Chapter 5

Chapter 5: Take Back the Heartblood?

“Disciple was too weak and could not endure it,” Shen Sang Ruo said, letting her gaze brush, almost lazily, over Lu Shi Qing.

Lu Shi Qing felt a stab of guilt, though he kept a steady face.

He had secretly planted a Seven Emotions Gu in Shen Sang Ruo just to force her to admit fault.

Yet in the end, Shen Sang Ruo was innocent.

The Confinement Chamber plus the Seven Emotions Gu must have caused her terrible pain.

Knowing Shen Sang Ruo’s temper, she would surely tell Master.

Lu Shi Qing clenched his teeth and thought: [Fine. I owe Shen Sang Ruo.] He decided he would accept Master’s punishment.

But Shen Sang Ruo only withdrew her gaze and bowed to the grim Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao, saying: “Disciple asks to go down the mountain to train and temper her mind.”

“Nonsense,” Master Ling Xiao snapped at once: “Your cultivation is gone. How can you go train?”

He added more softly: “I know you blame us for not listening to you, and you feel wronged.”

“But your name has been cleared. Do not act willfully again.”

“This matter is settled. Go back and heal.”

Shen Sang Ruo had already expected Master Ling Xiao’s reaction.

It did not matter; she was informing him, not asking his permission.

She was about to say yes when Wen Xuan, silent for a long while, suddenly spoke: “Her name is cleared, but she still suffered all the punishment.”

He pressed on: “Fifth Junior Sister did nothing wrong. Should she suffer for nothing?”

Shen Sang Ruo felt a flicker of surprise that Wen Xuan would speak for her.

Master Ling Xiao’s tone turned impatient as he asked: “Then what do you suggest?”

Wen Xuan gritted his teeth and said: “I just think Master should not treat Fifth Junior Sister like this. She deserves a clear answer.”

Master Ling Xiao shot back: “Have I not been clear? I said I would compensate her.”

Wen Xuan’s expression hardened as he said: “Since it was a mistake, those ten drops of heartblood should not be counted as compensation to someone else. They should be returned to Fifth Junior Sister.”

Bai Mu Mu’s eyes flew wide, her nails digging hard into her palms.

How could this be? Wen Xuan wanted to take back the heartblood?

Lu Shi Qing also flared up and said sharply: “Second Senior Brother, what nonsense are you saying? Don’t you know how important that heartblood is to Junior Sister?”

Master Ling Xiao and Shen Dao Chen both showed disapproval.

Wen Xuan held his ground and said: “I will find a way to help Junior Sister’s health, but that heartblood belongs to Fifth Junior Sister. Fifth Junior Sister does not owe Junior Sister.”

He added firmly: “They are both my Junior Sisters. How can we use Fifth Junior Sister’s blood to save Junior Sister?”

Silence fell in the cave. The others understood Wen Xuan, but heartblood was rare, and it might fully cure Bai Mu Mu’s Extreme Cold Constitution.

Besides, Shen Sang Ruo’s cultivation was already ruined. Even if they returned the heartblood, what could she do with it…

Bai Mu Mu nearly went mad inside, not knowing what had driven Wen Xuan to this, but she still put on a pitiful face and said: “Senior Brother Wen is right. The heartblood should be returned to Fifth Senior Sister. I’ve lived with this for many years. I can keep going.”

Then she looked at Wen Xuan with tears and said softly: “Senior Brother, you said you would cure me. Mu Mu will wait for that day.”

“I…” Wen Xuan froze.

He remembered the promise he had made to Bai Mu Mu, then saw her tear-filled eyes.

He hesitated.

The chance to cure Junior Sister was right in front of him. What was he doing?

Lu Shi Qing said with a hard voice: “The heartblood was already taken from Shen Sang Ruo. Returning it will not help. Can you pour it back in?”

He looked at Shen Sang Ruo and added: “If it can save Junior Sister, then it serves its last purpose. That is what a Senior Sister should do. Do you not want to save Junior Sister?”

He did not say what he really thought, that she had taken Bai Mu Mu’s place for years.

Seeing Lu Shi Qing throw the question at her, Shen Sang Ruo answered at once: “Save her, of course.”

“At least you have a conscience,” Lu Shi Qing said, satisfied.

Wen Xuan let out a slow breath. As long as Shen Sang Ruo agreed, it would be fine. He had almost ruined everything.

Master Ling Xiao and Shen Dao Chen also relaxed a little.

They spoke again about how they would make it up to her. She was tired of listening and found an excuse to return to her cave.

They assumed she still felt wronged and did not push her about her cold attitude.

Watching her leave, Shen Dao Chen said: “Sang Ruo has grown more sensible. We must have ignored her before. We should put more effort into her.”

Master Ling Xiao nodded and said: “I will personally teach her cultivation so she can return to her former strength soon. I won’t let anyone look down on her.”

“I will nurse Fifth Junior Sister back to health,” Wen Xuan said, also wanting to use the chance to spend more time with her.

Her look earlier had startled him. He had stayed away too long.

He did not want to see that look again.

Lu Shi Qing’s expression was still stiff, but he said he would send some treasured pills to help Shen Sang Ruo’s body.

“That’s great. Thunder-Scale Peak will be lively again,” Bai Mu Mu said happily.

Shen Dao Chen rubbed her hair and said: “All right, let Senior Brother Wen treat you.”

“Okay,” she replied.

The cave filled with cheerful voices.

Shen Sang Ruo returned to her own cave and, with her body giving out, lay down on the stone bed at once.

After resting for half a day, she regained a little strength.

She lifted her head and saw all kinds of pills and treasures set out on the table, including Shen Dao Chen’s Fourth Grade Qi Replenishing Pill.

They were sent by those people.

As for why they were not here, she guessed they were keeping watch over Bai Mu Mu.

Bai Mu Mu’s body had been weak for so many years, and now it was finally getting better.

Of course that was a big deal.

Shen Sang Ruo coolly swept all those things into a storage pouch.

Since she had decided to draw a clear line with them, she would not use their things anymore.

After a short pause, she opened another storage pouch.

Inside were the items Shen Dao Chen, Master Ling Xiao, and her four Senior Brothers had given her in the past.

There was a hairpin from Shen Dao Chen, a Nightglow Stone from Master Ling Xiao, wine brewed by First Senior Brother Feng He Yun, a scented medicine sachet made by Second Senior Brother Wen Xuan, a Seven-colored Butterfly from Third Senior Brother Lu Shi Qing, and snacks bought by Fourth Senior Brother Luo Chu.

She had treated them as beautiful memories and kept them with care.

She had already let go of the people who gave them, so she would not keep these dead objects either.

Expressionless, she dumped them all into another pouch.

She threw in the Spirit Stones Shen Dao Chen had given her as well.

The Spirit Stones and pills that remained were the ones she had won on her own in sect matches.

Those were the only things she could use now.