Chapter 59 - 34: Contaminated

Meng Yifei suppressed the roiling emotions in his heart and remained silent for a long time.

Master Lingxu grew flustered. He couldn’t help but say, "The Ancestor’s Heartless Sword Technique? We’ve all seen that Jade Scroll. There’s nothing special about it at all. How could that wretched disciple of mine possibly comprehend the Heartless Sword Technique? There must be some other explanation!"

He was the one who had personally driven Li Shuang out of Lingxu Peak.

He had even announced to the entire sect that his master-disciple bond with Li Shuang was severed forever.

He had done it to make Li Shuang a laughingstock.

Not to make himself one.

A pang of regret even struck Master Lingxu’s heart.

He shouldn’t have been so impulsive back then.

And look what happened.

From now on, the greater Li Shuang’s achievements, the more he, her former master, would be dragged out and mocked.

He was a dignified master of the Body Integration Realm. How could he ever show his face again?

Lin Qingling shot him a sidelong glance and chuckled. "Ling Xu, oh Ling Xu, feel free to keep deceiving yourself. We saw nothing special in that Jade Scroll, but Little Frost has already entered the Heartless Dao. Perhaps in her hands, it’s a different story entirely."

Lin Qingling paused, a smirk flashing across her lips. "Regardless, I must thank you, Master Lingxu, for personally handing such a fine disciple over to me. If you were just a little less foolish, given Little Frost’s character, she would have worked herself to the bone for you for a lifetime, all for that simple past favor. So again, I thank you for the ’grace’ of casting out your disciple."

Lin Qingling said, beaming.

Master Lingxu’s expression changed drastically. Without a word, he stormed off in a rage.

Lin Qingling watched his retreating figure and scoffed lightly.

’What a joke!’

Meng Yifei’s gaze, however, flickered, his thoughts a mystery.

「Lingxu Peak.」

Ye Zhaozhao checked on Long Yan inside the Sword Spirit Space. Long Yan’s face was pale and his entire Spiritual Body was curled into a ball, looking utterly weak. But seeing him this way, she only felt waves of irritation!

’I went through so much trouble to get my hands on the Dragon Roar Sword. I was supposed to use it to dominate everyone.’

’And what happened?’

’Long Yan bragged about how incredibly powerful he was, but the moment he faced Li Shuang, he was utterly crushed!’

’What’s the use of a sword that can’t even defeat Li Shuang?’

"Zhaozhao, I’m fine." Long Yan managed to force a smile.

’Zhaozhao was willing to surrender to Li Shuang for my sake,’ he thought. ’She must care about me, right?’

"Useless thing." Ye Zhaozhao’s voice was filled with disgust. "What use are you to me? You’re completely worthless. All you do is hold me back."

Long Yan froze, his body beginning to tremble uncontrollably.

He wanted to say something, but no words came out.

’So...’

’Her surrender on the stage... that was just an excuse.’

’Just because I lost, she doesn’t want me anymore? Is that it?’

Long Yan’s eyes reddened. He had abandoned Li Shuang, giving up everything to be by Ye Zhaozhao’s side.

He didn’t care that Ye Zhaozhao didn’t understand the Sword Dao.

He didn’t care that Ye Zhaozhao disliked practicing with her sword.

As long as he could stay by her side, he would have done anything.

Without the tempering of Sword Qi these past days, he had felt uncomfortable all over, but he never said a word.

He had no regrets, because he loved Ye Zhaozhao.

But now... just because he lost once, she wouldn’t even spare him a glance?

Ye Zhaozhao’s Divine Thought quickly withdrew.

The Sword Spirit Space fell dark once more. Long Yan remained curled up, dazed, as wisps of Muddy Qi slowly began to appear within his body.

"First Senior Brother, you all should take a look at Long Yan. He looks so weak." Ye Zhaozhao’s face was a mask of anxiety.

Sheng Yuan’s expression grew grim. "Second Senior Brother," he said. "Come take a look as well."

Shen Yue didn’t refuse.

He and Sheng Yuan carefully probed the Sword Spirit Space with their Divine Thought.

The two of them could only tell that Long Yan was very weak; they couldn’t see anything more.

After some discussion, the two prepared a medicinal solution and submerged the Dragon Roar Sword in it.

Nourished by the solution, the Sword Spirit Space seemed to stabilize somewhat.

But Long Yan remained curled up, showing no sign of improvement.

"This medicinal solution is made specifically for Sword Spirits. It’s very effective for stabilizing a Spiritual Body. How is it that Long Yan isn’t improving at all?" Sheng Yuan couldn’t help but frown.

"Was it Senior Sister Li’s strike that injured Long Yan?" Ye Zhaozhao asked, looking aggrieved. "If Senior Sister Li holds a grudge against me, she should have just taken it out on me. Why be so ruthless to Long Yan!"

As she spoke, Ye Zhaozhao began to cry softly.

"Who else could it be but her!" Chang Le’an said without hesitation. "If Little Junior Sister’s cultivation hadn’t been suppressed, how could she possibly be her opponent! She just used this tournament as an opportunity to destroy the Dragon Roar Sword and rob Little Junior Sister of an ally."

Sheng Yuan and Shen Yue, however, did not immediately join the condemnation. Their first reaction was silence.

Ye Zhaozhao’s eyes flickered, a shadow crossing her heart.

’These people from Lingxu Peak are still on my side.’

’But it seems they don’t believe me so blindly anymore!’

Suppressing her irritation, Ye Zhaozhao put on a pitiful expression. "But it’s hard to control your strength in a tournament match. Long Yan hated Senior Sister for abandoning him, so he impulsively burned his own Spiritual Body. Senior Sister probably ignited her True Fire in the heat of battle and couldn’t pull back in time. First Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, the most urgent matter now is saving Long Yan!"

Sheng Yuan sighed. "I’ll go get Master. I’m afraid he’s the only one who might have a solution."

Sheng Yuan stood to go find him. Just as he reached the door, his face lit up in a happy smile. "Master!"

Master Lingxu walked in, his face expressionless.

"Master." Ye Zhaozhao glanced timidly at Master Lingxu. "You haven’t come here in so long, Master. Are you still angry with Zhaozhao?"

She looked utterly pitiful, her eyes filled with adoration, as if Master Lingxu’s recent cold shoulder hadn’t caused her the slightest resentment.

Master Lingxu had originally arrived full of anger.

But seeing Ye Zhaozhao like this, he couldn’t help but soften.

’Say what you will about this disciple,’ he thought, ’but when it comes to filial piety, she’s truly impeccable.’

"Enough. I’ll take a look at this Sword Spirit." Master Lingxu stepped forward. As his Divine Thought swept over it, his brow furrowed.

"Master, what’s wrong with Long Yan? Why is the medicinal solution having no effect on him?" Sheng Yuan asked worriedly.

Master Lingxu thought he might have been mistaken in his assessment. He probed again, more carefully this time, and then a strange expression crossed his face.

After a long moment.

He said slowly, "If it were only damage to his Spiritual Body, the medicinal solution should at least be able to temporarily stabilize his condition."

"You mean there’s more than just damage to his Spiritual Body? Did Senior Sister Li really do something else to him?" Ye Zhaozhao asked impatiently.

Master Lingxu himself could hardly believe the results of his probe, but he had confirmed them repeatedly. So, he said slowly, "Long Yan... his Spiritual Body has been contaminated by Muddy Qi."