Chapter 133: Who Is My Backer?

Lin Jingle's gaze swept over the other two, and indeed he saw yin energy on all three; he frowned slightly. "Then your injuries were also inflicted by that female ghost?"

The three hurriedly affirmed, blaming everything on the female ghost.

"Where is that female ghost?"

Zhang Weiliang bowed his head and replied, "She escaped."

Lin Jingle stared at the three for a moment, then waved his hand. "Go and make your statements—record precisely when and where you encountered the ghost, and describe her condition in full detail. I'll send someone from the Punishment Hall down the mountain to handle it."

Zhang Weiliang answered "Yes," but dared not reveal the true origin of Xiao Hong.

Zhang Weiqin and Zhang Weigang had both seen Xiao Hong last night, proving she had not been killed or driven to reincarnation by Pan Yun—she still lingered in the mortal realm.

If the Punishment Hall discovered it, they would learn he had been raising a minor ghost; then he would truly be in deep trouble.

After the three left, Zhou Wangdao brought over his notes. "Master, they're clearly lying. The commotion at Fengqi Courtyard last night was loud—everyone heard it."

Lin Jingle snapped his notebook shut, displeased. "If you all heard it, why didn't you intervene? When did the Punishment Hall become a department that muddles through problems and exists in name only?"

Zhou Wangdao bowed his head in apology. "Disciple is at fault."

"Since you know you're at fault, go to the Reflection Cliff and reflect on your error. Also, you have half a month to trace the origin of the yin energy on them." Lin Jingle's expression was grim. "There shall be no one in Long Hushan who privately raises minor ghosts."

"Yes." Zhou Wangdao paused, then asked, "Could it be that Pan Yun…?"

Meeting Lin Jingle's gaze, Zhou Wangdao lowered his head. "Yes, Disciple understands. If Zhang Weiliang and the others were targeting Pan Yun of Mount Sanqing, and if she truly brought yin evil into the academy, they would have reported her immediately."

"Good that you understand," Lin Jingle waved. "Go."

Zhou Wangdao withdrew.

Lin Jingle thought for a moment, then wandered over to the academy's rear storage.

All new disciples were required to collect bedding, wooden buckets, and other daily necessities here today.

Pan Yun and the others had returned from the mountain and joined the line to collect supplies—coincidentally, Zhang Zi was in charge.

Of course, he didn't do any work himself—just stood far off supervising.

Pan Yun handed the task of collecting supplies to Miao Zhen and Miao He, then excitedly waved at Zhang Zi, walked over to him in full view of everyone, and warmly greeted him. "Brother Wu, thank you for looking after me. I'm very satisfied with Fengqi Courtyard. By the way, I'll write to Fourth Sister and tell her how well you've taken care of me."

The Daoists distributing supplies couldn't help glancing over, straining to listen, their movements slowing.

The masters from various Daoist temples who had brought their disciples here also turned to look, no longer urging the queue forward.

Zhang Zi pulled at his mouth. "You're satisfied? Fengqi Courtyard is full of senior disciples older than you. Though outside, their status doesn't match yours, here in the academy they entered before you and began cultivating before you—they're your seniors. You must respect your elders and uphold the Dao, do you understand?"

Pan Yun nodded vigorously. "I understand, Brother Wu, don't worry. I get along very well with them—they treat me extremely well, and I treat them extremely well too."

Ha, Zhang Zi sneered inwardly, silently cursing Zhang Weiliang and the others—idiots, grown so big yet unable to handle Pan Yun, who'd only been cultivating for less than a year, and now they'd made fools of themselves.

He even regretted deliberately placing Pan Yun and the others in Fengqi Courtyard.

Fengqi Courtyard had an ideal location and was the most spiritually rich area, second only to Fanxi Courtyard.

But they certainly didn't know that yet.

Zhang Zi glanced at her and thought inwardly: 【Keep causing trouble, keep causing trouble. Better yet, make it reach the Punishment Hall—then you'll be shamefully driven out of Fengqi Courtyard, and that'll be real entertainment.】

Pan Yun didn't know Zhang Zi's dark thoughts. She chatted with him cheerfully for a while, then, seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He had finished collecting their supplies, immediately took her leave without wasting a moment.

Yet the rumor that she had a powerful backer—Zhang Zi—still quietly spread through the academy.

By the time Zhang Zi realized it, the rumor had spiraled out of control; even his wife couldn't help asking him, "When did you become so close to Li? You even agreed to look after the people from Mount Sanqing?"

Zhang Zi nearly spat blood. "Who the hell spread this rumor? How could I possibly be Pan Yun's backer?"

Ge Zhenxiang nodded. "I think so too. How could Li possibly be close to you? I knew it was a rumor the moment I heard it."

Zhang Zi glared. "What do you mean?"

Ge Zhenxiang glanced at him. "Nothing. Since it's a rumor, let it go. Don't respond—it only gets worse the more you react. Just ignore it."

"How can I ignore it?" Zhang Zi exploded. "Don't you know how arrogant Pan Yun is? She entered the academy and beat up three senior disciples from the same courtyard—all of them from our Zhang clan. If we don't handle this rumor, outsiders will truly believe I'm her backer, and I'll attract endless trouble."

