Chapter 166

Chapter 166: Saying No Mercy Means No Mercy

A strange ripple of light spread out from the center of Li Shuang in an instant.

The group of Devil Path who had been rushing at her suddenly went blank for a moment.

Then, the Devil Path touched by that ripple had their pupils turn vacant.

Thud, thud.

The courtyard filled with the sound of bodies hitting the ground.

What had been a noisy scene fell into eerie silence.

The quiet lasted only a heartbeat.

The other Devil Path, already stripped of reason, kept charging at Li Shuang.

However, the moment they stepped into Li Shuang’s Sword Domain, their eyes went dull. When Soul Severing followed, the result was another stretch of corpses.

The sight was beyond strange.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s lips trembled.

She asked, voice shaking: “System, what is this?”

The System fell silent for a long moment.

At last, it answered softly: “This is… Soul Method.”

Ye Zhao Zhao’s pupils tightened.

Soul Method? What is Soul Method?

The System explained: “Our world’s inheritance is incomplete. Most manuals that survived teach how to use spiritual power, but almost none teach how to use the power of the soul. On the Central Continent, there may be sects that have endured for tens of thousands, even hundreds of thousands of years. They have repaired ancient manuals and restored Soul Method.”

“But here on the Nanlan Continent, there is no complete Soul Method. Even if one exists, it is incomplete.”

“Soul Method means developing soul power. Not the crude kind of use, but truly shaping that power into form.”

“Before this, when Luo Ming Yue performed Soul Inspection on you, that did not count as Soul Method. It was only the most crude soul pressure. Unless the difference in Soul Realm is extreme, or the person has undergone Corpse-Seizing Rebirth, the target is not affected much.”

“This sword of Li Shuang’s, though, is real Soul Method. Her Soul Realm has reached the Mid Nascent Soul, and these Devil Cultivators focus on body refining. Their greatest weakness happens to be the soul.”

“This sword art strikes straight at the soul. From now on, anyone whose Soul Realm is below Li Shuang’s will likely be affected by this move. Li Shuang has opened a new path.”

The System finished and let out a sigh.

Li Shuang’s talent had been described as top tier only on the Nanlan Continent.

But now, she had grasped a soul-based art, and this was only the first form. If she continues, if she creates a second and third form, then her future achievements cannot be measured.

The top geniuses of the Central Continent may be nothing more than this.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s expression shifted.

Soul Method? Soul Realm? A new path?

She only half understood, yet she could hear the awe in the System’s voice.

The System thinks Li Shuang is amazing, does it?

It is just one sword move. Why praise her so much?

Her face sank: “It was only a blind cat finding a dead mouse.”

The System sighed again: “I hope you get lucky like that someday.”

Ye Zhao Zhao flared up: “What do you mean? Are you saying I am worse than her?”

The System replied at once: “I did not say that. You did.”

Ye Zhao Zhao shook with anger. [This stupid System. If I did not still need it, I would slice it up and eat it.]

While Ye Zhao Zhao argued with the System, the courtyard had already filled with corpses.

All the Devil Path who took part in the siege were wiped out.

Those few sword strikes from Li Shuang made everyone nearby gape in shock.

Ye Qing Er stammered, trying to speak: “Li, Fellow Daoist Li… this sword of yours…”

She wanted to say more, but after holding it in for a long time, only managed three words: “So powerful.”

Li Shuang smiled at her: “Thank you.”

Ye Qing Er’s face flushed.

Li Shuang glanced at Liu Bai’s body, which was slowly fading, then hesitated and asked: “Your Dao Companion…”

Ye Qing Er looked at his corpse, stayed silent for a while, then said: “He is no longer my Dao Companion.”

When he tricked her into coming here, when she thrust her sword into him with her own hands, the tangle between them had already been cut.

Now Liu Bai was dead and she was alive. That came from the different choices they made.

She herself was not out of danger either.

Even so, no matter life or death, if she could meet her end with a clear heart, that was enough.

Li Shuang nodded, then walked toward the trembling Cultivators across from her.

These Cultivators had not joined the Devil Path, but they had not stood with her either.

They had not been affected by the blood stench and still had reason left. When the Devil Path held the upper hand earlier, they took cheap shots from the side.

When the tide turned, they hid and watched.

Now, the Devil Path who attacked had been slain by Li Shuang alone.

Fear crept over their faces.

They pleaded all at once: “Immortal Maiden, Immortal Maiden Li, we were tricked too, we are pitiful victims. We only attacked you because we had no choice.”

“Yes, yes, our little bit of cultivation could not really hurt the Immortal Maiden.”

“We heard the Sword Sect is a righteous school and would never harm ordinary people like us.”

“If the Immortal Maiden spares us this once, we will follow only the Immortal Maiden from now on.”

Their lives now depended on Li Shuang’s will.

Li Shuang looked at them calmly: “It is true you are not Devil Path.”

They let out a breath.

“Yes, we never joined the Devil Path.”

Li Shuang said evenly: “I said anyone standing against me would be killed without mercy.”

Their faces changed.

She drew her sword and thrust without expression.

The next moment, a figure stepped in front of the blade. The Black Abyss Sword drove straight into Ye Zhao Zhao’s chest.

Li Shuang narrowed her eyes and drew the sword back.

Ye Zhao Zhao clutched her wound and put on a weak look: “Fellow Daoist Li, show mercy where you can. They are victims too. We are all safe now, so why chase them to the end?”

Li Shuang stared at her without a change in face.

Ye Zhao Zhao spoke gently and kindly: “Fellow Daoist Li, I know you are not bloodthirsty. Too many died today. Please give me some face and spare these innocent people.”

Hearing someone beg for them, the crowd quickly echoed:

“Yes, we are victims.”

“You cannot kill us.”

Li Shuang glanced at Ye Zhao Zhao and suddenly smiled.

Ye Zhao Zhao froze for a second.

Sword light flashed.

The blade swept past her shoulder, and fine strands of hair drifted down.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s face turned pale at once.

She turned, stiff and slow.

Behind her, the people who had been shouting were now corpses.

Their eyes were open, as if they never thought Li Shuang would strike so suddenly.