Chapter 91

Chapter 91: A Little Guilty, But Not Much

Inside his cave dwelling, Master Ling Xiao watched the coiling fire dragon hovering over his palm. The leaping light flickered in his dark eyes and hid his true feelings.

As the number one cultivator in the Cultivation World, Master Ling Xiao had no tolerance for the smallest speck of dirt. He despised underhanded tricks done in secret. Yet he had only said that Shen Sang Ruo left Thunder-Scale Peak, without giving any reason, letting others guess on their own. With Shen Sang Ruo’s reputation in the sect, anyone could imagine how public opinion would turn. His hands stayed clean.

Master Ling Xiao lowered his gaze and snuffed out the fire dragon. “She asked for this,” he thought. He had said already that Thunder-Scale Peak was not a place she could come and go as she pleased.

Some time later, once Bai Mu Mu’s body was fully healed, she discovered with delight that her Water Spiritual Root had mutated into a Supreme Ice Spiritual Root. When the news reached Shen Dao Chen and the people on Thunder-Scale Peak, everyone was overjoyed. At last the gloom that had hung over Feng He Yun and the others lifted a little.

There had never been a case in the Cultivation World of a spiritual root changing, much less changing into the rare Supreme Ice Spiritual Root that only appeared once in a thousand years. It was a miracle. Bai Mu Mu herself looked overwhelmed and humbled by the favor of fate.

The matter did not only spread inside the Flying Cloud Sect. It flashed across the whole Cultivation World and stirred everyone up, becoming a celebrated tale.

Shen Dao Chen could not stop smiling. He had worried that Bai Mu Mu would not match Shen Sang Ruo in the Young Sect Master trials. Now, even though Bai Mu Mu’s raw cultivation was still lower, her talent and potential were no less than Shen Sang Ruo’s, and perhaps even surpassed her. With a bit of time, she could catch up and then pass her.

In Shen Dao Chen’s eyes, the only advantage Shen Sang Ruo still had was now pressed down by Bai Mu Mu. Naturally his scale tipped even more toward Bai Mu Mu. At this moment, she was his best choice for Young Sect Master.

Of course, the true reason Bai Mu Mu’s root changed was the System’s “golden finger.”

Shen Dao Chen valued the Young Sect Master position greatly. As long as she could win it, his favor toward her would surely rise.

Ninghua Sect.

After much friendly “pressure,” Shen Sang Ruo finally agreed to take Immortal Lord Chang Li as her master, but not yet. She said calmly, “After I finish the Flying Cloud Sect’s Young Sect Master trials and withdraw from the Flying Cloud Sect, I will join the Ninghua Sect and take Immortal Lord Chang Li as my master.”

She had waited a long time so she could cut off every tie of love and hate with the Flying Cloud Sect. She had already used a plan to leave Thunder-Scale Peak. She was now only one step away from freedom. Because of her relationship with Shen Dao Chen, quitting the Flying Cloud Sect would be much harder than leaving Thunder-Scale Peak, so she needed to be patient and wait for the right chance.

There was another reason. She was still a person of the Flying Cloud Sect, while Immortal Lord Chang Li belonged to the Ninghua Sect. If she became his disciple now, she would be caught between two sects. It would be better to leave the Flying Cloud Sect first, then join the Ninghua Sect. That would be a fresh start.

Shen Sang Ruo had thought it through. The Ninghua Sect was in decline, yes, but things were slowly improving. Most of all, she liked everyone here. When she judged a sect, she cared more about its people than its name. Before disaster struck the Ninghua Sect, Su Xi Yu and the others were likely standout peers in the Cultivation World, not people to be taken lightly.

She also planned to help Ye Huai and Bai Ruo An recover. With her and with them, she believed the Ninghua Sect would not be trapped forever in this small corner of heaven and earth. Without noticing it, she had grown a sense of belonging to this sect of “old, weak, sick, and injured.” Perhaps fate set this in motion the day she picked up Darkwood. She was determined to make the Ninghua Sect better. Even if they never rose again, the worst outcome would be no more than becoming Rogue Cultivators.

Shen Sang Ruo thought of many things. The others in the Ninghua Sect only heard the words “join the Ninghua Sect,” and their joy came with a touch of guilt.

They had hoped to “steal” Shen Sang Ruo for Immortal Lord Chang Li’s tutelage and would have been very satisfied with that alone. They had never imagined she would also be willing to join the Ninghua Sect itself. After all, Immortal Lord Chang Li could at least teach her real arts, while the Ninghua Sect was only an empty shell right now. They had little to offer her, and it was Shen Sang Ruo who kept running around for them.

So Su Xi Yu and the others looked at her with guilty eyes and said, “Then we’ll be waiting for you to join the Ninghua Sect!”

They laughed to themselves. [How could we let such a perfect chance to bring Shen Sang Ruo fully to our side slip away? We do feel a little guilty, but not much.]

At the same time, they silently made a promise. They would rebuild the Ninghua Sect and never let Shen Sang Ruo be wronged.

Immortal Lord Chang Li and Immortal Maiden Azure Luan focused on what she said about the Young Sect Master trials. They did not ask why she could take part. Every sect had its own rules, and Shen Sang Ruo’s talent made her qualification unsurprising. They asked her to explain the three parts of the trials, and she told them in detail.

Immortal Maiden Azure Luan thought a moment, then asked, “You plan to use the Young Sect Master trials to help you quit the sect, don’t you?”

“Yes,” Shen Sang Ruo admitted directly.

Immortal Lord Chang Li asked, “Do you have confidence in the trials?”

Shen Sang Ruo answered steadily, “I will definitely lose the sect-wide vote to Bai Mu Mu.”

Immortal Lord Chang Li knew a little about Bai Mu Mu from past contact through the Fire Phoenix. The people of the Ninghua Sect had also heard bits from Shen Sang Ruo and knew what kind of person Bai Mu Mu was.

Shen Sang Ruo continued, “But I am confident I can win the other two parts.” Her eyes shone with quiet certainty.

In the past, Shen Dao Chen had trained her as a Young Sect Master candidate, so she had put in a lot of effort on sect affairs to satisfy him. In truth, the only part she personally cared about was the duel of strength. The other parts mattered only as steps toward her goal.

Immortal Lord Chang Li stroked his chin, then said, “As your soon-to-be Master, I should help you prepare well. I cannot help you with the sect vote or the management test, but teaching you how to fight is absolutely my duty.”

Immortal Maiden Azure Luan rolled her eyes at him, but her face showed agreement. She was also planning to help train Shen Sang Ruo.

Daoist Wu Wei raised his hand high and declared, “Sect affairs are my specialty.”

There was, after all, a former Sect Master right here. He might not look reliable at first glance, but he truly had led the Ninghua Sect to its peak. With him sharing everything he knew, the sect-affairs test would be as good as secured.

All three of them turned their eyes to Shen Sang Ruo.