This wicked disciple of his had actually mastered the Sword Domain.
Generally speaking, the concept of the Sword Domain was inaccessible to disciples before the Spirit Transformation Stage. Only at that level did one have the time and insight to cultivate their own unique sword realm.
To prevent ordinary disciples from becoming overly ambitious, the secrets of the Sword Domain were deliberately kept hidden.
But Li Shuang's talent for swordsmanship had been so immense that Lingxu Zhenren was initially overjoyed. He had believed that with her rapid progress, she would soon reach the Spirit Transformation Stage. Therefore, he had explained the concept of the Sword Domain to her early on.
But then—
The disciple he had so highly regarded, the prodigy he had placed his hopes in, had gone from peerless genius to worthless disappointment overnight!
Lingxu Zhenren knew that many within the sect accused him of favoritism toward Ye Zhaozhao, claiming that Lingxu Peak had been unfair to Li Shuang.
But could he really blame himself?
Back then, Li Shuang had done him a great favor. He had believed wholeheartedly that Lingxu Peak would produce a peerless genius capable of suppressing the six great sects.
He was so certain of this that he boasted of her everywhere.
Not only within the Sword Sect but also to the practitioners of the other five sects, he constantly praised his brilliant senior disciple.
But what had Li Shuang become?
A disappointment.
For ten whole years!
She had been consumed by jealousy toward Ye Zhaozhao, while her own cultivation stagnated.
All of his proud boasts had turned into jokes.
Whenever his friends saw him, they would tease,"Hey, where's your gifted disciple? Didn't you say she was destined to be the best of her generation?""What? Her cultivation has regressed again? What a shame."
For cultivators of their level, further advancement was already extremely difficult. All they sought was a little face.
If Li Shuang had consistently earned him that face, how could he have been disappointed in her?
Now, however, Ye Zhaozhao's cultivation speed had already surpassed Li Shuang's, even compared to her youth.
Ye Zhaozhao was the disciple who could bring him honor.
So what was wrong with favoring her?
Besides, Li Shuang truly was jealous. She had targeted Ye Zhaozhao for ten years, and because of her, Lingxu Zhenren's own cultivation had remained stagnant. Was that not true?
Desperately, he tried to convince himself.
He had done nothing wrong.
It was only natural that he had expelled Li Shuang.
Yet—
Looking at Li Shuang now, dazzling on the stage, his pupils constricted.
Damn it!
She had condensed the Sword Domain—but why not in those ten wasted years?
Why now?
Was she trying to slap him in the face, making others think he had made the wrong choice?!
On the stage, Duan Ziyu's style was steady, while Li Shuang remained calm and unhurried. One possessed immense spiritual power; the other, exquisite swordsmanship. The outcome was uncertain.
Yet, the fact that she could contend with a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator was already proof of her extraordinary talent.
A look of satisfaction crossed Meng Yifei's face.
Regardless of victory or defeat, he had already placed Li Shuang on his list of disciples to be closely observed.
The Sword Sect had no shortage of resources, but they must be spent on the truly worthy.
"Master Lingxu," Lin Qingling said with a faint smile, crossing her legs as she sipped her tea. "How is my disciple's swordsmanship?"
Lingxu Zhenren's face darkened. Expressionless, he replied, "To practice the sword, one must first cultivate the heart. I expelled Li Shuang because her character was flawed. As for her swordsmanship, that is no longer my concern. I only hope Master Lin can laugh to the end—and not be stabbed in the back by this ungrateful wolf one day."
Lin Qingling sneered. "Speaking of flawed character, who can compare to the idiots on your Lingxu Peak?"
She turned her gaze to Meng Yifei. "Master, everyone can now see clearly. Xiaoshuang has indeed mastered the Sword Domain. She has fought Duan Ziyu to this level, and her previous victory over Shi Chuyun was completely justified! Yet Chang Le'an of Lingxu Peak slandered Xiaoshuang, claiming she and Shi Chuyun staged their battle without any evidence. How should this matter be handled? Surely we can't just let it go."
Last night, after hearing of the Law Enforcement Hall's handling of the case, Lin Qingling had been holding back her anger.
Previously, she refrained from acting because she wasn't certain Li Shuang had mastered the Sword Domain. But now—
Now the evidence was conclusive.
Chang Le'an must be punished for slander!
If even this bit of justice could not be won for Li Shuang, then Lin Qingling would have no face left as her master.
Lingxu Zhenren's face twisted. "Lin Qingling, Le'an was merely speaking carelessly, and Li Shuang suffered no harm! Don't go too far!"
Lin Qingling's sneer deepened. "First Ye Zhaozhao framed her, then Chang Le'an slandered her. Such is the style of Lingxu Peak disciples! Li Shuang endured it before, swallowing her anger as the eldest sister of Lingxu Peak. But now—she is my disciple. My disciples will not suffer grievances without redress!"
"Today, if the Law Enforcement Hall cannot give me an explanation, I don't mind making a scene! Let all the disciples know that slandering others without consequence will no longer be tolerated!"
Lin Qingling's fiery temper was well known. When she said this, none doubted her resolve.
Pang Zhixue glanced subtly at Meng Yifei.
Ultimately, it would depend on the Sect Master's decision.
Meng Yifei smiled gently, his expression like a spring breeze. "Master Lin, don't be so hasty. Master Lingxu, calm yourself as well. As for this matter, we—"
But before he could finish, exclamations erupted from the arena.
Meng Yifei's gaze snapped to the stage—
And narrowed sharply.
The stalemate had been broken.
Empowered by the Sword Domain, Li Shuang had pinpointed the greatest flaw in the Solid Stone Sword Technique.
That technique combined offense and defense, and in the transition between the two, flaws inevitably appeared.
Duan Ziyu's powerful spiritual energy had always compensated for those gaps, his experience keeping him safe.
But Li Shuang had been waiting patiently for this moment.
And it had finally come.
After the long stalemate, Duan Ziyu grew impatient. Abandoning caution, he poured his strength into an all-out offensive, hoping to overwhelm Li Shuang in one decisive strike.
His eagerness created his downfall.
At that instant, Li Shuang condensed her Sword Domain to its limit, compressing its power entirely into the Black Abyss Sword.
The sword light erupted like thunder.
In the blink of an eye, an astonishing brilliance flashed across the arena.
When the light dissipated, Duan Ziyu had been knocked out of the ring.
He looked up in a daze, struggling to comprehend what had just happened.
At the center of the arena, Li Shuang stood tall and graceful, cold brilliance shining between her indifferent brows.
In that moment, one thought echoed in every heart:
The peerless genius from ten years ago—
She has returned.