At night, the moon hung high in the sky, casting its radiant moonlight onto the earth, making it shimmer in silver brilliance.

Ling Xi put down the book in her hand and looked up at the night sky, a smile forming on her lips.

"Do you want to learn warlock Magecraft from me?" Ling Xi turned around to look at Lena who was standing behind her and asked.

"Yes, Ling Xi sister, I want to learn warlock Magecraft..." Lena obediently replied.

"We have no relation, why should I teach you? This is the result of eight years of research, can't be easily taught to others." Ling Xi said seriously, with no hint of joking.

"Ling Xi sister... I... I can pay you..." Lena took out a purse from her shoulder bag. At the top of the purse, three transparent crystal balls were tied with red thread, emitting a soft luster, very beautiful to look at.

"Ling Xi sister, this is all my pocket money, I will give it all to you... Ling Xi sister, please teach me, can you?" Lena handed the purse to Ling Xi, pleading.

Ling Xi didn't take the purse and just glanced at it, "I don't need money... I just want to see your father, that's all."

Lena thought for a moment and felt that her father would probably agree, so she nodded and said, "No problem... Ling Xi sister, I'll take you to him when my father is back."

"In that case, should we perform a formal apprenticeship ceremony?" Ling Xi smiled.

Lena knelt down on the ground and performed a standard apprenticeship ceremony, saying, "Lena pays respect to Master!"

"It's getting late, you should go back and come find me tomorrow." Ling Xi put away her smile and said coldly.

"Master, I'd rather stay here with you... My sister is going to play poker with her sister-in-law and she won't let me stay with them no matter what..." Lena pouted and said, "They are so mean, not even letting me play poker with them!"

*Cough cough.* Ling Xi coughed twice. "The poker they are playing is very special and can only be played by two people. It is not appropriate for others to participate. You will understand when you grow up. For tonight, just stay here."

"Okay." Lena obediently replied. "I also want to play the special poker with Master..."

"That poker is not suitable for you, we'll talk about it when you grow up." Ling Xi said indifferently. "Now go take a bath and then sleep..."

"Okay, fine." Lena left with a little bit of a sulky face.

Those two really have no manners.

The next day, early in the morning.

Ling Xi got up early and started drawing the Qimen Formation on a piece of paper, one small formation after another taking shape under her pen.

After a while, she looked at the paper in her hand and smiled with satisfaction.

The diagram Ling Xi drew was missing the four important positions of Qian, Kun, Gen, and Dui, and many other important elements. She didn't intend to teach them all to Lena, just a small portion. After all, she was only trying to gather information and there was no need to teach everything.

After a while, Lena got up from bed, got dressed, and walked downstairs.

"Master." Lena called out sweetly and ran up to Ling Xi, hugging her arm, and coquettishly said, "Master, are you going to teach me Academician Magecraft today?"

"Yes." Ling Xi nodded and handed Lena the Qimen Formation diagram on the table. "Memorize this diagram within a week, or prepare to be punished."

"Ah?" Lena frowned at the mention of punishment, feeling a bit aggrieved.

"If you don't want to, then stop bothering me." Ling Xi said coldly.

"No, no, no, I will memorize it!" Lena quickly shook her head. "Master, don't worry, I'll definitely memorize it within a week!"

After Lena left, Iris began her meditation. After all, her cultivation in the Fire, Dark Shadow System, Summoning, and Curse systems had been stagnant for three years. She decided to prioritize her cultivation in Summoning, as she was afraid that Baixi, who needed to consume the heart she obtained in the Abyss, would encounter problems. So she decided to enhance Baixi by advancing her Summoning abilities.

...

A week later, Lena walked nervously into Ling Xi's room.

"I'm sorry... Master, I didn't finish memorizing what you asked me to." Lena apologized as soon as she entered.

"According to our agreement, if you can't memorize it, you will be punished." Ling Xi said calmly.

"Yes... Please punish me, Master." Lena lowered her head and said.

"Kneel!" Ling Xi commanded.

"Yes..." Lena dared not disobey her master's command, so she obediently knelt down and waited to be punished.

Ling Xi looked at Lena kneeling in front of her, her eyes filled with anger.

