“I didn’t think you two were this weak...” Li Li crouched over the still twitching and suffering bodies of Teammate A and Teammate B.

  A highly dangerous bolt of lightning came from behind Li Li and threatened to pierce through his very back while the other two enemies came rushing in from the side, trying to follow up with the incredibly fast lightning bolt. The young spirit beast in his human form didn’t seem to care at all about any of the threats rapidly coming toward his figure. He continued to frown at the two unable to handle the martial arts of some old ghosts.

  Heart-Snatching Sword Immortal and the Ocean Shattering Sword Fiend were also disappointed. Ocean Shattering Sword Fiend was shaking his head while Heart-Snatching Sword Immortal buried his hands in his face when Li Li looked over at them. Neither of the old ghosts wanted to be blamed for this. They were only doing as they were ordered. How could they know both boys would react like this? It was their first time doing anything like this in the first place. It wasn’t too long ago that they were simple ghostly kings protecting and defending their territory! Doing something like passing on all of their martial arts as ghosts didn’t exactly come with instructions.

“I refuse to lose like Him. You two either fix them or I’ll fix you.” Li Li threatened as the tips of his hair lit up.

  His boyish figure seemingly turning into a spiraling beast in the eyes of the ghosts, more than willing to swallow the two old ghosts. Fear struck their incorporeal bodies as they instinctively floated backward from Li Li. Neither ghost wanting to take the chance that the spirit beast was joking, decided to somehow alter the way they were passing their martial arts to the two untalented boys. Instead of sharing it all at once like they were doing, they decided to put it in steps. Once they master the previous step, they’ll be able to learn more of the sword arts. Doing it this way will lessen the burden on their mind and soul.

  An explosion centered on Li Li’s figure appeared as the combination attack from the three cultivators on the enemy team landed. Wind fiercely blew, smoke spread across the stage, and heat dispersed all around. Few people in the audience could see the situation in the smoke while most others could not. Some of those that couldn’t be unsure if the spirit beast in human form was strong enough to handle an attack of that level. They knew they’d have to use a life-saving treasure or two if they wanted to survive a combined qi attack like that.

  As the smoke cleared up, eventually the answer to the outcome of the attack was revealed. A soft glowing grey barrier was formed around Li Li and his two teammates. It withheld without a scratch and they were completely unharmed. The three cultivators on the opposite team rejoined together, haggard, sweaty, and completely tired. Seeing this sight was incredibly disheartening. It's almost as depressing as when they realized they got matched up with the sect’s Little Monster...

  Li Li smiled as he saw Teammate A and Teammate B becoming conscious once more. He took out two talismans from the storage ring and placed them on the two to help them recover faster. In a few moments, the two rose up feeling better than ever with new knowledge flowing through their minds. Seeing that the two were ready to battle, Li Li dropped his barrier and prepared to fight alongside the two.

“We surrender!” The trio on the other team decided together.

“Understood.” The referee nodded.

  Li Li’s mind momentarily blanked as the three cultivators were leaving the stage. They gave up? They ran away? They decided to stop once it was finally time for him to come back? He was about to show how he was way better than that Man! That he wouldn’t lose in such a humiliating way like he did! No! No! No!

  A terrifying chilling amount of qi exploded from Li Li’s body, washing over the bodies and minds of everyone present. His eyes glared into the backs of the three who were now frozen solid out of fright. With his outburst, he could no longer retain his human spirit form and returned to his owlet form. His wings were raised up in preparation to take off.

This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  Only a small number of disciples at the Qi Consolidation realm were capable of controlling their bodies from Li Li’s qi. Several elders frowned at how dense and powerful the spirit beast’s talent lay in yin qi. Usually, a spirit beast with talent of this level had to be raised and surrounded by the dead and spirits for several thousands of years before it could get to this stage. Of course, the Little Monster’s pet was a monster as well.

  As Li Li was about to fly toward the three, a familiar voice stopped him in his tracks.

“Li Li.” Jing’s voice instantly dispersed the young owl’s tantrum.

  Along with the seriousness of her voice, the overbearing yin qi weighing down on those in the crowd also lightened and disappeared. With a gesture of her finger, she beckoned the owlet over to herself. Jing always had a feeling that he’d react this way when something didn’t go the way he wanted. He was growing up in the Golden Serpent Sect with arrogant young masters and ladies all over the place. There were very few good role models and Jing knew that this would happen one day. She didn’t know exactly when this would happen but the earlier the better. This way, she’d be able to correct his behavior so that it doesn’t negatively influence his future.

  Li Li didn’t utter a word as his mother’s angry voice struck him straight in his soul. His small body shivered like crazy as he slowly walked over to Jing with his head hung down. His mother never spoke to him in that voice before... Li Li just wanted to prove that he was better than that man that wanted to take her away from him. He didn’t mean to make her angry... Li Li couldn’t control his tears from falling as he got closer and closer to his mom.

“I-I’m... Sor- Sorry...” Li Li cried as he briefly shifted his body into his human form as he stood in front of Jing.

“Sorry for what?” Jing questioned.

“I-… I’m... I don’t know!” He bawled loudly.

“Li Li.” Jing felt like her heart was breaking looking at her son acting like this for the first time in his life. Maybe the only time she ever saw him like this was probably before she refined him and he broke his leg in the cave.

  Jing pulled out a teleportation talisman and transported them back home. There was no reason to make a show of this. Whether she won or lost didn’t matter in the long run. Jing was planning to make it to the Meeting of Great Talents regardless if she was chosen as a participant of the Golden Serpent Sect. There were too many good opportunities there to pass up and leave to others when she could give them to her angels.

“Why do you think I’m upset with you?” Jing questioned.

“Because I-I-I lost...” Li Li sobbed.

“I'm not upset with you because you might have lost.” Jing told him.

“Are you mad because I showed off my power...?” Li Li guessed next.

“No. I'm not mad you showed off some of your true strength.”

  Li Li put on a thinking face while wiping away some of his tears and snot. Jing felt tempted to wipe his messy face clean but not yet. She couldn’t drop her stern attitude just yet and comfort him until he realized where he wronged.

“Is it because I tried killing those three?” His voice rose a pitch as he didn’t believe this was right either.

“No. I’m upset with you because you didn’t accept the consequences of your own actions.” Jing explained.

“???” Li Li tilted his head at her, unable to comprehend what she meant.

“Do you think that this would’ve happened if you chose to not play around at the start?” Jing questioned.

“No...” Li Li shook his head. “If I didn’t play around, I could’ve done what you did and used my spells to make my teammates stronger and won...”

“That’s right. And then when you thought you lost, you tried to kill them because you knew that you could’ve won if you didn’t play around. You didn’t want to accept losing due to your own actions and that is why I'm upset.” Jing explained to him. “If it was someone else’s fault, I wouldn’t have rose my voice at you. However, you losing was your own fault and no one else’s.”

“I-I-I-I understand...” More tears began to flow from his eyes.

“Mom doesn’t want you growing up being foolish. You have to take responsibility for your actions if you want to be a good boy.” Jing wiped his face with a thin coat of water layering over her palm before crouching down and hugging him.

“Okay... I’m sorry, mom...” Li Li tightly hugged her back and softly cried into her chest. “I’ll be a good boy, I promise...” He said, his words muffled.

“Just so you know, I'm not saying you can’t play around in a fight either. You can play around all you want but just be aware of the consequences that playing around in a fight might bring. Like losing.” She reminded him.