Chapter 7: A Clear Conscience

Luo Mingyue had already brought Li Shuang to urgently request an audience with the Sect Leader.

"The Supreme Emotion-Severing Art?" A flash of surprise crossed Meng Yifei's face.

A thousand years.

This was the first time he had heard of anyone successfully entering the threshold of this cultivation technique.

Back in the day.

The founder of the Sword Sect had relied on this very technique to suppress the heroes of his time, stunning an entire generation.

It was only because of that, that the Sword Sect was able to force its way into the Six Orthodox Sects as a newcomer.

After the founder ascended, the entire Sword Sect had initially spent their lives desperately studying the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art, hoping to produce another peerless genius who could dominate the world.

However.

They wasted a hundred years, and not a single disciple could even enter the threshold.

The Sword Sect's status plummeted as a result, and it was on the verge of falling out of the Six Orthodox Sects.

At the time, some began to doubt: could this Supreme Emotion-Severing Art truly be cultivated? Was the technique left behind by the founder incomplete when he ascended?

After intense debate, the Sect Leader at the time had no choice but to make a decision: abandon the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art and switch to other techniques.

By switching techniques and utilizing the Sword Sect's unique Sword Pavilion, the sect managed to barely stabilize its position, but for all these years, it had remained at the very bottom of the six sects.

In the entire Sword Sect, only the Ruthless Peak had never given up on the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art, bitterly seeking a way to master it.

Now, a thousand years later.

Had someone in the Sword Sect actually managed to enter the threshold of the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art again?

Meng Yifei’s gaze flickered.

The founder had indeed dominated the world when he cultivated this secret manual.

But.

Was the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art currently circulating in the Sword Sect the same one the founder had used?

Was this art truly as miraculous as the legends claimed?

These were all unknowns.

Regardless.

Meng Yifei felt a spark of curiosity.

He summoned Li Shuang and Luo Mingyue.

In the Main Hall.

Meng Yifei looked at Li Shuang with curiosity: "Li Shuang? It was you who switched to the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art?"

When Li Shuang first entered the sect, her brilliance was so dazzling that everyone knew the Sword Sect had produced a peerless genius.

Even though she had faded into obscurity later, the Sect Leader still remembered this disciple.

Li Shuang nodded: "This disciple has indeed switched to the Supreme Emotion-Severing Art. I requested this audience today because..."

Before Li Shuang could finish her sentence.

Suddenly.

Someone came to report: "Sect Leader, Master Lingxu requests an audience."

Meng Yifei raised an eyebrow: "Invite him in."

Li Shuang couldn't help but close her mouth.

Soon.

Master Lingxu walked in, his face expressionless.

Behind him followed Sheng Yuan and Ye Zhaozhao.

As soon as Master Lingxu entered, his overbearing divine sense pressed down upon Li Shuang.

Then, he let out a cold sneer.

"Good, good, good! A fine rebellious disciple! You actually did switch your cultivation technique!"

The Mirror Heart Art was something he had taught her personally.

Even if her cultivation were to be stripped away, it should have been done by his own hand. How dare Li Shuang do this herself!

"Master Lingxu, what is the meaning of this?" Meng Yifei raised an eyebrow.

Master Lingxu cupped his hands and said without hesitation: "Sect Leader! This girl Li Shuang is cunning, deceitful, and wicked at heart! I believe we should shatter her meridians and expel her from the Sword Sect!"

"Master!" Sheng Yuan’s heart trembled, and he couldn't help but exclaim.

Shatter her meridians? Expel her from the sect?

Although he felt his Senior Sister had done wrong, he hadn't intended for it to go this far!

Master Lingxu’s expression was cold.

He looked at Li Shuang with a blank face. Over these years, Li Shuang had truly disappointed him too much.

However.

He didn't necessarily want to drive her to extinction.

He was waiting for Li Shuang to kneel and beg for mercy!

As long as she showed an attitude of repentance, he might not be unable to give her another chance.

