The master is inhuman; he beat up his senior brother, destroyed the sect, and then left.

Chapter 14 Getting Beaten Up, Being Punished, Planting Vegetables, Chopping Wood

The next day, before dawn and before the roosters crowed, Han Yi was sleeping soundly like a dead pig when Xuan Kongzi dragged him out of bed like a chick.

He opened his eyes groggily, and before he could figure out what was going on, Xuan Kongzi took him deep into a volcano.

The lava here was like a boiling hellish soup, bubbling and churning, with waves of heat rolling in, making Han Yi's skin sting as if a million needles were pricking it.

He had just been thrown down and hadn't even gotten his footing when the heatwave made him stumble, almost causing him to fall headfirst into the lava, which would have made him a roast suckling pig.

"Train hard here. If you can't take it anymore, call me." Xuan Kongzi's cold voice came from high above. After speaking, he disappeared like a ghost, leaving Han Yi alone in this godforsaken place.

Han Yi looked around and groaned inwardly: This hellish place, it would be a miracle to survive even a second. The moment Xuan Kongzi left, he yelled that he couldn't take it anymore, but the latter completely ignored him as if he hadn't heard him. Han Yi stomped his feet in anger, but there was nothing he could do but grit his teeth and struggle in this "fiery hell".

The days of suffering on Qingluan Peak passed quickly; Han Yi had been on the mountain for half a year already.

In the past six months, he tried to escape this "devil's den" 31 times, but each time he was caught and brought back, which was a miserable experience.

He endured all kinds of hardships, including volcanic tempering, weak water tempering, hurricane valley tempering, cliff tempering, and spiritual herb tempering, until his skin and flesh were as hard as armor.

At first, Xuan Kongzi used a ruler to whip him, but later he switched to the terrifying scorching soul-burning whip.

This whip conceals eerie flames. Each lash not only causes physical pain but also feels like the soul is being burned, causing excruciating agony. Every time Han Yi was lashed, he felt as if his soul was being ripped out of his body.

Every day, while it was still dark and the stars were faintly visible on the horizon, Han Yi was sound asleep when the old Taoist priest ruthlessly dragged him out of bed. Still half asleep, he began his arduous training again. He felt like a wound-up machine, running day and night.

That wasn't all; he also had to fetch water, chop firewood, and plant vegetables, which exhausted him so much that his hands developed thick calluses, like old tree bark.

Over the course of six months, Han Yi cultivated several hundred acres of land on the summit of Qingluan Peak with his own hands, and Xuan Kongzi insisted that he plant various vegetables and fruits on it.

I don't know where the old man got so many seeds; he grew so much that he couldn't possibly eat it all.

However, these fruits and vegetables were not wasted. As soon as the harvest season arrived, the servants of the Prince's Mansion would go up the mountain on time to transport them down and distribute them to the villagers of Qingfeng Village for free in Han Yi's name.

That day, after finishing his work, Han Yi slumped down in the open space like a lump of mud, feeling frustrated and muttering to himself.

"This isn't cultivation; it's clearly using me as a punching bag and free labor. That damned Zhou Bapi, he exploits the lowest level of labor. For more than half a year since I came up the mountain, every day he either abuses me or orders me to grow vegetables and chop firewood. Apart from developing brute strength and thick skin, that old Taoist priest hasn't taught me any practical skills!"

Little did they know that Xuan Kongzi, who happened to be passing by, overheard these words.

"Is that abuse? Throughout history, how many strong people have been able to accumulate strength and then unleash it? The key lies in building a solid foundation. If the foundation is not stable, it is like a castle in the air. No matter how beautiful it is, a storm can blow it down."

Besides, all the work you did was worthwhile. The firewood you chopped and the vegetables you planted helped the villagers of Qingfeng Village.

The sage said that good deeds will be rewarded, and although the reward may not be large, it is still real.

"I'm doing this for your own good. Given your past reputation in the village, shouldn't you do some good deeds to make up for it?"

"What kind of saint spouted this nonsense? Why doesn't he do it himself?" Han Yi was furious when he heard this, his eyes widening like copper bells.

"Besides, what bad things have I done in the village? Don't try to fool me. I've already asked Mingyue and Huixin, and they didn't get the same treatment as me when they went up the mountain. Why do I have to build a solid foundation? You've tormented me for half a year, isn't that enough? Let me go down the mountain, I'm not doing this anymore!"

A rant only earned him a good beating.

Xuan Kongzi never showed mercy. After beating you, he clapped his hands and said, "Your physique is special, unlike theirs. Cultivation requires building a foundation first. I'm not torturing you, but helping you solidify your foundation."

Han Yi's eyes turned red with rage, and he gritted his teeth: "Old man, you wait. One day, when I've mastered profound magic, I'll burn down this Taoist temple, wash your muddled brain clean, and let you taste the fiery soul-scorching whip..."

This rebellious spirit had been burning within him since the first day he arrived on the mountain, growing stronger and stronger, like a raging fire doused with oil that could not be extinguished.

……

On the precipitous cliff edge, a gentle breeze rustles through the lush forest, the leaves whispering a soft melody.

The clouds and mist, like a light veil, lingered leisurely among the mountains.

This cliff originally had no name, but because Han Yi came here every day to slack off and sleep, he casually gave it a name—Wuxu Cliff.

Han Yi, who had just finished a day of hard labor, found a clearing on the edge of the cliff and was resting with his eyes closed when suddenly a sharp, piercing sound broke the tranquility.

Han Yi was almost asleep when the noise disturbed him. He opened his eyes impatiently, his eyes filled with anger.

He stood up abruptly, casually brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked in the direction of the sound. He saw two large birds circling and soaring in the vast sky.

They dart freely among the blue sky and white clouds, occasionally emitting sharp, high-pitched cries. The lingering sound is melodious and seems to pierce the clouds and resound throughout the heavens.

Han Yi was so angry at being disturbed from his dream that he cursed, "You motherfucker! You disturbed my dream, I'll stew you two for a meal today!"

Without hesitation, he turned around and rushed back to the Taoist temple, heading straight to his sixth senior brother, Huixin, hoping to get some bird-catching equipment from him.

"No!" Huixin said without even looking up.

Han Yi looked at him with disdain, thinking to himself: This fatso is getting more and more materialistic.

"I haven't even said anything yet, and you've already given up?"

Huixin rolled her eyes at him and said irritably, "You're the kind of kid who can't keep up a good story! Haven't I cleaned up your messes enough times? I advise you to stop causing trouble, or Master will skin you alive!"

Upon hearing this, Han Yi also began to have doubts.

Senior brother is right. That old Taoist priest is worse than a beast. If he really attacked those two idiots, he would break at least three of his ribs. It's not a worthwhile deal. He immediately gave up the idea.

"Senior brother, I'm going back to sleep... to cultivate!"

Han Yi knew that his senior brother had repeatedly warned him not to mess around in the past six months, but he was young and reckless and always went his own way, resulting in serious injuries each time. In the end, his senior brother had to shoulder everything and help him heal and treat his injuries.

Of course, this is not free. According to incomplete statistics, the young master now owes a huge debt of several thousand ingots of gold. Fortunately, they are all IOUs, and the day of repayment is far away.

Now he's learned his lesson and listens to his senior brother, obediently doing his duty like a beast of burden.

After bidding farewell to his senior brother, Han Yi leisurely walked towards Wuxu Cliff.

As we walked into a grove of trees, the sharp cry of the crane reached our ears once more.