Chapter 165: All Punished

The evening breeze drifted in, carrying away the scent from the cave before departing; soon after, the caves above, below, and on either side of Cave 28 on the Exile Cliff all caught the scent of this rare, special food.

How extraordinary—meat aroma was drifting through the Exile Cliff.

Cheng Lingzi, who had been meditating on the cliff's edge, opened his eyes, sniffed incredulously again and again, then silently lowered his gaze toward the cliff below.

Zhou Wangdao, who had been gnawing on a cold, hard steamed bun, sniffed the air, walked toward the cave entrance, and finally poked his head out to sniff carefully.

He couldn't detect the source of the scent, but on the Exile Cliff, the only person who could eat meat with the faint fragrance of rice was clearly Pan Yun—the one who could fetch water with a bucket.

Zhou Wangdao tilted his head upward and shouted, "Sister Pan! Sister Pan—"

Immediately after shouting, he realized something was wrong—without channeling inner energy, his voice wouldn't carry.

He felt frustrated. Why did the Exile Cliff block sound but not scent?

Zhou Wangdao sank his qi into his dantian, channeled his inner energy, and shouted upward: "Sister Pan—"

Pan Yun, who had been happily eating from the pot, lifted her head to glance outside, then looked back down at the rice in the pot.

Because she was alone, Wang Feiyin thought a large pot would waste charcoal and produce unpalatable rice, so he specifically chose a small pot—one just enough for her to eat from, yet with room for two extra portions for the cat.

He never expected Pan Yun to cook or stir-fry anything herself, so the chicken, duck, fish, and meat were all pre-prepared—after washing and marinating, they could be directly added to the pot; when the rice was done, the meat was done too.

Even vegetables were easy: pick a handful whenever she wanted, rinse them, break them into pieces, and toss them into the pot to steam just before the rice finished cooking; if she found it troublesome, she could simply drop them in with the water.

After all, it wouldn't kill anyone—it was merely a difference between tasty and less tasty, thoroughly cooked and even more thoroughly cooked.

Wang Feiyin had taught her nothing but his own experience; in his words, "As long as it doesn't kill you."

Because of that remark, Pan Yun assumed the food wouldn't taste good, and since she'd been busy lately, she'd had little appetite for eating, so she'd never bothered to cook.

She never imagined it would taste this good.

Such delicious food, yet so little of it—she simply couldn't bear to share it, so she pretended not to hear and kept eating.

"Sister Pan—"

Pan Yun didn't hear.

The sound from the cliff below had also fallen silent. Good—she hadn't heard it; surely he understood what that meant?

Pan Yun picked up a piece of cured meat and put it in her mouth, savoring it as she chewed—so delicious! If it were spicy, it would be even better. She picked up three pieces in a row and stuffed them into her mouth…

"How heartless~~" A voice drifted faintly from behind her.

Pan Yun turned around, still holding the pot, her mouth stuffed with three pieces of meat.

Cheng Lingzi watched her cheeks puff out like a mole's and reached out to poke her with a finger. "Your Brother Zhou called you—just for this bite of food—and you pretended not to hear?"

Pan Yun quickly shook her head to explain, but realized she couldn't speak with her mouth full; she chewed and swallowed hurriedly, then asked in confusion, "Did Brother Zhou call me? I didn't hear anything."

She immediately turned to the black cat. "Xiao Hei, did you hear it? Did Brother Zhou use spiritual energy to call me?"

Xiao Hei, still eating rice and tiny fish, ignored her completely.

Pan Yun sighed in disappointment. "Why won't you even respond?"

She hurriedly told Cheng Lingzi, "Brother, I was so absorbed in eating just now, I didn't hear anything. What did Brother Zhou want?"

She tried to step past Cheng Lingzi toward the cave entrance, but he pinched her clothes with two fingers and pulled her back—then wiped his fingers on her.

Her face was oily; just now, when he poked her, it felt like he'd touched grease.

Pan Yun glanced at the spot on her shoulder he'd wiped, then looked at him silently.

Cheng Lingzi withdrew his hand, shook his fingers, and said, "No need. He saw me come and retreated."

"Oh." Pan Yun sat back down and resumed eating.

Cheng Lingzi glanced around, waved his hand, and the stone bench on the other side flew over with a thud, landing beside him. He lifted his robe and sat down, watching her.

After eating two bites, Pan Yun sensed his gaze and explained, "Brother, I'd really like to offer you some, but I cooked little, and I've already contaminated it."

Cheng Lingzi said, "I don't mind."

Pan Yun choked, then shoved the pot toward him. "Then take it."

Cheng Lingzi studied her expression, then suddenly smiled and pushed it back. "Enough teasing you—just eat."

Pan Yun immediately beamed, pulled the pot back, and said, "If you like it, I'll give you a piece of cured meat later—you can cook it yourself tomorrow. It's super simple: just slice it thin and toss it into the pot after the rice is done."

Cheng Lingzi shook his head and chuckled. "Should I call you shrewd or foolish? Because I didn't steal half your pot of rice, you're so grateful you're giving me a whole piece of cured meat?"

"Pan Yun, the petty fear power but not virtue; the noble fear virtue but not power. Is this piece of cured meat yours to give because of my virtue—or because of my power?"

Pan Yun looked torn—if she said virtue, she'd seem stingy, unwilling to give even leftover rice to someone she admired;

if she said power, she'd seem a sycophant, giving him the meat out of fear. Seeing her face scrunch up, Cheng Lingzi stood up. "Fine, I understand—you're unwilling to give up a piece from your mouth, so you're giving me ten times as much from your hand."

