Chapter 6

Chapter 6: Carved Soul, Scorched Bone, Only to Start Over

Sheng Yuan looked at her, startled and angry: “Luo Ming Yue, what are you doing? Who allowed you to meddle in Ling Xu Peak’s affairs?”

Luo Ming Yue paused, thinking of his words: [Ling Xu Peak’s affairs?] She raised a brow and said: “You were bullying my Junior Sister.”

Sheng Yuan laughed in disbelief: “Who is your Junior Sister?”

Luo Ming Yue turned to look, and she saw a face fairer than frost and snow. She blurted out in surprise: “Li Shuang?”

The moment she sensed this presence, she rushed over. Only now did she finally see the person clearly.

The peerless genius who had entered the Supreme Emotionless Art was actually the former prodigy of Ling Xu Peak, Li Shuang.

Li Shuang’s name had once echoed across the sect.

When she joined, the test showed she had a Peerless-grade Ice Spiritual Root. Peak Masters fought to recruit her, and even the Sect Master wanted to take her as a disciple.

Back then, Immortal Ling Xu said to her: “Come to Ling Xu Peak and you will be my Chief Senior Disciple. I believe you can guard Ling Xu Peak.”

Moved by Immortal Ling Xu’s trust, Li Shuang chose Ling Xu Peak without hesitation.

Right after she entered the sect, her progress was shocking. In a short time she became the number one of the younger generation, drawing every gaze.

Immortal Ling Xu was proud of this disciple and praised her often.

But ten years ago, Ye Zhao Zhao joined.

Rumors rose from Ling Xu Peak in fits and starts, saying Ye Zhao Zhao was the true Heaven’s Proud Daughter and that she cultivated even faster than Li Shuang had back then. They also said Li Shuang grew jealous of Ye Zhao Zhao and lost the broad heart a First Senior Sister should have, which was very disappointing.

In that growing chorus, Li Shuang slowly fell silent, day by day.

Once, Li Shuang and Luo Ming Yue were called the twin beauties. Luo Ming Yue’s strength was a little weaker than Li Shuang’s, and she had always used Li Shuang as her goal to chase.

But ten years passed. Li Shuang’s cultivation suddenly could not move forward and even began to faintly fall back.

Now Luo Ming Yue was already pushing into the Divine Transformation Stage, while Li Shuang was still at the Nascent Soul Stage.

Luo Ming Yue never imagined that the person her master asked her to find would be Li Shuang.

Surprise colored Luo Ming Yue’s face as she breathed out: “Li Shuang, your cultivation…”

Sheng Yuan grew impatient and snapped: “Senior Sister Luo, please step aside.”

Luo Ming Yue ignored him. Staring at the wound on Li Shuang’s chest, her pupils tightened as she said: “You just dispersed your cultivation. This is the critical moment to rebuild. Who did this? Who hurt you?”

Sheng Yuan froze.

[Dispersed her cultivation? What does that mean?] A bad premonition pricked his heart.

He could not help but question her, his voice unsteady: “What are you talking about? What do you mean, dispersed cultivation?”

Luo Ming Yue answered coldly: “Li Shuang has switched to the Supreme Emotionless Art. Her previous power has been completely dispersed. Right now she is only at the Qi Refining Stage. This wound is clearly from a Sword Sect disciple’s blade. Who dared strike a fellow sect member?”

Her face was icy and fierce, as if she would kill.

Sheng Yuan’s heart trembled.

[She switched to the Supreme Emotionless Art? She scattered all her old cultivation? Impossible.]

He finally remembered to scan Li Shuang’s strength with his divine sense. The moment he did, he staggered.

“First Senior Sister, where is your Nascent Soul? Where is your power?” His voice cracked with panic.

Luo Ming Yue eyed him with doubt and said: “Don’t tell me you were the one who hurt Li Shuang.”

Sheng Yuan stared at Li Shuang and asked, shaken: “First Senior Sister, what in the world happened?”

