Ling Yunkong's junior brother walked briskly across the ethereal peak, sweating profusely, he rushed in front of Sect Leader Xu Yeping and urgently reported, "Master Xu, something bad has happened! Master Shen is about to be whipped by the Demon Extermination Sect!"
Xu Yeping sprang up from his chair in shock and said, "What! Where? Quickly, take me to see!"
"Alright! Master Shen is in the Hall of Good and Evil, Master Chu is also on his way, I was scared to death when I heard this news!" Ling Yunkong said in a childish voice.
"What exactly happened?" Xu Yeping pressed for details.
"I'm not entirely sure, I just heard that Master Shen caused the death of the client while exorcising evil spirits! So the people from the Demon Extermination Sect came to punish her." Ling Yunkong explained, red-faced and gasping for air.
"This..." Xu Yeping felt his heart tighten upon hearing this, and furrowed his brows deeply.
They quickly arrived at the Hall of Good and Evil, where a large crowd of disciples had gathered outside, debating among themselves, unsure of what to do.
Weaving through the crowd, Xu Yeping stood near the front and saw Shen Yanli kneeling on the floor of the Hall, receiving her punishment. Fu Chuan held the Rainfall Whip, lashing it brutally on Shen Yanli's back, which was visibly being stained by blood, yet the defiant Shen Yanli gritted her teeth and didn't utter a sound.
Everyone in the cultivation world knew that the Rainfall Whip of the Demon Extermination Sect was imbued with divine power that even immortals couldn't resist; a normal person would wish for death after ten lashes, let alone a full thirty lashes.
Mo Bai, already in tears at the doorway, saw Xu Yeping arrive and immediately knelt before him, pleading, "Master Xu, please save Master Shen! This incident was not her fault! She just couldn't stand what the client did!"
"I understand, let me take a look first." Xu Yeping was about to step through the threshold of the Hall of Good and Evil, but was stopped by a barrier.
The aura indicated that this barrier was set up by Shen Yanli.
"Did your Master set up this barrier?" Xu Yeping asked with resignation, furrowing his brows tightly.
Mo Bai nodded with tears in his eyes, "Yes, Master put up the barrier specifically to stop me from approaching, saying that one must pay the price for their mistakes."
"It seems your Master is determined to undergo this punishment, I am powerless." Xu Yeping sighed.
At this moment, Chu Lin approached and quietly observed the situation inside the hall, agreeing with Xu Yeping's words, "Master Xu is right, Grandmaster Shen's decision is steadfast; she's a stubborn person."
"So, we just stand by and watch?" Mo Bai shouted in despair, "It's only because I'm not capable enough, if I were, I wouldn't care about any damn sect rules! I'd break through this barrier to save Master Shen!"
Shen Yanli, hearing the voices outside the barrier, turned away and sternly admonished, "No one is allowed to come near! The mistake I made, I'll bear myself!"
"Master! Master!" Mo Bai pounded the barrier with all his might as if he believed a little more effort would break it, but in reality, his actions were futile.
Everyone outside watched in trepidation, the sound of the Rainfall Whip on Shen Yanli's back felt like a heavy bell striking everyone's heart.
Mo Bai shouted until he was hoarse, his hands bleeding profusely from his efforts.
He could only watch helplessly as Shen Yanli endured all thirty lashes, her back drenched in blood! He hated himself, thinking if only he were a bit more talented, he could protect Shen Yanli! It was all his fault!
The punishment ended, Fu Chuan withdrew the Rainfall Whip, and the barrier vanished instantly.
Mo Bai was the first to rush inside, kneeling in front of Shen Yanli, his eyes red from crying, and asked worriedly, "Master, are you okay? Can you endure this? Do you need me to carry you back?"
Shen Yanli's face was pale, and extreme pain left her drenched in sweat. She gritted her teeth and said with difficulty, "No need, I'm fine." Then she stood up, shakily walking towards the door.
Everyone present was stunned! How could someone take all thirty lashes from the Rainfall Whip and still walk so freely! Truly Shen Yanli, Grandmaster Shen.
Though Shen Yanli was in excruciating pain, her battered back felt like it was burning, making life unbearable!
But she was used to bearing everything alone.
Her fragility, pain, and sorrow were things she never wanted others to see.
She wasn't invulnerable, she just didn't want injustice in the world.
Mo Bai walked beside Shen Yanli, constantly voicing his concerns, "Master, does it hurt a lot? If you really can't take it, just take a break, please, don't push yourself."
"I'm fine." Shen Yanli stubbornly replied.
