Huai Shi yawned and collapsed onto the sofa, looking around and feeling that something was missing. "Wait, where's Tong Ji?"
"Ms. Tong Ji just went out, apparently busy with something. However, she made a reservation for dinner tonight."
Huai Shi scratched his head, paused for a long while, then his eyes widened in sudden anger.
"Where has that wild woman run off to again!" Huai Shi scolded angrily. "If she doesn't obey the curfew next time, I'll break her legs!"
Enjoying his authoritative rant to its fullest, Huai Shi had his fill of playing the lord.
At such times, Uncle Fang could only stifle his laughter in the kitchen and pretend he hadn't heard anything.
It was just too bad that not even the all-capable Beelzebub would dare to stick his head out at this moment and say, "Master, Ms. Tong Ji has been locked in your basement for three years already," prompting Huai Shi to ask her, "Do you regret it now?"
Besides, he always felt that even if that black-hearted woman were locked in the basement, she'd still find a way to swindle his money...
This world was just too unsafe.
After hurriedly eating breakfast, Huai Shi finally sobered up a bit.
Once the two students arrived, he began to review their progress over the past couple of days.
Yuan Yuan had made pleasing progress. Her violin skills had improved significantly, and she had progressed remarkably in just a few days.
Lin Nineteen's performance lagged behind. His 'Beheading' was lackluster, and to this day, he had not mastered Huai Shi's fancy decapitations. But Huai Shi didn't have high expectations for him. If he was incompetent in combat, it was enough to prevent others from fighting him. If he couldn't win a fight, at least he should be able to run away.
At worst, he could hold another concert in a few days to give Little Nineteen some extra tutoring and train his survival skills.
However, when it came time to hand in homework, Lin Nineteen slyly passed on a notebook, hinting, "Teacher, I've learned everything written in here, and several techniques have inspired me. Do you have any new material for me to look at?"
It almost felt as if they were exchanging some provocative books between master and apprentice.
It was the draft version of "Guide to Hell Kitchen Demon Beginnings" that Huai Shi had written in his spare time.
Finally, he was starting to teach according to his student's abilities.
For the Lin family, being naturally sensitive to various negative Source Substances and the aura of disasters, they were particularly suited for meddling with Alchemy, Curses, and poisons.
Wasn't Lin Yu, Lin Nineteen's cousin, an outstanding example of this?
Anyway, Huai Shi had realized clearly now that the Abyss Kitchen Devil was just a framework into which all sorts of random things could be stuffed. He figured it would be better to just teach him the basics and let him figure out the rest on his own.
Little Nineteen seemed to have a knack for learning all the wrong things at a rapid pace.
If he couldn't conquer an enemy's heart, then he should at least conquer their stomach, and he really took to this approach.
There was actually no need for such sneaky behavior, but there was no choice; Uncle Fang wouldn't allow it.
For the old man, Huai Shi could do whatever he liked, but he was particularly averse to Huai Shi messing around with those things at home, puffing out his beard and glaring each time he saw it.
Huai Shi could only secretly take Lin Nineteen out for their lessons.
The effect, however, was surprisingly good.
After a brief period of study and practice, Lin Nineteen could already innovate, boiling up multicolored black porridge and vibrantly colorful white rice. And it seemed likely that he would combine them with his family's Witchcraft and come up with new creations...
Perhaps after a few more years, by the next elimination round, getting a Hell Kitchen Demon certificate would not be a problem.
This eased Huai Shi's mind. After all, how is a chef not the most stable source of livelihood? With this skill, no matter how badly I fare in the future, at least I won't starve.
Yuan Yuan became the Disastrous Musician, you became the Hell Kitchen Demon, and I became the Prince of Paradise; all of us in this lineage have a bright future ahead.
Doesn't that sound good?
Reviewing their progress, offering guidance, and then assigning homework.
By the time he finished, it was approaching noon.
"Stay for lunch later," Huai Shi offered. "I plan to do some casting later; do you want to come and watch?"
Lin Nineteen readily nodded his head in agreement while Yuan Yuan thought for a moment, then did not say anything.
Seeing her vaguely lost expression, Huai Shi couldn't help but shake his head and ruffled her hair. "Practicing the violin is useful with lots of practice, but you should at least take a breather occasionally, right? Come be my assistants this afternoon. Consider it community service."
It seemed she took being captured by Ivy Vine last time as a blunder due to her own inadequacy and was extremely dedicated to practicing the violin. According to what her aunt said, she hadn't gone out much in a long while, which was somewhat worrying.
Huai Shi didn't quite understand it.
Was it just a capture? I myself enjoyed my time in Ivy Vine's prison. Were you worried about bringing shame upon our master?
Furthermore, they looked after you well, with food and drink. Why treat it like failing a semester course and needing a makeup exam?
Pushing yourself too much can also backfire.
For someone as laid-back as me, balancing work and leisure is the essential philosophy of life. If I can't even slack off anymore, what's the point of living?
He stroked his chin, pondering.
Perhaps I should buy a few movie tickets and find an excuse to take Yuan Yuan out for some fresh air? Stewing at home isn't good for anyone.
But oddly, why do I always get an ominous feeling of Death Perception whenever I consider that option?
Life truly is hard to understand.
At 2:10 PM, Huai Shi brought his students to the Alchemy Equipment Management Center, 'Taiyi Academy,' within the school.
The name was Taiyi Academy, but it actually had nothing to do with Taiyi from the Heavenly Kingdom Genealogy, nor the Taiyi from the cartoons.
Rather, it was a term from within Alchemy.
Rising from Hell, descending from the Heavenly Kingdom, thus accomplishing the miracle of Taiyi.
This Taiyi referred to the principle that everything originates from the same Source Substance. To put it plainly, it's as unimaginative as the names 'A Certain' restaurant and Dragon Gate Inn. One can tell this was a name casually picked by Luo Su; he obviously didn't put much thought into it. Ultimately, the issue is a lack of creativity!
Huai Shi silently criticized.