267: Teacher Chen's Daily Life

This realization was like a basin of ice water poured over her head. The overwhelming fury had nowhere to vent, stifling her until she felt ready to explode.

She could only swallow it down forcefully, transforming it into a deeper, agonizing pain.

"Thump."

Feng Xi's legs gave out. Holding the intensely fragrant egg, she collapsed onto the ground.

She stared blankly at the group of Iron-Haired Dogs living in drunken oblivion. Her lips trembled, and it took her a long time to squeeze out a bloody whisper from between her teeth.

"A thousand-year spirit brew is worth less than a pack of dogs that have owners."

With a "patta," all her 'envy, jealousy, and hatred' smashed onto the eggshell... Half a month later, at the Ancient Altar of Grass Spirit Village.

On the open ground next to the Ancient Altar behind the village, high-hanging candlelight scattered dappled spots of light through the sparse branches.

Chen Yu wore gold-rimmed glasses perched on her nose, holding a slender small wooden stick, which she was tapping "duk-duk" against a small wooden board hanging on an Old Aesculus Tree.

"Teacher Chen's Class is now in session!" She cleared her throat, imitating Ling Qi's businesslike tone.

Unfortunately, paired with a White-Haired Loli face, it always looked a bit comical.

Below her, a group of fluffy Grass Spirit Dog pups sat in rows, hind legs crossed, front paws resting obediently on their knees. Their small tails swept the fallen leaves on the ground behind them.

Their wet, puppy eyes were all focused on Chen Yu, filled with pure curiosity about the unknown.

This scene was enough to make any kindergarten teacher cry tears of gratitude; they were so easy to manage.

Chen Yu was a little apprehensive at first. What could she, with her amateur level, possibly teach?

Should she read the dreary Underworld Regulations that the Secretary-General had handed her, which were boring enough to be a lullaby?

She glanced at the "Overtime Pay Settlement Process Diagram" she had secretly drawn in the corner of the wooden board and decisively gave up on that idea.

"Ahem!"

She adjusted her glasses. "Today, we're talking about the Human Race."

The pups' ears immediately straightened up with a whoosh.

"Ah, the Human Race, they've developed incredibly fast over the past thousand years." Chen Yu tapped the wooden board with her stick, recalling the days she spent slacking off as a corporate drone in the Underworld, scrolling through short videos.

"For instance, they have a small box called a Mobile Phone." She gestured its size. "As long as it connects to that thing called 'Wai Huai' (WiFi)..." Chen Yu deliberately mimicked the icon for full signal strength.

"No need for magic power, no need for Communication Talismans." A small black-and-white Grass Spirit Dog couldn't help but interrupt, asking in a baby voice, "And you can talk to people who are really, really far away?"

"Exactly!" Chen Yu nodded affirmatively. "Ten thousand miles away, talk whenever you want. You can even use it as a Recording Stone to store all the beautiful and fun things inside."

"Wow—" A chorus of gasps erupted from the group of pups, and their little tails wagged even faster.

"And, and!" another pup eagerly asked, "Last time, I overheard the adults talking about cake, milk tea, and barbecue they eat... What do they taste like?"

Chen Yu's eyes lit up, exposing her inner foodie. "Sweet and fragrant. Milk tea is smooth, and it has pearls you can chew. Barbecue sizzles with oil, and when you sprinkle cumin on it, the flavor is endless."

She licked her lips. "It's much more fragrant than the dry grass roots you chew on."

Immediately, sounds of swallowing echoed, accompanied by the faint rumbling of stomachs. Several pups stared longingly at Chen Yu, hoping she could conjure some barbecue from her hands.

The Grass Spirit Dog Elder, who had been listening nearby, stroked the vine-like whiskers on his chin, his cloudy old eyes filled with shock.

"More than 1,400 years ago, this old man read the 'Treatise on Food and Money.' People ate their children, nine out of ten households were empty. Roads were cut off and sparsely populated, and white bones lay exposed in the wilderness."

