Chapter 155: Transaction

How many people hoped Zhang Liuzhen would die right then?

And how many people did not want him dead, exhausting every means to save him?

Xuan Miao took a few strides out of the tall building and leapt down, heading straight for Wang Feiyin.

Since the Tian Shi Fu and the Academy were seeking their help, Pan Yun's punishment could be negotiated more easily.

The Dai family had already been persuaded to leave.

After discussion, Dai Yong remained at the Academy; Wang Feiyin revived him, and after he awoke, he stayed on as a menial laborer.

With his dantian damaged and his intellect reduced to that of a seven- or eight-year-old, he could not advance in cultivation, but he could perform simple tasks at the Academy, which could support him for life.

But since Dai Yong was injured by Pan Yun, the Academy held her partially responsible, so she must cover part of Dai Yong's medical expenses.

Wang Feiyin directly cursed back for three hundred rounds, "They struck first!"

"There are no outsiders here, so no need to hide anything—Pan Yun's cultivation base was more than enough to stop him without such force, yet she used excessive force. That was intentional. She deliberately shattered Nong Zhiyi's dantian right before our eyes."

Wang Feiyin: "According to regulations, you were going to strip his cultivation anyway."

"Stripping cultivation is one thing; shattering the dantian is another. They cannot be equated."

Wang Feiyin: "The founding emperor said: if you encounter a violent thug on the road, killing him carries no guilt. What's the difference between them and thugs?"

"This is an Academy, not a street. If a minor dispute leads to someone being killed, is this still an Academy? It would become a battlefield."

Wang Feiyin fell silent.

Zhang Ziwang asked again: "Will you pay this money? The Academy is already taking full responsibility for his entire life—or we can cover all the herbal costs, cure him, and then you take him away to be cared for by your Sanqing Guan for life?"

Wang Feiyin immediately changed his tone: "Half the herbal cost isn't out of the question. Exactly how much did you give the Dai family? I'm handling the treatment, and now you want me to pay half the herbal cost?"

Zhang Ziwang didn't say how much, only: "No matter how much we gave, the Dai family has promised that once this is settled, they won't report Pan Yun to the government. The matter will be resolved within the Academy."

Wang Feiyin felt more at ease. After a moment's silence, he nodded: "Fine. We'll cover half. Can Pan Yun's exile to Si Guo Cliff be waived?"

"No! Two crimes cannot be conflated."

Wang Feiyin: "How about you give her twenty extra lashes instead? She can take it. Don't send her to Si Guo Cliff—it's no place for a child."

Zhang Ziwang: "No."

"Hey, how can you be so stubborn? I'm done talking to you. Where's the True Person? Go find him and ask: when did the Academy start sending first-year students to Si Guo Cliff for solitary confinement? She's only nine, still growing and laying her foundation. Sending her there for three months is practically a death sentence."

"The punishment has been issued. It cannot be changed."

Wang Feiyin clicked his tongue and rolled up his sleeves, ready to fight—when Xuan Miao walked in and asked: "Has Zhang Liuzhen recovered?"

Wang Feiyin, halfway to his feet, immediately sat back down, ceding the battlefield to Xuan Miao.

Zhang Ziwang pursed his lips: "Li Mei, Liuzhen is your nephew. You two are close. Even if you didn't ask, I'd tell you anyway…"

"For years, Liuzhen has been taking medicine from your Sanqing Guan without ever paying a single copper. When will you settle the bill?"

Zhang Ziwang: …

He lifted his gaze to her: "If you want money, you should ask Liuzhen himself. He's the one who took the medicine."

Xuan Miao nodded: "Fine. I'll send the bill to the Tian Shi Fu for him. He has one month to settle it."

She turned to Wang Feiyin: "Big Brother, Cui Huai's injury has been treated again. I left the prescription with Lou Tong. Let's go."

"Alright." Wang Feiyin stood immediately. Tao Ji, following his senior siblings, rose at once.

Everyone watched silently as the three senior siblings walked out, waited for them to stop—but they kept walking, left the building, and even activated lightness skill to depart.

Lin Jingle turned back: "If you don't stop them now, they'll really leave."

Zhang Ziwang gritted his teeth.

Lin Jingle said: "In Zhang Li's heart, Liuzhen may matter more than Pan Yun. But in Wang Feiyin's heart, his junior sister Pan Yun matters more. How many years has he not left Sanqing Mountain? The last time he came out was last time."

Zhang Ziwang finally yielded, grabbed Lin Jingle, and chased after them.

Pan Yun and the others sat atop the high wall. Seeing Wang Feiyin and the two emerge, they immediately raised their hands to wave—but the three didn't even glance their way. They activated lightness skill and flew away, drifting lightly, carefree, not fast, but certainly not slow, arriving at Da Shangqing Palace in moments.