Luo Mingyue was a bit nervous and subconsciously blocked Li Shuang’s path.

Are you kidding me!

This is a precious treasure that only appears once every thousand years! If Li Shuang were expelled from the sect, her master would probably go insane!

"Master Lingxu, why do you say such things?" Meng Yifei was somewhat surprised.

Master Lingxu said indifferently: "The Sect Leader should know that my mind has been unstable for the past few days. My disciples heard from somewhere that the Tianshan Snow Lotus has miraculous effects for my condition. Thus, they went to the snowy mountains together to find the lotus for me."

Meng Yifei nodded: "The Tianshan Snow Lotus does indeed have a certain effect on stabilizing the mind. Your disciples are very filial."

Master Lingxu looked at Ye Zhaozhao, his eyes softening slightly: "My youngest disciple is indeed very filial. On the snowy mountain, she endured great hardships to pick the lotus, but inadvertently fell into a trap set by snow monsters."

"However." Master Lingxu’s tone shifted, his eyes cold as he looked at Li Shuang: "My eldest disciple, in whom I placed high hopes, was so jealous of Zhaozhao’s talent that even though she saw her surrounded by snow monsters, she not only failed to rescue her but fled the scene! Such an unbenevolent and unrighteous person is not fit to be a disciple of Lingxu!"

Master Lingxu’s words were sharp.

Luo Mingyue frowned deeply as she listened, and she subconsciously asked: "How does Master know that Li Shuang fled the scene?"

Master Lingxu frowned: "Naturally, Zhaozhao said so herself. Could there be any falsehood in that!"

"That’s right, there can be no falsehood!" Sheng Yuan echoed.

Luo Mingyue felt it was even stranger, so she couldn't help but ask: "You were also on the snowy mountain; did you see it with your own eyes?"

"This..." Sheng Yuan hesitated for a moment, then said: "At the time, we had split up to search for the lotus, so... so we didn't see it with our own eyes. But since Junior Sister said so, how could it be false!"

He spoke with righteous indignation.

Luo Mingyue was stunned, and she said in disbelief: "So, this is just Ye Zhaozhao’s one-sided story?! I ask you, besides Ye Zhaozhao’s account, do you have any other evidence to prove that Li Shuang fled?"

Sheng Yuan was taken aback.

Master Lingxu’s brows were also tightly locked.

What is going on with this Luo Mingyue?

Zhaozhao is such a simple and kind child; could she possibly be lying?!

Ye Zhaozhao couldn't help but say aggrievedly: "I... I am telling the truth... and I have never blamed Senior Sister for this. Master, please forgive Senior Sister this once."

Master Lingxu’s brows relaxed, and he looked coldly at Li Shuang: "Your Junior Sister is still pleading for you even now! Are you not going to confess yourself!"

Luo Mingyue looked back at Li Shuang: "Are these fellow disciples of yours even normal?"

Li Shuang couldn't help but laugh.

Luo Mingyue had no prior relationship with her, yet her first reaction upon hearing this was to ask if what Ye Zhaozhao said was true and if she could provide evidence.

But these people from Lingxu Peak?

They hadn't even thought for a second before believing Ye Zhaozhao without hesitation.

Once, she had treated them as her closest kin.

But these closest kin...

Were not even as good as Luo Mingyue, whom she wasn't even close to.

Li Shuang turned to the Sect Leader and said calmly: "This disciple never abandoned her fellow disciples. The Tianshan Snow Lotus was picked by my own hands, and I personally handed it to Ye Zhaozhao, telling her to take it and regroup with the others. The reason I returned late was that I stayed behind to hold off the snow monsters. Everything I have said and done, I have a clear conscience. I ask the Sect Leader to decide."

She had no intention of getting entangled with these people from Lingxu Peak.

However.

She still had to speak the truth.

These people certainly wouldn't believe her, but that didn't matter.

She would simply say everything.