It had been more than ten days since Zi Qin left Mt. Wushan. After he left, Bai Yao kept on enhancing her practice in witchcrafts and insects every day, so she didn’t feel bored. However, she frequently felt lonely.
She insisted in such practice every day, so she was not bored. At the same time, she felt very lonely because of his departure.
Without his company, Bai Yao could only practice in her own room or the back of the wide mountain every day, so she did not have fun practicing like before.
Bai Yao sat on the stone bench in a pavilion at the back of the mountain. She had just mastered a new craft.
He hoped some one can evaluate on her new magic, and even hoped to have witchcraft contest with such person. However, it was a pity that he was not here at this moment.
Zi Qin had this pavilion built in order to conveniently know about her practice situation.
Whenever Bai Yao practiced there, Zi Qin had a cup of tea or a game of chess. So long as Bai Yao looked up, she could see him. Sometimes, he looked leisurely. Sometimes, he smiled at her to show his satisfaction with her progress.
Gradually, she had made the habit to look up to see him during practice, but she did not see him now when she looked up.
Habit was really a horrible thing.
Habit meant a matter of course at a certain degree, so we never thought someone might leave us someday.
Bai Yao took out the jade pendant Zi Qin had given her. She had kept it for several days, but she did not carefully observe it until now.
It was a black jade. It was pitch-black and featured white jade at the bottom, and had a fine texture. It looked hard and warm. The black and white formed a perfect match. This was very similar to the style of its owner.
Bai Yao repeatedly gently rubbed against the jade pendant with her thumb. It was very smooth and bright, which indicated that its owner had often done the same.
Bai Yao was too concentrated on looking at this jade pendant to notice Shui Ling’er was walking towards her.
Shui Ling’er intended to get her into trouble, but she stopped when she saw the jade in her hand.
She opened her eyes wide. To her surprise, Bai Yao was not practicing. She sat in the pavilion, staring sadly at a jade pendant.
Shui Ling’er recognized it as Zi Qin’s jade pendant!
Was she missing him?
The more she thought about it, the more she believed that Bai Yao had fallen in love with Zi Qin, so she couldn’t help hating her.
She forcefully broke a branch beside her and then had a malicious idea.
Bai Yao, you are dead meat!
Bai Yao still looked back on the memento from Zi Qin. She had no idea of the malicious idea in Shui Ling’er. . .
Shui Linger directly went to the Elder’s house after she left.
Inside the Palace of the Elder, Shui Ling’er said,
“Grandfather, as the witch of Mt. Wushan, Bai Yao broke the rules of clan. She fell in love with her teacher. Grandfather, shouldn’t we throw her out of Wushan?"
After hearing this, the Wushan Elder was astonished, but he still doubted what his granddaughter said.
“Ling’er, we must have evidence to proof it”. The Elder knew Bai Yao, so he didn’t believe Bai Yao had broken the rules.
Shui Ling’er wanted to further convince her grandfather, so she immediately said, ”Grandfather, I saw Bai Yao embracing Zi Qin that day. Moreover, after Zi Qin left, she did not insist in practicing witchcrafts and was dispirited all day. Isn’t that enough to prove it?" She deliberately exaggerated in order that her grandfather would punish Bai Yao, and even directly drive her out of Wushan.
The Elder knew about the rumor about Bai Yao before, but he didn’t care about it when he found out it was just a misunderstanding. It was unbelievable and intolerable to the Elder if Bai Yao really stopped practicing because of Zi Qin.
After thinking about this issue for a moment, he sent someone to Bai Yao. He wanted Bai Yao to personally explain to him.
Bai Yao had been informed to see the Elder for the second time within half a month because of Shui Ling’er’s instigation.
First looking at the serious face of the Elder and then glancing at the complacent smile on Shui Ling’er’s face, Bai Yao immediately knew why the Elder had asked her to come here.
After greeting the Elder, Bai Yao asked, "Elder, I wonder why you have asked me to come here.”
“Bai Yao, you have stayed in Mt. Wushan for some time. Do you still remember the rules of Wushan?” asked the Elder.
“I never forget it.” Wushan rules were very strict. Anyone breaking the rules would not be easily forgiven. She had remembered that in her mind since her previous life.
The Elder nodded and then questioned her harshly. ”You remember it well, but why did you break it? It is said that you fell in love with your teacher, so I want to know how will you explain about it.”
“I didn’t!” she firmly denied. She would never admit it, because she had not done it.
After hearing what Bai Yao said, Shui Ling’er immediately questioned her.
“You didn’t? Bai Yao, you are a liar! You did not succeed in seducing Zi Qin last time, so I forgave you. However, how dare you keep his jade pendant? I saw you keep on staring at it just now.”
After hearing this, the Elder was more surprised. He knew Zi Qin was a cold fish and was difficult to approach. He never gave his personal things to others, to say nothing of the valuable jade pendant.
“Bai Yao, can you explain about the jade pendant?” The Elder still gave her the chance to explain it.
“My teacher gave the jade pendant to me before he left.” Bai Yao explained to the Elder, “We only have the relationship between teacher and student.”
Shui Ling’er again started to stir up trouble. She said, ”Grandfather, Bai Yao usually stays in her own room and never communicates with any man. Now, she often practices together with Zi Qin, so it is unavoidable that she falls in love with him.”
All that Shui Ling’er said seemed to be reasonable. The Elder knew Bai Yao was just a fifteen-year-old girl, so it might be true that she had fallen in love with him.
“I said I didn’t!” Bai Yao still firmly denied. She thought of the love insect. Then, she said, ”I will never love anyone because I have been controlled by a love insect!”
However, Shui Ling’er didn’t believe her. But the Elder was very surprised. Then, he touched the wrist of Bai Yao to verify whether the love insect was in her body.
The Elder sighed and said, ”Bai Yao, I have never thought you cheated us by using a soothing insect!” Bai Yao was confused after hearing this. Soothing insect? To her surprise, he did not use a love insect?
The soothing insect was so named because it had the functions of soothing the nerves and nourishing the heart. No wonder she could go to sleep peacefully every day since she had been implanted. Moreover, from then on, she did not feel tired when she practiced.
The Elder cherished her, because she was a magic talent. However, he was also very worried that she would give up practicing magic because of love.
“Bai Yao, I have to implant the heart insect in your body. Then, once you think of your lover, it will make you feel great pain,” the Elder said. ”Bai Yao, don’t complain to me to do so. You will not be hurt at all if you have not fallen in love with someone.”
Bai Yao immediately agreed without any hesitation.
The Elder took out a poisonous insect. It was the most poisonous among all the poisonous insects. It moved in the handle-less cup like a silver thread.
The Elder implanted it into her body. Instantly, Bai Yao felt the insect was creeping in her blood.
Suddenly, she felt a little pain in her chest. She had to force herself to stand steadily. She thought it was just a normal condition after being implanted with the poisonous insect, so she didn’t care about it. The change on her fac was slight, but Shui Ling’er saw it clearly.
Shui Ling’er was very happy when she saw the change in her expression.
Bai Yao, I am sure you will be tortured horribly by it this time!