五月丁香五月丁香激情

As he pondered whether he hadn\'t been clear enough the day before, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from the end of the street. A brilliant red horse sped towards him, and atop it sat a middle-aged man—Chen Xiao, the head of the Chen family.

"That horse... is it Fei Hong?"

Zhou Qingkai was stunned, then filled with excitement. He had once accompanied Chen Hao to the stables and had seen this wild horse with the bloodline of a Source Beast. It was incredibly difficult to tame, and even Chen Xiao hadn’t been confident about succeeding. Yet, in just a few days, not only had it been tamed, but it was also now obediently ridden by him...

As Zhou Qingkai stared in shock, Fei Hong stopped abruptly before him, shifting from a gallop to a halt in just a breath, without even a tremor in its muscles—a testament to its immense strength. Truly, it was the most powerful steed at White Roc Stables, and Zhou Qingkai couldn\'t help but feel envious.

"Patriarch Chen... Young Master Chen sent me to wait for you here," Zhou Qingkai hurriedly stepped forward to greet him.

"Where\'s Hao?" Chen Xiao dismounted.

"Young Master has already gone to the classroom of that auxiliary teacher, intending to expose his lies in front of everyone," Zhou Qingkai explained quickly.

"To stand up after a fall instead of waiting for me to arrive—now that\'s my son! Not bad, not bad!" Chen Xiao laughed heartily, nodding in satisfaction. "Let\'s go take a look!"

He had deliberately arrived late, wanting to see how his son would react. If Chen Hao had simply waited for him and relied on the family, he would have been disappointed. But seeing him take action on his own filled him with pride.

A man must find a way to retaliate against those who wrong him, no matter the outcome, as long as his family has his back. If he lacks this basic courage, how could he ever hope to lead the family?

"Yes!" Zhou Qingkai nodded and was about to lead the way when Wang Yuxing hurried over. Seeing Chen Xiao, he sighed in relief, "Patriarch Chen, you\'re finally here... Young Master Chen, he\'s in trouble!"

"What happened? Why are you so anxious?" Chen Xiao frowned.

Wang Yuxing explained, "Young Master went to confront that auxiliary teacher, but... for some reason, the dean got involved and was so furious that he issued a Dean\'s Order to expel him!"

When Wang Yuxing and Liu Tianzheng entered the room earlier, they had seen this scene. Worried about the young master, Wang Yuxing had rushed over without understanding the full details.

"A Dean\'s Order? Expulsion?" Chen Xiao\'s face turned ashen.

Even Chen Hao knew the significance of a Dean\'s Order, and Chen Xiao understood its immense power. If Chen Hao were really expelled under such circumstances, his future would be ruined.

"Lu Mingrong..." Chen Xiao clenched his fists, trembling with rage.

To think that over an auxiliary teacher, Lu Mingrong would dare to impose such severe punishment on his son. Where did he get the nerve? Did he really think the Chen family could be bullied?

"Lead the way. I want to see what Hao did to deserve such treatment. If White Rock Academy doesn\'t give me a satisfactory explanation, don\'t blame me for what happens next!" Chen Xiao strode towards the academy.

Worried that time was running out, the three of them quickly made their way to Zhang Xuan\'s classroom. The door was tightly shut, but before they even reached it, they heard Chen Hao\'s voice inside, tinged with a sob, apologizing.

"I have no defense. I\'m scared, I\'m really scared! Dean Lu, Teacher Zhang, I truly didn\'t mean it. I\'m sorry, it was my fault, I apologize!"

"Outrageous!" Chen Xiao\'s fury exploded.

This was his son, the young master of the Chen family, being reduced to groveling before others... How could this be tolerated?

Unable to hold back, Chen Xiao kicked the door open and bellowed, "Hao, as long as I\'m here, you don\'t need to apologize to anyone. Let\'s see who dares to make you!"

Boom!

The door crashed open, and Chen Xiao took in the scene inside: Lu Mingrong and over a dozen elders stood on one side, and about thirty students crowded the small classroom, making it feel cramped. His son\'s figure was nowhere to be seen at first glance.

