Chapter 128

Chapter 128: Come Back

[Demonic qi?]

[And it is so pure.]

Immortal Ling Xu’s pupils shrank as a hint of fear flashed in his eyes. [I actually spent so long with a Devil Path Malevolent Spirit? I even stood up for her? How will the Sect Master and the others see me later? Will they think I am tangled up with the Devil Path?]

He shouted in anger: “Evil fiends should be cut down by all!”

He raised his sword and slashed without mercy.

Only this way could he clear his name. The Righteous Path and the Devil Path were already sworn enemies. Worse, this Devil Path spy had hidden inside the Sword Sect for years and almost ruined a Sword Sect prodigy.

The instant Immortal Ling Xu struck, many others attacked too.

Sword light swept away the demonic qi.

A breath later, the sword light faded. Before the Heart-Inquiry Platform, only Ye Zhao Zhao’s corpse remained.

Li Shuang’s eyes narrowed. She sensed carefully and found that Ye Zhao Zhao truly had no breath left.

But…

[Is she really dead?]

[Probably not.]

Inside her sea of consciousness, the Heaven and Earth Furnace still flashed with the mark of a Parasitic Devilspawn. The Devil Seed was still nearby.

Soon, the Devil Seed’s signal flickered, then vanished completely.

Li Shuang frowned. [The Devil Seed has left the Furnace’s sensing range. Then where is Ye Zhao Zhao? Did she really die?] She could not relax.

She took out a Fifth Tier material and asked one question: “Ye Zhao Zhao—alive or dead?”

The Heaven and Earth Furnace answered simply: “Alive!”

Li Shuang’s expression changed slightly. As expected, Ye Zhao Zhao still lived; only a shell had died here.

In this world, there were secret arts for soul transfer. As a Devil Seed’s host, she likely carried such a method. As long as the soul did not perish, it was not true death.

[That Devil Seed had clearly decided to abandon Ye Zhao Zhao, yet now it chose to take her away. What changed in between?] She did not know the answer yet and did not ask the Furnace again.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s malice toward her was already heavy and would only grow. [No matter what she becomes, I will recognize her at a glance.] A chill rose in Li Shuang’s heart. [If I could kill her once, I can kill her a second time.]

The Devil Seed was strange indeed, but [I refuse to believe it paid no price for this.] [Sooner or later, I will wipe it out.]

Ye Zhao Zhao’s body lay on the ground. Meng Yi Fei went to check in person, then said calmly: “There is no breath left.”

Everyone let out a long sigh.

Good. The Devil Path was dead. Yet even dead, the shame remained: the Sword Sect, one of the Six Sects, had been infiltrated by a Devil Path agent for a full ten years. Word would spread.

They had finally won first place in the Langya Secret Realm and made a great name. Because of Ye Zhao Zhao, they might become a laughingstock again.

Also, everything Ye Zhao Zhao had done targeted Li Shuang. Was the Devil Path trying to remove the Six Sects’ gifted disciple?

Many turned toward the people of Ling Xu Peak with clear displeasure.

The five peaks of the Sword Sect were managed by their own Peak Masters; even the Sect Master could not meddle lightly. If not for Immortal Ling Xu’s failure to see through it, how would Ye Zhao Zhao have grown so bold, and how would Li Shuang have nearly fallen?

Lin Qing Ling could not help mocking him, saying with a cold snort: “You let a Devil Path spy hide this long and almost got Little Shuang killed. Immortal Ling Xu, what a fine Master you are.”

Immortal Ling Xu’s face darkened. He turned, looked at Li Shuang with guilt, and said softly: “Little Shuang, I am sorry. That Malevolent Spirit hid too well. We were all deceived.”

Li Shuang only gave a slight nod.

That was not enough for him. He softened his face into deep tenderness and said: “Little Shuang, I did many things wrong over the years. Now the Malevolent Spirit has been executed. No one can sow discord between us as Master and disciple anymore. Come back, come back to Ling Xu Peak. At Ling Xu Peak, you are still the First Senior Sister. Other than me, you are the most respected person there. As long as you return, we will make it up to you.”

Sheng Yuan and the others were still dazed by Ye Zhao Zhao’s Devil Path identity, yet after hearing this, they looked to Li Shuang with hope.

In truth, for all those years, they had been led astray. They had listened to a Malevolent Spirit and forced their First Senior Sister into a corner. Luckily, no great disaster had happened in the end. She had changed paths and shone even brighter than before.

If she came back, they swore to treat her well and never let her suffer the least grievance.

Sheng Yuan’s lips trembled as he pleaded: “Senior Sister, come back. Do you remember? When I first arrived, I was timid. You said you would protect me forever. Right?”

Shen Yue stared at Li Shuang and said with stubborn sincerity: “Senior Sister, if you return, I will listen to you from now on. I will practice my sword well and never let you down.”

Chang Le An stared blankly at Ye Zhao Zhao’s body for a while, then said: “Senior Sister, I will also study hard and never bring you shame again.”

They all stared at Li Shuang, eyes full of yearning.

“You people have no shame!” Luo Ming Yue burst out, stepping in front of Li Shuang at once.

Lin Qing Ling pointed her drawn sword at Immortal Ling Xu and snapped: “Hmph! When you wanted Li Shuang to leave, she had to leave. Now you want her back, she must come back? Where in the world is it that easy? If you have the skill, first defeat the sword in my hand!”

Immortal Ling Xu’s brow twitched. [If it really comes to a duel, I cannot beat Lin Qing Ling.]

Keeping his expression steady, he said earnestly: “Peak Master Lin, Li Shuang is not an object. She is not a prize for whichever one of us wins a duel. Speaking like this is disrespectful to her.”

Lin Qing Ling nearly exploded: “You jerk, is that what I meant? And you still have the face to say that!”

Immortal Ling Xu went on: “Where am I wrong? Li Shuang can choose for herself. But at your Emotionless Peak she ranks last and holds no real authority. Is that fair to her? If she comes back to Ling Xu Peak, she will again be the admired First Senior Sister. Now that Ye Zhao Zhao is gone, she will not suffer the least slight.”

He looked at Li Shuang with gentle affection and said: “Little Shuang, come back. The seat of First Senior Sister at Ling Xu Peak belongs to you and only you. So many disciples are hoping you return.”

As he spoke, his voice thickened with emotion and tears gleamed in his eyes: “I know I was wrong in those years. Sheng Yuan and the others were wrong too. But we have many years of feelings between us. Give us a chance to make it right. Come back.”

He sounded completely sincere.

Lin Qing Ling’s face twisted with anger. [This slick talker sounds better than a singer.] But she still worried. Li Shuang was loyal by nature. If Immortal Ling Xu and the others had been fooled by Ye Zhao Zhao, that excuse sounded… possible. Now that the main culprit was gone, what if… what if Li Shuang really wanted to return?

Worried yet knowing this was Li Shuang’s choice, Lin Qing Ling looked at her with effort and said softly: “Little Shuang…”