She never looked back, as doing so would reveal the trail of blood she left along the way.
As she walked across the bridge linking Shuiyu Building to Shu Wang Pavilion, Shen Yanli revealed a victorious smile. Just a little further, and she would be back in her room.
That way, no one would see her pain and wretchedness.
But her body was utterly exhausted, finally reaching its limit. With a stumble, she fell heavily to the ground and fainted.
"Master! Master!" On the cold ground, only Mo Bai's heart-wrenching cries remained.
Mo Bai anxiously stood outside Shu Wang Pavilion, anxiously awaiting the result of Chu Lin's treatment. Watching as the female cultivator under Chu Lin's command carried out trays of blood-stained cloth strips and basins of water, he wished he could have taken Shen Yanli's injuries upon himself.
After two hours, Chu Lin finally emerged. His face was covered with a white veil, which he took off in front of Mo Bai.
"How is it? Is my master okay? Are the injuries serious?" Mo Bai held onto his wide sleeve, asking worriedly.
Chu Lin glanced disdainfully at Mo Bai's hand clutching his clothes, prompting Mo Bai to let go tactfully.
Seeing Mo Bai's deeply worried expression, Chu Lin reassured him, "It's all right now. The bleeding has stopped, and the medicine has been applied. She will recover in a few days."
"Really?" Mo Bai was somewhat overjoyed.
"You can trust my healing skill," Chu Lin confidently guaranteed.
"And you... you didn't do anything to my master just now, did you?" Mo Bai narrowed his long eyes, full of hostility.
Chu Lin smirked, "My skill in suspended diagnosis is well-known, and your master's injuries were all handled by my female disciples, not by me."
"That's good! If you dared to take advantage of my master, I'd beat you to death!" Mo Bai shook his fist in a threatening manner.
Chu Lin shook his head helplessly and looked ahead, "Take good care of your master. I'm leaving, Mo the three-year-old."
"What did you call me? I'm not called Mo the three-year-old! I'm Mo Bai!" Mo Bai screamed and argued from where he stood.
But Chu Lin had already vanished far away, using his mobility skills, and Mo Bai couldn't catch up even if he wanted to.
Never mind, better to go in and check on Master first!
Mo Bai stepped inside and saw Shen Yanli lying on her side on the bed, her face as pale as paper, lips devoid of blood color, looking as if she had been gravely ill. The sight made Mo Bai's heart ache as if pierced by a thousand knives.
Like a little dog, he hurried to her side, eager to comfort her in his own way upon seeing his injured master.
He wanted to take Shen Yanli's hand, but he recalled Shen Yanli's teachings on respecting the master and observing the proper order. If she knew he held her hand, she would surely be angry, so he gave up the thought.
Gently, he retrieved a handkerchief embroidered with white orchids from his bosom, one that he had stolen while Shen Yanli was unaware.
Seeing sweat appear on Shen Yanli's forehead, he cautiously and softly used the handkerchief to gently wipe it away, whispering, "Master, I'm sorry. I'm useless. If my aptitude were better, and my cultivation higher, I could protect you. But you must believe that one day I will reach divine power on my own and become stronger than anyone else, so no one will bully you."
It was as if Shen Yanli heard Mo Bai's words; she made a couple of murmurs, causing Mo Bai to cringe in fear of being caught for his boldness. Seeing Shen Yanli make only a couple of sounds and then fall back asleep, he added, "Master, you must get better soon, so you can see my progress!"
At that moment, Shen Yanli was dreaming, dreaming of returning once more to the Viewing Moon Building, where the people in the dream gazed at her with distorted faces, forcing her to do what she found displeasing.
She wanted to ask why he hated her so much.
Was she a poor master? Is that why he became this way?
She reached out to grasp Mo Bai's robe, choking up as she asked, "Can you turn back to the way you were?"
For the first time, Demon Lord Mo Bai saw a hint of concession and pleading in Shen Yanli's eyes. He grinned wantonly, sneering, "Turn back? Turn back to what? Acting like a shameless dog to win your favor? In the end, you didn't even glance my way! Shen Yanli, think about who trampled on my heart time and time again! Did you forget all of that?"
Those words felt like giant hands endlessly twisting Shen Yanli's heart. She recalled her past self. Was she really as unreasonable and heartless as Mo Bai claimed?
Was she truly such a person?
Perhaps it really was her fault!
She thought things through: life is fleeting. Once it's over, there's no chance to start anew. She carried arrogance and vanity, but in the end, her fate was as it was.