XIAO SHUXIANG'S
213 - Lan Guan Zhi
"Lan Zhi the fucker. I just made a small mistake, why do I have to hit 70y times? Ouch..! I think I'm going to die.."
Xiao Shuxiang continued to moan over the bed, a room in the Rest Hall. Previously he had been carried here by Lan Guan Zhi like a sack of rice after receiving his sentence.
The friend slammed her into the bed and walked away without saying anything including not removing the seal.
As a result, Xiao Shuxiang had to feel the pain of being beaten and was unable to recover himself.
Plaque!!
"AH! DUAN DE FUCKING..! This is Sick Tau..!"
"If you know this hurts, then don't repeat it again,"
Duan De smeared Granny Nian's herbal concoction on Xiao Shuxiang's back and butt. He nagged the young man who never changed his attitude.
".. Can't you keep up with Young Master Lan's calm? Be a warrior full of authority, not a wild child who just came out of the cave. It's only fitting that Patriarch Lan calls you a mountain man, you've been studying here for a long time but your behavior still remains the same,"
Plaque!
Duan De slapped back Xiao Shuxiang's butt, although his slap was slow but it was enough to make this young man on the bed groan in pain.
Xiao Shuxiang said he couldn't be Lan Guan Zhi and wouldn't want to be her friend. He actually behaved mischievously in only a familiar place.
".. I like to bother serious people, Old Grandpa. And your Sky Sword Sect is a suitable place-Akh!"
Duan De again slapped the butt of Xiao Shuxiang who had been smeared with herbs. He instantly got an indistinct grunt by this young man.
Xiao Shuxiang's back was covered in bruises, as was his butt. His body's regeneration slowed down because Lan Guan Zhi used a seal move that made him unable to sense Qi.
Xiao Shuxiang originally felt that he would die if he had to endure seventy lashes with a seal addressed to him. It was unexpected that he could still sustain life.
".. Lan Zhi was indeed amazing, she had no pity at all on Xiao Shuxiang. I'm his best friend, is this how you treat a friend..?"
"You are, it is precisely because you are his friend that Young Master Lan gave you a light punishment. Usually a person who often makes a lot of trouble like yourself will get his sentence on the bottom floor of the Punishment Hall.."
Duan De sighed softly, his gaze turning downward, his right hand smearing the herbs on Xiao Shuxiang's back instantly came to a halt.
He said that Lan Guan Zhi had always received most of the punishment given to Xiao Shuxiang unbeknownst to this young man.
The five thousand rules in the Sky Sword Sect were no joke. The one in charge of punishing and disciplining students was actually Lan Guan Zhi.
".. The age of Young Master Lan back then was still 9 Years old, yet she had borne a great burden of responsibility.."
Very rarely do students break the rules first. But everything changed when little Xiao Shuxiang walked into this place. The punishment of fighting in the Sky Sword Sect was actually a hundred times the blow, but Xiao Shuxiang only got 20-30 only, the rest were accepted Lan Guan Zhi.
".. You can calculate for yourself, how much commotion and trouble you caused in this Sect. Then that much is also what Young Master Lan should bear.."
Duan De also said that not only Xiao Shuxiang, but every disciple who broke the rules was also treated the same.
Lan Guan Zhi set the punishment depending on the level of sentience of the disciples of the Heaven Sword Sect he saw. The rest he will take on himself.
".. You say you are the Destroying Star, which I know he has a good relationship with the Sky Sword Sect and the big sects in the Three Streams. You should know this place better, right?"
!!
Xiao Shuxiang immediately got up from his bed along with complaints of pain in his back and buttocks. He asked Duan De for his clothes.
"If what I think is true, Lan Guan Zhi must be receiving punishment at this time. That boy, why did he make me owe you unbeknownst to me?!"
While enduring the pain in his body, Xiao Shuxiang walked away and headed towards the Punishment Hall. He could only use the Wind Breathing technique to ease the pain he felt.
He had indeed heard since in his first life that people who always acted like wild dead would become very tame when out of this place. Even some Black Flow cultivators had deliberately come for the sake of being able to control their emotions and wild nature.
And because of this as well, the Sky Sword Sect was so honorable in the eyes of the third stream cultivators including ordinary people in the Eastern Continent.
