SPMT : Chapter 182

“Father, you’re only taking me to participate in the competition!” Xiao Xiaojin pulled on Xiao Jingting’s hand and asked excitedly.

Xiao Jingting nodded and said: “Yes!” He would have liked to bring the others along, but since their whole family consisted of Golden Core cultivators, bringing too many people would seem like a show of force.

“Father, did you discover I’m the most capable, so you’re bringing me as your bodyguard?” Xiao Xiaojin said with a flushed face.

Looking at Xiao Xiaojin’s excited expression, Xiao Jingting couldn’t bear to dampen his spirits: “Yes! You’re the most capable.” This silly boy is overthinking things.

Xiao Xiaojin said excitedly: “I’m going to tell big brother and second brother that you have such good judgment, Father. Although I was the last to advance to Golden Core, I’ve caught up from behind and am better than all of them!”

Xiao Jingting said earnestly: “Xiaojin! Showing off is bad behavior.” Xiaojin isn’t looking for a beating, is he?

Xiao Jingting secretly sighed in his heart. Although Xiao Xiaojin had always stayed by his and Xu Mu’an’s side, he spent most of his time cultivating and understood little of worldly affairs, still maintaining some childish nature.

“But second brother often shows off to me too!” Xiao Xiaojin asked.

“What does your second brother show off to you about?” Xiao Jingting asked.

Xiao Xiaojin thought for a moment and said: “He shows off his big appetite, saying he can eat a whole cow in one meal.”

Xiao Jingting glared at Xiao Xiaojin and said: “If you stop cooking for him, he won’t be able to show off…”

The little flying bear on top of Xiao Xiaojin’s head snickered. Xiao Jingting pulled the flying bear down from Xiao Xiaojin’s head and asked: “Is this guy behaving?”

Xiao Xiaojin nodded and said: “Pretty well-behaved.”

Xiao Jingting nodded and said: “Good behavior is fine. If it misbehaves, just starve it for a few meals. Look how obedient your second brother becomes when he’s hungry!”

Xiao Xiaojin: “…”

The little flying bear rolled around in Xiao Jingting’s palm, occasionally making threatening sounds.

…

Xiao Jingting brought Xiao Xiaojin to the Ye family’s convoy. Although Xiao Xiaojin was somewhat younger than Xiao Xiaodong and the others, he had also advanced to Golden Core several years ago. Compared to Xiao Xiaodong and Xiao Xiaofan, who had already made some reputation on Nebula Island, Xiao Xiaojin appeared much more low-key.

“Senior Xiao’s family are all geniuses! Pull out any one of them and they’re Golden Core,” Ye Jinlan smiled and said.

“Miss Ye is too kind.”

Ye Jinlan’s gaze turned to the top of Xiao Xiaojin’s head: “What is that?”

On top of Xiao Xiaojin’s head was a palm-sized flying bear that looked chubby and adorable.

“It’s a pet my son keeps,” Xiao Jingting said.

Ye Jinlan looked at the flying bear crawling around on Xiao Xiaojin’s head and smiled: “This pet is really cute. I wonder where Fellow Daoist Xiao got it.”

Xiao Xiaojin said without thinking: “It walked into the trap by itself.”

Ye Jinlan said with some confusion: “Walked into the trap?”

“I made something delicious, and it came over by itself,” Xiao Xiaojin said.

“I see! Looking at this little bear, it resembles the evil bear from Bee Island somewhat,” Ye Jinlan said.

“The evil bear from Bee Island?” Xiao Xiaojin asked.

“Yes! The evil bear from Bee Island is quite famous! That bear is vicious by nature and considers Bee Island its own territory. Once someone approaches, they’ll be attacked by it. The evil bear is also skilled at controlling the bees on the island. People who land on the island are attacked by poisonous bees and often suffer heavy casualties,” Ye Jinlan sighed.

Xiao Xiaojin smiled slyly and said: “Is that so! That flying bear is really detestable.” The so-called Bee Island was an island occupied by various kinds of bees. The bees on the island were reportedly raised by the flying bear on the island. The flying bear looked somewhat like a panda with a pair of wings on its back.

Xiao Xiaofan loved sweets and felt it was wasteful to always eat Golden Bee honey, so he wanted to find some ordinary honey to eat and happened to hear about Bee Island.

Fearing the flying bear’s ability to control bees, the group used delicacies made with royal jelly to lure the flying bear away from Bee Island, then the mid-Golden Core flying bear was thoroughly beaten by Xiao Xiaodong and the others working together.

The cowardly flying bear made a contract with Xiao Xiaojin and became his contracted beast. After making the contract, the flying bear discovered that Xiao Xiaojin’s cultivation wasn’t as high as its own and began a life of freeloading. Xiao Xiaojin often couldn’t command it.

The flying bear seemed to have ancient divine beast bloodline and could freely change its size, hide the wings on its back, and alter its form. The flying bear currently sitting on Xiao Xiaojin’s head looked like a simple, adorable pet, so Ye Jinlan didn’t recognize it.

“I heard that the flying bear on Bee Island has ancestral bloodline reversion with ancient demon beast blood – quite extraordinary. Many people wanted to capture it, but unfortunately, that flying bear is cunning by nature and can control the bees on Bee Island, making it very hard to catch. Those cultivators gave up,” Ye Jinlan said thoughtfully while staring at Xiao Xiaojin’s spirit pet.

Xiao Jingting glanced at Ye Jinlan and said: “Alright, alright, Miss Ye, let’s get on the road.”

