Chapter 622: Grand Master Arthur

Maximilian listened to her explanation with a warm smile on his face. Unlike her former reserved self, she had surprisingly become quite talkative after emerging from her secluded cultivation. Whether it was the effect of her connection with the World Seed or simply because she had become comfortable with him, he was really glad to see this side of her.

With her cultivation speed, she might form her fifth tail in three or four years.

"Master," Gumiho called, looking into his golden eyes with her pink ones. "Did I do well?"

Maximilian knew what she wanted. He released a low chuckle and patted her head. "Within my expectations."

"Hmph, you are so stingy with your praises," she retorted, turning her face to the other side.

"Well, my expectations are quite high," Maximilian replied, moving his hand back.

She gave him a glare and rose to her feet. "In that case, I’m going to surpass your expectations and surprise you!"

With that declaration, she moved back to the Primordial Nexus and began her cultivation again.

Two years passed.

The truce between the two races continued, allowing both sides to experience the meaning of peace. No more war cries. No more death. They didn’t have to sleep worrying about whether they would see the next day or not. Families no longer had to hear the news of their loved ones being martyred.

Yet neither side could fully enjoy this fragile peace. The fear of when the next war might break out still lingered in the air.

Wukong never left the Valleys of Heavenly Pillars after Maximilian slew Bai Chengsheng. Witnessing Maximilian’s Soul Domain had given him deep insights into what he needed to do next. He was fully immersed in comprehending the drop of the vast cosmos that Maximilian had shown him.

Vyomendra hadn’t made any public appearance since he was cured by Maximilian, remaining fully focused on recovering his lost strength. As for Vyaghra, thanks to the insights given by Maximilian, he had evolved into a Lesser Spirit Beast, entering the realm of Mid-Tier cultivators.

Maximilian sparred with him every now and then and guided him in his cultivation.

He was growing steadily at a moderate pace.

That was Maximilian’s conclusion based on his high standards. For other beasts, his growth was completely unprecedented. What others achieved around the age of fifty or older, Vyaghra had already accomplished at the age of twenty, earning the title of a genius among geniuses from everyone.

His master, Maximilian, in his disguise as Arthur, was revered equally by the beasts of the tiger clan. He had received the title of Grand Master Arthur due to his exceptional teaching methods for Vyaghra and Gumiho. Except for a few who had lost their family members in the war against humans, he no longer received discriminatory glares.

He was even introduced to the beasts of other clans who visited Baihu Stronghold to check on Vyomendra’s health.

During this time, Gumiho met him once or twice every month. Each time, Maximilian insisted that she should spar with him so that her skills could keep up with her increasing power.

He utterly failed every time. She had her own plans, plans to spend the day with her master, roaming the Western Continent flying on the sword.

He never denied her demands. Cultivation wasn’t merely about storing energy in the dantian. She was a living being, and as such, should enjoy life as well. Furthermore, experiencing the world with her own eyes was a method of cultivation in itself.

The spar would only come by the end of the day when she needed to return to cultivation.

---

"Master!" Gumiho called in an excited tone as she appeared on the Mountain of Spirits where Maximilian meditated, hovering cross-legged.

His eyes slowly opened, falling on Gumiho, who stood before him with her hands crossed over her chest and her head held high.

"Three... four... five," Maximilian gasped, his eyes widening as he counted the number of her fluffy tails swaying behind her.

"Hehe~ I finally managed to surprise you," she giggled. Maximilian could feel the grin she was wearing beneath her veil.

His legs straightened as he reached the ground. He moved forward in a slow, deliberate motion, causing Gumiho to flinch. She immediately covered her forehead with both hands.

"You have done well," Maximilian said in a soft tone, patting her head.

Her eyes widened, her hands slowly moving up.

"Hmph, you are still so stingy with your praises," she retorted, holding his wrist with both hands and rubbing her head against his palm. "I’m as strong as an Early-Stage Eternal Sage human cultivator. In my complete transformation state, I can evenly fight against a Late-Stage Eternal Sage Cultivator."

She looked up at Maximilian, her eyes narrowing cheekily. "If you don’t praise me properly, I will beat your ass."

Maximilian released a gasp, exasperation clear on his face. He was completely taken aback by her choice of words. He did not even seem this shocked when she revealed her fifth tail.

"Young lady, where did you learn to speak like that?" he demanded, concern clear in his voice.

The Gumiho he remembered was a bit mischievous but carried herself with the dignity of a goddess. She never used such crude words. Hearing these words from her mouth was definitely a shock to Maximilian.

"Think properly, you will remember," Gumiho replied, placing her hands on her waist.

"O-oh," Maximilian facepalmed himself. He was the one from whom she had heard those words after all. He used to say them whenever she wanted to dodge her cultivation.

"Gumiho, you can’t say that," he insisted, sounding like a concerned parent. "They are bad words."

He decided to watch what he said in front of her. He didn’t want her to pick up his bad habits.

"Hmph, and you can say that," Gumiho retorted, crossing her arms defensively. "Now, my praises please, before I get really angry."

"Oh," Maximilian raised an eyebrow, both amused and bewildered by her audacity. "You have only formed your fifth tail and already forgotten about the difference between heaven and earth."

He drew his sword from his storage pouch as he continued, slapping its flat side against his palm. "I’m going to beat your ass all the way to the bottom of the mountain until you learn how to respect your master."

He completely forgot the decision he had made to himself just a few seconds ago.