Inside the carriage were the four siblings on their way to Lantian, the place where the Qingju Pavilion is located, led by Master Bai Yue. That's where they would be studying.
"Hey!brother, why do you look so sad? Don't you want to study anymore?" Mei asked loudly.
Yang just rolled his eyes at her.
"Lower your voice, Mei, you're really noisy," Ling scolded.
"Well, why are you so quiet and gloomy? Ah! Maybe it's because—" Mei gave her brother a playful glance.
"Because of his lover," Ling added.
"If all you're going to do is tease me, it's better if you just stay quiet," Yang said.
Xiao simply smiled as she watched her siblings.
"Ms. Ye Duhua just got back to Fengming, and now you're the one leaving. You're really pitiful," Mei teased.
Yang gave Mei a sharp look.
"That's enough chatter. We're almost there," Xiao said.
"I'm thirsty. Do any of you have water?" Mei asked.
"My water's been gone for a while," said Ling.
"Mine too, it's all gone," said Yang.
"Just wait until we get off, Mei. We're almost there anyway."--- Xiao
When they arrived, they got off the carriage one by one.
"Sister, can I have some money? I want to buy water," Mei said to Xiao.
Xiao handed her a small pouch of coins.
"Thanks..." Mei said with a smile before leaving.
"Mei, just go straight toward the market, don't turn anywhere. Come back right away!" Yang called out loudly since Mei was already far off.
"Why did you give everything to Mei? She might waste it on something useless," Ling commented.
"Let her be. She rarely asks for anything," Xiao replied.
Suddenly, Bai Yujing arrived to welcome them. They bowed to each other as a sign of respect.
"I've already prepared the rooms where you'll be staying," Jing said.
"Thank you , Jing," Xiao replied.
"I hope I'm still sharing a room with my sister?" Ling asked, just to be sure.
Jing nodded.
"Of course she should share with Ling. You two aren't married yet—I won't allow it," Yang declared firmly.
Xiao and Jing laughed at Yang's remark.
"I thought Mei'yin was coming with you to study—where is she?" Jing asked, looking around.
"She just went to the market to buy something," Xiao replied.
As they chatted, another carriage suddenly pulled up. Inside were Qin Yijun and Qin Yuxi. Right behind them came Mo Yuming's carriage.
They all got down, and as soon as they saw Xiao, they greeted her politely.
"Oh, you're already here, Lady Xiao," said Yijun.
"We just arrived too," Xiao responded.
Yijun smiled but then accidentally made eye contact with Ling, who was staring at him seriously. Caught off guard, Ling quickly looked away.
Mo Yuming noticed and smirked. She leaned toward Yuxi and whispered, "Hey, do you think Yijun's hiding something from us? From you? From me?"
"I don't know," Yuxi replied flatly.
"Ugh, you're no fun to talk to," Yuming grumbled.
"Come on, let's head in so you can rest," Jing said kindly.
"You go ahead, Sister Xiao, Ling. I'll wait here for Mei," said Yang, stepping aside.
The two nodded and left with Jing and Yijun.
Then, Yuming got an idea. She grabbed Yuxi and dragged him back toward Yang.
Yang glanced at them and frowned a little.
"Uh, hehe, who are you waiting for again?" Yuming asked playfully.
"My sister, Mei. Why?" Yang replied with a bit of attitude.
Yuming grinned and elbowed Yuxi.
"What?" Yuxi snapped, clearly not in the mood.
"Is she the one who fought us?" Yuming asked again.
Yang nodded. "Why? Are you planning to fight her again?"
"No! No! We're actually gonna be nice this time," Yuming said quickly.
Yuxi sighed and started walking away.
"Hey! Yuxi, don't leave me! Wait up!" Yuming yelled, chasing after him.
Not long after, Mei finally showed up, happily munching on some snacks.
"Brother! Where is everyone? Why are you still here by yourself?" she asked with a mouth full of food.
"They went ahead. You took so long. Let's go," Yang said.