As Chen Xiao scanned the room, everyone turned to stare at the intruder, curious about who had barged in so recklessly.

Chen Xiao paid them no mind and quickly spotted his son. Chen Hao, far from his usual confident self, looked tense and worried. Upon seeing his father, his face flushed with excitement, and he hurriedly cupped his fists, "Dad!"

Chen Xiao, feeling a pang of sympathy, coldly snorted, "I\'m standing right here. Let\'s see who dares to criticize Hao, who dares to expel him!"

Lu Mingrong hadn’t expected Chen Xiao to be so reckless and barge in directly. His face darkened.

"Patriarch Chen, you barged into the academy and damaged the classroom door—what do you think you\'re doing?"

Your son, in his defiance, has offended Teacher Zhang. I thought you, as the patriarch, would at least show some courtesy. But it seems you’re even more unreasonable...

"What am I doing? Lu Mingrong, I should be asking you that! What did my son do wrong for you to go so far as to expel him with a Dean\'s Order?" Chen Xiao\'s eyes narrowed.

Lu Mingrong replied, "As a student, he defied authority, slandered a teacher, disregarded hierarchy, and repeatedly violated White Rock Academy\'s rules... What do you think he did wrong?"

"Slandered a teacher? Disregarded hierarchy? Are you talking about that useless auxiliary teacher who only got his position through connections? Where is he? I want to see how bold he is to claim my son defied him..." Chen Xiao sneered.

Feeling deeply moved by his father’s support, Chen Hao pointed quickly, "Dad, that\'s the one I told you about—the one who only became a teacher by flattering the dean..."

Chen Xiao followed his son\'s gesture and saw a familiar young man, frowning as he looked back at him.

"Patriarch Chen, is this your son?" the young man asked.

"Zhang, Zhang..." Chen Xiao\'s pupils contracted, his arrogant words stuck in his throat, unable to come out.

"Dad, it\'s because of him that I\'m being expelled. You must avenge me..." Chen Hao pleaded, but before he could finish, a hand came down hard on his face​.

Slap!

The sharp sound of a slap echoed through the entire classroom, followed immediately by Chen Xiao\'s thunderous roar, "As a student, how dare you be disrespectful to a teacher? How dare you defy your superiors? You wretch, kneel before me!"

"Kneel?"

Whether it was Lu Mingrong, the elders, or the students, everyone felt as if they had been suddenly silenced, their eyes wide open in shock, unable to speak. Wasn\'t this Chen family head supposed to be here to protect his son, ready to cause a scene at the academy?

Even Lu Mingrong and the others had braced themselves for a potential confrontation. But then, Chen Xiao\'s sudden change in attitude caught them completely off guard.

"You must show respect to teachers..." But just a moment ago, Chen Xiao himself had been the most disrespectful!

The onlookers were merely stunned, but Chen Hao, clutching his burning cheek, was filled with terror, unable to hold back his tears. Was this really his father? Hadn\'t he just said that once he arrived, Chen Hao wouldn\'t have to apologize to anyone and that no one would dare to pressure him? Now, instead of others forcing him, it was his own father who was making him kneel... Was this standing up for him or adding insult to injury?

"Didn\'t you hear what I said? Kneel down!"

Seeing his son still standing there with a sullen, aggrieved look, Chen Xiao\'s anger flared, and he kicked him in the knees. Moments ago, he had felt proud of his son; now, he regretted it deeply.

‘This was a young genius who had tamed thousands of wild horses within an hour—a feat beyond extraordinary. And you dare say such a person has no skill, only becoming a teacher through connections? What a joke!’

‘This man, even if he only taught horse taming, could attract countless experts eager to learn from him, even willing to pay for the privilege! Most importantly... after all the effort I went through to build a relationship with him—making him an guest elder, offering him money—you go and offend him to death…’

‘If I had known you were this foolish, I would have preferred to have shot you against a wall…’

Thud!

With a kick, Chen Hao\'s knees buckled, and he fell to the ground, kneeling before Zhang Xuan. "Dad..."

Chen Hao’s voice was filled with despair, but before he could say more, Chen Xiao slapped him again on the head.

