Persuade with reason
Everyone was puzzled, especially Lin Yueyao.
Despite his illness, Rong Yan's face was pale, but his voice was firm and resolute: "I beg the elders to forgive them."
"How can this be?" Song Qingyun spoke first. He already felt bad that his junior brother was so badly injured.
The junior brother's act of forgiving past grievances truly shows his gratitude and kindness. He feels ashamed to be the elder brother and even less worthy of the title of the number one disciple of the Misty Sect.
“No matter how great the mistakes my senior brothers have made, they should not be punished like this. If it is because of me that my senior brothers are unhappy and I feel ashamed, then I am even less worthy to kneel here,” he said slowly.
Lin Yueyao scrutinized him, trying to discern the truth in his words. Such a small person, yet his chest could emit tremendous energy.
Whether it was out of pure intention or on purpose, Lin Yueyao remained silent.
"Junior brother, don't say that. It's all my fault." Zhan Tingyu was filled with shame.
Xu Youruo immediately followed up by flattering, "Since Junior Brother is pleading for leniency, I implore the Elder to be magnanimous. Even if the punishment cannot be waived, at least it should be reduced."
The caning was truly terrifying; it shattered bones while keeping tendons intact. Even if you didn't think of yourself, you had to think of your brother.
Xu Yourong hesitated to speak, but was held down on the ground. She wanted to speak but was too proud to do so, and ultimately remained silent.
"Junior Sister Yueyao, quickly persuade Junior Brother," Song Qingyun urged her. Lin Yueyao remained uninvolved, merely observing without offering any opinion; she couldn't figure out why Rong Yan was doing this.
Can we truly be kind-hearted and easily forgive those who have hurt us?
Some people are being too kind, to the point of losing their sense of right and wrong.
Everyone tried to persuade him, and even the two True Lords, Qiongyu and Biluo, spoke up.
Lin Yueyao, the senior student, remained silent throughout.
"This case is closed, and no one is allowed to discuss it further." Master Chengshan had made his own decision; his words determined life and death, and even the sect leader's personal intervention could not change anything.
Lingfang lay sprawled on the ground, watching Xu Yourong and the others being taken away one by one. Finally, she was lifted off the ground and carried away from the Wenshan Hall.
She stared at Rong Yan's body, her eyes filled with hatred. Rong Yan watched her leave, his gaze clear and his conscience at peace.
After leaving the Wenshan Hall, Rong Yan's bandages had loosened, so Lin Yueyao escorted him back.
"Why?" she asked.
Rong Yan paused, then asked, "What does Senior Sister want to ask?"
Lin Yueyao thought to herself, then pretended to be clueless, "You know."
"I don't understand?" he pretended, acting as if he didn't understand.
Lin Yueyao was too lazy to waste words. She grabbed one of his small hands, held his wrist bone slightly, and he instantly curled up in pain, crying out for mercy.
"It hurts..." he stammered.
Lin Yueyao remained silent, her eyes cold.
"Senior sister, it hurts..." Her face contorted in pain, turning blue and purple, and tears instantly fell, splashing onto the back of her hand, warm and wet.
Lin Yueyao finally let go, and reiterated, "Why are you pleading for me?"
He flexed his wrists, wiped away the tears from the corners of his eyes, and said in a slurred voice, "I'm new here and don't know how to please others, let alone win over my senior sister. But I cherish these days very much."
"Although I don't know what I did wrong, I don't want to upset everyone." He said softly, adjusting the bandage in his hand, which was loosened by his senior sister.
Just when things seemed to be getting better, it took another delay.
"I don't want to be kicked out, I don't want to be hated by everyone. If I am kicked out one day, I will really be homeless and have no way to survive."
Rong Yan's eyes welled up with tears. He raised his hand to wipe them away, and the salty, hot tears stung his wound.
So that's how it is. He was trying so hard to please everyone so he could survive in the sect.
The coldness and aloofness in Lin Yueyao disappeared, replaced by her usual expression, and her words became warmer.
“I will stand up for you, so don’t be afraid.”
Rong Yan hummed in agreement a few times, and the two walked side by side until they reached the disciples' quarters and entered.
Lin Yueyao was not good at showing concern. Knowing that his wound had reopened, she left the hut and appeared in the courtyard less than half an incense stick's time later.
She carried a lacquered wooden tray, which contained all the necessary medicines and bandages.
She got it from Medicine King Valley; besides some medicine for external injuries, there were also pills to strengthen the body's foundation and nourish the vital energy.
A lacquered wooden tray sat on the table. She summoned Wenqing, cut the loose bandage, and carefully applied ointment to the wound.
He was clumsy, but his composure was his strength.
My senior sister's hands are covered in calluses. When you touch them, they are hot, and you will instinctively pull back. But once you get used to it, you will find that the temperature is very warm.
Like the fragrant peach blossoms in April, they are captivating and enchanting.
Lin Yueyao watched him swallow the pills, personally settled him in, and then went to the dining hall to pack up some food.
Rong Yan is in the stage of growing up and needs to eat more.
"Thank you, senior sister." He was deeply moved. Apart from Mr. and Mrs. Wu Meng, no one had ever been so kind to him.
"No need."
She did all this because of her master. She didn't say this aloud, perhaps because it was inappropriate, but she advised him, "Don't be reckless in anything."
"You don't need to try to please them. Time will tell. Whether they are good or bad, others will be able to tell for themselves."
Before he could finish speaking, a paper crane carrying the spiritual power of the True Immortal Xuantong floated down onto the windowsill, its eyes, adorned with ink and brush, staring at the two people inside the room.