Ling Xi slowly took out a thorn vine whip from the drawer. The end of the whip was spiked, sharp and gleaming coldly, and looked extremely vicious.

"Master... what is this?" Lena couldn't help but be startled.

"Snap!"

The whip struck Lena's back, leaving a bloodstain.

"Ah!" Lena cried out in pain, but she gritted her teeth and endured.

"You can't even remember such a simple thing. Are you worthy of learning wizard magic?" Ling Xi continued.

"I know I was wrong... please continue to punish me, Master..." Lena held back the pain and said through gritted teeth.

"Snap~"

Another lash.

"Ah... it hurts..." Tears welled up in Lena's eyes.

"Hmph!" Ling Xi snorted coldly, "I'll give you three more days. This time, you not only have to memorize, but also learn to draw. If you fail, it won't be just two lashes."

"After three days, I will definitely memorize and learn to draw!" Lena promised through her tears, her voice mixed with a sob.

"I don't want to hear your excuses. Leave now." Ling Xi waved her hand, indicating Lena to leave quickly.

"Yes..."

Lena, with her injured body, went to the infirmary. Seeing this, the attending healing mage Fan Peixi hurriedly went up and supported Lena, asking with concern, "Princess, what happened to you?"

"I'm fine, Sister Fan Peixi. Can you help me with the medicine?" Lena said.

Fan Peixi immediately removed the thorns from Lena's back and started applying ointment to her.

"Hiss~" Lena couldn't help but gasp at the piercing pain.

"It's just a superficial wound. It will be fine by tomorrow." Fan Peixi looked at the wound on Lena's back and gently blew on it.

At this moment, Lena was lying on the bed, still holding the picture Ling Xi drew, repeatedly looking at it.

"The princess's body is precious... who dares to hurt her?! It's outrageous!" Fan Peixi said angrily.

"It's okay, Sister Fan Peixi. It's all my own fault for being so stupid. I was punished because I couldn't remember. But this time, I will definitely remember it. I will be able to draw the picture." Lena raised her head stubbornly and said firmly.

Fan Peixi sighed and said, "You... really leave people speechless."

"Hehe..." Lena awkwardly scratched her head, then looked at the Qimen layout diagram and continued memorizing.

Fan Peixi asked her assistant to take care of the princess, while she herself reported the incident to King Victor.

"Your Majesty, Princess Lena was whipped twice on her back by a thorn whip. Although they were just superficial injuries, the pain she endured was real." Fan Peixi told King Victor about the incident.

Upon hearing this, Victor became furious. "This is outrageous! Someone actually dared to hurt my precious daughter? Who is it?!"

"I don't know either. The princess doesn't want to reveal it. I suggest Your Majesty to personally investigate." Fan Peixi said.

"Take me to find Lena immediately!" Victor angrily said, "I want to see who is the fool that dared to hurt my precious daughter."

Then Victor followed Fan Peixi to Lena's location. Along the way, Victor had a dark face and exuded an aura of killing intent, seemingly wishing to tear the culprit into pieces.

Upon entering the room, Victor saw Lena lying on the bed, still memorizing the picture. He asked, "Lena, who exactly hurt you?"

Hearing the voice, Lena slowly turned her head and was stunned when she saw Victor standing in front of her. "Father, Your Majesty... why are you here?"

"Tell me quickly, who hurt you?!" Victor shouted in anger.

"It... it's not really an injury..." Lena weakly said, "I just accidentally fell."

"Just accidentally fell? I don't believe it! Since you won't say, I'll investigate it myself!" Victor said, then turned and left.

"Father, Your Majesty! Please don't!" Seeing this, Lena panicked and quickly grabbed Victor's sleeve. "She is my mentor who taught me wizard magic. I deserve the punishment for not meeting her standards."

"Hmph!" Victor sneered, "I want to see what kind of master you have! Who is better suited for Princess's teacher job, compared to the warlocks and wizards I brought for you!"

"Where does your master live?" Victor asked.

"My master is a friend of my sister, staying temporarily with her. Your Majesty... please don't go... my master likes tranquility, she won't be happy if you go like this," Lena said.

"Don't worry, I will handle it properly, Your Majesty," Victor patted Lena's shoulder and said.

With that, he turned and left.

...