Chapter 52: Chapter Fifty-Two: Master Is Furious

Indeed!

Ling Xiao gave Qi Chengshuang a cold glance, then scooped Shi Ran up in his arms, saying, "You and Chengshuang stay here to repair the destroyed houses; for now, do not return to the sect!"

Ah!

A bolt from the blue!

Luo Changfeng and Qi Chengshuang exchanged a glance; Luo Changfeng's eyes were brimming with tears: "Master, I just lied—Shi Ran was lured out by He Bi; it has nothing to do with me and my second junior brother!"

Ling Xiao gave him a cold look: "If you sneak back to the sect, you'll receive ten strokes of the disciplinary whip!"

Luo Changfeng shrank his hand, not daring to speak further—Master was furious; perhaps he should refrain from adding fuel to the fire?

Ling Xiao saw that he had become obedient, then turned and said to Ruan Xinli: "As for the specifics, I will personally write to inform your master; these two unfilial disciples will remain here temporarily—farewell!"

Having said that, he turned and left, leaving only a group of trembling disciples behind.

"What a powerful aura!" Ruan Xinli stuck out her tongue, and upon turning around she saw Qi Chengshuang staring at Mei Ruoxue.

Qi Chengshuang lifted her gaze; when their eyes met, she hastily turned away.

Ling Xiao carried Shi Ran as he walked ahead, with Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue following behind, and Xiao Muyu bringing up the rear.

Shi Ran had already improved considerably; she wanted to get down from Master's embrace, but that would be too embarrassing, especially in front of all her senior brothers and sisters. She could feel several gazes upon her from behind, especially Mei Ruoxue's complicated, indecipherable stare, which made her feel like a prickle on her back.

But…

She cautiously lifted her gaze toward Ling Xiao.

Master's jawline was hard and cold, tensed tightly; his thin lips pressed into a straight line, and the chill emanating from his whole body almost condensed into substance—more intense than when he had dealt with Luo Shixiong and the second senior brother earlier. His deep eyes stared straight ahead, swirling with intense emotions she could not fathom, like a volcano suppressing an imminent eruption.

He was truly furious, angrier than he had ever been.

The flicker of struggle in Shi Ran's heart froze instantly. She dared not move a muscle, even her breath grew extremely shallow, fearing that even this trifling motion might spark the final ember that would ignite Master's wrath. Like a child who had done wrong and dreaded punishment, she stiffened, curling herself in Master's strong, capable arms, feeling his chest transmit a heartbeat rendered extraordinarily steady by his suppressed anger.

The atmosphere was oppressive enough to suffocate.

Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue followed silently behind, their footsteps barely audible. Xiao Muyu trailed even farther back, not daring to breathe. The entire mountain path was left with only the rustle of wind-blown leaves and Ling Xiao's steady yet chilly footsteps.

Shi Ran felt each breath drawn out interminably. Master's silence unsettled her more than any reprimand. She bit her lower lip, trying to recall exactly what had provoked Master's anger. Was it because she had slipped out privately? Or because she was useless, easily reopening her wound with a mere sword qi? Or… had she implicated her senior brothers in punishment?

At last, the suffocating silence was broken by Shi Ran herself. Summoning all her courage, her voice came out as thin as a mosquito's whisper, trembling and guilty: "Mas… Master… disciple knows her mistake…"

Ling Xiao's steps did not pause in the slightest; he did not even lower his eyes to glance at her. He simply held her and continued forward.

This voiceless response sank Shi Ran's heart to the depths—what to do, what to do? She had indeed angered Master, and severely so.

Just as she was about to be overwhelmed by this heavy pressure and self-reproach, the arm holding her seemed to… tighten ever so slightly. The force was fleeting, so quick she thought it might be an illusion.

Immediately afterward, Ling Xiao's low, icy voice finally sounded—like it had been tempered with ice, yet also carrying an indescribable weight:

"What is the mistake?" his gaze still fixed ahead, as if asking an inconsequential question.

Shi Ran staggered, then a deeper bewilderment welled up: "Disciple… disciple ought not to have gotten out of bed without permission? I didn't help at all, and still implicated my senior brothers…"

"Foolish!" Ling Xiao coldly interrupted her, his voice not loud but each word striking her heart like a hammer: "You know your body is weak, yet why insist on pushing yourself? You know that, given your cultivation, going would be of no help, yet why go out? Master taught you to preserve yourself wisely and to judge the timing—where have you put those lessons?!"

His speech was not fast, yet each character carried the威压 of thunder and a kind of… lingering dread from a close call.

Shi Ran was left speechless by the question, overwhelmed with shame. It was not due to feeling wronged, but because Master's words held a deep disappointment and… concern? She could not be certain, only feeling her chest constricted uncomfortably.

"Disciple… disciple didn't think much at the time… merely misled by He Bi's few words, I thought that Senior Sister…"

"Assuming?" Ling Xiao finally lowered his eyes to glance at her, his gaze sharp as a blade, which made Shi Ran fall silent instantly: "The path of cultivation—one misstep leads to eternal ruin! A single 'assuming' could offset the consequences of your near-death today? Could it offset Master's…"

He did not utter the rest, but the sudden intensification of chill and the renewed tightening of his arm around her let Shi Ran clearly feel the weight of those unspoken words—could they offset Master's racing heart when he rushed over and saw you on the brink of death?

Shi Ran shuddered all over. Thus she realized that beneath Master's anger lay such fear. She had never imagined that a small action of hers could make such a mighty Master also feel dread.

"Disciple… disciple truly knows her mistake…" Shi Ran kept apologizing, hoping to appease Ling Xiao, but the hint of a sob escaping her voice was like the first ray of dawn breaking over the horizon, suddenly warming his heart.

Ling Xiao's steps seemed to pause imperceptibly. His jawline remained tense, but the terrifying aura that seemed to freeze the air around him quietly diminished somewhat. He ceased speaking, merely holding her, his stride appearing somewhat steadier and a bit faster than before.

Gu Yusheng and Mei Ruoxue, following behind, exchanged a quiet glance, each seeing in the other's eyes a sign of relieved tension. Gu Yusheng gently shook his head, signaling Mei Ruoxue to refrain from any further action.

Xiao Muyu, meanwhile, watched from afar the back of Master holding the little junior sister, her gaze complex and indecipherable.

Ling Xiao carried Shi Ran, striding swiftly through the woods toward the sect. The mountain breeze brushed past, lifting his dark robes and Shi Ran's scattered hairs. Shi Ran clenched the fabric at Master's chest, feeling the irresistible strength he conveyed and the deep, heart‑stirring concern hidden within.

She finally understood the source of Master's anger. It was not mere punishment, but the lingering dread after having lost and regained her, a mix of shock and fury at her near demise.

This realization dispelled her sense of grievance, leaving only a heavy guilt and a faint, indescribable bittersweet warmth. She silently vowed never to let Master wear such an expression again.

Ling Xiao held her in silence, his gaze heavy as he looked toward the distant sect shrouded in clouds and mist; the tumult of his anger and dread gradually settled, turning into a hint of helplessness and a deeper sense of responsibility.

Having left the sect, a splendid cloud‑boat was moored at the cliffside, floating upon the silver sea, and it flew into Shi Ran's view.