Pan Yun and the others stared blankly—then Zhang Ziwang and Lin Jingle burst out of the building behind them, moving far faster, zipping after them like arrows.

Pan Yun gaped, murmuring: "Oh no. Did the negotiations break down? Are they going to fight?"

Far off, they saw Zhang Ziwang and Lin Jingle intercept the three. The five stood on the roof of Da Shangqing Palace, talking for a long while, then drifted back again.

Their gazes followed the group as they returned. No one seemed to notice the four small figures sitting atop the wall. They walked straight back inside without a single sideways glance.

Pan Yun's eyes followed them up the stairs, deeply disappointed: "Can't hear a thing."

Xuan Li was also disappointed: "If only we had the divine ability to hear from a thousand li away."

Pan Yun's gaze fell on the black cat crouching beside her.

Pan Xiaohei sensed her look. Without a word, he rose, stepped over Miao Zhen, and crouched on her other side, avoiding her gaze.

Hmph. He wouldn't go up there. Those people had strong cultivation and sharp minds. If caught, his cat life would be over.

Pan Yun reluctantly withdrew her gaze: "Forget it. Let's just watch from afar. Even if we can't hear, we can see. It's like watching a silent play. From what we saw, Sanqing Mountain seems to have the upper hand."

"Strange. The Academy is so large, the Zhang family so powerful—why does Sanqing Guan still have the upper hand?"

"That must be because they need something from Sanqing Mountain." Pan Yun had guessed: most likely, it was because of Zhang Liuzhen's illness.

But it was strange—if Zhang Liuzhen had been taking medicine from Sanqing Mountain all along, why did he still need Wang Feiyin to treat him? Why did the Tian Shi Fu deliberately "misplace" Wang Feiyin's letter, preventing her from receiving the talisman and becoming a temple attendant?

Hehehe. It seems the Tian Shi Fu's Zhang family is truly unstable inside.

I wonder which side Zhang Ziwang and Lin Jingle are on—or are they neutral, siding with neither?

Even though she knew her own fate was tied to this matter, she couldn't help feeling gleeful.

As long as those who had once harmed her weren't living easy lives, she was happy.

It seems Zhang Liuzhen is on their side. Hmm. I'll have to keep a close eye on him—make sure he stays alive, just to annoy the other side. Upstairs, Zhang Ziwang and Xuan Miao fiercely bargained, finally reducing Pan Yun's time on Si Guo Cliff to one and a half months.

Since the punishment had already been made public, they needed a convincing reason to reduce it, or else the entire Academy would protest.

Sanqing Guan promised to treat Zhang Liuzhen's injury once—yes, per treatment, since his injury could not be permanently cured.

And the one who must treat him must be Wang Feiyin.

Tao Ji's alchemy had no effect on Zhang Liuzhen anymore; otherwise, why would they be so desperate, conceding so much?

Given Tao Ji's relationship with Xuan Miao and Liuzhen, if he could have eased Liuzhen's condition, he would have given everything.

But he couldn't. Even Lou Tong couldn't. That's why they had to turn to Wang Feiyin.

And Wang Feiyin rarely leaves Sanqing Mountain. Asking him to come is harder than summoning a god.

The time on Si Guo Cliff was shortened, so the lashes couldn't be reduced—but they agreed to let her rest three days after the lashes before sending her to the cliff.

Wang Feiyin knew he couldn't push further. He looked at Xuan Miao and gave a slight nod.

Xuan Miao agreed—but changed the subject: "You must give Sanqing Mountain an explanation for Zhang Weiliang's case."

!.

Zhang Ziwang: "This matter hasn't been settled yet…"

"I'm not just talking about this," Xuan Miao sneered. "I'm also talking about the Fengqi Courtyard incident."

"Didn't Pan Yun strike back on the spot?"

"Her retaliation is hers. His wrongdoing remains wrongdoing. The punishment must stand. And him." Xuan Miao's gaze sharpened as she looked at Zhang Zifang. "Everything began with you."

Zhang Zifang widened his eyes and shouted: "Li Mei, don't smear me! I assigned them to Fengqi Courtyard for their own good!"

"Even I and Zhang Liuzhen didn't move into Fengqi Courtyard the moment we entered the Academy," Xuan Miao sneered. "Has the Academy fallen so far that it can't even find three suitable third- or fourth-year students? Or has the Tian Shi Fu become a dictatorship, letting its members act as they please?"

Xue Taixu, who had been silent, sighed and finally spoke: "Remove Zhang Zifang from his post and expel him from the Academy. Send him back to the Tian Shi Fu."

