Chapter 152

Lin Jingle said without expression: "That's the rule."

"Then tell me, according to the rule, how should they be punished?" Wang Feiyin pointed at Nong Zhiyi and the others.

Lin Jingle: "Sever their cultivation, expel them from the Academy."

The three kneeling figures went limp, immediately banging their heads in plea for mercy—severing their cultivation and expelling them from the Academy would destroy their lives.

Nong Zhiyi let out a bitter laugh; he had known it all along.

When he had passed out, then regained his senses the next day and began to think it through, he realized his situation was dire.

This matter could be big or small—if labeled as brawling, he'd at most be sentenced to one year on the Contemplation Cliff, plus fines and resource penalties.

But if labeled as harming fellow disciples, with Cui Huai Gong so badly injured and Dai Yong still unconscious, all of them would face severe punishment—certainly, their cultivation would be severed and they'd be expelled.

Nong Zhiyi felt deep resentment, yet knew he had no power to change it.

Pan Yun was capable and well-connected; judging by her firm stance facing Zhang Ziwang back then, she would never let this go—clearly, this was their only fate.

Whether or not they exposed Zhang Weiliang, this was their fate.

In fact, if they exposed Zhang Weiliang, their fate would be worse.

The Zhang family would retaliate—he knew they would.

So he could only take all the blame upon himself; at least, the truth that Zhang Weiliang was the mastermind must never come from him.

He quickly glanced at the three companions kneeling beside him—and if possible, he wanted to protect them; even if their Upper Dantian were destroyed, he refused to abandon them entirely—saving even one meant a future path remained open.

Nong Zhiyi gritted his teeth, forced himself up through the pain, and knelt again, bowing his head: "Tangzhu, this matter was entirely my doing. They were deceived and coerced by me into following along."

"During the beating of Cui Huai Gong, I had the highest cultivation and struck the hardest. Please, Tangzhu, spare them—I am willing to die in their place."

The three kneeling beside him bowed their heads repeatedly, trembling, saying not a word of protest.

The onlookers couldn't help but feel conflicted: "Nong Zhiyi may be evil, but he's still loyal."

"Pah—you've never been robbed, so you talk from a position of comfort. To me, this 'loyalty'? There's definitely some hidden deal between them. If they were truly loyal, aren't we their classmates too? Why rob us of resources, bully us?"

"I see—you've been robbed by him."

"I've been robbed more than once—I've been beaten too. Whoever defends them, I'll cut ties with them!"

Many immediately withdrew their sympathy for Nong Zhiyi.

Wang Feiyin didn't care about any of this—either way, if Pan Yun was sentenced to three months on the Contemplation Cliff, these five, minus the unconscious Dai Yong, would all be severely punished—not one spared.

After their cultivation was severed, they'd wait until Zhang Weiliang was captured, convicted, then expelled from the mountain.

Nong Zhiyi's confession mattered—but somehow, it didn't matter much.

He raised his bloodshot eyes to Pan Yun: "Pan Yun, do you know how hard it is for ordinary people to cultivate? Do you know how hard it is just to survive in this Academy?"

"Of course I know," Pan Yun replied coldly. "They endure oppression from the upper class, and malice from you—robbed of money, robbed of resources, beaten. Ordinary people cultivating is truly hard."

Nong Zhiyi: "When I first began cultivating, I was robbed and beaten too—who stood up for me? If I don't rob others, others will come rob me!"

"That's a question for Tangzhu Lin and Yuanzhu Zhang," Pan Yun turned sharply on the two. "Is the Academy's rule just decoration? Cultivators must cultivate their hearts—yet here, we can't even speak of the Dao, and already this tiny Academy is full of conflict. We haven't fought Heaven, yet we've begun fighting each other."

Pan Yun turned the question back on Nong Zhiyi: "Why don't you question your teachers? Is the Academy teaching us to cultivate the Dao, to uphold justice—or to nurture dark hearts and endless strife? You bully the weak and fear the strong—you dare not question your superiors, yet turn to torment those weaker than you. The dragon slayer becomes the dragon. Nong Zhiyi, you lack even the courage to ask the Dao—how can you pursue it?"

Nong Zhiyi's lips trembled, unable to speak for a long while.

Lin Jingle and Zhang Ziwang, along with the other Yuanzhu, turned pale with shame—even Lou Tong flushed with humiliation.

But Pan Yun wouldn't let them off: she looked up at Lin Jingle. "Lin Tangzhu, if my anger two days ago was a crime—because I didn't treat the Academy as my home—then now, I truly see this Academy as my home. I wish it to grow better, to endure for a thousand years."

