Peril in the Dreamland

Mi Xingzhe tried to grab Yun Qingyi, "Senior Brother, Senior Brother, if you leave, I'm doomed."

But Yun Qingyi whispered to him, "If I don't leave, you'll be even more doomed."

"It seems that Master is really angry this time. You should quickly apologize to Master later. Everything will be fine." Then Yun Qingyi broke free from Mi Xingzhe's grasp, stepped out of the study, and closed the door behind him.

Mi Xingzhe watched his last lifeline leave, feeling at a loss for what to do next. He could only kneel down slowly.

Li Luoning was almost driven mad by this little disciple. He had spared no effort to find herbs for him and tried to heal him. But this guy actually poured all the medicine down the drain. Judging by the color of these flowers, it was not just a matter of a day or two since the medicine had been poured out. He had originally understood his distress on his birthday and allowed him to drink, but he never expected this kid to sneak out the next day and get drunk.

"Master, I... I'm sorry." Mi Xingzhe finally muttered in a low voice.

Li Luoning sighed and walked up to Mi Xingzhe, asking sternly, "How long has it been?"

"I went out in the afternoon," Mi Xingzhe thought Li Luoning was asking how long he had been out.

"I mean, how long has this medicine been poured out?" Li Luoning raised his tone slightly and asked again.

Mi Xingzhe's stuttering habit when lying made it useless for him to find any excuses. He just knelt there nervously, unable to stop fidgeting with his fingers.

Li Luoning placed the ruler in his hand in front of Mi Xingzhe and looked down at him with a stern gaze, indicating that he should do what he was supposed to do.

"Um, Master, I..." Seeing the ruler in Li Luoning's hand, Mi Xingzhe shrank back nervously.

"Give me your hand." Li Luoning's eyes were sharp as he uttered two words gently.

"No... No." Although Mi Xingzhe had been beaten many times before, being punished like a child made him feel like a little kid again, and he couldn't help but refuse.

"Hand, give it to me." Li Luoning repeated slowly.

"I'm not... a child... why... hit... my hand..." Mi Xingzhe wanted to say that he was not a child and why Master had to hit his hand, but he was too nervous to speak clearly.

Li Luoning's stern gaze made Mi Xingzhe's back feel cold, but he really didn't want to stretch out his hand to be beaten, and he didn't know how to defend himself. He stared nervously at the ruler, kneeling in place without any response.

"Hand!" Li Luoning raised his voice slightly, and the ruler in his hand waved in front of Mi Xingzhe.

"I... I don't..." Mi Xingzhe looked at Li Luoning's icy face and almost cried. He weakly resisted, pulling his hand behind his back.

"You think you did nothing wrong?" Li Luoning asked.

"Wrong... wrong." Mi Xingzhe lowered his head and admitted.

"If you know you're wrong, shouldn't you be punished?" 

"Should be punished... but hitting the hand is for... children..." Mi Xingzhe mumbled, reluctant to admit.

"Is stealing wine and pouring medicine not childish behavior?" Li Luoning asked in a low voice, leaving Mi Xingzhe speechless.

"Not to mention your unauthorized pouring of medicine, just the charge of theft alone is enough for me to expel you from the sect." Li Luoning threatened.

"No, no, Master, please don't expel me. I know I was wrong." Hearing that he might be expelled from the sect, Mi Xingzhe panicked and quickly begged for mercy.

"Punishing you is just a minor punishment for a major warning." Li Luoning's tone was calm as he stared at his somewhat panicked disciple.

Mi Xingzhe couldn't hold on any longer and reluctantly stretched out his hand in front of him, slowly opening it and bowing his head.

"Snap." The ruler landed firmly on Mi Xingzhe's left hand palm, and as soon as the ruler withdrew, he felt a burning sensation spreading outward in his palm, causing Mi Xingzhe to retract his hand in pain.

"Ouch." Mi Xingzhe whimpered.

As he raised his head, he met Li Luoning's eyes. The small flame of resentment in his heart was instantly extinguished by the ice-cold expression of the Master.

Knowing that he was in the wrong, Mi Xingzhe's head drooped again, and he slowly rubbed his hands behind his back.

"The other hand." Li Luoning said sternly.

"Master, I was wrong... I can't do it anymore..." Mi Xingzhe murmured, trying to plead for mercy.

