Chapter 152

Chapter 152: Lu Shi Qing’s “Childish” Move

Feng He Yun stared at Lu Shi Qing, unable to understand his sudden change: “Third Junior Brother, you…”

Lu Shi Qing answered calmly, his face flat: “The purchasing is done, Eldest Senior Brother. We should return to Flying Cloud Sect and report to Sect Master Shen.”

Only when his eyes fell on Bai Mu Mu did his gaze soften as he said, “Junior Sister, you just recovered. Do not do things to show off your strength. You should take better care of your body.”

Jolted awake, Bai Mu Mu looked at this gentler Lu Shi Qing and thought she must be seeing things. [Did Lu Shi Qing’s attitude toward me soften?] She called the System to check his favorability. The result not only hadn’t risen, it had dropped below 40.

A prickly ache caught in her chest. She understood at once that Lu Shi Qing was using her as a tool to needle Shen Sang Ruo.

Across the way, Shen Sang Ruo’s face showed no ripple at all as she and Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An watched with cool eyes.

It was the first time Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An had seen someone as split as Lu Shi Qing. One moment he was raving and shouting at Shen Sang Ruo; the next he looked careless and attentive to someone else. They exchanged a look and easily read the stubborn feeling hidden behind his “childish” act.

Lu Shi Qing crouched down and spoke gently to Bai Mu Mu: “Junior Sister, come, your Third Senior Brother will carry you back.”

Bai Mu Mu didn’t want to be that tool, but the next heartbeat Lu Shi Qing grabbed her ankle and hauled her onto his back.

Feng He Yun, still not following what was happening, blurted in alarm as he saw Lu Shi Qing about to leave: “Wait, you’re really going? Are you not going to care about Shen Sang Ruo’s—”

“Senior Brother,” Lu Shi Qing cut him off in an icy voice, “that person injured Junior Sister and has already been expelled from the sect. If you want to tangle with her again, do not blame me for reporting to Master. Master will never allow such behavior.”

Feng He Yun’s eyes went wide. He hadn’t expected Lu Shi Qing to say that. Anger surged up.

“Lu Shi Qing, you really are cold and heartless! You were bad to Shen Sang Ruo before, fine, but I thought you at least cared about years of friendship. Instead you are so cold and selfish! Say it, have you been hoping for Shen Sang Ruo to leave all along? How can Thunder-Scale Peak have someone like you?!”

Lu Shi Qing’s fingers slowly tightened around Bai Mu Mu’s ankle as a cold smile tugged at his mouth. “Eldest Senior Brother, I am only following Master’s orders.”

Borrowing Feng He Yun’s words, he was laying out how little he cared about Shen Sang Ruo. With his goal met, he looked as if he had won back some ground. He turned toward Shen Sang Ruo, a challenge in his eyes, trying to catch the same loss of control and embarrassment on her face that twisted inside him.

But Shen Sang Ruo only said coolly: “Move aside. Don’t block our way.” She gave Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An an apologetic smile and added, “Some old acquaintances not fit for polite company. Sorry to make Eldest Senior Brother and Third Senior Brother see a joke. Let’s go.”

“It is fine,” Ye Huai replied evenly.

Bai Ruo An smiled too: “Luckily they are already old acquaintances. Good that they’re gone.”

The air among the three was easy and warm.

For a moment, Feng He Yun seemed to see Thunder-Scale Peak as it was before Bai Mu Mu arrived. It felt like a hand squeezed his heart hard.

To Lu Shi Qing, though, their smiles carried another meaning. The scene kept scraping his nerves, and the mask he had just rebuilt cracked at once. His grip on Bai Mu Mu’s ankle grew harsher.

She hissed, drawing in a sharp breath: “Third Senior Brother, you’re hurting me.” She could tell her ankle would be bruised.

A flash of spite crossed her eyes. [Am I just a piece in their scheme? Am I some cheap thing?] [Madmen. Everyone on Thunder-Scale Peak is crazy.]

“Sorry, Junior Sister, I was careless,” Lu Shi Qing said, dropping the force and putting on extra gentleness. “When we get back to Thunder-Scale Peak, your Third Senior Brother will personally apply medicine for you, all right?”

He bit down on the word “personally,” like he meant someone else to hear it. Bai Mu Mu understood exactly what he was doing, but could only force a smile and nod.

While he spoke, Shen Sang Ruo was already striding past them. She tilted her head and gave Bai Mu Mu a long, meaningful look.

After all, she was the one who had beaten Bai Mu Mu so badly she could not get out of bed for months, bringing her the most real pain. Of all Bai Mu Mu’s capture missions, Shen Sang Ruo was the one who slipped farthest out of her control.

With such a gaze meeting hers, Bai Mu Mu couldn’t help dodging her eyes. Shen Sang Ruo soon drew back her look and left with Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An.

As for Bai Mu Mu who would Prove the Dao by Killing Kin, and the Malevolent Spirit clinging to her, the people of Flying Cloud Sect could enjoy dealing with that.

Away from those three ill-omened people, Shen Sang Ruo and her two companions set out for the old grounds of Ninghua Sect.

The ruins lay in a hidden mountain forest. With Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An leading, finding the place went smoothly. Maybe because it was so hidden, few had set foot there while Ninghua Sect was sealed.

Ninghua Sect had been sealed together with Nine Azure Peak beneath Moonshadow Valley, so here at the old site it looked like a chunk of mountaintop had been sliced away, leaving a flat stretch of ground.

The three surveyed the area. After confirming they could move Ninghua Sect back in one piece, they prepared to head out.

As they walked out of the trees, a giant elephant suddenly came thundering toward them. With that huge body, the ground trembled at every step.

Shen Sang Ruo frowned slightly and looked closely. Two people rode the elephant: a Female Cultivator hugging a guzheng, and a man in a distinctive sect robe guiding the beast. The Female Cultivator faced away from Shen Sang Ruo, her fingers rippling the strings as if fighting whatever chased them.

Shen Sang Ruo soon saw the pursuers: more than ten gray-robed Cultivators.

It was a very common chase scene in the Cultivation World.

Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An understood at once. Neither moved. They looked to Shen Sang Ruo to see whether she meant to step in.

She was in no hurry. She decided to watch the situation a moment longer.

The man atop the elephant spotted them, waved hard, and shouted: “Three Fellow Daoists! I am Ji Zi Cang, a Disciple of the nearby Beast Taming Sect! We ran into bandits and are being chased. Please lend a hand! I will repay you richly after!”

The gray-robed Cultivators also noticed Shen Sang Ruo’s group.

“Boss, three more up ahead!”

“As long as you step into my turf, I rob you no matter who you are!” the leader yelled. “Hand over your treasures and you can spare yourselves some pain!”

They spat threats, plainly not taking Shen Sang Ruo’s trio seriously.