Ge Zhenxiang turned away. "Then handle it yourself. Three days from now is the birthday of Li Prefect's mother—I'm going with our daughter to pay respects."

Zhang Zi's breath caught in his chest. He chased after her. "Can't you help me? You know the full story better than anyone. Go explain to Second Brother and Sixth Brother…"

Ge Zhenxiang: "I won't go. If I explain to them, I'll offend Sixth Uncle and Sixth Aunt. If they find out you deliberately placed Pan Yun's disciples in Fengqi Courtyard because you dislike Li, don't you think they'll come after you?"

"You can just walk out the door and train away for two or three years, but what about me and the children? I'll be the one who suffers," Ge Zhenxiang said. "You go yourself—I won't get involved in your messes." Zhang Zi could only watch helplessly as she left.

In truth, Zhang Zi didn't need to explain—among Zhang's peers, anyone with half a brain knew his motive for placing Pan Yun and the others in Fengqi Courtyard, and thus knew he wasn't their backer.

Only the younger generation believed such an absurd rumor.

But for Pan Yun, it was enough that the younger generation believed it—because those who would openly bully her were precisely her peers.

If elders dared to bully her, she had no qualms about bringing in her Senior Brother and Fourth Sister.

Though she still didn't know exactly what realm her Senior Brother had reached, she saw how respectfully even the sensible Daoists treated him during the Mount Sanqing Gathering, and after half a year of testing, she could guess his cultivation was far from low.

Pan Yun unfolded the academy robe she had collected and sighed.

Miao He also unfolded hers and immediately slipped it on. After a moment, she said, "Little Master, it's too big. We need to alter it."

Pan Yun: "Long Hushan is terrible. They knew we three little brats were coming half a year in advance, yet didn't prepare robes that fit us. They had six months to prepare."

Miao Zhen also said: "They can't compare to Mount Sanqing."

!

Pan Yun: "Absolutely can't compare!"

They had to alter the robes themselves, fortunately Pan Yun had learned excellent needlework during her half-year on the mountain.

There was no choice—the mountain was poor and far from the county town; if you wanted something, either you traveled to town or waited for the market, so it was better to make it yourself.

Thus, over the past half-year, Pan Yun had been forced to learn sewing, cutting fabric, mending socks, and even making shoe insoles.

Though a bit ugly, they were sturdy—good enough to sell at village markets.

Pan Yun pulled out colored threads and needles from her spiritual realm and placed them all in a basket.

Miao Zhen and Miao He stared at her sleeves.

Far from home, the two relied on Pan Yun even more and had grown livelier; now they crowded beside her. "Little Master, have you learned Sleeve of the Void?"

Pan Yun said: "No, I haven't reached that level yet. Wait until I train more—once I reach the First Marquis realm, I'll carve a spatial array for you so you can use Sleeve of the Void even without cultivation."

"Really?"

"Of course. Sleeve of the Void is essentially borrowing another dimensional space—you can open it with a technique, or carve a fixed spatial array to create a permanent dimensional pocket. I'm very skilled at this, but my current cultivation isn't enough; my spiritual power can't yet support carving a complete array."

"Then Little Master, work hard—my resources go to you first," Miao He eagerly said. "When you make your first Sleeve of the Void, can I have it?"

Miao Zhen: "I want the second!"

Miao He: "I'll take the third for Third Brother."

Miao Zhen: "Isn't that unfair to Senior Brother and Second Brother?"

Miao He looked troubled.

Pan Yun waved generously. "Once I reach the First Marquis realm, I'll arrange one for everyone!"

The black cat "meowed," peeking from the rafters, thinking she was just drawing cakes.

Pan Xiao black meowed meowed meowed: "Look at the spiritual merit progress bar—it still needs 999 points to unlock one seal, yet you haven't even gathered them yet. Now you're promising a whole bunch of Sleeve of the Void. With your speed of racking up hatred, how much time do you have to cultivate?"

Miao Zhen looked up. "Little Master, is Xiao Hei hungry? It's been meowing nonstop."

Pan Yun: "No, it's asking me for a Sleeve of the Void too—it wants a space to store things."

Pan Xiao Hei, enraged by her twisting of facts, let out an angry meow and ignored her.

Pan Yun pulled out scissors and began snipping at the robe with crisp sounds. "Did you cultivate last night? Did you notice the spiritual energy here grows gradually after Chou Hour, peaks at Yin Hour, lasts an hour, then fades, returning to normal after dawn?"

Miao Zhen sighed. "I fell asleep."

Miao He: "I did too."

Pan Yun: "Try tonight. If you can't wake up, I'll have Xiao Hei go call you. I suspect this is unique to Fengqi Courtyard—otherwise, why would four Zhangs live here? Deng Ziyu and Xue Hua aren't ordinary either—their grandfathers are both on Long Hushan's Merit List."

Miao Zhen: "So we got into Fengqi Courtyard…"

"We owe Brother Wu," Pan Yun said seriously. "I'm truly grateful to him. Sincerely."

Last digit is 6

(Chapter End)