Wang Yi actually took his time building up courage, eyes specifically landing on her killer claws that seems to be ready to strike anytime if he made a single move that she will find displeasing.
"...Mother, after your order I've cleaned up the whole training ground, and I've realized that I've been away from water longer than usual..."
He starts, faking confidence.
"Please forgive this disciple for thinking that maybe not to waste water i could use your hot spring to clean the dirt off and regain my power through water?"
Wang Yi even used the word XiaoXiao wants to hear the most, expecting her to soften up if he does so.
But to no avail, it didn't seem like she was gonna lose her guard yet.
"You know the rules till the back of your head, i forbid you to use anything in this house except to clean."
"Teach-"
Wait, Wang Yi pauses.
"I mean, mother, look how dried my scales become!! And I've been feeling nauseous and dizzy..."
"-So if i don't use my merman form right this instant then I'll be in a high disadvantage, i might even lose a limb..."
Wang Yi spoke in a tiny voice the last part, this whole time he kept his head lowered, didn't dare to look at XiaoXiao out of respect.
To which XiaoXiao only sneered at, before turning her back on him she spat,
"Leave."
No joke, she's heartless even to this!
Wang Yi grits his teeth in worry, it's partly true, he is indeed in a critical position. Since day time he noticed how weaker he has become the more he doesn't come in contact to water.
It wasn't an excuse, but a coincidence.
So with boldness that he's regained from seeing Zhenyi, he doesn't hesitate to throw himself on XiaoXiao from where he layed.
Before she could leave any further, He managed to catch and cling on her one leg, desperate and pathetic.
"What-"
She began with a almost deadly serious voice, caught off guard.
"Mother, just let me use it because it's convenient!! Or else i might die-"
Wang Yi cries, hoping for her mercy only to get a dreadful yell.
"Then die, you maniac!!"
Huh? What did she say?
Die??
Huh!!????
Wang Yi, wronged, but got even more desperate, tightening with a death grip as he stubbornly refuses,
"How are you so heartless! Why did you buy me if this is how I'm being treated!?
I'm not going anywhere until you let me, mother!"
"Let go, Wang Yi."
"No!"
"Don't make me repeat myself twice."
"I don't care! I'll hold on to you and die!"
XiaoXiao holds her breath, patience running out,
"Good! Then don't blame me for being too harsh!"
Is what she said and with a force as mighty as any skilled cultivator could have, with powers gathered she strikes at Wang Yi, sending him painfully flying.
"This is the last time i let you, stinky fish."
Wang Yi, who with a heavy blow directly landed into the hot water gets his bottom wear ripped apart due to his uncontrollable transformation into a sea creature as a protection.
His eyes changed to completely black, while his fish tail was way bigger and longer than his ordinary legs, they were dark gray, glowing and magnificent. And of course his body was extremely aching due to him getting hurt.
If it wasn't for the fact that there's water, she could have killed me already...or if fortunate i would lose a limb or two.
He thought with shivers down his spine, head spinning.
Wang Yi sadly looks at the mess created by his teacher, the material of his cloth flowing on the water on every sides, yet he proceed to strip his top wear with a sigh.
His eyes hesitantly turns to look up at XiaoXiao, walking graciously as if she hadn't almost commit another murder, with indescribable feelings he watches her gorgeous backside as she leaves.
Soon he looks away, holding himself back.
At the same time he was so irritated and regretful, but also felt a tang of butterflies on his stomach. It seems like XiaoXiao was softened and let him off this easily with a deathly hit, when usually she is way worse and merciless.
No matter how hateful she is, when for a mere second she acts nice it almost makes Wang Yi forget about all her unreasonable bad deeds she has done to him and strive for her care and be greedy for her attention.
"Anyway, you could have let me undress first, now i have to bother you to look for new materials to sew this back to normal..."
He pouts, now completely bare with only his giant merman tail that occupied a lot of space.
XiaoXiao stops at her track to take a glance behind to look at Wang Yi's merman form.
Since the both of them were mostly distant and never showed each other's true form, XiaoXiao was quiet intrigued, but only for a tiny bit.
it was maybe curiosity because of her first time seeing her disciple's merman form.
But of course, through her stone face it was unnoticeable.
Wang Yi, taken aback from immediately noticing that eyes were on him, felt heat rush through him.
They were staring at each other but only for a second or two, before she coldly goes off, not caring.
Once eyes were no longer on him, he huffs a sigh of relief, feeling strange.
Ah, she got me there...here i ridiculously thought she would scold me to death for taking my clothes off and go around calling me disgraceful-
Wait.
