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Join the ServerLittle Pomegranate sensed a familiar aura. She timidly looked up, her eyes slightly red, and called out:
“Elder Ji… Elder Ji…”
The woman, addressed as Elder Ji, gave a slight nod in acknowledgment. However, her gaze first landed on Yun Xueshang, her voice laced with impatient sarcasm.
“Oh, look at you, so carefree. You’ve just returned to the sect, yet you have time to meddle in the trivial affairs of this schoolhouse. What, no longer in seclusion, no longer the revered Sword Head everyone looks up to?”
‘Hey, you!’
Seeing her blatant provocation, Hua Yan immediately rolled up her sleeves, ready to step forward. Yet, Yun Xueshang gently held her back once more.
Yun Xueshang’s eyelashes lowered slightly, revealing a hint of concession.
“Yes, Elder Ji’s reprimand is correct.”
“Hmph, feigning obedience and cleverness.”
Elder Ji scoffed coldly before finally turning to the little rabbit demoness nearby.
“Sixteen, what happened here? Explain it clearly to me.”
“Yes, yes…”
Little Pomegranate stammered for a moment, then turned to look at Hua Xiangrong. Seeing the other girl offer an encouraging wink, she mustered her courage and haltingly recounted the entire incident once more. Hua Xiangrong occasionally interjected with a few supplementary remarks, and before long, the full story, from beginning to end, was laid bare.
Upon hearing the full account, Elder Ji’s expression grew even colder. The oppressive aura around her caused the cultivator surnamed Li to visibly pale.
“You, are you Outer Gate Steward Li Wei?”
The middle-aged cultivator hurriedly bowed, sweat beading on his forehead.
“Yes, this disciple is! Greetings, Elder Ji!”
The sinister-looking Elder Ji slowly stepped forward, her voice like chilling ice.
“The seventh article of the Sect’s ‘Disciples’ Regulations’ clearly states: Disciples and their family members and relatives must strictly adhere to schoolhouse rules, and are not permitted to bully the weak or stir up trouble.
Article eleven further stipulates: Those who condone their relatives disturbing the schoolhouse or bullying young children shall be fined three months to one year’s salary, depending on the severity of the offense, and must also personally assist in the mess hall for seven days as a warning to others.”
She paused briefly, her gaze as sharp as a sword.
“Your son intentionally collided with Ning Sixteen, a disciple of Danxia Peak, overturning her meal and bullying a fellow disciple, which already constitutes a violation.
As a steward, not only did you fail to instruct him to admit his mistake, but you also caused a scene, threatened fellow disciples’ relatives, and disrupted the schoolhouse’s order.
By the authority of an Enforcement Elder, I hereby fine you half a year’s salary, and you shall compensate Ning Sixteen five mid-grade spirit stones for her meal and comfort. Starting tomorrow, you will assist in the mess hall for seven days—do you accept this punishment?”
“This disciple accepts the punishment! No objections!”
Li Wei hung his head in dejection. A fine of half a year’s salary plus five mid-grade spirit stones truly pained him.
Elder Ji then glanced at the chubby boy hiding behind his father, her tone unwavering.
“Your son, for bullying a fellow disciple, is fined by copying the ‘Disciples’ Regulations’ a hundred times. You are to personally deliver it to me at Danxia Peak for inspection in three days. Should there be a single missing character, the punishment will be doubled.”
The chubby boy trembled with fright, nodding repeatedly, no longer daring to show any trace of cunning.
“Now, go deal with it.”
Elder Ji waved her sleeve, her voice filled with annoyance. Li Wei, as if granted a great pardon, quickly pulled his son away.
Once the two had departed, she turned to Ning Sixteen—the rabbit-eared girl Hua Xiangrong had called ‘Little Pomegranate.’ Her tone softened slightly, yet still carried a hint of coldness.
“Come here.”
Little Pomegranate quickly scurried to her side, clutching her skirt. Her pale golden long ears quivered slightly, seeming a little more settled than before.
Elder Ji looked down at the stain on her hem, then swept her gaze over the girl’s slightly red eyes. Without further words, she simply stated:
“Come with me to Danxia Peak. I’ll have the kitchen prepare a new meal for you, and get some pastries too.”
With that, she gave a slight nod to the old scholar and, taking Little Pomegranate’s hand, turned to leave.
“Little Pomegranate, see you tomorrow—!”
Hua Xiangrong waved her small hand, calling out loudly to the rabbit-eared girl.