Li Shuang’s expression was calm as she said: “Cut the soul and burn the bone, only to start again.”

[Only to start again.]

Sheng Yuan’s lips trembled. [Why would it be like this?] On the snowy mountain, hadn’t First Senior Sister already escaped early? Then what did her words mean now?

[Cut the soul? Burn the bone? Who cut her soul? Who burned her bone?]

His grip tightened around the Deepwater Sword.

Li Shuang had raised him herself. He knew better than anyone how much she had suffered for her cultivation. When he woke up, First Senior Sister was already practicing the sword. When he rested, First Senior Sister still had not.

Even during these ten years of no progress, she was never lazy for a single moment.

So many days and nights of training built the cultivation she had today.

This entire cultivation, and she said she would throw it away, just like that?

A boundless panic slowly flooded Sheng Yuan.

Ye Zhao Zhao was also surprised by Li Shuang’s situation, but soon a faint, hard-to-see smile curled at her lips. Before, Li Shuang at least had the Nascent Soul Stage. Now she had switched to the Passion-Severing Mantra for no reason and fallen to the Qi Refining Stage.

In this case, it would be even easier to push her down.

Ye Zhao Zhao spoke with a gentle sigh: “First Senior Sister, why were you so impulsive? None of us meant to blame you for that day. Master has not even punished you, so why would you get stubborn first?”

Her voice tugged Sheng Yuan’s reason back from the edge.

His eyes reddened as he stared at Li Shuang and said: “First Senior Sister, if you did something wrong, you should admit it and accept punishment, not act willful like this. Today you must come with me to see Master.”

She had just scattered her cultivation. He did not know if there was still a way to fix it.

As he spoke, he reached to grab Li Shuang’s hand.

Luo Ming Yue slapped his hand away and snorted: “Li Shuang has been too good to you ungrateful wolves. Otherwise, how would you, someone she raised, dare speak to her like this?”

Sheng Yuan seemed not to hear Luo Ming Yue. He only kept his stubborn eyes on Li Shuang and said: “First Senior Sister, come back to Ling Xu Peak with me.”

He sounded obstinate.

Ye Zhao Zhao’s gaze flickered with faint displeasure. She had spent so long setting things up. It seemed the people of Ling Xu Peak still had some feelings for Li Shuang.

But it was no big problem.

She had plenty of time to scheme slowly.

Luo Ming Yue turned and asked Li Shuang: “Are you going back with them?”

Because the Junior Sister her own master valued so highly turned out to be Ling Xu Peak’s Li Shuang, the matter had become tricky. Luo Ming Yue was momentarily unsure.

Li Shuang shook her head and said evenly: “Master no longer acknowledges me. Ling Xu Peak is no longer my home. I returned this time only to request an audience with the Sect Master.”

Luo Ming Yue gasped, and a slip of delight crept into her voice: “He does not acknowledge you anymore?”

Li Shuang gave her a puzzled look.

Luo Ming Yue coughed lightly and said: “Nothing, nothing. I will go with you to see the Sect Master.”

She drew Li Shuang behind her and glared at Sheng Yuan and Ye Zhao Zhao: “Li Shuang does not want to return. Do not force her.”

Sheng Yuan’s face darkened.

“Let’s go,” said Luo Ming Yue as she pulled Li Shuang away.

Watching their backs, Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes glittered: “Second Senior Brother, we should tell Master at once that First Senior Sister has returned.”

Sheng Yuan snapped to attention and nodded over and over: “Right. If Master gives the order, I do not believe she will dare refuse.”

He even forgot why they had come to the Scripture Pavilion and ran back in a hurry.

A viper-like light flashed in Ye Zhao Zhao’s eyes. Everyone knew that Immortal Ling Xu was the person Li Shuang respected and cared for most.

Ye Zhao Zhao knew this best of all.

Every time the hurt came from Immortal Ling Xu, it wrung the most negative emotions from Li Shuang.

Since Sheng Yuan was so useless, let Immortal Ling Xu act.