Chapter 7: A Clear Conscience

Luo Mingyue had already brought Li Shuang, hurriedly requesting an audience with the Sect Leader.

"Supreme Forget Emotion Technique?" A hint of surprise flashed across Meng Yifei’s face.

It had been a thousand years. This was the first time he had heard of someone successfully initiating this Cultivation Technique. Back then, the Founding Ancestor of the Sword Sect had relied on this Cultivation Technique to overpower the heroes of his time, stunning an entire era. Because of this, the Sword Sect was able to forcibly secure its place among the Six Righteous Sects as a newly established sect.

After the Founding Ancestor’s Ascension, the entire Sword Sect had initially poured all their efforts into studying the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique, hoping to produce another peerless genius who would reign supreme over the realm. However, they wasted a century without a single disciple managing to even initiate the technique. As a result, the Sword Sect’s status plummeted, almost falling out of the ranks of the Six Righteous Sects entirely.

At the time, people began to doubt whether the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique could truly be cultivated. Was the Cultivation Technique left behind by the Founding Ancestor upon his Ascension incomplete? After intense debate, the Sect Leader of that era reluctantly made the decision to abandon the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique and switch to other Cultivation Techniques. By switching Cultivation Techniques and relying on the Sword Sect’s unique Sword Pavilion, the sect barely managed to stabilize its footing. However, over the years, they had been relegated to the bottom of the Six Sects.

In the entire Sword Sect, only the lineage of Heartless Peak refused to abandon the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique, bitterly searching for a way to initiate it. Now, after a millennium, someone in the Sword Sect had actually initiated the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique?

Meng Yifei’s eyes flickered. The Founding Ancestor’s cultivation of this secret manual had indeed been unmatched in his era. However, was the current Supreme Forget Emotion Technique passed down in the Sword Sect the exact same one? Was it truly as miraculous as the legends claimed? These were all unknown factors.

Regardless, Meng Yifei’s curiosity was piqued. He summoned Li Shuang and Luo Mingyue.

Inside the Sect Leader’s Hall.

Meng Yifei looked at Li Shuang with some curiosity. "Li Shuang? You’re the one who switched to the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique?"

When Li Shuang first joined the sect, her brilliance had been blinding. Everyone knew the Sword Sect had produced a peerless genius. Even though she had later fallen into obscurity, the Sect Leader still remembered this disciple.

Li Shuang nodded. "I have indeed switched to the Supreme Forget Emotion Technique. I requested an audience with you today, Sect Leader, because..."

Before Li Shuang could finish her sentence, someone suddenly came in to report, "Sect Leader, Master Lingxu requests an audience."

Meng Yifei raised an eyebrow. "Invite him in."

Li Shuang fell silent.

Soon, Master Lingxu walked in expressionlessly. Sheng Yuan and Ye Zhaozhao followed closely behind him. As soon as Master Lingxu entered the room, his domineering Divine Sense pressed down toward Li Shuang. Then, he let out a cold sneer.

"Good, very good! What a wicked disciple! You really did switch Cultivation Techniques!"

The Mirror Heart Technique was something he had personally taught her. Even if her Power were to be stripped away, it should have been done by his own hands. How dare Li Shuang do it herself!

"Master Lingxu, what is the meaning of this?" Meng Yifei raised an eyebrow.

Master Lingxu cupped his hands in greeting and said without hesitation, "Sect Leader! This woman, Li Shuang, is cunning, deceitful, and harbors wicked intentions! I believe we should shatter her meridians and expel her from the Sword Sect!"

"Master!" Sheng Yuan’s heart trembled, and he couldn’t help but exclaim.

Shatter her meridians? Expel her from the Sword Sect? Although he felt that his Senior Disciple was in the wrong, he had never imagined taking it to this extreme!

Master Lingxu’s expression was indifferent. He looked at Li Shuang blankly. Over the years, Li Shuang had truly disappointed him far too much. However, he didn’t necessarily have to drive her to a dead end. He was waiting for Li Shuang to fall to her knees and beg for mercy! As long as she showed a repentant attitude, he might consider giving her another chance.

