"Damn… I really don’t want you to walk me! Let me go, will you?"
"Snow Wolf, don’t get so worked up. I know you’re happy—I get it, I really do." Little Dumpling scratched Snow Wolf’s belly, grinning brightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Zed being doted on by his godfather, and his smile grew even wider.
Finally, he could watch Zed get put in his place—there was nothing more satisfying than this.
If only Sweet Dumpling were here too—then godfather could train her a bit as well. That way, she wouldn’t always shove her older brother out in front as a shield whenever trouble came, with no respect for him at all.
What do you know!
Snow Wolf struggled desperately, reaching a paw out toward Zed…
In Northlyn, he’d saved Zed so many times—Zed couldn’t just abandon him now, right?
Zed didn’t want to leave Snow Wolf behind either, but…
As he talked with Wang Jinling, Zed suddenly realized—had he just been tricked?
"Uncle Wang, why do I have to learn all this stuff?" Zed’s handsome brows were tightly knit.
Wang Jinling’s lessons didn’t seem like the sort that could save his life.
"If you don’t have martial arts, you need to learn other ways to protect yourself. You can’t rely on Snow Wolf to guard you forever." Wang Jinling already knew what Zed had gone through in Northlyn these past two years.
"But will these really keep me safe?" Zed was skeptical.
Wang Jinling didn’t answer directly. Instead, he asked, "I don’t have martial arts—does anyone in this realm dare cross me?"
"No." That much was undeniable.
"Good. From now on, everything you learn will be arranged by me." Wang Jinling made the decision, leaving Zed no room to refuse.
Of course, what he meant was that these were all survival skills—now being taught to Zed.
Zed’s confusion deepened. "I don’t get it—why are you willing to teach me?"
Zed knew full well how many people had tried to get Wang Jinling to mentor their children, but Wang Jinling never gave anyone face—not even Sweet Dumpling had been accepted.
"Aside from Rory, who else could make me take action?" Wang Jinling smoothly led Zed to feel grateful toward Little Dumpling.
"Little Dumpling is a good kid," Zed muttered, refusing to admit he was moved.
Wang Jinling just smiled, saying nothing...
Only he knew that Little Dumpling was hardly a child—he was far more troublesome than any kid.
After Zed arrived at Skyvault Palace, Ninth Royal Uncle notified all the noble families, asking if they were willing to let Wang Jinling instruct their sons.
Getting guidance from Wang Jinling was a dream for many. Dominic Zhai wanted his son to abandon martial arts and focus on scholarship, even tried emotional appeals to Wang Jinling, but was refused. Now, with such a rare opportunity, no one wanted to miss out.
The Wang Clan elders told their chosen heir, "We don’t expect you to get close to the Crown Prince, nor to fully enter Uncle Jinling’s sight. Just learning a fraction of your Uncle Jinling’s skills will satisfy us."
Felix Fuller joked with his son, "Wang Jinling isn’t much stronger than your old man. Just learn something at Skyvault Palace, and make sure to build a good relationship with the Crown Prince."
Holden Cui warned his son, "Your uncle may not be warm, but he won’t harm you. At Skyvault Palace, watch more, speak less, and don’t bother fighting for anything. Our Cui Clan may not be what it was, but we haven’t fallen so low we need to curry favor."
General Warren Yu and Colin Si were blunt: "The Emperor sent you to Skyvault Palace to train with the Crown Prince. I’ve seen his martial skills—you’re no match for him. If you spar, don’t hold back. If you manage to injure the Crown Prince, it only proves your strength. The Emperor and Empress won’t blame you."
Dominic Zhai was the most anxious: "Son, when you get to Skyvault Palace, don’t hang around the Si or Yu boys. Stick close to Uncle Wang’s side. I don’t expect you to be as famous as him, but at least win top honors for me."
"Alright, Dad, enough nagging—I'll definitely bring home the martial champion’s title for you!" With that, he dashed off, so fast that even Dominic Zhai couldn’t catch him...
A line of noble sons was ‘packaged’ by Ninth Royal Uncle and delivered to the foot of Skyvault Palace. After notifying the sect, their escorts left without waiting for Sean Xuan to greet them.
"Your first mission is to find your own way up the mountain. Of course, if you’re strong enough, you can force your way through. Let me tell you what dangers await along the Skyvault Palace path." The Four Seasons Maid, lounging at the foot of the mountain, relayed the Emperor’s orders and took charge of their food and lodging below.
Up on the mountain, Sean Xuan was stunned by the news. "What does the Emperor think Skyvault Palace is?"
"A training camp," Wang Jinling replied calmly. He’d known that once he brought Zed here, he couldn’t hide from the Emperor. What he hadn’t expected was for the Emperor to use him as a tutor and dump a bunch of kids at Skyvault Palace.
These kids were hard to refuse—not because they were the children of acquaintances, but because most of them would one day become Little Dumpling’s ministers.
It wasn’t a bad idea to get to know them early, but actually teaching them? That was another matter entirely.
"Rory," Wang Jinling called his disciple over. "You know why those boys are here. Since they’ve come, give them a little lesson—let them understand the difference between a sovereign and a minister."
When there’s work, the disciple does it—Wang Jinling was perfectly happy to throw the whole group at Little Dumpling to handle.
"Don’t worry, Godfather, I won’t let you down!" Little Dumpling’s eyes lit up at the prospect of a challenge, eager to get started.
"Just don’t go overboard... If anything serious happens, your imperial parents will drag you straight back to the palace." Wang Jinling knew Little Dumpling had good judgment, but still couldn’t help reminding him.
The boys at the foot of the mountain were all proud prodigies, right in the middle of their rebellious phase. For Little Dumpling to win them over wouldn’t be easy, but his methods couldn’t be too harsh either. If anything went wrong, their families might not dare complain openly, but they’d definitely hold a grudge...