"She… is being punished for helping me?"

Yun Hao's eyes traveled across the room as his mind started to wander. He knew that Song Jian liked him, but he didn't know that it was to this extent. For her to give Yun Hao a pill enough to be considered a Clan Treasure… Yun Hao didn't even imagine someone would do that for him. At least not his ex, Zhang Angela. He had always been the one giving her something, even though he didn't have anything.

Yun Hao truly had no idea how expensive the pill was but considering it was enough to heal him with the massive injuries he accumulated, it was probably worth--

"Wait, how long has it been since I lost consciousness!?" Yun Hao then stopped his thoughts as he grabbed Huang Yi's shoulders and looked her straight in the eyes.

"Relax," Huang Yi could only let out a sigh, "You've only been out for like… give or take 5 hours. You're in the Academy's clinic. You should rest and not waste the medicine that Song Jian gave you."

"Where does she live then?" Yun Hao breathed out, "I need to--"

"Trust me. You do not want to get involved in the Song's family matters," Huang Yi's eyes turned serious as she urged Yun Hao to get back in bed and rest, "Especially if it is you."

"...What?"

"You declined the offer to join their family… twice, I am pretty sure her family didn't like that," Huang Yi then let out a long and deep sigh as she sat on the bed, "In fact, she's probably even more in trouble because she gave it to you, of all people."

"Take me there."

The tone of Yun Hao's voice quickly changed upon hearing Huang Yi's last words. He looked Huang Yi straight in the eyes, not even faltering one bit.

Huang Yi could not help but slightly shiver from Yun Hao's gaze as she fanned herself with her hand, "You're pretty intense, has anyone ever told you that?"

"If you're going to penetrate--"

"I know, I know," Huang Yi then rolled her eyes as she pushed herself off the bed, "Way to kill the mood. Let's go then," she then said as she threw a set of keys at Yun Hao, telling him she would be the one sitting on the back again.

Yun Hao nodded his head as he caught the keys and followed Huang Yi out of the clinic, "Thank you, Huang Yi."

"We better hurry--"

Huang Yi was not able to finish her words, because as soon as she opened the door, 3 people suddenly stumbled their way inside the clinic.

"...You?"

"Ah, Lady Yi. H… hello!"

One of the students that were obviously eavesdropping on Yun Hao and Huang Yi's conversation was Sun Fang. Huang Yi then turned her head towards the other two, but she could not recognize them.

"S… sorry for eavesdropping!" The only female of the three quickly got up and bowed towards Yun Hao. Yun Hao had to think for a second before he could finally recognize who it was-- Jia Ning, one of the people that passed the Immersion along with him and Sun Fang. And the last one of the three was her brother, whose name Yun Hao has completely forgotten.

"We heard the commotion so we came here to check on you, but Sun Fang said that you were currently getting all hot and giddy with someone. I don't know what it means, but it seems important!" Jia Ning once again bowed her head to apologize. Her brother also did the same but kept quiet instead.

"The two of you are also enrolled here?" Yun Hao could not help but ask.

"Our… mother is a teacher here," Jia Ning meekly replied.

"Ah, are the two of you Instructor Jia's children!?" Huang Yi snapped her fingers as she examined the two.

"Yes, senior," the siblings bowed to Huang Yi.

"...But why are you with him?" Huang Yi then pointed towards Sun Fang, "No, scratch that. We'll talk later, let's go, Yun Hao!"

"Alright, smell you guys later," Yun Hao waved his hand as he rushed to follow Huang Yi, who already ran ahead.

"Are you going to enroll here, Yun Hao!?" Jia Ning screamed, but alas, the only answer she got was the echo of her own voice.

"It's alright, sis," her brother let out a sigh as he patted her shoulder, "You can just dm him, you have his number."

***

"Do you still not repent from what you have done!?"

"N-- Kh!"

A sharp snapping sound echoed through the halls, causing the candles that were dancing on the wall to be extinguished, only for them to once again lit up after a few moments. But with another thunderous snap, their dance once again comes to a halt.

This has been repeating for more than an hour, with Song Jian's quiet whimper to accompany the sound of the lashes that were being endlessly whipped on the soles of her feet as she lay face-first on the floor in front of several people.

Her whole body was already trembling from the excruciating pain that was starting to crawl from her feet. The only physical comfort she found was the warmth of the blood oozing from her leg.

"How could you be so stupid, girl!?"

"Kh!"

Once again, she was struck with the very thin but unusually durable stick by an old woman.

"Perhaps this is enough, uncle?" One of the women seated in front of Song Jian averted her eyes as she turned her head towards the old man seated in the center end of the hall, "She's just a child."

"No, continue the lashing," the man said as he waved his hand nonchalantly, "You are being too lenient because she is your daughter, but she gave away a Phoenix Pill. It was supposed to be for her consumption once she undergoes a breakthrough to Grandmaster-rank."

"Well, then you shouldn't have given it to her since--"

"Silence!"

Song Jian's mother could only lean back as the old man, who seemed to be the leader of the family, stomped his foot on the floor, causing a slight crack on the enchanted marbled floor, "This is also a test of character, and your daughter has failed it! It wasn't enough that she gave it away, she gave it to that Normie!"

"Well, technically, he's a cultivator now. So--" Song Jian's mother shut her mouth as she saw the look that the Family Head was giving her.

"And have you seen how she gave it to her!? It was all caught on camera!"

"Yes, that was a bit too bold," Song Jian's mother nodded her head, "But it was a good move, no? The young man would have died if it wasn't for--"

"Silence! She should have just let that ungrateful boy die!"

The other people seated around Song Jian nodded their heads in agreement with the Family Head's words. "I have also warned your daughter that she should avoid and completely cut ties with that boy last year. But instead, she went behind our backs and even tried to investigate the boy's unfortunate accident, almost letting us get on bad terms with the wealthiest family in the country! Do you still want me to go on about your daughter's transgressions!?"

"Uncle, maybe sister is right," one of the men then raised his hand as he tried to calm down the seething Family Head, "Song Jian still is the number 1 prodigy in the family, perhaps we should cut her some slack?"

"Hm… you think so?" The Family Head then stroked his grey beard as he quickly listened to the man that just spoke.

"..." Song Jian's mother could not help but roll her eyes as soon as she saw that.

"Yes, perhaps you are right," the Family Head then stood up from his seat as he gestured to the old woman that was striking Song Jian to stop.

"You may stand, Song Jian," the Family Head breathed out, his words echoing through the halls, "Hopefully, you have learned from your mistakes and stop chasing that fool. You are but a fish in a pond right now, not knowing that there are many more fishes in a lake. Now tell me, do you still insist on meeting with that boy?"

"Y… yes," Song Jian's stuttered breaths whispered through the air as she struggled to stand up.

"You…" The Family Head could not help but pinch the bridge of his nose, "Do you really think he would do the same for you? I am saying this for your own good, but a boy like that will never do anything for you--"

"Family Head!"

"What!?" The Family Head then screamed as his speech was suddenly interrupted by the sound of someone barging inside the hall.

"There's… someone outside wanting to see Lady Song Jian."

"...Who?"

"Lady Huang Yi."

"What? It's only Yiyi, why are you being so dramatic? Let her in."

"As well as a young man n… named Yun Hao. He said to give Lady Song Jian back to him...

...if we don't want any trouble."

"..."