Hold on.
Come to think of it, Wang Yi recalls.
After a hard day of training, most disciples goes into the male showering room and maybe encounter a little fight like normal teenage boys would, XiaoXiao would normally walk in and ground them with severe punishment.
It was very awkward because boys were butt naked and some were horrified with shame, or some got used to XiaoXiao not giving a damn because she didn't even bat an eye, as if nothing was wrong.
Then there were times of extreme training, boys couldn't stand being stinky with their sweat so they would start undressing right in front of her eyes.
Other female disciples who were there were whispering and blushing, some boys even took advantage to seduce them. Who, certainly, got punished accordingly.
Strangely nudity never bothered XiaoXiao, when normally opposite gender would shy away.
Or could it be because they all were looked as kids in her eyes? Not manly enough to fit her tastes?
Although some of her disciples were already young adults, at a marriagable age.
Wang Yi found this quiet funny, maybe XiaoXiao after uncle Xie Yun's death turned into a stone?
Nothing, no one attracts her!
when was even the last time she blushed?
God, Wang Yi's curiosity might kill him if he thinks any further, he suddenly wants to see all of the impossible things XiaoXiao would feel through him.
Like what if she would start blushing because of him? How great that would be!
The fearless emotionless teacher of his getting nervous because of her disciple Wang Yi?
Now he started wondering if it was possible for him to seduce XiaoXiao just like those topless boys did to female disciples? Just out of curiosity. Despite his hatered, it would be fun to see her blush and feeling humiliated just like she always does to him.
can't i just attract this woman?
The more he thinks the more he feels unconfident, though he never cared to make anyone fall for him.
what could ever happen if a woman like XiaoXiao can find attraction in a boy like him? How would this devil look like when foolishly loving someone? Loving him?
"Hah,"
Wang Yi found himself laughing like a mad of his childish imagination of the impossible, guess the bliss of filling himself up with water after a long time got him drunk.
The night was long and he found himself curling up from cold, mind occupied with thoughts, for the first time in a while he realized how a bit sad and lonely this tiny scary looking house is.
He's reminded that after all he was just a young boy who is afraid of dark and of sleeping alone, yet he have to go through this every night.
If only be could live with someone...maybe even move out. Or better, will he ever get the honor to live in the same comfortable house as XiaoXiao throughtout his lifetime?
That would be nice..
Wang Yi misses the old XiaoXiao, because the XiaoXiao right now wasn't the best at making him feel safe as any son would like to feel.
Forget it, imagining is enough.
----
The next morning Wang Yi left to get breakfast in the canteen, meeting Yufeng and Zhenyi there.
"Zhenyi, it's better to farewell with your friends now and wait for me to beat you to death."
Wang Yi started with a hidden rage, cracking his knuckles.
Zhenyi nervously laughs as he went up checking Wang Yi for any injuries.
"Brother, look, you clearly came back alive!! I did nothing wrong then? I just knew teacher wouldn't kill you!"
"She won't, but you i think i don't dare?"
"I regret ever helping you!"
"Okay, okay, kill me later but first tell me just how did it go?"
H
e eagerly awaits, all on ears.
Yufeng, upon seeing his friend feels judgemental while sipping on his water.
"
Zhenyi, you're so disgusting. I'm contemplating on whether continuing this friendship or not."
"Hey now, i swear we didn't see much! Only her legs, and let me tell you they were ordinary like ours, but longer!"
"...and maybe have more meat."
The last part he says with a squeal, like a little maiden talking about their first love.
"You're unbelievable. See? this is why you won't ever get a wife!"
"You-!!"
"How come you're only disgusted with me? Wang Yi was there too!!"
"No need, because Wang Yi isn't s shameless as you."
Wang Yi gives Yufeng a satisfying smile before a banging of pan alarm sound cames, signaling an important news.
"Everyone gather to the hallway after 10 minutes! No thing as being late!"
"Something big gonna happen first thing in the morning? What could it be this time-"
"That's it! I heard the general is back!!"
"That general Xie? Is the war in the south over?"
Everyone starts wondering, finishing up quickly and heading back to see what's the importance of disciples gathering.
Once they all gathered, meeting began.
"As you all know our great general here is a very rare fish to catch, haha!"
"It's an honor for him to come here in person. Everyone are welcome to spend a whole three classes of training personally taught by him alone!"
General Xie, or Xie Hun, was a werewolf and an older brother of Xie Yun, they both look very much alike with their physique and voice. The only difference is their personalities of oil and water. General Xie always had his hair a lot longer while his younger brother had shorter.