Chapter Thirty: Haste for Quick Success

A gentle breeze stirred Chu Bing’s hair, lending her expression a touch of cool aloofness.

“Do you know why I won’t let you train with the others?” she asked, her hands folded behind her back, her face brimming with a smug satisfaction and a girlish charm that made Li Haoran steal a few more glances before quickly averting his eyes.

Miss Chu... seemed even more beautiful than before.

“Did you hear what I just said?” Chu Bing lifted her head and caught him staring off into the thicket nearby, mistaking his distraction for daydreaming. Instantly, her anger flared, and she scolded him in a delicate, yet commanding voice.

Li Haoran jerked his head up, his ears tinged red.

Fortunately, Chu Bing didn’t notice such minor details. She continued, “Let me tell you, I’ve decided to teach you myself!”

The mention of serious matters calmed Li Haoran, and he fixed his gaze on her attentively.

“I’m a strict teacher,” Chu Bing declared, narrowing her eyes at him. “If you can’t meet my standards, don’t blame me for being harsh!”

The system was forever hounding her to teach Li Haoran martial arts. She couldn’t do anything about the system, but surely, she could vent her frustrations on Li Haoran?

A mischievous smile curled her lips. A strict teacher produces outstanding students—everything she did was for his own good!

For some reason, Li Haoran felt a sudden chill run down his spine.

Before he could react, Chu Bing pressed both her hands against his back.

“Sit down.”

“I’m going to teach you now how to circulate the Emei Heart Technique. I’ll guide your internal energy through your meridians once—memorize the route, then practice it several times yourself,” Chu Bing said, her tone stern.

They sat cross-legged. Her warm palm rested on his back, and Li Haoran felt the fabric at his spine grow soaked with sweat.

He couldn’t tell if it was the exertion of channeling energy, or simply... nerves.

After a long while, Chu Bing withdrew her hand.

“Did you get it?”

“I did,” Li Haoran replied, snapping back to his senses and nodding, then began to circulate the energy himself.

At first, all went smoothly, but in the blink of an eye, his face turned deathly pale!

“What’s wrong?” Chu Bing was startled. She sprang forward, reaching to stop him by his arm.

But as soon as she touched him, a surge of force from within Li Haoran repelled her hand.

“Li Haoran!” Even if she had been oblivious before, Chu Bing now understood: it was her impatience that caused this mishap!

Could he have suffered a deviation in his cultivation?

Ignoring the numbness in her arm, she rushed to his side, her voice anxious, “Li Haoran! Stop, quickly!”

Li Haoran’s eyes snapped open, a wisp of white mist flickering in their depths. Suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of bright blood.

The vivid red on his lips froze the blood in Chu Bing’s veins.

Her lips trembled uncontrollably. “Li... Li Haoran?”

He closed his eyes and collapsed straight toward her.

She caught him in time and, discovering he had only fainted, finally let out a sigh of relief.

She pinched his nose lightly, and Li Haoran slowly came to, though his face remained ashen from internal injury.

“Are you alright?” Chu Bing gazed at him, guilt written all over her face.

If it hadn’t been for her recklessness—having him attempt the Emei Heart Technique on the very first day—he would never have been hurt!

Li Haoran was still weak, but seeing her remorse, he consoled her softly, “I’m fine, Miss Chu. Thank you.”

“Thank me? If it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t be injured.”

Now, who knew how long it would be before Li Haoran could use his inner energy again!

Chu Bing bit her lip, feeling increasingly useless.

She stood and hurried away. “Rest for a while. I need some time alone.”

She felt she was utterly unfit to be Li Haoran’s teacher.

Why did the system insist on giving her such impossible tasks?

“Host, due to your mistake causing Li Haoran’s injury, you will now be penalized—one electric shock.”

As if summoned by her thoughts, the system’s cold voice sounded in her mind.

Before she could react, a jolt of electricity shot through her, leaving her numb and paralyzed.

Chu Bing collapsed to the ground, her fists clenched, teeth gritted in anger. “System! If you’re so fond of Li Haoran, why don’t you teach him yourself?”

Always picking on a helpless woman—what an achievement!

“Host, do you still refuse to admit your mistake?”

A flicker of guilt crossed Chu Bing’s eyes, but she stubbornly refused to yield before the system. “I did exactly as you instructed! I followed your plan! If there’s blame, it falls on both of us!”

The system’s voice was emotionless. “Host, you’re being unreasonable. The plan I gave you only detailed how to train the shadow guards, not how to instruct Li Haoran.”

Chu Bing was left speechless.

She lay exhausted on the ground, eyes gazing at the sky, and suddenly asked, “System, why are you so fixated on Li Haoran?”

Could there be some special connection between the system and Li Haoran?

But the system fell silent once more, clearly unwilling to answer.

Chu Bing shielded her eyes with her hand.

She didn’t know how long she lay there, until the numbness finally faded. She braced herself against a tree trunk and slowly stood, retracing her steps.

When she emerged from the woods and reached the foot of the mountain, she saw that dusk had already fallen.

Suddenly, she realized that without her instruction, the shadow guards must still be running laps!

They hadn’t eaten all day!

Her face changed as she rushed up the mountain to find them.

It wasn’t until she reached halfway that she found the group, already on the verge of collapse.

“Alright, that’s enough! Stop now!” Chu Bing waved her hand, urgently calling them to a halt.

They dropped to the ground as if receiving a royal pardon, heavy breaths the only sound.

Guilt weighed even heavier on Chu Bing’s heart. If not for her own mistakes, they wouldn’t have ended up like this!

Long San, lying on the ground, looked up at her. “Miss Chu, are we training again tonight?”

“No more! Go stay at the temple for the night and get some rest!”

If they trained any harder, they’d be ruined.

At her words, smiles of relief spread across the faces of the shadow guards.

Supporting each other, they headed for the temple at the mountaintop. Watching their retreating backs, Chu Bing let out a long, heavy sigh.