"It's not just my subjective assumption, it's..."

"What makes you think I'm fond of you? Just because we've gotten a little closer? You're using your filthy mind to maliciously speculate about me?" Shen Sanruo stared directly at Lu Shiqing and questioned him.

The question, "Why do you think she's in love with him?" echoed in Lu Shiqing's mind. His breath hitched. How could that be?

She must have liked him back then.

He could never be wrong. What do you mean by him being filthy and making malicious assumptions?

Lu Shiqing opened and closed his mouth, recounting the evidence that she had once been fond of him.

"You were so clingy back then, always holding my arm, and... if you didn't love me, why did you do all those things?"

As if convinced by himself, Lu Shiqing's voice grew more and more resolute.

"I was only fifteen years old then, and I treated you like a closer older brother. Of all the things you said, which one was inappropriate?"

Shen Sanruo looked at Lu Shiqing, as if she already knew what he was going to say next, and continued:

"Fine, if you insist that my actions were motivated by ulterior motives, then how do you explain your relationship with Bai Mumu? She treated you the same way, so why don't you think she was in love with you?"

Is it so hard to admit that you're being delusional and stubborn?

Lu Shiqing seemed to have been struck by lightning, remaining motionless for a long time.

Was he really... wrong?

"Because of your narcissism, you spread the news that I love you throughout the entire sect, pushing me into the eye of the storm and causing me to be despised by everyone."

"Lu Shiqing, you're disgusting."

Shen Sangruo's last words were like a heavy blow, striking Lu Shiqing's heart.

His face was already dejected, his eyes were dull and lifeless, and he had been severely hit hard.

He's disgusting? She actually said he's disgusting?

He didn't even have the strength to explain why he used the Seven Emotions Gu twice more.

Shen Daochen and Lingxiao Zhenren also knew about this matter, but they did not expect that the inside story was like this.

Shen Sangruo suffered an undeserved disaster entirely due to Lu Shiqing's baseless speculation.

Shen Daochen's chest heaved violently, clearly indicating that he was enraged.

He still remembers that when he learned about this, it was the first time he was disappointed in Chen Sangruo, and he even put her in solitary confinement for a month to make her reflect on her actions.

But now he is told that all of this is just a rumor spread by Lu Shiqing.

He used his spiritual power to write Lu Shiqing's crimes into a confession in mid-air, forcing Lu Shiqing to bear his unique mark.

Then, looking at Luo Chu, his voice held an imposing authority even without anger, "What have you done to Sang Ruo this time?"

He now understood that the four senior brothers Shen Sangri's request for her to write a letter of repentance was not just for show, but was genuine.

Although Shen Sanruo was only his adopted daughter, he would not tolerate her being treated so humiliated.

Luo Chu stammered, "It...it wasn't anything major..."

Compared to the other three, what he did was indeed just some minor things that made Shen Sangruo take the blame, neither threatening her life or cultivation nor causing her any pain.

Even the biggest attempt to frame her was foiled by Shen Sangri.

"Sometimes I'd sneak out to play and make some small mistakes, and she'd take the blame for me..."

Shen Daochen's expression softened slightly.

"Why don't you tell me in detail how many of your so-called minor mistakes you've made?" Chen Sangruo said coldly from the side.

Luo Chu wanted to warn Shen Sangri not to cause him trouble, but under the dual gazes of Shen Daochen and Lingxiao Zhenren, he could only shrink back.

Somewhat guiltily, he said, "It's probably less than a hundred times..."

"What?" Shen Daochen felt a throbbing pain in his temples.

Luo Chu sneaked out once a month on average, which means that Shen Sangruo took the blame for him for several years.

Shen Daochen then said, "Why is it that Shen Sangruo is extremely disciplined in other places, yet he keeps causing trouble outside the sect?"

“I see, I see…” Shen Daochen almost gritted his teeth as he squeezed out these words.

He didn't know how many times he had punished Shen Sangruo for these things, but it was all because Luo Chu took the blame.

He followed the same procedure as before, writing down Luo Chu's crimes on the confession and branding it with Luo Chu's mark.

After hearing all this, Wen Xuan's face turned deathly pale, and he had only one thought: the sky has fallen.

Unbeknownst to them, they had done so many hurtful things to Xiaoruo.

None of the four senior brothers had ever been completely tame by not harming Xiao Ruo.

Wen Xuan felt ashamed, regretful, and resentful towards the others.

How can they possibly win Shen Sangruo back?

"Ling Xiao, is this the disciple you taught? Sang Ruo was treated like this under your tutelage, shouldn't you give me an explanation?" Shen Daochen no longer had the good temper he had before towards Ling Xiao Zhenren, and now he also displayed the authority of a sect leader.

Lingxiao Zhenren is the number one cultivator in the cultivation world, but Shen Daochen is his senior brother and has even saved his life.

That's why he felt so comfortable placing Chen Sangruo under his tutelage.

In retrospect, leaving Zhenlin Peak might have been the best choice for Shen Sang.

"Go to the Discipline Department yourselves. Don't make me do it myself." Lingxiao Zhenren's eyes were filled with frost. "Get out."

Master Lingxiao flicked his sleeve, sending the four people flying out of the cave.

He had originally vowed that Zhenlin Peak had never wronged Shen Sangruo, but he never expected that all four of his disciples would give him a solid slap in the face.

Even so, Master Lingxiao did not change his opinion of Shen Sangruo.

Jealous by nature, malicious in mind, and unwilling to save her junior sister from death out of resentment—are these things also unfair to her?

The pain she suffered cannot change the fact that she was vicious.

With a wave of his hand, Shen Daochen sent four letters of repentance floating into Shen Sangruo's hands.

"Sang Ruo, you've suffered so much these past years. I will seek justice for you." Shen Daochen's tone was unusually tender. "You child, why do you keep everything bottled up inside instead of telling me?"

He is the head of the sect and her father; he can make decisions for her.

Shen Sanruo merely smiled mockingly and remained silent.

The fact that he could say such a thing clearly shows that he has forgotten that she once cried to him.

She got her justice herself; what does it have to do with him, Shen Daochen?

Seeing that Shen Daochen's attention was entirely focused on Shen Sangruo, Lingxiao Zhenren had no choice but to remind him, "You can take out the Fire Scale Vine now."

Shen Daochen then remembered that his Mu'er was still lying in bed, and his feelings for Shen Sangruo became complicated again.

"Take me to Bai Mumu. Once I see her, I will naturally give you the Fire Scale Vine."

Without much thought, the two took her to find Bai Mumu.

Lingxiao Zhenren did not believe that she could do anything detrimental to Bai Mumu under their watchful eyes.

Shen Daochen had a better idea. He thought that if Shen Sanruo had come to her senses, she would want to repair her relationship with Bai Mumu.

Inside Bai Mumu's private mortal residence on the main peak.

Upon seeing someone arrive, Bai Mumu struggled to her feet, saying, "Greetings, Father, Master..."