The Art of Subduing Dragons

Chapter 34

Ruan Li was filled with confusion at this moment. She had been at Tian Yan Sect for almost two years, and aside from Su Yu, the person she had the most contact with was Luo Qingci.

In Ruan Li's mind, Luo Qingci was a cold, ruthless, and harsh person. It was said that she cultivated the "Heartless Path" and had lost much of her humanity, becoming nothing more than a heartless killing machine. Such a person was naturally suited to follow the Heartless Path.

These impressions came partly from rumors, partly from what her uncle had told her, but mostly from what she had "seen" with her own eyes and personally experienced.

Now that she was at Tian Yan Sect herself, she thought everything would proceed as expected. But the Luo Qingci in front of her, aside from her face and the cold aura that surrounded her, was completely different from what she had anticipated.

The hardships and pain she thought she would endure seemed to have arrived, yet also seemed not to have come.

Reflecting on everything that had happened over the years, combined with Luo Qingci's subtle actions and expressions, the truth that emerged left her feeling completely overturned.

"Are you dreaming again?"

As Ruan Li was lost in thought, that voice, which had been troubling her, appeared once more. At the same time, her left eye burned, causing discomfort.

"Have you forgotten everything you've seen? Have you forgotten how your father died? And now, you're wasting time and energy thinking about what kind of person your enemy is. You're truly hopeless."

"I've always known, but if it weren't for those nightmares, I wouldn't be so conflicted." Ruan Li gritted her teeth, resisting the voice.

"You'd better not. Just one Chi Qing makes you lose your mind, so I feel you still haven't awakened." The other voice sneered before finally disappearing.

Ruan Li closed her eyes, only opening them again after a long time. Though she loathed it, what it said wasn't wrong.

But ever since doubts arose in her mind, everything seemed to confirm them.

Luo Qingci had no idea that her little disciple had spent countless nights tossing and turning, wondering why she had become like this.

Instead, she was doing her best to ensure Ruan Li reached the level she should.

Soon, Ruan Li had no time to think about Luo Qingci's oddities anymore, because now, every time she saw Luo Qingci, her heart would tremble with fear.

Every day, after morning classes, she would return to Ze Courtyard, crouch under the waterfall, and then spar with Luo Qingci.

It was called sparring, but it was more like one-sided abuse. She couldn't even touch Luo Qingci's hem and was repeatedly thrown to the ground.

At first, it was fists and palms, then bamboo whips, legs, and feet—she became a living punching bag.

Not only Ruan Li but Su Yu also joined in this "honor." This continued for an entire year, and soon, no one in the entire Tian Yan Sect dared step foot into Ze Courtyard.

People started saying that Lord Huaizhu, unable to restore her cultivation level and stuck at a bottleneck with the Heartless Sword Technique, had become somewhat unstable and now sought pleasure in abusing her disciples daily. If this continued, she might even kill her disciples to prove her Dao.

"Tsk, did you get beaten by your master again?" In Xun Courtyard, Jiang Yuebai, who was bent over carefully sorting spiritual herbs, glanced at Ruan Li, who was limping with a bruised eye socket, and couldn't help but laugh.