Luo Mingyue felt a bit anxious and subconsciously stepped in front of Li Shuang to shield her. Was he joking?! This was a precious treasure that only appeared once in a millennium! If Li Shuang were expelled from the sect, her master would probably go mad!

"Master Lingxu, why do you say such things?" Meng Yifei was somewhat surprised.

Master Lingxu spoke coldly, "The Sect Leader should know that my mind has been somewhat unstable these past few days. I don’t know where these disciples of mine heard it, but they learned that the Heavenly Snow Lotus has a miraculous effect on my condition. Therefore, they went to the Snow Mountain together to find the Snow Lotus for me."

Meng Yifei nodded. "The Heavenly Snow Lotus indeed has a certain effect in stabilizing the mind. These disciples of yours are very filial."

Master Lingxu looked at Ye Zhaozhao, a trace of softness in his eyes. "My youngest disciple is indeed very filial. Atop the Snow Mountain, she went through untold hardships to pluck the Snow Lotus, but accidentally fell into an encirclement of Snow Monsters."

His tone then shifted, and the look he gave Li Shuang carried a trace of icy coldness. "However, my Senior Disciple, in whom I placed high hopes, actually grew jealous of Zhaozhao’s Talent. Despite clearly seeing her surrounded by Snow Monsters, she did not offer any rescue and instead fled the battle! Such an unjust and unrighteous person is unworthy of being Ling Xu’s disciple!"

Master Lingxu’s words were sharp and aggressive. Luo Mingyue frowned as she listened, subconsciously asking, "How do you know that Li Shuang fled from battle, Master Lingxu?"

Master Lingxu furrowed his brows. "Naturally, Zhaozhao said so herself. How could it be false!"

"That’s right, it definitely wouldn’t be false!" Sheng Yuan echoed.

Luo Mingyue found it even stranger and couldn’t help but ask, "You were also on the Snow Mountain. Did you see it with your own eyes?"

"Well..." Sheng Yuan froze for a moment before saying, "At the time, we split up to search for the Snow Lotus, so I... I didn’t see it with my own eyes. But since Junior Sister said so, how could it be false!"

He spoke with absolute self-righteousness.

Luo Mingyue was dumbfounded. She said in disbelief, "So, this is just Ye Zhaozhao’s one-sided story?! Let me ask you, aside from Ye Zhaozhao’s verbal account, do you have any other evidence to prove that Li Shuang fled from battle?"

Sheng Yuan was stunned. Master Lingxu also furrowed his brows tightly. What was wrong with Luo Mingyue? Zhaozhao was such a pure and kind-hearted child—could she possibly be lying?!

Ye Zhaozhao couldn’t help but say aggrievedly, "I... I’m telling the truth... and I never blamed Senior Disciple for it. Master, please forgive Senior Disciple just this once."

Master Lingxu’s brows relaxed, and he looked coldly at Li Shuang. "Your Junior Sister is still pleading for you even at a time like this! And you still refuse to confess!"

Luo Mingyue glanced back at Li Shuang. "Are your fellow disciples really in their right minds?"

Li Shuang couldn’t help but laugh. She didn’t have much interaction with Luo Mingyue, but upon hearing this accusation, Luo Mingyue’s first reaction was to question whether Ye Zhaozhao was telling the truth and if she had any evidence. But what about these people from Lingxu Peak? They hadn’t stopped to think for even a second before blindly trusting Ye Zhaozhao without hesitation.

Once, she had treated them as her closest family. Yet, these so-called closest family members were not even as reasonable as Luo Mingyue, someone she barely knew.

Li Shuang turned around and calmly addressed the Sect Leader. "I never abandoned my fellow disciples. I was the one who plucked the Heavenly Snow Lotus with my own hands, and I was the one who personally handed it to Ye Zhaozhao, telling her to take it and regroup with the others. The reason I was delayed in returning was that I stayed behind to hold off the Snow Monsters. Everything I have said and done leaves me with a clear conscience. I ask the Sect Leader to make the final judgment."

She had no intention of entangling herself with these people from Lingxu Peak. However, she still needed to speak the truth. Of course, these people wouldn’t believe her, but it didn’t matter. She would just state everything clearly.