Chapter 92 - 67: In a Trance

"You! You’re talking nonsense!" Chang Le’an’s lips trembled, a shrill sound escaping his throat uncontrollably.

You have this overwhelming fortune only because Li Shuang gave it to you.

If she doesn’t give it to you, what do you amount to?

Yan Fan’s contemptuous words echoed wildly in his mind!

Chang Le’an whipped his head toward Li Shuang, flustered. "Make it clear to Yan Fan! This is my own fortune, and it has absolutely nothing to do with you! Li Shuang, make it clear right now! Immediately!"

"Besides, I was already having frequent windfalls back at the Sword Sect! After entering the Secret Realm, my luck was just boosted even more. What does that have to do with you? Li Shuang! Are you lying along with Yan Fan?!"

Chang Le’an stared fixedly at Li Shuang.

Yan Fan sneered at Chang Le’an. ’Him, lying? How laughable! Li Shuang did everything she could for this junior brother of hers. It’s a shame she ended up raising such an ungrateful wretch.’

Li Shuang’s expression was impassive.

She had never revealed the truth about his "fortune." At first, she had naturally helped conceal it.

Later, even when Chang Le’an repeatedly accused her, she offered no explanation.

This wasn’t out of the goodness of her heart.

It was just that...

...for a person like Chang Le’an...

...letting him believe he possessed immense fortune, letting him live in this false fantasy—when the day came for that fantasy to shatter, his despair would only be greater.

She had all the patience in the world to wait for the day he would face the backlash.

But today...

Since Yan Fan had already laid it bare, Li Shuang couldn’t be bothered to hide it any longer.

She stated calmly, "Chang Le’an, your background is complicated. When you first joined the sect, you were constantly ostracized by the disciples of Lingxu Peak. Do you remember that?"

"Of course I remember!" Chang Le’an’s expression twisted. "They were the ignorant fools. At first, they avoided me like the plague, but after they discovered my immense fortune, they all came sucking up to me, one after another."

Chang Le’an couldn’t help but recall his own glorious past. "The rarest Silver Fish in the sect’s Crescent Pond—the other disciples could never catch them. But me? I’d catch one with every cast! Isn’t that a testament to my great fortune? And mind you, I know nothing about the art of fishing!"

Chang Le’an stared at Li Shuang as he spoke.

It was hard to tell if he was trying to convince Li Shuang, or himself.

Li Shuang said calmly, "You don’t know how to fish, but I do. I was the one who drove those Silver Fish to your line."

Chang Le’an’s expression stiffened. He couldn’t stop himself from retorting, "No! That’s impossible! Fine, let’s say you can explain away the Silver Fish, but what about all the lost treasures I found in the mountains?"

Li Shuang raised an eyebrow. "I planted them there."

The Sword Sect’s grounds were vast. Beyond the main sect compound, there were numerous mountains.

Disciples of the Sword Sect would occasionally train in the surrounding mountain ranges, yet out of so many people, only Chang Le’an came back with a reward every single time.

All of this made Chang Le’an utterly convinced of his own great fortune.

Now...

Hearing Li Shuang’s casual words, Chang Le’an’s face instantly turned ugly. His voice grew even more shrill. "You’re lying! You must be lying! Why would a shameless person like you help me? You have absolutely no reason to!"

Before Li Shuang could speak...

Yan Fan’s expression grew colder as he listened. He couldn’t help but cut in, "Can you still not understand? You have ties to the Demon Path. Li Shuang did all this so you wouldn’t be rejected by the other disciples, so you could fit into the sect!"

He and Li Shuang had only met a handful of times and had barely exchanged a few words.

But...

Just by listening to this exchange, he had already grasped the gist of Li Shuang’s intentions.

Chang Le’an had known Li Shuang for over a decade. Logically, he should understand her character far better than Yan Fan did.

’Yet even now, he failed to understand her good intentions?’

At this moment...

Yan Fan couldn’t help but feel a surge of indignation on Li Shuang’s behalf!

"Her? Be that kind-hearted!" Chang Le’an’s heart was in turmoil, and he couldn’t stop himself from shouting.

’So, according to Yan Fan...’

’His ability to integrate into the sect and be taken in by Master Lingxu was all thanks to Li Shuang?’

’No, that’s impossible!’

Though he refused to admit it aloud, his expression became dazed. He suddenly recalled a long-forgotten memory.

When he first joined the sect, he was forcibly assigned to Lingxu Peak.

Master Lingxu paid him no mind, and the other disciples kept their distance.

Even though he possessed an Earth Attribute Single Spirit Root, being constantly ostracized and doubted caused his mood to become unstable, and his Cultivation practice suffered.

Late one night.

He stood in anguish on the edge of a cliff, wondering if he should just jump and end it all.

Just then.

A cool, clear voice stopped him.

It was Li Shuang.

She acted as if she hadn’t noticed his suicidal thoughts, merely telling him coolly to return to the disciple’s residence and stop wandering about.

He had truly wanted to die that time, but after being stopped, the urge wasn’t quite as strong anymore.

As the head disciple, Li Shuang was always busy.

But in the period that followed, she spent more time on Lingxu Peak, stopping the other disciples from ostracizing him on more than one occasion.

But...

...it was useless.

The disciples would be friendly and kind to him in Li Shuang’s presence.

But in private, they still subconsciously excluded him.

He remained, as before, utterly alone.

It was then...

...that Li Shuang had told him.

She had said, "You cannot choose your origins, but you can choose your future. As long as you persevere, things will get better."

And so.

Everything really did get better.

His "fortune" began to manifest, and the disciples around him gradually started to warm up to him.

He, too, finally began to gain confidence, and his Cultivation started to advance by leaps and bounds.

’He thought he was truly Heaven’s chosen.’

’But as it turned out...’

’...all of it had simply stemmed from another’s gentle watchfulness?’

Chang Le’an’s lips trembled unceasingly.

’I don’t believe it!’

’I absolutely refuse to believe it!’

"You wasted so much of your Cultivation time on these fools?" Yan Fan couldn’t help but say.

Li Shuang glanced at him, her voice serene. "Brother Yan, instead of worrying about the past, you should think about how to deal with the matter at hand."

’These sand scorpions aren’t strong, but this is a desert. The number of these demonic beasts is practically endless.’

’Nearby, a Golden-winged Eagle is also watching us like a predator.’

’And here these people are, idly chatting about old times.’

Li Shuang didn’t regret her past efforts. Her heart was, and always would be, true.

She regretted giving up on her past feelings even less. Her path was broad and bright; as long as she kept walking, new horizons would naturally open up before her.

Yan Fan pressed his lips together. "I always saw you as my ultimate goal. I imagined the scene of our reunion many times. I trained with my sword desperately, just for the day I could surpass you. But now... I’ve reached Divinity Transformation, while you’re still at the Qi Cultivation Stage. I always thought I would surpass you, but I never imagined it would be like this."

Li Shuang shot Yan Fan a sideways glance, her voice calm. "You don’t need to feel too sorry. Rest assured, it won’t be long before you’re chasing my shadow again."

Li Shuang’s voice was light, yet her words carried immense confidence.