10. Punishment? Reward?
Chu Qing quietly looked at the boy in her arms with his eyes closed. A barrier formed around the two of them, shielding them from all the howling wind and rain.
He's not fully mature yet, and he's just been injured and punished by his master. How could he not have any complaints?
At this moment, Chu Qing felt a sudden sense of powerlessness. Because of the system's limitations, she had to be so demanding, but what wrong had the other party done?
Yin Li was able to reach the ending in the book because he couldn't feel the warmth of the world. His master didn't care for him, he had no parents, and he had very few friends who abandoned him after his identity was exposed.
Only Ling Xueluo was his little sun, and in the end—
[Warning! Warning! The host's behavior with the male lead is too intimate! The host will be placed in "black room mode" soon!]
Wait a minute.
Chu Qing responded: "He's already passed out, and we don't even know who's taking care of him. Why can't we do this? Are you just going to watch the male lead get seriously ill?!"
[Beep—Beep—]
After a string of garbled characters flashed through his mind, the system finally recovered and continued to reply: [After reassessment, the host's behavior is deemed normal, and the punishment will be revoked.]
She ignored his words and led Yin Li to the room, gently placing him on the bed.
It's true what they say, fortunes change.
Chu Qing sighed, realizing that he had taken care of her just the day before.
The outer garment was removed, revealing a pure white inner shirt. The scars on the back were clearly visible, and fresh blood was still seeping in, staining the pure white fabric.
Did I go too far?
While Yin Li was unconscious, Chu Qing cast a sleeping spell on him. She turned the boy's face toward the pillow and slowly lifted his clothes, revealing his wounds nakedly before her eyes.
In that instant, she felt as if her heart was being squeezed tightly by a hand, and even applying the medicine made her tremble.
I'm sorry, Master, it wasn't intentional.
Her pale fingertips, coated with ointment, gently applied it, covering every spot evenly.
After doing all this, Chu Qing felt like she had just finished a battle; she was more mentally exhausted than physically.
Finally, after much deliberation, he placed the bottle of wound medicine on the table.
This time, I won't throw it at your feet.
The rain gradually subsided. In the past few days, the other disciples, under Chu Qing's arrangement, repaired the streets and houses of the people. When the last wisp of cloud in the sky dispersed, warm gold was sprinkled on the road, bringing life to the scene.
Inside the room, Yin Li sat on the bed, struggling to wrap gauze and change the dressing.
After fainting that day, when I woke up again, I found that my clothes had been changed into a brand new set.
Damn it, it couldn't be Chu Qingge—
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the jar of wound medicine on the bedside table, and his heart skipped a beat. For the first time, he felt somewhat at a loss.
This medicine was given to me by her a year ago. Could it really be her?
The thought of my clothes being—
Just then, a ray of golden sunlight shone through the window and fell on Yin Li's profile, clearly illuminating the blush on her cheeks. She froze, completely motionless.
"Greetings, Elder Qingge."
The sounds outside the door pulled him back to reality. Three or four days had already passed, and the people from Huaqi should have arrived by now.
"Hmm, sent by Elder Hua?"
"yes."
"Then I'll leave the rest to you. I've told him all the details I know, and I hope it will be of help to you."
"Elder, you're too kind. It's what I should do."
The woman outside fell silent, and then came the sound of approaching footsteps.
"Yin Li, are you awake?"
Separated by a door, he suddenly felt reluctant to answer, so he pretended to close his eyes and meditate.
Chu Qing found it strange; she had called three times already, so why was there still no response?
Will something bad happen?
Without thinking much, he raised his hand to push the door open, but just a second before he touched it, the door was opened directly.
"master."
Yin Li looked down at her toes, speechless for a moment. The two remained silent for a long time before Chu Qing broke the awkward silence, replying, "Okay, let's pack our things, we need to go back."
"···yes."
Before Chu Qing could turn around, the door was slammed shut again with a loud bang.
Has this kid taken the wrong medicine?
Before long, the disciples were all ready to go. Yin Li stood beside Chu Qing and took off on his sword into the air.
Just two days later, he returned to the familiar Green Mountain Peak. Chu Qing told him to go to the Cloud Mist Sect first, while she went to the council hall to give some instructions.
The courtyard was exactly the same as when I left, but in just half a month, the pear blossoms in the courtyard had already begun to wither. Yes, since then, the weather has become increasingly hot. I wonder if Master will find the shade too cool and reduce the number of trees.
A soft laugh drifted into the room. Yin Li stepped inside, tidied up the room, and then heard a clear shout from outside.
"Senior Brother! You're back!"
Junior sister?
He quickly put down what he was holding and looked up to see a bright young girl bathed in the warm sun, walking with light steps.
Where is Master?
Ling Xueluo looked puzzled when she saw that only Yin Li was there. She hadn't seen him for so long and felt that she had become lax in her cultivation without her master's supervision.
"Master has other matters to attend to."
"Oh, that's right. You must have gained a lot this time, senior brother!"
Upon hearing the question, Yin Li nodded subconsciously, but for some reason, a bad premonition suddenly arose in her heart.
The unease continued to grow, and just as I was wondering if I was overthinking it, a familiar figure appeared in the courtyard.
"Master!"
Ling Xueluo was the first to notice Chu Qing's return, and she quickly put away her joking expression and stood respectfully to the side.
"Hmm, it's been a while. Have you made any progress?"
