Chapter 156

Pan Yun was beaten with twenty strokes; whether it was because the executing disciples admired her charisma or someone had bribed them, the pain was far less than expected—she didn't groan once, only turned slightly pale when carried back to Fengqi Courtyard, her lips bitten bloody.

Many students saw it and whispered, "Did you see? She spat blood and still didn't make a sound—how tough she is."

"Since the day she entered, I knew—someone like Zhu Zifang would follow her around, never take a loss—how could she not be tough?"

"Her face was completely white, not a trace of color."

As soon as she was carried back to Fengqi Courtyard, Master Xuanmiao and Seeing Miao Zhen brought scissors to cut open her clothes, clean her wounds, and apply medicine.

Pan Yun let out a "hahaha" moan.

Master Xuanmiao glanced at her and didn't let up verbally: "I thought you truly didn't feel pain—you even groan differently from others."

Yet her hands moved faster, gentler; she lifted away the cut clothing, and Pan Yun let out a "ha!" and winced: "Gentle, gentle, lighter!"

Seeing Miao He's eyes filled with tears as she choked out: "Fourth Master, they did this on purpose—how could they strike so hard?"

Master Xuanmiao said: "You're wrong. They've already held back."

She added: "The academy's punishment rods are heavier than military ones. Had they not held back, you'd be lying here as a bloody mess."

Pan Yun nodded: "They definitely held back—it hurt, but didn't damage tendons or bones. I know some executioners can make you feel almost no pain, yet strike like 'beating an ox from across the mountain'—all force directed inward. Externally, it looks like minor injury, but internally, tendons and bones are shattered."

Seeing Miao He shuddered: "There's such a method?"

"Of course. While I was being beaten, I thought of it—how force penetrates the skin, then CRASHES into the internal organs, just like 'Bone-Piercing Palm.' I could press my palm on someone's chest, nothing visible outside, yet inside—organs and bones shattered—Aaaah—" Pan Yun screamed, unable to utter a full sentence: "Ooooh!"

Master Xuanmiao withdrew the cotton cloth from her wound, expressionless: "Still have the energy to think of such things? Seems you really don't hurt much."

Pan Yun weakly reached out: "Fourth Sister, it really hurts—precisely because it hurts, I'm trying to distract myself, which is why I thought of this. I've already been beaten—I must gain something… Aaaah—"

Master Xuanmiao: "Not me."

Seeing Miao Zhen panicked: "It was me, Fourth Master said to clean the wound with this medicine before applying ointment—I didn't realize it was so harsh…"

Pan Yun collapsed onto the bed, face filled with utter despair.

The Qingshan-made medicine worked exceptionally well—by evening, the pain had faded; by the next day, her wounds itched and began to scab.

Master Xuanmiao kept urging her to channel her Yuan Qi to accelerate healing.

"Your wounds must be fully healed before you enter the Contemplation Cliff—otherwise, it won't benefit you."

Pan Yun: "Only three days? How can they heal this fast?"

Yet she was a good girl who listened—though she muttered it was impossible, her actions were swift: she activated her cultivation method, lay prone and trained, directing Yuan Qi to swirl around her lower back and buttocks, boosting skin vitality, supplying more energy, while also coating the wounds to block out airborne impurities…

The weather was so hot—perfect for bacteria to thrive.

Pan Yun didn't let Seeing Miao Zhen and Seeing Miao He idle—she had them go down the mountain to buy a large wooden barrel with a lid, two big wooden basins, rice, flour, oil, salt, even a stove and charcoal.

Though they didn't understand why she needed these, they found time to descend and bought everything on her list.

Wang Feiyin, after treating Dai Yong, saw this and hurried down the mountain to bring back several cured pork hams, several cured chickens, and two large baskets of vegetables, shoving them all at her: "Store them, store them all—you'll need these for a month and a half."

Pan Yun: …

"How did Brother know my Sleeve Universe can hold so much?"

Wang Feiyin tilted his head: "Can't hold it? Then how did all your things vanish? The Brocade Guard dug up the ground three feet deep and found nothing of yours—weren't they stored?"

He urged: "Dump all useless junk—fill it with food and drink, that's what matters."

He also pulled out numerous medicine bottles from his person.

One moment he pulled out seven or eight medicine bottles from his left sleeve, the next seven or eight medicine jars from his right sleeve—soon his gifts piled up along her bed edge: "Store them, store them all—you're at the foundational stage. That place has no spiritual energy? Use medicinal power to compensate. This ointment is for healing…"

Pan Yun glanced at his left sleeve, then his right, and gave a long, meaningful "Ooooh~"—she'd been slow to realize: no wonder Big Brother's sleeves always held so much—it wasn't the sleeves that were big, but the space inside them.

Pan Yun unhesitatingly took everything: "Any more?"

Wang Feiyin tapped her forehead: "More? Raising you is nearly as costly as raising two of your Third Brother. Do you know how much you spent just on Dai Yong's medicine?"

Pan Yun hesitated, then painfully pulled out her money box from her spiritual realm: "Big Brother…"

Wang Feiyin pretended not to see, saying: "Luckily, we brought plenty of money on this trip to preserve our dignity—if outsiders learned the mighty Mount Sanqing couldn't even afford this compensation, how embarrassing?"