Little Pomegranate, being led away, looked back at her and gently waved. Elder Ji, beside her, also glanced back, her eyes briefly sweeping over Hua Xiangrong.
When her gaze fell upon Yun Xueshang, she let out a low ‘hmph,’ but offered no further sarcastic remarks, simply leading the girl away.
***
“Hey, who was that cold-faced woman anyway? What’s with the attitude she was putting on here! And you, why did you stop me just now?”
As soon as they were gone, Hua Yan crossed her arms and complained to Yun Xueshang.
“That was the Peak Master of Danxia Peak, and also the Sect’s Enforcement Elder, Ji Ling.”
Lin Qianqian, who had been quietly observing, stepped forward and sighed, explaining on Yun Xueshang’s behalf.
“She has always been at odds with Senior Sister. They always clash whenever they meet. Yesterday, when I showed you around the sect, I deliberately avoided Danxia Peak precisely because I was afraid Senior Sister would run into her. I never expected to meet her here anyway.”
“That’s truly inexplicable. Why does she specifically target you?”
Hua Yan’s dissatisfaction grew even deeper after hearing this.
Yun Xueshang lowered her gaze and said softly:
“Elder Ji… wasn’t always like this. She only became this way after my master passed away.”
‘Master passed away?’
Hua Yan was startled.
‘Could it be…’
“That’s right, Elder Ji and Elder Jiang grew up together and shared a very deep bond. The reason she targets Senior Sister Yun is likely because she still harbors resentment over the events of that year, placing the blame squarely on Senior Sister’s shoulders…”
Lin Qianqian quietly added from the side.
“Hmph, that’s utterly unreasonable!”
Hua Yan scoffed coldly, turning to Yun Xueshang.
“That incident back then was clearly the work of evil cultivators; it had nothing to do with you. Why does that old woman, surnamed Ji, blame you for it?”
Seeing Yun Xueshang remain silent, she pressed on:
“What about that little rabbit demoness? The one Rongrong called ‘Little Pomegranate’? Why was she taken away by Elder Ji? What’s their relationship?”
“Ning Sixteen is a disciple of Danxia Peak. I’m not sure where Elder Ji found her—to find a rabbit demoness who could transform at the Qi Condensation stage is quite rare.”
The old scholar stroked his beard, offering an explanation.
He paused, then sighed,
“Previously, Sixteen was often ostracized by the other children in the schoolhouse because of her name and her demon heritage.
Fortunately, as soon as Rongrong arrived today, she befriended her, actively approached her, and even called her ‘Little Pomegranate,’ saying the child’s eyes were like red pomegranates, exceptionally lovely…”
“Both of you have truly raised a wonderful daughter.”
The old scholar chuckled, looking at Hua Yan and Yun Xueshang with approval.
The two exchanged glances, then simultaneously looked down at Hua Xiangrong. The pink-haired girl immediately put her hands on her hips and lifted her small head, her face beaming with pride.
“Thank you for your praise, Master.”
Hua Yan and Yun Xueshang thanked him in unison, then instinctively reached out to pat the child’s head—their hands gently brushing in mid-air.
Hua Yan’s ear tips instantly flushed a faint red, and she hastily withdrew her hand.
Yun Xueshang blinked, appearing somewhat bewildered.
***
‘Peak Master Ji Ling of Danxia Peak—she must be our main target for this stage, right?’
On the way back, Hua Xiangrong nestled in Yun Xueshang’s arms as they rode on her sword, speaking to 099 in her mind.
[Yes, Host.]
The little system quickly responded.
[According to the original plot, this period should have been the stage where the novel’s protagonist, Yun Xueshang, was recovering from injuries within the sect, with little relevance to the main storyline. In the novel, these days were even glossed over in just a few sentences.]
[However, we are in a real novel world, and every day must be genuinely lived out,] 099 added.
‘Exactly, so during this ‘blank period’ in the original work, we must do something.’ Hua Xiangrong nodded, a glimmer in her pink eyes. ‘Things that can affect the main ending, of course, the more we do, the better.’
‘Peak Master Ji Ling of Danxia Peak is the key to this operation. We need to change her outcome.’
‘And in the original plot of the novel, during this period of Mother’s recovery, Ji Ling’s fate was—’
‘Death.’
The adventure continues! If you loved this chapter, Only After Becoming a Good Girl Can I Keep Other Women from Stealing Her Away is a must-read. Click here to start!
Read : Only After Becoming a Good Girl Can I Keep Other Women from Stealing Her Away
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