He looked up at Lord Prefectural City God, then back at the mesmerized pups, his expression filled with a sense of absurdity.

"How long has it been? In just a thousand years, the lives of the Human Race have been completely overturned; it's practically a different world." He shook his head, unable to comprehend this explosive transformation.

A little smugness suddenly welled up in Chen Yu's heart.

[Heh, looks like I'm doing alright as an amateur teacher. At least I managed to fool these little bumpkins.]

Looking at the pups' yearning eyes, which were practically drooling, she tapped the wooden board "duk" again with her small stick.

"So, knowledge is power. Uh, no, what I mean is that understanding the outside world is very important, especially understanding the current Human Cultivators." She drew out her words, sounding earnest and profound.

She mused internally, realizing that manipulation must start young. Maybe in the future, she could really trick a few adult Grass Spirit Dogs into opening a Beast Maid Cafe on Yin Street.

The image was too beautiful; she truly didn't dare to imagine it.

"Lord Prefecture City God." A bold pup raised its tiny paw, its eyes astonishingly bright. "Can we, can we go see 'Mercury'? Just for a look."

As soon as these words were spoken, all the pups held their breath, and even the Elder looked over.

Chen Yu's hand, which was adjusting her glasses, froze mid-air. Going to Mercury, taking a group of Demon Beasts with dog heads and grass bodies.

She seemed to foresee next month's performance metrics pouring in like snowflakes, along with the flattering performances of the Succubus Ladies when she visited the Succubus Bar.

"Mhm, there will be a chance to go." Chen Yu adjusted her glasses, pulling her lips into a smile. "Study the Underworld's rules and regulations diligently. If you do well in the future, maybe you can truly snag a job as a 'Spirit Farmer.' By then..."

Before she finished speaking, a shadow carrying the fresh scent of grass leaves shot out from the pile of pups.

"Lord Prefecture City God!" The baby-voiced shout, laced with cracking urgency, exploded next to Chen Yu's ear.

Chen Yu felt a weight on her thigh and looked down. It was Feng Lian, the small black-and-white spotted pup who had just asked about Mercury.

Its two front paws were tightly clamped around her leg, and its wet dog eyes looked up, burning with desperate determination.

"Can I leave with you now, Lord?" Feng Nuo's voice cracked, and his tail spun into a small whirlwind.

"I don't need wages, just food and housing. I can farm, and I make things grow vigorously."

Chen Yu's body instantly froze, her hand adjusting her glasses stuck in mid-air.

[Leave now? What kind of Underworld joke is that?]

Her gaze subconsciously swept past the Treehouse next to her, which was elaborately decorated with vines and flowers—her cozy haven for the past half-month.

The Grass Spirit Dog Clan was practically worshipping her like a living ancestor.

In the early morning, they picked Dew-Covered Qi Spirit Fruits, which were sweet and nourishing upon eating, sending spiritual energy directly into her depleted meridians.

At noon, they served Jade Bamboo Shoots watered by the Spirit Spring of the Ancient Altar, which were crisp, tender, and refreshing, and contained enough spiritual energy to make her energy center slightly warm.

And there were various roots and tubers rich in spiritual energy whose names she couldn't recall. Having grown tired of eating rich meat and fish, this kind of pure, high-grade "fodder" was a treat.

She was so comfortable that she forgot all about home, feeling relaxation seep into her very bones.

Moreover, Chen Yu was mentally making calculations. The biggest threat in the north, the Gray-Backed Wolf Clan, had long been obliterated by a single strike of lightning from Sister Meng, and the remaining defeated soldiers were cleaned up by the Grass Spirit Dogs working with other Small Tribes.

In this area, Grass Spirit Village was as stable as Mount Tai.

Her role as "Prefecture City God" was like a vacation: she had food, drink, and little pups gathered around listening to her lecture. Why would she go back?

To face Ling Qi's resentment, rooms full of documents heavy enough to crush a Yin God, and debts that could never be settled, along with overtime pay she would never receive.