Chapter 49

Chapter 49: Rong Shu’s Fortune Is Veiled by the Heavenly Secrets Screen

Limitless Peak, Joyous Hall.

Yu Ruan Ruan sat in a room warm in winter and cool in summer, eating fresh fruit as she asked the System: “System, after Rong Shu was threatened and scolded by the eldest senior brother, did her fortune go down?”

Thinking of the eldest senior brother’s cold and heartless attitude toward Rong Shu when they returned to the sect earlier, Yu Ruan Ruan felt a surge of pleasure.

Rong Shu must be very sad, right?

After all, just after returning to the sect and meeting the handsome and elegant eldest senior brother, before she could say a few proper words, she was met with his cold-faced warning.

Nor had Yu Ruan Ruan wasted her efforts: from time to time she deliberately let slip ambiguous hints in front of her maid; with a little guidance, the maid would feel indignant on her behalf.

The System took a moment before replying to Yu Ruan Ruan: [A brief fluctuation appeared. For now there is no downward trend.]

“How is that possible?” Yu Ruan Ruan was dubious: “How could Rong Shu have no reaction at all?”

Even the eldest senior brother—who in the original trajectory should have cherished Rong Shu in the palm of his hand—had, under years of Yu Ruan Ruan’s careful maneuvering, put Yu Ruan Ruan in that cherished position, and now felt no goodwill toward Rong Shu.

The System’s cold voice sounded: [Rong Shu’s fortune currently seems to be covered by a Heavenly Secrets Screen and cannot be fully seen through. If you can damage her mental state in the short term so that she misses a fortuitous chance, you might be able to take the opportunity to glimpse her fortune.]

“In the short term…” Yu Ruan Ruan fell into deep thought.

Lately, she had already taken all of Rong Shu’s opportunities that she could take.

As for the future ones, the time had not yet come, and Yu Ruan Ruan could not seize them in advance.

But Yu Ruan Ruan was not anxious.

Because she was the protagonist of the world—she would be cherished by all—while Rong Shu was destined to become her stepping stone.

Just then her maid came in, beaming.

“Miss, I have good news.”

Yu Ruan Ruan was curious: “What good news?”

“They’re spreading bad rumors about Rong Shu over on the outer peaks!” The maid couldn’t wait to share what she had heard.

That made Yu Ruan Ruan a little puzzled.

Why had rumors about Rong Shu suddenly sprung up again in the outer sect?

Yu Ruan Ruan asked the System inwardly: “System, what’s going on?”

Last time, the bad reputation that grew around Rong Shu in the outer sect had been pushed along by Yu Ruan Ruan.

She had planned to use it to weaken Rong Shu’s fortune, but the rabble in the outer sect were so useless they couldn’t even keep a lid on things. In the end she had to give up.

[Perhaps this is an opportunity—an opportunity to weaken Rong Shu’s fortune.]

Hearing the System’s answer, Yu Ruan Ruan’s heart heated.

[Target of capture Feng Lin is at the door.]

The System’s next reminder sounded. Yu Ruan Ruan’s heart skipped, and her expression became sweeter and more lovable.

By now, the maid had already chattered through her news. Yu Ruan Ruan feigned a gentle scolding: “Enough. Junior Sister Rong is my junior sister. Even if she has shortcomings, she is still my junior sister. She’s young; you mustn’t speak carelessly everywhere.”

With the eldest senior brother eavesdropping outside the door, Yu Ruan Ruan certainly wouldn’t miss the chance.

“Miss, you’re too kind!” The unwitting maid still felt indignant for Yu Ruan Ruan.

Guided by Yu Ruan Ruan, the maid continued: “If you ask me, Miss, you were afraid that Rong Shu would feel out of place when she first arrived, so you kindly tried to get close to her, but she might not appreciate it, snubbing you again and again. Every time she deliberately wandered about outside so you had to wait a long time, and now she doesn’t even return to Limitless Peak…”

“She leaves early and returns late every day; who knows what she’s doing? Maybe she’s laughing at you behind your back.”

