Chapter 242

Chapter 242: Master Ling Xiao Develops a Heart Devil Because of Shen Sang Ruo

In the last few days, they had finally been released from their own cave abodes.

To hurry and get back Shen Sang Ruo’s feelings, they had no choice but to bow their heads to Master Ling Xiao and admit fault, saying they had woken up and learned their lesson.

But Master Ling Xiao had placed many limits on them. They behaved meek and obedient, and only today were those limits removed.

They also heard the general course of events from Shen Dao Chen.

The Medicine Hall Elder wiped the sweat from his forehead and said: “Master Ling Xiao was badly hurt at the Sect Grand Tournament. While his mind was unstable, he forced a push toward Void Refinement, and there are signs of his meridians flowing backward. Add in today’s surge of emotions, and that is why this happened.”

Shen Dao Chen was shocked and blurted out: “An unsteady mind and reversed meridians?”

Feng He Yun and the other three were just as stunned.

In cultivation, nothing is more dangerous than an unsteady Dao heart. For a cultivator, especially one at Master Ling Xiao’s peak level, this can be a ruinous problem.

Shen Dao Chen frowned and said in a low voice: “This shouldn’t be. Ling Xiao has cultivated for over a thousand years. At his level, problems like this shouldn’t appear.”

The Elder asked carefully: “May I ask if Master Ling Xiao has had any strong obsession lately?”

He added with a grave face: “This should be solved as soon as possible. Otherwise, I fear Master Ling Xiao may give rise to a Heart Devil.”

He stopped there, but everyone knew the rest of the words he left unsaid.

If a Heart Devil truly forms, then even if Master Ling Xiao reaches Void Refinement, he will face Tribulation Crossing with an unsteady Dao heart and fall into madness.

Not only would Master Ling Xiao be finished, the Flying Cloud Sect would be finished too.

Having said all he could, the Medicine Hall Elder stepped out. The room fell silent, and the air grew heavy.

Shen Dao Chen had not expected the situation to be this serious.

He muttered to himself, thinking hard: “Ling Xiao’s obsession…”

Feng He Yun and the others felt a strong hunch. It had to be her.

Scenes flashed through Shen Dao Chen’s mind. He gave a cold snort and said: “Who else but Shen Sang Ruo? She left and helped outsiders throw the Flying Cloud Sect into chaos, and now she has even dragged Ling Xiao down with her.”

He added with scorn: “Ling Xiao is a cultivator at the peak of Late Divine Transformation. How can someone like him be shaken by a girl like Shen Sang Ruo? He is being far too impatient.”

His face was so dark it looked like ink could drip from it, and his tone held nothing but resentment.

Those times when Master Ling Xiao acted like he didn’t care, had that all been an act? If word spread that he gave rise to a Heart Devil because he was stung by Shen Sang Ruo taking another master, they would become a laughingstock across the entire Cultivation World. He truly could not understand why Shen Sang Ruo’s influence on the Flying Cloud Sect was so great.

[This might be exactly what she wanted.] [She wants to see us regret it and beg her to come back.]

Among the people tied to Shen Sang Ruo, only he had not fallen into her trap. Everyone else had switched sides.

Yet the next moment he remembered her firm stand at the Ninghua Sect, when she chose to break with them for good. That had not looked fake at all.

He did not notice his frown had grown so tight it could pinch a sheet of paper.

He had never had such a headache.

[If not for Bai Mu Mu’s accident, I would have let Shen Sang Ruo roam outside. After the Cultivation World beat her down, she would come back on her own.]

Right now, he wanted her back only for the sake of the Flying Cloud Sect.

Feng He Yun spoke in a rush: “Sect Master, our master’s condition is critical. Even if it is only for Master’s sake, we have to bring Shen Sang Ruo back!”

The others chimed in at once: “Yes. As long as Little Ruo returns, Master’s obsession will dissolve, and no Heart Devil will form. It will be nothing but good for the Flying Cloud Sect!”

The worry in their eyes was real, but so was their joy.

They even felt a bit grateful to Master Ling Xiao. This obsession had come at just the right time, letting them see a ray of hope.

They acted like the most devoted disciples a master could ask for.

Shen Dao Chen snorted and swept them with a cold look: “Don’t think I don’t know what you’re plotting.”

He spoke harshly, but of course he could not truly ignore Master Ling Xiao: “Keep your mouths shut. If this spreads, you know what will happen.”

He added, each word heavy: “No matter the method, the Flying Cloud Sect will solve your master’s obsession.”

In other words, no matter the method, they would make Shen Sang Ruo return.

Feng He Yun and the others were overjoyed. Once Shen Sang Ruo came back, they would retrieve her feelings, and everything could go back to the way it was.

As for Bai Mu Mu, they would not spare her even one glance.

They bowed together and said: “Thank you, Sect Master!”

Shen Dao Chen waved a hand: “Enough, go back. Your master needs to rest.”

As the four were about to leave, Shen Dao Chen called to Wen Xuan: “Wait. Go check on Mumu and see how she has been recovering lately.”

He added, matter of fact: “If she still isn’t well, prepare two more doses of medicine for her.”

A flash of disgust crossed Wen Xuan’s face by reflex, and Shen Dao Chen caught it at once. His expression turned cold.

He said with pressure in his voice: “What, do you have a problem with this Sect Master’s daughter?”

To make Master Ling Xiao release them, they had not only admitted fault but also promised to apologize to Bai Mu Mu.

They were forbidden to slander Bai Mu Mu again, and the matter of the Malevolent Spirit was banned from being spoken of in the Flying Cloud Sect.

They were to treat her as before and truly care for her.

These days, they had been holding down their nausea and pretending to care about Bai Mu Mu.

Luckily, she had been recovering on the main peak, so they rarely saw her and could barely keep up the act.

But now Shen Dao Chen wanted Wen Xuan to visit her and even make medicine for her.

[If I go, I’m afraid I’ll swap the medicine for poison.]

After a beat, Wen Xuan still forced out a stiff smile and said: “How could I? Mumu is our most beloved Junior Sister. I only feel guilty toward her because of what happened before.”

He bowed slightly and said: “Since the Sect Master has given the order, I will go to see Junior Sister now.”

As Wen Xuan turned away, his smile vanished. His hand hanging at his side clenched tight under his sleeve.

Bai Mu Mu was weak. This was the best time to take back the Access Jade Token.

[I used to despise taking advantage when others were down, but not now. I only want Little Ruo’s feelings to return.]

Once he got the Access Jade Token, he would never deal with Bai Mu Mu again.

Watching Wen Xuan’s back, Shen Dao Chen showed a trace of a strange look, but soon it faded.

He realized he had not visited Bai Mu Mu in quite a while, always sending the Medicine Hall Elder to check on her.

From the deep pain at the start to the rejection he felt now, only a few months had passed.

No father wanted to see a daughter who used to be so outstanding become half-ruined like this.

And there was that Malevolent Spirit on her…

He trusted his daughter more, but with so many witnesses, he had been a Sect Master for many years and was no fool.

After the pain faded, doubts slowly crept in.

He sighed and decided to wait a while longer before going to see Bai Mu Mu.