Everyone was startled by Yu Fanxinâs sudden burst of anger, looking at him not knowing what to say.
"Brother, how come... didnât you used to dislike Jiang Lai too? Why are you speaking for her now?"
Upon hearing this, Yu Fanxin became even more annoyed. He had indeed been quite unreasonable, having stereotyped Jiang Lai as a tyrant who bullied her peers without truly understanding her.
When he saw with his own eyes Jiang Lai silently bearing over a dozen strikes of Heavenly Thunder for their protection, nearly losing her life, and then looked at these unscathed yet ungrateful individuals, a flame ignited in his heart.
He had once been like them, ganging up to ostracize Jiang Lai.
"Enough, this matter is ultimately our fault. I will personally seek punishment from our master. As for you, now that you can move around, you should focus on your cultivation. Without our senior sister, you just gather around chatting and drinking tea every day. Do you think this is a place for retirement?!"
Yu Fanxinâs reprimanding expression was extremely stern, leaving everyone exchanging glances in fear.
He had never demanded so much of them before.
At this point, Meng Tao also noticed Yu Fanxinâs anomaly. What had he been doing during the past ten days he disappeared? Why did he come back not only speaking for Jiang Lai but also suddenly becoming strict with them?
"Brother Fanxin, everyone has just recovered their energy and spirit. Rushing into cultivation might have adverse effects. Donât be angry. If weâve done something wrong, just tell us, and Iâll change."
Looking at Meng Tao in front of him, Yu Fanxin couldnât help but think about what happened that day on the mountaintop.
He wasnât stupid. Before, he found her straightforward and innocent, a simple and likable girl. But after the Heavenly Thunder incident, he saw some things clearly.
The usual playful affections couldnât withstand real trouble. The uncompromising Yu Fanxin found himself with less patience, subtly withdrawing his sleeve and turning to look at everyone.
"Take these immortal elixirs and distribute them among yourselves. If itâs not sufficient, ask me for more. Once youâre recovered, hurry up and cultivate. Donât let mere five strikes of Heavenly Thunder nearly take your lives."
You could see at a glance that Jiang Lai had a solid foundation; otherwise, she wouldnât have been able to endure sixteen Heavenly Thunders.
Everyone silently agreed, took a share of the immortal elixir, and distributed it among themselves.
"These are top-grade immortal medicines; not even an Immortal Venerable can easily take out so many."
"Brother Yu is really generous, giving out such good medicines just like that."
When it was Meng Taoâs turn, the senior sister looked at her with a complicated expression and couldnât help but ask.
"Do you still need it?"
With her heart full of bitterness and grievance, Meng Tao bit her lip.
"You guys use it. Iâm fine. I can endure."
The senior sister, feeling compassion, still handed the medicine to her.
"Take it, and when in front of the master, put in a good word for us."
The master was often in secluded meditation, and during the rare times out, it was only Meng Tao who took care of him closely. This made a few disciples, who had been in entry for hundreds of years and barely saw the Immortal Venerable, extremely envious.
They wondered what Meng Taoâs background was, being the only one the Immortal Venerable allowed close and receiving so many rare gifts.
Upon hearing this, Meng Tao repeatedly waved her hands and shook her head.
"Before I came, it was the senior sister who looked after the master. If anyone is truly close, it must be the senior sister who is more trusted. I just happened to be there because I was a newcomer and didnât know better, and the Immortal Venerable feared I might cause trouble, so he kept me at his side."
She didnât want to become a thorn in everyoneâs side before the Immortal Venerable emerged from seclusion. Jiang Lai suffered such a fate, being different and hence ostracized.
ââ
When Yu Fanxin returned, he happened to see Jiang Lai sitting on the bed in a daze. He instinctively wanted to turn around and leave, but changed his mind, considering that he somehow saved her life and shouldnât feel guilty.
So he coughed first, and when Jiang Lai noticed someone at the door, he walked in, standing a meter away from her and asked.
"Howâs your recovery?"
"Hmm, itâs okay."
Perhaps from sleeping too long, Jiang Laiâs voice was a bit hoarse, and she appeared somewhat absent-minded, with a slightly furrowed brow and not in a very good mood.
Yu Fanxin stood there awkwardly, leaving a sentence "Then have a good rest" before preparing to leave, only to hear a gentle voice from behind.
"You saved me."
"Not entirely... Why didnât you tell us? You didnât have to bear it all alone; if you had shared, you wouldnât have nearly lost your life."
Jiang Lai glanced at him.
"Does everyone withstand five strikes and still stand here as if nothing happened, speaking sarcastically like you?"
"I... Iâm not being sarcastic. Forget it, since youâre awake, Iâll go."
After Yu Fanxin left, Jiang Lai slowly sat cross-legged to sense her own cultivation.
Her previous cultivation was intact, and now there was an additional force within her, circling near her dantian, wrapped in a strand of blue light, carrying an electric current, like a little snake crackling with electricity writhing around.
At this moment, Jiang Lai extended her hand, and a crackling electric current shot from her fingertips into the air, effortlessly burning a hole in the wooden cabinet by the bedside.
"See, this is the power Iâve bestowed upon you, your treasure! Youâve endured sixteen Heavenly Thunders, now doubled into power within you! Do you feel it? Are you fired up? Am I awesome?"
"Awesome, indeed."
"Why say it separately?"
"It gets censored."
"..."
Immortal Venerable Rong Yin emerged from seclusion, only to receive news that disciples from Qimeng Mountain had caused trouble and been punished.
Meng Tao was already kneeling at her room door early in the morning, her frail body swaying with fatigue, looking up with a pale face and smiling at Rong Yin.
"Master, your disciple has come for punishment."
"Are you injured?"
Rong Yin noticed the traces left by the Heavenly Thunder on her clothes, a frown creasing his brows in displeasure.
Meng Tao shook her head, covering her arm.
"No, Master, please punish me. I was mischievous and started a fire on the mountain with the senior brothers and sisters, angering Heavenly Pity Immortal Venerable, and tainting your good name."
Gazing at the young girl struggling to hold herself up before him, Rong Yin raised his hand to let her stand, and with another wave, repaired her damaged vestment robe.
"Such a trivial matter wouldnât affect my reputation. But you, was this injury caused by Heavenly Pity Immortal Venerableâs Heavenly Thunder?"
Meng Tao lowered her voice and remained silent.
"Come, letâs go to the Caution Department."
"Master, Iâm fine. Heavenly Pity Immortal Venerable was only following protocol. Itâs because of my foolishness that senior sister went to Heavenly Pity Immortal Venerable... In any event, all faults lie with Taoâer alone. Please donât blame others, Master."
Rong Yin maintained a stern face.
"Can you bear such a massive fault alone? Overestimating oneself."
After speaking, he walked out of the courtyard with his arms behind him, surveying the group of disciples already standing outside before sternly asking.
"Where is Jiang Lai?"