“I’m going to have them teach me,” Little Spring said with a proud grin.

I blinked.

::I noticed that I gain a deeper understanding of a topic when you ask me to teach it back to you in my own words.::

Ah! Right. The Explain it to Someone Else to Learn the Subject Better method of improving.

::Besides, I need to understand the cultivation method of beast tamers without revealing the techniques of the Indomitable Will Sect.::

::The one you haven’t used yet because you don’t have a spiritual beast?::

::I have Xiao Bai!::

::I adore him, but he’s a mundane puppy.::

Sure, I had my suspicions... and the way he acted during the test earlier made my reader-brain scream that he wasn’t a regular dog, but as someone who understood the scientific method, I just couldn’t believe he was anything other than a normal puppy. Not until I had proof otherwise.

“It sounds like they’ll need time to come up with a lesson plan. Why don’t you leave them to that while I introduce you to the flute?”

“Alright. Let’s do that.” He gestured for his students to sit at a table under a gazebo. Then we walked toward the soundproof formation where I had been teaching my mentees.

Before we entered, Gold String Delicate Touch arrived with two older women. They still looked in their late teens thanks to beauty pills, but I could tell from their bone age that they weren’t teens anymore. One sent me a nervous glance, while the other looked at me like I was her rival. They were probably desperate for help to improve... though, it was always possible they thought this was their chance to start a relationship with someone who was about to become an inner sect disciple. It wasn’t uncommon since girls who attached themselves to stronger disciples were often gifted with some of their resources.

This world was beyond fucked up, and unorthodox sects were known for being more vicious to their weak disciples than orthodox sects, so I wouldn’t judge their choices. Personally, it wasn’t something I would ever do, but these girls weren’t blessed with my opportunities and genius. Women here used what they could to survive and grow stronger. Thinking of them harshly for it was a shit thing to do. Of course, that didn’t make them fucking saints, either.

Though this also made me wonder if that asshole earlier thought he could get away with treating me the way he did because he’d been used by and had used so many girls.

Yeah, I should have crushed a certain body part of his and forced him to switch to the Sunflower manual.

Ugh. Now that I thought about the outer sect disciples here, desperately doing everything they could to get ahead, I couldn’t help compare them to Bloodsword’s harem. Those bitches were all braindead, but they eventually became legendary masters in their fields. Or they were just insanely wealthy, psychopaths. But, the fact was, they could have chosen a man who was almost as powerful as that idiotic fucker, but who didn’t come back with another wife every time he went out on an adventure. Frankly, their dedication to that donkey-brained ass was incomprehensible.

Gold String smiled at us and walked over. “Little Sister Linlin, Senior Verdant Spring. I’m glad you both found good mentees.”

“Have you thought about learning the bass yet?” I grinned.

He shook his head. “I have no time to consider learning a new instrument right now.”

“Well, you’ll never be able to decide if you don’t hear more rock. How about you listen to my student’s performance after a week, and then make your choice?”

“Alright, but it’s unlikely that one more performance will convince me.” He may have said that, but his eyes didn’t leave the shiny metal five-string.

I grinned. “If the songs they play don’t connect with you at all, then just forget about it. I’ll find someone else.”

He nodded.

“Are your mentees demonic musicians?”

“Yes. After your concert earlier, I managed to talk some desperate disciples into ignoring their senior’s wishes. But I’ll have to send them some resources and protect them once I’m in the inner sect.”

Goddamn it. I should have tried harder with those demonic musician brats. But, since I planned to leave anyway, I wouldn’t be able to keep them safe. This was for the best.

“How did you find your mentees, little sister?”

“By looking outside of the demonic musicians for desperate kids willing to learn.”

His eyes widened.

I shrugged. “Rock bands have often been started by the young, creative, and inexperienced. It is a path that can be started by anyone who enjoys good rock music. But it can only be mastered by true musical prodigies who can write their own songs.”

He tilted his head in thought. “Those who practice the Dao of Rock compose their own music?”

Muahaha! Here was a way to hook him even more — tempting him with composition and creativity. “It may seem strange, but most bands come together to write their own songs. Even those who don’t have much experience.”

To me, it felt natural since I grew up in an era where bands almost always wrote their own albums, but in this world, only the elders dared to compose new music. Another reason those stuck-up assholes hated rock.

Stolen content warning: this tale belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences elsewhere.

“But wouldn’t it sound horrible and lead to unintended effects? What if they made a song, and it harmed those they were trying to heal?”

“That’s why it’s best to begin learning to compose while you’re young and don’t have a lot of energy to do harm. This way, when you’ve gained the strength to obliterate your listeners, you’ll have had the experience of failure so you can avoid that outcome… mistakes can also lead to discovery and innovation.”

He frowned. I could tell that he was on the cusp of a realization. But I wasn’t sure how to get him to where he needed to be. “You’ve given me a lot to consider, sister Linlin.”

Little Spring tugged on my sleeve.

“Right! It’s time to teach you about the flute. Let’s go, er, older brother!”

We said our goodbyes to Gold String and then entered the soundproofed area.

“Let’s begin.”

“Yes, Sister Lin!” He brought out the flute I’d made.

Faster than I taught Shadow Panther and Three Drops, I instructed Little Spring how to play it. We went over the various notes and finger movements that created certain sounds. I also had him practice the scale.

And just when I figured he’d forgotten about my earlier threat — er agreement — I grinned.

image [https://i.imgur.com/IEWxRS0.jpeg]

[https://i.imgur.com/IEWxRS0]

He took a step back.

I scowled. What? Did I look crazy or something? From just smiling?

“Now, I’m going to play you the song that I just finished teaching my mentees.”

