Seeing Fifth Elder Meng and Meng Duo’er tumble into a heap together, Xiong Bao was immediately terrified. He scrambled quickly back onto the bed, hiding behind Baili Weisheng.

He truly hadn’t meant to kick anyone on purpose — it had just been an unintentional reflex kick, but the giant beast had been moving so fast that it had ended up looking exactly like what everyone had just witnessed — a vicious kick straight into Fifth Elder Meng!

Seeing Meng Duo’er outside helping Fifth Elder Meng up, Xiong Bao’s face went pale, and he whispered urgently, “Hey, I saved you, so you have to save me too. I was just trying to stop him, I didn’t mean to kick anyone!”

Baili Weisheng was thoroughly astonished. This little troublemaker had been so fearless and domineering back in the Poison Beast World — why was he so timid now? “Are you scared of him? What’s he going to do, eat you?”

“He’s my great-uncle. An elder.” Xiong Bao said this very seriously.

Though he was still young, he understood plenty of things! While Daddy and Mommy had told him to go off and play by himself, he’d actually been secretly listening in on their conversations the whole time.

Things he didn’t understand, he’d ask the giant beast about. Having lived for nearly a thousand years, the giant beast knew everything and understood it all with remarkable clarity.

These past few days, Mommy had been far too busy to spend time talking with him, but the giant beast had taught him a great many things!

Having grown up in the Poison Beast World from birth, fearing nothing and no one, he’d never had to concern himself with human relationships, social hierarchies, or matters of etiquette and propriety. All he’d needed to do was get along with the poison beasts and his mother.

But leaving the Poison Beast World had changed everything.

For Xiong Bao, the entire world had transformed completely — everything around him, everyone around him, had all changed. And with Mommy too busy to teach him properly, he genuinely felt somewhat out of his depth!

But despite his mischievous nature, when it came time to be serious, Xiong Bao was absolutely capable of understanding what truly mattered.

The giant beast had told him, “Little one, out here it’s not like the Poison Beast World. You can’t just do whatever you want. Watch and learn as much as you can, speak less, and don’t embarrass your mommy.”

Xiong Bao had nodded obediently, taking the lesson to heart.

The giant beast had also said, “Little one, Fifth Elder Meng was harsh with you because you caused trouble. Your daddy defended you out of love, and forgave you. That doesn’t mean you were in the right.”

Xiong Bao had nodded obediently again, secretly resolving in his heart to find an opportunity to apologize to Daddy — after all, leaving his legendary grandmother trapped inside the Qiankun Poison Pouch was no small matter.

The giant beast had also told him, “Fifth Elder Meng is Daddy’s own maternal uncle. An uncle ranks very high — even Daddy must show him respect. As a child, you mustn’t be disrespectful. Even if Fifth Elder Meng is being too harsh, a well-raised child must have manners and show proper respect — otherwise, people will use it as an excuse to blame Mommy, saying she taught you to be this way.”

Xiong Bao had nodded even more emphatically at this, vowing not to embarrass Mommy or cause any more trouble.

But now, watching Meng Duo’er struggle to help Fifth Elder Meng back inside, he knew he’d caused trouble yet again!

Especially seeing Fifth Elder Meng’s face turn livid, contorted with fury, Xiong Bao suddenly felt that this human world was far too complicated. He couldn’t help but find himself longing for his days back in the Poison Beast World.

Uncle? Great-uncle?

To Baili Weisheng — a man who had never feared anything or anyone since childhood, carefree and reckless — such concerns sounded like a complete joke.

He said coldly, “What’s there to be afraid of? With me here, he won’t dare do anything!”

The moment Meng Duo’er helped him back through the doorway, Fifth Elder Meng, already furious, spotted Xiong Bao cowering behind Baili Weisheng and grew even angrier, pointing at him and shouting, “So it was you, you little troublemaker, daring to kick this old man!”

Little troublemaker?

The very insult that Jun Beiyue and Ziqing had once cut off before Fifth Elder Meng could finish uttering it had finally come spilling out now!

This was only the second time in Xiong Bao’s entire life that he’d been scolded so harshly — and both times, the words had come from Fifth Elder Meng’s mouth!

Though frightened, his natural instincts got the better of him, and Xiong Bao couldn’t help but clench his small fists, his little face flashing with anger. He resembled Jun Beiyue in looks, but his temperament took after Ziqing — by nature, he would have charged forward immediately.

