Punished

So now, not just one smudged face, but three. Wan Ru looked at Brother Qian's face and giggled. Hao Qian said discontentedly, "I only laughed at you; I didn't tease you, so why did you tell Master?"

Her hands were covered in soot, and she smeared it on Brother Qian's nose, saying, "That's even more reason to smear it."

Senior Disciple Brother's face was also smudged. He glanced at Wan Ru but said nothing. Hao Qian, unable to argue with her, turned to Master, who was sitting on a stone bench sipping tea, and said, "Master, aren't you being too biased? I've been your disciple for five years!"

Senior Disciple Brother pouted and said, "I've been here ten years and still get treated like this!"

Yi Jia took a sip of tea and said, "I know nothing."

After a long while, she went to wash her face, then finally allowed the two of them to eat. After dinner, her Master said, "Follow me."

Wan Ru obediently followed Yi Jia. The two went to another place, far from the house, deep in the mountains.

"From now on, this will be your training ground."

Wan Ru nodded. Yi Jia explained the ranks of demonic beasts and cultivators. Finally, it was her lesson for today. They went together to a stream with a large water pagoda. Yi Jia stroked his beard and said, "Your first lesson is to meditate in this water pagoda."

Yi Jia taught her the correct way to meditate, how to breathe in the natural energy. After teaching her, he left, leaving her to practice by herself. She continued to practice for a few days, reading books on her own. If anything was difficult to understand, she could ask Master or Senior Disciple Brother. One day, while Wan Ru was taking off her shoes, preparing to meditate in the water pagoda, a familiar voice rang out, "Junior Sister!"

Wan Ru turned around and saw Senior Disciple Brother and Brother Qian. She tilted her head and asked, "How did you two get here?"

Brother Qian smiled and said, "All thanks to Senior Disciple Brother."

Lun Peng fanned himself with his fan and said, "Wasn't it because Junior Disciple kept begging me to find Junior Sister's training spot?"

Brother Qian waved his hand dismissively and said, "Nonsense."

Wan Ru pointed, saying cunningly, "Master made us train so far away so we could focus more, yet you two are skipping training? I'll go tell Master!"

Having said that, she gathered her skirt, intending to really run, when the two Senior Brothers stopped her. Brother Qian said, "I invited you because I had delicious food for you. Who knew you would be so ungrateful?"

Wan Ru's eyes lit up and she said, "I was just joking a little."

She put her arms around their necks and said, "Come on, let's go."

The two Senior Brothers chuckled, then firmly held onto her shoulders, lifted her up, knocked her head against a tree, and then let go, causing her to fall sprawling to the ground. Both laughed heartily and, while she was still dazed, ran off. Wan Ru, seeing them escape, quickly chased after them, saying, "Wait for Junior Sister!"

The three of them walked together. Wan Ru, from somewhere, found a wooden stick and played mischievously with it. Brother Qian suddenly stopped and said, "A beehive!"

Wan Ru called out, "It looks delicious."

Brother Qian said, "How about we take that beehive?"

Senior Disciple Brother, who had been silent until now, suddenly said, "No. If either of you gets stung, we will be suspected and questioned, and Master might punish us."

Wan Ru stared intently at the beehive. After all, there were no delicacies from land and sea here. A beehive could be considered a luxury item now. She said regretfully, "How about we ask Master to get them?"

Senior Disciple Brother said resolutely and coldly, "Absolutely not."

Seeing his two junior disciples looking sad, Lun Peng wanted to make it up to them and said, "I know a very interesting place."

The two immediately brightened up and looked intently at Senior Disciple Brother. Seeing them regain their vitality, he turned and said, "Follow me."

The two trotted along. They walked on and on, passing through a cave, crossing a stream, and arriving at a field of yellow daffodils at the edge of the mountain. She happily ran around, saying, "It's beautiful. You can even watch the sunset here."

Hao Qian, however, noticed some wild rabbits and played and frolicked with them. Senior Disciple Brother stood watching the two of them play. After playing to their heart's content, they finally agreed to go back. On the way, Wan Ru discovered she had lost the jade pendant Master had given her.

She said in a panic, "Where is it, where is it? I can't find the jade pendant."

Senior Disciple Brother said worriedly, "What? How could it be lost?"

Wan Ru frantically searched, running back and forth to the old spots where she had played.

"I can't find it anywhere."

Even Brother Qian and Lun Peng searched for her but couldn't find it. Hao Qian said, "Let's go look by the stream."

They went to the stream, rummaging everywhere but still couldn't find it. Senior Disciple Brother, seeing that it was almost completely dark, said, "Let's go back. We won't be able to find our way back in the dark."

All three went back, trying to keep this matter quiet. But how could they show off their limited skills before an expert? Master had long been sitting at the table, having prepared a table of food. Master waved his hand and said, "Hurry up before the food gets cold."

Each person's heart was worried Master would find out, but outwardly they were cheerful as if nothing had happened. Master chuckled and asked, "Today, all three of you came back at the same time."

Perhaps because they were too worried, they had forgotten to hide the fact that they had skipped class to play. Senior Disciple Brother excused himself, "Hehe, what a coincidence."

Master glanced at her and said in a deep voice, "Where is your jade pendant, Wan Ru?"

Hearing that, her heart felt like it would leap out of her chest, but her face remained calm as she said, "I left it in my room."

Master fell silent but didn't investigate further.

All three sat at the table and invited Master to eat. Senior Disciple Brother was scooping rice when he suddenly froze, taking a jade piece out of the rice pot. Four pairs of eyes met. Master smiled kindly at her.

Senior Disciple Brother bowed his head without speaking, while Brother Qian held his head in helplessness. Wan Ru was punished. The punishment was to hold the rice pot with the jade piece inside, kneel outside all night, and not be allowed to eat.

Wan Ru was annoyed because she couldn't figure out why the jade piece was in the rice pot. Could it be that she was old and confused now, leaving the jade piece in the rice pot while cooking? She knelt, and although her legs were sore, sleepiness overwhelmed her, and she slept regardless. While sleeping soundly, a gentle voice rang out, "Hey, hey, are you hungry? I brought rice for Junior Sister."

She woke up with a start. The person before her was Senior Disciple Brother Lun Peng, holding a bowl of white rice. Hunger tormented Wan Ru, and she used her last bit of strength to nod repeatedly and say, "Yes, yes!"

Senior Disciple Brother handed her the bowl of white rice and chopsticks. Wan Ru put the rice pot down, picked up the bowl, intending to eat, when she and Senior Disciple Brother heard footsteps approaching.