“Chun Tao, that’s enough,” Yu Ruan Ruan sighed, her face tinged with sorrow: “Alas… perhaps Junior Sister Rong truly dislikes me?”

The maid was even more indignant: “Then Rong Shu is blind not to see your kindness! Her reputation stinks in the outer sect now—serves her right!”

…

Outside the door, Feng Lin, eavesdropping, felt his disgust for Rong Shu deepen.

He did not want Rong Shu anywhere near Yu Ruan Ruan, afraid the kind and guileless Yu Ruan Ruan would be used.

If Rong Shu could behave herself, he would not bother with her.

But if Rong Shu despised Yu Ruan Ruan, disregarded and trampled on her feelings, that was something Feng Lin could not accept.

“A person like that, and Qin Yuan still thinks she’s not bad? Hmph!” Listening to Yu Ruan Ruan’s gentle voice inside—obviously sad and disappointed, yet pretending to be strong and even willing to defend Rong Shu—Feng Lin felt his heart break.

No. It seemed a verbal warning was not enough to make Rong Shu understand who must not be provoked.

At first he had thought Rong Shu, just a snot-nosed kid, could be scared with a few words, not worth any grand effort; but now, a new thought rose in Feng Lin’s mind.

…

Two days later.

The gossip about Rong Shu had spread through almost the entire outer sect. Even some reclusive cultivators had heard her name.

For now, the sect had given no response, which only emboldened the outer-sect disciples to discuss it more openly.

Meanwhile, the makers of the gossip and the person at its center, Rong Shu, continued practicing the blade in Lin Dao’s courtyard by day.

After training, while she rested, Lin Dao mentioned casually: “There’s a lot of talk about you in the outer sect. If there’s nothing pressing, try not to go there for a while.”

Rong Shu smiled slightly: “Is that so? Then I should go even more.”

“The stage is already set. How can the lead be absent?”

Seeing that Rong Shu was not ignorant of it and even looked confident, Lin Dao felt reassured.

Still, he offered comfort: “They are the words of mediocrities. Pay them no mind.”

These few days had shown that although Rong Shu’s talent was not high, her grit—the way she trained like her life depended on it—made Lin Dao look at her differently.

This world is not short of prodigies and monsters, but it is short of people like Rong Shu who understand their own station and goal, are unmoved by outside noise, and devote themselves wholeheartedly to hard work.

Give such a person a chance to climb, and she will bloom with her own light.

“Senior brother, I’m off now.” Having rested enough, Rong Shu took her leave.

This time, she did not stay to refine pills as usual in Lin Dao’s place.

The stage was set. It was time to watch the show.

Lin Dao nodded lightly: “Mm. If anything comes up, you can come ask me at any time.”

“All right, senior brother.”

…

In good spirits, Rong Shu left the inner peaks.

This time, heading to Spirit Gathering Peak, she changed into the high-profile Personal Disciple Robes.

Almost the moment she stepped onto Spirit Gathering Peak, the disciples who saw her—with those robes and that tender young face—reacted at once.

This was the very Rong Shu of the rumors, Immortal Venerable Ze Yu’s fifth personal disciple—her talent said to be mediocre.

Under the weight of all eyes, Rong Shu entered a lecture hall.

Unsurprisingly, her attire as a personal disciple served as a silent announcement.

“Is that Rong Shu? She really is quite young…”

“Nearly half a year now, and still only at Qi Refining level one—what a waste of a personal disciple’s place…”

“If it were me, I’d be ashamed to death. How could I have the face to stay here!”

“It’s a pity for the other four personal senior brothers and senior sister; their reputations are dragged down with her.”

…

Rong Shu’s expression stayed calm, as if she hadn’t heard the slander.

Those hoping she would fly into a rage or make a scene were disappointed.

What they never expected was that the moment the Elder appeared in the hall, Rong Shu, who had been silent, suddenly raised her voice: “Elder, I wish to report someone!”