Chapter 83

Chapter 83: The Day You Beg Me

Bai Mu Mu’s gaze froze when she saw Shen Sang Ruo behind them, and she asked in surprise: “Fifth Senior Sister is here too?”

Master Ling Xiao’s look stayed cold as he said: “I have already cut off the master-disciple bond with her. She is not your Fifth Senior Sister.”

Bai Mu Mu was shocked. What had happened while she was away? They had even severed that relationship. Joy flashed for a moment at the thought that Shen Sang Ruo was no longer at Thunder-Scale Peak, but her thoughts soon returned to the Fire-Scale Vine. Let them go find the Fire-Scale Vine. Why bring Shen Sang Ruo to her?

Her old illness had flared up because Shen Sang Ruo had tried to kill her, and because she used the System’s power to save herself and Luo Chu, the System’s energy grew unstable and she could not reach it. Now Shen Sang Ruo stood fine before her, and Bai Mu Mu’s chest felt even tighter.

Luo Chu, that loudmouth, had surely told Master Ling Xiao what happened on the Slanting Mountain Icefield, yet he had not punished her. Useless.

Even so, Bai Mu Mu kept up her usual gentle image, though they had already tried to kill each other, and she asked with a soft voice: “Senior Sister Shen, what brings you to Mu Mu?”

Shen Sang Ruo’s tone showed no emotion as she answered: “I came to deliver the Fire-Scale Vine.”

Bai Mu Mu said sweetly: “I did not expect the thing I have been searching for to be in Senior Sister Shen’s hand. Then thank you, Senior Sister Shen.” Under the quilt, her nails dug deep into her palm. It was not hard to guess where Shen Sang Ruo’s Fire-Scale Vine came from. What stung was that Shen Sang Ruo had held it and watched her suffer.

Shen Sang Ruo cut her off and said in a cool voice: “Do not rush to thank me. I never said I would give it to you directly. Beg me, and I will give it.”

Bai Mu Mu’s face turned very ugly and her nails bit in even deeper. Who did this woman think she was, to strut in front of her like this?

Master Ling Xiao snapped, his patience at its limit, saying: “Shen Sang Ruo!” She clearly was not sincere about saving Bai Mu Mu. They had already agreed to two of her terms. Was she still not satisfied?

Shen Dao Chen’s face cooled as he said: “Sang Ruo, mind your measure.”

Bai Mu Mu quickly played her part, saying softly: “It is all right, Father and Master. I must have offended Senior Sister Shen somehow. On the Slanting Mountain Icefield, Senior Sister Shen already gave up on me once. Now I must not anger Senior Sister again. Since Senior Sister Shen wants me to beg, then I will kneel and beg her.” She made as if to get up.

Shen Sang Ruo let out a cold laugh. She really knew how to add drama for herself.

With that reminder, Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao could not help making a connection. Maybe Shen Sang Ruo had refused to save her on purpose, wanting to force Bai Mu Mu’s cold illness to break out and then use the Fire-Scale Vine as leverage.

Shen Sang Ruo thought to herself: [You are overthinking it. I did not plan anything that tricky. I was going straight for her life.]

With Bai Mu Mu acting like that, the result was of course that Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao stopped her and then turned cold eyes on Shen Sang Ruo.

But Shen Sang Ruo had never truly meant to make Bai Mu Mu beg. She took the Fire-Scale Vine from her Cosmos Pouch and placed it in Bai Mu Mu’s hand. She gave Bai Mu Mu a bright smile that hid killing intent and lowered her voice, saying: “Do not worry. There will come a time when you beg me first.”

She had come early just to tell Bai Mu Mu this much: their struggle had officially begun.

Bai Mu Mu only felt that Shen Sang Ruo was overestimating herself. She had already lost her place as Master Ling Xiao’s Personal Disciple. What right did she have to fight her? Make her beg? That was a foolish dream. In their fight, Shen Sang Ruo had already fallen behind.

Shen Sang Ruo straightened and said: “All right. I have delivered the Fire-Scale Vine, so I will take my leave.”

She stepped out of the room. Shen Dao Chen and Master Ling Xiao followed her outside. Shen Dao Chen called to her, saying: “Sang Ruo, where are you going?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered simply: “Down the mountain to continue training. Master Ling Xiao punished me with three years below the mountain. Only a few months have passed.”

After a long pause, Shen Dao Chen decided to give her a chance and said: “Come back in three months for the Young Sect Master trials.”

The time for the Young Sect Master trials had been set when Shen Dao Chen chose to pick between her and Bai Mu Mu, and she had marked it in her heart. She nodded and said: “Thank you for telling me, Senior Uncle. I will return on time.” If she did not return, how could she act openly against Bai Mu Mu?

She turned to leave.

Master Ling Xiao refused to let it go and said: “Hold on. When did I allow you to leave? Before, because you were my disciple, I let many things pass. Now that you have left Thunder-Scale Peak, I will not let you off easily.” He could not stand how relaxed she seemed after cutting ties. [What right does she have to look down on me and on Thunder-Scale Peak?]

Shen Sang Ruo saw his mood and knew he was at it again. Leaving would take some effort. But her backup should be close.

Shen Dao Chen was clearly unhappy with him and said: “Ling Xiao, once Sang Ruo leaves, her debts with Thunder-Scale Peak are cleared. Why cling to her? Enough.”

Master Ling Xiao let out a cold laugh and said: “I am clinging to her?” In his mind, it was Shen Sang Ruo who kept showing up to annoy him. After cutting ties, he found her hateful from head to toe.

Shen Dao Chen replied at once, saying: “Who else? It cannot be her clinging to you. Anyone can see how cleanly she walked away. I was wrong back then to push her to enter your tutelage. Correcting that mistake is only right, is it not? You never liked her as your disciple. Then be decisive. After severing the bond, stop pestering her and show the bearing you should have.”

His words jabbed Master Ling Xiao where it hurt. The meaning was as if to say he could not let Shen Sang Ruo go. He wished she would leave and never return. Someone like her on Thunder-Scale Peak only stained his name. Yet he could not explain the bit of anger burning inside. In the end he blamed it on how annoying Shen Sang Ruo was.

Shen Dao Chen was still trying to persuade him when a teal figure slid in without a sound. The figure swept past, and Immortal Maiden Azure Luan snatched Shen Sang Ruo up and carried her away. As she left, Shen Sang Ruo’s voice floated back, light as a feather, saying: “Senior Uncle and Master Ling Xiao, take your time talking. I will go first.”

By the time the two men reacted, Shen Sang Ruo had vanished.

Shen Dao Chen stared in shock and said: “Was that a Divine Transformation Stage Cultivator?!” Only someone at the Divine Transformation Stage could slip into the sect unseen, and the lingering aura proved it.

“Does Sang Ruo know her?” he asked.

Master Ling Xiao ground his teeth, his face dark as the bottom of a pot, and he spat out: “So she really does have a wild Master outside!”