Chapter 189

Chapter 189: Return to the Flying Cloud Sect? Not a chance

The Spirit Voice Transmission rang out, a little breathless with excitement: “Group One, Ye Huai of Ninghua Sect, victory!”

Fengling Terrace exploded with cheers.

Someone shouted over the noise: “Ye Huai won! That means the gap between Ninghua Sect and Flying Cloud Sect is even again!”

Another voice rose, amazed: “That little Ninghua Sect is full of hidden strength!”

A Sword Cultivator sighed with feeling: “Both are Sword Cultivators, but Ye Huai has already formed a Sword Spirit. Looks like Eldest Senior Brother Ye is the stronger one.”

Clicks of tongues circled the stands: “Feng He Yun is Master Ling Xiao’s Chief Disciple, and he still lost to Ye Huai.”

Many had assumed that since Master Ling Xiao’s own cultivation outpaced the whole Cultivation World by a wide margin, the disciples he trained would crush everyone else.

But someone scoffed back: “So what about Master Ling Xiao? Ye Huai’s Master is Immortal Lord Chang Li.”

With this win, Ye Huai not only pulled the two sects even, he also slapped Master Ling Xiao’s face in public and quietly boosted Immortal Lord Chang Li’s influence.

On the high platform, Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao wore expressions black as soot. Their eyes on Feng He Yun were heavy with disappointment and even blame. How could he lose such an important match? Useless. He had failed their expectations.

Bai Mu Mu’s face looked terrible, her eyes full of dislike for Feng He Yun. What a waste. Why could someone from that broken sect Shen Sang Ruo joined beat someone from her side so easily? Why did they all have to oppose her?

Lu Shi Qing, as always, glared equally at everyone around Shen Sang Ruo. Ye Huai was strong, steady, striking in bearing and looks; picturing him standing next to Shen Sang Ruo made Lu Shi Qing’s gaze grow colder and more hateful.

Luo Chu fidgeted, anxious and upset as he blurted: “Ah! How could our Eldest Senior Brother lose to them? Doesn’t that mean we’re not as good as the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters with Shen Sang Ruo now?”

He fretted on and complained without thinking: “Then why would Shen Sang Ruo be willing to come back!”

He did not notice the death-stares from Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao.

Wen Xuan’s heart felt squeezed with pain, yet he still coughed twice to warn him: “Ahem.”

Luo Chu didn’t get it and kept talking: “If I go… fine, Eldest Senior Brother is the strongest among the four of us. If even he can’t beat Ye Huai, what am I going to fight with?”

As Luo Chu said, Feng He Yun was indeed the strongest of their four. Like the Flowing Cloud Sword Method he practiced, he had been confident and elegant. Because of Shen Sang Ruo, he desperately wanted to prove he was stronger than Ye Huai. But after Ye Huai defeated him, his confidence collapsed, especially because he was crushed in the sword art he took the most pride in.

[No. It shouldn’t be like this. I’m the strongest. I’m Shen Sang Ruo’s Eldest Senior Brother.] The conviction that had once blazed in Feng He Yun felt hollow now. In less than half an hour, he had become this drained.

Feng He Yun didn’t even know how he walked back to Flying Cloud Sect’s prep area. He only knew his steps were as heavy as lead.

Over on Ninghua Sect’s side, the mood was the opposite.

Shen Sang Ruo raised a thumb with a grin: “Eldest Senior Brother, handsome!”

Ye Huai showed a rare small smile as he said, gentle but cool: “As your Eldest Senior Brother, I helped you vent a small breath of Baleful Miasma.” In his mind, for how harshly Feng He Yun had injured her before, what he took today hardly counted.

It wasn’t over.

Song Wei Yan laughed wide: “That’s how you slap them in the face. You didn’t see it, but Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao looked awful.”

Ye Huai’s eyes sharpened a little as he reminded everyone: “Next, Flying Cloud Sect may act against us. Be on guard.”

Hearing that, Shen Sang Ruo’s brows drew together: “For what?”

Only Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao could make that kind of decision. Feng He Yun and the rest didn’t have that power. Would they really damage Flying Cloud Sect’s reputation just to target Ninghua Sect? That wasn’t like the self-righteous Shen Dao Chen at all. She didn’t yet know what new trick Flying Cloud Sect was trying.

Ye Huai briefly repeated what Feng He Yun had said during the fight.

Shen Sang Ruo snorted, a sharp smile at the corner of her lips. She suspected Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao had lost their minds. Before, it was only Feng He Yun’s group that wanted her back. Why did those two want her back now? Weren’t they the ones who hated her most?

She arched a brow and said with open mockery: “Maybe when they threw me out, they never imagined I’d shine this bright and blind their dog eyes. So now they want me back?”

She laughed coldly, eyes full of scorn: “The number one sect in the Cultivation World bullying another sect in broad daylight by leaning on its power is disgusting.”

Yesterday’s rising rumors had already been a warning sign.

Su Xi Yu asked softly: “Do you want to go back?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered at once, crisp and final: “Not a chance.” Then she smiled at Su Xi Yu: “Senior Sister, you already knew that, didn’t you?”

Ye Huai’s gaze turned firm and fierce as steel: “Since you won’t return, we will fight Flying Cloud Sect to the end. We will not compromise.”

Song Wei Yan curled his lip: “It’s only Flying Cloud Sect. We’ve seen all kinds of sects. Why would we be scared of them?”

Immortal Lord Chang Li’s tone held quiet danger as he said: “They want to snatch someone from under this Immortal Lord’s hand? Heh.”

Shen Sang Ruo’s eyes steadied, voice low and sure: “Then let’s see, when the truth comes out, which side the world stands on.” [Those who try to control public opinion will be devoured by it in the end. With what they have done, how do they have the face to fling mud at me?]

After a quarter hour of rest, the second group’s decisive battle began.

Shen Dao Chen leaned close to instruct, his face still tight from Feng He Yun’s loss: “Mu Mu, your Eldest Senior Brother failed. You must win this one and protect Flying Cloud Sect’s honor.”

Bai Mu Mu nodded hard: “Rest assured, Father. I won’t fail your expectations. I won’t shame Flying Cloud Sect.”

Shen Dao Chen’s look finally eased as he gazed at Bai Mu Mu with satisfaction, but his thoughts still drifted to Shen Sang Ruo. Compared to Shen Sang Ruo, Bai Mu Mu was still lacking.

[If only she were still in Flying Cloud Sect. If only she were the Young Heir…] He cut the thought off. Someone like Shen Sang Ruo only had cultivation to boast of; when it came to leading a sect, she was far worse than Bai Mu Mu. And there was her bad temper and all those quills.

If Ninghua Sect hadn’t suddenly appeared, he had truly planned to leave her out there for more than ten years to taste Bai Mu Mu’s hardships, so she would learn to be well-behaved and sensible.

Bai Mu Mu could read what Shen Dao Chen was thinking. Her nails dug into her palm. She walked onto the arena, her stare at Song Wei Yan thick with spite and hate.

[Settling the score between me and Shen Sang Ruo by taking it out on her Senior Brother is only fair, right?]