The moment he finished knocking nine resounding kowtows, the great weight that had hung over Ye Yun's heart finally lifted. Tian Buyi might have looked extremely stern, and he had been very harsh toward Zhang Xiaofan at first in the original story, but he was truly someone who fiercely protected his own. After Zhang Xiaofan used the Soul Devouring Staff, forged through blood refinement from the Bloodthirsty Bead and Soul Devourer, to take first place in the sect tournament, the heads of the other peaks had wanted to investigate his background and even void his results. Tian Buyi had nearly come to blows with them over it. Clearly, he was a good master with a sharp tongue, a soft heart, and an intense instinct to protect his disciples.
With that burden gone, Ye Yun instantly felt much lighter. Then he saw Zhang Xiaofan still banging his head against the floor. Just like in the original story, Zhang Xiaofan knocked out more than a dozen kowtows in a row, making Tian Ling'er, who stood beside Su Ru, burst out laughing.
Seeing this, Su Ru smiled. "Good child, nine is enough."
Zhang Xiaofan gave an "Oh" and finally stopped. When he raised his head, everyone saw the reddened patch on his forehead and could not help laughing. But in Tian Buyi's eyes, Zhang Xiaofan seemed even more hopelessly foolish. Thinking that he would have to teach such an idiot in the future, his already rather large head seemed to grow another size. Yet when he saw Ye Yun beside him, his irritation calmed again. Ye Yun's aptitude might not match Lin Jingyu's, but he was younger and more malleable. His future accomplishments might not necessarily fall short of Lin Jingyu's.
"Alright, that's settled." Tian Buyi was in a fairly good mood as he waved his hand. "Daren, take the two of them with you for now. Teach them our sect's rules and precepts, as well as some introductory cultivation methods. Little Eight probably has not even started learning to read yet, so I'll have to trouble you to put more effort into teaching him."
Song Daren answered, "Yes." Then he hesitated before adding, "But Master, Seventh Junior Brother and Eighth Junior Brother are still young. As for the coursework for new disciples..."
Tian Buyi considered it briefly. "Little Seven will proceed as usual. Little Eight is still too young, so teach him to read first." With that, he rose to his feet and headed toward the rear hall with his hands clasped behind his back, smiling. The disciples all bowed and said, "Farewell, Master."
Watching Tian Buyi's plump retreating figure, Ye Yun felt no dissatisfaction at being told to learn to read before cultivating. He truly could not recognize a single character in this world. If no one taught him, then even if the Book of Heaven were placed before him, he would still be unable to cultivate.
As soon as Tian Buyi left, before anyone else could speak, the little girl Tian Ling'er darted in front of Zhang Xiaofan. She stared at him closely for a moment. Seeing her adorable hibiscus-like face before his eyes, Zhang Xiaofan could not help blushing. Though she was young, she was already growing into a beauty. Back in Cao Miao Village, he had never seen a girl his own age who was so beautiful.
"Ha!" As if she had discovered a treasure, Tian Ling'er pointed at Zhang Xiaofan and laughed loudly. "Senior Brothers, look! He blushes when he sees me!"
The hall erupted in laughter. Even Ye Yun could not help finding it amusing. Zhang Xiaofan was still far too green. He blushed just from seeing a pretty little girl. Still, he could not really be blamed. He had always lived in a village and had met very few people, much less a favored daughter of heaven like Tian Ling'er.
The laughter made Zhang Xiaofan's face turn even redder. Seeing this, Su Ru walked over and scolded with a smile, "Ling'er, don't bully your Junior Brother."
Tian Ling'er made a face, paying no heed to her mother's words. She straightened up and said to Zhang Xiaofan, "Hey, hurry up and call me Senior Sister."
Zhang Xiaofan felt annoyed at Tian Ling'er's bossy manner, but when he saw her bright eyes, white teeth, and graceful figure, his thoughts became muddled. Before he knew it, he called out, "Senior Sister."
Tian Ling'er had always ranked last on Great Bamboo Peak. Now that she actually had a Junior Brother younger than herself, she was delighted. Putting on an old-fashioned air, she said, "Good boy, Junior Brother. From now on, you must listen to your Senior Sister."
Zhang Xiaofan answered awkwardly, "Yes."
The moment Zhang Xiaofan's "Yes" fell, Tian Ling'er arrived before Ye Yun. Ye Yun looked up at the girl before him and instinctively sensed that something was wrong. The next second, his premonition came true. Tian Ling'er first crouched down, then stretched out her slender hand. She pinched the soft flesh of his cheeks before vigorously kneading his face, leaving Ye Yun frozen in place.
"Mother, Little Junior Brother's face is so soft! It's so fun!" As she spoke, Tian Ling'er directly picked Ye Yun up.
Su Ru pulled her daughter aside and took Ye Yun from Tian Ling'er's arms, pretending to be angry. "No fooling around." Then she said to Song Daren, "Daren, your Seventh Junior Brother is still young, so his studies may be difficult for him. Take better care of him. As for Little Yun, I'll personally look after him."
Song Daren respectfully replied, "Yes."
The other five disciples stood together nearby, giggling as their eyes darted about, clearly enjoying the misfortune of others.
At that moment, Su Ru suddenly made a strange movement, rolling her head around as though loosening her joints. It was completely unlike the dignified air she had maintained until now. In an instant, the laughter of Great Bamboo Peak's disciples vanished. Every one of them stood open-mouthed, wearing expressions as though disaster had struck. Familiar with the story, Ye Yun knew this was Su Ru's habitual gesture whenever she was about to "test" the Senior Brothers. Unfortunately, he would not get the chance to watch it this time.
Sure enough, Su Ru cleared her throat. Before she could even finish saying the word "You," Song Daren cried out "Mistress" in a cold sweat. He then used teaching Ye Yun and Zhang Xiaofan the sect rules and precepts as an excuse to leave. In the original story, Song Daren had likewise used teaching Zhang Xiaofan the rules and introductory coursework as an excuse to run away. But it seemed he had ultimately failed to escape and had instead received Su Ru's "guidance" alone.
Just as in the original story, Su Ru agreed to Song Daren's request. Under the envious and resentful gazes of his Junior Brothers, he quickly led Zhang Xiaofan and Ye Yun away. Tian Ling'er followed after them as she had in the original story, leaving only a chorus of curses behind them, which instantly fell silent at Su Ru's sharp shout.
After Song Daren led Ye Yun and Zhang Xiaofan out of Shou Jing Hall, he headed straight for the back mountain. Perhaps because Ye Yun was there, Song Daren did not scoop Zhang Xiaofan up and run as he had in the original story. Naturally, Zhang Xiaofan would not mistake Tian Ling'er's Amber Crimson Silk for a strip of red cloth. Yet Ye Yun would rather that event had happened as it did in the original story, because Tian Ling'er seemed to have set her sights on him. She stayed by his side, reaching over from time to time to pinch him. And since he was too young to be any match for Tian Ling'er, who had already begun cultivating, she accurately pinched his little cheeks every time.
After being pinched N times, Ye Yun finally could not take it anymore. With a stern face, he said, "Senior Sister, if you pinch me again, I'm going to get angry. I have dignity too! And why do you keep pinching me instead of Xiaofan? That's not fair."
Children of five or six were already adorable to begin with, and after the system's enhancement, Ye Yun looked even more like a delicately carved jade doll. Even with a stern face, he had no intimidation whatsoever and instead looked exceptionally cute. So Tian Ling'er pinched his cheeks again. Thinking that he would have to live on Great Bamboo Peak from now on, Ye Yun's heart instantly filled with despair. He might look only five or six years old, but his soul was that of someone in his twenties!
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