Chapter 101

Chapter 101: Shen Dao Chen Gives Bai Mu Mu Special Treatment

The people from Thunder-Scale Peak saw Shen Sang Ruo and Bai Mu Mu step out together. Without meaning to, their eyes all went to Shen Sang Ruo, who now had nothing to do with them. They had picked such a clear spot to stand that they believed she would notice them at once. In truth, she did notice, but she did not spare them even an extra glance.

Feng He Yun, who had lifted his hand to wave, froze, and his face fell. Bai Mu Mu hid her annoyance at being ignored, lifted her hand, and waved to Feng He Yun, easing his awkwardness. He sighed with relief and murmured: “Junior Sister is the best.”

His wish to go find Shen Sang Ruo grew even stronger. He had waited so long for the day she returned. He sighed and told the others: “It hasn’t been that long, but Shen Sang Ruo already feels so distant from us. If we wait any longer, she might not even remember our names. That’s too cold.”

He reminded them: “We agreed that when the Young Sect Master contest ends, we’ll go find her and persuade her to come back.” Only Luo Chu echoed him. Wen Xuan and Lu Shi Qing said nothing, their eyes glued to Shen Sang Ruo wherever she moved. Wen Xuan’s gaze held guilt and hurt; he did not quite dare to look at her, yet he still hoped she would glance back once. Lu Shi Qing’s eyes were sharp and questioning, as if he wanted to see straight through her and solve a riddle.

Feng He Yun looked at the two of them, who seemed almost bewitched, and sighed again. Only he and Luo Chu were acting even a little normal. Rumors about Shen Sang Ruo being driven out reached his ears, and he grew more upset. These days, the senior brothers had been trying to stop the talk in the sect. But they had formed a silent agreement: they would stop people from spreading it, yet they would not explain the truth. It was as if, by not saying that Shen Sang Ruo had chosen to leave Thunder-Scale Peak on her own back then, they could still pull her back one day.

Feng He Yun grumbled under his breath: “If Shen Sang Ruo hadn’t left Thunder-Scale Peak, today’s Young Sect Master contest would be an inner match between our own peak. That would be grand, that would be impressive.” What bothered him most, though, was how others now spoke of Shen Sang Ruo as if she were no longer one of them. “How did it become like this…”

Up on the high platform, Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao also saw the two women arrive. Master Ling Xiao’s gaze passed over both of them and settled on Shen Sang Ruo, growing colder. He looked down on her. Thinking of the Divine Transformation Stage Cultivator who had taken her away that day, he frowned slightly and spread his Divine Sense. When he found that Shen Sang Ruo had not formed a new master-disciple Spirit Pact, his lips curved in a mocking smile. To him, a stubborn and unteachable disciple like her would never be taken in by anyone else. He withdrew his Divine Sense, kept his usual chilly face, and watched the contest.

When Shen Dao Chen saw Shen Sang Ruo, he remembered what she had said to him that day. Her words would not leave his mind. He had even tried to demand as much from Bai Mu Mu as he had from Shen Sang Ruo. But after only two or three days, his heart softened. Bai Mu Mu’s body was delicate; how could she bear training that hard? She also kept acting cute to beg him, and in the end he gave up. He decided that such a method did not suit Bai Mu Mu. Now everyone talked about scientific cultivation; the best way was the way that fit the person. He forgot that Shen Sang Ruo had also gone from not fitting to being forced to fit. He had started demanding so much from her when she was only six or seven.

On the stage, Shen Sang Ruo and Bai Mu Mu walked side by side, keeping a careful distance. Sensing Bai Mu Mu’s aura, Shen Sang Ruo confirmed that she had broken through to Mid Golden Core. It was expected, so she was not surprised. She still had full confidence to carry out her plan.

Bai Mu Mu leaned over and said in a voice only the two of them could hear: “I prepared a surprise for you.” Shen Sang Ruo answered calmly: “Is that so? I did too.” With only the two of them on stage, there was no need to pretend. Their rivalry was already clear. Bai Mu Mu’s voice held fierce ambition as she declared: “The position of Young Sect Master will be mine.”

If she spoke that boldly, then she must have prepared well and maybe had a secret trick ready. Shen Sang Ruo curled her lips in a slight smile and stopped responding, thinking: [Who said I’m competing for the position with you?]

All kinds of looks fell on her, and insults and slander kept drifting to her ears. Standing in the center of the stage was like standing in the eye of a storm. Yet she stayed calm, steady, and untouched.

When the time was right, Shen Dao Chen stood and cleared his throat to announce the start of the Young Sect Master contest. He said: “The rules are as follows. There will be three parts, in this order: a sect-wide vote, a test of handling sect affairs, and a strength match. Whoever wins two or more becomes the Young Sect Master.” Flying Cloud Sect had passed down these rules for many generations, and every Young Sect Master election had used them.

He paused, then added: “To encourage both Young Sect Master candidates, we have a new reward this time. Whoever wins the strength match may enter the Treasure Pavilion and pick any one treasure.”

A chorus of gasps rose at once. In Flying Cloud Sect, the Treasure Pavilion was a place that held the sect’s secret treasures. The soul-guarding artifact Shen Sang Ruo had once mentioned, the Soulbond Lock, was stored there. Some people felt such a rich prize was not reasonable, but others quickly pushed that idea down. This was the Young Sect Master contest, after all. The prize should be worthy. Soon everyone was arguing instead about who would win the strength match. It was the main event among the three, and the Treasure Pavilion prize only made it more exciting.

Someone said: “I think Sect Master Shen is favoring Shen Sang Ruo. Her cultivation is Late Golden Core, and Junior Sister Bai only just broke through to Mid Golden Core.”

Another asked in a sharp tone: “Is Sect Master Shen opening a back door for her?”

A third argued: “I don’t think Sect Master Shen is that kind of person.”

A fourth countered: “Higher cultivation doesn’t always decide the winner. I heard Master Ling Xiao found a top ice technique for Junior Sister Bai. Who wins is still up in the air.”

Many voices rose together: “Support Junior Sister Bai in challenging a higher realm!”

Hearing all this, Shen Sang Ruo understood what Shen Dao Chen meant to do. The Treasure Pavilion held an ice-type artifact called the Cold Echo Pearl. He believed Bai Mu Mu could beat her in the strength match, so he used the excuse of boosting their fighting spirit to give Bai Mu Mu a path to that artifact. What a “fair and upright” Sect Master Shen. Shen Sang Ruo’s eyes flashed with a smile as she thought: [I’ve been worrying about how to get the Soulbond Lock. In that case, I will not hold back.]