Chapter 00034: Cattle and Horses
# Cattle and Horses
Chapter 34
Novel: Above Destiny
Chapter 34: Cattle and Horses
The efficiency of Professor Ye was astonishing, with a swiftness that left many in awe.
That very afternoon, even before the school affairs office had closed, a single phone call had completed all necessary procedures.
In the past, when Ji Jue had needed to get a battery-operated vehicle's license, he would have had to make countless trips, dealing with so-called leaders who now dared not utter a word, bowing their heads as they respectfully completed all paperwork and simply asked Ji Jue to come sign at his convenience.
Though he had already grasped Professor Ye's true standing, knowing he was far more than just a common teacher, experiencing the power he wielded firsthand still left Ji Jue marveling at the convenience that came with authority.
Sitting on the sofa, Ye casually lifted his teacup and said, “The largest alchemical research institution in the world, the guild of all craftsmen—The Ring of Taiyi, holds shares in Tianmen University. If you manage to obtain your craftsman license before graduation, the smiles from the school leaders when they see you will certainly be brighter than those they show their own fathers.”
“Is that true?” Ji Jue was shocked.
He was not surprised by the immense power of The Ring of Taiyi, nor was he curious about whether the school leaders would truly be so humble towards him.
Rather, he questioned the premise itself.
Graduate before obtaining a craftsman license? Professor, are you serious?
He was just entering his junior year this semester, and with only two years left until graduation, no matter how many problems Professor Ye solved for him in his specialized courses, two years was still two years!
After gaining a rudimentary understanding of alchemy, Ji Jue was awestruck by its complex classifications and incredible techniques.
Forget about achieving the rank of “Red Transformation” like Professor Ye, just entering the field seemed daunting enough; the thought alone made his scalp tingle.
Good positions in this field were like certain diseases, attainable only through a combination of bloodlines and personal experience.
The standards set by The Ring of Taiyi were indeed much more coveted than those of many other competitive jobs.
There were plenty of people who had worked tirelessly from the age of twelve to forty, becoming apprentices for much of their lives, assisting others.
The reasons were clear: while good teachers were rare, the stringent and increasingly harsh standards swallowed many hopefuls, creating a formidable abyss.
To meet standard ratings required an understanding of spiritual qualities, interpreting the image of the Twelve Supreme Virtues, engraving hundreds of basic runes, identifying thousands of spiritual circuits, and independently creating a complete B-grade alchemical item…
Just thinking about it made Ji Jue feel like he was losing hair.
Especially the runes and the Supreme Virtue insignia—runes, as vessels of divine blessings, required deep understanding from the craftsmen.
Each one represented an independent experience bar.
The insignias drawn by craftsmen directly reflected their comprehension of the path of Supreme Virtue, an embodiment of solid skills gained over time that could not be faked.
“Me?” Ji Jue pointed at himself, bewildered.
He felt as though he had been pushed to a crossroads.
To the left was a bald man sitting atop a horse with a monkey leading them, followed by a fat man sporting a bushy beard.
To the right was a strange creature with four arms and twenty fingers, lounging on a throne made of bones…
“Don’t worry, I have faith in you,” Professor Ye said, closing the lid of his teacup and glancing at him, his stern face seemingly softening slightly with a hint of a smile. “You won’t let me down, right?”
Ji Jue nodded fervently, too afraid to speak.
As they were about to head home, he couldn’t help but let out a deep sigh, partly due to his headaches.
His little sister in the backseat seemed to be bubbling with joy, a stark contrast to his own mood.
“Are you having fun at school?” Ji Jue asked curiously.
“Yeah! The counselors and teachers are really easy to talk to, and many senior students heard I won awards for my physical prowess back in high school. They’ve been eager to recruit me into clubs!”
Lu Ling’s eyes sparkled with excitement, “Everyone seems so wealthy! They wear jewelry and bags I don’t even recognize, but they don’t think I’m poor.”
“Just keep a calm mind. Everyone is the same; nothing too special. If they play together, then just join them. If anyone bullies you, let me know, alright?” Ji Jue reassured her.
He wasn’t worried about Lu Ling being bullied; the girl was crafty and sweet-tongued, always smiling at everyone.
Half of the good reviews at the car repair shop came because of her; the other half were from Ji Jue’s connections; he often had to sell his looks just to keep things running smoothly.
As for Lu Feng, he just lay there on the mat, acting indifferent, which only intensified Ji Jue’s irritation.
Shaking his head in contemplation, Ji Jue suddenly heard Lu Ling from behind, “Second Brother, you seem very happy!”
“Huh? Where? Did you see me smile?” Ji Jue replied, puzzled.
He leaned closer to the rearview mirror, adjusting his expression, but his lips remained tight-lipped without any trace of a smile.
“It's different.”
Lu Ling shook her head and rested her chin on his shoulder, chuckling, “Every time you face an exam or any trouble you look like that. You seem so serious and scary, but your eyes are smiling, and they shine as if you fear nothing.”
“Really?” Ji Jue examined himself in the mirror again, trying to see if he had that ‘smile’ in his eyes; they were too dry to shine like a bulb.
Meanwhile, Lu Ling's eyes sparkled with delight, like crescent moons.
“I’ve already asked some senior students,” she said earnestly. “Some graduates paid off their loans within four to five years. My interest rate is even a bit lower! If I work hard during school and earn a few certificates, it might make things easier for Mom and the others in the future. In a few years, I will gain some experience and after passing the first-level accountant exam, I can find a big company to support the family! At that time, I can help you pay off debts, and Mom can retire. Old Third and the youngest can transfer to better schools; maybe their studies will improve.”
“What about Feng Ge?” Ji Jue asked curiously.
