Chapter 40: The Third Round Awaits
Shen Yue staggered away as if struck by an unseen blow, his mind a whirl of stormy thoughts. Luo Ming Yue watched him fade into the distance, a cold sneer curdling her lips.
Her keen inner eye had sensed his presence long ago, yet she chose to hide it. [She wished he see for himself—how the one he once failed to cherish now shone like a prized jade in another’s hands.]
The disciples of Spirit Void Peak had long been tainted at their core!
Ye Zhao Zhao and Chang Le An were untouchable, while Sheng Yuan and Shen Yue carried only a trace of regret. But what use was regret? It was a mere shadow of the past. Their nature still urged them to shield Ye Zhao Zhao and push aside Li Shuang as if her spirit were of lesser worth.
Fortunately, Li Shuang had embraced the Grand Supreme Emotionless Art. Her heart no longer bent to their petty woes. Otherwise, how many scars would she have borne?
Luo Ming Yue was sure—should Li Shuang ever return to Spirit Void Peak, even if old grudges were mended and all knew of her secret sacrifices, they would still stand by Ye Zhao Zhao at the first drop of her tears. [The one who had never wept, who had never uttered a complaint—Li Shuang—would forever be the forsaken and wronged.]
For that reason, she did not need their cheap apologies or empty remorse. The disciples of Spirit Void Peak were best kept at bay!
…
Li Shuang, deeply focused on her sword practice, paid no heed to Shen Yue’s quiet approach. Even if she had sensed him, it would not have stirred her heart. She had spent long hours exchanging insights with Liu Jun Cheng. At first, the old wounds inflicted by Spirit Void Peak made her cautious, but soon she discovered that the disciples of Emotionless Peak possessed a different spirit.
She let go of her hesitations and plunged into discussions of Sword Dao. Ideas and techniques flowed freely as if they were the very essence of a mighty river. With each sparring session, Li Shuang proved the truths she had gleaned from the Inheritance Space. Her swordplay became like dancing water, every move blending smoothly into the next.
Watching this, Luo Ming Yue’s fingers itched with the desire to test her own skill. She soon joined Li Shuang in a friendly match. When the duel ended, everyone felt enriched by the exchange.
Under the starlit sky as she walked back to her quarters, Li Shuang marveled.
So this was the true essence of Sword Dao—a meeting of minds, a mutual sharpening of skills. No need to guard fragile egos or tiptoe around one another’s pride. For the first time, she felt the pure joy of losing herself in the pursuit of the martial way.
…
The next day, Li Shuang examined her Jade Slip. Where once it lay dull and empty, a small portion now glowed with a faint, steady light.
A single day had passed, and the Inheritance Space began to gather its lost energy. Judging by this progress, it would take roughly three more days before she could enter once again. This meant that after the first round of the selection tournament, the Inheritance Space would be hers to unlock anew.
…
For the following days, Li Shuang stayed at Emotionless Peak. Most hours were spent refining her sword skills with Luo Ming Yue and the others, while Lin Qing Ling often visited to share her wisdom. Combined with the profound lessons of the Sword Dao space, Li Shuang’s progress was nothing short of miraculous.
…
That day, the final list of participants was declared, and the selection tournament was set to begin. The disciples of Emotionless Peak gathered early in the Disciple Hall.
“The match schedule is posted!” Luo Ming Yue announced after a quick glance at the notice board.
Li Shuang stepped forward to read it.
“As is tradition,” murmured one disciple as he scanned the pairings, “those in the late stage of Foundation Establishment and above move on directly to the third round. The first two rounds are battles among early and mid-stage Foundation Establishment disciples.”
“Wait! Why is there even an Energy Refining Stage disciple in this match?” someone cried out in surprise.
“Li… Shuang!?”
A whisper spread, and soon all eyes turned to Li Shuang. Within the Sword Sect, her name now thundered like a mighty roar. She was the first disciple in a thousand years to master the Grand Supreme Emotionless Art. Abandoned by Spirit Void Peak, she was now cherished as a rare treasure by Emotionless Peak. Once scorned as a cold-hearted outcast, she was now spoken of as the greatest victim of injustice.
Discussions of Li Shuang had become the hottest topic in the sect. Without even fully displaying her cultivation, she had once defeated Shen Yue in the Sword Dao Arena, proving her unmatched skill. But this match was different!
“Senior Sister Li, if your opponent is at the Foundation Establishment Stage, then cultivation level is not a limit,” someone reminded her.
Foundation Establishment disciples had long since absorbed the mystic essence of heaven and earth, forging an unyielding base for immortality. The gap between them and Energy Refining disciples was as vast as the heavens and the earth. For an Energy Refining disciple to overcome a Foundation Establishment one seemed impossible—even the Li Shuang of old might have faltered.
Moreover, she had embarked on the unfamiliar path of the Grand Supreme Emotionless Art, and her cultivation might now be in a state of stillness. How could she possibly prevail?
Yet, as the Grand Supreme Emotionless Art flowed within her, Li Shuang sensed no malice in the voice that spoke. With a gentle smile, she replied, “There is no harm in trying.”
No sooner had her words fallen than a mocking tone rang out.
“Senior Sister Li is set on making a fool of herself—what can anyone do?”
Li Shuang’s eyes turned icy. Chang Le An was behind the sneer once again.
Beside him, Ye Zhao Zhao quickly interjected, “Third Senior Brother, do not speak so harshly!”
She turned to Li Shuang with a soft, apologetic smile. “Senior Sister Li, Third Senior Brother is only blunt. Please do not take it to heart. Both he and I are eager to face you in battle. We shall meet in the third round. Do your best!”
With that, Ye Zhao Zhao even raised her small fists in a gesture of support, her eyes shining with genuine encouragement.
“Hah, look who it is,” Luo Ming Yue scoffed. “One survives by sheer luck, and the other is an empty vessel of cultivation. Yet, you two dare speak boldly?”
There was something amiss about Chang Le An—his fortunes shone as brightly as a prized talisman, yet his dedication to training was as thin as mist. He had reached the Golden Core Stage, but if real danger arose, Luo Ming Yue was certain she could defeat him in a single strike, even if she had to lower her own cultivation to his level.
And Ye Zhao Zhao? Her mixed spiritual roots had propelled her cultivation at a startling pace. Yet her understanding of Sword Dao was shallow, her battle experience lacking. Though her power grew, she struggled to control it.
Such was the truth about Chang Le An and Ye Zhao Zhao. True elite disciples would not waste even a second on them.
Luo Ming Yue’s words, though harsh, carried a bitter truth. Chang Le An’s face darkened, and he cast a sharp glare at Li Shuang.
“Senior Sister Li, have you stooped to hiding behind others like a timid reed in the wind?”
Luo Ming Yue’s temper flared, and she was ready to strike when Li Shuang gently placed her hand on the elder’s arm, halting her advance.
Then, with a calm and steady gaze, Li Shuang turned to Ye Zhao Zhao and spoke softly, “As you wish. We shall meet… in the third round.”
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