"So, Sister, next time you strike, hold back, understand? I don't care about the people you hit—I care about the money I pay out. Mine or yours."

"They're in the wrong—you strike back, make them feel pain—but don't hurt yourself: body, mind, or wallet."

Pan Yun placed the money box under her chin, nodding vigorously: "So, Big Brother, my money…" Wang Feiyin reached for her money pouch: "You keep it? Unsafe. Let me hold it for you."

Pan Yun clutched it tightly: "You must clarify—is this money I paid out, or money you're holding for me? If it's the former, fine—I paid willingly. If it's the latter… Big Brother, your luck with money is worse than mine."

"Fool, what do you need money for? While you have it, buy medicine and stockpile. Don't you know alchemy costs money? Cultivation isn't just about practice—you can eat your way up, understand?" Wang Feiyin said: "Give me the money—I'll trade it all for medicine later."

Pan Yun loosened her grip slightly: "But my father and family…"

"They have hands and feet—you've sent them plenty already. Why send more?"

"I mean, we should keep some money ready in case we need to overturn the case later. I can't hold onto money—I send it to them so they can keep it for me."

"Why go far when you have close options? I'm unlucky, but you have several junior disciples—better to store it with them, or in a bank. Say you're lending it to them, keep the proof, and withdraw anytime—better than sending it to Datong."

Pan Yun stared at him skeptically: "Big Brother, why suddenly don't you want me sending money to Datong?"

Wang Feiyin paused, then whispered: "Today, I suddenly realized—you're leaking wealth."

"Aren't I always leaking wealth?"

Wang Feiyin: "Now it's worse."

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Pan Yun widened her eyes: "Why?"

Wang Feiyin spread his hands: "How should I know? And not only you—your family's wealth is leaking too. The change is slight, but I think it's better to keep money close."

"If it's truly wealth leakage, spend it promptly to avert disaster. Cultivators have countless ways to spend—buying a decent artifact costs over a hundred taels. Your money? Just a drop in the ocean."

Pan Yun still searched for reasons.

Seeing her stubbornness, Wang Feiyin shook his head: "You're still too young. I've lived through all this. A person's fortune changes—gradually, you grow used to it. Just assume the worst in everything."

Pan Yun frowned: "Can't we find the reason?"

"Not everything in this world has an answer—especially not an immediate one. Some things take ten, twenty, even a hundred years to understand, only clear when you look back."

Pan Yun fell silent for a moment, then said: "People don't know, but what about the cat? Where's my cat? Where's my cat?"

Pan Xiaohei jumped in through the window and watched her in silence.

What could it know?

It isn't even human.

Meanwhile, the three men locked in the Punishment Hall had just had their cultivation methods stripped; at this moment, their hatred toward Pan Yun and Zhang Weiliang reached its peak, and even toward themselves, they could not help but harbor resentment.

They also hated Nong Zhiyi, glaring at him furiously: "If not for your instigation, we wouldn't have threatened Cui Huai Gong."

Nong Zhiyi let out a bitter laugh: "You've only lost your cultivation methods—you can still rebuild them. I've had my Upper Dantian shattered."

The three fell silent.

Nong Zhiyi said: "If you've done it, don't regret it. We all knew why we did it to begin with."

"Talk all you want—don't you hate Pan Yun? Don't you hate Zhang Weiliang and the Academy?"

Nong Zhiyi's gaze grew heavy as he whispered softly: "I don't hate them. I only hate that I wasn't born into a powerful family, that my talent is insufficient—otherwise, how could I have ended up like this?"

In the end, the three of them concluded that Dai Yong's fate might be the best.

Though he had become foolish, his cultivation remained intact, and he could spend the rest of his life within the Academy, with food and clothing guaranteed.

But Nong Zhiyi refused to become a fool. His Upper Dantian had cracked—but he believed he could repair it.

He was clearly no worse than any of them; he simply had no patrons.

If he had had patrons like Zhang Weiliang and Pan Yun, he would surely have surpassed them.

Pan Yun learned from Pan Xiaohei that the three had lost their cultivation methods and harbored deep resentment toward her.

She lay motionless, grumbling incessantly, yet never regretted what she had done—if she had to do it again, she would still strike hard and make a huge scene.

Even if it cost her Virtue Points and brought her even worse luck.

Wang Feiyin stared at the box in her arms: "Are you going to give me the money—or, no, hand it over to the temple for safekeeping?"

Pan Yun shoved the money box straight at him: "Don't bother with safekeeping—just spend it. Buy all kinds of herbs, Senior Brother. Tell Third Senior Brother to go down the mountain and buy me twice as much rice, flour, oil, chickens, ducks, fish, and cinnabar and talisman paper—buy as much as you can, and spend it all."

Wang Feiyin opened the money box, glanced inside, and clicked his tongue: "You talk so boldly—I thought you were rich. This little? You want to buy herbs and make pills? Dream on. I'll still have to make up the difference."

Pan Yun looked up and grinned at him.

(End of Chapter)