Chapter 58

Chapter 58: Practice the Sword, Enter the Dao

The referee raised his voice to the crowd, announcing: “Winner, Li Shuang!”

Standing below the stage, Ye Zhao Zhao watched Li Shuang accept the roar of cheers. She tried to steady herself. But in front of everyone, being slapped in the face by a local she had always looked down on, she felt as if countless mocking voices were buzzing in her ears. [Are they all laughing at me? Do they all think I am a clown?]

At the same time, she realized her cultivation, which had already fallen to Early Nascent Soul, had slipped again for no reason. If it happened one more time, she feared she would drop straight to Nascent Soul Stage.

The System had warned her that once she fell to Nascent Soul Stage, she would be punished. As the Host, she knew better than anyone that this System was no kind lord; any punishment it gave would be harsh. [No. I will not accept punishment.] Her face twisted despite herself.

Sheng Yuan hurried over to comfort her, saying: “Zhao Zhao, it’s okay, we…” Then he saw her face, fierce like a Fierce Ghost, and he jumped. The rest of his words stuck in his throat and would not come out.

When he came back to his senses, Ye Zhao Zhao had already returned to her gentle, lovely look. She forced a smile and spoke softly: “First Senior Brother, I… I never thought that after I had already admitted defeat, Senior Sister Li would suddenly draw her sword. It only startled me.”

She looked lost, as if she had suffered a great fright.

Hearing this, Chang Le An’s anger surged. He shot a glare toward Li Shuang, who stood at the center surrounded by the people of Emotionless Peak, and he said through clenched teeth: “She did it on purpose. Junior Sister, you are too polite to her. If you refuse to argue with her, she will only push further.”

Ye Zhao Zhao lowered her eyes with a frail expression and said: “I was too worried about Long Yan, so I wanted to end the fight quickly. I never thought Senior Sister Li would strike at me all of a sudden.”

Her words only made Chang Le An more indignant, as if he would rush off to settle accounts with Li Shuang at once. Ye Zhao Zhao clung to his sleeve and would not let go until he calmed down.

Shen Yue stepped down from the stage, picked up the Dragon Roar Sword, and handed it back to Ye Zhao Zhao, saying evenly: “As a Sword Cultivator, no matter what happens, do not throw away your sword.”

There was no blame in his tone, yet Ye Zhao Zhao’s face flushed red. After a long moment, she whispered: “I… I understand. I didn’t mean to.”

Shen Yue added in a quiet voice: “And Soul Ignition is not for anything short of life and death. It harms the Sword Spirit’s origin.”

Saying this stirred bittersweet feelings in his heart. Before he came to Sword Sect, he was born into a family of the Way of the Sword. From the time he wobbled through his first steps, there had been a sword in his hand. He went from a small wooden practice sword, to real blades, and now to the Blazing Sun Sword. Some swords he no longer used, yet he still kept them carefully stored away.

He had grown up hearing people praise him as a genius of the Way of the Sword. But among true cultivators, a mortal world “genius” was nothing. Only because his First Senior Sister had rebuilt his basics, one move at a time, did he rise above the other New Disciples.

Before today, he believed that even without Li Shuang, he was still a genius of the Way of the Sword. He even thought that in pure talent for swordplay, he stood above her.

Now he no longer dared to think that, especially after seeing that blooming Ice Lotus. To chase after Li Shuang, he might have no hope in this life. But Shen Yue still believed himself a Sword Cultivator. All Sword Cultivators treasure their swords. No one would force their Sword Spirit for the sake of a small contest. No one would casually discard the companion that shared their life and death.

[Junior Sister… is not yet worthy of being called a Sword Cultivator.]

Tears welled up in Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes as she asked in a trembling voice: “Second Senior Brother, are you blaming me? I never told Long Yan to use Soul Ignition. He decided that on his own.”

Chang Le An stepped in front of her at once and glared at Shen Yue, saying: “Second Senior Brother, Junior Sister already lost the match and feels terrible. What are you doing to her now?”

Seeing the scene, Sheng Yuan rubbed his forehead and hurried to smooth things over, saying: “Second Junior Brother didn’t mean it like that. All right, enough. Long Yan’s spirit body is damaged. Let’s return to Ling Xu Peak and stabilize him.”

Shen Yue kept silent. Chang Le An threw him one last savage look, then escorted the tearful Ye Zhao Zhao away.

Sheng Yuan glanced at Shen Yue with a small sigh and said: “Second Junior Brother, let’s go back too.” Li Shuang had won, and won brilliantly. If they stayed, it would only invite gossip.

Shen Yue gave a distant look toward Li Shuang’s side, then nodded, dazed.

The watching disciples treated it all as entertainment. They chatted excitedly about the terrifying True Dragon Phantom Stage and the Ice Lotus that had bloomed on the arena.

But on the high dais, everything was quiet.

Meng Yi Fei could not help himself and had gotten to his feet. The Ice Lotus was gone, yet he still stared at the place where it had opened, his eyes unfocused.

After a long time, he turned to Lin Qing Ling and asked in a low voice: “Was that…”

Lin Qing Ling, calm but pleased, showed a hint of a smile and said: “It was the Emotionless Sword Art. I passed the Ancestor’s jade slip to Li Shuang. She really is heaven blessed. In such a short time, she has already mastered the first form.”

Emotionless Sword Art.

It was truly the Emotionless Sword Art.

Meng Yi Fei’s lips trembled. Long ago, the founding Ancestor had first become famous across the Nan Yan Continent with the Greenwood Sword. With a single strike, towering pines revealed themselves and waves of pine needles rolled like his wood-attribute spiritual power, full of ceaseless life.

Later, that became the Ancestor’s Emotionless Sword Art.

On the surface, the Ancestor’s sword and Li Shuang’s sword did not look alike at all. Only one thing was the same: in each sword move there was an understanding of the Dao.

Practice the sword, and you step into the Dao.

At this level, only this Emotionless Sword Art could touch the Dao’s essence.

When Li Shuang first switched to the Supreme Emotionless Art, he had still doubted her future. But now, she had already realized the first form of the Emotionless Sword Art. At her age, even the Ancestor had not reached this insight into the Way of the Sword.

Meng Yi Fei had a feeling. As long as Li Shuang could break through to Nascent Soul Stage, Sword Sect would truly enter a time of flourishing.