"Shut up! Didn\'t you hear me tell you to apologize?"

"Why?"

Chen Hao could no longer hold back, his grievances pouring out, "He\'s just an auxiliary teacher..."

"Shut up, you fool!"

Chen Xiao\'s rage was reaching a boiling point, and he gritted his teeth, "Teacher Zhang is an guest elder of our Chen family, holding a status equal to that of the patriarch. Kneeling before him is an honor for you!"

"guest elder?"

Chen Hao\'s eyes widened in disbelief.

As the young master, Chen Hao knew well the status of an guest elder within the family—such a person commanded as much respect as the family head. Even the family head would treat them with the utmost reverence, ensuring their comfort and needs... But this man in front of him was just a lowly groom, wasn\'t he?

It wasn\'t just Chen Hao who was shocked; Lu Mingrong and the others exchanged puzzled glances, each sensing the potential danger in the situation. Had Chen Xiao somehow learned of Zhang Xuan\'s exceptional talent? If not, why would he suddenly show such fervent respect?

While everyone else was puzzled, Zhang Xuan hadn\'t expected the Chen family head to be so respectful. Though initially angered, he now found it impossible to stay mad and could only shake his head in exasperation. "Patriarch Chen, please calm down. He\'s just a child, prone to saying the wrong things. Besides, kneeling here won\'t be enough to show remorse. He should kneel in the Martial Arts Field for a full day."

Chen Hao\'s face turned crimson with humiliation, wishing he could disappear.

The Martial Arts Field was the central area of the academy, frequented by all students and teachers. Kneeling there for a whole day would be like putting his face on display for everyone to mock...

"Teacher Zhang is generous..."

Chen Xiao sighed in relief and slapped Chen Hao on the back of the head once more, "Hurry up and thank Elder Zhang!"

"Dad!"

Chen Hao gritted his teeth, "I have no problem thanking him, and I don\'t mind kneeling in the Martial Arts Field for a day. But I need to know, how did a newly appointed auxiliary teacher at White Rock Academy become an guest elder of our Chen family?"

His words drew the curiosity of everyone in the room. The title of guest elder in the Chen family was a prestigious one, on par with that of a grand elder in the academy. How had this young man, barely in his twenties, achieved such a position? He didn\'t even look like he could be a secret child of the family...

"You dare to question your father\'s decisions?"

Chen Xiao delivered another slap, but then he sighed, "Very well, it\'s no harm in telling you. Elder Zhang\'s horse-taming skills are extraordinary. Since the Chen family is famous for its stables, appointing him as an guest elder was only natural."

"Horse-taming?"

Before Chen Hao could respond, Zhou Qingkai, who had been listening quietly, finally voiced the question that had been nagging at him, "White Roc City has countless skilled horse tamers. Not to mention others, my father is not only an expert but is also renowned in the entire horse-taming community. Zhang Xuan may be young and lacking in experience, so why was he chosen over my father?"

Chen Xiao turned to him, his brow furrowing slightly.

Chen Hao quickly explained, "Zhou Qingkai\'s father, Zhou Qun, is the most skilled horse tamer in White Roc City, known as Master Zhou..."

Chen Xiao nodded in understanding, now recognizing Zhou Qingkai’s resemblance to his father.

The people in the room exchanged glances.

Master Zhou was well-known; many of them had heard of him. Even if they hadn\'t, a brief introduction was enough to highlight his significance. Given this, it seemed absurd that the Chen family hadn\'t appointed someone of Master Zhou\'s caliber as an guest elder, but had instead chosen a young man barely out of his teens...

Even Lu Mingrong and the other elders were confused.

They knew of Zhang Xuan\'s talent for taming beasts, but it was limited to helping the City Lord tame a Cangback Eagle. How skilled could he really be?

The Chen family appointing him as an guest elder suggested that Zhang Xuan was not only exceptionally talented in cultivation, had ignited the furnace, and possessed Heaven\'s Fate... but was also a genius in beast taming?

"Dad, you can\'t seriously be saying that this Teacher Zhang\'s skills in horse taming surpass even those of Master Zhou!"

