Li Shuang's expression was calm, her eyes betraying no emotion.
"It is well known," she said evenly, "that being possessed by a demon is extremely dangerous. Shen Yue possesses a single spiritual root of the fire attribute, making him even more terrifying when he loses control. Tell me—five years ago, when Shen Yue was possessed, Ye Zhaozhao went to such great lengths to 'care' for him… Could it be that she merely watched him in a coma?"
"No… it's not like that…" Ye Zhaozhao's face turned pale. She glanced desperately at the disciples of Lingxu Peak. "When I saw Senior Brother sleeping, I panicked. I fed him elixirs and spiritual water, and took care of him for several days. He recovered on his own. His situation… it was different back then!"
Her lips trembled, panic flashing in her eyes as she looked toward Sheng Yuan and the others.
Lin Qingling gave a cold laugh. "If possession by demons were so easy to overcome, countless cultivators wouldn't have perished so tragically. Shen Yue was already at the Jindan stage five years ago, wasn't he? A Jindan cultivator possessed by a demon would require a Yuanying-stage cultivator to suppress him—and one whose attributes were the direct opposite! Ye Zhaozhao? She's just a mediocre cultivator with three spiritual roots, and at the time, not even Yuanying stage. What makes you think she could have saved Shen Yue from demonic possession?"
The notion was absurd.
From what she'd heard, Lin Qingling could already guess what had happened back then.
In Lingxu Peak, only Li Shuang could have saved Shen Yue.
Yet five years ago, Li Shuang's cultivation had stagnated—and even regressed.
Even so, when Shen Yue was possessed, she had stepped in without hesitation. Suppressing his raging fire attribute must have left her with serious injuries.
And yet these fools in Lingxu Peak thought Ye Zhaozhao had done it?
Were they merely blind?
Or truly malicious?
Lin Qingling's words cut like knives. The Lingxu Peak disciples began to look at Ye Zhaozhao with questioning eyes.
Ye Zhaozhao trembled violently. Panic edged her voice. "I… I don't know, I really don't know anything…"
She turned tearfully to Lingxu Zhenren. "Master, I am telling the truth. When I saw Senior Brother Shen Yue, he was unconscious. Under my care, he recovered."
Lingxu Zhenren's expression softened slightly. "Zhaozhao had only been a disciple for five years at the time. How could she truly understand what demonic possession was like? She did not lie."
"Junior Sister would never lie!" Chang Le'an declared loudly.
Sheng Yuan lowered his gaze, lips trembling. For a long while, he could not speak.
Zhaozhao might not have lied.
But… something felt wrong.
"Even if Ye Zhaozhao truly didn't know," Luo Mingyue said coldly, "what about you? Have you never questioned how someone with a single spiritual root, once possessed, could recover so easily? Have you never considered that perhaps someone else saved Shen Yue?"
Someone else…
Sheng Yuan slowly turned to look at Li Shuang.
His voice was hoarse. "Senior Sister… was it you?"
Five years ago, Li Shuang had appeared only after Shen Yue awoke.
Ye Zhaozhao had grown pale and gaunt from her supposed care, her eyes bloodshot from worry.
Li Shuang, by contrast, had looked healthy and composed. The contrast had been infuriating.
He remembered that he had been the first to question her sharply, demanding to know where she had been.
Everyone knew her opposing ice-and-fire spiritual roots made her the most suitable to help Shen Yue—yet she had vanished at the critical moment.
In his anger, and with Shen Yue's disappointment weighing heavily, he had refused to believe her when she explained she had treated Shen Yue and left only after confirming he was fine.
He had accused her:"If you treated him, why did you leave so quickly? This isn't the way to steal credit! If it weren't for Junior Sister calling to him day and night, he'd never have woken up!"
At the time, Li Shuang had merely looked stunned and stopped speaking.
He'd taken her silence for guilt.
But now… perhaps there had been another reason.
"Li Shuang? Impossible!" Chang Le'an scoffed. "Back then, Junior Sister was so worn out she was unrecognizable! And Li Shuang? She looked perfectly fine!"
"Senior Sister, tell me the truth," Sheng Yuan pressed, ignoring Chang Le'an.
Li Shuang met his gaze and said calmly, "Suppressing the fire in my heart is extremely difficult. Even though I am a realm above Shen Yue, I was still seriously injured. I went to recuperate during those days I was absent. When I reappeared, I took the Vitality Pill beforehand so you would not worry."
She spoke as if stating simple facts.
Sheng Yuan's lips trembled. His steps faltered, and he nearly fell.
"Impossible! This is impossible!" Chang Le'an protested. "How could you be so kind?"
In his mind, Zhaozhao was the gentle, lovely one—always considerate toward her senior brothers.
Li Shuang? She was always cold, her expression unreadable.
Could such a person really have injured herself to save Shen Yue?
"You people are ridiculous," Luo Mingyue said icily. "Besides Li Shuang, who else in Lingxu Peak could have saved him? Do you truly think your random elixirs and so-called constant calls could cure demonic possession? That's laughable."
Liu Juncheng's face was stern. "Li Shuang took the Vitality Pill so you wouldn't worry. And this is how you repay her? Remember this—within Lingxu Peak, those who speak sweet words will always be more popular than those who quietly act."
He shot Ye Zhaozhao a mocking look.
She shivered, looking helplessly at Sheng Yuan.
Sheng Yuan only stared blankly.
Then she turned to Chang Le'an, who still seemed too stunned to respond.
Finally, she looked at Lingxu Zhenren, her voice trembling. "Master… I really didn't know…"
Lingxu Zhenren had remained silent throughout.
But looking at Ye Zhaozhao now, his heart softened again.
This little disciple of his had always been the most well-behaved.
The only one who told him quirky jokes to make him laugh.
The only one who would endure hardship to brew new kinds of liquor for him.
The only one who always found new things to please him.
People were made of flesh and blood. After ten years, how could he not be partial?