Chapter 4: Severing the Meridians, Destroying the Spiritual Roots

“Nan Sheng still has some matters to attend to. Senior Li, please keep this jade pendant safe for me temporarily.”

“Alright.” Li Tianhen glanced at the jade pendant, then at Si Nan Sheng, before placing the pendant into his storage ring.

Si Nan Sheng stepped to the center of the hall and knelt down, tears welling in her eyes as she looked up at the ever aloof Feng Zeyan. She lifted the hairpin from her head and placed it on the ground, letting her hair fall loose and cascade behind her.

She untied the storage pouch at her waist, took out the spirit token of the master's disciple, and erased the trace of her soul energy within it, laying it on the floor as well.

Then, she removed the sacred Tian Sect robes she wore.

Beneath them, she wore nothing but a thin inner garment.

If she was to sever ties, she intended to do so completely and thoroughly.

Everyone watched silently, utterly clueless about her intentions.

“I have long repaid what I owed to the Sacred Tian Sect. What belongs to me, I will not let go. What does not belong to me, I will leave nothing behind and return it all to you,” Si Nan Sheng declared as she rose, channeling her spiritual energy into her hands, gripping her chest with force!

“Si Nan Sheng, how dare you!” Though others were unaware, he knew exactly what this act signified.

“Ah!” Si Nan Sheng screamed in agony, cold sweat instantly streaming down her forehead, her face contorted in pain.

Then, everyone saw her pull out a shining golden divine bone from her body.

“Pfft!” She spat out a mouthful of fresh blood and collapsed weakly to her knees. The divine bone fell to the ground with a heavy thud.

Feng Zeyan’s expression froze momentarily. Was Si Nan Sheng mad?

“Si Nan Sheng, are you revolting?” Feng Zeyan bellowed.

“This divine bone was nurtured by Master Feng for me. Today, I risk my life to remove it. Feng Sect Leader, I, Si Nan Sheng, owe your Sacred Tian Sect nothing!” She stood stubbornly, meeting Feng Zeyan’s gaze with unwavering resolve.

“A divine bone? Really a divine bone?” Su Heng, staring at the bone on the floor, was stunned.

Shen Jingyuan demanded, “Why do you have a divine bone in your body? It’s riddled with cracks—why are you pulling it out now? What are you trying to accomplish?”

“Su Heng, Shen Jingyuan, have you ever considered that I, this so-called useless junior sister whom you all despise, might actually possess the rarest, supreme spiritual root?” Si Nan Sheng’s lips curled into a faint, blood-tinged smile, her eyes filled with mockery.

“Impossible! Si Nan Sheng, you’re shameless. To avoid Master’s punishment, you’ll say any lie you want. But we are no fools—we’ve known all along you’re no good. We’ll never believe your nonsense!” Su Heng glared at her with venomous disgust.

“I knew you wouldn’t believe me. Understandable—these years, my cultivation made no progress, so you all treated me like trash, like a waste. But this isn’t your fault. In truth, before I even entered the sect, Feng Sect Leader had already concealed my spiritual root.”

“That can’t be. Master, why would you do such a thing? Si Nan Sheng, tell us—why are you slandering Master?” Shen Jingyuan grabbed her robe, eyes blazing with fury.

“Slandering him? If you don’t believe me, you can ask him directly. Ask if I entered Foundation Establishment at eight years old, and if after that, he embedded this divine bone into my body.”

Si Nan Sheng looked up at the imposing Feng Zeyan, who stared back as if she were a corpse.

“Si Nan Sheng, divine bones are rare. Even if Master put this divine bone inside you, it was surely for your own good. How dare you slander him?” Su Heng said righteously.

Watching this man’s utter hypocrisy, Si Nan Sheng found him laughable. She wondered how blind she had been in a past life to think he was a good person.

“For my own good? Do you even know that this divine bone was shattered when placed inside me? Do you know that it was my supreme spiritual root and spiritual energy that nurtured and repaired it to its current state? Do you know that for five years, despite my efforts, my cultivation stagnated because all my spiritual energy was spent nourishing this rotten bone?”

Her words were laden with sorrow, tears welling in her eyes. She wasn’t sure if the pain was hers or that of the original owner.

Su Heng and Shen Jingyuan glanced at their Master, finding his face dark and gloomy as if soaked in shadow.

They found it hard to believe. Could Si Nan Sheng’s words be true?

“Feng Sect Leader, I return your divine bone. My cultivation techniques and achievements were learned in the Sacred Tian Sect. Now, I am discarding my cultivation and returning everything to you.

As for your accusations that I injured Liu Xuewei, I deny them. If you want my spiritual root, you’re dreaming. Today, I, Si Nan Sheng, destroy my spiritual root rather than let her have it!”

Si Nan Sheng formed hand seals, though her movements were clumsy.

Li Tianhen watched her actions, recalling her words just now, instantly understanding her intent.

“No!” Li Tianhen’s voice barely fell when a “bang bang bang” erupted around Si Nan Sheng.

Her spiritual root was destroyed, her meridians severed, and the violent backlash of spiritual energy pressure forced her to cough up several mouthfuls of blood. She looked on the brink of death.

Everyone was shocked to witness such a decisive act from a mere twelve-year-old.

“Si Nan Sheng!” Feng Zeyan, furious beyond expectation, his eyes blazing with anger, seemed ready to tear her apart.

But his fury was not because she destroyed her spiritual root—it was because without her water spiritual root, he could no longer repair his treasured disciple’s spiritual root.

“From now on, Si Nan Sheng is severed from the Sacred Tian Sect. My life and death no longer concern the sect, nor does the sect’s fate concern me.

The things I have sought these years, plus sacrificing my own cultivation to repair the divine bone, have already repaid Feng Sect Leader’s nurturing. I owe you nothing.”

Bloodied and staggering, Si Nan Sheng fought to remain standing, lifting her head to face the members of the Sacred Tian Sect.

Wanting to snatch her supreme spiritual root for Liu Xuewei to advance her strength? What a joke.

Even if she destroyed her root, she would never make a wedding dress for Liu Xuewei!

Nor would she remain in the Sacred Tian Sect to serve as their beast of burden!

Seeing the wild smile creeping at the corners of her mouth, a chill ran from the crowd’s feet to their heads.

Could such pressure really come from a twelve-year-old child?

As Si Nan Sheng collapsed, Li Tianhen caught her and wrapped her tightly in his cloak.

“Senior Li… sorry to… cause you trouble…” Si Nan Sheng smiled faintly before losing consciousness.

“She has destroyed her root and lost her cultivation; she is just a half-dead body now. She owes your Sacred Tian Sect nothing anymore. From now on, she is my disciple, Li Tianhen’s.

If I find anyone from the Sacred Tian Sect bullying her again, don’t blame me for being ruthless!”

Li Tianhen’s gaze was icy as he turned and left, holding Si Nan Sheng. Only then did the others regain their senses.