Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Immortal Lord Chang Li’s Provocation

Shen Sang Ruo stood in the Ninghua Sect’s ranks, her presence especially striking.

Each step she took was light yet firm. Even with all the chatter around her, her face stayed calm and steady.

It felt like she had a special pull that made people look at her without meaning to.

Shen Dao Chen thought of the last Young Sect Master trial. Back then, she also seemed this steady and confident.

This Shen Sang Ruo felt different from the girl in his memory, yet somehow the same. It was a feeling he could not explain. Before she began to rebel, she had already learned to wear this mask.

He looked at Shen Sang Ruo. The daughter he had raised for years now stood in another sect’s line at the Sect Grand Tournament. His expression hardly changed, and there was even a hint of disdain.

Join a new sect?

To him, a group with only a few people hardly counted as a real sect.

He had lived so long and seen so many changes. He had watched countless sects decline. A sect like that, at best, could last a few years.

Shen Sang Ruo had drifted outside for so long, then joined such a sect and dared dream of opposing him? He had thought that after more than a year she would grow up, smooth out her thorns. But she was still so stubborn.

She did not hesitate to join another sect just to challenge him.

As a father, he could understand her thinking.

After losing the Young Sect Master seat and being expelled from the Flying Cloud Sect, of course she would not accept it.

So she wanted to prove herself to him, to prove that he was wrong.

By joining this sect, she wanted to show she could live without him.

She dreamed she could soar like a hero from a story and amaze everyone.

In his eyes, this was only childish stubbornness, like a kid throwing a tantrum. [I see right through her.]

He believed he knew his daughter’s limits. She could not do it. [She is overestimating herself.]

Coming to the Sect Grand Tournament was fine by him. He wanted Shen Sang Ruo to see what true excellence looked like, how a real Young Sect Master carried responsibility and defended a sect’s honor.

The Sect Grand Tournament was cruel. This time she would learn that without the power of the Flying Cloud Sect and without their protection, she would not be able to take even one safe step in the Cultivation World.

He would grind down her edge. When she realized her mistake, she would naturally come back to beg him. [She will crawl back once she learns her place.]

She would see the gap between her and Bai Mu Mu. He would make her admit from the heart that Bai Mu Mu was more suited to be Young Sect Master.

A chill flashed in Shen Dao Chen’s eyes as he said: “Since she wants to fight for another sect, then let her fight.”

“She cut ties with me long ago. Why am I obliged to care what happens to her?”

“As the Flying Cloud Sect Master, my only duty at this Sect Grand Tournament is to look after the Flying Cloud Sect’s Disciples,” he said, straightening his chest.

At once, members of the Flying Cloud Sect answered: “Sect Master is righteous!”

They admired Shen Dao Chen even more for drawing a clear line between public and private matters. As for Shen Sang Ruo, most of them looked down on her. They thought: good bamboo had produced a rotten shoot.

Feng He Yun and the others saw Shen Dao Chen’s attitude and their hearts sank.

They could not understand how he could be so hard toward Shen Sang Ruo. After years of being father and daughter, did it mean less than the bond of Senior Brother and Junior Sister?

They could not bear to watch Shen Sang Ruo jump into a fire pit. They could not accept her becoming someone else’s Junior Sister.

They turned quickly to Master Ling Xiao and said: “Master…”

Shen Dao Chen spoke at the same time: “Ling Xiao, control your Disciples.”

He had never embarrassed Master Ling Xiao like this before, reminding him in front of so many people.

But the recent trouble from Thunder-Scale Peak over Shen Sang Ruo, with rules broken again and again, needed a firm hand.

Master Ling Xiao, however, acted as if he did not hear. He stared toward the Ninghua Sect, lost in thought.

He was not looking at Shen Sang Ruo. He was watching Immortal Lord Chang Li and Immortal Maiden Azure Luan.

The woman in the blue feather robe carried a familiar aura. She was the one who had taken Shen Sang Ruo away last time.

He had thought the woman would be Shen Sang Ruo’s new master, but his Divine Sense clearly heard her call the man in front “Master.”

Master Ling Xiao’s face turned cold at once. He had not expected Shen Sang Ruo to truly take a new master, and that master was a cultivator at Mid Divine Transformation.

A cultivator of that level could be called a standout in the Cultivation World, yet he had never seen this man.

Even if the man stayed hidden from the world, he should know that the number one cultivator in the Cultivation World was Master Ling Xiao. Shen Sang Ruo was Master Ling Xiao’s former Disciple. How could he not know?

This man dared to steal a Disciple from his hand? Could he teach the rebel whom even Master Ling Xiao could not correct? [He dares to take what I cast aside and claim he can do better?]

The man seemed to notice his probe and blocked his Divine Sense without a ripple.

Master Ling Xiao felt the sting of being caught. The man even glanced his way, light and careless, full of challenge, as if to say he should not covet another man’s Disciple.

A mere Mid Divine Transformation cultivator dared to provoke him?

Master Ling Xiao laughed in anger, but he did not send his Divine Sense again, keeping his usual pride. [I will test him later.]

It was only a discard finding a new master.

He almost laughed. He did not really care. [Not worth my time.]

He let his gaze pass over Immortal Lord Chang Li. When the Elder match came, he hoped to face him.

If the man dared oppose him, he wanted to see just how strong he was.

People from the Flying Cloud Sect only saw Master Ling Xiao glare toward the Ninghua Sect with frowns, gritted teeth, and a cold sneer. Then the air pressure seemed to drop.

No one dared breathe loudly, afraid he might explode the next moment.

Master Ling Xiao snorted and swept his sleeve, leaving on the spot.

Shen Dao Chen’s face turned dark at being ignored. He clenched his fist. Why did everyone from Thunder-Scale Peak lose their composure the moment Shen Sang Ruo was involved? The younger ones were one thing, but since when could Ling Xiao not hold his temper? It was absurd.

“What are you still doing here, wanting other sects to laugh at us?” Bai Mu Mu said coldly.

As Young Sect Master, her words carried weight.

Her sharp command steadied the scene and saved Shen Dao Chen’s face.

Order slowly returned to the Flying Cloud Sect. Though the commotion had not been large, cultivators had sharper senses than normal people. Folks from the Heavenly Sword Sect, the Beast Taming Sect, and other groups had heard enough.

Their Sect Leaders had dealings with Shen Dao Chen, so they had seen Shen Sang Ruo as well.

When Shen Sang Ruo cut ties and was expelled from the Flying Cloud Sect, it caused a huge stir.

Reactions now were mixed. Some were surprised. Some wanted to watch a joke. Some looked and said nothing.

This year’s Sect Grand Tournament came with big changes for the Flying Cloud Sect.