''Immortal Master Yun Xi!''
She nodded at them and drew closer to where they all stood, feeling both the free and bound refinement energies of the place.
Immortal Master Chang Yi approached her. ''What are you doing here? It is not your turn to tutor them yet.''
Yun Xi smiled, remembering how jumpy immortal master Chang Yi could sometimes be.
''Relax, Immortal Master Chang Yi. I am not here to challenge your authority, but I was sent here by one of the Dragon Kings to assess the progress and achievements of our children.'' she turned toward them and smiled again, noting how injured and discouraged they appeared. ''I can see that the training down here is quite dangerous and tough.''
''It is none of your business. I will report their progress and achievements to the Dragon Kings myself.''
Yun Xi stared at Immortal Master Chang Yi with amusement.
''No need, it's a royal command and we dare not disobey.'' Yun Xi fired back, and Immortal Master Chang Yi's glare couldn't have been less fiery.
''Since you are so obedient, please do add in your report that the student you shelter, provide for, and give private training to has ignored all her training for the past one month now,'' he lied. ''The truth of my words is proven by her absence today.''
Xueyao landed softly on the dry grounds of Memory Loss River and paused at the words of Immortal Master Chang Yi. Her eyes also widened at the state of her mates and at the presence of her private master.
Master Yun Xi's gaze widened in shock before she turned to see if she could find her disciple among the injured students of today's training, but she couldn't.
''Xueyao?'' she asked in disbelief. Immortal Master Chang Yi smirked and stepped closer.
''She has been a difficult student ever since I started training them five decades ago. In all these years, Xueyao has only attended one or a few of her morning training sessions and is lacking in all areas of my training. She can't even manipulate the basic primordial elements well and has been my biggest shame. And I wouldn't be wrong if I said the shame of the entire immortal realm.''
The trio all smirked at this as Xueyao's heart broke to hear her own teacher thinking she was his biggest shame.
''That's not true.'' her dear master came to her defense as usual. ''Xueyao is not my shame but my purest joy. I will not accept you downgrading my disciple like this.''
Master Chang Yi cocked an amused eyebrow at the young female red dragon before laughing.
''Joy, you said? If that brat who doesn't even deserve to be reincarnated as an immortal and is too weak to lift even a finger is your joy, then I must say that you are an unlucky one, Immortal Master Yun Xi. ''
Xueyao dragged her feet back. The only reason she had come here was because she was searching for her precious Sheng Chong and thought he might be wondering here. Sometimes Sheng Chong would come here in search of her, only to get lost or bullied by a few of her mates, since he was her only friend. She always ended up being reunited with him before heading back home. Those times always gave her more joy than she could describe.
''Watch what you say to me, Immortal Master Chang Yi. If this is really how you treat your students down here, being their very source of discouragement rather than motivation to become better dragons, I will bring it before the Dragon Kings and have you suspended as their Master.''
A few Blue dragons secretly rejoiced at the sound of that, and all Master Chang Yi could do was laugh.
''You think I will plead with you to continue being their Master?''
Xueyao turned and left quickly, unaware that the trio had already seen her flying away like the little blue coward they always called her. They stealthily stepped back and followed after her.
''I would rather be locked up forever in Heaven's Grave than be sentenced to being their Master for another day,'' he said and walked away.
All Master Yun Xi could do was stare down in disappointment. Only the stars could testify to the horrors her dearest disciple must be going through, coming down here for her training under the cruel hands of Master Chang Yi.
*
''Sheng Chong!''
The girl called out loudly, her voice echoing as she stood worriedly on a pillar of cloud. Tears welled up in her eyes. It had never taken this long and been this hard to be reunited with her dearest companion.
''Sheng…Chong!'' She called again, louder, her innocent voice breaking in pain. All she wanted to do was bend down on her knees and sob her eyes out on until she found her friend.
''You can never find your dear tapeworm of a friend here, Xueyao.''
Xueyao stepped back when three powerful rays of blue lights hit the nearest pillar of cloud before her, revealing her three biggest nightmares in this immortal realm.
Lan Zixuan.
Lan Yuitan.
And the fiercest of the three, Lan Meiyun.
They posed before her with wicked and knowing grins. Xueyao stared at each of their sinister faces, wondering what they meant.
Lan Meiyun stepped forward, her dark blue immortal dress and hair blowing in the wind as her eyes fixed on the heartbroken girl who looked so small, weak and fragile. She appeared very simple and easy to bully.
''By now…and if I am not mistaken, your dearest tapeworm might have been smoked and fried to death.''
Xueyao gasped, stepping forward in horror as her heart and mind raced together to understand what they meant.
''What…are…you saying…Lan Meiyun? What did you do to Sheng Chong?!''
Lan Meiyun looked down to shake her head in repulsion before staring back at the girl. ''It's even more disgusting when you dared to give it a name, Xueyao.''
''Sheng Chong.''
She was this close to not being able to keep it together as she stared at each of their vile, smug faces at her.
''Where is he?''
Lan Meiyun chuckled in dark amusement as she tried to figure out how to tell her the present situation of the unfortunate thing.
''Xueyao, Xueyao, Xueyao. You really do not know how to discipline that parasitic friend of yours. He came to Lan Zixuan's quarters over the night to stir up a few troubles. So, we captured it and had it taken to the Undying Realm as punishment.''