Chen Hao finally realized the gravity of the situation, blurting out his thoughts, "Everyone knows Master Zhou is unmatched in White Roc City. Not only did he tame Miss Mo\'s Su Shang and Miss Yu\'s Dao Li, but his mastery of horse-taming is unparalleled. You also know that horse-taming isn\'t just about talent; it requires endless practice and deep knowledge of horses\' habits. At his age, how skilled could he possibly be?"

Zhou Qingkai added, "Taming horses is only partly about talent. What\'s more important is the tireless training and understanding of horses\' behaviors... I\'m not saying Teacher Zhang lacks talent, but at just over twenty years old, even if he started learning in the womb, how many types of wild horses could he know? How much could he understand about their habits? Without that knowledge, he\'s likely to be thrown off or even trampled during taming, losing control of the situation and his life!"​.

Horse taming is not just about having talent; it\'s about mastering the techniques—lassoing, mounting, controlling the horse, standing your ground, and leading the horse. Each of these skills requires day and night practice and cannot be mastered overnight.

Chen Hao knew this well and nodded, "Dad, could it be that you\'ve been deceived by him...?"

"Shut up!" Chen Xiao was exasperated. "I have my reasons for what I did. You have no need to question me."

Chen Hao insisted, "I\'m not questioning you, Dad. I just believe that if we need an guest elder, Master Zhou would be a much better choice."

"Young Master Chen is right," Zhou Qingkai interjected, bowing respectfully. "In White Roc City, my father dares to claim second place in horse taming, and no one would dare claim first. I ask that you give my father a chance to have a fair contest with Teacher Zhang."

Zhou Qingkai had full confidence in his father\'s abilities. Winning this contest would not only alleviate Chen Hao\'s embarrassment but might also earn his father the position of guest elder in the Chen family—an opportunity that could change their fates.

"You want Master Zhou to compete against him?" Chen Xiao\'s expression turned strange as he glanced at Zhou Qingkai.

After witnessing yesterday\'s events, Chen Xiao couldn\'t help but feel that the situation was somewhat amusing—after all, it seemed Chen Hao wasn\'t the only one trying to cause trouble...

Suddenly, he felt much better about the situation!

"That\'s right!" Zhou Qingkai nodded firmly, then turned to Zhang Xuan, his gaze resolute. "Teacher Zhang, do you dare to compete in horse taming against my father? If you win, I\'ll kowtow and admit my mistake. But if you lose, I ask that you show mercy to Young Master Chen..."

He didn\'t mention the guest elder position directly, but it was clear that if Zhang Xuan lost, it would be hard for him to maintain his position.

Zhang Xuan\'s expression twitched as he looked back at Zhou Qingkai, his face turning just as strange. "Are you sure your father would agree?"

Zhou Qingkai nodded confidently, "Why wouldn\'t he? Let me tell you, over the past twenty years, my father has competed against 32 horse taming experts, and he has never lost. He is fully confident in facing you. On the contrary, if you’re afraid, it\'s better to admit defeat now..."

"Shut up!"

Before Zhou Qingkai could finish, a loud shout rang out. Everyone turned to see a group of more than ten people striding towards them. The one who spoke was a tall man, nearly two meters in height. Even before reaching them, he exuded an overwhelming sense of pressure.

"Dad? Why are you here..." Zhou Qingkai\'s eyes lit up as he recognized the man and rushed forward to greet him.

It was none other than Zhou Qun, the horse-taming master of White Roc City!

Zhou Qun had appeared just as they were discussing him, accompanied by a group of well-known horse taming experts from the city. However, instead of looking pleased, his face was filled with anger, as if he might explode at any moment.

"Get out of my way!" Zhou Qun shoved his son aside and quickly approached Zhang Xuan. To everyone\'s astonishment, he bowed deeply, then dropped to one knee, his eyes filled with respect and reverence.

"Zhou Qun greets Master Zhang!"

"Wu Shuhuo greets Master Zhang!"

"Liu Chenfeng greets Master Zhang!"

In an instant, over a dozen horse taming experts followed suit, kneeling on one knee like students meeting their revered teacher after a long journey.

"Master Zhang?" The room fell into a stunned silence​.