Whoever can strike me hard will be rewarded handsomely.

Jiang Jibai's eyes had already turned somewhat unfriendly.

Qin Ji was not afraid at all. Instead, he smiled like a smug fox. "Go ahead and punish me according to your principles. What do you care about my real purpose?"

Are you really going to abandon all principles just to prevent me from succeeding?

It was as if they were certain he wouldn't break his principles, so they were fearless.

Qin Ji's voice trailed off with a confident lilt, "Being soft-hearted isn't your style, Poison Master~"

Jiang Jibai's temple veins twitched involuntarily, but he still wore a warm, gentle smile.

He reached out and lifted the young disciple up, pressing him onto his lap. "Then so be it."

In a dizzying moment, Qin Ji's lower abdomen pressed against Jiang Jibai's legs, turning him into a prone position.

Before he could even put his hands and feet in the right place, he felt a familiar chill behind him.

Immediately afterwards, the bamboo board that he had placed on Jiang Jibai's lap was pulled out from under his lower abdomen by a hand.

The cool bamboo stick tapped Qin Ji lightly, and a meaningful reminder sounded gently above his head, "From now on, you have no room for regret."

"You went to great lengths to get this beating, so you'd better just accept it."

Qin Ji felt a chill run down his spine and his scalp tingle. He hadn't even uttered the words "I won't go back on my word" yet.

The crisp sound of the bamboo clappers falling exploded in the confined space.

Qin Ji's expression was blank.

The word "pain" was hammered into the head like a nail, one stroke at a time.

By the time he realized what was happening, his whole body was trembling uncontrollably from the pain, and a wail burst from his mouth, shaking the roof.

Lentil, still shaken, stuffed cotton into her mouth and covered her ears with both hands.

He thought to himself: Luckily, after the commotion stopped, he didn't think it was over and sent a signal to bring back the ingredients he had dismissed earlier.

Otherwise, His Majesty would probably chop him into thin strips and stir-fry him in a pot.

Qin Ji had no time to worry about anything else.

He had only one thought in his mind: This posture of receiving good fortune and hitting with a bamboo stick is not very comfortable, so how did the poison master manage to hit so hard?

Before he could even ask a question.

The bamboo clappers fell precisely again and again, each strike sinking deeply into the dough and lifting it high into the air.

Qin Ji opened his mouth and howled loudly, his cries rising and falling like a song, in rhythm with the falling of the wooden board.

Cold sweat poured out, wetting the stray hairs at his temples in clumps.

The boy cried and asked, "What about the quantity? You have to tell me the quantity, right?"

Jiang Jibai chuckled lightly, "You still care about that?"

"Since you've come all this way to ask for a beating, I'll naturally let you have your fill."

What kind of fun were they having?

What were you pretending to be all coy and hesitant about before?

Poison Master!

Before he could even utter a couple of curses in his mind, the bamboo slats came crashing down again.

Qin Ji's tears streamed down his face, his two wet hands gripping Jiang Jibai's clothes tightly, yet he did not flinch, accepting the punishment he believed he deserved.

Just when he thought there was no limit to how high he could go.

Jiang Jibai looked at his young disciple, who was crying miserably but beating obediently, and announced calmly: "Thirty lashes for attacking someone's sore spots with reckless words."

Qin Ji sniffed and tacitly accepted Jiang Jibai's verdict.

"Do those previous blows count?"

Jiang Jibai replied leisurely, "What do you think?"

Whether it counts or not, Qin Ji accepted it all. He pursed his lips and did not raise any objections.

The bamboo clappers swung down again, each strike still carrying the force to make Qin Ji cry out.

For a whole month, the place that hadn't received any blessings was like a wildfire that had been ignited, scorching the small area to the point of being scalding hot.

Qin Ji was like a dead fish on a chopping board, showing no intention of jumping off, but his body trembled as the cleaver fell, exhibiting the most basic reflex.

When it was all over, he was covered in sweat, his clothes soaked, as if he had been pulled out of the water. He lay on Jiang Jibai's lap, taking deep breaths.

He tugged at Jiang Jibai's sleeve to wipe his face, only one thought in his mind: I knew it didn't count, Poison Master, ugh~

Jiang Jibai put down the bamboo clappers, reached out and rubbed his little disciple's wet head. "Satisfied?"

Both of them knew in their hearts what the punishment was all about.

Jiang Jibai's punishment and Qin Ji's opinion were completely different, each stating their own perspective.

Qin Ji gave a soft "hmm," his eyes lowered, "It was my fault."

It was because I did not think things through enough. When I made it clear that I would severely punish Ning'an for embezzlement, I did not give him a proper warning. As a result, the officials below me were willing to kill rather than let him go in order to follow the "imperial will".

The injustice suffered by that grandfather and grandson is just a microcosm, not an isolated case.

One mistake like that is enough.

Teacher, I didn't do well enough, I know I was wrong.

After silently admitting his mistake, the boy's voice was hoarse from crying, "Thank you for your understanding."

For a moment, Jiang Jibai questioned the meaning of life.

It's that absurd feeling where he beats up his disciple, and the disciple actually has to thank him.

He chuckled and said, "You make me feel like a thug."

Qin Ji's breath hitched, and he felt too guilty to continue.

When he first became Jiang Jibai's disciple, wasn't he just looking for a thug?

Fortunately, Jiang Jibai was just making a casual joke.

He looked at the colorful beams behind his young disciple, helped him to lie face down on the couch, and asked meaningfully, "What mistake did you admit to?"

Qin Ji remained silent.

Jiang Jibai said indifferently, "I didn't mean to grant your wish. I hope you really know you were wrong. If you continue to ask for a beating in this way, it will be considered a repeated offense, and I will double the punishment for you."

If this poison master's strength were doubled, he'd probably be blown to bits.

The cost of asking for a beating has suddenly increased.

Qin Ji suddenly felt the pain in his back intensify, and buried his face in the pillow.

Jiang Jibai thought the kid would get angry and yell at him to apply the medicine, but surprisingly he didn't order him around or even say a word in rebuttal.

They were unusually well-behaved.

Jiang Jibai stretched his hand out in front of his junior disciple, "Where's the medicine?"

Qin Ji raised his head, pounded the bed, and retorted, "Who would carry medicine around in their pocket every day for no reason?"

Jiang Jibai asked, "Then we won't go?"

"Fine, I won't go!" Qin Ji rustled as he tried to lift his lower garment.

Jiang Jibai grabbed his hand and said with a hint of helplessness, "You really didn't bring it? If you didn't bring it, I'll go get it for you."

Qin Ji knew that Jiang Jibai's inquiry about the medicine was a test, but he still hesitantly took out some ointment from his sleeve and handed it to him, muttering, "Can't I just not have you apply the medicine? Or have I gotten used to being bossed around?"

Why is this junior disciple punishing himself for both asking for a beating and refusing to apply medicine?

Jiang Jibai dissolved the ointment in his palm and gently rubbed it on: "No matter what your reason was, you have the intention to punish yourself, and your remorse is sincere. I believe you will not repeat the same mistake. Remember this lesson, but..."

Jiang Jibai paused slightly: "You also need to learn to forgive yourself."

...

The second update is here, and I'll continue with double updates tomorrow.

It's complete.