Master Lin and other disciples' mouths were wide open when they saw her like this.
"Uncle. See, my sister did not mess up at all. She is just sleeping here" She quickly defended her cousin and continued "Uncle you can't punish her for this right?"
The punishment of entering a forbidden area was severe. If Lin MengYan had to beat the consequences then it would really be hard!
"Umm! What are you guys talking about?"Drowsy Meng Yan woke up and said while wiping her drools.
"Why can't I always sleep in peace? Wherever I go, I found such noises"
She said angrily but then her eyes fell on Master Lin who was fuming mad and glaring at her in anger.
"Fa- Father? Wh- What are you doing here?"
All the drowsiness faded when she saw her father glaring at her.
"Go to the Ancestral Hall and kneel until I ask you to stand up"
She quickly ran away as soon as he said that.
It was nothing new for her. She had been there a lot of time in her life and going again was not a big deal for her. As long as Master Lin was not sending her to the Snow mountains to suffer.
She ran away and Jia Li followed her in a hurry.
She knew how tiring it was to kneel all day there and due to the busy schedule Master Lin was not going to see her so soon.
Everyone one followed her inside the ancestral hall.
Meng Yan was standing next to Jia Li and whispered " Jiejie… I don't want to kneel here. I feel so sleepy and hungry and even find myself difficult to walk whenever I am done with the punishment"
"Don't worry little meimei… Your Jiejie is still here… Just look at me ok!"
She said and went in front of Master Lin and Meng Yao and knelt down " Master! Senior Yao! How could you be so cold to our Yanyan? She is innocent and still doesn't understand a thing. Can you not make her life harder please?"
She then looked at Meng Yao and said " Aunt especially asked Big brother Yao and Uncle Lin to take care of little Yanyan. It's not her fault that she is like this? Aunt was worried about her even at her last moments" She said and burst out in heavy stream of tears
"You both might have forgotten the promise but I will never let my aunt down! I will always stand by my sister's side" She said while wiping her tears.
"Jia Li… If I let her go then there will be no one by her side… I must stand with her here and kneel down with her" She went to Meng Yan and knelt down, she tugged her hand and made her kneel down too.
"Lin Jia Li! Don't make a fuss here? What example am I setting to punish an innocent and let the culprit leave?"
Master Lin knew Jia Li was very protective for her sister. She loved her like no end and if she had said to punish herself then she would do it no matter what he would have to say
Meng Yao was staring at Jia Li, who looked back at him and gestured to him to butt in and save them. She just wanted to take Meng Yan away, not to kneel with her here on the cold floor.
"Sister Lili.. Why don't you leave? I will take my punishment and come back. I promise."
Meng Yan could tell that her sister was trying to save her but her little brain was not taking her cunning tricks.
"Shut up! Can you just shut your mouth? If you do not want me to get involved then stop messing up!" Jia Li glared at Meng Yan in irritation.
'Here I am giving my all to save her from the punishment but look at this lass! She is definitely making my life hard on purpose' She thought to herself and once again eyed her brother to save them
"Father… Please don't go hard on her. Everyone here knows that she is just like that. No one would feel that way I can tell.. They are sad too"
Master Lin was looking at both of his daughters in bewilderment. One was his own flesh and blood and the other was his sister's only daughter and she was not any less than his own child. He had adopted her in the Lin family when her mother died an unfortunate death along with his wife.
He was still in dilemma when Lin MengYao spoke, making him even more angry.
"Lin MengYao! Don't forget that you are going to be the next Sect leader soon and you can never be soft to anyone who has done something they are not supposed to do!"
He was even madder than before seeing his son step in. He shouldn't be unreasonable even if she was his sister. A leader should never be biased like him.
"Father, it was already decided that the Hungry river's side area is not forbidden anymore. You announced amongst the seniors and masters. And since it is already announced then why not cut a little slack for her?"
Jia Li also stood up and said " Yes Uncle! It was not like she went there on her own. If the spells were cast well and not have been broken due to announcement she would have never been able to go there. Please! Master Please let little Yanyan go!"
She looked at the other disciples who were looking sadly at MengYan. She was adored by everyone in the sect, be it elders or the younger, they all liked her and could tell that she was innocent.
"Master Lin! I guess MengYao and Jia Li are right. Let her go! We better not involve ourselves in this. We have a lot in our plates to do"
A beautiful lady entered the ancestral hall and said with her sweet and stern voice.
