Ye Zhaozhao was still dazed.
The disciples who had inscribed the Sword Energy Cleansing Spirit technique onto jade slips began reading its contents.
One disciple murmured, "Indeed, if used carefully, this technique won't harm the sword spirit. At worst, the practitioner's meridians may be damaged. With Junior Sister Ye's level of cultivation, recovery shouldn't be difficult."
Another disciple nodded. "Senior Sister Li began using this technique when she was still in the Golden Core stage. She controlled it perfectly and never harmed her sword spirit. Junior Sister Ye is already in the Nascent Soul stage—it should be even easier for her."
A third added, "Besides, Junior Sister Ye and Long Yan share a master-servant contract. Their mutual connection will make handling the turbid energy much smoother."
Their words made Ye Zhaozhao's expression falter.
She clenched her teeth in secret fury.
Not only did she not know how to transform her spiritual energy into sword energy, but even if she did, she would never risk damaging her meridians for Long Yan's sake!
At last, she understood why Li Shuang had so generously shared her hard-earned technique.
It was to push her into this exact corner.
"Junior Sister Ye, look at Long Yan—he's nearly at his limit. If you don't act soon, he'll become nothing but void." Li Shuang's tone was calm but unyielding. "He betrayed me, so I shouldn't care. But since you all begged me to intervene, this time, I'm willing to guide you through the process and help you minimize the damage."
Long Yan lifted his gaze toward Ye Zhaozhao, eyes full of desperate longing.
If one could keep their entity, who would willingly fade into nothingness?
Li Shuang had managed it when she was still in the Golden Core stage. Ye Zhaozhao, at Nascent Soul, should find it even easier to drive away the turbid air.
Sheng Yuan found the logic sound. "Junior Sister, Senior Sister Li's cultivation is indeed too low right now. Since she's willing to guide you, you should give it a try."
Ye Zhaozhao's lips trembled. "I… I consumed too much spiritual power in today's competition. I fear I can't manage it."
"Oh?" Li Shuang arched a brow. "In the competition, everyone's cultivation was suppressed to Foundation Establishment. How much power could you have truly lost?"
Ye Zhaozhao gritted her teeth. "I… I lack experience."
"This technique isn't difficult. You can learn and apply it immediately. Its greatest risk is damage to the meridians." Li Shuang's voice softened, though her eyes remained sharp. "Junior Sister Ye… don't tell me you're unwilling to take such a small risk for Long Yan's sake?"
Her gaze narrowed. "He gave up everything for you. Now that he is your sword spirit, you won't do even this much for him?"
"Junior Sister?" Shen Yue frowned, confusion flickering across his face.
It was such a small matter—why was Ye Zhaozhao hesitating?
"What do you mean?" Chang Le'an interjected sharply. "If Zhaozhao wishes to save Long Yan, she can. If not, she doesn't have to. Who are you to force her?"
Li Shuang's smile was cold. "Really? Then why are you all kneeling before me? Were you not trying to force me to save Long Yan?"
Her voice carried like steel. "I was betrayed by Long Yan, and my cultivation is only at the Qi Training stage—yet you pressured me to save him. Now Ye Zhaozhao, his master, is at the Nascent Soul stage. Isn't it far more natural for her to save him herself?"
Her words silenced Chang Le'an.
All eyes turned toward Ye Zhaozhao.
Long Yan clenched his teeth. He could not—would not—be reduced to void.
His voice shook as he begged, "Master… save me."
Ye Zhaozhao's body went cold.
She had intended to corner Li Shuang, but now she was the one trapped.
"I… I'll try," she stammered.
If she refused, she risked complete humiliation.
Sweeping her divine sense over the jade slip, she felt a wave of panic rise in her chest.
Transforming spiritual energy into sword energy… she had no idea how to even begin.
This Long Yan! What a scam!
Where was the promised peerless sword spirit?All she had was this troublesome burden.
"Junior Sister Ye… don't tell me you can't even transform spiritual energy into sword energy?" Li Shuang's words fell like a blade.
Ye Zhaozhao froze.
Sword energy was a fundamental technique taught to all disciples after initiation. If she couldn't perform it, she would be the laughingstock of the sect.
"If you truly can't manage, use a sword stone instead. The energy is harder to control, but it will suffice for now," Li Shuang suggested.
"I have more sword stones," Sheng Yuan quickly offered, producing one.
But as he handed it over, a pang of guilt stirred in his chest.
This, too, had once come from Senior Sister Li's resources.
So many things he had once taken for granted… only now, as senior brother, did he begin to grasp the weight of those sacrifices.
Nothing had ever been truly free.
He glanced at Li Shuang, whose expression was utterly indifferent, as though the sword stone meant nothing.
His chest tightened with unease.
"Big Brother, this… such a precious sword stone, is it really okay to waste it here?" Ye Zhaozhao asked weakly.
"Saving Long Yan is the priority," Sheng Yuan said firmly. "Junior Sister, use it."
Ye Zhaozhao had no choice but to accept the sword stone.
Carefully, she injected a trace of spiritual power into it. The energy cycled through the stone and returned to her body, sharp and piercing. When she released it again, it had become sword energy.
It sounded simple.
But this was Ye Zhaozhao's first attempt. The moment the sharp energy cut through her body, she let out a scream, her face turning pale.
"Zhaozhao!"
"Junior Sister!"
Several Lingxu Peak disciples rushed forward in alarm.
Chang Le'an glared at Li Shuang. "What did you do to her?"
Li Shuang's tone remained calm. "What could I possibly have done? It was only a trace of sword energy. What sword cultivator hasn't endured such pain?"
Sheng Yuan checked Ye Zhaozhao's condition. His face grew complicated.
This injury… was barely worth mentioning.
And yet she cried out as though gravely wounded.
To them—sword cultivators—this was an ordinary part of training.
"Ye Zhaozhao," Luo Mingyue sneered, stepping forward. "If you don't want to save Long Yan, just admit it. Why put on such a performance? You thought he was a peerless sword spirit and schemed to seize the Dragon Roar Sword. Now that you know he's useless, you want to discard him?"
Her voice was cutting. "Ignore him a little longer, and his turbid energy will annihilate him. If it happens again, he'll fall into slumber—and then you'll have your excuse to buy a new sword."