Chapter 44

Chapter 44: Why Are You So Hostile to Little Ruo?

When asked why he was so harsh on Little Ruo, the answer was that it was to train Shen Sang Ruo to be the next Sect Master. He also set the bar very high for her in every other way.

But when it came to Bai Mu Mu, after Shen Sang Ruo first lost all her cultivation, Shen Dao Chen started thinking about making Bai Mu Mu the Young Sect Master. And how did he treat Bai Mu Mu? He kept spoiling her with endless favor. It was nothing more than playing favorites.

Master Ling Xiao gave Wen Xuan and the others top grade pills for their injuries, then told them to go to the Disciplinary Hall for punishment. Failing to protect Bai Mu Mu was their first mistake. Failing to keep the Fire-Scale Vine, which cost Bai Mu Mu her chance to return to a normal body, was their second mistake. Wen Xuan and the others did not argue, because they knew these were their faults.

As they were about to leave, Master Ling Xiao realized someone was missing, and he remembered why they had gone down the mountain in the first place. He asked, his gaze sweeping over them: “Where is Shen Sang Ruo? Why didn’t she return with you?”

His unreadable eyes carried pressure. He had already been unhappy that Shen Sang Ruo ignored his orders and went down the mountain on her own. Not seeing her now made him even angrier. Put bluntly, he saw it as disrespect toward her elders. He had never liked people with such stubborn, unruly hearts.

Wen Xuan stepped forward and said: “Reporting to Master, Fifth Junior Sister plans to keep training to improve her cultivation, so she didn’t return with us.” He did not tell Master Ling Xiao about the changes in her or the conflict among them. Afraid the Master would get angry with her, he even spoke a few good words on her behalf.

Master Ling Xiao answered lightly: “Very well.” Then he added, “At least she has some drive. That does not disgrace the sect.” His anger eased a little.

After a moment, Master Ling Xiao asked: “By the way, was she hurt?” Wen Xuan answered honestly: “Fifth Junior Sister was not injured.” He meant to put the Master at ease. As for how Shen Sang Ruo had almost died, he hid that part to avoid adding worry.

But when Master Ling Xiao heard this, his brows drew together. Everyone else was injured, yet only she was unharmed. That could only mean she hid behind them in fear, or she found ways to dodge risk while others fought. He thought, with a chill rising: [How can there be a craven disciple like this under my seat?] What stung most was that even Bai Mu Mu had stood at the front for her peers and took the heaviest wounds. How could Shen Sang Ruo shamelessly hide behind Bai Mu Mu? In a short span, Master Ling Xiao pictured many scenes in his mind. The little trace of comfort he had felt toward Shen Sang Ruo vanished, and his displeasure grew even stronger. [When she returns, I will discipline her well and correct her behavior.]

His face still showed little emotion. He waved to Wen Xuan and the rest and said: “You may go.”

When Luo Chu heard they had returned, he came quickly. They did not hide anything from him, so they told the whole story. After listening, Luo Chu slapped the table in anger and said: “Shen Sang Ruo has no conscience at all. I told you she wasn’t any good.”

He added, full of scorn: “All of you got hurt, and what did she do? Instead of escorting you back to the sect, she ran off to train. Who knows if ‘training’ is just her excuse to go play.” He thought this way because he often did the same thing himself.

Wen Xuan’s face turned very dark. He had already said many times that Shen Sang Ruo had almost lost her life and that she had changed. Yet Luo Chu’s first reaction was not to worry about her, but to blame her. Wen Xuan lowered his voice and asked, serious now: “Xiao Chu, why are you so hostile to Little Ruo?”

“Why else,” Luo Chu said without a care, “I already said I’m at odds with her. People like her, cruel and ungrateful to her own peers, don’t deserve kindness from me.”

He lifted his chin and added: “Unless she apologizes for what happened before, I might consider forgiving her. Otherwise I’ll stand against her forever.” He was the one who had been wrong, but his tone made it sound like Shen Sang Ruo had wronged him.

Wen Xuan suddenly understood why Shen Sang Ruo did not want to return to the sect. His own Senior Brother pushed her so hard, and before this she had faced the bias of all four of them. He could not make sense of it. They had cared for her so much before. How had so many misunderstandings grown without them noticing? Now that Little Ruo no longer wanted to speak to them, Wen Xuan felt exhausted. Still, he was relieved that the other three had woken up in time. When Shen Sang Ruo sorted out her feelings, they might still have a chance to win her back. After so many years together, how could she just throw it all away? [She must still feel something for us.]

He stood and said: “Enough. I’ll go to Elder Yin to see if the custom Access Jade Token is ready.” His Warding Seal was special, so making the Access Jade Token would take a good amount of time. He had not been in a hurry before, because he thought Shen Sang Ruo would wait for them no matter what. Now he no longer believed that. With Luo Chu as a mirror, he kept reflecting on where he had fallen short with her. So he decided to urge the work along and get the jade token to her as soon as possible.

“I’ll go back and brew wine,” Feng He Yun said. Since Shen Sang Ruo did not like his Osmanthus Brew, he would brew lotus, rose, peach blossom, and many more. He told himself: [There has to be one she’ll like.]

Lu Shi Qing said nothing. He stood, left at once, and returned to his cave. It was not that he refused to speak, but that what he planned could not be said out loud. His deep gaze fixed ahead, his thin lips pressed into a straight line. He would give Shen Sang Ruo another dose of Seven Emotions Gu. It was the most effective way he could think of to test her. But refining Seven Emotions Gu was very complex. Since he began studying it, he had only made two small jars. He had used both on Shen Sang Ruo. In a way, he had been quite willing to spend on her. Lu Shi Qing quickened his steps. He had to refine the Seven Emotions Gu as soon as possible.

Seeing them all leave, and seeing their displeasure with him, Luo Chu hated Shen Sang Ruo even more. He muttered, annoyed: “So strange. I didn’t say anything wrong.” He grumbled: “Annoying Shen Sang Ruo, what spell did you cast on them?” Then he snorted and said: “Hmph, I won’t be fooled so easily. I remember your true face.” In his mind, even if the sky fell, Shen Sang Ruo would never leave the sect. The talk that she did not want to come back was fake to him. He wanted to see how long she could pretend. As for Shen Sang Ruo nearly dying in the Secret Realm, she was still alive, and she still had the spirit to go “train” and have fun. He waved a hand and said: “I’m going to see Junior Sister. Her injuries are much worse than Shen Sang Ruo’s.” Curling his lip, he trotted off to the main peak to find Bai Mu Mu.