For some reason, the ruler that fell from Master's hand seemed to hurt more than any beating Mi Xingzhe had received before. And facing an angry Master, Mi Xingzhe suddenly felt small, pitiful, and a little aggrieved.

"The other... hand!" Completely ignoring Mi Xingzhe's plea, Li Luoning's gaze indicated that he should quickly extend his other hand.

"I..." Mi Xingzhe mumbled something, but seeing that Li Luoning showed no mercy, he closed his eyes and stretched out his other hand.

Just as Li Luoning was about to strike, Mi Xingzhe instinctively withdrew his hand, barely dodging the blow.

Li Luoning's eyes narrowed, and he spoke in a low, icy tone, "If you don't behave, I'll tie you up and beat you."

Mi Xingzhe had no choice but to obediently put his hand back, muttering under his breath, "It really... really hurts."

"Swoosh, snap~" As if with a warning, Li Luoning's ruler struck twice with a slight breeze accompanying it.

"Ah~" Those two strikes really hurt, and Mi Xingzhe almost jumped in place.

"Get up." Li Luoning said calmly.

Mi Xingzhe sprang up from the ground with a swoosh, rubbing his hands behind his back gently.

"These lashes are for your unauthorized pouring of medicine," Li Luoning explained, then walked over to Mi Xingzhe's side, forcefully grabbing his arm. With a swift motion, she raised her hand and fiercely struck behind Mi Xingzhe several times without hesitation.

"Ah~ It hurts! I'm sorry, I'm sorry, Master!" Mi Xingzhe could clearly feel the burning sensation spreading through his back after these severe strikes, almost making him jump up in pain. However, his arm was firmly held by the master, leaving him no escape. He truly experienced the taste of being "beaten like a piece of meat on a chopping board" today.

The blows from Li Luoning's ruler landed precisely in the same spot each time. The final one was especially forceful, causing Mi Xingzhe to lose his balance and sit down on the ground.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, please don't hit me again, Master. I won't dare again in the future," Mi Xingzhe closed his eyes, his voice slightly trembling with a hint of tears. Mi Xingzhe, who had been beaten many times before, was surprisingly fluent in pleading for mercy.

"These lashes are for stealing, getting drunk, and going out without permission," Li Luoning explained calmly.

"Master, I'm sorry, I won't dare again in the future," Mi Xingzhe sat on the ground, looking up at his master with a hint of tears in his eyes.

"If there's a next time, the punishment won't be as simple as a few lashes. Understand?" Li Luoning leaned down, staring at Mi Xingzhe sternly, her voice serious.

"Y-Yes, I understand," Mi Xingzhe responded.

"Copy the heart techniques you practiced today thirty more times and hand them to me at tomorrow's breakfast," Li Luoning said calmly, as if she hadn't just beaten him. Then she walked to the table and sat down.

"T-Thirty more times? My hands are swollen from being beaten by you. How can I copy?" Mi Xingzhe muttered with a hint of grievance, sitting on the ground and rubbing his hands.

"Hmm? Anything else you want to say?" Li Luoning raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at Mi Xingzhe with a somewhat serious expression.

Mi Xingzhe glanced at Li Luoning's expression and instinctively covered his back with both hands.

"I... I haven't... copied the heart techniques. I'll do it now... I'll do it now," Mi Xingzhe said hesitantly.

"Come and sit down if you're okay," Li Luoning glanced at the table beside her and said.

Seeing Li Luoning's attitude, Mi Xingzhe immediately complied, getting up and obediently sitting down behind the desk.

Li Luoning sighed and gently placed the ruler in her hand on the table in front of Mi Xingzhe.

"If there's a next time, you will face severe punishment," Li Luoning stared at Mi Xingzhe with a serious tone.

As Li Luoning turned to leave after speaking, Mi Xingzhe couldn't help making a face at him, but he didn't notice that Li Luoning turned around, and their eyes met.

"Y-Yes, I understand," Mi Xingzhe's mischievous expression was caught by Li Luoning, and he instantly deflated.

"You seem quite spirited. Add another twenty copies," seeing this lively young man, Li Luoning couldn't help but wish she could beat him up right now if his health permitted.

"N-No, no?" Mi Xingzhe looked at Li Luoning's departing figure and shouted in dissatisfaction.

