Chapter 557

"Zhang Zi Fang scolded you indirectly today, and tonight you go and cause trouble," Li Wenying shook his head: "You're lucky you didn't run into Lin Jingle."

Li Wenying paused here, uncertain: "Wasn't Lin Jingle on duty tonight?"

Pan Yun and he exchanged a glance, both feeling a chill run down their spines; they looked up at the sky together, calculated the hour with their fingers, and sprinted toward the Academy.

Ahhh, all academy heads begin their watch at Xu Zheng—

The two ran side by side, their cultivation speed soaring, leaving afterimages as they shot toward the Academy.

Far off, seeing the wall, Pan Yun grabbed the cat on her shoulder, swung her arm wide, and hurled it forward.

Without slowing her step, she sprinted after it; as soon as she passed the Dismounting Pavilion, she kicked off the wall and leapt upward, chasing after Pan Xiaohei as they landed inside the wall.

Li Wenying stayed tightly beside her.

The moment they landed, neither dared pause a single step—they kept sprinting forward.

Pan Yun shot past with a whoosh, caught Pan Xiaohei as it fell from the air, placed it back on her shoulder, and blew through the Hou Tu Hall like a gust of wind, leaping over three walls in succession until she cleared the wall of the Tianhuang Hall, then leaned on her knees, gasping for breath.

Li Wenying landed with a thud beside her, gripping the wall as he panted: "H-how's it going? Did we make it?"

Pan Yun's throat was dry and itchy; she swallowed twice before she could speak: "Let me calculate with my fingers."

"Calculate what?" Lin Jingle stepped out from the shadows, expressionless, standing before them.

Pan Yun and Li Wenying froze, their breaths halting; they stood rigid, breathing softly.

Pan Yun's mind raced; she glanced at Li Wenying: "Calculate… what was it again?"

Li Wenying hesitated: "Calculate who won our sparring match?"

"Yes, yes, we were just sparring," Pan Yun immediately took over, waving her arms to stretch her shoulders: "Lin Tangzhu, why are you here? Did our sparring disturb you?"

Lin Jingle stared at them expressionlessly: "If you're sparring, why not go to the Training Grounds? Why come here?"

Li Wenying cleared his throat: "The Training Grounds are too small. I was sparring with her on earth-dodging techniques, and before we knew it, we ended up here. Don't believe me? Pan Yun, go dodge back and prove it."

"Fine!"

Pan Yun swiftly formed her hand seals, then held one hand before her face while pressing the other onto Pan Xiaohei; in an instant, they vanished into the earth, then without a single hiccup, she aimed straight for Fengqi Academy and shot forward.

The moment she disappeared, Li Wenying shouted loudly: "I'll chase you!"

With a whoosh, he vanished on the spot, also diving into the earth.

Lin Jingle watched expressionlessly as a young man stepped forward quietly: "Master, should we go fetch them for questioning?"

Lin Jingle: "Is it Xu Zheng yet?"

"Yes. The moment they landed, it was precisely Xu Zheng."

Lin Jingle turned and walked away: "We're about to depart on a long journey. Record this incident in the ledger. We'll deal with their punishment when we return."

Zhou Wangdao exhaled slowly, bowing his head: "Yes, Master."

Lin Jingle stopped and turned back to him: "You're worried about them?"

"No, no, Master metes out rewards and punishments fairly, yet always considers the bigger picture. Your decision is right, Master."

Lin Jingle said: "This time, you'll remain at the Academy and oversee the Punishment Hall."

Zhou Wangdao froze, resentful: "Master, the Academy already has Master Zhang and Master Xue to oversee things. I wish to accompany you."

"I don't need you to attend me."

"Then—I'll go on cultivation training."

Lin Jingle whirled around, staring coldly at him: "Are you disobeying your master's order?"

Zhou Wangdao met Lin Jingle's gaze without fear, only determination: "Master, I want to earn merit too." "What merit? Do you truly believe this training mission will bring you merit? The imperial court won't even send soldiers, won't issue any official decree—any 'merit' is just Jianghu reputation. You're becoming a Daoist Priest, not a wandering hero of the Jianghu. What use is it?"

"A hero isn't defined by status," Zhou Wangdao said: "Master, you oversee the Punishment Hall for justice, not fame or profit. The Japanese pirates have invaded for years. If we get a chance to kill them, even without official merit, I still think it's worth it."

"Overseeing the Punishment Hall, upholding the Academy's rules, is also righteousness—and your duty. You wish to kill pirates out of personal desire, but staying here is your public responsibility. Don't let personal desire blind you to your duty."

Zhou Wangdao opened his mouth, then bowed his head under Lin Jingle's stern gaze: "Yes, Master."

Master's words made sense, but he couldn't shake the feeling that wasn't why she was stopping him.

The Punishment Hall didn't need him specifically.

Zhou Wangdao looked toward Fengqi Academy, envious of Pan Yun.

She was as free as the wind.

Pan Yun emerged from the earth, dropped Pan Xiaohei, brushed off her clothes, and exhaled.

Li Wenying emerged right after her, also exhaling.

No mistake in any single line, content perfectly aligned!

Pan Yun pointed at the plaque before them: "See? Fengqi Academy. What are you doing here?"

Li Wenying: "We just went through hardship together. Can't you wait a little before cutting ties?"

"Senior Brother, it's late. This isn't cutting ties—it's each returning to their own quarters, each to their own bed." Pan Yun picked up the silent Pan Xiaohei, waved goodbye to Li Wenying: "See you tomorrow. No—see you another day."

"Wait—I haven't asked you yet. How are you going to Ji'an? When?"

"Of course five days from now," Pan Yun said: "Ji'an isn't far from here."

She patted the Three Treasures Cauldron at her waist: "Li Young Master needs a day and a half to run back. I'll fly there in one and a half hours. I'll leave after sunset and arrive right at his doorstep by then."

"What excuse will you use to leave the mountain five days from now?"

"Seclusion!"

Li Wenying stared: "You're going into seclusion again?"

Pan Yun spread her arms: "Li Shixiong, haven't you noticed anything?"

"Noticed what? That you've become even more annoying? Or your cultivation…" Li Wenying paused, raised an eyebrow, and re-examined Pan Yun: "Come to think of it, when I saw you tonight, I didn't feel that warm fondness I used to have—like seeing my own little sister. Instead, I keep getting angry."

Pan Yun lowered her arms expressionlessly: "How strange. So all those times you picked fights with me… you were treating me like your little sister?"

"Yes," Li Wenying said: "If I hadn't seen you as my little sister, why would I have tolerated you so much?"

Li Wenying lowered his voice: "I caught you red-handed the moment you secretly taught the Mu family their cultivation technique…"

Pan Yun looked around in a panic and whispered, "Y-you-you, don't talk nonsense."

Li Wenying snorted and also whispered, "In five days I'll go with you."

Pan Yun stared at him.

"Relax, I'm not after your reward, I'm just curious," Li Wenying said. "Curious what could have happened to the Li family, what evil they've gotten mixed up with. After all, we share the surname Li—five hundred years ago we were all one family."

Pan Yun: "Oh right, I forgot to ask. Li Shixiong, where is your home?"

Li Wenying looked at her steadily. "My home is right on Long Hushan."

Pan Yun tilted her head. "Your old home? Where your parents live?"

Li Wenying's mouth twitched slightly. "Dummy, just like your Seeing Miao Zhen and Miao He junior brothers, I have no parents. It was Master who raised me."

Pan Yun felt a twinge of guilt and quickly changed the subject. "No wonder you're so good to Senior Brother Zhang—turns out you really are brothers." (End of chapter)