Chapter 247

Chapter 247: Bai Mu Mu Is Confined

Because this touched the reputation of the whole Flying Cloud Sect and their credibility in the Cultivation World, Shen Dao Chen ordered his people to crush the rumors at any cost. But Shen Sang Ruo had prepared well. She spent a huge amount of Spirit Stones to spread the rumors everywhere. Shen Dao Chen thought the storm would end soon, but it spread like wildfire. He put out one blaze and another flared up. Even when he stepped out to explain in person, the crowd did not accept it. People demanded that he hand over Bai Mu Mu or produce hard proof that she had nothing to do with the Malevolent Spirit.

Shen Dao Chen could not push out Bai Mu Mu, who was still ill. The curses only grew louder, and many started to denounce Flying Cloud Sect. He was driven to despair. Since its founding, when had Flying Cloud Sect ever been cursed by the masses like this. Worse, it was because of supposed ties to a Malevolent Spirit. [If my Master and the Seniors of Flying Cloud Sect saw the state of the sect in my hands, their coffin lids would not stay down.] He could not sleep for days. When he finally slept, he dreamed of his Master. In the dream, his Master asked how he was acting as Sect Master and why he had brought back a Malevolent Spirit like Bai Mu Mu to Flying Cloud Sect. Shen Dao Chen rushed to explain that his daughter was not a Malevolent Spirit and was being framed. His Master said nothing, only gave him a cold stare that clearly judged Bai Mu Mu to be a Malevolent Spirit. The weight of that gaze was too heavy. Shen Dao Chen woke with a start, gasping for breath, and took a long time to calm down. The dream felt real, as if his Master stood before him.

Shen Dao Chen sat alone and began to rethink the matter of Bai Mu Mu and the Malevolent Spirit. With that dream and days of public pressure, the scales in his heart began to shift. [Could it be that Mu Mu really is tied to a Malevolent Spirit?] He thought of his daughter, who looked so simple and kind, who had suffered so much before returning to him, and he wavered again. [But after she came back to Flying Cloud Sect, she stayed under my and Ling Xiao’s eyes. How could she have met a Malevolent Spirit? Was it before she returned? No, back then she was just an ordinary person, even less likely.] For the moment, he chose to believe his daughter was innocent. Even so, he could not deny that Flying Cloud Sect’s current crisis was caused by Bai Mu Mu.

He sat in his room, head lowered, thinking for a long time. During these days he reviewed everything Bai Mu Mu had done for years. He had placed his hopes on her, but what had she brought him? At the Sect Grand Tournament she lost first place, ruining the thousand year prestige of Flying Cloud Sect. He also faced what he had ignored: during the team trials, she sacrificed her teammates so that she alone would shine. [Is my daughter really as pure as she acts?] With a jolt, he realized she had brought almost nothing positive to Flying Cloud Sect. [I chose wrong. She failed my expectations.] Another face came to mind, his other daughter. [If Shen Sang Ruo had not left, if she had remained the Young Heir of Flying Cloud Sect, what would our sect look like now?] He sighed, then lifted his head and stood up, deciding: “I should go see Mu Mu.”

Inside Bai Mu Mu’s room, she already knew how badly Flying Cloud Sect had been dragged into the whirlpool of rumors, and she knew Shen Sang Ruo was pushing them. [So what does that have to do with me? Do you think I care about the sect’s reputation?] She curled a mocking smile.

[Ding: Shen Dao Chen favor minus 10, current favor 65]

Bai Mu Mu lifted her eyelids with no real reaction. [The old man is taking out his anger on me. Of course the favor drops.] Her new task had loaded to ninety nine percent. [Whoever wants to do this strategy mission can do it. I am done trying to win them over. Let the favor fall.] She said lazily: “From now on, do not remind me about favor changes.”

[Yes.]

As the System’s voice faded, Shen Dao Chen pushed the door open. He wore a kind smile. If she did not know the favor had dropped, she might not have seen through him. [Hypocrite.] She put on a delighted face and said: “Father, you are here.”

He waved a hand and said gently: “Lie down. No need to get up.”

She answered in a weak voice: “Thank you, Father.”

He did not rush to the main matter. Instead he asked first about her injuries, saying: “How is your body now?” She said softly: “Much better. Thank you for your concern.” Then her eyes reddened as she blamed herself: “It is all my fault for bringing trouble to Flying Cloud Sect. Maybe I should not have come back.”

Seeing that he still had not brought up the real issue, she decided to act first. [If he truly cares, he will not punish me.] But the truth was that he had only been polite.

“It is not your fault. Father believes the Linglong Pavilion incident has nothing to do with you. Our Mu Mu is innocent,” Shen Dao Chen said, then paused, his eyes flickering before he added: “Your health is poor. Stay in your room and rest for a while.”

He continued in a calm tone: “You do not need to go to Starfield Plain. Father reconsidered. Long travel is not good for recovery.” He gave the final rule: “If there is nothing important, do not wander around the sect. Focus on getting well.”

Bai Mu Mu’s face changed. A few days ago she had worked hard to persuade Shen Dao Chen to let her go to Starfield Plain. From what he said now, it was not only stopping that trip. He meant to confine her. She had never thought he would treat her like this. In the past he would not even say a harsh word to her, and now he wanted to lock her down. If nothing else mattered, confinement would be fine, but the System had said that going to Starfield Plain would help her. She had to go.

Her eyes quickly filled with tears as she tried her usual emotional card, saying: “Father, about Starfield Plain…” Yet the moment she spoke, Shen Dao Chen’s face turned cold and he said: “Mu Mu, do not make trouble.” His voice carried warning and impatience: “Even if you went to Starfield Plain, you could only watch from outside. Better to rest in Flying Cloud Sect and cause less trouble.” He added in a lower voice: “Have you seen how ugly the rumors are outside? If you leave the sect now, they might tear you apart. Father is doing this for your good.” He ended the talk briskly: “I must handle sect affairs, so I will go.”

He turned and left at once, giving Bai Mu Mu no chance to speak. Bai Mu Mu bit her lower lip until it bled, her eyes filling with poison. [I am the one causing trouble? Even I can tell these rumors were spread by Shen Sang Ruo. Do you think Shen Dao Chen cannot see it? He used to hate Shen Sang Ruo so much, but now that she is targeting Flying Cloud Sect, he still puts the blame on me.]