I brought out my guitar and played it for him, while he followed along on his flute.

He ran through it once by himself and stopped. “That… can’t be all. There’s more, right?”

I grinned. “It’s very simple. But you need to move your spiritual energy like this to make it more effective.”

I rested my hand on his back and guided his inner energy through the right pathways. Starting from his dantian, up to his heart, down his right arm, through his instrument, up his left arm, through his lungs, and back to his dantian all in time, to the music. Of course, it would change depending on what songs were played and sometimes even what chord was struck, but this wasn’t a complex song.

“Now, play while doing that.”

I stood behind him and crossed my arms while listening to the same repetitive song over and over again. Fortunately, I was already immune to its horrors.

When he started to slow down, I said, “Keep playing.”

His eyes began to water, but he briefly bit his lip, then moved his fingers across the metal flute.

“Don’t worry. As long as your ears aren’t bleeding, you’re doing great.”

::Sister Lin. Are you punishing me for calling you little sister?::

“No. Now keep playing. This is great for training your mental fortitude.”

A few minutes later, Three Drops entered the soundproofed area. As soon as he heard the song, he paled and dropped to his knees.

“No! I just forced myself to forget this song. Why won’t it stop?”

“Muahahaha! Because it doesn’t end.”

“Noooooooo!” He fell onto his side, then rolled onto his back.

I rested my hand against Little Spring’s. “You can stop. My poor mentee has already had enough mental fortitude training for today and any more will drive him insane.”

We both walked up to Three Drops, who stared up at the sky, eyes seemingly soulless.

“Are you okay?” Little Spring asked.

“I may be a poison body cultivator, but, Senior Lin. That song is poison for the mind and soul. It’s not something I can fight at my realm.”

“I did warn you. It is a double-edged sword. But you can defeat it.”

His eyes filled with hope.

“You just have to get a different song stuck in your head. Let them battle it out.”

He scrambled to his knees. “Senior Linlin! Please teach me more songs, so I can forget this one.”

“Stand up.”

He stood.

::That is one way to get your students to want to learn from you.::

::Quiet. I didn’t do this on purpose. If I did, I’d be an evil genius instead of just a genius.::

Little Mongoose and Snake rose from their table and waved Little Spring over.

“My mentees look like they’re ready to teach me. Thank you for the lesson, Sister Linlin.”

Shadow Panther entered the soundproofed area, eyes sparkling.

“I guess you guys are ready?”

“Yes, Senior Linlin!” They said together.

“Right now would be a good time for a montage!” I played a classic song that went something like, ‘Dun! Dun dun dun! Dun dun duuuuuun!’ After a few more chords, I sang, “Something-something eye, something tiger!”

Ah, I regretted not memorizing those lyrics.

The two just stared at me until I stopped playing.

“Whatever. Just pick up your instruments and learn!”

***

Three Drops finished playing a set of the song I’d been teaching them. Then he jumped into the air, landing with his feet on his stool and his hands raised in excitement. “I did it! I… I have a strand of internal Qi!”

“In this case, the correct term is music Qi, but sure.”

He stared at me in amazement. “How do I cultivate with it? Do I… bring it around my meridians while meditating or something?”

Good enthusiasm! “While you can do that, it’s best to cultivate by playing music and improving your craft. The better you play and the more inspired your rock, the easier it will be for you to gain more strands and remove the impurities in your body.”

“There is no way it’s that easy.”

“It is.”

He peeked at me suspiciously.

Fuck. If it wasn’t me, I’d laugh at the orthodox disciple who had to teach a budding demonic musician how to cultivate.

***

While Three Drops rocked out on drums, Shadow Panther played a song on the bass that I created myself. She also sang the lyrics. Frankly, it sounded perfect.

It was loosely influenced by Green Day’s Holiday. I had chosen it for them because it could help clear their mind of illusions. Something that could save their asses if they ever ran into an illusion formation.

They nodded to each other, then played the song once more with Shadow Panther on the guitar. I couldn’t find any flaws in her energy or the movements of her fingers.

image [https://i.imgur.com/BABCgSk.jpeg]

[https://i.imgur.com/BABCgSk]

When she finished, she spun around and squeed. “I did it!”

“Well done.”

She turned to me, eyes sparkling. “You said that you’d help me use my puppets once I could perform this song perfectly.”

I sighed. “I did say that, didn’t I?”

I tapped my finger. “Alright, get out Kang Jia. If you can perform with her and your own body simultaneously, then you can try adding another puppet.”

Overly excited, she brought out the puppet we’d worked on together. She’d even put her in elegant blue robes and crafted her doll-like face to look near lifelike. Shadow Panther was a very talented artist who loved her craft.

“Okay, let me see you use her to play the guitar.”

Kang Jia, the puppet, stiffly bent over like she had strings connected to her. Well, she technically did. They were, however, spiritual in nature and invisible. Then she carefully picked up the guitar and raised her upper body up in a jerking motion.

Shadow Panther’s practically vibrated with her excitement.

Ah, I had my work cut out for me. “I think you need to focus on adjusting your puppet’s movements.”

“What’s wrong with it?”

I clasped my hands behind my back like the master I was and cocked a brow.

She still looked confused, so I motioned for Three Drops to come over.

I placed a bass on the floor. “Pick this up,” I said to him.

He nodded and picked it up very naturally and smoothly. I gestured to him with both hands without saying a word.

“Oh… I guess I do need to work on that.” She thought for a second and had her puppet place the guitar back down. “Can you show me that one more time, brother Three Drops Silent Toxin?”

He blushed. “Sure.”

Ah, what good students — helping each other out. Maybe I’d give them four hours to sleep tonight.