Chapter 113: Training day disaster
Morning sunlight filtered through the clouds, spilling golden light over the Azure Sky Sect’s courtyard.
Birds chirped. Disciples meditated. Serenity reigned.
And then Li Ming stepped out of his residence carrying the lightning cub like a sack of trouble.
"Alright," he muttered, setting it down. "You caused chaos yesterday. Today, we fix that."
The cub blinked, tail wagging faintly, crackling with light.
Bai Guo perched on the fencepost, preening a wing. "You’re talking to it like it understands you."
Li Ming pointed. "It does. Probably."
The cub tilted its head.
Then rolled over.
And fell asleep.
Li Ming’s eyebrow twitched. "This is my opponent now."
---
An hour later, the "training" began.
Li Ming stood in the middle of the courtyard, a stone slab placed in front of him. The cub sat nearby, blinking with curiosity.
"Watch closely," Li Ming said. "You gather Qi here—" He demonstrated, energy swirling between his palms until faint arcs formed. "Then, release gently. Not too much, not too little."
He thrust forward. The slab cracked cleanly in two.
The cub watched. Then blinked.
It mimicked his stance, paws glowing faintly.
Li Ming nodded, mildly proud. "Good. That’s right—steady—"
The cub’s tail flicked. A surge of energy shot out—not a bolt, not an explosion, just pure lightning pressure that flattened every tree in a ten-meter radius.
Dust settled. Bai Guo’s feathers were standing upright.
Li Ming exhaled slowly. "...Gentle. I said gentle."
The cub looked at the flattened trees, tail wagging, pleased with itself.
Bai Guo muttered, "Technically, that was efficient."
Li Ming shot him a glare. "Do you want to teach it instead?"
Bai Guo immediately shook his head. "No, no. I prefer watching your despair unfold."
---
They moved on to obedience training.
"Sit," Li Ming ordered.
The cub tilted its head.
"Sit."
It tilted the other way.
Bai Guo snickered. "Maybe it only understands higher concepts. Like chaos."
Li Ming sighed. "Alright, new plan. Qi control."
He placed a small wooden cup in front of the cub. "You channel lightning into this. Just enough to make it glow."
The cub perked up, concentrating hard. Tiny sparks danced between its horns.
Li Ming’s eyes brightened. "Yes, that’s it—steady—"
The cup caught fire.
Bai Guo’s wings flared. "And now it’s glowing!"
Li Ming rubbed his temples. "I’m teaching a thunderstorm to behave like a kitten."
The cub sneezed softly, then looked up with innocent eyes.
Li Ming sighed. "...At least it’s cute."
Bai Guo smirked. "That’s how they get you, descendant. First, it’s ’cute.’ Next thing you know, it’s sleeping on your cultivation mat and frying your tea kettle."
Li Ming froze. "...It already did."
---
By noon, the courtyard was a battlefield of singed training dummies and proud chirps. The cub sat on the highest rock, tail flicking smugly, as if declaring itself king of the sect grounds.
Li Ming looked up at it, expression blank. "You’re enjoying this too much."
Bai Guo flapped down beside him. "Admit it. You’re attached already."
Li Ming crossed his arms. "I’m responsible. Not attached."
The cub leapt off the rock and landed neatly on his shoulder, curling up like a glowing scarf.
Li Ming hesitated. Then sighed. "...Fine. Maybe a little attached."
Bai Guo chuckled, feathers shaking. "Heaven help us all."
---
The sun dipped lower, shadows stretching long.
Li Ming sat cross-legged on the stone path, the cub dozing on his lap, faintly rumbling with quiet thunder.
The air was peaceful again—finally.
"Maybe," Bai Guo said softly, "it’s not so bad."
Li Ming looked at the little creature. For once, he smiled. "Maybe not."
And then the cub twitched in its sleep—
lightning arced across the sky, striking the outer courtyard gate—
and half the disciples screamed in confusion.
Li Ming closed his eyes. "...It’s going to be a long month."
---
The Azure Sky Sect’s main hall was rarely quiet.
Today, it was too quiet.
Dozens of elders sat in a semicircle, faces carved from stone. At the center stood Li Ming — looking suspiciously calm, hands behind his back.
