Chapter Fifty-Six: Shen Ruru Bursts In

The two guards lying on the ground spat blood and managed a bitter smile. They struggled to rise again and stop her, but saw that Shen Ruyu had already reached the study door without anyone noticing. She raised her hand and knocked, her tone transformed from harshness to utmost gentleness, as if she were a completely different person. “Shengyun, are you there?”

Bai Shengyun heard her but ignored her.

Shen Ruyu had no choice but to knock again, this time with more force. “Shengyun, open the door, I have something I need to discuss with you.”

She spoke unaware that Bai Shengyun was at a critical moment in his ritual; her interruption nearly ruined everything, forcing him to start over.

“Shengyun?” Shen Ruyu waited for ages. The door did not open, nor was there any response from within. Anxious and angry, her voice grew heavier and more urgent. “Open the door, I’m worried about you!”

Within the formation, Bai Shengyun had managed to clear his mind and sit cross-legged, ignoring the evil sect’s array and driving a strand of divine sense he’d left inside, establishing a subtle connection with the purple-gold bell. He was also attempting to block Xie Yingying’s controlling consciousness so he could better command the bell.

Outside, Shen Ruyu waited, growing increasingly furious as she sensed the formation in the room. Her knocking grew more violent.

If the formation succeeded, he could easily find Xie Yingying; and once she returned, Bai Shengyun would surely fall under her spell again!

This thought made her even more desperate and angry. She stepped back and, with a palm strike, blasted the wooden door.

Under the forceful surge of spiritual energy, the door splintered instantly.

She stepped over the scattered white window paper and entered, immediately seeing Bai Shengyun deep in ritual, breaking through the evil sect’s array and the bell’s internal barrier to directly command the divine sense within.

Because of this, Bai Shengyun was unaware that Shen Ruyu had broken in.

As she was about to step into the formation, a transparent barrier stopped her. Shen Ruyu’s expression soured, and she raised her hand to break the barrier, but no matter what she did, she could only cause ripples on its surface.

She struck again, this time with seventy percent of her power. But as soon as her blow landed, the barrier rebounded, sending the force back at her.

Bai Shengyun’s brow knitted, but he was preoccupied with the barrier and did not notice.

This barrier was also a formation, meant to prevent sudden intrusions, and was directly connected to Bai Shengyun’s soul.

He was fully engaged in battling the nascent spirit of the purple-gold bell, while simultaneously blocking Xie Yingying’s consciousness, all the while Shen Ruyu kept causing trouble.

On Shen Ruyu’s third strike at the barrier, Bai Shengyun’s soul suffered injury, and his main consciousness was expelled from the bell.

He opened his eyes, slowly turned his head, veins bulging at his temple, and fixed her with a cold, venomous glare, though his eyes were somewhat dazed.

Seeing his expression, Shen Ruyu was instantly frightened, as though a poisonous snake had set its sights on her, tongue flicking, ready to swallow her whole. She noticed his unstable soul and showed concern.

“Who allowed you in?” Bai Shengyun’s words were icy.

Shen Ruyu softened her tone. “I was just worried about you.”

“Did the guards not pass on my orders?” His gaze shifted past her shoulder to the terrified, helpless guards at the door.

They hurriedly replied, “Master, we did tell Miss Shen!”

Bai Shengyun turned his gaze back to Shen Ruyu, colder than before. A fierce wind swept through the room, threatening to cast her out entirely.

The biting wind made Shen Ruyu stagger, nearly losing her footing, sliding a long distance across the floor.

He was eager to reconnect with the bell’s spirit and did not wish to waste time teaching Shen Ruyu a lesson. He simply thundered, “Leave! Without my command, you are not allowed to enter again!”

Shen Ruyu gritted her teeth but did not yield. She summoned a shield of spiritual energy, steadied herself, and pleaded, “Shengyun, you’ve truly lost yourself! Not only did you enter the evil sect for a witch, now you’re enduring repeated soul wounds to break the sect and the bell’s barrier. You’re mad! If anything goes wrong, not only Xie Yingying, but you yourself will suffer soul rupture!”

Bai Shengyun saw her defiance and repeated interference, and with a sharp flick of his sleeve, a violent gust swept her out the door.

“I told you, stop meddling! My decisions are not for others to dictate!”

His hand pressed behind his back, the other firmly clamped Shen Ruyu’s slender neck. His tall shadow stretched across the floor, and the swirling wind made him seem a demon of legend.

“Why must you treat me this way?” Shen Ruyu’s eyes reddened, misty with unshed tears, and she spoke with difficulty, “I’ve loved you for so many years, you know that!”

Bai Shengyun felt no pity or tenderness. If anything, her display fueled his fury, like a thousand raging torrents.

“You love me?” He raised his brow, his expression contemptuous, the cold sneer especially painful to Shen Ruyu. “Your feelings are yours alone. What does that have to do with me?”

Shen Ruyu fell silent.

He gave her a warning look and released her. “I have business to attend to. Don’t disturb me again.”

Bai Shengyun turned toward the room. Shen Ruyu’s beautiful eyes grew fierce; she sprang up and blocked his path.

“If you insist on finding her, then I’ll kill her first!” she declared, her voice tinged with bitterness.

No sooner had she spoken than Bai Shengyun seized her neck once more and lifted her off the ground.

Dangling in his grip, Shen Ruyu was terrified, her survival instinct flaring. She clawed desperately at his hand, but Bai Shengyun tightened his hold, nearly suffocating her, bones cracking audibly. The two guards watching were chilled to the bone.

“Shengyun…” Shen Ruyu’s disappointment and resentment spilled from her eyes as she forced out each word, “Do you… love her?”

Bai Shengyun was taken aback, his expression dark and unreadable.

After a moment, he spoke quietly, “She belongs to me. Only I may kill her.”

“As for you…” His gaze narrowed dangerously. “I repeat: stay out of matters that do not concern you. Her fate is mine to decide.”

With those words, Bai Shengyun released her.

Shen Ruyu collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath, her whole body wracked with pain.