Chapter 28
Chapter 28: Squandering Heaven’s Gifts
Mo Ru Yan had barely stepped out when Zhou Zhen Yan slipped inside and went straight to Wei Qing Lan.
Like Mo Ru Yan, he raised a barrier first, sealing the air around them, then asked, “Qing Lan, the six jia fruit you got from the Bu Zhou Divine Realm… you gave them all to Jiang Li Sheng?”
Wei Qing Lan nodded. “Yes, Martial Uncle Zhou.”
“Ah!” Zhou Zhen Yan slapped his thigh, his face crumpling with regret. “Jia fruit are top-grade materials for pill refining. Why would you give all the jia fruit to her? That little girl is best at wasting good things.”
“I gave them to her as snacks,” Wei Qing Lan said plainly.
Zhou Zhen Yan stared. For a heartbeat, he couldn’t even find his voice.
This was squandering Heaven’s gifts.
He paced two circles, jaw tight, then pointed at Wei Qing Lan as if accusing him of a crime, but no words came out.
Wei Qing Lan remained calm. “Martial Uncle Zhou, jia fruit are valuable, yes. But Junior Sister Jiang nearly drained herself dry to treat my spirit mansion. You know her spiritual power is unusual, and cultivating it isn’t easy.”
“Isn’t easy?” Zhou Zhen Yan’s temper flared. “Who told you that? Don’t you know her spiritual power was stacked up with pills by that wonderful master of hers, Sect Master Yu? Give her pills and her spiritual power rises. There’s no one in the world who cultivates more easily than her.”
He’d just escorted An Ru Xu to the Medical Hall and asked about it. Senior Brother Ying had told him he’d already sent Si Shao down the mountain to purchase spirit-replenishing pills—thousands of bottles. All of them for her.
Who on earth used spirit-replenishing pills like that?
Wei Qing Lan paused. “Even if it’s stacked up with pills, it can only push her to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Beyond that, it won’t work. From there on, cultivation only gets harder.”
Zhou Zhen Yan dragged a hand over his forehead. “Even so, you can’t let her eat jia fruit like candy.” His voice turned pained. “Our Kun Lun Sect is famous for swordsmanship, but it’s not as if we lack elders skilled in pill refining. If nothing else, you should’ve handed them to her master—Sect Master Yu knows what they’re worth. If he learns his disciple drained her spiritual power to treat you, he’ll be displeased. Repaying with six jia fruit at least makes sense.”
His eyes narrowed. “But you gave them to that little girl as snacks. She doesn’t know their value. Don’t tell me she’s already eaten every last one?”
“If she ate them, she ate them,” Wei Qing Lan said, almost indifferent. “I didn’t think that far.”
Zhou Zhen Yan muttered again, like the words physically hurt. “Squandering Heaven’s gifts.” He paced two more circles before finally stopping. “Fine. What’s done is done. They’re probably already in her stomach.” He sighed heavily. “Listen to me—next time, you are not allowed to give her something this valuable. Especially not as snacks. It’s a waste that makes your heart bleed.”
Wei Qing Lan rubbed his nose, accepting the scolding. “Understood, Martial Uncle. I won’t give her more.”
Zhou Zhen Yan nodded, looking as if he’d lost a piece of himself, and left.
The Discipline Hall and the Steward Hall moved with terrifying speed. Jin Wang Chou had barely coaxed the tear-swollen Zhao Ke Xin into swallowing an Origin-Preserving Pill when enforcers from both halls arrived and took Zhao Ke Xin away.
Zhu Wen Yin followed two hurried steps, only to be stopped. She could only remain where she was, turning back to Jin Wang Chou with anxious eyes. “Master, why didn’t you plead for Junior Sister? One hundred lashes—she can’t endure that. In half a month we leave for the Qi Shan Secret Realm. At a time like this, you have to protect her.”
“You think I don’t want to?” Jin Wang Chou snapped, then forced her tone into weary restraint. “Look at what she did. She nearly killed Jiang Li Sheng—if An Ru Xu hadn’t been the one injured instead, this would be even worse. Those two both have masters we cannot afford to offend. Sect Master Yu is famously protective. And your Martial Grand-Uncle Gu is no different.”
She exhaled sharply. “The sect rules are clear. She drew her sword on a fellow disciple over an argument. She brought this on herself. One hundred lashes is severe, but she’s already taken an Origin-Preserving Pill. Once she returns, we’ll nourish her with elixirs. In half a month, she’ll still be able to go to the Qi Shan Secret Realm. It won’t delay her.”
Zhu Wen Yin let out a breath. “As long as she won’t miss the Qi Shan Secret Realm…” Then, hesitant but resentful, she added in a low voice, “Master, wasn’t Jiang Li Sheng sent here from Qing Xu Sect to be taught a lesson? People say she caused a huge disaster there and angered everyone, so Sect Master Yu sent her to our Kun Lun Sect. Why is only Junior Sister punished so heavily while she isn’t punished at all? She was wrong too.”
“Your junior sister struck first,” Jin Wang Chou said curtly. “She attacked a fellow disciple. That is unforgivable. Jiang Li Sheng fought back to protect herself.”
“And there’s more,” she continued, irritation sharpening her words. “Jiang Li Sheng was returning from the Medical Hall. She’d exhausted herself treating Qing Lan. Your junior sister took advantage—an image-recording stone captured it clearly. The Discipline Hall and Steward Hall have already ruled Jiang Li Sheng blameless. How would they punish her?”
Zhu Wen Yin fell silent.
Jin Wang Chou looked at her, the anger easing into a sigh. “I know you’re worried. But the conclusion is already set. Talking won’t change it. When she comes back, you’ll need to care for her.” Her gaze steadied. “You’re older, steadier. From now on, persuade her more. Let this teach her a lesson—no more recklessness, no more hot temper.”
“Yes, Master,” Zhu Wen Yin said quickly.
“And after this,” Jin Wang Chou added, “she should let go of An Ru Xu. That kid. Keep her focused on cultivation.”
“Yes.”
Half an hour later, Zhao Ke Xin was brought back by people from the Discipline Hall and the Steward Hall, drenched in blood and unconscious. After they left, Jin Wang Chou couldn’t bear it anymore. She used her own spiritual power to treat Zhao Ke Xin’s wounds, stabilizing her breath and mending what she could.
Zhu Wen Yin stood to the side, watching. She was shaken by how merciless the Steward Hall’s punishment had been—one hundred lashes with not a hint of leniency—and she couldn’t stop the bitter thought that if she had been the one at fault, Master would not have treated her with this same tenderness.
An Origin-Preserving Pill worth thousands of spirit stones. Then, after punishment, personal healing—wounds sealed, origin steadied, every ounce of care poured in.
Zhu Wen Yin was only a few months older than Zhao Ke Xin, yet ever since childhood, Master had told her to look after her junior sister.
So Zhao Ke Xin dared to be willful, and she didn’t.
Not only did she not dare—she had to restrain her, persuade her, and swallow everything she wanted for herself.
No one knew how much she envied her junior sister. A good family background. A good master’s protection. Everything. Her greatest hardship might simply be that An Ru Xu no longer liked her.