"Yes, I am studying hard."
She unconsciously touched the tip of her nose and smiled ingratiatingly.
Upon seeing this, Chu Qing narrowed her eyes and instantly guessed the other party's wicked intentions.
She couldn't help but find it amusing, but pretended to be serious and said, "In that case, let's go to the practice platform tomorrow and I'll test you."
"ah?"
Ling Xuelu couldn't hold back any longer. Completely disregarding her usual image, she frowned, daring to be angry but not daring to speak.
"Then, this disciple will take his leave."
Her master was still as strict as ever, but why did she always feel that he had become a little gentler?
At this moment, only the two of them remained in the courtyard. Thinking about her conversation with Hua Qi earlier, Chu Qing couldn't help but feel worried.
According to Elder Hua, the border between humans and demons in Crescent Moon Town is not a problem that can be solved in a short time. The few cases that occurred in the past did not cause hardship to the people, so they were left unresolved.
But for some reason, this time, even the town mayor has started raising half-demons.
Half-demon.
Thinking of this, Chu Qing's heart skipped a beat. Yin Li could also be called a half-demon, so was this barrier disturbance and the invasion of demonic beasts really just a coincidence?
But why did the Mystic Ice Spirit Orb happen to appear in Crescent Moon Town, and why was it taken away by Yin Li?
All these coincidences seem to be orchestrated by someone behind the scenes, but is it ultimately a blessing or a curse?
In the original novel, the Mystic Ice Spirit Orb appears late in the story, which begins the conflict between Yin Li and Wen Ruyu. But looking at how the plot has developed now...
The most urgent task is that if Yin Li cannot fully control the power of the Xuanbing Spirit Pearl, he is very likely to suffer a backlash, which would further cause his demonic energy to leak out.
"Master, your disciple will pour you some tea."
Chu Qing snapped out of her thoughts and, seeing his serious expression, a thought flashed through her mind.
"Yin Li".
"Your disciple is here."
"I remember saying that no one should act rashly in Crescent Town. Have you taken my words to heart?!"
As she spoke, her tone grew even harsher. Seeing the boy's eyes shift from confusion to helplessness and resentment, her heart pounded with anxiety.
"I--"
Yin Li seemed to want to explain something, but stopped himself, bent his knees, and said resignedly, "Disciple knows his mistake, please punish me, Master."
Chu Qingge, in the end you still want to take pleasure in tormenting me.
[Current favorability rating: 30. Unfortunately, the host has lost a clue.]
Hearing the system's prompt, Chu Qing wasn't too surprised; it was all within her expectations. After a moment of silence, she slowly spoke: "Since you know you're wrong, then go to the Sun Spring Cave near the back mountain and gather some Sun Spring Grass every day."
Riquan grass, also known most commonly as fairy grass.
This herb is known for its ability to cleanse the marrow and purify the meridians, but what most people don't know is that it can also be taken orally to suppress demonic energy.
One herb can provide relief for over a month, with noticeable effects.
However, the biggest reason why Sunflower Grass is so rare is that it is extremely difficult to harvest: it grows on cliffs and uses dew as its nourishment. If the spiritual root cannot be preserved after being picked, it will wither completely within a few seconds.
Yin Li knew all the uses of the Sun Spring Grass, which made him wonder again what Chu Qingge's purpose was.
Was it a lucky accident, or was it intentional?
"Also, don't forget the firewood from the back mountain. Bring it over with you. The Cloud Mist Sect's firewood is almost gone. You know I don't use rotten firewood from other peaks."
"······yes."
Yin Li didn't say much, her mind filled with thoughts of the Sun Spring Grass and Chu Qing's "punishment" today.
"After my disciple recovers from his injuries, he will—"
"From this moment on, immediately, right now!"
Chu Qing's expression hardened, and she instantly released her aura. In that instant, Yin Li suddenly felt his bloodline surging. If the aura had been any stronger, demonic energy might have seeped out.
It seems that no matter what Chu Qingge's request is, I must hurry up and find the Sun Spring Grass. The power of the Mysterious Ice Spirit Pearl is too great, and I cannot control it at present.
"yes!"
Yin Li agreed and, without going back to change into his disciple's robes, headed to the Riquan Cave on Qingshan Peak.
Phew, thank goodness. Now that we've gotten rid of him, we don't have to worry about Ye Lang and the others taking the opportunity to search for the Xuanbing Spirit Pearl.
Actually, on the way back, Chu Qing felt that something was wrong. The problem was his sparring with Ye Lang. She had been watching from above and had seen their movements.
In her recollection, she suddenly realized something—perhaps ordinary disciples wouldn't notice, but Chu Qing could sense that Ye Lang's killing moves weren't aimed at Yin Li, but rather at Qing, Feng, and Jian.
Therefore, Ye Lang knew there was something wrong with the Qingfeng Sword after that war!
However, since he neither witnessed Zhang Liangcai's moves nor knew the specific circumstances of that day, how was he able to so accurately pinpoint the location of the Xuanbing Spirit Orb?
[Author's Note]
I feel like one or two more chapters of slice-of-life content and I can start the next dungeon! I'm planning to do something a little scary, hehehe. I really hope everyone can comment, support, and favorite this! Please point out any shortcomings, and I'll correct them! (ps: I feel like I'm going to write the next dungeon, but I'm afraid I won't dare go to the bathroom in the middle of the night after I finish it, hahahahaha)
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