Some of the Black Stream sects might have been willing to attack the Heavenly Sword Sect, yet no one had actually done so.
Xiao Shuxiang stopped his steps when he reached the door of the Punishment Hall, he massaged his forehead slowly while recalling the past he disliked the most.
".. I also broke the rules in this Sect a lot back then, mostly because it was intentional. So, who's taking the punishment?"
Xiao Shuxiang started to step inside, he remembered two names. If it was not Senior Li Fu Chen, then Immortal Zhou Yuan was the one who helped him. Does not rule out both possibilities. If that was the case, then he was truly a human being who deserved to be punished by the heavens.
He had always hated humans because of his unacceptable talent. Xiao Shuxiang thought that all humans would be the same as his father and mother, treating him well in order to be easily controlled into weapons of war.
If there are people who are good to him, they will ultimately want something. Xiao Shuxiang had already seen many vices and secrets from the human smiles he had encountered.
To him, only one human being was truly sincerely friends with him, it was Zhou Yuan. In the end, they still go different paths.
Xiao Shuxiang exhaled softly, he walked up to the Heaven Sword Sect disciples guarding to ask the way towards the underground floor of the Punishment Hall.
?!
"Don't you get your punishment? You still want some more?"
"Son, you better take care of your wounds first. After recovery, just come again."
Xiao Shuxiang looked at the two men who looked to be 32 and 40 years old in front of him. He said he wanted to go to the bottom floor right now. If he could sense the Qi, maybe he wouldn't act this polite.
"I know Lan Guan Zhi must be downstairs and receiving the punishment that should be mine, you guys are outrageous. Quickly tell me the way,"
The two Heaven Sword Sect disciples fell silent while watching Xiao Shuxiang from top to bottom. The young man in front of them was barely even strong standing yet still stubbornly wanted to go to the most basic floor, no matter who told him.
"Heah.. All right, I'll drive you.."
"You should have said that since then. Geez, why does my ass and back hurt so much. What herbal concoction did Duan De give me this? Aakh,"
While being helped walk, Xiao Shuxiang was brought to the center of the room. The place where the two disciples of the Heaven Sword Sect were sitting cross-legged while waiting for the rule violators to come to accept his punishment.
The usual floor where Xiao Shuxiang was kneeling while being hit was apparently the door to the basement. There was a seal on the floor so no one could notice it.
After the seal was opened, Xiao Shuxiang again assisted in walking down each rung made of black jade. There were glowing stones on each earth wall beside them that served as street lights.
Right on the twentieth step, the black jade that Xiao Shuxiang was incandescent was much wider than the previous stone. On the right wall, there is a wooden door with a white crane carving, looks closed and has a seal.
"This is the sixth floor, Young Master Lan is on the first floor. Are you still able to walk?"
"Yes. Let's go,"
Xiao Shuxiang and the Heaven Sword Sect disciples who escorted him continued on their way, they descended the stairs back.
Every time the two reached the 20th step, then there must have always been a wider jade slip and a door with a crane engraving on their right.
Tap
Tap
Tap
Xiao Shuxiang only rested three times. His face looked pale with cold sweat that descended slowly on the side of his forehead. He had not felt this for a long time, a sense of human helplessness and weakness.
".. It can help me to always remember how low the ground is,"
Xiao Shuxiang was somehow pleased, he told this disciple of the Heaven Pagoda Sect who had broken him that Lan Guan Zhi's creation style could destroy the nature of arrogance.
".. What do you think if I learn it?"
"Young Master Lan will never want to teach you. He said it was forbidden, because it would be dangerous to fall into the wrong hands,"
Xiao Shuxiang confirmed the 32-year-old's words. If he could learn it, then the entire cultivator in the Eastern Continent would never be able to sense Qi again. He would become the only cultivator in this Continent and his dreams would definitely be realized.
".. Ck ck ck, I'm really proud to have a friend like her. That damn Lan Zhi is amazing,"
"You're actually praising Young Master Lan or insulting her instead..?"
The Sky Sword Sect disciple shook his head softly as Xiao Shuxiang said envy at Lan Guan Zhi's talent as well as admired him.
".. I'll let him call my name,"
"Who are you? Xiao Shuxiang's? The Destroying Star? Hiih, although your names are similar, but that Destroying Star has a terrible face, she's a monster with a wolf's muzzle, her eyes are red and almost out. Time you didn't know that? That's why I've reminded you to just change your name, never to imitate it.."
The disciples of the Sky Sword Sect continued to tell the story of the Destroying Star while continuing to address Xiao Shuxiang.
He seems to be very good as a storyteller. That said, the legend seemed to have his own book in the sect.
".. After burning down the village, he desecrated the girls in front of his parents including the women who had married and had children. Most inhumanely, he also did it to the little ones and the young ones as long as his face was attractive.."
!!
Xiao Shuxiang was startled and stared unexpectedly at the man beside him. His eyes blinked a few times signifying disbelief, when had he ever done such a thing?!
".. After satisfying his disgusting desires, he just skinned them alive. Make their outer skin as clothing, the victim's head as a necklace, the bones as-"
"Wait a minute, your story has gone very far. I have never desecrated anyone, this pillar of my paradise is still a virgin. Different from my ass that's been hit a lot,"
".. So you need to change your name immediately. Don't let the monster's disgusting nature decline on you,"
"You want me to tell you something? The Destroying Star most disliked his name being called by any random person. Whoever dares to do it whether intentional or not, his body will be split in two. You should know about this,"
The disciple of the Sky Sword Sect confirmed, he had indeed heard such a story. Unexpectedly, their conversation about the Destroying Star left the two unconscious now on the very bottom floor of the Punishment Hall.
A closed door that was engraved with a crane but without a seal was visible to the right of Xiao Shuxiang. He continued to be swept up to the front of the door, his feelings were suddenly not good.
The disciples of the Sky Sword Sect opened the door slowly, a large black stone-walled room with a pointy stone decorator around it.
Tap
Tap
Xiao Shuxiang continued to be swept away by the disciples of the Sky Sword Sect, both of whom could hear the sound of water droplets and something like the sound of a lash.
The glowing stone on the ceiling made Xiao Shuxiang see everything clearly. Not far in front of him, a pond with water so cold appeared in front of him.
A young man who was almost twenty-one years old was seen standing in the middle of the lake.
Both of his hands were bound by blood-red chains. The upper part of his body was not covered by clothes, his smooth and muscular white skin was now filled with lashes, appearing bruised and bleeding.
!!
"Lan Zhi..?"
Xiao Shuxiang could see the long-haired unravelling young man was his friend, Lan Guan Zhi. He immediately quickened his pace while calling out the name of his friend.
"Wait, Brother Xiao. You can't go there..!"
The disciples of the Sky Sword Sect held back the hand of Xiao Shuxiang who was about to enter the pond. His cry made Lan Guan Zhi wake up.
"Take me off, don't you see the condition now?! What kind of punishment is this? You guys have been so outrageous..!"
?!
"Shuxiang's.."
The piercing cold instantly sensed Xiao Shuxiang as his feet entered the pond, he nagged the disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect and forbade him to stop himself from helping his friend.
There was no one else in this room other than the three of them, but the lash remained aimed at Lan Guan Zhi, the punishment would stop on its own.
"You outrageous child, why do you have to do this?! You think I'm a snot kid who can't stand your sect's punishment, huh?!"
"But you shouldn't be in this place, go.."
Xiao Shuxiang revealed Lan Guan Zhi's hair to clearly see the face of his friend. He then gently nudged his friend's forehead because he could still have a calm face like he did not feel any pain.
"Your flat-board face sucks. I'm not that weak until you have to protect me, what do you think I am? Hiya!"
Xiao Shuxiang had a hard time breaking the chain that was shackling his friend's hand. He then called on the Heavenly Sword Sect disciple to throw his weapon.
"But.."
The disciples of the Sky Sword Sect looked doubtful, yet Xiao Shuxiang continued to urge him. Lan Guan Zhi said to this close friend of his not to interfere, the punishment has not stopped.
"This ration is mine, you've been too kind.."
Xiao Shuxiang asked back the weapon belonging to the disciples of the Sky Sword Sect. After he caught the sword that was thrown towards him.. He then used Fire Breathing to break the chain that stretched on Lan Guan Zhi's two hands.
Xiao Shuxiang felt pain in his back and buttocks. The pain grew even more due to the extremely cold water, he praised his friend who did not look cold at all.
!!
Lan Guan Zhi instantly fell down and coughed in blood as Xiao Shuxiang slapped his back softly. He stared in annoyance at this young man beside him.
