Chapter 11: Path of Indifference

Lin Qingling beamed with joy. "Good, good, good. You’ve finally said something I like to hear."

"I... I want to help, too," Jiang Yi chimed in softly.

Luo Mingyue rolled up her sleeves, looking ready to go out and fight at a moment’s notice.

Li Shuang felt a moment of bewilderment. Master Lingxu and the others generally never interfered with competitions among disciples. Back on Lingxu Peak, she had been the Eldest Senior Sister. She was responsible for managing all matters, big and small, across the entire peak. If she made even the slightest mistake, she would be called over and reprimanded. But here, she had become the one everyone was trying to protect. This sudden shift left Li Shuang somewhat unaccustomed.

Li Shuang fell silent for a moment before suddenly asking, "Haven’t you ever suspected that I might be lying? That what Ye Zhaozhao said was the truth?"

With a smile in her eyes, Lin Qingling replied, "You’ve finally asked?"

Li Shuang hesitated, remaining silent.

Lin Qingling sat up straight, a rare sliver of seriousness appearing on her face. "The Supreme Forget Emotion Technique was once such a glorious Cultivation Technique. But now, only Heartless Peak retains a mere fraction of the records detailing its various aspects.

"The Founding Ancestor once said that to grasp the entry-level formula of this Forget Emotion Technique, one must first possess emotion—an emotion that is perfectly pure and good. However, if one day, this pure and good emotion completely shatters, the person who has suffered such immense heartbreak might achieve Nirvana through despair and comprehend this Path of Indifference."

If Li Shuang were truly the treacherous and evil person they claimed her to be, how could such a villain possess such profound feelings? And how could she undergo such a metamorphosis after the collapse of those feelings? Li Shuang had undoubtedly poured far too much emotion into Lingxu Peak. Therefore, when those feelings were betrayed, she felt such despair. This despair was akin to dying once over. Her entry into the Heartless Dao now was no different from a true Rebirth.

Lin Qingling sighed. She had always known this method of entry, but as people of Cultivation, how difficult was it for them to invest such profound emotion into others? The only ones she cared about now were her few disciples. After such wholehearted devotion, one had to face betrayal to even have that faint sliver of hope to attain Rebirth from absolute despair. How incredibly harsh these conditions were. Yet, Li Shuang had fulfilled them. How much pain must she have been in at that time? Lin Qingling didn’t dare to imagine.

A wave of silence fell over the room.

Luo Mingyue and the others realized this as well, their hearts instantly clenching with sorrow. Even as outsiders, they knew exactly how much the former Li Shuang had sacrificed for Lingxu Peak. Yet those people had discarded her so casually! Did they even deserve everything their little junior sister had done for them?

Li Shuang, however, maintained a calm expression. So that was it. Then her ordeal could actually be considered a blessing in disguise. As the Forget Emotion Technique slowly circulated within her, she knew that Lin Qingling and the others were feeling heartbroken for her. But she herself truly felt absolutely nothing anymore.

Seeing Li Shuang’s calm demeanor, Luo Mingyue felt somewhat relieved, yet also curious. "Junior Sister, under the influence of the Forget Emotion Technique, can nothing in this world truly stir your heart anymore?"

Li Shuang pondered for a moment before shaking her head. "As long as one is human, one is bound to have emotions."

Luo Mingyue looked surprised. "This Supreme Forget Emotion Technique is known as the Heartless Dao. Since it’s the Heartless Dao, how can there be emotion?"

Li Shuang’s gaze grew deep. "The opening lines of the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique clarify its meaning: ’The Dao gives them appearance, Heaven gives them form. Do not let likes and dislikes cause internal harm to the body.’

"The Path of Indifference discards those emotions that harm oneself internally. By not allowing likes and dislikes to dictate sorrow and joy, naturally, one will not harm oneself.

"Truth be told, after discarding those self-harming feelings, what remains are the truly precious emotions. Is the Path of Indifference not also a path of emotion?"

Li Shuang shared her understanding of the Heartless Dao. She believed her interpretation was correct. Ever since she entered this Heartless Dao, the people of Lingxu Peak could no longer cause any fluctuations in her emotions. However, when she thought of her late mother, she still felt a deep filial adoration, and this affection had not faded in the slightest. This proved that the Heartless Dao merely discarded harmful emotions, not all emotions.