But the giant beast’s teachings held him back, though he couldn’t stop himself from talking back. “I’m not a troublemaker! I didn’t mean to do it!”

“Not meaning to do it doesn’t make it forgivable. Causing such a huge disaster at such a young age — do you have any idea what you’ve done to your own grandmother!”

Fifth Elder Meng, rarely getting the chance to confront Xiong Bao directly, paid no mind to the kick he’d just taken, immediately pressing the matter of the Qiankun Poison Pouch instead.

Faced with this, Xiong Bao had no idea how to respond, only managing to protest repeatedly, “I really didn’t mean to! I didn’t know it would turn out like this! I just wanted to help Daddy!”

“Exactly why you’re a little troublemaker — now hurry up and hand over the Qiankun Poison Pouch!” Fifth Elder Meng spoke rapid-fire, giving neither Baili Weisheng nor Meng Duo’er any chance to interject.

“Old fool, shut your—”

Baili Weisheng, his strength failing him, couldn’t manage to raise his voice loudly enough, and before he could even finish, Fifth Elder Meng cut him off again. “Bring out the Qiankun Poison Pouch. Something that important is far too precious for a small child like you to safeguard!”

“Father, what exactly is going on here, the child…” Meng Duo’er, still unaware of the full situation, tried to intervene as well. But Fifth Elder Meng was genuinely furious. He wasn’t normally such a stern man — if anything, he had a playful, easygoing side too — but on this particular matter, he was deadly serious.

After all, he had spent all these years searching for his Fourth Sister!

Just when hope had finally emerged, it had been shattered in an instant by this child’s careless action — he was truly, genuinely furious.

Until the Qiankun Poison Pouch was safely returned, he simply couldn’t rest easy.

Fifth Elder Meng advanced toward the bed. Baili Weisheng, both anxious and furious, unable to move his own body, roared, “Old fool, take one more step closer and I won’t let you off easy!”

But with Baili Weisheng utterly immobilized, Fifth Elder Meng simply ignored him entirely, extending a hand toward Xiong Bao, fierce and deadly serious, demanding sternly, “Hand it over! Keeping it with you will only lead to more disaster!”

Xiong Bao clenched his small fists so tightly his whole little body trembled. He stared straight at Fifth Elder Meng, tears threatening to spill from his eyes, his teeth gritted, refusing to say a single word.

“Are you going to give it up or not? You should know — if you cause another disaster, no one will be able to clean up after you this time!” Fifth Elder Meng warned coldly.

Xiong Bao still said nothing, but his lips had already been bitten through, red and bloody.

Seeing this, Baili Weisheng felt his lungs might burst with fury. He struggled with everything he had, desperately wishing he could slap Fifth Elder Meng clear across the room — but he truly had no strength left at all!

Meng Duo’er couldn’t bear to watch any longer either, rushing forward to pull her father back. “Father, he’s still just a child. Whatever the issue is, talk it through properly — don’t frighten him like this!”

“Let go of me, this is non-negotiable. Do you have any idea he’s the one who harmed your Fourth Aunt? If not for him, your Fourth Aunt would already be back with us!” Fifth Elder Meng shouted furiously, shoving Meng Duo’er aside.

Meng Duo’er had always known that the Fourth Aunt was her father’s deepest vulnerability, the most important person in his heart. But the child standing before them was still so small — no matter the circumstances, surely he shouldn’t be treated with such ferocity!

Unable to hold back, Meng Duo’er grabbed her father’s arm again, but Fifth Elder Meng snapped harshly, “Let go of me right now, or I won’t hold back!”

These words startled Meng Duo’er into frozen stillness — in all her years, this was the first time she’d ever seen her father this furious.

Seeing Meng Duo’er’s shock, Fifth Elder Meng calmed slightly and said seriously, “Duo’er, this child is a troublemaker. His parents indulge him far too much when he does wrong. Don’t get involved in this — as his great-uncle, I know exactly how to handle this matter.”

Meng Duo’er was about to speak again when, just at that moment, Xiong Bao, who had remained silent the whole time, suddenly lunged at Fifth Elder Meng like a wild beast unleashed, his small hands grabbing his collar in a death grip, screaming furiously into his face, “You’re the troublemaker! Your whole family are troublemakers!”