"It's your fault for always putting on that calm face. Shouldn't be held in custody if sick, no one blames you for moaning.."
Lan Guan Zhi clenched both hands. With a quick movement he hooked up next to Xiao Shuxiang's foot to make her fall.
Xiao Shuxiang's entire clothes were wet, the water of this lake was so cold that it pierced through the bones. It is not too deep, the water is only as high as the waist of an adult.
"Lan Zhi's.. Y-you.. I helped you and this is your reply to me..?"
Xiao Shuxiang's voice sounded trembling from the cold, even Air Breathing could not help him. He said he almost froze in the cold.
On one hand, Lan Guan Zhi looked fine instead. His face was still calm and alluring, a lash mark on his body as if it could not make him feel pain.
The disciples of the Sky Sword Sect called out to the two, but he was instantly shocked when Xiao Shuxiang instead attacked Lan Guan Zhi. The two people he knew ended up fighting each other in the water.
!!
"Young Master Lan, Brother Xiao?! You two, stop..!"
The disciple of the Sky Sword Sect also entered the pond and walked over to where his two friends were locking their respective movements.
The sore back and buttocks and the coldness in the lake water did not seem to be a barrier for Xiao Shuxiang to avenge Lan Guan Zhi.
Although in the end he lost because he was not used to very cold water.
?!
"Young Master Lan? Brother Xiao?"
The Sky Sword Sect disciples gasped as the water suddenly calmed down. He did not see Lan Guan Zhi nor Xiao Shuxiang, it seemed like the two youths were wrestling at the bottom of the lake.
!!
"Geez, why is it like this?! If it was Xiao Shuxiang, then it was common. But why is Young Master Lan also following along?!"
The disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect plunged himself in, as he opened his eyes he was shocked to see Xiao Shuxiang overlapping Lan Guan Zhi.
He immediately saved the future GrandElder candidate of his sect from feeling that it was like hinting that Xiao Shuxiang would eat his young master if not stopped immediately.
The problem was, this disciple of the Heaven Sword Sect was somehow unable to separate the two and instead participated in the struggle.
The three of them only stopped when they were hit by the lashings from the punishment that should be addressed to Xiao Shuxiang.
*
*
"My ass.."
"Oh, because I separated you, I got rations, too,"
Lan Guan Zhi could hear the moans of his two friends, they were now lying on the edge of the lake with their feet in the water.
None of the three had tried to get up yet, it seemed like they had lost so much energy that they were unable to move for a while.
Elsewhere, Ling Qing Zhu was again treated by the Third Patriarch of the Sky Sword Sect, Zhou Yan.
His elder brother, Ling Lang Tian also seemed to be paying attention to the treatment process that the Third Patriarch was doing.
When viewed from the outside, Ling Qing Zhu was in an excellent state. She responds when spoken to and still shows her emotions, unlike other girls.
However, there were some memories that Ling Qing Zhu could not remember. It was a memory of how he could end up being a pawn for the Scarlet Shadow.
"How's it?"
Patriarch Lan who was also watching the treatment process from Zhou Yan began to ask. He was curious to see the thick-faced Alchemist's eyebrows and eyes changed.
"This is just my assumption, but it seems like Miss Ling's problem is in her mind. The human heart is unique and difficult to guess, even if it hurts.. The cure is hard to find,"
Third Patriarch patted Ling Qing Zhu's head softly, this girl was too devastated by her uncle's death that her thoughts and feelings often overlapped.
The Third Patriatch then looked at Ling Lang Tian and asked the young man not to put pressure on his own younger brother.
"Ehm, Brother Zhou? You'd better tell that to your student, he's the one who annoys Miss Ling the most, too,"
"Hm? A pupil? When do I raise a student?"
The Third Patriarch's frown furrowed, he stared in astonishment at Lan Xu Jian. He immediately gasped when the person he was referring to was Xiao Shuxiang.
"He's not my student, that bad boy is just a waiter. No more and no less. But where is Xiao'Er now?"
"You don't raise him as a disciple but instead worry about him. Brother Zhou, you are so predictable.."
Patriarch Lan said that right now Xiao Shuxiang must be at the Rest Hall. After receiving the punishment, the child must have been hard to wake up now.
***
