"Teacher, she has been kneeling outside for three days and three nights. I feel this elder sister's desire to become a disciple is quite firm, so why aren't you willing to accept her as your disciple?"
"She's quite pitiful. These past two days, it's either been scorching sun or torrential rain. Can she still hold on?"
"Teacher, has she ever done anything unforgivable in the past? That's why you aren't willing to give her even a tiny chance."
Inside Peach Garden Academy's camp, Xiao Wu, Meng Yiran, and the other students felt pity for the woman kneeling outside, begging to be accepted as a disciple.
Wang Sheng stood by, expressionless. He believed his teacher must have his reasons for doing this.
Su Ran pondered for a moment, then said to Xiao Wu and the others:
"If you knew that someone painstakingly came to your side to help their loved one obtain benefits by unscrupulous means, would you keep her or kill her?"
Su Ran posed this question to his disciples.
Xiao Wu and Meng Yiran fell silent upon hearing this.
"Loved one… we can understand that to some extent, but she wouldn't be in love with Xiaogang, would she? Such low taste."
"If we keep her, it would undoubtedly be a disaster, helping an opponent, which would be detrimental to ourselves."
"But if we kill her, it seems her crime isn't punishable by death, and it would give the Academy a brutal reputation for wantonly killing those who seek knowledge."
"The best thing would be for her to leave, but she's refusing to go."
"Teacher, we don't know what to do either. Whatever decision you make, we will stand by your side."
Xiao Wu and Meng Yiran truly couldn't figure out the complexities involved, so they stated their position.
Anyway, they didn't really care about anything as long as they could learn by their teacher's side. No matter where, they were willing.
…
Outside Camp One.
Erlong looked at the bowl of warm rice in front of her, feeling a strange warmth in her heart. She couldn't help but glance up at the girl in front of her.
The girl had brilliant pink hair like peach blossoms, and her entire being was as delicate as a little princess.
Erlong's lips were pale, and her body was quite weak: "Can I see Dean Su?"
"Teacher will not accept you as a disciple, so there's no need for you to meet him now.
However, you kneeling here like this greatly affects the image of our Peach Garden Academy. Seeing your willingness to abandon all self-respect and your persistence, you can stay by my side. This would count as half a member of the Academy, and this is my bottom line. Are you willing?"
Erlong swallowed, "You mean, you want to accept me as your disciple, which would make me Dean Su's grand-disciple?"
"Not a disciple, but a guardian."
Ning Rongrong took out a golden-white headband from her spirit tool. This woman was, after all, the head of an academy, so making her a disciple would be too low a status. This was the last bit of respect she would give her. Women don't make things difficult for women, she said faintly:
"In the name of the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, I will keep you by my side as a personal guardian. From now on, you will follow me and protect me.
You should have heard that our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, as a support system Sect, every Sect Master chooses several Sect guardians, just like Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo."
"This Diamond Circlet is a gift from my teacher. Once worn, it serves as proof. If your heart is pure and your intentions are upright, then not only will it not harm you, but it will protect you.
But if you do anything to harm the interests of my Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School and the teachers and students of Peach Garden Academy, it will restrict your spirit power and tighten more and more, binding your Spirit, and you will face the wrath of our entire Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"Only when you achieve great enlightenment, when your heart no longer holds obsessions, and when your mind is righteous, will it come off."
"If you are willing, then wear it. If not, then even if you die here, the Academy's gates will no longer open for you."
After Ning Rongrong finished speaking, she stood there quietly, looking at Erlong with pity, but more like she was looking at an idiot.
If my teacher asked me to carry out some important task, I would be as persistent as her, sworn to complete it.
But my teacher is a Peach Blossom Spring Immortal in the human world, with a peerless appearance and extraordinary strength, incomparable to ordinary people, and certainly incomparable to Xiaogang, that hypocritical villain.
Erlong's eyes were complex. She gritted her teeth and finally made up her mind, taking the golden circlet from Ning Rongrong's hand and putting it on her head:
"Erlong greets the Young Sect Master."
When the Diamond Circlet was put on, Erlong felt as if it was connected to her flesh and bones, sticking tightly to her skin.
And when she tried to loosen it and adjust it, she found that no matter how hard she tried, it wouldn't budge, and instead brought sharp pain.
In less than a moment, the golden circlet on Erlong's head began to tighten, directly leaving blue-red marks, making her head ache terribly.
"Ah—"
"It hurts so much, my head!"
"Hiss—"
Erlong was already in poor condition and physically weak. At this moment, as the Diamond Circlet tightened, she immediately writhed on the ground in pain, banging her head against the ground.
However, Ning Rongrong's expression grew colder:
"Teacher said that this golden circlet only tightens when the wearer is trapped by love and gives rise to evil desires.
I just took you in, and it's already started to tighten, which proves that your intentions are indeed impure. You should reflect on yourself."
After saying that, Ning Rongrong returned to the camp without looking back, leaving Erlong to wail alone.
…
A quarter of an hour later.
Erlong slowly recovered from the severe headache, covered in cold sweat, lying on the ground staring at the sky, wondering what she was thinking.
She found that as long as she didn't think about Xiaogang, the headband would slowly loosen.
But achieving that was difficult.
At least, she had taken the first step.
Next to her was the food Ning Rongrong had brought her. She was indeed hungry, like a starving dragon, and she finished the bowl of food in no time.
Looking at the students of Peach Garden Academy, her mood was a bit complicated. It seemed this Academy wasn't as bad as Xiaogang had said.
Did I really love the wrong person?
Ah ~
So painful!
It felt like all seven orifices were being poked and stirred by a big stick.
I can't even think about it!
…
"Teacher, will she behave after wearing the Diamond Circlet?"
Ning Rongrong, who had returned to the camp, came to explain the situation to her teacher Su Ran. Although she and Xiao Wu felt that Erlong's deep affection for Xiaogang was pitiful and tragic, they didn't want their teacher to be harmed.
Su Ran took a breath and said faintly:
"This Diamond Circlet's full name — the Diamond Righteous Heart Circlet — is a sub-immortal tool. Not only is it extremely sturdy, but it also binds the Spirit. Even a Limit Douluo can't do anything about it. There's also a control incantation here; as long as you recite the incantation, the Diamond Circlet will tighten, restricting her spirit power and Spirit, causing her agonizing headaches. Even if it can't make her righteous, it can at least restrain her."
"Since you have accepted her as a guardian, I hope you can keep her in check. Perhaps after you take over the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, you will encounter many people even more difficult to manage than Erlong. That you could take this first step proactively, if School Master Ning knew, he would surely be very pleased."
With Erlong restricted by the Diamond Righteous Heart Circlet, even Ning Rongrong didn't have to worry about her attacking her.
This was also the reason Su Ran did not stop Ning Rongrong from taking in Erlong.
-------------------------------
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