Chapter 5: Who Dares to Bully My Junior Sister?
Li Shuang lifted her graceful hand and summoned the Dragon’s Roar Sword. Like a chill frost at sunrise, the blade streaked through the air and struck the earth with unyielding force.
Unbound at last, the Sword Spirit Long Yan surged forth like a rushing river. Yet his eyes shimmered with uncertainty as he turned toward Li Shuang.
Long Yan knew well how Li Shuang had devoted herself to raising him. Still, even a Sword Spirit holds a heart, with emotions swirling like hidden streams beneath a calm lake.
Li Shuang poured her soul into sword practice. As cold and steady as moonlit steel, she trained day and night in solitude. Long Yan once believed there was no fault in her way—until Ye Zhao Zhao appeared.
Ye Zhao Zhao beamed with a smile as warm as spring sunshine. Her gentle touch upon his blade and the whispered tales of daring adventures made his heart flutter. Where Li Shuang’s manner was as cold as winter ice, Ye Zhao Zhao shone like a bright, inviting flame.
Unable to resist her charm, Long Yan fell into the gentle embrace of her warmth. Though guilt pricked his heart, if staying with Ye Zhao Zhao meant betrayal, then fate was sealed, and he had to accept it. Now, watching Li Shuang cast him aside so casually, an uneasy stirring filled his spirit.
[Had I once forsaken her? Yet why do I feel as if she abandoned me instead?]
“Eldest Senior Sister, are you truly discarding the Dragon’s Roar Sword?” Ye Zhao Zhao asked, her eyes gleaming with desire as she stepped forward and clutched the hilt tightly. Her fervor lit a spark within Long Yan, and in that moment, his doubts melted away. It seemed that only Zhao Zhao truly cared for him.
Li Shuang cast a cold glance at the sword. “One betrayal is enough. I shall never wield it again,” she declared.
Fearing that Li Shuang might change her mind, Ye Zhao Zhao hastened, “Since you no longer desire it, I shall claim the sword! Do not later say I stole it from you.”
Quickly, Ye Zhao Zhao checked her Negative Emotion Value. Her brows furrowed—zero! Meanwhile, Li Shuang’s own Negative Emotion Value lingered at zero. [Why is it so hard to ignite her anger?]
Determined, Ye Zhao Zhao bit her lip. Fine—she would fan the flames!
With swift grace, she unsheathed a pitch-black sword, as dark as an endless abyss. Its name was Black Abyss—a blade once deemed worthless and cast aside.
Feigning concern, Ye Zhao Zhao said, “Eldest Senior Sister, since you have lost Long Yan, surely you need a worthy sword. Now that Long Yan is mine, I no longer need the Black Abyss Sword. Perhaps you can use this abandoned blade instead.”
A sly smile flickered in her eyes. The blade, abandoned as it was, would surely wound Li Shuang’s pride if offered. Then she could pretend to be hurt and claim that Li Shuang had insulted her kindness. This would enrage Sheng Yuan, and at last, Li Shuang’s anger would be stirred!
Li Shuang regarded the Black Abyss Sword with calm eyes. She knew it well. Ever since Ye Zhao Zhao had taken it, the sword spirit had never awakened. It remained lifeless—a mere empty blade.
“Senior Sister,” Ye Zhao Zhao pleaded earnestly, “the disciples of the Sword Sect enter the Sword Pavilion only once in their lifetime. Though many fine swords exist under the heavens, none match the innate sword spirits within the Pavilion. Keep the Black Abyss—it may yet awaken in your hands.”
Li Shuang cared little for Ye Zhao Zhao’s schemes. She turned away, ready to depart.
But suddenly, the Heaven and Earth Furnace burst forth in a brilliant, blinding radiance. Li Shuang stepped forward, and the radiant glow softened. Then she stepped back, and the light grew even brighter. Her eyes turned to the Black Abyss Sword, uncertainty dancing within them. [Could it be?]
The Heaven and Earth Furnace had stirred the moment the sword was revealed.
“Eldest Senior Sister, though this sword no longer suits my path, I truly care for you,” Ye Zhao Zhao said softly.
Li Shuang rested her hand lightly upon the Black Abyss Sword. In that moment, the energy of Heaven and Earth surged. The progress soared as if it could reach full mastery, yet beyond the solid one percent, the rest was only an illusion.
A strange feeling stirred within her. [If I accept this Black Abyss Sword, will the illusion become real?] It might awaken the Heaven and Earth Furnace completely. This sword… it was no ordinary blade.
With resolve, Li Shuang spoke without hesitation, “Very well. I shall take the Black Abyss Sword.”
Ye Zhao Zhao, who had expected rejection, froze in surprise at her acceptance. Without wasting a word, Li Shuang swiftly claimed the sword.
Ye Zhao Zhao’s brows furrowed. Today, Li Shuang seemed as unyielding as mountain ice, even harder to sway than before. To Ye Zhao Zhao, it was but a discarded sword—nothing of worth to part with.
After a moment’s hesitation, Ye Zhao Zhao spoke, “Senior Sister, this exchange was made with willing hearts. Even if the Sect Master questions it later, neither of us can retract our words.”
Li Shuang calmly replied, “As long as you harbor no regrets, that is enough.”
Ye Zhao Zhao quickly added, “So many eyes bear witness to our words; how could I ever break my promise?”
The Scripture Pavilion—one of the liveliest arenas in the Sword Sect—was filled with watching disciples. Under their gaze, their words turned as firm as iron.
“Then there is nothing more to say,” Li Shuang replied coolly.
In secret, Ye Zhao Zhao stole a glance at the mysterious System. [Negative emotion value: still zero!] Though she had gained a treasure, a faint unease stirred within her heart.
Unable to keep silent, she pressed further, “Senior Sister, Master was furious when you left us in peril. You must return to Spirit Void Peak with us and explain yourself to him.”
Sheng Yuan interjected sharply, “Indeed!”
Li Shuang’s voice rang clear yet distant, “I never abandoned you. Master has already declared me no longer his disciple, so I will not return to Spirit Void Peak. You need not call me Senior Sister anymore.”
Born with a Supreme Ice Spiritual Root, Li Shuang always carried a cold demeanor. Yet Ye Zhao Zhao knew that hidden beneath the frost lay a spark of warmth. But now, the chill from Li Shuang ran as deep as the heart of winter.
Ye Zhao Zhao felt a seed of suspicion bloom. [What had transformed her so profoundly?]
Sheng Yuan could hold back no longer. With a fierce shout, he drew forth a rope-like artifact, attempting to bind Li Shuang. Li Shuang’s brows knit together in calm determination. The Grand Supreme Emotionless Art stirred within her, sharpening her senses until the path of the artifact shone as clear as moonlight.
She readied herself to dodge—
But suddenly, a crimson figure flashed into view like a bolt of lightning.
A woman appeared amidst the tension, snatching the rope with a single, graceful move. Luo Ming Yue’s lips curled into a slight smile. “Who dares to threaten my Junior Sister?”
Following the guidance of the Jade Slip, she had gone out in search of Li Shuang. Sensing danger, she rushed back at once. Just moments before, as the Grand Supreme Emotionless Art reached its peak, the Jade Slip burned brightly, guiding Luo Ming Yue to this very moment.
She did not fully understand the situation, nor did she care. All she knew was this: her Junior Sister, chosen by Master himself, was under threat. Such insolence, she would never tolerate!
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation