Chapter 8: Reaching the True Self

Li Shuang’s voice had just faded.

Ye Zhaozhao immediately wore an expression of disbelief: "Senior Sister, what nonsense are you spouting! That snow lotus was clearly picked by me through sheer hardship. Senior Sister, I don't blame you for abandoning me, but you cannot slander me like this."

As Ye Zhaozhao spoke, her eyes turned red: "Furthermore! I have the sword spirit to testify for me!"

She drew the Longyin Sword, and Long Yan could not help but appear on the scene.

Ye Zhaozhao said: "Senior Sister has been with Longyin for ten years, all because Long Yan wanted to save me that day, but Senior Sister was unwilling. Thus, the person and the spirit came into conflict, and now, Senior Sister has even gone so far as to abandon Longyin!"

Long Yan bowed and said: "Everything Zhaozhao says is the truth! Li Shuang is lying."

Master Lingxu flicked his sleeve and looked at Li Shuang angrily: "Wicked disciple! With the sword spirit as a witness, what else do you have to say!"

Li Shuang’s gaze remained calm and ripple-free: "At Lingxu Peak, I am responsible for teaching sword techniques to my junior brothers and sisters. As a sword spirit, Long Yan would sometimes teach in my stead when I was busy, and thus he had dealings with Ye Zhaozhao. I never knew when he began to loathe me, his master, and wished to change his allegiance to Ye Zhaozhao. That day on the snowy mountain, when I was exhausted, he manipulated the Longyin Sword and pierced my dantian. In that desperate situation, had I not comprehended the Supreme Heart-Forgetting Technique, I would have already perished. I abandoned Longyin because of his disloyalty. A sword so disloyal—if Ye Zhaozhao uses it today, who is to say she won't meet the same fate I did?"

Li Shuang’s voice carried a hint of mockery.

Long Yan became somewhat anxious: "Zhaozhao, I could never be disloyal to you! You know that I have no ulterior motives toward you."

Li Shuang glanced at him and said calmly: "Has the Sect Master heard? For Long Yan to speak like this, it is clear that the two have been colluding for some time. He is loyal to Ye Zhaozhao and has no ulterior motives toward her; that is, by definition, disloyalty to me. A sword so disloyal—how can its testimony be convincing?"

Li Shuang spoke every word with absolute clarity.

Ye Zhaozhao’s expression turned somewhat ugly.

This Li Shuang was never this difficult to deal with before!

Li Shuang’s heart was clear.

All these years.

She had been slandered by Ye Zhaozhao time and time again.

She had also desperately explained herself time and time again, but no one ever believed her.

And then, she would be consumed by agony because of their disbelief, falling into a cycle of internal strife over and over.

But now.

She was different from before.

She still did not think these people at Lingxu Peak would believe her.

But she was not saying these things to explain herself to them.

As the Supreme Heart-Forgetting Technique circulated, Li Shuang pointed directly to her own heart.

From now on, she only sought to keep her mind clear and unburdened.

"Long Yan clearly only couldn't bear to watch Senior Sister's actions, that's why... Senior Sister, you insist on slandering me like this! I..." Ye Zhaozhao’s eyes were red, and a few crystalline tears fell.

Master Lingxu, who had seemed somewhat shaken, immediately felt his heart ache at the sight of Ye Zhaozhao’s tears.

He looked at Li Shuang coldly: "If we follow your words, is the fault entirely ours? That we were biased and gullible, and that the sword spirit is heartless and betrayed its master? Li Shuang! No one stands on your side; shouldn't you reflect on yourself?"

A smile appeared on the corner of Li Shuang’s lips.

Yes.

The original her would have been self-consuming just like that.

She didn't know what she had done wrong, or why no one would believe her.

Was there something she hadn't done well enough that led her into such a situation?

But now.

She asked herself, and her conscience was clear.

If the world betrayed her, then it was the world that was wrong.

To cultivate is to seek a life of ease and freedom; why fall into shackles?

Li Shuang said, enunciating every word: "I am not at fault."

Master Lingxu was filled with annoyance. He gritted his teeth and said: "Sect Master, you have seen it too. This wicked disciple of mine is so stubborn and obstinate, she is a disgrace to the sect. I ask the Sect Master to issue an order to expel her from the sect!"

