Chapter 48

Chapter 48: She’s Back

“Sword Domain!”

[That ungrateful disciple actually mastered the Sword Domain.] Immortal Ling Xu’s heart lurched.

Normally, disciples below the Divine Transformation Stage never even hear about the Sword Domain. Only after reaching the Divine Transformation Stage does one have enough time and experience to condense a personal Sword Dao Domain. To keep ordinary disciples from aiming too high, elders do not bring it up early.

But Li Shuang’s talent in the Way of the Sword was so high that, at first, Immortal Ling Xu was very pleased with her. He always thought that with her rapid progress she would soon reach the Divine Transformation Stage, so he told her about the Sword Domain ahead of time.

Then everything changed.

The disciple he’d pinned his hopes on turned from a genius into a failure overnight. Immortal Ling Xu knew the sect was full of talk saying he favored Ye Zhao Zhao and that Ling Xu Peak treated Li Shuang unfairly.

But could they blame him?

Back then, Li Shuang won him a lot of face, and he truly believed the peak would produce a peerless genius who could suppress the Six Sects. He was so sure that he bragged about her early and often.

He spoke not only inside the Sword Sect. To cultivators of the other Five Sects, he also praised his genius First Disciple.

And Li Shuang?

She disappointed him beyond words.

For ten whole years, she put all her thoughts into being jealous of Ye Zhao Zhao while her own cultivation never advanced at all. His earlier boasting became a joke.

For years, whenever his friends saw him, they would tease with a smile: “Hey, where’s that genius First Disciple of yours? Didn’t you say she’d be the number one of the younger generation?” Then they’d add: “What? Her cultivation fell again? That’s such a pity.”

At their level, taking even one step forward is unbelievably hard; what they care about is face. If Li Shuang had kept winning him face, how could he have felt let down?

Now Ye Zhao Zhao’s speed outstripped even Li Shuang’s from back then. She had become the disciple who could bring him pride. Since that was true, what was wrong with favoring her?

Besides, Li Shuang’s jealousy really was deep. For ten years she targeted Ye Zhao Zhao and her cultivation did not move at all; that was the truth.

Immortal Ling Xu kept telling himself: [I did nothing wrong. Driving Li Shuang out was only right.]

Yet as he stared at the woman on the stage, who shone even brighter than before, his pupils tightened.

[Damn it. If she could condense a Sword Domain, why not do it in those ten years? Why now of all times? Is she here to slap my face and make others think I chose wrong?]

On the arena, Duan Zi Yu’s style was steady to the extreme, and Li Shuang was in no rush. One had deep spiritual power, the other had a brilliant sword art; for a time, there was no winner.

But matching a Late Foundation Establishment disciple like this already proved Li Shuang’s talent.

Even Meng Yi Fei’s expression showed satisfaction.

Win or lose, he would put Li Shuang back on the key-watch list. The Sword Sect does not lack resources, but resources must go to disciples who truly deserve them.

“Immortal Ling Xu,” Lin Qing Ling crossed one leg over the other, sipping tea with a smile as she asked: “how’s my disciple’s Way of the Sword?”

Immortal Ling Xu’s face darkened at once. He said without expression: “When you practice the sword, you temper the heart first. I expelled Li Shuang because her character is crooked. As for her sword skills, they are not my concern. I also hope Peak Master Lin can keep laughing to the end and not be stabbed in the back by this ungrateful wolf one day.”

Lin Qing Ling let out a cold laugh: “Speaking of crooked character, who could beat the nest of fools on Ling Xu Peak?”

She looked straight at Meng Yi Fei: “Sect Master, everyone can see it clearly now. Li Shuang truly grasps the Sword Domain. She can fight Duan Zi Yu to this degree, so her earlier win over Shi Chu Yun was only natural. Yet Chang Le An of Ling Xu Peak accused her of a fixed match without any proof. How will we settle this? We can’t just let it go.”

Last night, after hearing what happened at the Disciplinary Hall, Lin Qing Ling had been holding in her anger. Earlier one could say the matter should wait until they confirmed whether Li Shuang had the Sword Domain. But now?

Now the proof was ironclad. Chang Le An slandered a fellow disciple and must be punished. If she could not win this basic justice for Li Shuang, she had no face to be her master.

Immortal Ling Xu’s face changed: “Lin Qing Ling, Le An only spoke carelessly, and Li Shuang suffered no real harm. Don’t go too far.”

Lin Qing Ling sneered: “First Ye Zhao Zhao framed her, then Chang Le An slandered her. That’s the style of your Ling Xu Peak disciples. Before, Li Shuang swallowed her anger and who knows how much she suffered. That was because she saw herself as Ling Xu Peak’s First Senior Sister and chose to bear everything alone.”

“Now she is my disciple. My disciple will not suffer even a little wrong.”

“If the Disciplinary Hall cannot give me an answer today, I don’t mind making a scene so every disciple learns that slandering others brings no consequences.”

This was just Lin Qing Ling’s way. No one thought she was bluffing; she really would do it.

Pang Zhi Xue gave Meng Yi Fei a hidden glance. In the end, he followed Meng Yi Fei’s lead. How to handle this still depended on the Sect Master.

Meng Yi Fei smiled with the warmth of spring: “Peak Master Lin, don’t be hasty, and Immortal Ling Xu, don’t be hasty either. As for this matter, we…”

He was still speaking when a cry of surprise rose from the stands.

Meng Yi Fei snapped his gaze to the arena.

In that instant, his eyes narrowed.

The stalemate broke like a storm.

Under the Sword Domain’s blessing, Li Shuang keenly found the biggest flaw in the Stone Bastion Sword Art. That art combines attack and defense, and because of that, during the switch between the two, a flaw can show. Duan Zi Yu was careful, though; where a flaw appeared, he filled it with his rich spiritual power. His experience was deep, and his control of spiritual power was masterful.

Li Shuang simply waited.

And then the chance came.

After a long stalemate, Duan Zi Yu grew impatient. He gave up playing it safe, planning to press harder and defeat Li Shuang in one go.

He rushed.

So her chance arrived.

Duan Zi Yu specialized in defense and was at Late Foundation Establishment. Strikes from the Qi Refining Stage rarely pierced his guard.

So, in a heartbeat, the Sword Domain that had spread outward was pulled tight. Li Shuang compressed its power to the limit and poured it all into the Black Abyss Sword.

This time, her blade flashed like thunder. In a single instant, a dazzling light burst forth.

When the glare faded, Duan Zi Yu had already been knocked out of the ring.

He looked up at the stage in a daze.

At the center of the platform, the woman stood tall and straight. Her cool brows carried a frosty shine.

In that moment, everyone had only one thought:

The peerless genius from ten years ago… she’s back.