A strange brilliance flashed through Lin Qingling’s eyes. Although Li Shuang had just stepped over the threshold, her comprehension of the Heartless Dao was already remarkably profound. For the first time, Lin Qingling felt an unshakable premonition. Following this fiery Rebirth, this disciple of hers would walk very, very far on this Heartless Dao. She would bloom with an even more dazzling radiance! She would be even more invincible than the beloved child of heaven she was ten years ago! Li Shuang! She was destined to soar. These ten years of silence were merely a decade spent accumulating power for her true flight!

"Did I say something wrong?" Li Shuang couldn’t help but ask upon seeing Lin Qingling lost in thought.

Lin Qingling snapped back to reality and smiled. "You are the only one walking this path now. Whether it’s right or wrong, Little Frost, you can only rely on yourself to explore it."

Li Shuang nodded calmly. Lin Qingling took out two Jade Scrolls and handed them to her.

"What I taught you before was merely the entry-level formula of the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique and the Cultivation Technique meant for the Qi Cultivation Stage. This Jade Scroll contains the complete Cultivation Technique. Once your Cultivation advances in the future, you will naturally be able to read the subsequent sections.

"As for this second Jade Scroll, it contains a Sword technique. Back in the day, the Founding Ancestor had two supreme ultimate skills: one was this Path of Indifference, and the other was this method of nurturing a Sword Spirit to achieve Human and Sword Unity!

"Li Shuang, you are already a peerless genius rarely seen in a century. You should know the benefits of a Sword Spirit."

Li Shuang nodded.

"A Sword Spirit is the soul of the sword. A sword cannot speak, but a Sword Spirit can. With the help of a Sword Spirit, we can more perfectly control the sword in our hands and establish a profound connection with it. If the compatibility is high enough, we can execute the Human and Sword Unity technique. By then, the power of our Swordsmanship will naturally skyrocket, making it a breeze to fight opponents of higher tiers!"

Remembering Li Shuang’s treacherous Dragon Roar Sword, Lin Qingling paused slightly before comforting her. "Now that you’ve lost Dragon Roar, you should have sought out another treasure sword. However, the Founding Ancestor once decreed that upon entering the Sword Pavilion, destiny decides. You may only obtain one treasure sword from the Sword Pavilion in your entire life. Since you can’t get another treasure sword from there, you’ll have to use one forged on the outside. Without the nurturing environment of the Sword Pavilion, it’ll be immensely difficult for an outside treasure sword to birth a Sword Spirit. Yet, under fortuitous circumstances, it’s not entirely impossible."

"Master, I have a treasure sword." With a thought from Li Shuang, the Black Abyss Sword materialized in her hand.

"This used to be Ye Zhaozhao’s treasure sword. She held onto it for so many years and couldn’t even awaken its Sword Spirit," Luo Mingyue couldn’t help but say. "I wonder if this Sword Spirit has some innate defect."

"It’s not impossible." Lin Qingling looked at Li Shuang. "If you remain unable to awaken the Sword Spirit for too long, I’m afraid this Black Abyss won’t even compare to a random treasure sword from the outside."

Li Shuang’s expression remained calm. "It doesn’t matter. Black Abyss is perfectly fine."

How could a treasure sword that immediately opened the Heaven and Earth Melting Furnace upon absorption be an ordinary item? The fact that the Black Abyss Sword Spirit couldn’t be awakened likely wasn’t because it was defective, but rather because the Sword Spirit... simply looked down on Ye Zhaozhao!

"There’s no harm in trying. If you ever want to change your treasure sword, come let me know," Lin Qingling said. "This second Jade Scroll contains a Sword technique specifically designed to complement the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique. It can only be unlocked with Spiritual Power from the Forget Emotion Technique, so even I don’t know what the Sword technique inside actually looks like. You’ll just have to study all of this on your own."

Taking the two Jade Scrolls, Li Shuang respectfully agreed.

After a moment of thought, Lin Qingling pulled out a storage bag and handed it over. "Since today happens to be the once-a-month Great Marketplace, take this storage bag. It contains three hundred Mid Grade Spirit Stones. Go see if there are any Spiritual Artifacts or Magic Treasures suitable for the Qi Cultivation Stage in the workshop."

Li Shuang felt slightly overwhelmed. "Master, how can I so casually accept your things?"

Lin Qingling was taken aback. "Your Cultivation is still weak. It is only natural for me, as your master, to offer you some assistance!" Suddenly remembering something, she stared at Li Shuang in shock. "Did that old man Lingxu... did he never give you anything at all??"

Li Shuang fell silent.