Chapter 51

Chapter 51: She No Longer Wants Their Things

After Wen Xuan and Luo Chu finally left, Shen Sang Ruo entered the Library Pavilion to keep searching for clues.

Three days later, she left the Flying Cloud Sect. This time, unlike before, more people came to see her off. Among their fellow Disciples, only the injured Bai Mo Mo stayed behind to recover. Even Feng He Yun and the others had all come. The four of them stood before her like a wall at her back, trying to look loyal and unbreakable.

They rarely stood beside Shen Sang Ruo so peacefully. In the past, whenever they showed up together, there were always quarrels. Everyone in the Flying Cloud Sect knew Shen Sang Ruo was the most annoying, so her four Senior Brothers did not like her. All four of them lined up by her side today was a rare sight that drew many Flying Cloud Sect Disciples to watch. [Did the sun rise in the west today?]

Feng He Yun clicked his tongue and said like a scolding elder: “Fifth Junior Sister, why did you talk back to Master? Now look, Master sent you down the mountain for three years. That is not worth it at all.” He had just heard she was back and had not even had time to be happy before news arrived that Master Ling Xiao had punished her. It had only been a few days, and his Fifth Junior Sister was still causing trouble, this time even angering Master Ling Xiao. Wen Xuan had told them what happened. Just hearing it had made Feng He Yun’s heart pound. Shen Sang Ruo was too bold.

Lu Shi Qing stayed distant as usual and said coldly: “Master has ordered that we may not go down the mountain with you, so you must keep yourself safe. Do not expect us to help you. This is trouble you brought on yourself.” In truth, he was forcing down the worry in his eyes so he would look no different from usual.

Shen Sang Ruo gave him a light glance and chose not to see it. Lu Shi Qing stood beside Luo Chu, and by order it was now Luo Chu’s turn to speak.

Luo Chu lifted his chin and said: “Do not look at me. I have nothing to say to you.” He wore a sulky face as he added: “I was not even going to come. They dragged me here.” Then he quickly explained: “I am not here because I want to send you off. I already said I am at odds with you. Hmph.” He was afraid she would think he was giving in and wanted to make peace. He was not.

Wen Xuan cut him off and scolded: “That is enough, Fourth Junior Brother. Stop talking.” Then he turned back to Shen Sang Ruo, and his eyes softened with warmth. [Luo Chu stared, speechless: ???] [Playing favorites again, huh?]

Wen Xuan spoke with care: “Little Ruo, you must protect yourself on this trip. Put your own safety first. If you meet people or problems you cannot handle, say Master’s name and Sect Master Shen’s name.” The titles of Master Ling Xiao’s Disciple and the Flying Cloud Sect Master’s daughter were enough to drive away most trouble. With her own cultivation, there should be no accidents. Even so, he kept reminding her: “If you can raise your cultivation while training, that is best. If not, just pass the three years safely and come back to the sect.” He warned her again: “Do not take risks just to advance. Do not pick fights. If others cause trouble first, we at least have a reason to back you up, understand?” He added one more hope: “In a while, the sect will arrange a group training. We might use that chance to come find you.”

Wen Xuan then took out a storage bag and held it out to her as he said: “Here are some life saving artifacts we Senior Brothers prepared for you. With them, you can deal with many sudden dangers, and we will feel easier in our hearts.”

There was no Divine Sense imprint on the bag. Shen Sang Ruo scanned it with her Divine Sense and saw what was inside. There were eight items in all, two from each of them. They were not common junk, but they were not rare either. As Disciples of Master Ling Xiao, these four had hundreds of such things. In the past, they would not give her even one, so now that each gave her two, they probably felt they were being very generous.

She yawned lazily. She did not want to hear “it is our goodwill.” She remembered once when Bai Mu Mu went down the mountain with a sect team for only three days without them, and each of them had given Bai Mu Mu at least a dozen artifacts for protection. Now, what they were doing felt fake in her eyes.

Even the artifacts from Su Xi Yu and the others, whom she had just met, were far more and far better than these. Any single treasure from them could crush everything inside this storage bag.

Having gotten used to the rare treasures Senior Sister Su and the others gave, Shen Sang Ruo found the items before her dull. [They spoiled my eyes.] [When I go down the mountain, I should visit Moonshadow Valley and complain to them about this.] Thinking that, she smiled without meaning to.

Wen Xuan saw her smile and thought she was happy about the storage bag, so he smiled too, relieved. He had been afraid she would refuse it. For a moment, he seemed to see the little Sang Ruo who used to reach only his waist. Back then, one candy could make her happy all day, grinning from morning to night. When her smile faded as fast as it came, Wen Xuan felt a small ache.

He urged softly: “Little Ruo, take it.”

Shen Sang Ruo took the storage bag without a word. It was not because she still cared about them. She knew that if she refused, they would pester her and force her to accept. [Endure one moment of disgust and enjoy some peace and quiet.] That was good enough.

She turned and walked step by steady step toward the mountain gate. Watching her back, Wen Xuan’s eyes filled with reluctance. The other three felt it a little too. For some reason, Wen Xuan’s heart started to race with unease. Her steps were too firm and sure, as if she had decided to leave and never come back.

He shook his head. This was Shen Sang Ruo’s home. Even if not for anyone else, she would come back for her father, Shen Dao Chen. He lowered his eyes. Two years ago, he would have said with full confidence that Shen Sang Ruo would stay for their sake. But now she clearly did not care about them that much. He even felt that Master Ling Xiao did not weigh as much in her heart as before. So now he only dared to say she would return for Shen Dao Chen.

Wen Xuan let out a long sigh, his face full of lonely worry.

When Shen Sang Ruo vanished from sight, they turned back to their own tasks. Feng He Yun went to brew the wine she liked. Lu Shi Qing went to refine the Seven Emotions Gu he planned to use to test her. Wen Xuan and Luo Chu headed together toward the main peak.

On the way, Luo Chu asked with a sideways look: “Second Senior Brother, are you also going to visit Junior Sister?”