"No what?" Li Luoning raised her eyebrows slightly, asking.

"N-Nothing..." Mi Xingzhe muttered, lowering his head.

Back to the Liao Yin Immortal Realm more than a decade ago,

The Xuanming Star Lord, who was calculating in the room with closed eyes, couldn't help but frown, sweat appearing on his forehead. The crystal in his hand was crushed forcefully, and he suddenly opened his eyes, full of fear.

After confirming the calculation in his hand again, he couldn't help but be surprised, quickly turning around and hurrying to the Upper Qing Hall.

Outside the Upper Qing Hall, the silver-lined cyan contrasted even more noble and elegant under the bright moonlight. The night breeze was refreshing, and the rustling sound left by the night breeze touching the flowers gently passed through the window, carrying a few strands of green smoke.

The immortal SiTu Fanzhi was in the back study of the study, feeling a little drowsy.

The study was filled with smoke, accompanied by the night breeze blowing in from the door, and the gentle breeze gently brushed his heroic face. A few strands of green silk fluttered in the wind, as if gentle fingertips were gently sliding across his sharp face.

At this moment, SiTu Fanzhi, with one hand resting his head, seemed to be dozing off, but his brows were tightly furrowed. Even though the night was chilly, sweat could still be seen on his forehead.

"No, no..." SiTu Fanzhi's head kept swaying, murmuring softly.

In the dream, the young SiTu Fanzhi was still in his prime. His body was alone in a dark boundary, and there were many voices talking from time to time.

"What kind of Liao Yin Immortal Sovereign? He's just a pawn!" A voice in the darkness scolded harshly, followed by an invisible force that overturned SiTu Fanzhi and rolled him far away.

"He has no ability and dares to call himself an immortal sovereign. It's really laughable." Another low voice came from the other side, and then another force pushed the immortal SiTu Fanzhi far away.

"If it weren't for... he wouldn't even get this Immortal Sovereign position." Another voice said coldly.

"With such a small ability, he still wants to control the entire Liao Yin Immortal Realm. It's really overestimating himself. Sooner or later, he'll be replaced by someone else."

As these words kept coming, the young SiTu Fanzhi's face turned pale. He covered his ears desperately, squatting on the ground helplessly, shaking his head desperately, trying to escape from this place.

All around him was endless darkness and constant voices, sometimes accompanied by invisible forces pushing him fiercely.

SiTu Fanzhi wanted to tell them to shut up, but even if he shouted himself hoarse, he couldn't make a sound. All he could do was to run desperately in the darkness.

In the dream, a golden light shot from behind SiTu Fanzhi.

Sensing the hostility, SiTu Fanzhi dodged sideways, and a silver-gray sword passed in front of SiTu Fanzhi, with the blade almost close to his eyes. The word "In the abdication of the Yellow Bell, and the thunderous roar of the Earthenware Pot" was clearly visible on the blade.

"Yellow bell abandonment, earthenware pot thunder." With the sword energy passing across SiTu Fanzhi's cheek, a clear and majestic voice came.

SiTu Fanzhi dodged it with a flick of his body, and when he turned around, he couldn't see the face of the person holding the sword, but he vaguely saw a handsome figure with long hair.

The sword turned, and it pierced directly towards SiTu Fanzhi, the tip of the sword was already within reach...

"No!" SiTu Fanzhi shouted loudly and woke up from his dream, throwing the book in his hand away. His eyes were filled with fear, and his clothes were soaked with cold sweat. His pale lips were panting heavily.

The thrown book happened to hit Xuanming Star Lord, who was walking quickly. Xuanming Star Lord paused for a moment, then picked up the book as if it were nothing.

"Did the Immortal Sovereign dream of that person again?" Xuanming Star Lord asked with concern. It seemed that this was not the first time SiTu Fanzhi had experienced such a situation.

"Yeah, this time it felt much more real than before. Teacher suddenly visited. Is something the matter?" SiTu Fanzhi rolled up his sleeves, wiped the sweat from his forehead gently, and asked as he adjusted his posture.

"I just divined an omen that may be related to the future changes in the immortal realm, so I came to report it." Xuanming Star Lord handed over a green embroidered scroll, his voice tinged with a hint of worry.

SiTu Fanzhi stood up and approached, taking the scroll with one hand and slowly unfolding it. His pupils couldn't help but shrink.