Mei grinned. "Aww, you stayed just to wait for me? You do love me!"
"Let's just go already! You and your random shopping…" Yang muttered, shaking his head.
After sending Xiao and Ling to their room, Jing immediately headed to the room where the teaching would take place. He found the servants still arranging the equipment. The BAOLI ZONG only had one room for the students, but it was spacious and could fit three hundred people. Bai Jing helped the servants to speed up the process because classes would start tomorrow.
"Are the teachers ready for tomorrow?" he asked his right-hand man, his voice filled with anticipation and a hint of authority.
"Yes, Young Master Jing. All the teachers have been summoned and have returned," his assistant replied with a bow, his voice respectful and subservient.
"Good," Jing said with a nod, a sense of satisfaction and relief washing over him.
Before long, Xiao arrived with drinks in hand, a warm and gentle smile on her face. Jing's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help but feel a flutter in his chest.
"I thought you were going to rest, why are you here?" Jing asked, his voice tinged with curiosity and a hint of concern.
"I'm not tired. I saw you helping out here, so I thought I'd bring you something to drink," Xiao replied, her eyes crinkling at the corners as she took a towel and gently wiped the sweat from Jing's forehead.
"T-thank you," Jing stuttered, his face growing hot as he met Xiao's gaze, his voice barely above a whisper.
Just then, Yang cleared his throat to get their attention, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Ahem! You two are so sweet!"
Mei chimed in, her voice dripping with sarcasm and playfulness, "Oh, great, you're here. Brother Jing, it's so nice to see you," she said, rolling her eyes and smirking.
Jing is just ignoring Mei's teasing and focusing on the question at hand.
"Where's sister Ling?" Mei asked Xiao,
"She's in our room, resting. Come on, let's go rest too," Xiao suggested, her voice gentle and soothing.
"I don't want to. I'll stay here for a bit. Is this our classroom? Wow, it's so big! Where will I sit?" Mei exclaimed, her eyes wide with wonder and curiosity.
"Outside!" Yang quipped, earning a glare from Mei, who playfully pretended to be offended.
"You're in the first group, so you'll sit in the first row," Xiao explained patiently, her voice calm and collected.
Mei scratched her head, looking puzzled and confused. "I don't understand."
"This room is divided into four sections. The first row on the right is for the first year, the second row is for the second year, and so on," Jing clarified, his voice calm and soothing.
"What year are you guys in?" Mei asked curiously, her eyes sparkling with interest.
"Xiao and I are both in our fourth year. We're just waiting for it to finish," Jing replied, his voice matter-of-fact.
Mei nodded, her ponytail bobbing up and down. "I'm in second year, and Ling is in third year," Yang chimed in, trying to join the conversation.
Mei turned to him, her eyes flashing with annoyance and playfulness. "I wasn't asking you!" she said, her voice firm but teasing.
Yang pretended to draw his sword, and Mei playfully threatened to hit him. "Go ahead, try it! Hurry!" Mei taunted, her voice lighthearted and joking.
"Your siblings are so lively," Jing whispered to Xiao, a hint of amusement in his voice.
Xiao smiled, her eyes shining with amusement and affection. "Let's go back to our room. " She said to her Siblings. "You need to rest too," Xiao suggested to Jing, her voice gentle and caring.
"Yeah, thanks," Jing said, feeling a sense of gratitude towards Xiao.
As they reached the door, Mei turned around and waved at Jing, her face breaking into a bright smile. "Bye, Big Brother Jing!" she called out, her voice cheerful and friendly.
📌📌 Baoli Zong
(Bà) – Dominance, Supremacy, Overlord
(Lì) – Strength, Power
(Zōng) – Sect, used for powerful martial or cultivation clans/schools
(Baoli Zong)
Meaning: Sect of Dominant Power or Supreme Strength Sect
A name that commands respect and fear — perfect for a martial academy focused on strength, conquest, and mastering other clans' abilities.