Chapter 66 - 41: Now, Get Out

Ye Zhaozhao stared at Long Yan in disbelief.

Even though she had somewhat despised him after learning he was merely a Wasted Sword Spirit, she couldn’t just abandon him outright for the sake of her pride. She had just endured immense agony to expel the Muddy Qi for him, and in the blink of an eye, he was saying such things to Li Shuang?

Blood rushed to Ye Zhaozhao’s head. She felt like she was going crazy.

She thought furiously, "What the hell is this Sword Spirit?!"

Unable to endure it any longer, Ye Zhaozhao lunged forward and clawed at Long Yan. Since he had already undergone Void Transformation, she subconsciously imbued her strikes with Spiritual Power. Long Yan’s soul body was injured by the Spiritual Power, leaving behind streaks of red!

"Long Yan, do you have any conscience left?! I just expelled the Muddy Qi for you, and now you want to betray me?" Ye Zhaozhao’s face twisted into a fierce scowl, entirely unable to maintain her facade of composure.

Sheng Yuan and Shen Yue held her back tightly.

"Junior Sister, calm down!" Sheng Yuan circulated his Water Attribute Spiritual Power through Ye Zhaozhao’s body, gradually easing the frantic look on her face.

Scratched and battered by Ye Zhaozhao, Long Yan’s soul body grew even weaker, but her actions were playing right into his hands. He said nothing, only gazing at Li Shuang with pitiful eyes.

He was gambling. He was betting that Li Shuang would still have a soft spot for him! Although he was a Wasted Sword Spirit, he was at least awakened. Since Li Shuang had nurtured him before, she could do it all over again! Meanwhile, the Sword Spirit of the Black Abyss Sword had yet to awaken. Choosing a familiar partner was surely better than waiting on an unknown Sword Spirit.

Long Yan was putting all his eggs in one basket this time.

He knew Ye Zhaozhao. Today, she had been reluctant, practically coerced into clearing his Muddy Qi. Just moments ago, he had seen a crystal-clear flash of resentment in her eyes! She could hold it in while others were watching, but what about behind closed doors?

They had signed a Master and Servant Contract. If she wanted to punish him in private, a mere thought would be enough for the Contractual Power to make him wish he was dead! He had to seize this last opportunity to return to Li Shuang’s side.

Back then, Li Shuang and Ye Zhaozhao had swapped their treasure swords. What was stopping them from swapping back? He could tell that Ye Zhaozhao herself was regretting choosing him. If that was the case, it was better to put things back to how they were! As long as Li Shuang said the word, especially under the watchful eyes of the crowd, it was highly likely that Ye Zhaozhao would voluntarily break the Master and Servant Contract and trade him back.

With these thoughts in mind, Long Yan looked at Li Shuang, his eyes swirling with myriad emotions. It was as if he was saying he was repenting for his past mistakes and begging her for a second chance.

Ye Zhaozhao gritted her teeth and glared viciously at Li Shuang. "Li Shuang, are you satisfied now? Could it be that you and Long Yan have been putting on an act to trick me this whole time?!"

Ye Zhaozhao’s suspicions grew heavier. Long Yan had claimed he personally controlled Dragon Roar and pierced Li Shuang’s Dantian. Did this Supreme Forget Emotion Technique really have such miraculous effects that it could even repair a Dantian? Furthermore, if he failed the first time, why couldn’t he try a second or third time? Long Yan’s excuse was that he had passed out after the first failed attempt.

Thinking about it carefully now, wasn’t that complete nonsense? Were he and Li Shuang just playing her for a fool?!

Had Long Yan lost on purpose in the arena today too? Did they put on this entire show just to damage her meridians? Now that their act was over, did Li Shuang want to swap the swords back?

Biting her lower lip fiercely, Ye Zhaozhao shrieked, "Li Shuang, that day in front of the Scripture Pavilion, we agreed to swap treasure swords with absolutely no regrets! There is no way you can swap them back now!"

Even if Long Yan was a Wasted Sword Spirit, Dragon Roar was still a genuine Third-tier Treasure Sword, and Long Yan could still offer some assistance. But what about Black Abyss? It was the trash of all trash! What would she do with a Sword Spirit that couldn’t even be awakened? Long Yan had stabbed her in the back, and now he wanted to walk away scot-free? He was dreaming!

Li Shuang’s expression remained indifferent. She glanced at the pitiful-looking Long Yan, then at Ye Zhaozhao’s furiously contorted face. "Ye Zhaozhao, I told you: unfaithful once, useless forever. When I said I had no regrets, I meant it. You and Long Yan can sort out your own issues. Hurry up and leave with him; don’t disturb the peace of Heartless Peak."

Long Yan’s expression instantly shifted. He had taken the initiative to show his goodwill, yet Li Shuang didn’t want him?

He stared at her in disbelief. "You don’t want me? Am I truly inferior to that Black Abyss?"

Ye Zhaozhao laughed, her face brimming with mockery. "She said she has absolutely no regrets. What else is there to ask?"

"Li Shuang!" Long Yan blurted out. "We used to work together seamlessly! I needed you, and you needed me. Although there was a tiny misunderstanding between us, we’ve built a foundation of affection over all these years. No matter how big the misunderstanding is, we can get past it. You went through so much hardship to nurture the Dragon Roar Sword to the Fourth Rank. Now that the treasure sword has been demoted, don’t you want to nurture it back up? This is the fruit of your years of hard work!

"As for this Black Abyss Sword, it’s only a First-tier Treasure Sword, and its Sword Spirit is a piece of trash that can’t even awaken! If you choose it, it will only drag you down!" he added, looking at the weapon by her waist.

Long Yan spoke with desperate urgency.

Within the Sword Spirit Space of Black Abyss, the slumbering Sword Spirit seemed to have heard something, her Spiritual Body trembling slightly. The tiny Sword Spirit appeared anxious. She wanted to say that she wasn’t some piece of trash that couldn’t awaken!

She would be very useful! She would be very strong! And she would never, ever betray Li Shuang.

Rough facial features had already formed on her Spiritual Body. Now, her tightly shut eyelids fluttered ceaselessly, yet she remained unable to open them fully.

Li Shuang sneered. She abruptly drew her sword and pointed it straight at Long Yan.

Long Yan originally had much more to say, but when Black Abyss was leveled at him, the piercing chill of its Spiritual Energy made the words catch in his throat.

"Long Yan, I am not you," Li Shuang said coldly. "I will never abandon my partners. Back then, many people also called you a Wasted Sword Spirit and urged me to give up on you, but I never did. I chose to give it my all to awaken you. Later on, when you were prone to accumulating Muddy Qi at any time and often couldn’t assist in battle, I still didn’t give up on you. When you were weak, people said you might never grow into your potential in the future, but I didn’t listen. I nurtured you step by step and proved them all wrong."

Long Yan’s face paled slightly.

It... it was true...

Li Shuang would never abandon her partners just because they were weak. He... knew that better than anyone.

"And now, my partner is Black Abyss." Li Shuang’s eyes gleamed coldly. "I don’t like it when others speak of my partner that way. If there is a next time, we’ll settle it in the arena!"

With a swing of her blade, a flash of sword light swept right past Long Yan. He stiffened all over as a boulder behind him instantly crumbled into fine dust.

"Now, get lost," Li Shuang said simply and clearly.