Apologizing, for Chen Ye, is not difficult.

Not only to his students, but even to outsiders, he can lower himself.

Since that's the case, there's even less reason to be cold and put on airs with those close to him.

In this month of seclusion, his heart and mind are clear, gradually breaking through the barriers.

The withering and flourishing of plants follow the laws of nature.

Humans should be the same.

Qing Jun's unruliness is the nature of a child, and Lin Jin's gloominess is the persistence of survival.

And Zhiwei's attachment is like the vines yearning for the morning sun.

Forcefully pruning will only harm its root; only by following its nature and guiding it can it achieve the path of endless life.

His ten lashes of the Bone-Scraping Whip did not break the desire to explore, but rather the disciple's yearning for the master.

"This time… I was indeed too impatient."

Chen Ye sighed.

Perhaps it was the anxiety over the hidden dangers of the demon cultivators, or maybe the unease when the secrets were touched… In short, in handling Zhiwei's matter, he was too eager, and his methods too aggressive.

"Actually… actually, Qing Jun doesn't dislike Master, Master shouldn't blame yourself…"

Qing Jun, hearing the master's sigh, quickly tugged at his sleeve, whispering,

"Moreover… Qing Jun knows, even Shijie was wrong in this matter. Actually, Qing Jun doesn't like being watched either."

Hmm?

From what this little girl said, she seemed to know the whole story.

So Zhiwei was not eavesdropping alone; she was with Qing Jun.

Chen Ye looked suspiciously: "How do you know your Shijie made a mistake?"

The little girl was shocked: "Master, don't talk nonsense, Qing Jun never eavesdropped on Master!"

Saying this, she quickly hid her hands, afraid that Master would hit her too.

She was really afraid of pain!

"Silly girl, confessed without being pressed." Chen Ye couldn't help but chuckle and tapped Qing Jun's head lightly.

But after what happened, he wasn't in the mood to argue much with the little girl, so he coldly said,

"Considering your Shijie is the main culprit, I'll spare you this time. I'll deal with you another day."

"What! Master still wants to deal with Qing Jun? Master's so petty…"

The little girl got even more scared; what Master said sounded like he wanted her life…

But Qing Jun, she wasn't just going to take it quietly!

The little girl's eyes rolled, sighing like a little adult,

"Alright, alright, since Master wants to torment the disciple, then I'll yield to you, won't I? Go find Shijie quickly!"

"Uh…"

Chen Ye had nothing to say to this.

Qing Jun seemed to give in but was actually advancing by retreating.

She said he wanted to torment her!! Clearly, it was just a simple scolding…

And with the little girl bringing up Shijie as a shield, Chen Ye really had no way to trouble her now:

"Hmph, Xu Qingjun, you've gotten smarter. Forget it, I won't bother with you anymore."

Since there was no way to handle the little girl, Chen Ye simply sped up and arrived at Zhiwei's place.

A month of seclusion, heart and mind are clear, many barriers gradually breaking, but only by opening this door, truly facing the girl he punished, could he verify whether that vague realization in his heart was true.

Qing Jun watched his departing figure, slowly squatted on the ground, doodling with her small hands.

Muttering: "Silly Master, does he really think Qing Jun is a fool…"

Oh well, since Master looks so depressed, she reluctantly played the fool to cheer up Master.

Really couldn't handle Master.

Such a grown man, yet needs a little girl to cheer him up!!

...

The door opened.

There was no anticipated wary or delighted gaze from the girl.

Dim light seeped through the window lattice, faintly revealing the dim scene inside.

In the corner, the girl with ink-black hair sat cross-legged, calmly practicing cultivation.

As usual?

No.

She was no longer in neat clothes but draped in a wrinkled white inner robe. Her usually well-groomed black hair was disheveled over her shoulders and face.

In the dark corner, like an abandoned young beast, or a white flower crushed violently by its own hand, thoroughly shattered.

"Cough…"

Chen Ye's cough disturbed the silence.

"Master."

Zhiwei abruptly raised her head, under the chaotic black hair like crow's feathers, a breathtakingly beautiful small face appeared.

Even with pale lips and dark circles under her eyes, it couldn't hide her finely chiseled beauty.

The naturally upturned curve at the end of her eyes should have been cold and proud, yet now it seemed fragile and breakable due to the water mist held in her long lashes.

She staggered to her feet, mechanically saluting: "Disciple greets Master, congratulations on the successful breakthrough…"

"…"

Chen Ye couldn't help but fall silent.

What was going on here?!

Surprise, heartache, frustration, regret…

He never expected this scene.

The Bone-Scraping Whip, for Zhiwei with her Purity Glaze Body, was not painful or itchy.

But why was Zhiwei so haggard?

Unknowingly, Chen Ye's voice became hoarse:

"Zhiwei, I shouldn't have hit you, let alone… said those words about expelling you from the sect."

"Master… Master, what are you saying."

"I, as your Master, apologize to you."

"Apologize?"

"…Yes."

"What mistake has Master made?"

"I…"

"What mistake has Master made!"

Her tone suddenly raised.

Zhiwei's pitch-black pupils fixed on Chen Ye's face, swirling inside not with resentment, but with the devotion that Chen Ye least wanted to see,

"The disciple deserves a thousand deaths! The disciple's thoughts were filthy, daring to spy on the Master's whereabouts, defying Master's teachings! The Master's whipping was to cleanse the disciple of filth! The Master's words about expelling from the sect… were more so, more so a warning for the disciple to never transgress through the ages!"

Her words were jumbled and her logic twisted, but every word was laced with absolute faith in her Master.

The intense emotions made her already weak body sway, almost unable to stand.

Instead of yielding, she straightened her fragile spine and slammed her knees hard onto the cold ground:

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