She was the best physician of the Shaolin Sect and her husband was one of the best Cultivators of this sect.
"Aunt! You are finally here? Please ask Uncle to let little Yan go please"
As soon as she saw her aunt Jia Li ran to her and hugged her.
She cried her eyes out on her shoulders.
Lin Meihui knew what she was up to and looked at her husband with a smile. Shen Heng looked back at her and smiled back.
"Master Lin, let's go, we have a lot to do. If it's really necessary to punish her then why not just give her some responsibility in the Four Flower competition? In this way she might learn a lot of things and she will be occupied with work instead of idealing alone here and there.How's that Master Lin?"
Shen Heng proposed a better way of punishment for MengYan which really convinced him.
"Brother, Let's not make things hard for her and give her a chance to learn" Lin Meihui said and eyed Jia Li…
"Fine..It seems like no one is really happy with the punishment then who am I to become the villain here"
Master Lin said and sighed. It was not like wanted to punish his daughter that badly but if he did not go strict on her then she might become a powerless girl like a normal person and might live all her life in the fear of being attacked by Demons and fiends.
"What are you kneeling there for? Did you not hear what Shen Heng and Meihui had said ? Are you sure you want to take this as your punishment? It's not as easy as kneeling! You need a lot of effort to make, otherwise you will get even more severe punishment if you mess up. Mark my words!"
He said sternly and with a cold tone.
Jia Li quickly went to her sister and made her sit in the position as they were greeting him instead of kneeling and she also did the same
"Shifu.. I promise I will not let you down and guide my sister well at each and every step!"
"Leave already. We elders have something important to talk"
Lin Meihui smiled and told them to leave.
All of them left even Lin MengYao did not stop there but as he was about to leave Lin Peizhi, his father stopped him
"MengYao! I guess you should be present in these types of meetings in future. You are already twenty and soon you are going to be the Sect leader so you must learn from us"
Lin MengYao spreaded both his hands and bowed his head in respect, meaning he had accepted his decision.
"Bother Peizhi, You shouldn't go this hard on Yanyan. She is just a little girl"
Lin Meihui said to her brother as he had been extra strict to her
"Meihui.. Do you think I really want to be? She is the one making me worried all the time. At least she had never repeated her mistaked after taking her punishments"
He said in a little sad voice.
"Brother Lin '' Shen Heng said smilingly "There are a lot of ways to punish her… Look Just now, she not only got her punishment but also got a suitable chance to learn"
Lin PeiZhi said nothing and nodded his head in agreement
"By the way… What are we gathered here for?"
He asked while changing the subject
"Oh… Brother, Master Wu is here and he has something very important to discuss with you. I have sent some senior disciples to receive him. He might be here at any moment."
Lin Meihui said in a serious tone.
Lin PeiZhi' face tightened in worry. Master Wu was not just anybody, He was one of the most powerful cultivators who had even won over all his desires and had full control on his heart.
He was someone heavenly and there was no one who could compete with him directly but for about 15 years he had never left his sect. He had left everything behind and busied himself in deep meditation. Even his disciples were very talented. But he never formed an official sect so it was clear that he was not here to participate in any competition during the Four Flower competition.
In all these years he had never accepted disciples. Lin Peizhi was his last disciple years ago but recently it was said that he had accepted a disciple with great skills. The man must have worked hard to win his favor. It must not have been easy for him at all!
"If Master Wu is coming here himself then it must be something big. There is no way he would go somewhere personally. He was not even available all these years and was busy cultivating his skills. I suppose there must be something important which made him come here himself"
Master Lin said and walked out of the Ancestral hall. Lets' go and welcome him. I don't want to make any mistakes at all"
Lin Meihui, Shen Heng and Lin MengYao followed behind him.
Soon they reached the entrance and saw around 8 to 10 people were flying over the sky on their swords.
4 of them were students of the Shaolin Sect and the others' were with Master Wu.
They landed soon and kept their swords in the sheath.
Master Wu and his new disciples were still on their swords.
Everyone knelt down and his disciples quickly came down from their swords as the respect they were paying was for master Wu and they were nothing but his followers so they also joined the group and stretched their hands to greet their Master.
Soon Master Wu also came down and said "Get up everyone!"
His voice was extremely calm and collected. He just said a few words and felt like spring was there.
They all quickly stood up and lead him to the main hall of the Shaolin Sect.
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