Chapter 153

Chapter 153: This Move: Advance by Retreat

Her master had said that during the mission, if they did not meet a Nascent Soul Stage expert, she was not allowed to act.

But if Fang Qing Yu truly was Ye Zhao Zhao, then this was outside the mission.

Ye Zhao Zhao had hidden in the Sword Sect for years and even escaped a siege by many strong cultivators. Such a Devil Path figure had to be wiped out.

Sheng Yuan stepped in front of Ye Zhao Zhao and blocked Luo Ming Yue’s path as he shouted: “Senior Sister Luo, what are you doing! This talk of Corpse-Seizing Rebirth is complete nonsense! You would kill an innocent because of one sentence from Li Shuang? We of the Sword Sect are people of the Righteous Path. If you act like this, how are you any different from the Devil Path? If you want to kill her, then kill me first!”

He added, voice ringing: “I would rather die than let the name of our Sword Sect be stained!”

He pointed the Deepwater Sword at Li Shuang and said: “Senior Sister Li! I can accept that once bitten you now fear the rope, but there is only one Ye Zhao Zhao. You cannot drag other innocent people into it.”

Li Shuang looked at the sharp tip of the Deepwater Sword, her heart very calm. She did not bother with Sheng Yuan; her eyes passed him and rested on Ye Zhao Zhao.

Corpse-Seizing Rebirth might not be something one could do twice.

If they could kill Ye Zhao Zhao here, they might force out the Devil Seed’s true body.

But the chance was small.

The Devil Seed was fully bound to Ye Zhao Zhao. If they attacked, the Devil Seed would most likely flee with her and hide even deeper, refusing to show itself again.

To kill Ye Zhao Zhao, the few of them were not enough.

Ye Zhao Zhao, pale, said: “Fellow Daoist Li, I really don’t understand why you insist I’m Ye Zhao Zhao. I don’t mind that you hurt me, but don’t pin a crime on me.”

Li Shuang narrowed her eyes and said: “You admitted your identity right in front of me. Now you deny it?”

Ye Zhao Zhao froze, her face full of disbelief as she said: “Fellow Daoist Li, what are you talking about? How could I admit something that never happened! I can overlook you hurting me, but calling me Devil Path is a great shame. Please show your proof!”

Li Shuang’s gaze flickered.

She had been on guard against Ye Zhao Zhao and had used a Memory Stone the whole time.

But a Memory Stone was not all-powerful.

Many methods could block it.

Seeing Ye Zhao Zhao’s reaction, Li Shuang guessed that her Memory Stone had most likely failed to keep an image.

This was a plan Ye Zhao Zhao had made long ago.

She had exposed a flaw on purpose, making Li Shuang think the recording had worked.

When Li Shuang could not show the recording, the plan would be complete.

Li Shuang did not panic. [Right now I fear only one thing: that Ye Zhao Zhao runs. If she thinks she has the upper hand, that’s perfect.]

She said evenly: “You want proof? Good. I recorded everything on a Memory Stone.”

A tiny flash of pride crossed Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes, though she kept a wronged look as she said: “I don’t know what you mean.”

Under everyone’s gaze, Li Shuang took out the Memory Stone.

Sheng Yuan blinked in surprise. Did Li Shuang really have evidence? His face grew hesitant again.

Li Shuang poured spiritual power into the Memory Stone. One second, two seconds, and the stone stayed silent.

Ye Zhao Zhao could not help pressing her: “Fellow Daoist Li, where is your proof?”

Li Shuang looked at her and said: “I didn’t expect you to be so prepared.”

Ye Zhao Zhao held to her confused look as she said: “Fellow Daoist Li, I truly don’t know what you’re talking about. We barely know one another. Why are you targeting me?”

Sheng Yuan stepped in front of Ye Zhao Zhao again and said: “Senior Sister Li, there’s no proof, is there? Don’t you think you should apologize to Fellow Daoist Fang?”

Luo Ming Yue frowned and moved to stand before Li Shuang as she said: “You know what kind of person Li Shuang is. If she wasn’t sure, how could she make such an accusation! Fang Qing Yu is a rogue cultivator. After meeting you, she even led you into a pack of Wolf Demons and nearly got you killed. With that history, you still choose to believe her?”

Luo Ming Yue thought, annoyed: [Are the people of Ling Xu Peak all fools?]

Sheng Yuan lifted his chin and said: “I believe not her, but my own judgment!”

He believed in himself.

He had been wrong once, but he would not be wrong a second time. [Do you really take me for a fool?]

Shen Yue looked from one to the other, unsure.

Seeing this, Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes turned moist. She said in a soft voice: “I know I’m an outsider. It’s normal that you don’t trust me. But I am not Ye Zhao Zhao. You say I used Corpse-Seizing Rebirth? Fine, I’ll prove it.”

She fixed her eyes on Luo Ming Yue and said: “Fellow Daoist Luo, among us your cultivation is the highest. Your soul power far exceeds mine. If I used Corpse-Seizing Rebirth, my Spirit Body and my flesh would not match one hundred percent. You can try to shake me with your soul power.”

“If I did use Corpse-Seizing Rebirth, under your soul’s shake I will show a flaw. Then you can kill me.”

“If I did not, my Spirit Body and body fit perfectly, and nothing strange will happen.”

“To prove my innocence, I’m willing to accept this test.”

Sheng Yuan was startled and spoke at once: “Fellow Daoist Fang, don’t! Whatever the result, your soul will be harmed by such a strike.”

She answered with a bitter smile: “To prove my innocence, I have only this one way.”

Inside, she felt a touch of pride. [Yes. This is my true killing move.]

Her final goal was to draw Luo Ming Yue and the others to her side.

So she first let them follow Li Shuang in doubting her.

In the end, she would use an extreme method to prove her “innocence.”

With such a reversal, even firm-hearted people like Luo Ming Yue would waver and lean toward her.

After all, her Corpse-Seizing Rebirth was different. With the System, she would never show a flaw.

She had confessed to being Ye Zhao Zhao earlier for this very moment.

The more Li Shuang suspected and targeted her, the more shocking it would be when she proved herself clean. Only then could she shake their resolve in one stroke.

Now, everything was unfolding exactly as she planned.

The moment she “proved” her innocence would be the moment she stole everything from Li Shuang and forced out Li Shuang’s negative emotions.

This move had a name: advance by retreat.