Chapter 48

Chapter 48: Punished to Train Down the Mountain for Three Years

Master Ling Xiao was led off topic at once by Shen Sang Ruo. He shifted his focus to her sly jab that he was short on knowledge, and he stopped paying so much attention to whether the Heavenly Flame was real.

He wondered why he had never seen how stubborn and unruly Shen Sang Ruo could be; then he corrected himself: [No, she has always been like this. That trip down the mountain only made her worse.]

Shen Sang Ruo spoke mildly, as if defending him: “After all, the world changes in countless ways, and if a Master sometimes meets something unknown, that does not mean the Master is useless.”

Though she sounded like she was taking his side, Master Ling Xiao only grew angrier.

Shen Sang Ruo added in a cool voice: “If you don’t believe me, Master, you can cut off the link between that technique and me.” She paused, then said softly: “As long as Master does not fear bearing the sin of killing your own disciple with your own hands.”

Her light words put Master Ling Xiao straight on the fire. She had already warned him of the outcome. If he acted by force now, it would be the same as trying to take her life.

Master Ling Xiao’s disgust toward her peaked as he asked coldly: “Are you threatening me?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered without fear: “This disciple would not dare.”

Master Ling Xiao scoffed as his eyes narrowed: “I fail to see anything you don’t dare to do.”

Shen Sang Ruo said evenly: “Besides, this disciple is not worthy of your Profound Fire True Dragon Art. If I train in your art, I may disgrace the sect and make you lose face.”

She went on in the same calm tone: “Also, I know Master has never liked me. If I don’t train your art, Master won’t have to waste time teaching me.”

Her words made Master Ling Xiao frown. He did think Shen Sang Ruo was stubborn and mean, but hearing her state it so calmly stirred a feeling he could not name. [She just accepts my prejudice like that? No crying or fussing, and she can say it so lightly?]

He flicked his sleeve and sat back with a cold snort: “At least you know yourself,” he said, which was the same as allowing her to keep cultivating the Sunset Glassfire Art.

He added, voice flat: “But if you ever try to switch back to the Profound Fire True Dragon Art, I won’t allow it. You get this one chance only.”

Of course, he would no longer guide her in cultivation. He was letting her fend for herself.

Shen Sang Ruo did not mind. She had already been half left on her own before. Besides, she planned to leave the Flying Cloud Sect soon, so whether Master Ling Xiao guided her or not made no difference.

She kowtowed and said: “This disciple thanks Master for granting this.”

Wen Xuan finally let out a long breath. He had thought that, by defying Master Ling Xiao like this, Shen Sang Ruo would anger him and be hurt. Thankfully, Master Ling Xiao did not press further. Yet Shen Sang Ruo’s calm, wave-less attitude toward Master also made Wen Xuan ache with sadness: [Little Ruo has really changed.]

Luo Chu watched the whole match between Shen Sang Ruo and Master Ling Xiao and felt only shock. He had planned to toss out a few bad words about Shen Sang Ruo to fan the flames, but he never found a chance to cut in. Her actions today were too bold and reckless. Even with Shen Dao Chen, the Sect Master, behind her, where did she get that much courage? [This is too weird. Has Shen Sang Ruo truly changed from before?] He shook his head: [What does her change have to do with me? I will never stop hating her. Unless she apologizes, I won’t even speak to her, even if she no longer wants to stay in the sect.]

Master Ling Xiao suddenly spoke again, and Wen Xuan’s heart, which had just settled, jumped back up. Master Ling Xiao said, face impassive: “But you acted without restraint and slandered me.”

He sat high above and looked down at her, his gaze heavy with pressure: “I punish you to go down the mountain to train for three years. Do you have any objection?”

Three years was not much to a cultivator, but Wen Xuan still felt the punishment was heavy. [How can he drive her down the mountain for three years over a few words?] Luo Chu held back; if Shen Sang Ruo asked him for help, he would speak to Master for her.

Wen Xuan was about to plead when Shen Sang Ruo accepted it at once, neat and clean: “This disciple is willing to accept the punishment.”

Letting her go down for three years fit her plans exactly. If she stayed away for a long time, they would notice and ask questions. Now she had a perfect reason for not returning. [Punishment? This is clearly a reward.]

Master Ling Xiao closed his eyes as if done with them: “Leave the sect within three days.”

To him, a disciple who refused to cultivate his art was an eyesore. [Maybe she is no longer fit to be my disciple.] A person like her was trouble on Thunder-Scale Peak, harassing her Senior Brother, unkind to her Junior Sister, and stubborn to the core. The thought rose in him to expel Shen Sang Ruo from the sect. He would speak with Shen Dao Chen about it later. He would not treat her specially just because she was Shen Dao Chen’s disciple.

Shen Sang Ruo answered without a hint of hesitation: “This disciple obeys.” She now had only three days to read the books in the Library Pavilion and had to speed up.

Seeing Master’s harsh penalty and Shen Sang Ruo’s refusal to defend herself, Wen Xuan could not hold back: “Master…” he said. Master Ling Xiao slowly opened his eyes: “What, you want to plead for her?”

“I…” Wen Xuan clenched his fists.

Luo Chu hurried to pull him back and said quickly: “No, no. Shen Sang Ruo deserves this. Master is wise.” He threw Wen Xuan frantic signals. Shen Sang Ruo going down the mountain was nothing; it only removed someone he hated. But if Wen Xuan got dragged into it, who would help him clean up messes?

Master Ling Xiao said coolly: “If you have no objection, then leave.” The next moment, a push of his spiritual power sent them outside the cave. The Warding Seal came alive. He did not want to hear them anymore.

Only then could Wen Xuan question Luo Chu: “Little Chu, why did you stop me from pleading for Little Ruo?” he asked. “With a few words from us, Little Ruo would not have been punished with three years down the mountain. Little Ruo is our Junior Sister, you can’t—”

Luo Chu clapped a hand over his mouth and said in a low rush: “Second Senior Brother, calm down. Master has decided. Our begging won’t help.” He tipped his chin toward Shen Sang Ruo and added with meaning: “Besides, even if we did plead, some people might not even appreciate it.”

Shen Sang Ruo smiled without speaking: [He’s right.]

Luo Chu snorted, voice full of mockery: “She isn’t worried herself, so why should we scramble around for her?”

Wen Xuan’s tone grew earnest, like a teacher: “No, Fourth Junior Brother, you don’t understand. This is what we should do as Senior Brothers. On Thunder-Scale Peak, we are one group. We should live in harmony and care for each other. Little Ruo doesn’t know how to defend herself. In the sect, she has trusted and relied on us the most. How can we ignore that?”