Ye Jinlan nodded and said: “Good.”

Xiao Jingting and Xiao Xiaojin boarded the carriage. The flying bear on Xiao Xiaojin’s head made a face at Ye Jinlan, showing its sharp teeth.

Ye Jinlan suddenly felt a thick chill.

“Miss, please board the carriage,” Ye Fang came over and said.

“That spirit pet?”

“Miss, it’s just a spirit pet that looks good but is useless,” Ye Fang said.

A spirit pet that looks good but is useless? But that spirit pet had clearly given her considerable pressure just now. There was something strange about Xiao Jingting everywhere!

…

After Xiao Jingting and Xiao Xiaojin boarded the carriage, the little flying bear started making a fuss.

The little flying bear expressed that after it was born, it guarded its little patch of territory on the island and lived quite freely.

It was so peaceful and didn’t contend with the world, yet people always liked to provoke it. There were always people who liked to steal its honey or wanted to capture it as a spirit pet. Those people’s abilities were too small, but they were used to wishful thinking. Those idiotic guys were either stung to death by the bees it controlled or slapped to death by it.

Xiao Jingting sighed inwardly. Natural selection and survival of the fittest – both cultivators and flying bears were decent, it just depended on who was more capable.

The little flying bear indicated that people from Ye Jinlan’s family had also been to Bee Island before, but were scared away.

The flying bear had formed its core long ago and its intelligence had awakened early. It easily recognized that Ye Jinlan and the others wore the same clothing as the cultivators who had previously infiltrated Bee Island.

The little flying bear expressed that although it was already over three hundred years old, it was actually still a cub. Flying bears reached adulthood at five hundred years old, and it was currently in its growth period, which was when it needed large amounts of nourishment. It absolutely couldn’t be mistreated.

Xiao Jingting looked at the little flying bear and said: “Son, put this guy away.”

Xiao Xiaojin nodded, ignored the little flying bear’s protests, and stuffed it into a spirit beast bag.

Xiao Jingting rolled his eyes. Ever since his son contracted the little flying bear, the Golden Bee honey in his jade pendant space had been rapidly depleting. This stupid bear was lazy, demanding, and truly a bastard.

Xiao Xiaojin took out a honey cake and said ingratiatingly: “Father, do you want to eat it?”

Xiao Jingting shook his head and said: “No need.”

Xiao Xiaojin looked somewhat dejected. The little flying bear in the spirit beast bag went crazy with shouting: “If he won’t eat it, give it to me! It’s such a waste not to eat it!”

Even though the flying bear was sealed in the spirit beast bag, it could still communicate with Xiao Xiaojin. Xiao Xiaojin ignored the flying bear’s shouting and stuffed the cake into his own mouth. The flying bear cursed angrily from within Xiao Xiaojin’s spirit beast bag, but Xiao Xiaojin paid no attention.

…

The Ye family convoy had been traveling for a day when it suddenly stopped.

Ye Jinlan looked at the arrivals and frowned tightly: “Fellow Daoist He, what are you doing?”

He Li smiled and said: “Nothing much. I heard Miss Ye found a helper for the Ye family, so I came specially to have a look.”

Ye Jinlan frowned and said: “The challenge tournament is imminent. There will be plenty of opportunities to observe then. Why the rush?”

He Li said dismissively: “Waiting for the challenge tournament – when will that be? Why don’t I help Miss Ye weigh this person’s worth right now and see if he’s qualified to participate in the challenge tournament!”

Xiao Xiaojin said excitedly: “Father, it seems someone’s looking for trouble!”

Xiao Jingting looked at the overjoyed Xiao Xiaojin and said: “Someone’s looking for trouble and you’re this happy about it?”

“This journey has been too peaceful and boring! Having someone look for trouble is much more fun!” Xiao Xiaojin said.

Xiao Jingting: “…” How did he give birth to such a chaos-loving thing? Someone looking for trouble doesn’t mean more money – what’s there to be happy about?

“Miss Ye, where’s the person you hired? Why isn’t he coming out? Could it be you found a coward?” He Li said.

Ye Jinlan looked at He Li coldly and said: “It’s none of your business.”

In the carriage, Xiao Jingting stroked his chin thoughtfully.

Xiao Xiaojin’s eyes sparkled as he said: “Father, he called you a coward.”

Looking at Xiao Xiaojin’s excited expression, Xiao Jingting was covered in black lines. His old man was being insulted! What did Xiao Xiaojin’s jubilant appearance mean?

“The Ye family’s situation looks very bad indeed!” The He family was also a member of the Commerce Alliance and somewhat stronger than the Ye family. For them to come looking for trouble like this clearly meant they didn’t take the Ye family seriously.

“Father, do you want to go out and take a look?” Xiao Xiaojin asked.

“No, no,” Xiao Jingting said.

Xiao Xiaojin looked at Xiao Jingting and said: “Father, you’re still young. Young people should be hot-blooded. Don’t make yourself act like an old man!”

Xiao Jingting: “…”

“Father, if you’re like this, Mother-father won’t like you anymore,” Xiao Xiaojin said.

Xiao Jingting: “…”

Xiao Jingting lifted the curtain and stepped out: “Miss Ye, what’s happened?”

He Li saw Xiao Jingting and raised a brilliant smile: “Fellow Daoist Xiao, I’ve long admired your reputation.”

As soon as He Li saw Xiao Jingting come out, his face broke into a brilliant smile. Looking at He Li’s expression, Xiao Jingting felt the other party was smiling like a complete infatuated fool.