The Terrifying Elder and a Mischievous Prank

“Please, Master, no! I swear I know my mistake. Just this once, spare me!”

“Hmph! Further words are useless. If I let you off this time, you’ll just repeat the same mistake! Stop struggling. Come on, let’s head to the sparring platform for some practice!”

Watching Suiliang drag the relentlessly struggling Huqi across the ground, their forms gradually receding towards the sparring platform, Feiluo hesitated for a moment. Then, steeling her resolve, she called out to Suiliang.

“W-well, Elder Suiliang, Huqi truly didn’t mean to… W-wah!”

Hearing Feiluo’s plea, Suiliang didn’t turn around, merely casting a frigid glance over her shoulder. The chill in her eyes made Feiluo’s body tremble, a small, startled sound escaping her lips as she immediately fell silent, no longer daring to intercede for Huqi.

Suiliang turned her head forward again, continuing to drag Huqi towards the nearby sparring platform.

Along Suiliang’s path, every disciple who caught sight of her, whether they were practicing battle arts, chatting with companions, or resting after a long workout, would momentarily freeze before immediately altering their current activity. Those training battle arts intensified their efforts; disciples engaged in conversation ceased their chatter and began sparring with their peers; and those who had been resting instantly rose, commencing a new round of exercise, even if they were already drenched in sweat and panting heavily.

Watching the entire Battle Arts Hall population shift their behavior at Suiliang’s mere presence, Feiluo sighed inwardly.

‘My apologies, Huqi.’

‘It’s not that I don’t want to save you, but your Master is simply too terrifying.’

‘What can a mere teammate do?’

‘I only hope Huqi can still walk off the sparring platform on her own two feet later.’

Feiluo silently lit a candle for Huqi in her heart.

“Wow, what a terrifying Elder. The senior and junior sisters in the Battle Arts Hall scatter like mice startled by a cat the moment they see her, all of them suddenly training with utmost diligence.” Yiwu, having seemingly finished her playful scuffle with her friends, sidled up to Feiluo and whispered softly into her ear.

“Indeed, Elder Suiliang is truly formidable. Poor Huqi, to have such a Master.” Feiluo echoed, sighing along with Yiwu’s sentiment.

Just then, as if she had overheard their recent whispers, Suiliang’s forward momentum paused. She turned her head, her indifferent gaze sweeping over both Feiluo and Yiwu, instantly silencing them. Even their breathing involuntarily slowed.

“Hmph!”

Seeing them holding their breath, Suiliang let out a soft ‘hmph’ before turning away and stepping onto the sparring platform.

“Fei… Junior Sister Feiluo, I think we should leave now, after all, Elder Suiliang is…” Yiwu’s words trailed off abruptly, left unspoken.

Yet Feiluo understood Yiwu’s unspoken meaning perfectly: Elder Suiliang was simply too intimidating, too terrifying.

“I was thinking the same thing, Senior Sister Yiwu.” Feiluo nodded vigorously, her cute twin pigtails bouncing up and down with her movements.

And so, under the envious gazes of the Battle Arts Hall disciples, Feiluo and Yiwu departed from the hall.

Feiluo had a good idea of what elicited such envy: it was likely the freedom to leave. After all, the other disciples had to continue their training, unable to depart, and Suiliang’s sheer intimidating presence made them long to escape. Hence, those disciples regarded Feiluo and Yiwu with such wistful admiration.

Once outside the Battle Arts Hall, Yiwu first let out a sigh of relief, then turned to Feiluo and said, “Junior Sister Feiluo, I’ll be heading back now.”

“Then I should head home too.” Feiluo glanced at the sky, noticing that the heavens were now painted in shades of orange, the lingering glow of sunset blanketing most of the expanse. Evening had undoubtedly arrived.

The thought of returning home to a delectable dragon feast filled Feiluo with irrepressible excitement, her heart brimming with eager anticipation.

“Here, these are for you, Junior Sister Feiluo.” Suddenly, Yiwu offered Feiluo a handful of candies wrapped in colorful papers.

Feiluo accepted the candies, first looking at them, then at Yiwu, tilting her head. Her expression shifted to one of confusion and bewilderment, as if a giant question mark had appeared above her small head.

“They’re your reward!” With that, without waiting for Feiluo’s reaction, Yiwu suddenly reached out and vigorously ruffled the top of Feiluo’s head, turning her smooth, silky hairstyle into a disheveled bird’s nest.

Having completed her mischief, Yiwu flashed a mischievous grin at the still-stunned Feiluo, who was reeling from the sudden ‘head-ruffling attack,’ then bolted, fleeing the scene of the crime.

“…Yiwu!!!” Feeling the disarray of her hair and the slight ache from being vigorously rubbed, Feiluo snapped out of her daze, letting out a yell as she chased after Yiwu.

“You’re back! Why so late today? Was something holding you up?” That evening, as Feiluo stepped through her front door, Moxi walked up to her, inquiring about her late return.

“Nothing held me up, it’s just that…” Feiluo instinctively glanced at the now completely dark sky, then scratched her cheek, unsure how to explain.

‘I couldn’t possibly admit that I had gotten so engrossed in chasing Yiwu that I’d completely lost track of time.’

‘If I did, Moxi would surely treat me like a child!’

‘After all, only children would play chase games so late, forgetting the time entirely!’

“Oh? My dear disciple, your hair… why does it look like a bird’s nest?” Moxi noticed Feiluo’s hairstyle, a smile she couldn’t suppress forming at the corners of her lips.

“Eh?” Feiluo touched the top of her head, the fluffy, disheveled sensation against her palm making her cheeks flush as her expression turned sheepish.

‘Oh no, I completely forgot to fix my hair first.’

Feiluo recalled the peculiar glances from the senior and junior sisters she’d passed while chasing Yiwu.

‘Before, I hadn’t understood why they looked at her that way, but now it was clear.’

‘It turned out I had been chasing Yiwu with a messy bird’s nest on her head the entire time.’

‘No wonder they’d looked at her as if she were a mischievous little girl.’

‘Waaah!’

‘Now my aura of dignity will be greatly diminished!’

‘Darn it! This is all Yiwu’s fault!’

‘I’ve decided that the next time I see Yiwu, I will thoroughly mess up her hair, turning it into a complete explosion of frizz!’

“Ahem~ Let’s not dwell on such minor details, Master. How about we go eat first?” To distract Moxi, Feiluo resorted to pouting and acting cute, something she hadn’t done towards Moxi since regaining her memories.

“Alright, then let’s go eat.” Seeing her darling disciple resort to such endearing tactics, Moxi didn’t press further. She gently smoothed Feiluo’s hair, the silken strands becoming neat and straight under her touch.

Once her hair was tidy, Moxi took Feiluo’s small hand and led her towards the dining room, smiling softly at her dear disciple.

“Just make sure not to overeat tonight, okay~”

“Mm-hm!”