Chapter 53 - 28: Ice Lotus

Su Mu stood by quietly, watching over her.

Li Shuang remained motionless for a long time, but he wasn’t worried.

Sometimes, enlightenment comes in a single, fleeting moment.

Suddenly.

Li Shuang stirred.

Snowflakes rustled off her body.

Su Mu looked at Li Shuang with a hint of anticipation.

Amidst the wind and snow, Li Shuang slowly rose to her feet.

The Black Abyss Sword appeared in her hand.

The Black Abyss Sword still had its usual dark appearance, but at this moment, a halo of light seemed to flow along its blade.

Li Shuang glanced gently at the Black Abyss.

Su Mu waved his hand, and once again, Snow Monsters appeared on the Snow Mountain.

Li Shuang stood her ground, unmoving.

She waited as the swirling Snow Monsters surrounded her, until Su Mu could barely see her figure.

A brilliant flash of sword light burst forth.

In a daze, he saw a giant lotus blossom bloom from within the horde of Snow Monsters.

Its petals danced in the air. They looked fragile and pure, yet any Snow Monster they touched collapsed and vanished.

Soon.

Once again, only the woman in simple robes remained between heaven and earth.

Her feathered robes carry the colors of mist and clouds, untainted by the peach and plum blossoms of the Mortal World.

Su Mu smiled faintly.

’Li Shuang has finally comprehended the first move.’

In the snow.

Li Shuang held the Black Abyss Sword, looking at it pensively.

At this moment, she had an incredibly clear feeling that a strange connection had been established between her and the Black Abyss Sword.

This connection wasn’t a contract, yet it seemed to be something more.

It was a compatibility that stemmed from the soul.

’It seems the relationship between me and the Black Abyss Sword has changed in this instant.’

"Does the first move you comprehended have a name?" Su Mu asked.

Li Shuang shook her head. "I haven’t had time to think of one."

In the moment of her enlightenment...

For some reason, her mind went back to the lotus she had seen in the Langya Secret Realm during her Foundation Establishment.

In the middle of an Ice Lake, a solitary lotus was in bloom.

Fragile and beautiful, yet incredibly dangerous.

It swayed freely in the wind, as if untouched by the mundane affairs of the world.

Blooming quietly, exuding its own fragrance, it existed in a world of its own.

Such a wondrous thing had been nurtured in the extreme cold.

And she, too, had undergone Nirvana and Rebirth through extreme suffering.

The instant she thought of that lotus, all her insights found an outlet.

And then, this sword move came into being naturally.

"Think of a name," Su Mu said with a smile. "In the future, if your name goes down in history, posterity should know the name of this sword move."

Li Shuang hadn’t really thought about going down in history, but it was true that the move should have a name.

She thought for a moment and said, "Something simple and clear. How about... Ice Lotus?"

Su Mu chuckled. "It is a bit simple. But... it’s your sword move, so as long as you like it, that’s what matters."

Li Shuang was about to say something more.

Su Mu waved his hand. "Time is up. You should go out now."

Before Li Shuang could react, she had been teleported out of the Inheritance Space.

But Su Mu’s voice still echoed in her ears.

"Li Shuang, you are to be the thirty-third generation successor of the Heartless Dao. In today’s competition, do not tarnish the prestige of the Heartless Dao."

Li Shuang was stunned for a moment.

The next moment, an incomparably pure stream of Spiritual Power surged into her, instantly restoring her condition to its peak in every aspect.

"Now, you have officially entered the sect. From now on, all the Spiritual Power and energy you expend in the Inheritance Space will be fully returned to you," Su Mu’s voice rang out again.

Li Shuang wanted to ask more questions.

But Su Mu’s voice had already vanished.

She called his name a few times, but he no longer responded.

A glint of light flashed in Li Shuang’s eyes.

’This Jade Scroll... is truly extraordinary.’

