The next morning dawned bright, clear… and far too peaceful.

Li Ming eyed Lei Shan suspiciously. The cub was sitting perfectly still in the courtyard, tail neatly coiled, looking every bit the image of innocence.

It was a trap.

He could feel it in his bones.

"Alright, Little Thunderbub," Li Ming said cautiously, holding up a small training sphere. It gleamed faintly with embedded Qi, the kind used for beast control drills. "We're learning fetch."

Lei Shan tilted his head.

"You see this?" Li Ming tossed the sphere lightly into the air and caught it. "You go get it and bring it back. Easy."

The cub blinked once, then yawned.

Bai Guo, perched on the roof above, called down, "Maybe demonstrate, descendant. Beasts learn faster by example."

Li Ming sighed. "Fine. Watch closely."

He lobbed the sphere across the courtyard, then jogged over to pick it up himself.

He turned back, dusting his hands. "See? You bring it back like—hey, are you even watching?"

Lei Shan was chewing on a rock.

---

"Okay," Li Ming muttered, "round two."

He infused the sphere with a hint of lightning Qi—just enough to glow faintly. That got Lei Shan's attention. The cub's ears perked up, eyes locking onto the shining target like a predator spotting prey.

"Good," Li Ming said. "Now—fetch!"

He threw the sphere high.

Lei Shan vanished in a blur of light.

A heartbeat later, a loud crack echoed through the valley. The training sphere reappeared, spinning wildly through the air… followed by a very smug lightning cub riding a miniature thundercloud.

He didn't bring it back.

He orbited it.

Li Ming stared upward. "He's chasing the thing in circles."

Bai Guo cackled. "At least he's engaged!"

---

Five minutes later, the courtyard looked like a miniature storm zone. Dust swirled, dummies tumbled over, and Lei Shan finally landed—sphere still clutched proudly in his mouth, fur puffed like a dandelion struck by divine lightning.

Li Ming crouched. "Good boy! Now… drop it."

Lei Shan tilted his head.

"Drop."

The cub licked the sphere. Sparks flew.

Bai Guo snorted. "He interprets everything emotionally."

Li Ming extended his hand. "Lei Shan, if you give me the sphere, I'll—uh—teach you another trick."

Lei Shan froze, considering the offer. Then, ever so deliberately, he set the sphere in Li Ming's hand.

"Good job," Li Ming said, relieved. "See? Progress."

Lei Shan immediately snatched the sphere again and bolted.

"Never mind," Li Ming groaned, chasing after him.

---

They circled the courtyard for ten exhausting minutes before Li Ming finally cornered the cub near the medicine hall.

Lei Shan, panting but triumphant, wagged his tail and made a chirping sound that could only mean, I win.

Li Ming leaned on his knees, out of breath. "You… are… a menace."

Bai Guo fluttered down, laughing. "Congratulations, descendant. You've successfully taught him the art of not returning things."

"Fantastic. I've created a kleptomaniac lightning ball."

Lei Shan beamed proudly, which somehow made it worse.

---

That evening, when Li Ming finally dragged himself back to his quarters, Lei Shan curled up at his feet, still clutching the glowing sphere like a trophy.

Bai Guo yawned from his perch. "So, what's tomorrow's lesson?"

Li Ming looked at the cub, sighed, and said, "Lesson three: don't steal the sect leader's tea kettle again."

From the corner of the room, a faint crackle answered him.

"…Too late," Bai Guo whispered.

----

The next morning began with silence.

A dangerous kind of silence.

Li Ming woke up, stretched, and blinked.

No cub in sight.

He sat up straight instantly. "Lei Shan?"

No answer.

Then came the faint sound of clinking metal and muffled voices from the courtyard.

Bai Guo peeked out the window. "Descendant… I think your child just robbed the elders."

"What—"

Before Li Ming could finish, the door burst open. A blur of lightning and fur zipped inside, dragging something shiny in its mouth.

It dropped the item with a proud clink.

Li Ming froze. "…That's the Sect Leader's tea kettle."

Bai Guo cackled. "He's expanding his collection!"

---

Half an hour later, chaos had taken over the courtyard.

Elder Zhao's voice thundered across the sect. "WHO STOLE THE SACRED CELESTIAL TEA KETTLE?!"

Li Ming winced. "That… would be me. Technically. Indirectly."

Bai Guo perched on his shoulder, whispering, "Indirectly being eaten alive, perhaps?"

Before Li Ming could think of a cover story, Lei Shan toddled out from behind him—kettle still sparking faintly with residual lightning Qi.

Elder Zhao's eyes widened. "That beast—! It's corrupting sacred relics!"

Lei Shan blinked once, tilted his head… and sneezed.

A puff of lightning shot out, struck Elder Zhao's beard, and turned it into a perfectly curled silver flame.

The elder froze.

The courtyard froze.

Even the wind paused out of respect for the absurdity.

Li Ming swallowed. "…He means no harm?"

---

"GET HIM!"

That was all it took.

Disciples scattered. Elders leapt into the air.

Lei Shan, misunderstanding everything, thought it was playtime.

The cub darted between pillars, zipped across rooftops, and left a trail of harmless—but extremely flashy—lightning arcs behind him.

Li Ming chased after him, shouting, "Lei Shan, stop! They're not playing tag!"

Bai Guo fluttered overhead, laughing uncontrollably. "He's faster than your sword swings, descendant!"

"Not helping!"

---

Lei Shan finally landed on the main hall's roof, tea kettle still dangling from his teeth like a prized treasure.

The Sect Leader himself stepped out, arms folded. His robe shimmered faintly with Qi, and his gaze carried the weight of authority—and exhaustion.

He looked at Li Ming. "Explain."

Li Ming bowed instantly. "Sect Leader, it's… complicated."

Bai Guo chimed in helpfully, "His son robbed your kitchen."

The Sect Leader blinked. "His what?"

Before Li Ming could deny it, Lei Shan hopped down, placed the kettle at the Sect Leader's feet, and sat with a proud, puffed chest.

A single spark danced from his horn—ting!—reheating the kettle perfectly. Steam rose gracefully into the air.

The Sect Leader blinked again, picked it up, and poured himself a cup.

The tea was flawless.

Everyone stared.

Then, slowly, the Sect Leader sipped… and exhaled.

"Hmm. Perfect temperature. Balanced aroma."

He looked down at Lei Shan. "You have spirit, little one."

Lei Shan chirped proudly.

The Sect Leader turned to Li Ming. "Congratulations. From this day forward, this beast is officially the Azure Sky Sect's Guardian Cub."

Li Ming's jaw dropped. "Guardian—what?"

Bai Guo wheezed. "Promotion! Descendant, your child outranks you now!"

The courtyard erupted into applause and confusion.

Lei Shan preened under the attention, tail wagging like a tiny storm banner.

Li Ming could only stare up at the heavens.

"…Why does this always happen to me?"

---

That night, Lei Shan lay curled beside a polished wooden plaque reading:

"Azure Sky Sect Guardian Beast – Lei Shan."

He purred contentedly.

Li Ming lay face-down on his bed, muffled voice groaning,

"I'm raising a celebrity."

Bai Guo perched on his head, smirking. "A celebrity who's banned from the kitchen for life."

A distant crackle answered from the courtyard.

Followed by the unmistakable sound of another kettle falling over.

Li Ming sat up instantly.

"LEI SHAN!"

To be continued...

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