Chapter 554

Unfortunately, when they arrived at the shrine the next day, the shrine keeper had already gone to school, and her senior brother was in charge.

Her senior brother smiled and said, "You can tell me just the same."

The villagers were deeply disappointed; outwardly it seemed the same, but in reality it was very different—the shrine keeper was young, and if you praised her a little, she would immediately become generous.

Indeed, the villagers who came to burn incense and pay respects praised Wang Feiyin for a long time, yet Wang Feiyin gave them no talismans of safety.

Pan Yun flew back to Long Hushan overnight.

Unfortunately, it was Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang on night duty.

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang watched the dark figure skillfully leap over the wall in succession; his fingers, hanging before his abdomen, twitched again and again, but he ultimately held back.

He felt some content still needed to be taught in class, so the next day he sped up the lesson at Ten Hua Academy, deliberately leaving half a bell's time.

"I've taught you for two years—we're fairly familiar. I'll speak plainly," Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang paused, turned away to gather his thoughts, then turned back and shouted at them: "Your conduct is improper, you constantly fidget, you keep violating the academy's rules every few days—but can't you grow a brain? Grow a brain!"

All the students in class were startled and leaned back in unison.

Pan Yun also widened her eyes, involuntarily recalling her own actions, and finally concluded this wasn't about her.

She had been in seclusion on Mount Sanqing for these three days and only returned by scaling the wall last night—she couldn't possibly have done anything wrong.

So she sat up slightly, her eyes bright, gazing at Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang with sympathy yet absolute certainty.

Worse still, under Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's gaze, she quickly scanned the classroom students, her expression accusatory.

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: …

Pan Yun's sheer confidence made the surrounding students instinctively feel guilty and begin self-examination.

Even Miao He and Tao Yanbai did not suspect Pan Yun—they turned inward to self-examine.

Only Seeing Miao Zhen met Pan Yun's gaze and opened her mouth but held back.

Zhang Yuanzhu has been glaring at Little Uncle all along—what should I do? How can I subtly remind Little Uncle?

Zhang Yuanzhu saw that Pan Yun hadn't grown a brain, nor even a heart, and pointed at her with a trembling finger: "The academy has a ban: no flying objects above its grounds. If the academy can make your Qi go out of control when you fly, how could you think it can't stop a wall-scaling thief?"

Pan Yun, who had scaled the wall just last night, felt a twitch in her brow. She blinked and asked, puzzled: "But doesn't the academy tolerate students scaling walls to enter and exit precisely to ease tensions and facilitate teaching?"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: …

Zhang Ziwang listened to Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's complaint with an expressionless face and said: "She's right. Well-behaved students will obey even if you leave the gate wide open and forbid them to leave; students with strong autonomy will break through even if you cover the entire academy with a pot lid."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang: "So we just ignore this?"

Zhang Ziwang: "Students scale walls every year. Unless something serious happens, we don't intervene. Why are you fixated on her?"

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang snapped: "Yes, it happens every year—but no student has been as brazen as her! How long has it been since school started? How many times has she sneaked out already? Last year was the same!"

Even Zhang Li, who was so arrogant back then, never did it this frequently."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang glared at Zhang Ziwang, suspiciously: "Big Brother, aren't you scared of being punished by the True Person? That's why you keep indulging her?"

Zhang Ziwang closed his eyes slightly and said expressionlessly: "If you want to punish her, go to Lin Jingle—he's the head of the Punishment Hall."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang opened his mouth but said nothing.

He didn't want to deal with Lin Jingle.

He wanted to correct Pan Yun's behavior, not target her—dragging Lin Jingle in would make Pan Yun lose a layer of skin. But to ignore it left him unsatisfied.

He sighed: "If only her cultivation were lower, I could find an excuse to train her, give her a good beating as a lesson."

"If you're this idle, think about next month's training expedition instead."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang's heart tightened.

Zhang Ziwang said: "The True Person and elders have decided: this year's training expedition will be overseen by you and Lin Jingle."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang widened his eyes: "You picked me? Fine, I'll reluctantly accept—but why again with Lin Jingle? I request a replacement!"

Zhang Ziwang remained expressionless: "No. It was decided jointly by the elders and the True Person."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang exploded: "How did they decide?!"

Zhang Ziwang paused, then said: "By drawing lots."

Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang flew into a rage and turned to leave.

No mistake! One word! One sentence! One detail! One content! One look!

Zhang Ziwang sighed softly: "Why rush off so fast? I haven't told you yet—Zhang Liuyuan is going too…"

Unfortunately, Zhang Zhu Zhu Zifang didn't hear.

Pan Yun was holding her token up to the sunlight, examining it.

Miao He leaned over, squinting along with her, and asked softly: "Little Uncle, what are you looking at?"

Pan Yun: "I'm looking for the secrets on it."

Pan Yun gently stroked the token again and again: "So this academy token isn't just a symbol of our identity—it's also a key. No wonder the academy is like a sieve—couldn't any petty thief just scale the wall and get in?"

Miao He tilted her head, thinking: "But what would a petty thief even do inside?"

"True," Pan Yun murmured: "Besides a bunch of poor Daoist Priests, there's nothing valuable in the academy. Everyone here has decent martial skill—would a thief really come here to die?"

Pan Yun spun the token in her hand: "So the array still guards against us—but gives us the key anyway…"

Pan Yun turned to look at the academy, where people moved in constant streams—it was mealtime, and everyone was heading toward the dining hall.

Though it seemed crowded, the entire academy had only 1,008 students across five grades; those currently inside, excluding those on training expeditions, numbered no more than six or seven hundred.

At this moment, she truly felt the academy's earnest and careful guidance—and finally understood why Big Brother had sent them here: not merely to learn Daoist arts and techniques.

Pan Yun hung the token on her waist and waved: "Come on, let's eat!"

The old Daoist Priest still served food at his usual spot; when Pan Yun and the others came with bowls and chopsticks, he smiled warmly as he served them, then asked: "I heard the second-year students got caught scaling the wall last night?"

Pan Yun put on a serious face: "Really? Who was it? That's so against the rules—how could anyone scale the wall?"

The old Daoist Priest just grinned at Pan Yun, his spoon trembling as he dropped less than half a spoonful of cabbage into her bowl: "Yes—who was it?"

Pan Yun opened her mouth, met the old Daoist Priest's gaze, and lowered her head silently: "Sorry."

Seeing tears welling in her eyes, the old Daoist Priest softened again and added an extra steamed bun: "To recognize and correct one's mistake is the greatest virtue—go eat now."

Pan Yun took the three buns, sniffed, and left. (End of chapter)