Punishment

Xia Tao

"How are things going? Is everything ready?" I asked, gazing at the array laid out before us.

"Yes, Master. We can proceed" Mei replied, meeting my gaze.

"Alright, let's crack this thing open" I said, stepping back from the array.

"As you wish, Master" Mei said. She took out a faceted crystal and placed it in a specific spot, then covered it with wooden plaques inscribed with runes, effectively concealing the crystal.

I expected some sounds or visual effects, but nothing happened.

"So, when do we start?" I asked, perplexed, looking around.

"We're already done, Master" Mei said. With a wave of her hand, she summoned the crystal that held the information.

The crystal floated towards her, and at that moment, some of the plaques disintegrated into dust while others cracked loudly.

"Hmm, the quality of the wood available to us isn't sufficient for repeated use in such powerful arrays" Mei remarked.

She took the crystal, concentrating for a moment before bursting into laughter that echoed through the room.

"Hahaha, Master, who would have thought? I believe this thing will be very useful to us!" she said, tossing the crystal to me.

Catching it, I looked at it puzzled, then back at her with a questioning gaze.

"And how am I supposed to understand what's in it?" I asked.

"Sorry, Master, I got a little overexcited" Mei said. She stepped closer and touched her finger to my forehead.

"May I?" she asked.

"Of course" I replied, lowering the mental barrier slightly to allow the flow of information on how to use such objects.

Within moments, I understood what needed to be done. I channeled my spiritual energy into the crystal, and its contents became clear.

"Divine Dual Cultivation Technique."

"Hahaha, now I understand why my dear Mei was so excited" I said, embracing her. "This will indeed be extremely useful for us."

While I pondered the implications, Mei spoke again.

"Master, come with me. I have something to show you" she said with a mysterious smile, leading me deeper into the cave.

One of the Guards at the Entrance

Mmm, that was a sweet nap, I thought as I opened my eyes. I don't understand why we're assigned to guard this place. There's nothing here, so what's the point? At least I can get some rest.

Looking around, I saw Li Wei still meditating. Feeling bored, I took out the book we were tasked with studying and began to read it.

Some time passed, and it felt like it was already evening. Strange, where is our shift replacement? I started looking around out of boredom and only then noticed that the door we were guarding was gone.

"What???" I stared in horror at the remnants of the door. What happened? I nudged the one who was meditating.

"Leave me alone, I'm on the verge of a breakthrough!"

I kicked him harder, sending him flying a couple of meters. He got up and glared at me with a pair of annoyed eyes.

"Fuck you and your meditation! What happened here?" I said, pointing at the missing door and the almost torn-off hinges.

We exchanged glances and quickly moved inside. Everything was wrecked, with shards scattered everywhere, disfigured corpses, and body parts strewn around. My companion and I walked in horror, taking in the collapsed passages and dead ends.

"The mansion, we need to get there immediately. If this happened here, who knows what's going on there."

We rushed to the exit, but to our dismay, it was blocked.

"We're trapped. We need to get to the mansion" I said urgently. "We have to clear the way out."

Without wasting any time, we began digging and moving the rocks to clear a path and escape.

Random Disciple Who Swore a Dao Oath to the Clan

Lin Qing gathered us all in a small valley where we sometimes trained and forced us to kneel with a stick placed under our knees. We were all puzzled until she began to speak.

"Those who were on duty inside the fortress today left it unguarded. One of them was asleep, and the other was in deep meditation. As a result, the reason they were stationed there was neglected" she said, her voice cold and unforgiving.

"As punishment, you will remain in this position until they manage to dig themselves out. The one who assigned them to this post will be punished twice as much."

"You are forbidden to eat, drink, move, speak, or meditate."

"The only thing you are allowed to do is watch as your comrades dig their way out. If I'm correct, it will take them about two days. You can thank them for your interesting time afterward" she continued.

With a wave of her hand, an image appeared before us, showing those two idiots running around the broken fortress model in a panic, horrified at what had happened, and beginning to dig their way out.

"This will teach them not to abandon their post and to take their duties seriously. Remember, while nothing happened this time because the fortress is still empty, the fact that they neglected their assigned task requires punishment" she said sternly.

"The next time someone thinks they can nap, get distracted, or attend to personal matters, keep in mind that the punishment will be even more severe! Believe me, I have a very vivid imagination" she added with a predatory smile.

"We have a nearly perfect environment here for growth and life in the sect, but if you are assigned a task, you must perform it to the best of your ability. If there are any violations of this kind, I will bring hell not just upon you but upon all your comrades as well" she concluded, casting a piercing glance over us before nodding and disappearing.

We all watched in silence, seething with resentment towards the two scoundrels responsible for our predicament.

As the minutes turned into hours, the discomfort from the stick beneath my knees grew unbearable. My legs ached, and my back throbbed, but I dared not move or make a sound. The image of our comrades frantically digging was a constant reminder of why we were here, and the grim reality of Lin Qing's punishment set in.

I stole glances at my fellow disciples, seeing the same mix of pain and determination etched on their faces. We were united in our suffering, bound by our oath and the harsh lesson we were learning. Lin Qing's words echoed in my mind, a stern reminder of the discipline and vigilance required in our duties.