Shen Yue left in a daze. Luo Mingyue sneered, glancing in the direction he had gone.
Her spiritual sense was stronger than his—she had noticed his presence long ago.
But she had deliberately kept silent.
She wanted him to see for himself: those he and the others had failed to cherish were now treated as treasures in the hearts of others.
The disciples of Lingxu Peak were rotten to the core.
Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le'an were hardly worth mentioning.
Even Sheng Yuan and Shen Yue, who seemed to harbor some regrets, were no better.
So what if they regretted? They still instinctively shielded Ye Zhaozhao, still instinctively pushed Li Shuang into a corner.
If not for the Supreme Forgetfulness Art, which allowed Xiaoshuang to let go, she would surely have been crushed beneath such injustice.
Luo Mingyue dared to say that if Xiaoshuang ever returned to Lingxu Peak, even if all misunderstandings were cleared, nothing would truly change. No matter how much they knew of her silent sacrifices, the moment Ye Zhaozhao shed a few tears, they would once again rush to protect their "innocent and kind" little sister.
Someone like Xiaoshuang, who never cried, never begged, never made a scene—she would always be the one wronged. Always the one abandoned.
If that was the case, then she needed no apologies. No confessions.
Let the people of Lingxu Peak stay far away.
Meanwhile, Li Shuang was immersed in her sword practice, completely unaware Shen Yue had come. Even if she had known, she would not have spared it another thought.
She exchanged moves with Liu Juncheng for several hours. At first, her heart was restrained, weighed down by memories of Lingxu Peak.
But she soon realized that Wuqing Peak was utterly different.
Here, her fellow disciples treated her sincerely.
Relaxing at last, she shared her insights openly.
As she practiced, she continued to verify her understanding of the inheritance space, weaving its lessons into her swordsmanship until her techniques became increasingly fluid and whole.
Even Luo Mingyue, tempted by the experience, sparred with her. Both gained much from the exchange.
That night, as they walked back beneath the stars, Li Shuang felt deeply moved.
So this… this was what a true swordsmanship exchange should be.
Speaking freely. Testing ideas without fear. No egos to appease, no fragile pride to tread upon.
For the first time, Li Shuang felt the pure joy of immersing herself in the art of the sword.
The following day, Li Shuang examined her jade slip. The once-dim technique slip now glowed faintly—energy was slowly accumulating again. By her estimate, in three days the inheritance space would reopen.
That would be just after the first qualifying round.
In the meantime, she continued training at Wuqing Peak, sparring with Luo Mingyue and the others, occasionally receiving guidance from Master Lin Qingling. Her progress over those few days was significant.
Finally, the registration list was confirmed, and the qualifying rounds were about to begin.
At the disciple hall, the schedule was posted.
"The results are out!" Luo Mingyue shouted, pointing at the board.
Li Shuang stepped forward to glance at the names.
"As usual, late Foundation Establishment disciples advance directly to the third round," one disciple explained nearby. "The first two rounds are reserved for those in the early and middle Foundation stages."
"Wait—why is there a Qi Condensation disciple this time?" someone exclaimed.
"Li… Shuang!?"
All eyes turned toward her.
Li Shuang's name had long been the talk of the sect.
The first disciple in a thousand years to master the Supreme Forgetfulness Art.
Cast aside by Lingxu Peak, yet quickly embraced by Wuqing Peak.
Slandered as a vicious demoness, yet whispered to be the victim of betrayal.
Her story had become a firestorm of gossip.
Her duel with Shen Yue was still fresh in memory—she had defeated him easily, without even relying on her cultivation, relying solely on her swordsmanship.
But this time was different.
"This round has no restrictions," someone pointed out. "Foundation Establishment disciples are allowed to fight at full cultivation."
The gap between Foundation Establishment and Qi Condensation was vast. A Foundation cultivator had already drawn the essence of heaven and earth into their body, forging the foundation of the immortal path.
A Qi Condensation disciple defeating one? Impossible. Even Li Shuang herself, in the past, would not have managed such a feat.
And now, she was still new to the Supreme Forgetfulness Technique. Her cultivation likely hadn't advanced much at all.
How could she possibly win?
Li Shuang activated the Forgetfulness Technique for a moment, sensing no malice from those around her. She smiled faintly. "It won't hurt to try."
Her calm words were quickly drowned out by a mocking voice.
"Senior Sister Li, you're only embarrassing yourself. What can you do?"
It was Chang Le'an again.
Beside him, Ye Zhaozhao quickly tried to soothe the situation. "Third Brother, don't speak nonsense!" She turned to Li Shuang with an apologetic smile. "Sister Li, Third Brother is just blunt. Don't mind him. He and I both look forward to meeting you in the third round. We'll be waiting there. Do your best, Sister Li!"
She even waved her little fist, as if cheering her on.
Luo Mingyue scoffed loudly. "Who do you think you are? One's a parasite who relies on luck alone, the other has cultivation without any skill! And you dare act so arrogant here?"
Her scorn was biting, but not untrue.
Chang Le'an was blessed with unnatural luck, and because of it, he grew careless, convinced he was Heaven's favored child. His cultivation had reached the Golden Core Stage, but in a true life-and-death battle, even if Luo Mingyue suppressed her strength to match, she could kill him with ease.
Ye Zhaozhao's case was even more absurd. Her mixed spiritual roots should have hindered her growth, yet her cultivation speed was astonishing. Still, cultivation alone was nothing—what of her sword comprehension? Her combat experience? Compared to true elites, she was no better than a new recruit.
This was the truth of the so-called Lingxu geniuses.
Chang Le'an's face darkened. He glared at Li Shuang. "Senior Sister Li, are you going to keep hiding behind others like a cowardly turtle?"
Luo Mingyue's temper flared, but before she could snap back, Li Shuang caught her arm.
Her gaze remained steady as she looked at Ye Zhaozhao. "As you wish. We'll see each other in the third round."