Rong Yan's eyes darkened, and he put down his chopsticks.
Lin Yueyao stood up, picked up the communication paper crane, and used her spiritual power to break the seal, revealing the voice of Master Xuantong—
"My beloved disciple, come quickly."
Lin Yueyao was about to leave when Rong Yan immediately stood up and asked, unaware of the situation, "Senior Sister is leaving?"
"My master summoned me." There was nothing to hide, so she spoke frankly.
"Can't you stay with me a little longer, senior sister?" He was reluctant to part, and although he knew he couldn't keep her, he still pleaded.
"Eat your food properly, and I'll come to see you."
The next moment, the paper crane carrying the message of Master Xuantong faintly transmitted its words—
“Yan Tu has also arrived.”
Lin Yueyao turned around, met his gaze, and flew out the door on her sword.
It landed steadily on the open ground outside the Wenyuan Hall. Inside, Master Xuantong said, "Come in—"
The two entered side by side, bowing and greeting each other.
Xuan Tong, unlike his usual amiable self, sat quietly in his room. Not long after he came out of seclusion, the inner and outer barriers were removed.
"Come forward." Master Xuantong pointed at Rong Yan, glanced at Lin Yueyao, and walked gracefully to his master's side.
"Master," he called out, but Xuan Tong Zhenren did not respond. He held his hand, looking at it and touching it repeatedly.
He observed so closely that Master Xuantong did not notice the bandaged wounds on his body.
"It matches up, it all matches up."
Rong Yan was completely bewildered, while Lin Yueyao looked at her master with confusion.
Master Xuantong released Yan Tu's shackles, allowing him to return to Lin Yueyao's side.
Master Xuantong had a solemn expression, and Lin Yueyao vaguely sensed something was wrong, so she asked directly, "Master, please speak plainly."
"It's not that I don't want to talk about it, but it concerns my disciple Yan, and it's too rare for me to know how to begin."
"Master, just say it. I can handle it." Rong Yan looked calm, though his palms were slightly sweaty.
Master Xuantong slowly explained, "I ask you, why can't you use spiritual power, or even detect the attributes of your spiritual roots?"
Rong Yan shook his head, "This disciple does not know."
"Because you have an empty spiritual root." After saying this, Master Xuantong deflated. He studied the records of immortal sects day and night, and finally found the reason in a book that recorded demons.
"Void Spirit Root?" This was the first time Lin Yueyao had heard of this term.
“Those with empty spiritual roots will face obstacles in their cultivation. Even with acquired elixirs to compensate, they will be unable to break through to the Foundation Establishment stage and will not make any progress until their death.” Xuan Tong spoke slowly and deliberately, each word seeming to pierce Rong Yan’s heart.
This means that one will be unable to successfully form a core, or even transcend tribulation and ascend to the heavens.
"Is there really no way?" Lin Yueyao asked the question Rong Yan most wanted to ask. Her expression was not cold, but simply curious.
Master Xuantong shook his head at this. If he had a solution, he wouldn't have gone into seclusion for so long.
Despite being framed by his junior sister and harmed by his fellow disciples, Rong Yan showed no sign of dejection. He even persevered in the Disciplinary Hall. Only this time did he suffer a severe blow, leaving him frozen in place, his blood running cold.
"Don't worry," Lin Yueyao comforted him. He forced his head up and gave a bleak smile.
"Don't worry, Yan Tu, your master will definitely find a way to help you. There are all sorts of strange things in the world, and perhaps there is a way to change things." Master Xuantong then comforted his broken heart.
"What did the sect leader say?" Lin Yueyao then asked.
"We've already asked. The Void Spirit Root is unprecedented, and even the Sect Master has no clue."
"You should go back first," Lin Yueyao said to Rong Yan, knowing that his staying here would only cause him more heartache.
Rong Yan was so sad that he forgot to bow. He left the house dejectedly, wandering around aimlessly. He even went the wrong way and got lost in the peach grove. He tripped over a huge, gnarled tree and fell down in a miserable state.
The master and his apprentice were unaware that he had gotten lost in the peach grove, and instead closed the door to their room.
"I know everything." Master Xuantong was referring to Lingfang's framing of Rong Yan. "Now that there is a result, I can't say anything more. However, I see that Yan Tu's injury is unusual. As his senior sister, you should comfort him and make sure he is not bullied. You should also take care of his daily life."
She has been doing all of these things, and there's nothing to refute; she simply says yes.
"As for Yan Tu's cultivation level..." Master Xuantong sighed, "Do you have any solutions?"
For a moment, Lin Yueyao's tone changed, "Master is a little too concerned about Junior Brother."
"I don't seem like a senior sister, I'm more like a mother."
"What kind of talk is this?" Master Xuantong was both amused and exasperated. "You are my beloved disciple, of course I dote on you the most, because you are the most sensible and the least troublesome for me. Now that we have a junior brother, instead of protecting him, you are jealous of a child. Aren't you afraid of being laughed at?"
"Whoever laughs at me, I'll destroy them."
"Alright, alright, let's not talk about this fighting and killing anymore." After the joke, she returned to Rong Yan.
Since there's no other way, it's better to go down the mountain than stay in the sect. Besides, Xu Yourong and his brother have already been punished, and they might turn on Rong Yan. And there's Lingfang; that girl has impure thoughts, and it's hard to guarantee she won't do something.
Lin Yueyao recounted these circumstances, and Master Xuantong nodded in agreement, "That's true."
"Instead of staying on the mountain to study hard, it would be better to go down the mountain to gain experience and seek opportunities. Perhaps another destiny will unfold."
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