Chapter 240

Chapter 240: Master Ling Xiao Coughs Blood from Rage

After Shen Sang Ruo finished speaking, she ignored the others and whatever they felt, then turned to face Immortal Lord Chang Li. She accepted the Heart-Guard Feather, clasped her fists, and said: “Disciple thanks Master.”

Master Ling Xiao had tried every method with full confidence, sure he could change Shen Sang Ruo’s mind.

But the truth was, the apprenticeship ceremony went smoothly.

Right in front of him, Shen Sang Ruo bowed to someone else as her teacher.

At this moment, Master Ling Xiao’s anger reached its peak. His reason was being devoured, and he could no longer endure it.

Ignoring that True Lord Gu Ci was present, he gathered fire-like spiritual power in his hand and moved to attack Immortal Lord Chang Li.

Immortal Lord Chang Li was not afraid. He put away his lazy air, his aura sharpened, and he readied himself to fight.

True Lord Gu Ci frowned and also prepared to block Master Ling Xiao.

Her impression of the Flying Cloud Sect had already fallen to rock bottom in every way.

Seeing Master Ling Xiao about to strike, Shen Dao Chen steeled himself. He sent a spirit voice transmission through divine sense to the Flying Cloud Sect disciples, ordering them to move with Master Ling Xiao.

No turning back now.

Things had reached this point. Even in front of True Lord Gu Ci, he would snatch Shen Sang Ruo back.

The girl might not listen now, but once she was taken back to the Flying Cloud Sect, she would.

Ming Xi, Jiang Wen Sheng, and the others sensed the shift in the air and were ready to join the battle at any time.

A great fight was an arrow on the string.

However, in the very next breath, the killing intent that filled Master Ling Xiao vanished. He suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood and fell straight back to the ground.

“Ling Xiao!” Shen Dao Chen’s eyes flew wide as he rushed to check Master Ling Xiao’s condition.

With the main force of the snatching plan down, the plan could not go on.

A war brewed one second and then fell apart the next in the most unexpected way.

People burst into whispers: “What just happened?”, “What is going on?”, “Why did Master Ling Xiao suddenly cough blood?”

Master Ling Xiao was the peak of battle power in the Cultivation World. He was almost never injured, much less knocked out like this.

The hall roared with guesses about why Master Ling Xiao had fallen.

Even Daoist Wu Wei was stunned. [They haven’t even started fighting yet. Could the Flying Cloud Sect be pulling a dirty trick to squeeze money out of us until the Ninghua Sect goes broke? I should report this. Someone is faking an accident to extort us.]

Only the people of the Ninghua Sect turned to stare at Immortal Lord Chang Li with bright eyes. In their minds, his inner strength was so deep that one look from him made Master Ling Xiao spit blood.

[Is Immortal Lord Chang Li already that strong? No wonder he is terrifying.]

[Immortal Lord Chang Li thought: I didn’t do anything at all.]

Shen Sang Ruo spoke calmly, with no worry for Master Ling Xiao: “I think Master already injured him badly at the Sect Grand Tournament. Just now he got too worked up, so his rage turned back on him.”

It was clear they had truly driven Master Ling Xiao mad with anger.

She patted Immortal Lord Chang Li’s shoulder and added with a smile: “So yes, Master Ling Xiao coughing blood is thanks to you, Master.”

Immortal Lord Chang Li glanced at her and said: “Says the person who didn’t anger him at all just now.”

The two met each other’s eyes, gave matching thumbs-ups, and said together: “Nice job.”

Inside Master Ling Xiao, spiritual power ran wild, tearing through his meridians and ready to damage them at any time. The situation was very dangerous.

He was the pillar of the Flying Cloud Sect and was at a key moment in his push toward Void Refinement. Nothing could be allowed to happen to him. Shen Dao Chen had to decide at once and ordered him carried back to the sect for treatment.

This trip to the Ninghua Sect left the Flying Cloud Sect with no face at all. They had rushed here only to insult themselves, and worst of all, Master Ling Xiao had an accident.

The loss was huge. When they set out for the Ninghua Sect, who could have guessed it would end like this?

Daoist Wu Wei waved at Shen Dao Chen and said with a grin: “Sect Master Shen, remember to come again next time. Our Ninghua Sect is a blessed place. Come often, come often.”

As long as no one tried to extort spirit stones from him, Daoist Wu Wei turned right back into a cheerful old man.

Shen Dao Chen’s face was black as he looked at Shen Sang Ruo before leaving. She didn’t care at all.

It was the same look they had given her years ago when she walked out of the Confinement Chamber.

With mixed feelings twisting in his chest, he drew back his gaze, raised a hand for his people to carry Master Ling Xiao, and left for the Flying Cloud Sect at once.

Before long, rumors swept the Cultivation World: even the number one cultivator, Master Ling Xiao, entered the Ninghua Sect standing and left lying down.

For a time, the whole Cultivation World held the Ninghua Sect in wary respect. Better not to provoke them.

After the Flying Cloud Sect left, the ceremony went on without a hitch. In fact, the mood became even better.

All the sects came to offer congratulations to Shen Sang Ruo, to Immortal Lord Chang Li, and to the Ninghua Sect.

Shen Sang Ruo thanked them one by one, then Zhu Hua Qiao and the others pulled her aside.

“It’s good for the Cultivation World when these juniors become friends,” Daoist Wu Wei said with smiling eyes.

Joy makes the spirit rise.

The Cultivation World is one whole. Sooner or later, the burden will pass to these juniors, and when it does, they will represent their entire sects.

“Yes, let them gather and bond,” the other Sect Leaders agreed.

The air between the sects had never been this harmonious.

Meanwhile, Shen Sang Ruo and her four senior siblings led the young heirs of the various sects on a tour around the Ninghua Sect.

Along the way, she also received congratulatory gifts from the Linglong Pavilion. The treasures she had given them earlier had kept Li Qing Wen busy without a break.

She also knew another reason: since the Linglong Pavilion stood with the Ninghua Sect, they would be targeted too. They needed spare strength to handle that.

Gratitude toward the Linglong Pavilion warmed her heart, along with a touch of guilt.

Wandering together, they arrived at the training grounds.

For top youths like these, no pastime is better than sparring.

Soon they were hitting it off.

Yes, literally hitting.

While the others traded blows, only Zhu Hua Qiao and Chen Zhou Xing stayed true to themselves, enthusiastically sharing every bit of gossip they knew with Shen Sang Ruo.

After several rounds, the Ninghua Sect’s five-person team didn’t lose a single match, once again winning everyone’s respect.

They knew very clearly that for a long time to come, these five would be a mountain standing in front of them that they could not cross.

They even felt that the growing Ninghua Sect would soon rise into a mountain that stood before all the sects.

When the ceremony ended, the various sects left one after another.

For the Ninghua Sect, this ceremony was a great success.

Shen Sang Ruo held the warm Heart-Guard Feather and thought about how to use it to its fullest so she would not let down Immortal Lord Chang Li’s heartfelt gift.