"So I ask you: should it not correct its flaws and preserve its strengths? Answer me—does the Criminal Law Hall bear responsibility for this trend? Do all of you Yuanzhu bear responsibility?"

Lin Jingle's eyes seemed to blaze. He stared steadily at Pan Yun: "Yes. Myself and all the Yuanzhu are guilty. I accept blame."

Zhang Ziwang frowned: "Lin Tangzhu!"

Lin Jingle said: "Yuanzhu Zhang, the boil has burst. If we don't cleanse it now, the whole body will rot."

Zhang Ziwang: "Haste makes waste, Lin Tangzhu. The precedents are clear. And the True Person is absent—I urge you to think thrice before acting."

Lin Jingle: "Is this such a great matter that the True Person must be present? We merely seek to purge the Academy's stubborn delinquents, to prevent such things from recurring. Maintaining the Academy's discipline is the Criminal Law Hall's duty."

"Is that so?" Zhang Ziwang said. "I suspect you intend more than just cleaning up the Criminal Law Hall."

He turned to the other Yuanzhu: "Gongze, Sister Lou, Xue Yuan, what do you think?"

Wang Gongze: "This is too serious—we should wait for the True Person's return."

Xue Yuan frowned: "The Academy does need cleaning—these past years, its atmosphere has grown worse. But Ziwang's concern is valid—we must be cautious, lest we make mistakes."

Lou Tong frowned in silence, glancing toward Xuanmiao standing at the front of the crowd.

Xuanmiao glanced at her, gave no reply, and sneered: "Just cleaning up the Academy's rules? Does this require the True Person's return? Those who don't know might think this Academy is truly controlled by him—but he spends half the year away. Who maintains it the rest of the time?"

Zhang Zi Fang: "Limei, stop your sarcasm. You're no longer part of the Academy—this is an internal Academy meeting."

Xuanmiao stepped forward a few paces, coldly: "I'm no longer part of the Academy—but I still bear the Zhang surname. So what if I speak?"

The familiar scent of quarreling filled the air. Pan Yun simply sat back on her heels, watching it all with quiet amusement.

On the second-floor balcony nearby, Zhang Liuzhen coughed, clutching his chest. A handkerchief was offered before him.

Zhang Liuzhen turned his head and saw Li Wenying; he took it, pressed it to his mouth, and coughed: "Your wound seems worse. How many years do you have left?"

Zhang Liuzhen gripped the handkerchief, hiding the bloodstain, and smiled palely: "Don't worry—I'll live a long time." Li Wenying paused a long while, unsure whether to believe him, then tilted her chin toward the scene below: "They're arguing again. This matter will probably end in nothing. Won't you go down and help?"

"You said it'll end in nothing," Zhang Liuzhen replied. "Reform or not—it's not up to Zhang Ziwang or Lin Jingle. It's up to those in the Heavenly Master's Office below the mountain."

"True," Li Wenying scoffed, brushing past the topic. "What about Pan Yun? If you won't go, she'll really be sent to the Contemplation Cliff. Life there is harsh—three months, and she's so young. She might go mad."

Zhang Liuzhen coughed softly, unable to suppress a smile: "With Auntie there, don't worry—she won't go. Not now, at least."

Indeed, the final hearing devolved into a squabble among the elders. Wang Feiyin was the true outsider—but he expertly stoked discord and fanned the flames.

He interjected occasionally, successfully igniting everyone's anger—even the usually mild-mannered Xue Yuan snapped: "The Criminal Law Hall merely seeks to enforce discipline—why not let them do their job? Are such trivial matters worth arguing over until you're red in the face? So many students are watching—aren't you ashamed?"

Zhang Ziwang: "Xue Yuan, we act for the Academy's good. Any change risks deviation, and could ultimately harm the Academy."

"Though the Emperor currently favors the True Person, the court has long criticized the Heavenly Master's Office's control over this Academy. If reform causes scandal, one word from above could lead to its abolition."

Wang Gongze nodded: "There have been precedents. Caution is essential."

"Improving the academy's atmosphere—the imperial court wishes nothing more than for you all to be loyal, trustworthy, and righteous. Do you think the officials in the court would be pleased to see the academy slowly turn into a pool of filth? If you're unhappy, if you fear Lin Jingle's reforms will harm your interests, just say so outright—don't hide behind the banner of the imperial court," Master Xuanmiao sneered.

!.

Pan Yun knelt beside them, nodding vigorously, wishing she could applaud Master Xuanmiao—her sister's words were absolutely right.

Zhang Ziwang caught her movement and shot her a furious glare—this whole affair had been her doing.

Pan Yun looked back at him with an innocent expression. How could this be her fault? This time, she truly saw the academy as her home, which was why she wanted it to grow better.

