Chapter 117

Chapter 117: Master, You Will Regret It

Wen Xuan’s expression twisted with deeper pain, and his voice caught as he said: “Little Ruo did do many rash things before, but now she is truly different.”

He drew a long breath, like making a choice, and said: “I am willing to take all the blame for her, even if that means being expelled by Master. I only ask Sect Master Shen to withdraw the order. I only ask Little Ruo to come back.”

Master Ling Xiao’s face changed. A storm gathered in his eyes.

Feng He Yun and Luo Chu thought they had heard wrong. Before, they only thought Wen Xuan was crazy; now they were sure of it.

They blurted out together: “Second senior brother!” and “Second junior brother, do not!”

He would even give up being Master Ling Xiao’s personal disciple for Shen Sang Ruo. How could he say that?

They both dropped to their knees at once and pleaded: “Master, second junior brother is shaken because Shen Sang Ruo left. His head is not clear. He is talking nonsense. Please do not hold it against him.”

Master Ling Xiao’s tone turned ice-cold as he said: “Wen Xuan, this is my last warning. Do not commit great defiance for someone unrelated.”

He flicked his sleeve and said: “Do you take Thunder-Scale Peak as a place you can come and go at will? One after another, so presumptuous. In the end, Shen Sang Ruo started this. Taking her as a disciple is the biggest stain of my life.”

He fixed Wen Xuan with a hard look and said: “I will overlook you this time because you are usually steady and this is your first offense. But if you dare speak again about bringing that person back, I will grant your wish and place her punishment on you.”

His gaze turned colder as he said: “She was driven out. Whether she wants to return does not matter. She has no right to throw a tantrum. Do you expect me, the number one cultivator in the cultivation world, to lower myself and beg a girl under twenty to come back? Across the cultivation world, who deserves that?”

He added, voice like frost: “Stop saying we owe her. She already ‘took justice’ for herself by exposing the Confession Scroll during the Young Sect Master trial. If you keep clinging to this and your mind is this narrow, you are unfit to be a disciple of the Flying Cloud Sect, and unfit to be my disciple.”

Wen Xuan gave a short, abrupt laugh. Master Ling Xiao looked down at him and asked: “What are you laughing at?”

Wen Xuan’s eyes were bleak as his shoulders sagged, and he said: “Master, you will regret it.”

He understood that with Master Ling Xiao’s current thinking, just like in the past, he would never let Shen Sang Ruo return. So Wen Xuan let go of hope.

Master Ling Xiao snorted and said: “Good. I will wait and see how Shen Sang Ruo could make me regret.” He turned, robes flaring, and said: “Your mind is unclear and your behavior is wild. Go back and reflect. You two, take him away.”

The storm ended at last. Feng He Yun and Luo Chu felt like they had survived a disaster. They hurried to carry Wen Xuan out, afraid he would say something even crazier.

If they had known he would risk everything like this, they would never have followed him here. They wanted Shen Sang Ruo to return, but they felt it had not reached the point of defying Master Ling Xiao.

In truth, the two still believed there would be a turn for the better, that Shen Sang Ruo could come back. They did not think it was as serious as Wen Xuan said.

After they left, Master Ling Xiao sat down, rubbed his brow, and thought: [Headache.] He did not understand how someone as small as Shen Sang Ruo could stir up such big waves. Even after leaving, she still turned Thunder-Scale Peak upside down. His disciples were naive and had been misled by her. But not him. Saying he would regret it was nonsense.

As soon as the three stepped outside, Wen Xuan fainted. Master Ling Xiao’s blows, given in anger, had not been light.

Feng He Yun and Luo Chu rushed him to the Medicine Pavilion. After examining him, the elder said Wen Xuan’s injuries were severe and his chest was knotted with grief; he would need at least half a year to recover.

This was another heavy blow for Feng He Yun and Luo Chu.

Trying to joke through the gloom, Feng He Yun said: “Now junior sister and second junior brother are both stuck in bed. It is lucky there are still two of us. One can take care of one.”

Luo Chu asked: “Isn’t there third senior brother?”

Feng He Yun sighed and said: “With that bad temper, who can call him out? He values Gu Refinement more than anything.” Without noticing, Lu Shi Qing had already grown far from them.

Feng He Yun clapped his hands once and said: “Choose between junior sister and second junior brother.”

Luo Chu answered in a rush and said: “Then I will take care of second senior brother,” afraid Feng He Yun would hand him Bai Mu Mu.

Feng He Yun turned and gave him a strange look. Luo Chu shifted and asked: “Senior Brother, why are you looking at me like that?”

Feng He Yun squinted and said: “I feel like you have not wanted to be around junior sister lately.”

He added: “Last time she was unconscious, you kept making excuses and did not go see her.”

Luo Chu looked away and said: “You are wrong. Second senior brother and junior sister are both like family to me. Caring for one is the same as caring for the other.”

For once sharp, Feng He Yun kept his suspicious gaze and said: “Do not be foolish. Shen Sang Ruo has already left. Be better to junior sister. We cannot let her be sad again.”

Luo Chu sounded a bit impatient and said: “I know. I did not protect junior sister last time. I am afraid she will be upset when she sees me.”

He had found a reason that sounded right. The real reason stayed buried in his heart. Feng He Yun was too unreliable; he would talk to Wen Xuan instead when he had the chance while caring for him.

Feng He Yun believed him and even comforted him, saying: “Good. Junior sister is not narrow-minded. She will not blame you.”

He straightened and said: “Then you care for second junior brother, and I will care for junior sister.”

Although the split was fair, he still looked worried and said: “But that means we will not be free to look for Shen Sang Ruo. Third junior brother hates her, so we cannot count on him.”

He sighed and said: “I do not know how she will live after leaving the Flying Cloud Sect. I hope no one bullies her.”

He went on, fretting aloud: “She is so rash and headstrong. I hope she does not cause trouble, since no one will cover for her now.”

At last he tried to sound hopeful and said: “When second junior brother and junior sister recover, Sect Master Shen and Master will probably cool down. Then we will go bring her back.”