Pan Yun nodded vigorously. "Brother, tell me—I'm a noble or a petty person?"

Cheng Lingzi flicked her forehead and laughed. "You're a greedy cat."

Cheng Lingzi left. Pan Yun clutched the pot and chased him to the cave entrance, not daring to get too close—she only leaned out sideways and shouted upward, "Brother, you really don't want the cured meat?"

Cheng Lingzi's voice floated back, faint and distant: "I don't accept gifts from those punished and confined here. If you still wish to give me cured meat after you're released, I'll accept it."

"So principled? Like my Third Brother," Pan Yun sat down, resumed eating, and muttered, "But cuter than my Third Brother."

Xiao Hei finished eating, carefully wiped his mouth with a paw, and said, "Tell Tao Ji that when you're released."

Pan Yun: "Am I stupid? In front of my Third Brother, my most adorable brother is obviously my Third Brother."

Pan Xiaohei: …

After tasting white rice with cured meat, Pan Yun made the same dish again at noon the next day—this time more complete: she washed two leaves of greens and added them to the pot. The combination of meat and vegetables was delicious.

After scooping half a bowl of rice for Pan Xiaohei, Pan Yun remembered Zhou Wangdao's call yesterday, so she pulled a tiny bowl from her spiritual realm and filled it with cured meat rice, then lowered it to Zhou Wangdao in a wooden bucket.

!. Read

Zhou Wangdao smelled the scent again. As he gnawed his bun, heartbroken, he saw the wooden bucket descend and land at his cave entrance.

Zhou Wangdao froze, pulled the bucket inside, and saw a bowl of rice with three slices of cured meat piled high on top, completely covering the bowl. Overcome with emotion, he poked his head out and, regardless of whether Pan Yun could hear, wept as he shouted upward, "Sister, from now on I will uphold justice and protect the weak—I will never again bully the weak and fear the strong!"

Pan Yun turned to Pan Xiaohei. "What's he yelling? Can you read lips?"

Pan Xiaohei, as a realm spirit, glanced once and replied: "He says he will uphold justice and protect the weak, and will never again bully the weak and fear the strong."

Pan Yun looked skeptical. "Really? What does this have to do with my cured pork rice? I just wanted to get on good terms with him—so I'd have the Punishment Hall as a backer when I get out."

Even though she already had Zhang Liuzhen as a backer, he was too aloof—she couldn't possibly bother him with trivial matters.

It would be too disrespectful to his dignity.

Zhou Wangdao is so much better.

Lin Jingle's eldest disciple, senior brother of the Punishment Hall, Discipline Committee head of the Student Union, confidant of the Education Office director—he could shield her from most troubles.

Pan Xiaohei didn't understand. "You humans can't even figure out each other's thoughts—how could I, a realm spirit, possibly understand?"

"Forget it." Pan Yun smiled down at him, gesturing for Zhou Wangdao to eat heartily—there was more tomorrow if he needed it.

Zhou Wangdao pulled the bowl out of the wooden tub, tilted his head up to smile—and froze mid-grin as he saw the figure standing atop the cliff. His pupils shrank.

Pan Yun: … Even seeing a Spirit-Forming cultivator shouldn't be this terrifying, right?

Pan Yun tugged the rope and looked up too—she saw Cheng Lingzi and Lin Jingle standing on a flying sword, watching them.

Pan Yun's smile stiffened slightly. One hand held the rope, the other waved upward. "Hi, Lin Tangzhu, Brother Cheng Lingzi."

Cheng Lingzi couldn't help but chuckle, mimicking her gesture and waving back. "Hi, Sister Pan."

Lin Jingle's face was dark. He stared coldly at Zhou Wangdao.

Zhou Wangdao clutched his bowl and silently retreated into the cave.

Cheng Lingzi paid no mind, smiled, and pointed to the cave next to Zhou Wangdao's. "Lin Tangzhu, that's your penance cave."

Lin Jingle gave a slight nod and flew into the cave.

The moment he entered, Pan Yun saw the ripples at the cave's entrance ripple, then vanish entirely.

Pan Yun stared thoughtfully, lost her appetite, and wanted to go back and study those lines inside the black cave.

Interesting—this penance cliff's array is truly fascinating.

It was Cheng Lingzi who reminded her: "You planning to turn into a rock? What, do you have a grudge against Lin Tangzhu and keep staring at him?"

Pan Yun snapped back to reality, hurriedly pulled up the wooden tub, then remembered to ask: "Brother Cheng Lingzi, why is Lin Tangzhu here on the Penance Cliff? Who punished him?"

Cheng Lingzi: "He punished himself."

Pan Yun's eyes widened. "He punished himself?"

Cheng Lingzi waved dismissively. "I don't handle affairs down below. As long as the paperwork's complete and submitted, I take anyone."

Pan Yun asked, "Then what was the charge he punished himself for?"

"Negligence and dereliction of duty—failing to maintain discipline and justice in the Academy," Cheng Lingzi studied her, then smiled. "The one who sent him up said this whole mess started with you. Lin Jingle didn't just punish himself—he punished eight of the Nine Courtyard Masters, forcing them all to come here for penance. So far, only he's arrived. The other eight… heh heh heh…"

Pan Yun stood speechless.

(End of Chapter)