Lu Ling just rolled her eyes, “Big Brother can manage on his own; let him go run a car repair shop!”
“Haha, great!” Ji Jue couldn’t help but burst into laughter. “When that time comes, I’ll buy a real Ford Mustang and have him repair it—if he fails, I’ll give him a bad review! Even without any hidden rules, he’ll still get a bad review!”
“Sure, let’s do it together!”
Amid their cheer, the little sheep's acceleration pedal pressed down, vrooming forward, carrying them away into a sunset that looked even brighter than before.
Through the laughter, the streets remained bustling with traffic, with the vibrant city seeming as lively as ever.
Click!
With the crisp sound of a shutter, everything appeared to freeze in that moment.
Later that evening, in a shabby living room, a partially gnawed television lay in disrepair.
Meanwhile, the “culprit,” now muddy, rolled around on the floor, tossing two tires about, wriggling its body as it played.
At the front, the plastic casing between two turn signals opened up to reveal an inexplicable large mouth and a plastic tongue, dripping with drool.
“Sit still, sit still!” Ji Jue commanded repeatedly.
Thus, the little sheep stood upright, ‘sitting’ on the floor in front of Ji Jue, its two wheels turning obediently as it panted.
It looked every bit like a misguided puppy, leaving him utterly confused.
“Alright, open your mouth, slowly, slowly eat; I’m not going to snatch it from you!” Ji Jue tossed a freshly packed chicken leg from Lu Ma’s place into the little sheep’s mouth, though it got a lick of oil on his hand in the process.
Watching the chicken leg, originally stolen from the youngest, disappear in one gulp without a single bone being spat out, Ji Jue couldn't help but sigh.
The youngest had sacrificed so much for the family.
…It was just that he hadn’t mastered his math lately, so he could afford to sacrifice a bit more for that.
At a young age, one must understand that those who don't study well will have to endure hardship!
At least there’s no chicken leg for them to eat!
But…
Ji Jue stroked his chin, observing the small sheep that was now excitedly spinning in circles after finishing the chicken leg, still perplexed. “What exactly are you?”
The little sheep blinked its headlights twice, seeming utterly confused.
By all accounts, this creature should have been a product of Ji Jue’s ability.
However, after his power had dissipated, everything else had turned to scrap metal, yet this small, dog-like sheep had somehow turned alive due to dragon’s blood.
When he excitedly let out an “HAFUHAFU,” it showed no reaction, and it didn’t even seem like a real dog.
But it acted far too dog-like!
Especially after finding out that Lu Ma was a deity controlling chicken stew from ancient Greece, even when sitting right beneath Ji Jue, it couldn’t help but nearly spark with energy!
Thank goodness Lu Ma hadn’t noticed!
It was originally supposed to be shown to the professor, but this situation involved dragon blood… Ji Jue had promised Wenwen to keep her ability to transform into a dragon a secret.
Though he currently didn’t fully understand what a dragon was, he knew keeping anything related to dragons out of her sight was paramount.
So far, it didn’t seem like there was any major problem.
Just… care for it.
After all, who wouldn’t want a little sheep that could speed down the highway at over three hundred kilometers per hour without needing gas or a charge?
“Who’s the world’s most obedient little sheep? Of course, our little sheep is the best, right?” Ji Jue patted its ‘head’ in praise. “Every good child deserves a name; shouldn’t our little sheep have a name too?”
Instantly, the little sheep became even more excited, its ‘head’ shaking vigorously.
“Hmm, let me think…”
Ji Jue rubbed his chin, pondering for a moment, finally focusing on the tattered label on the sheep’s body, which barely revealed the golden letters below—Niu Ma Motorcycle, your choice.
Suddenly, Ji Jue’s eyes lit up, “How about calling you ‘Little Niu Ma’!”
【？？？】
In a moment of stiffness, as if a hundred thousand questions passed through the sensation of his ability, all backwards!
Upon hearing the name “Little Niu Ma,” the little sheep seemed to revolt, twisting its body wildly, the handlebars jerking up as it turned on the high beams and shone directly into Ji Jue’s eyes, demanding that he change its name!
“No way.”
What could it be called? Was “Palou” appropriate?
“What’s wrong with Little Niu Ma? What’s so bad about it?” Ji Jue felt as if his brilliant wisdom was insulted, passionately replying, “Naming it a little sheep doesn’t mean it’s a real sheep, but calling it Little Niu Ma certainly means it’s a real cattle or horse. Look at cattle and horses—aren’t they stronger than sheep? Moreover, they’re bigger! Why the reluctance?”
“Beep beep beep!”
Just moments ago a little sheep, Little Niu Ma, began pressing the horn vehemently in protest, but sadly, such resistance bore no fruit.
It was decided.
At least Ji Jue made a unilateral decision.
“Alright, stop messing around. Make sure to work well tomorrow; I’ll reward you with chicken legs tonight.”
Ji Jue waved goodbye, headed upstairs, washed up, and lay on his bed, routinely glancing at the watch he’d taken off his wrist.
The watch held steady as always; aside from the necessary moments of shining bright, there were absolutely no hiccups, not even needing to eat chicken!
It was simply the most worry-free employee of the family.
However, the watch’s face remained completely still.
After becoming the chosen one, the golden “0” had finally filled up, initiating a “1” in progress.
Yet beyond that, it seemed as if the rest of this story was akin to a book that had just barely started after enduring a year of drafts, leaving nearly everything else blank.
For the past half a month, regardless of how Ji Jue harnessed his ability or accumulated spiritual energy, no matter how many times he researched, the once minorly responsive “1” remained utterly still!
Turning 0 into 1 was challenging, proving that Ji Jue’s abilities had shown no growth thus far.
(End of Chapter)