Zhang Zifang's eyes bulged: "Dean Xue!"

After a moment's silence, Zhang Ziwang nodded: "Agreed. Correct the error. Have Pan Yun and the others move out of Fengqi Courtyard."

Xuan Miao: "They've already moved in. Why move them out again?"

"Didn't you say it was against the rules?"

Xuan Miao: "Before they moved in, it was against the rules. But now they've taken over the entire world. To make them give it up now—who's the one with the problem? You or us?"

Zhang Ziwang dared not argue: "Fine, fine, fine. Whatever you say. Let them stay."

Xuan Miao snorted, then turned to Xue Taixu: "Dean Xue, have your descendants keep an eye on my two girls. Pan Yun will soon go to Si Guo Cliff and won't be able to protect them."

Xue Taixu stroked his beard and smiled: "Rest assured. From now on, no one will dare trouble them—even if Pan Yun is away, they'll fear her returning to settle scores later. Hahaha…"

Pan Yun's strike was too brutal—it effectively crippled two people and implicated Zhang Weiliang, who was training outside. Who would dare to bully them again?

These past two days, their return to Fengqi Courtyard had been wonderful. People greeted them from afar. Otherwise, they kept their distance, living in perfect peace.

Zhang Zifang saw everyone discussing Pan Yun and ignoring him. He felt stifled and blurted: "Second brother, I—"

Zhang Ziwang cut him off: "Go back to the Tian Shi Fu. Leave the Academy's affairs to your subordinates. Nothing here is important. Just take some rest."

Zhang Zifang's face flushed red. Seeing no one speak for him, he reluctantly agreed.

After the negotiations ended, everyone descended the stairs. The four atop the wall perked up, staring intently.

Both sides pretended not to notice, exchanged formal greetings, and Zhang Ziwang's group departed first.

Lou Tong was close to Xuan Miao, and since Cui Huai was staying here, Wang Feiyin and Tao Ji also resided in Tai Su Courtyard, especially since Wang Feiyin needed to treat and prescribe for Zhang Liuzhen.

The moment Zhang Ziwang's group disappeared, Wang Feiyin's smile vanished. He turned seriously toward the four people hiding in the shade of the tree and gestured for them to come over.

Pan Yun knew they'd been spotted. They leapt down from the wall and flew over, grinning sheepishly at him.

Wang Feiyin realized his hands were unusually itchy today. Hearing that laugh, he couldn't help but want to strike.

But in front of so many witnesses, he held back. "Tomorrow you'll receive the lashes. Rest three days, then go to Si Guo Cliff for one and a half months. That's the shortest time we could get for you."

Pan Yun: "Big Brother, what's inside Si Guo Cliff?"

Wang Feiyin pointed at Xuan Miao: "Ask her. I've never entered your Academy's Si Guo Cliff."

Xuan Miao: "There's nothing inside."

Pan Yun: "Huh? No ghosts? Xuan Li said it's terrifying because of ghosts."

Xuan Miao looked down at her and repeated firmly: "There is nothing inside."

"Huh?"

The most terrifying thing about Siguoyai is that there is nothing inside—no food, no water, not even spiritual energy, only emptiness.

"What does 'emptiness' mean?"

"The environment will drain your yuan power, siphoning energy from your body—subtly, but constantly—and you can feel it," Xuanmiao said. "Whether entering Siguoyai leads to enlightenment is unknown, but your cultivation base will definitely drop. The longer you stay, the more it declines. If you have yuan power, it's better; some low-level disciples who enter lose their internal strength. Without internal strength to protect their foundation, they suffer severe damage."

"So no one wants to enter Siguoyai. Those who go in and come out often remain stuck at their current level forever. Pan Yun, you're still young. Even though you've cultivated yuan power, your absolute limit inside is three months. We're trying to shorten your time because we don't want you to damage your foundation."

Pan Yun frowned. "This is punishment—I understand. But since it's called Siguoyai, shouldn't there be a reward after contemplation? What are the benefits of Siguoyai?"

"Legend says that in the previous dynasty, six Zhang ancestors meditated on the walls of Siguoyai and attained the Great Dao. The moment they stepped out, their power surged. Each lived over a hundred years, and when they transcended, witnesses saw their spiritual souls return to the heavens—meaning their yang spirits were immortal, eternally existing in this world."

Pan Yun widened her eyes, excitedly asking: "Is it true?"

Xuanmiao emphasized: "It's a legend, but Zhang Liuzhen and I secretly checked the clan genealogy—it does record this event."

Pan Yun immediately looked forward to her journey to Siguoyai. She had considerable innate talent, and with her spiritual realm, perhaps she could replicate their success?

(End of Chapter)