The Inheritance Jade Scrolls recorded in the ancient texts sometimes left behind a phantom to teach Cultivation Techniques. However, those were just phantoms, incapable of affecting anything outside the Jade Scroll.

’But this Senior Su Mu...’

’He doesn’t seem to be just a phantom; he’s more like a complete living being.’

’He knows about my competition today and even told me not to tarnish the Heartless Dao’s prestige.’

’Even while inside the Jade Scroll, he can see what’s happening outside. This is something no artificially created phantom could ever do.’

"The thirty-third generation successor of the Heartless Dao..." Li Shuang pondered this sentence.

’If I’m the thirty-third generation, then what about the Founding Ancestor?’

’Is he the thirty-second?’

’What about the seniors before that?’

’And Senior Su Mu, what’s his story?’

’The Heartless Dao... there are still so many secrets for me to uncover.’

Of course.

Uncovering these mysteries was a task for the future.

Right now, she had only one mission!

Win!

Today’s opponent is Ye Zhaozhao, and also Long Yan.

And she and Black Abyss were determined to win.

Li Shuang stood up and pushed the door open.

Outside, the sun was brilliant, warm, and peaceful.

The cold of the Snow Mountain had long since blossomed into a flower.

Li Shuang took a step and walked straight out.

Luo Mingyue and the others were already waiting for her at the door.

She walked toward them, a smile on her lips. "Let’s go."

Martial Arts Arena.

The Central Arena, today.

Competitors: Li Shuang vs. Ye Zhaozhao!

This was the first time ever that the Central Arena had been scheduled for the same person two days in a row.

But no one found it strange.

Today.

Was there any fight that could generate more heat than this one?

Li Shuang, the once-in-a-generation genius. The people of Lingxu Peak claimed her inability to advance her Cultivation was due to her jealousy of Ye Zhaozhao.

Ye Zhaozhao, who had been unremarkable when she joined the sect—just a girl with a Mixed Spirit Root. Yet for some unknown reason, she caught the eye of Master Lingxu and was taken in as his disciple.

Afterward, she demonstrated a terrifying cultivation speed that was completely inconsistent with a Mixed Spirit Root. In less than ten years, she had already reached Nascent Soul Formation, even breaking Li Shuang’s record from back then.

One had fallen silent.

The other had advanced by leaps and bounds.

The two of them were like a yin-yang fish: when yin rises, yang recedes; when yang rises, yin fades.

But their entanglement didn’t end there.

Li Shuang claimed to have been betrayed by Dragon Roar, so she abandoned the sword.

Ye Zhaozhao denied this but accepted Dragon Roar without hesitation.

At the same time.

The proud and aloof Li Shuang had actually accepted Ye Zhaozhao’s Black Abyss.

The two had completely exchanged their treasure swords.

In Li Shuang’s hands, Dragon Roar was incomparably sharp.

Now that it was in Ye Zhaozhao’s hands, what would become of it?

In Ye Zhaozhao’s hands, Black Abyss was dull and lusterless. In Li Shuang’s hands, would it finally shine?

All these controversial topics combined meant that no matter where this fight was held, it was destined to be the center of attention.

Holding it at the Central Arena just made it more convenient for everyone to spectate.

"They’re here, they’re here!" the crowd murmured, parting to form a path.

This time.

Everyone from Lingxu Peak had come. They surrounded Ye Zhaozhao protectively, as if making a statement.

Ye Zhaozhao glanced at Li Shuang, then deliberately tilted her head to ask Sheng Yuan, "Eldest Brother, who do you hope will win this time?"

Sheng Yuan looked at Li Shuang with a complicated expression.

Li Shuang was already surrounded by new sect mates.

But her gaze didn’t waver; she didn’t seem to want to give them even a shred of her attention.

A sharp pain pierced Sheng Yuan’s heart. He suddenly raised his voice and declared, "Of course I hope you win, Junior Sister."

As he spoke, he stared intently at Li Shuang, waiting to see her reaction.