talking nonsense. Wasn't this something you ordered people to prepare early this morning?" Uncle Hai unceremoniously dismantled his master's facade right beside them. "Just two days ago, you even specifically had this old servant inquire about what the two young masters like to eat. This old servant lingered around Youran Cottage for a long time before finally managing to find out, wearing out this old set of bones until they nearly snapped..."
Jun Ting gnashed his teeth. "I see your bones need loosening and you need more exercise. Why is your mouth so talkative today?"
Uncle Hai let out a helpless sigh. "It's all because you're someone to worry over, Master. During the banquet a few days ago, you disregarded your own health and insisted on braving the cold wind because you were terrified someone might bully the young masters and misses. How is it that today you won't let this old servant speak?"
Seeing this old fellow expose all his dirty laundry, Jun Ting was instantly filled with a burst of fiery rage.
"If you've got nothing to do, go back and feed my Peacocks of Brocade! Stop getting in this old man's eyes!"
Jun Jiuqi looked over in surprise. So that night at the banquet, this nominal grandfather of hers had actually gone?
"Peacocks of Brocade? What Peacocks of Brocade?"
Chiyun mumbled with his mouth full, his interest piqued.
Seeing this, Uncle Hai hurriedly signaled to Jun Ting.
Jun Ting snorted and simply turned his head away, ignoring him.
Uncle Hai helpless, then explained to Chiyun, "Replying to the Young Master, these Peacocks of Brocade are spirit peacocks raised by the Master in his courtyard. Their feathers are brilliantly fiery red, their cries are light and ethereal, and they are quite a sight to behold. These were personally brought back by the Master from the Starfall Forest, and they are usually kept in the detached courtyard, not easily shown to outsiders."
"Really?"
Chiyun's eyes lit up, and his interest flared abruptly.
Jun Jiuqi, watching from the side, immediately sensed that something was amiss. Oh no, this Chiyun wouldn't...?!
"Would the Young Master like to go take a look?"
"I want to see!"
Chiyun nodded like a pounding mortar, and Uncle Hai immediately smiled, looking toward the seated master to await his command.
Joy stirred in Jun Ting's heart, but outwardly he still maintained his composure. "Then wait until you finish school and come to Ancient Pine Hall, and I will take you to see them."
"That's great! Jiujiu, let's go! Let's go, let's go!"
Chiyun acted coquettishly toward Jun Jiuqi. Jun Jiuqi lowered her gaze, sweeping a glance at the obviously excited little brat.
Don't think she didn't know what kind of scheme this little brat was hatching.
The two quarters of an hour of rest passed in the blink of an eye.
"Alright, you two should go to class as well. This old man will take his leave first."