Ye Yin quickly explained what had transpired in the classroom, and Liu Erlong immediately understood. From her perspective, Ye Yin couldn't be blamed. If a man didn't react when someone was harassing his girlfriend, could he even be called a man?
While Ye Yin was talking, he noticed the resentment value from Tai Long and the other classmates continuing to rise in his system notifications. He could also hear intense, crackling sounds coming from inside the classroom—apparently, the healing process was quite vigorous.
At the mention of a man protecting his loved one, Liu Erlong suddenly fell silent, her mind drifting back to events from years ago. On her wedding day, Yu Xiaogang had simply fled. He was truly no man at all. Liu Erlong clenched her fists, a bitter feeling rising in her chest. How could she have ever fallen for someone like him? Comparing him to Ye Yin was like comparing the dirt on the ground to the heavens above.
"Since that's the case," she said, shaking herself from her thoughts, "let's go back to class."
Liu Erlong led Ye Yin back into the room. By now, with the help of several classmates using their healing abilities, Tai Long had managed to get back on his feet.
"Tai—" Liu Erlong started to say, but quickly cut herself off, remembering not to trigger the curse's keyword. "I'm giving you three days off," she said instead. "You should go home and rest."
Tai Long nodded repeatedly. He was injured so badly that he desperately needed to go home and recover. "Thank you, Dean," he mumbled, then limped out of the classroom and began the long walk back to the Strength Clan's residence.
He clutched his bruised face, his entire body aching as if it were about to fall apart. The furious roar of Vice-Dean Liu Erlong still echoed in his mind. All he wanted was to find a place to lie down where no one could see his pathetic state.
As he stepped into the familiar courtyard of his home, a voice like a booming bell exploded nearby. "Tai Long? Aren't you supposed to be in class? Why are you back so early? And what in the world happened to you? Who did this?"
Tai Long's father, the Mighty King Tai Nuo, was bare-chested and lifting heavy stone locks in the yard, his muscular body gleaming with sweat. He immediately saw his son's miserable condition, and his brows furrowed in anger. He dropped the stone lock with a thud and strode over.
"How did you end up like this?" he demanded, his loud voice filled with a furious, parental protectiveness. "Who beat you up? You tell your dad! Your dad will—" His large, fan-like hand instinctively reached out to pat his son's shoulder in a gesture of comfort.
The two words, "Tai Long," were like an invisible lightning bolt that struck the most sensitive nerve in Tai Long's mind. His previously listless body suddenly went rigid. A split second later, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, he twisted with an eerie speed that was completely at odds with his injured state.
SLAP!
The crisp sound echoed through the courtyard. Tai Long's right hand, powered by a surge of pure, reflexive force, landed squarely on his father's startled, bearded face.
Tai Nuo just stood there, completely stunned. He clutched his burning cheek, his wide eyes filled with utter disbelief. My son… just slapped me?
"You little brat!" he roared, his shock instantly replaced by towering rage. "You've gone too far! How dare you hit your old man?!" He didn't care why his son was acting strangely; daring to lay a hand on him meant he needed a beating! Forget about who hurt his son—he was going to hurt his son now!
He roared again, and his fist, as big as a casserole pot, whistled through the air and smashed down on Tai Long.
The courtyard was filled with the sounds of ugly thuds and pained cries. Tai Long was already badly injured; he stood no chance against his father's angry blows. He was instantly beaten into a cowering mess, screaming for mercy.
"Dad! Dad! Stop hitting me! Listen to me—" Tai Long tried to explain while dodging the rain of fists.
"Listen to what?! Let your old man beat some sense into you first!" Tai Nuo was in a blind rage, his fists falling relentlessly.
Finally, Tai Nuo grew tired. He paused to catch his breath. "Tai Long, you tell me right now! Why did you hit your old man?! If you can't give me a good explanation..."
But he had said the name again. The curse was re-triggered. Tai Long's body flew up and once again slapped Tai Nuo across the face with a loud smack.
Tai Nuo's head froze, mechanically and stiffly turning back to face his son. "You dare to hit me again!" he bellowed. "You've completely rebelled!"
"Dad! Dad!" Tai Long was bruised and swollen, on the verge of tears, but his father's fists gave him no chance to speak.
After another brutal beating, Tai Long finally managed to get a few words out before his father could say his name again. "Dad… I… I didn't mean to… I've got this strange illness… As soon as someone calls my name… I just… I can't help but want to slap them! I don't even know how many people I've hit today!"
"Name? Strange illness?" Tai Nuo was stunned for a second, then grew even angrier. "Nonsense! You hit people just because they call your name? I've been calling you that for twenty years! Why didn't you ever slap me before? I think you're just looking for a beating! Speak! What exactly happened!" The more he thought about it, the angrier he got, and he raised his foot to kick him again.
"Tai Nuo! Stop! Why are you hitting him!"
A more authoritative, thunderous shout rang out. The old patriarch of the Strength Clan, Tai Tan, came rushing out of the house. He was even taller and more robust than Tai Nuo, his white beard twitching with anger. When he saw his precious grandson beaten so miserably, his heart ached. He quickly stepped between them, glaring at his son.
"Dad! This little beast dared to slap me!" Tai Nuo complained, pointing at the red mark still visible on his cheek.
Tai Tan frowned, shielding his grandson behind him. "Slap you? Tai Long is a good, filial boy. Why would he hit you without a reason? You must have done something outrageous! Speak! What did you do?!" He then turned, his expression softening as he looked at his grandson. He instinctively bent down to ask him directly.
"Tai Long, you tell Grandpa what happened. Grandpa will back you up!"
He had no sooner spoken his grandson's name than another incredibly crisp slap rang out. Tai Long's hand, acting on pure reflex, moved as fast as lightning and harshly connected with Tai Tan's wrinkled, now astonished, old face.
Tai Tan froze, completely petrified. He had lived for so many years and was a prominent figure in the Spirit Master world. When had he ever been slapped? And by his most beloved grandson, no less?
An indescribable mix of shame, indignation, and fury rushed to his head. His old face turned crimson, and his white beard trembled with uncontrollable rage.
----------------
You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion