Chapter 47
The bell rang as usual the next day. After washing up, Yin Qiu went to the dining hall for breakfast and then headed to the school with his disciples.
This was the last monthly exam of the year. After the exam, they could go home for the holidays. The disciples were all very excited, and the courtyard was filled with laughter and joy, much more lively than usual.
Yin Qiu entered the classroom early and sat by the window, concentrating on memorizing the text. After a short while, Fu Xiang peeked in through the window and smiled at Yin Qiu, "The exam is about to start. Are you nervous?"
Yin Qiu smiled back at her: "I'm not nervous, how about you?"
Fu Xiang said, "I'm not nervous, but I already expected that I wouldn't do as well as last time."
Yin Qiu looked at her: "Why do you say that?"
Fu Xiang laughed: "Actually, I don't like studying. Besides, I was just relying on what I already knew for the first month. I learned things that I had learned before, so of course I was good at it. But this month is different. I don't understand any of the classes. I'm afraid I won't get a good score."
Yin Qiu couldn't help but joke, "Then you're doomed. You can't beat me in the written test, and you might even lose to me in the martial arts test."
Over the past month, Yin Qiu's performance in martial arts class has been remarkable, and even her instructor, Sister Xu Lianzhi, has praised her highly. On the other hand, Fu Xiang has not been very proactive in learning while playing net games and has been scolded a lot. Moreover, when she and Yin Qiu sparred, she won very few times and has hardly made any progress.
“This can’t go on,” Yin Qiu couldn’t help but worry for Fu Xiang. “You’re so talented, you can’t let it go to waste. Can’t you put in a little more effort? You were clearly the best performer from the very beginning.”
Fu Xiang said casually, "It doesn't matter. Anyway, I'm not expecting to go back to Mingyue Tower, so why bother studying so hard?"
She had lost all hope because of Fu Cen's remarriage. Yin Qiu sighed, her eyes filled with regret.
As the two were talking, Meng Jing was the last to enter the classroom. He still looked sleep-deprived. He slowly walked to the table with his pens and sat down. He glanced at Yin Qiu expressionlessly, said nothing, and just nodded slightly as a greeting before sitting down and opening his book to read.
Upon seeing Meng Jing, Yin Qiu couldn't help but think of what happened at the training ground that day, so she said to Fu Xiang, "The exam is about to start, you should go back and prepare."
Fu Xiang glanced at the two of them, then pouted and said, "You chased me away as soon as he arrived. Don't be so obvious about your fickle nature."
Yin Qiu chuckled: "Don't talk nonsense. How is that being fickle?"
Fu Xiang gave a low snort, waved her hand, and walked away looking unhappy.
The teacher had not yet arrived, and the classroom was filled with the sounds of students reciting their morning lessons. Yin Qiu glanced at Meng Jing, wanting to ask him something, but unsure how to bring it up. Meng Jing noticed her gaze, turned to look at Yin Qiu, and spoke first, "Is something the matter?"
Meeting Meng Jing's gaze, Yin Qiu hesitated.
Seeing that she seemed hesitant to speak, Meng Jing paused and then said, "That day... thank you for helping me."
Yin Qiu quickly replied, "No need to thank me, I should be the one thanking you."
If Meng Jing hadn't helped her that day, Ding Lianzhen wouldn't have instigated those female disciples to cause trouble for Meng Jing, resulting in him getting beaten up again and even triggering his heart condition.
Meng Jing hummed in response but didn't say anything more, and went back to reading.
Yin Qiu looked at his profile, swallowing back her words several times before she could speak. She secretly thought she should wait until the written exam was over before asking, but then she heard Meng Jing say with a hint of impatience, "Why are you staring at me like that?"
After hesitating for a while, seeing that her classmates were all studying diligently, Yin Qiu made up her mind and said, "I have something I want to ask you."
Upon hearing this, Meng Jing seemed to be taken aback for a moment, then secretly tightened his grip on the book in his hand, and asked without changing his expression, "What do you want to ask?"
Yin Qiu carefully selected her words and lowered her voice, saying, "The two times your heart condition relapsed, when I got you your medicine..."
Before she could finish speaking, Meng Jing suddenly raised his eyelashes and interrupted Yin Qiu, saying, "Stop talking."
Yin Qiu was slightly taken aback, then said, "You..."
“I told you to stop talking,” Meng Jing glared at her, her expression complicated. “I know what you’re trying to say.”
Yin Qiu then fell silent.
Meng Jing suddenly became irritable, and his face turned pale. After a while, he said again, "I'll wait for you in the backyard after the written exam."
Yin Qiu glanced at him and nodded in agreement.
“But you can only come alone,” Meng Jing added, “and you are not allowed to tell Fu Xiang.”
Yin Qiu remained silent for a moment, then agreed, "Okay, I'll remember."
Having said that, the two of them fell silent without saying a word. Soon, the teacher entered the classroom with a stack of exam papers, and the written test began.
·
The mountain was deserted, with no birdsong. The sun shone brightly overhead, casting a golden glow that enveloped layers of rising mist.
The mist swayed slightly, like waves on a lake, creating fine, gentle ripples. In the rising fog, a group of disciples with steady steps walked methodically through the forest.
Tomorrow is the New Year's Day, and many disciples in the palace have already returned home. Although it is a holiday, the patrol and defense must not be relaxed. This group of disciples had already circled the entire Yunhua Mountain since early morning and did not rest for a moment until noon.
"Once you've finished inspecting this area, you can go back to rest. The sect leader has specially prepared fine wine and food, but you mustn't drink too much. Do you all understand?" said the disciple leading the way.
Upon hearing that there would be fine wine and food, the disciples all showed joy and replied in unison, "Yes, we heard you!"
There was no one here, and disciples rarely came here. But once the conversation started, the disciples couldn't help but chat, discussing how to spend the holidays and how those who couldn't go home would write letters to their families. The atmosphere was harmonious and joyful.
Not long after, the disciple leading the group suddenly stopped and pointed to the woods ahead, asking, "Who are those people?"
The disciples followed his finger and saw a young woman walking briskly through the woods. She had her arms crossed and her posture was relaxed, like a young lady out for a spring outing. She walked in the thin mist and appeared somewhat serene and otherworldly.
"Isn't that Senior Sister Ding from Tianyin Peak?" a disciple asked. "What's she doing here?"
Upon closer inspection, everyone recognized the woman as Ding Lianzhen, who had recently had her waist badge revoked.
"I heard that after she committed the crime, she should have been sent to Tianchi immediately. It was Elder Cheng who begged the sect leader to let her spend her last year in the palace. Why did she run here instead of staying at Tianyin Peak?"
"Should we go over and stop them to ask?"
"Wait a minute, it looks like she's heading towards the new students' quarters... Look, isn't that the direction of the new students' quarters?"
The disciple leading the group tilted his chin up and glanced down the mountain, then frowned and said, "It is indeed the direction of the new disciples' courtyard."
The reason why Ding Lianzhen was punished is now common knowledge in the palace, so everyone was surprised to see her heading to the new disciples' courtyard.
"Could she have snuck out to cause trouble for those younger ones?"
"Can't you just stay home during the New Year? Why do you have to go out and cause trouble again?"
During their conversation, Ding Lianzhen had already walked through the woods and entered the path leading down the mountain. The disciple leading the group turned around and said, "You continue your patrol. I'll go and report to Senior Sister Xu."
After saying that, he quietly disappeared down another path and used his light-footed skills to descend the mountain.
·
"Stop writing and put away your papers!"
As the teacher's voice faded, the bell in the courtyard rang immediately, and the students put down their pens, stood up, and bowed in greeting.
"The results will be announced after the martial arts exam tomorrow," the teacher announced loudly. "We'll see each other again next year. Some of you will be reassigned to different classes based on your results. Those who didn't do well should try harder next time. Don't just play around during the holidays. Don't be lazy or negligent. I will arrange another spring exam after you return to school. Now go back and study hard. That's all!"
The students cheered and followed the teacher out of the classroom in groups. Yin Qiu packed up her pens and pencils, but before she could do anything, Meng Jing, contrary to his usual behavior, got up before her and left quickly without saying a word.
Yin Qiu glanced at his retreating figure and quickly followed him out.
People were bustling about inside and outside the school. The students were excited after finishing their exams. Yin Qiu squeezed through the crowd for a while, and when he came out of the school, Meng Jing was nowhere to be seen.
"Xiao Qiu!" Fu Xiang pushed through the crowd and grabbed Yin Qiu, saying, "Shall we go eat?"
Yin Qiu figured Meng Jing would have to eat first and wouldn't wait for her in the backyard at this time, so she went to the dining hall with Fu Xiang.
However, even after lunch, Meng Jing still hadn't appeared in the dining hall.
Yin Qiu wondered if he really went straight to the backyard to wait for her. So she made an excuse to go back to her room. Fu Xiang didn't think much of it and was also planning to take a nap to replenish her energy. The two of them went back to the disciples' room together. After Fu Xiang went into her room first, Yin Qiu hurriedly ran to her own room, intending to put down her pens and books before meeting up with Meng Jing.
The door opened, and Yin Qiu quickly walked to the table, put her things down, and was about to turn around and leave when she heard a soft sound of the door closing behind her. Someone had closed the door for her.
Yin Qiu turned her head, but before she could see who it was, a blurry white shadow flashed before her eyes. The next moment, she felt someone hit her chest twice, and Yin Qiu was instantly unable to move.
"You—" Yin Qiu was shocked, and only then did she realize who was standing in front of her. She asked in surprise, "Senior Sister Ding?"
Ding Lianzhen looked at her with a smile: "We meet again, aren't you surprised?"
How did she get here! Yin Qiu instinctively struggled, angrily saying, "Why did you touch my acupoint? Let go of me!"
Ding Lianzhen ignored her and instead walked around the room, saying with great curiosity, "This is the current disciples' room? I haven't been here in a long time. It's pretty much the same as when I first entered the sect, still so shabby."
Yin Qiu's neck turned red from holding her breath, but she couldn't break free. She hadn't learned any internal energy cultivation yet, so naturally she couldn't break through her acupoints.
"Don't bother," Ding Lianzhen said casually, lying down on the couch and resting her head on her arms. "Your skills are no match for my acupoints."
They thought she was under house arrest at Tianyin Peak, but they didn't expect her to be able to leave freely. Seeing that struggling was useless, Yin Qiu calmed down and said, "What do you want to do?"
Ding Lianzhen smiled and said with a self-satisfied air, "It's nothing serious, I just want to ask you for a favor."
With her back to Ding Lianzhen, Yin Qiu couldn't see her expression and felt uneasy. He asked in a low voice, "What kind of help?"
“Come with me to the back mountain,” Ding Lianzhen said. “You’ll see when we get there.”
She came sneakily and then touched her acupoint when she wasn't looking. Yin Qiu naturally knew she had no good intentions, so she replied, "I'm not going."
"It's just a small favor. We're fellow disciples, how can you refuse like this?" Ding Lianzhen sat up.
“You don’t ask for help like this,” Yin Qiu said. “Let me go first.”
“That won’t do,” Ding Lianzhen said. “What if you run out and call someone?”
“I can call someone now,” Yin Qiu said calmly. “Either you let me go so we can talk things over, or you’d better leave before I call someone.”
Ding Lianzhen chuckled to herself, walked up to Yin Qiu, looked her over a few times, and seemed to find Yin Qiu's behavior quite interesting. She smiled and said, "It's true that you should look at someone with new eyes after three days of separation. You've changed quite a bit."
The thought of Meng Jing still waiting for her made Yin Qiu a little annoyed, and she asked, "What do you want from me?"
Then Ding Lianzhen put her arms around her shoulders and said in a very friendly manner, "Don't worry, I have no ill intentions in coming here. As long as you come with me to the back mountain, you will understand everything."
She still wouldn't reveal her intentions, and Yin Qiu was losing patience, saying, "I won't go with you until you explain yourself clearly."
Who knows what kind of bad intentions she might have? Maybe she wants to get revenge on me before I even get to Tianchi. Yin Qiu isn't that stupid.
"You really won't come with me?" Ding Lianzhen still smiled.
"I'm not leaving," Yin Qiu said firmly.
"This is your last chance," Ding Lianzhen said, her hands clasped together, looking directly at Yin Qiu. "Are you coming or not?"
Yin Qiu paused, then suddenly shouted, "Help! Help!—ugh!"
Ding Lianzhen quickly covered Yin Qiu's mouth, then casually pressed her speech impediment, but instead of being angry, she laughed and said, "It's been a while since I've seen you, and you've become even bolder." After saying this, she added to herself, "Although you've never really been afraid of me."
What was she saying? Yin Qiu was confused and resistant, and her heart was filled with anxiety.
"You won't listen to kind words, you only feel happy when you suffer." Ding Lianzhen sighed, bent down and carried Yin Qiu on her shoulder. She peered through the crack in the door and observed for a while. Seeing that the disciples in the courtyard had all gone back to their rooms to rest and that there was no one around, she carried Yin Qiu and swaggered out.
what to do?
Yin Qiu was extremely anxious, but she was unable to move or speak. Moreover, she never expected Ding Lianzhen to be so bold as to come to the disciples' courtyard in broad daylight to kidnap her and carry her away so openly. It was simply baffling.
Because the disciples' daily routines were fixed, most of them took a nap around noon. In addition, it was cold in winter, and few disciples were willing to play in the courtyard in the cold wind. So there were hardly any people around at this time. Ding Lianzhen was obviously very familiar with the disciples' courtyard and walked very smoothly. She also knew where she might encounter patrolling disciples, so she was extra cautious. After leaving the disciples' courtyard, Ding Lianzhen immediately used her lightness skill to take Yin Qiuyin into the forest and flew quickly towards the back mountain.
As the scenery around her kept rushing past, Yin Qiu was so angry that she felt dizzy, but there was nothing she could do. Ding Lianzhen led her to a high place in the forest, and when she looked down, she saw Meng Jing squatting alone by the pond in the backyard, peering out and looking around. He was obviously still waiting for her.
Yin Qiu felt utterly helpless, and as Meng Jing's figure gradually shrank into a tiny black dot until it disappeared, Yin Qiu grew increasingly furious. Ding Lianzhen's jostling made him dizzy and nauseous.
After an unknown amount of time, Ding Lianzhen finally stopped. Yin Qiu was breathing heavily, his face flushed red, and he hurriedly looked around to see where he was.
However, all that could be seen was dense mountain forest. Yin Qiu had never been to the back mountain before, so she didn't recognize where she was. Just as she was about to run out of breath, Ding Lianzhen turned over and carried her horizontally. Yin Qiu glanced to the side and saw that there was a bottomless cliff next to her. Below, the clouds and fog were thick, and there were no birds or birds. She could only hear the terrifying sound of the wind, which sounded like the howling of ghosts and monsters, making her feel particularly uneasy.
Has Ding Lian really gone mad? Why did you bring her here?!
Yin Qiu's eyes showed fear, and she instinctively struggled violently.
But then Ding Lianzhen deliberately smiled at Yin Qiu and said, "Guess what I'm going to do next?"
Yin Qiu closed her eyes tightly, not daring to look any further. Overwhelmed with grief and indignation, she fell into despair.
Ding Lianzhen glanced down at her, her smile widening. After asking the question, she grabbed Yin Qiu and leaped off the cliff. The two disappeared into the thick fog in an instant.
The sound of wind breaking suddenly rang in her ears, and Yin Qiu's heart jumped into her throat. Her whole body felt as if she had fallen into an ice cave, and her blood froze.
However, just a moment later, Yin Qiu felt her body suddenly sink, and her heart, which had been pounding, returned to its place with a "thud," as if the two of them had landed steadily in that short period of time.
Yin Qiu was almost scared out of her wits on the spot. She reflexively opened her eyes and looked outside. She saw that the cliff beside her was still half-hidden by the mist and had not yet reached the bottom. She hurriedly moved her gaze down and saw that Ding Lian was indeed standing on a protruding rock.
Yin Qiu's face was deathly pale, as if she had just walked through the gates of hell. Ding Lianzhen glanced at her with a smile, reached out and lifted the hem of Yin Qiu's skirt to cover her eyes, as if she didn't want Yin Qiu to see the road ahead. Then she used her lightness skill to fly away.
After her heart pounded in her chest for a while, Yin Qiu finally felt Ding Lianzhen stop. At the same time, she heard several rough-voiced men shouting with ecstatic joy.
"Haha! The Dharma Protector is back!"
"As expected of a Dharma Protector, what superb skills!"
"Quickly! Dharma Protector, sit down and rest!"
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