Behind him, something inside his robe sneezed.
Every elder’s head tilted slightly.
Li Ming coughed. "Ahem. That was me."
Elder Wu’s brows furrowed. "You sneezed like... thunder?"
"Deep breathing exercise," Li Ming said smoothly.
Elder Wu narrowed his eyes but said nothing.
From the upper dais, the Sect Master finally spoke, voice steady as still water. "Li Ming. Last night, the east courtyard was struck by lightning. Again. The incident has caused... mild panic."
Li Ming nodded solemnly. "Unfortunate indeed, Sect Master."
"Unfortunate," Elder Han echoed dryly, "is when it rains during meditation. This was heavenly judgment."
Murmurs rippled across the room.
Li Ming maintained his composure. "I can assure you, Elder Han, there’s a reasonable explanation."
At that exact moment, something inside his robe shifted and let out a small, drowsy chirp.
The silence that followed could have shattered glass.
Elder Wu leaned forward. "Did the... reasonable explanation just make a noise?"
Li Ming froze. Bai Guo, perched by the window, whispered, "Descendant, your robe is glowing."
Sure enough — faint golden light leaked from his sleeve.
The Sect Master exhaled slowly. "Li Ming. Please tell me you did not bring... whatever that is... into the main hall."
Li Ming smiled weakly. "Define ’bring.’"
A tiny head poked out from his collar — two stubby horns, big golden eyes, tail twitching.
The cub blinked sleepily at the elders.
Elder Han stood. "HE BROUGHT A SPIRIT BEAST INTO THE HALL!"
The cub yawned — and released a spark that danced harmlessly through the air before fizzling out.
The hall went dead silent again.
Bai Guo whispered, "At least it didn’t explode."
Li Ming glared at him. "Not helping."
---
The Sect Master pinched the bridge of his nose. "Li Ming, explain. Now."
Li Ming bowed. "During a subjugation mission, the target beast displayed unusual behavior. I attempted suppression—"
"Attempted," Elder Wu repeated dryly.
"—and it, ah, may have... formed a spiritual bond."
"Formed?"
"Accidentally," Li Ming added quickly.
Elder Han’s eye twitched. "You bonded with a beast that destroyed a mountain!"
Li Ming raised a hand. "Technically, it was only half the mountain."
The elders collectively sighed.
The cub, oblivious to the tension, climbed onto Li Ming’s shoulder and nuzzled his cheek, purring faintly.
Several disciples watching from outside the hall gasped in admiration.
"Aw," one whispered. "It’s kind of cute."
Elder Han glared at them. "CUTE? It’s a lightning hazard with fur!"
The cub sneezed again — this time releasing a faint crackle that made all the candles flicker in unison.
Li Ming winced. "...He’s still learning control."
Bai Guo chirped innocently. "Better than you did at that age."
"Bai Guo," Li Ming muttered, "you’re older than my great-grandmaster’s spirit tablet."
"Exactly. I’ve seen this pattern before. It ends with repairs."
---
The Sect Master finally lifted a hand, silencing everyone.
"Li Ming," he said calmly, "you will contain this beast, train it properly, and ensure the Sect remains in one piece."
Li Ming straightened. "Understood."
"And you will pay for all property damage."
"...Less understood."
The Sect Master’s lips twitched. "Dismissed."
Li Ming bowed deeply, then quickly exited the hall with the cub still perched proudly on his shoulder.
Once outside, Bai Guo landed on his head. "You handled that surprisingly well."
Li Ming sighed. "I think the Sect Master is getting used to me."
A thunderclap echoed behind them, followed by Elder Han’s faint shout: "HE TOOK THE BEAST THROUGH THE FRONT DOOR AGAIN!"
Li Ming winced. "...Mostly used to me."
---
That night, as he sat under the stars with the cub sleeping beside him, Li Ming couldn’t help but smile faintly.
"Trouble or not," he murmured, "you’re still part of my mess now."
The cub purred softly, sparks tracing lazy spirals in the air.
Bai Guo settled beside him. "You realize this is the beginning of chaos, right?"
Li Ming chuckled. "Then let’s make it a well-trained chaos."
To be continued...