Since Fang Hai and Fu Jia, being top disciples of the sect, were sent off for a few days to help conduct the recruitment process in Jin He City with their Shizun, it was Qiu Yunru and Lei Ruolan who were left in charge of practices. Naturally, Lei Ruolan ran the martial practices, and Qiu Yunru led the meditative cultivation practices.
Everyone was miserable at this arrangement.
Although their Qiu-shixiong wasn't bad as a teacher and was actually quite kind, their Lei-shijie was merciless. She scheduled two martial practices a day, working them to the bone and sparring each disciple personally until they begged for mercy.
What's more, Qiu-shixiong was a pushover! He didn't dare to step on Lei Ruolan's toes and tell her to take it easy on them. A tyrant and an adviser with a lowered head--there was no one to save them!
On the third day of leading trainings, Qiu Yunru had stepped up and volunteered to allow Lei Ruolan to demonstrate sword techniques on him. Even though he didn't dare tell Lei Ruolan to stop, he couldn't stand back and watch her beat these kids half to death any longer. Even if he dreaded her sword, he had to at least suck it up and step in to give them a break!
Of course, this resulted in every muscle in his body being beaten to a pulp. Let, right, up, down, Lei Ruolan struck from all sides. The disciples of Li Hua Mountain watched as their Qiu-shixiong waved his sword helplessly, crumpling to the ground with a mild look of pain on his face.
If only they knew how much effort was going into not sobbing and curling up into the fetal position!
At the end of the day, Qiu Yunru's body was still aching, his knees crying out in pain with each step he took. After eating some dinner with Pan Fa and a begrudging Lei Ruolan, he went out to the hot springs.
Though he could surely cook up some alchemical recipe to reduce his pain, this was a much more comfortable option. Li Hua Mountain's hot springs were known far and wide for their healing properties.
It was said that, if one was lashed forty times on the back and then bathed in these springs, not even one lash mark would continue to burn!
There was a separated area at the hot springs for male and female disciples. Though there might have been a harassment problem at another sect, there rarely was one here.
The Jade Clouds Sect had a strict code of conduct regarding peeking at naked disciples from the other side; if you were caught once, you would be cast out of the sect in disgrace, and your name would be added to a list of unbecoming candidates for any of the nine great sects of Baohu Mountain Range.
Who would risk peeping at a girl, no matter how pretty, if their entire future was on the line? Only someone with no concept of consequences!
Thus, instances like that were rare on the mountain, and everyone could bathe in peace.
Tonight, the hot springs were busy and filled with groaning disciples pouring steaming water over bruises and sprains with tears in their eyes.
Qiu Yunru went to a secluded area of the spring by the edge of the sect grounds. The water here was shadowed by a canopy of plum blossom trees, which were budding and blooming in the early spring air. It was a little closed off from the rest of the springs.
Truly, it was an ideal spot at the spring, but no one had dared to bathe there for a long time. Since it was Qiu Yunru's spot and his shidi all admired him somewhat, who would dare to accidentally take his spot? It wasn't as though he'd made a claim to it, but it was like sitting at someone's seat in the dining hall. What an awkward thing to do!
Qiu Yunru folded his clothes on the bank and slipped into the steaming water up to his shoulders.
Immediately, the heat seeped through his skin and into his muscles, causing his body to relax and grow soft. He laid his head back against a stone and watched a few plum blossom petals flutter overheard against the dark sky, feeling pleasantly contented. The water lapped at him, gently healing his bruises.
If he could bring one thing from this world to his past life, it would be a hot spring like this.
It was truly god-tier. If only there had been one like this in the real world, his migraines would have evaporated all at once!
A few voices rose up at in the other sections of the hot spring. Qiu Yunru caught Fang Hai's stern voice:
"Going to bring in the new disciples...Behave yourselves..."
Oh? Had Shizun and the new recruits returned? It was true that tonight was the night they were supposed to--Qiu Yunru had just been so battered and bruised that he'd forgotten. Fang Hai must be giving them a tour and showing them the hot springs.
He wondered whether there would be any among them that triggered a quest. It had been a while since he had had a random quest event triggered by an NPC, besides the occasional quest to hunt down a chicken for Cai Mingzhu in the kitchens.
He thought for a moment about whether he should hurry and get his robes on to greet the disciples, but decided against it.
He was in a bad state, after all. Any disciples who where touring this area with Fang Hai would be male disciples, as Fu Jia would have taken female disciples to the other side of the springs. Thus, there wasn't a need for him to cover up. Better to just greet them politely now, then introduce himself to them properly later, when he wasn't in such a painful state.
"...famous healing qualities. The Plum Blossom Cove is here--it's a good, secluded spot..."
Fang Hai appeared suddenly, trailing one disciple behind him.
"Ah!" Fang Hai stopped, nodding his head. "Sorry to intrude, Qiu-shidi. This is our new shidi."
The person standing behind Fang Hai was shadowed in the dim nighttime lighting. He was rather tall, and couldn't be too far from Qiu Yunru's own age.
This was surprising--it was rare for anyone to join a cultivation sect after the age of sixteen, as it was widely known that it would be almost impossible to create an exceptional foundation after that point. This person had to be at least seventeen!
Qiu Yunru nodded, smiling apologetically.
"This shixiong is sorry and will make sure to greet you properly later. I'm a bit injured at the moment."
Fang Hai turned to the boy behind him, puzzled. "Why are you standing behind me? Aren't you going to introduce yourself?"
The boy stepped out from behind Fang Hai.
Something seemed to be wrong with his legs. He tripped over his own feet as he tried to move forward, and fell face-first into the spring!
Qiu Yunru swam forwards to try and help him up, but before he could, that kid burst up from the water, splashing him and dripping and steaming. Despite the panic on his red face, his voice was sharp. Though, there was a slight tremble to it.
"This shidi apologizes. This shidi is nervous to be at such a prestigious sect."
Qiu Yunru stared at this kid's pale face, dripping ink-black hair, and elegant features. His outstretched hand faltered.
At that moment, a blue quest marker popped up over this person's head.
REQUIRED LEVEL: Oversee Li Chenyuan's training to Golden Core Stage! Reward: Golden Core Stage Achievement. Good luck!
This kid...
He was none other than that face that refused to leave Qiu Yunru alone--Li Chenyuan!