Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Returning the Young Sect Master’s Token

Bai Mu Mu cut off contact with the System, saying: “Mm.”

When she lifted her eyes, a cold light flashed across them.

She seemed like a completely different person from before.

From the moment she entered this world, Bai Mu Mu had cultivated the Ruthless Path, because its missions were the easiest.

She only needed to kill the target the moment their affection reached one hundred to achieve Ascension.

To her, Master Ling Xiao and the others were only tools to finish her tasks.

As a top tier raider, how could she ever grow real feelings for a target?

From the day she bound to the System, it kept warning her: [Men will only slow how fast you draw your sword.]

She answered it in return: “Not just men. Everyone will only slow how fast I draw my sword.”

The System was very satisfied with her, and she completed every mission with excellence.

Bai Mu Mu curved her lips in a confident smile.

Of course, this time would be no different.

—

Shen Sang Ruo’s mind was a blur, and her body felt as if a giant stone had crushed it.

She tried to open her eyes, but her eyelids were as heavy as a thousand pounds and would not lift.

Even so, she could hear the sounds around her clearly.

“It has been two months, and Fifth Junior Sister still shows no sign of waking,” Wen Xuan said with quiet regret.

“She would never be willing to die. She will wake up,” Lu Shi Qing said through gritted teeth; from the tone alone, she could picture his expression.

Footsteps sounded. Someone came in.

“Sang Ruo still hasn’t woken?”

Wen Xuan and Lu Shi Qing greeted with respect: “Sect Master Shen.”

“Fifth Junior Sister is much better now, and perhaps she will wake soon,” Wen Xuan said gently, adding: “Sect Master, please do not worry too much.”

“First Senior Brother went too far this time,” Lu Shi Qing said, his tone not pleasant.

It was one thing for Shen Sang Ruo to play around on normal days, but how could First Senior Brother also lose his sense?

Shen Dao Chen sighed.

“These days Feng He Yun has been punished in the Disciplinary Hall. He will be released in a few days. Sang Ruo ending up like this was not his intent,” he said. “But she first lost all her cultivation, then suffered heavy injuries. I fear it will harm her foundation.”

“Sect Master is worried her future cultivation will be affected?” Wen Xuan asked, his voice warm.

“Whatever Sang Ruo’s strength is, the Flying Cloud Sect can protect her,” Shen Dao Chen said, then paused: “But I had hoped for Sang Ruo to be the next Sect Master.”

“Thankfully we still have Mu’er. After she recovered, she has made a lot of progress.”

Shen Dao Chen looked at Bai Mu Mu with fondness.

Bai Mu Mu had a single Water Spiritual Root, and her talent was no worse than Shen Sang Ruo’s single Fire Spiritual Root. Once her body was well, she could shoulder heavy duties.

“If not for you, Father truly would not know what to do,” he said.

“Rest easy, Father, I will not let you down,” Bai Mu Mu said, eyes bright.

She had waited a long time to hear these words.

Everyone else showed agreement on their faces.

“Let us discuss this after Sang Ruo wakes,” Shen Dao Chen added. He knew that if he changed the next sect leader right after all this, Shen Sang Ruo would overthink it.

Three more days passed, and at last the weight on Shen Sang Ruo’s eyelids lifted.

When he saw her open her eyes, Wen Xuan first thought he was seeing things, then excitement took over and he could not hold it back: “Little Ruo! Little Ruo is awake! Little Ruo is awake!”

He told her softly not to move, then went to report to Master Ling Xiao and Shen Dao Chen.

Soon, everyone arrived.

They said a few caring words, then told her Feng He Yun had been punished and that she should rest and heal.

After all, she had been hurt so badly this time and had been misunderstood, so her mood might be unstable.

With her temper, they needed to comfort her well, afraid she would stir up trouble again.

But Shen Sang Ruo was calm. From start to finish, she only nodded lightly.

She did not bring up the matter at all, and she did not act pitiful to win their hearts.

Her manner surprised them.

In the past, Shen Sang Ruo would have taken the chance to make a scene and draw their attention to herself.

So abnormal. Had she hurt her head?

They stared at her, each feeling something was off.

“Senior Uncle,” Shen Sang Ruo said suddenly.

It was the first thing she had said since waking.

Everyone exchanged knowing looks. So she was still the same Shen Sang Ruo after all.

Here it comes, they thought. She would start her demands.

But this time she truly was the wronged one.

As long as her requests were not too much, they would try to meet them.

Shen Sang Ruo neither knew nor cared what they were thinking.

Right now, she only wanted to throw away everything related to them.

She took something from her storage pouch and said: “Senior Uncle once gave me the Young Sect Master’s Token. I am not suited to hold it now. Please take it back.”

Those ready to handle her “unreasonable” demands froze.

Shen Dao Chen looked at the token in her hand, his feelings complicated.

He had wanted to take it back, yet her decisive return made him uncomfortable.

Had she heard what he said while she was asleep?

[He felt guilty.]

He had always been strict with Shen Sang Ruo to train her as Young Sect Master, and she had suffered a lot.

How could he say he would give up on her and then just give up? That would be too heartless. He should at least give her another chance and decide later.

But as Sect Master, he had to think of the sect’s long future.

Struggling inside, he hesitated until Shen Sang Ruo grew a little impatient.

She did not understand. He had wanted the token back. Why was he hesitating now that she was handing it to him?

“You were right, Senior Uncle. Junior Sister is more suited to this token than I am,” Shen Sang Ruo reminded him.

“You heard that?” Shen Dao Chen said, now certain, and tried to explain: “Do not overthink it. I only need to consider the sect…”

“Mm,” she said, cutting him off.

When she did not agree, they lectured her. When she agreed, they still lectured her.

She finally saw it clearly: they were not judging the matter. They were judging her.

“I don’t believe she would hand over the token so willingly,” Lu Shi Qing said, narrowing his eyes, his tone sharp at her.

His gaze was deep and cutting, as if trying to see through her.

He had watched every change in Shen Sang Ruo. She was so strange that it was hard not to suspect she was plotting something.

This was not something Shen Sang Ruo would do.

“Maybe she is only pretending to return it. Later she will cry all over the sect and say she was forced, then cause a big scene to smear Junior Sister,” he said, growing more certain with every word. [He was even more sure of it now.]