"This..." Meng Yifei frowned.

The next moment.

A crisp voice rang out: "Expel her from the sect? Old man Lingxu, where do you intend to expel her to! If you don't want this disciple, I, Lin Qingling, will take her. I am not as senile and muddled as you!"

Luo Mingyue breathed a slight sigh of relief.

Master! It was Master who had arrived!

Otherwise, given the current situation, she might not have been able to protect her Junior Sister.

Without even sending word, Lin Qingling stormed in, her presence fiery. She glared directly at Meng Yifei: "Sect Master! You know as well that my Heartless Peak has waited for so many years, finally waiting for a disciple who has entered the Supreme Heartless Technique! Now that both sides have their own stories, on what grounds do you say Li Shuang is guilty? If he, Lingxu, doesn't want this disciple, I do!"

Lin Qingling looked at Lingxu: "You can make your own decisions regarding Lingxu Peak! But the Sword Sect is not just your Lingxu Peak alone!"

Master Lingxu’s expression was icy: "Lin Qingling! Li Shuang is a venomous snake! If you take her in, don't blame yourself when you get bitten."

Lin Qingling sneered: "I think it is you who are extremely foolish, unable to distinguish good from evil!"

Master Lingxu’s face changed slightly, and he said coldly: "Since you insist on being unreasonable, I have nothing more to say."

He looked at Li Shuang expressionlessly: "Li Shuang, come forward."

Li Shuang stepped forward calmly.

Master Lingxu’s gaze was as cold as ice: "Jealous by nature, fleeing in the face of battle, and now you are glib-tongued and distorting the truth! Li Shuang, I am extremely disappointed in you! For our many years of master-disciple relationship, you shall take one palm strike from me. From this moment on, you are no longer a disciple of Lingxu Peak. Our master-disciple bond is severed, and we shall have no further connection!"

Lin Qingling was furious: "Take a palm strike from you? Do you intend to take her life!"

Master Lingxu said coldly: "I will naturally leave her with her life! Does my many years of teaching not deserve a single palm strike?"

"You..." Lin Qingling wanted to argue further.

Li Shuang’s calm voice rang out: "Very well."

Lin Qingling froze, then looked sharply at Li Shuang.

Li Shuang stared steadily at Master Lingxu: "Disciple Li Shuang accepts one palm strike from Master Lingxu today. From now on... the master-disciple bond is severed, and we have no further connection."

She took a step forward and waited quietly.

Master Lingxu’s face twisted slightly.

Wicked disciple! Truly a wicked disciple!

What he had wanted at the beginning was clearly just an apology.

If Li Shuang had just apologized properly to Zhaozhao, and he had punished her a little, the matter would have passed.

But not only did she refuse to apologize, she distorted the truth and slandered Zhaozhao!

"Good, good, good!" A cold light flashed in the depths of Master Lingxu’s eyes!

Master Lingxu raised his hand and struck out with a palm!

Lin Qingling instinctively wanted to block it, but looking at Li Shuang’s calm face, she held back.

Today!

Let Li Shuang make a clean break with this Lingxu Peak!

"Master!" Sheng Yuan’s eyes trembled, and he called out instinctively!

Master Lingxu’s palm wind was fierce, and Li Shuang was sent flying.

She fell heavily to the ground, and blood spilled uncontrollably from her mouth!

"Li Shuang!"

Lin Qingling and Luo Mingyue rushed over immediately.

Lin Qingling quickly checked her, and her eyes were instantly filled with fury: "Lingxu, you truly have a cruel heart! All her meridians are severed! Her dantian is damaged! You intend to destroy her!"

Master Lingxu pursed his lips and said slowly: "If she wishes to leave my Lingxu Peak, she must pay the price! Since you have taken this palm strike, our master-disciple bond is severed; there is no need to say more."

Master Lingxu bowed to Meng Yifei: "Regarding the severing of the master-disciple relationship between myself and Li Shuang, I ask the Sect Master to announce it to the entire sect."

Having said this, he turned and left with Sheng Yuan and Ye Zhaozhao.

Sheng Yuan’s lips trembled. He looked in Li Shuang’s direction, but in the end, he gritted his teeth and followed quickly behind.