The Taoist Five Elents are tal, wood, water, fire, and earth. Most cultivators have spiritual roots that match these, but so special people have different kinds.
Lin Qingyue’s ice-type root was one of those special kinds. It ca from water but was even stronger—and it completely overpowered Su Yan’s root.
“My roots are weak against yours. Once you get stronger, Junior Sister, don’t bully , okay?” Su Yan joked.
“I would never!” Lin Qingyue answered quickly.
Senior Brother was her guide. He had helped her so much—without him, she wouldn’t be here. How could she ever bully him?
“I swear I wouldn’t do that!” Lin Qingyue even raised her hand to promise.
Besides, in this world, n are naturally weaker. If a woman bullied a man, everyone would look down on her.
“I was just joking, but you took it so seriously?” Su Yan laughed and patted her head. “I’m already at the Foundation Establishnt stage. You just started on this path. It’ll take you a long ti to catch up, so you won’t even have a chance to bully .”
Lin Qingyue had a rare heavenly root, but even a genius needed at least a year to reach Foundation Establishnt.
By then, Su Yan would be much stronger—who knows what level he would reach?
“I’ll work hard,” Lin Qingyue said seriously.
Su Yan didn’t think much about it.
They looked through the Technique Pavilion. Lin Qingyue chose a cultivation thod that matched her ice root and also picked a sword technique. After that, they left.
Back at Tian Shui Peak, Su Yan told her, “You can cultivate on your own now, and you’ve got the basics in hand. Study them carefully. If you don’t get sothing, co ask .”
Though it was a cultivation thod, this beginner-level text wasn’t deep. A quick flip-through would do.
Su Yan figured Junior Sister would pick it up fast and wouldn’t need him much.
But…
Lin Qingyue tugged his sleeve, head down shyly, whispering, “Senior Brother, don’t go. I need your help now.”
Su Yan: “???”
She hadn’t even glanced at it—how could she have a question already?
Lin Qingyue’s cheeks burned, stamring, “B-because my family was poor, I never went to school, so… so…”
She trailed off, unable to finish.
Su Yan was floored.
Though she didn’t spell it out, the aning was clear—she couldn’t read.
“Junior Sister, you…”
Halfway through, it clicked.
Orphaned young, barely scraping by for food—where would she have learned to read?
“Sorry, I didn’t think it through.”
Su Yan said awkwardly, “Looks like before cultivation, I’ve got to teach you to read. It’ll be tough for a while.”
…
That night.
Lin Qingyue’s room glowed with lamplight, candles flickering inside.
Su Yan sat beside her, teaching her characters with perfect pronunciation.
“This one’s ‘hua.’ Say it with …”
His gentle voice brushed her ear, warm breath tickling her lobe, making her body heat up, her face flaming.
“Fa~”
She got distracted and ssed up badly, making Su Yan upset.
"Junior Sister, you’re 16. You're not a child! Why are you so slow at reading? You’ve been making mistakes all night!"
Hearing his scolding, Lin Qingyue lowered her head. Her lips trembled, but she said nothing.
She wasn’t stupid—she was actually very smart. But with Senior Brother so close, his scent surrounding her, how could she focus?!
She wanted to explain, but the words wouldn’t co out.
"I’m too dumb. I’ve troubled you, Senior Brother," she mumbled softly.
Su Yan sighed. She looked so pitiful—how could he stay mad?
"Alright, it’s your first ti. Maybe I rushed you. But mistakes still need punishnt."
She was struggling with the words, but also saying them wrong? That ant she wasn’t paying attention. He had to do sothing.
"A little discipline will help her learn faster. But how should I punish her?"
Spanking? No, that wouldn’t work. Smacking her palm? Still not right.
"Hmm… physical punishnt isn’t good. What else can I do?"
Suddenly, an idea ca to him.
"I’ll let this one go. But from now on, every ti you get a word wrong, I’ll write ‘zheng’ on your thigh. You can’t wash it off until morning. Understand?"
"I understand," Lin Qingyue said, her shoulders slumped.
Su Yan smiled. This was better than hitting her. The brush would tickle her skin—an annoying but harmless punishnt.
And leaving the marks all night would remind her to be more careful.
"Yes, this is just a normal way to teach. No other reason at all."
But when Lin Qingyue made another mistake—
"Ahaha! It tickles! Senior Brother, stop—it’s too much!"
Her skin was too sensitive. After just a few strokes, she was laughing with tears in her eyes.
"That’s what happens when you don’t focus. If you don’t want more, study properly."
Su Yan put on a strict teacher face.
Lin Qingyue nodded like crazy, then peeked at her thigh. On her smooth skin, a small ‘zheng’ stood out.
Among her lessons, ‘zheng’ had the fewest strokes. Senior Brother had gone easy on her, and it touched her.
Noticing her grateful look, Su Yan frowned.
What was this?
Punished like that, and not only was she not ashad—she was thankful? Did she like getting ‘zheng’ written on her?
“Weird.”
Su Yan couldn’t figure it out, but questions aside, teaching went on.
A whole night passed.
When Su Yan left her room, her thighs were covered in ‘zheng’ characters.
“Man, I’m beat!”
Gazing at the bright moon, bathed in its glow, Su Yan felt wiped out.
Junior Sister was a handful (reading-wise). His body couldn’t take it.
“Tomorrow, then.”
Back in his room, Su Yan crashed.
For days after, he diligently drew ‘zheng’ daily.
Under this relentless push, Lin Qingyue’s learning speed increased.
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