Chapter 135 – House Arrest

  Jun De’s punishment for striking Zhang Yuehai was announced two days after their return to the Tranquil Mountain Sect.

  The Sect Master had been unavailable, so it had been left to a small council of Inner Sect Elders. Most were too busy for such a minor matter and had looked at Jun De with understanding.

  Word had spread throughout the Inner Sect that Jun De had broken through to the 9th Level of Qi Condensation and had struck Zhang Yuehai after the battle had concluded. Every re-telling made sure to add the fact that Jun De had flattened him with a single punch before anyone could intervene.

  The Zhang Clan had been furious, and they had demanded that Jun De be expelled from the Sect, although no one took their demands seriously. Someone as talented as Jun De would never be harshly punished, especially not with expulsion.

  That would just be a temptation for a multitude of other Sects to try and snatch him up.

  Shen Ruolan’s testimony, combined with her status as the Granddaughter of City Lord Han, had made the Zhang Clan soften their tone.

  When the judgment came, Elder Wen Hailin of the Alchemy Hall spoke for the council, who were already rushing away to continue their duties. A minor matter like this was a nuisance in their opinion.

  “Jun De, for striking a fellow disciple, you are confined to your residence for one month. You are not to leave your courtyard, nor are you to receive any visitors. Take this time to meditate and reflect on your actions.”

  Elder Wen Hailin paused for a moment, looking around to see that he was the only Elder remaining in the room, and let out a sigh.

  “You are behind on your study of herbs. Vice Sect Master Mu informed me of your studious nature, and I expect you to dedicate more time to self-learning.”

  Overall, it was a light sentence, even for a protected prodigy. Jun De bowed to the Elder and promised him that he would study diligently.

  Jun De was accustomed to spending days, even weeks, alone in his residence. Before his routine was interrupted by Shen Weifeng’s harsh training, Jun De would wake up late each morning, drink tea and stare at the clouds, before doing a small bit of cultivating and napping.

  Even when Jun De had been on Earth, his days were spent in his room, consumed with his studies.

  So, Jun De’s punishment turned into a quiet, relentless focus on studying herbs or engaging in learning activities that he had neglected.

  Every day, he would review all the books, scrolls and tomes that the Alchemy Hall had given him. He would brew tea and read or cultivate quietly in his room. He would practice his sword art, or the Stonebreaking Fist, training and refining his body.

  Even without his punishment, there was little reason for Jun De to leave his residence. Lin Yue was recovering under the care of the Sect Healers. Mu Yanyu, though conscious, was still too weak to leave her Jade Lotus Peak. Her cultivation would take years to fully recover.

  Shen Ruolan, meanwhile, had departed to assist her parents in managing Yunlai City as her grandfather needed time to recover as well after his battle against Xun Beiming.

  Even Shen Weifeng, his one constant presence in his life over the past year, was occupied with his own healing. The older man had nearly lost an arm and had extensive internal injuries.

  Before they had landed back on the Tranquil Mountain, Shen Weifeng had told him that things were likely to be quiet for a while in the Sect.

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  “We’ve lost many, but the Tranquil Mountain Sect will rise stronger than ever. Steel is tempered through fire, and so too are cultivators. Lin Yue and Mu Yanyu will heal, their foundations will recover, and I have no doubt they will benefit from the experience.” Shen Weifeng had said.

  Now, Jun De was alone and, strangely, bored. He had grown accustomed to Shen Weifeng pushing him to train every day, to exceed his limits.

  “Thirty days.” Jun De muttered, flicking a rock from the grass beside his chair into the pond. The fish, startled by the sudden intrusion, fled in every direction.

  The days stretched into one another, and Jun De returned to his old, familiar pastimes from his time on Earth. He ground black and red ink, pulled out a sheet of rice paper and a brush that he found in his storage bag, which he used for calligraphy, and began to paint.

  His brush would trace familiar landscapes across the paper, the peak of Tranquil Mountain, the still waters of the pond beneath Mu Yanyu’s pavilion on the Jade Lotus Peak, even the restaurant he enjoyed in Tranquil City.

  Each of his brushstrokes was precise and accurate, unlike the sword-cut slashes that Mu Yanyu had used when he had observed her painting technique.

  The act of painting took him back to Earth, where he had spent countless hours practicing various methods of painting in order to impress his parents. They had wanted him to get into the best school, and they were convinced that having extracurricular activities in Art, Music, and Poetry would get his application a boost.

  ‘I guess they were right.’ Jun De thought.

  Jun De couldn’t remember their names, but he could vaguely recall their faces. After painting the Tranquil Mountain, with its sharp ridges and peaks, he had tried to paint his parents but failed. The image in his mind was too murky, and the painting turned into a mess.

  So, instead, he painted the people who were important to him in his new life.

  Mu Yanyu came first. He painted her standing in her pavilion with her hands behind her back, her blue robes flowing in the wind. Her eyes were looking at the mountain peak in the distance, and Jun De made sure there was a hint of a smile on her face.

  Next came Lin Yue.

  Her painting had her sitting cross-legged beneath a tree while it rained outside. He made her painting more sombre, a way of acknowledging that he had almost lost her and how broken he would be if it had happened.

  Still, the Lin Yue in his painting was looking at him with a radiant smile on her face as she tucked a stray hair behind her ear.

  Finally, Shen Ruolan was depicted as he remembered her during the battle. She was fierce, with her robes billowing around her and her blue-black hair flowing down her back. Three flying swords were following her command, and she seemed to be almost dancing in her painting.

  The end of Jun De’s time in confinement found him sitting at a table filled with books and scrolls depicting herbs. His lips moved soundlessly as he read, and he would occasionally stop to backtrack and read a section again.

  When the array around his residence flickered and went out, Jun De didn’t notice until someone’s voice broke the silence.

  “It seems a month in confinement has turned you into an Alchemist. Elder Wen Hailin will be pleased.” Shen Weifeng said, stepping through the gate with a smile.

  Jun De looked up and was startled at his appearance. Shen Weifeng wore his usual robes, but his right arm was still bound tightly in a sling, and he moved more slowly than he had in the past.

  “You shouldn’t be out while you are still in recovery.” Jun De cautioned, but Shen Weifeng waved his concern away.

  “If I stayed idle any longer, I would start growing moss.” Shen Weifeng’s eyes swept over the courtyard, taking in the paintings, scrolls, books and potted herbs that were scattered around.

  “So, this is how you have spent your punishment. I can see now why you were unconcerned; this is no punishment for you at all.”

  Jun De smiled and shook his head. He stood up from the table and stretched, realizing that he had been sitting for far too long.

  “At first, I thought I would enjoy the quiet and the time to relax. But I found myself growing restless.”

  Shen Weifeng gave a knowing nod.

  “You have had a taste of a broader world. It’s hard to go back to peace when you have experienced war.” Shen Weifeng paused before a smile appeared on his face.

  “Still, I didn’t expect you to be studying alchemy so earnestly. Perhaps you are missing training with me? If you are, we can resume whenever you like. The wager with the Zhang Clan may be delayed along with the Inner Sect Ranking Competition, but your time will be well spent.”

  Jun De’s eyes opened wide, and he vigorously shook his head while placing all of the books and herbs in his storage pouch.

  “That’s not necessary! I’ve been training enough on my own, you don’t have to worry. But I should go to the Alchemy Hall and return these materials. Elder Wen Hailin told me to stop there as soon as my confinement was up.” Jun De said hurriedly, practically running out of his courtyard.

  “And I need to go see Lin Yue and Mu Yanyu!”

  Shen Weifeng laughed and followed him out.