If it weren't her own home, who would care whether it lived or died?

The Dai family had grown silent from the intensity of the argument—especially since they barely understood what was being said, so they shrank to the side, saying nothing.

When they finally fell silent, Dai Mu assumed the quarrel was over and tugged at her husband's sleeve.

Dai Fu gathered his courage, lips trembling: "That... that... Reverends, how will you handle our son Er-Gou's case? How much compensation will you pay us? When can we take him home?"

Lin Jingle frowned. "Didn't I say? All five of them have had their cultivation stripped and been expelled from the academy. Since Dai Yong is now severely injured and unconscious, the academy is willing to have Physician Wang revive him—after he wakes, we'll decide whether to expel him based on the circumstances."

Dai Fu: "What about the money?"

Lin Jingle glared at him darkly. "What money?"

"What? They beat our Er-Gou to this state—and you won't pay compensation?"

Lin Jingle: "Dai Yong struck first."

"That's impossible!" Dai Fu shouted. "If you don't pay, I'll carry him to the magistrate's office and file a complaint! Either way, you must pay!"

Lin Jingle sneered. "First, the academy handles its own affairs. Second, he is a Daoist Priest—even if you take him to the magistrate's office, they'll ultimately transfer the case to the Celestial Master's Office. Don't you know Daoist Priests are outside worldly affairs, and the Celestial Master's Office oversees all Daoist matters nationwide?"

The Dai family didn't understand, but seeing Lin Jingle speak with absolute certainty—and the onlookers nodding as if it were obvious—they realized going to the magistrate's office was useless.

And they had no skill for reasoned argument—only crying and wailing.

Dai Mu slapped her thigh and wailed: "My poor, unfortunate son! You've been beaten for nothing! Open your eyes and see—your parents have been bullied to death—"

Wang Feiyin dug his fingers into his ear. "Enough, enough. You just want money, right? Let Lin Jingle convert the cost of his medicine into silver for you."

Dai Mu continued wailing uncontrollably: "They abuse their power, beat your son, then deny it—and now they want to throw him out—"

Wang Feiyin: "The medicine, all told, is worth about two hundred taels."

Dai Mu's wailing stopped instantly. Her eyes widened. Dai Fu's face lit up with excitement. He shoved his wife hard. She hesitated—until Dai Fu twisted her arm several times—then she said: "We don't trust you. Give us the money—we'll take him home and treat him ourselves."

Wang Feiyin: "Think carefully. Throughout the empire, only the imperial court's physicians might possibly revive him—and I am the only other. Once you take him away, you're just waiting for him to die."

Dai Mu opened her mouth but no sound came out.

Dai Fu poked her repeatedly to no avail, so he stepped out from behind his wife. "We won't let you treat him. You're that girl's family—who knows what tricks you'll pull? We won't let you treat him. Give us the money—we'll find our own physician."

The watching students felt a sense of shared sorrow. Though Dai Yong wasn't a good person, they felt the Dai family was worse.

Wang Feiyin burst into laughter, stroking his beard. "Zhang Ziwang, did you see that? This is the true wickedness of human hearts. This is what they must refine within themselves. This is Dao cultivation! You manufacture chaos by forcing them to fight each other for resources—it's all artificial."

"Zhang Ziwang, when a boil swells too large and spreads, it strikes the organs directly—no medicine can save it, no power can reverse it."

He stepped forward and led away Cui Huai Gong and Pan Yun. "Handle your own family affairs yourselves. My promise still stands: bring him to me, and I'll revive him for free."

Everyone watched silently as he took the two away—even Lin Jingle made no move to stop him.

Tao Ji looked at Master Xuanmiao.

Master Xuanmiao no longer paid them any attention. She stepped forward and took Seeing Miao Zhen with her.

Tao Ji hurried after her, pulling Miao He along.

The people from Mount Sanqing vanished completely. Among the crowd, Sister Xuan Li jumped up several times but still couldn't see anything—only sounds reached her, her view completely blocked.

Seeing no movement ahead, she asked: "What happened? Why is everyone silent?"

The instructors not only stopped speaking—they drove everyone away, locking Nong Zhiyi and the others in the Punishment Hall. As for the Dai family, they discussed matters privately.

As the crowd dispersed, she learned Pan Yun had been carried off by her senior brother. She immediately lifted her skirt and ran after them.

Pan Yun and Cui Huai Gong were taken to the infirmary of Tai Su Courtyard, where Wang Feiyin would treat Cui Huai Gong again.

He dropped Pan Yun there and lightly tapped her forehead. "You, you..."

(End of Chapter)