Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Severing Emotions

Whispers drifted outside the Confinement Chamber: “Who is that, and what terrible mistake did she make to be locked in here?”

Another voice answered in a low hiss: “Sect Master Shen’s fake daughter, Shen Sang Ruo. I heard she was jealous of the real daughter he found in recent years, Bai Mu Mu, and pushed Bai Mu Mu into a ravine.”

A third voice gasped: “Junior Sister Bai is so frail. How badly must she be hurt? How could Shen Sang Ruo be so cruel!”

Someone added with anger: “She still refuses to admit it. Master Ling Xiao was furious, so they threw her into the Confinement Chamber.”

A sharper whisper followed with grim satisfaction: “There is a powerful Formation inside this Confinement Chamber. Even a Nascent Soul Cultivator with a firm mind would grow dazed after a few days. Serves her right.”

Then came a hurried warning: “Hush, stop talking. Someone is coming.”

The door of the Confinement Chamber swung open with a hard scrape, and a shaft of light fell across a young girl’s terrified face.

Shen Sang Ruo was only at Foundation Establishment (Mid-stage). After a single day inside the Confinement Chamber, her mind was already close to breaking. When she saw the door open, hope flashed in her bloodshot eyes like rain after a drought. [Is Second Senior Brother here to take me out?]

She started to plead, her voice cracking: “Second Senior Brother, it really was not me…,” but her words died as she saw who stood there. Fear rose in her eyes as she breathed, “Third Senior Brother…”

Lu Shi Qing, with cool, severe eyes, crouched down and reached out a long-fingered hand to her. She shrank back without thinking, her fear deepening. [Why is it Lu Shi Qing?] She feared Lu Shi Qing most of all.

Backlit so she could not read his face, Lu Shi Qing spoke in a cold voice: “Are you afraid of Third Senior Brother?” He paused, then said with the same chill: “Third Senior Brother will take you out.”

Thinking of the torment in the dark Confinement Chamber, Shen Sang Ruo could not care about anything else; she only wanted to leave. [Even if he punishes me after I get out.] She steeled herself and grabbed his hand.

Pain struck at once. A Gu insect appeared in his palm and, the instant she gripped him, burrowed into her skin. The familiar, bone-gnawing agony knocked Shen Sang Ruo flat on the floor.

Lu Shi Qing calmly wiped the hand she had held, then spoke with a voice as icy as frost: “This is the Seven Emotions Gu. You cannot control your feelings and possessiveness, so I will help you learn.” He added without warmth: “So you will not grow jealous and hurt others again.”

He turned away, his sleeves flicking as he said: “Tomorrow I will come with Second Senior Brother. If you have reflected and are willing to admit your fault, we will take you out.”

He left without giving Shen Sang Ruo another glance.

Anyone planted with the Seven Emotions Gu would feel unbearable pain whenever a trace of emotion stirred, as if ants chewed their bones; life became worse than death. Lu Shi Qing knew she cared deeply for her Master and Senior Brothers, so the Seven Emotions Gu was, to him, the best way to punish her.

Old memories rose like a spring flooding her mind. As a child, she had been the daughter Shen Dao Chen held in his palm. When she grew older, she entered the tutelage of the sect’s foremost Cultivator, Master Ling Xiao, and became his Closed Door Disciple. Her four Senior Brothers doted on her. Every day, she was happy.

Two years ago, a thin girl her age came to the sect with a token, looking for Shen Dao Chen and claiming to be his daughter. Only then did Shen Dao Chen learn he had taken the wrong child years ago, and he hurried to recognize Bai Mu Mu as his own. Overnight, Shen Sang Ruo became the sect’s fake daughter. Shen Dao Chen said he would still treat her like his real child, but to make up for Bai Mu Mu, he begged Master Ling Xiao to break precedent and take Bai Mu Mu as a disciple as well.

From then on, Master and the Senior Brothers, feeling that Shen Sang Ruo had taken Bai Mu Mu’s place, showed Bai Mu Mu extra care. Before she knew it, all their talk became about Bai Mu Mu, and Shen Sang Ruo could only chase after them from behind. She worked herself to the limit, trying to meet the highest expectations they spoke of, yet still could not win their attention. That only made her cling harder to the hope of their care, so she tried every way to please them.

Even so, she focused on improving herself and never planned to harm Bai Mu Mu. Bai Mu Mu’s fall into the ravine had nothing to do with her.

She explained herself with all her strength, but among her Father, her Master, and her Senior Brothers, not one believed her. At that thought, stabbing pain pierced her chest, as if a sword thrust through her heart again and again.

The more unwilling she felt, the harsher the Seven Emotions Gu raged. The pain tore at her nerves. She could not tell whether the Confinement Chamber hurt her more, or the Seven Emotions Gu did.

[I do not want this anymore. I do not want their attention. Do not make me suffer anymore.]

Just as she was about to faint, the Darkwood tucked in her arms gave off a soft light. In her hazy mind, a voice sounded in her heart: “Sigh, how pitiful.”

The voice asked with gentle age: “Young Friend, if I can pull away your feelings for them right now, are you willing?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered at once, without a trace of doubt: “Willing!” She had no time to wonder who spoke or where the voice came from. The bone-deep pain was driving her mad. She wanted those people out of her mind.

Before anything else could happen, she blacked out.

She did not know how long had passed when she woke again. The pain from the Seven Emotions Gu was gone, and her body felt light. A cool distance showed in her eyes, and her heart was calm like still water. Those people could no longer stir even a ripple within her.

Though the Seven Emotions Gu was quiet, the Confinement Chamber’s Formation still pressed down. Her sleep had been uneasy, and cold sweat dampened her clothes. She took out the Darkwood she had picked up in the valley, the very piece that had saved her life.

She studied it and thought: [The voice in my mind seemed like a wisp of Divine Sense attached to the Darkwood.] Now, that Divine Sense had vanished. Before it faded, it had told her that since it had helped her, she should one day go to a certain mountain to find it and repay the favor.

Setting the Darkwood on the ground, Shen Sang Ruo bowed her head to it twice, then spoke with solemn thanks: “Thank you, Senior, for saving my life. I will find you and repay your kindness.”

She had just put the Darkwood away when the hinges creaked. With a long groan, the door of the Confinement Chamber opened.

Second Senior Brother Wen Xuan and Third Senior Brother Lu Shi Qing stepped into view. Wen Xuan raised his hand and swept away the Formation in the room, then asked with lips pressed thin: “Fifth Junior Sister, after two days of reflection in the Confinement Chamber, are you willing to admit your fault?”

Lu Shi Qing was about to quietly call back the Seven Emotions Gu from her body so she would not be in too much pain to speak, but before he could act, Shen Sang Ruo’s clear voice rang out, steady and calm: “I should not have pushed Junior Sister into the ravine. I admit my fault.” [If I do not confess, they will not let me out.]

Wen Xuan had half expected this, yet disappointment still showed in his eyes. He said in a clipped tone: “Since you admit your fault, use ten drops of your heart’s blood to treat Junior Sister’s injuries. Do you have any objection?”

Shen Sang Ruo cupped her fists and bowed as she answered: “None. Please take me out, Second Senior Brother. I am willing to make amends.”

Seeing her attitude, Wen Xuan judged that she was truly repentant, and he remembered she had suffered two days inside. After all, she was their Junior Sister. His voice softened as he said: “Come, I will take you to see Master.”