After finishing grading the day's assignments, Master Qi did not immediately leave the academy to rest at home. Instead, he sat in his study, lost in thought.
This girl, Zhang Nannan, had been acting strangely lately, and he couldn't pretend not to notice.
However, no matter how many times he questioned her, Zhang Nannan refused to reveal the reason, leaving him to lament that his daughter's mind was too difficult to fathom.
Just as he was debating whether he should pay a visit to Zhang Nannan's home later, the sound of hurried footsteps from outside startled him.
He got up, pushed open the door, and called out to Masters Liu and Wang, who were walking away, asking, "Brothers, why the rush? Where are you headed?"
"Younger brother Qi, you haven't left yet? Then it's good that you're coming with us. We just received news that your assistant teacher, Zhang Nannan, and Wang Yao are in trouble. We're heading there now to investigate."
Upon seeing a flicker of surprise on Master Qi's face, Master Wang quickly relayed the information he had received.
"What? Quick, let's go!"
Master Qi never expected that Zhang Nannan, whom he had just been thinking about, would be in trouble so soon. He immediately turned, closed his study door, grabbed the two brothers, and hurried towards the city gate, all the while inquiring for more details.
The news Masters Wang and Liu had received was fragmented. They only knew that Wang Yao's injuries were quite severe. Zhang Nannan, who had been carried into the city, could walk freely, but her expression was rather grim, as if she, too, had been injured.
Hearing this, Master Qi became even more anxious.
These two children were ones he had watched grow up. Later, they both joined the academy and worked under him. His feelings for them could not be summarized by simple teacher-student affection.
Upon suddenly learning of their dire situation, he wished he could instantly appear at the city gate.
However, at the same time, a faint suspicion arose in his heart. He had previously heard Zhang Nannan mention that Wang Yao had a moment of enlightenment a few days prior and had gone into seclusion at home for cultivation. So when had he left the city, and with whom had he clashed?
Master Qi considered a few possibilities, but dismissed them all, only quickening his pace. Masters Liu and Wang lagged behind him, nearly unable to keep up.
When he reached the city gate, his gaze immediately cut through the crowd to the Zhang Nannan and Wang Yao in the rear.
Ignoring the cultivators who greeted him, Master Qi strode forward, about to inquire about Zhang Nannan's condition, but was stopped by another person's greeting.
"Greetings, Master."
"You, you are..."
Master Qi had been flustered earlier and unable to focus on anything else. But now that he had diverted some of his attention to others, it was difficult for him to focus on Zhang Nannan as intently as before.
This was because someone more captivating had appeared.
"Student Xu Yi, greetings to Master Qi."
Xu Yi raised her head and gave Master Qi a slight smile.
"Xu Yi? Xu Yi! It's Xu Yi!"
Master Qi merely blinked in surprise, and then quickly recalled who Xu Yi was. The corners of his tense lips relaxed subconsciously.
Master Qi had been Xu Yi's tutor when she studied at Qiming Academy.
"Master Liu, Master Wang." Xu Yi then paid her respects to the two masters who were rushing up behind Master Qi.
"Xu Yi! Hahahaha! It's you!"
Qiming Academy had many disciples from the Five Great Sects studying there. But even among such a talented elite, there were those who were exceptionally outstanding and awe-inspiring.
Xu Yi was one of them.
Therefore, even though the two masters were not Xu Yi's direct tutors, they had been deeply impressed by her.
"So they weren't here to cause trouble, but are an old acquaintance of the Master!"
"Ah, we misunderstood!"
"What a joke! What a joke!"
"..."
The masters' conversation with Xu Yi was not concealed, and the nearby cultivators could hear it clearly. Only then did they realize that this woman, who appeared to have an extraordinary demeanor, was also a student of Qiming Academy.
Every so often, several cultivators of mysterious origins would come to study at Qiming Academy. This was a piece of information that most cultivators in Ink City knew.
However, because those cultivators lived reclusively, the cultivators of Ink City rarely saw what they looked like, thus having no impression of them, which was why Xu Yi had not been recognized.
"Xu Yi, what about Wang Yao then..."
Seeing Xu Yi, Master Qi was also happy. However, after his happiness, he remembered his miserable-looking students behind him and immediately asked.
"This matter is a bit complicated. Perhaps it would be better to explain it to you at the academy."
Xu Yi scanned the surroundings. This place was crowded and noisy, not a suitable place for conversation.
Master Qi, prompted by Xu Yi, also realized this and nodded, "Then let's head to the academy first."
"Alright."
Xu Yi exchanged a glance with Yin Li and Zuo Yi. The two immediately brought Wang Yao and Zhang Nannan, following behind Xu Yi and Master Qi towards Qiming Academy.
Masters Qi, Liu, and Wang had come in a hurry and left just as quickly.
After Xu Yi and the others left, the cultivators of Ink City did not disperse immediately. Instead, they gathered together, making all sorts of wild guesses. After much discussion, they finally went their separate ways.
Meanwhile, on the other side, Xu Yi and the others had followed the masters to Qiming Academy.
They first settled Wang Yao into a guest room for rest, and then proceeded to the academy's reception room to be seated.
"Zhang Nannan, why aren't you sitting?"
After sitting down, Master Qi looked at Zhang Nannan, who was standing behind Xu Yi with her head down and a gloomy disposition, and asked in confusion.
Hearing Master Qi's somewhat concerned inquiry, Zhang Nannan shook her head and did not speak.
Master Qi found it increasingly strange and softened his voice, "Everyone is seated. How about this, come, sit by me."
Even now, Master Qi still saw Zhang Nannan as the little girl who used to study in his class.
"Master!"
Zhang Nannan choked back a sob, raised her head, and tears streamed down her face.
"Nannan, what is it..."
Master Qi was startled. He subconsciously stood up, only to see Zhang Nannan quickly walk from behind Xu Yi to the center of the hall, fall to her knees with a thud, pressing her forehead tightly against the cold floor, and exclaim loudly, "I was wrong! I was wrong!"
Zhang Nannan's tearful cries made Master Qi's heart clench inexplicably. He sank back into his seat powerlessly.
He instinctively turned to look at Xu Yi and saw that Xu Yi's expression was also grave. Seeing him look over, she sighed and shook her head.
Master Qi then knew that Zhang Nannan had likely caused serious trouble this time.
And Wang Yao's severe injuries were probably related to her.
Master Qi closed his eyes. After a long moment, he sighed softly, "A teacher's failure to instruct properly is the teacher's laziness. It is I who failed to teach you well!"
"No! Master! It's not like that! It was me! My intentions were impure! I went astray! It has nothing to do with you!"
Zhang Nannan explained frantically.
She was afraid, afraid that Master would be disappointed if he knew everything.
But she hadn't expected that when her Master learned of her mistakes, his first reaction would be to blame himself.
This made Zhang Nannan regret her actions even more.
She had failed to live up to her Master's teachings and the academy's teachings.