The summit of the snowy mountain.
Li Shuang stumbled forward, blood dripping from her many wounds, staining the snow a vivid red.
She had been trapped on this mountain for three days.
Three days ago, her master suffered a setback during cultivation and urgently needed a Tianshan Snow Lotus to stabilize his mind. Someone had spotted the rare flower atop this snowy peak, so she and her junior brothers and sisters climbed the mountain together in search of it.
But the climb proved far more treacherous than they imagined. In addition to the biting, ever-present wind, snow monsters could ambush them at any moment.
The youngest junior sister was careless and fell into a snow monster's lair. Li Shuang managed to pick the Tianshan Snow Lotus with great difficulty. Seeing the danger, she handed the flower to the junior sister and instructed her to bring it to the others and flee immediately.
Li Shuang stayed behind to block the snow monsters.
After a brutal life-and-death battle, she defeated them, but at great cost. Her spiritual energy was nearly depleted. She should have left to regroup with the others—but on her way down, she encountered more snow monsters, drawn by the scent of the snow lotus, headed straight for her siblings.
The snow lotus was too important to lose, and her junior siblings were already wounded and low on spiritual power. As the eldest sister, she had to protect them.
Gritting her teeth, Li Shuang fought again.
She wielded her sword alone, not knowing how long she battled or how many wounds she sustained. She barely triumphed, but the fierce winds swept her away, leaving her disoriented and lost.
Now, three days had passed. Only a thread of spiritual power remained in her dantian—barely enough to use a communication talisman.
She clenched her teeth. Now wasn't the time for pride. That sliver of power could still summon help.
Surely by now, her siblings had returned with the snow lotus. Her master should have recovered.
They likely hadn't come for her because they didn't know where she was.
She activated the talisman with the last of her strength and said quickly, "Master, I—"
But before she could finish, a cold voice cut through the talisman.
"Evil disciple! You dare contact me? Zhao Zhao fought desperately to retrieve the snow lotus, while you watched her in danger and fled! Li Shuang, after all these years, I never thought I'd raise such a heartless student!"
Li Shuang froze.
What was Master talking about? When had she run away?
She tried to speak, but the cold wind swallowed her voice.
"Master, don't blame my sister. Maybe… maybe she didn't see me," Ye Zhaozhao said softly.
Li Shuang stood frozen. The wind bit her face, but the pain in her heart was worse.
Ye Zhaozhao—what was she saying? Their relationship had never been harmonious, but Li Shuang had never abandoned her in a moment of life or death.
Second Junior Brother Sheng Yuan sighed. "Zhao Zhao, you're too kind. Senior Sister used to be the most talented of us, but ever since you surpassed her in cultivation, she's harbored resentment. When you were surrounded by monsters, she probably hoped you wouldn't make it out alive. She never expected you to escape with the snow lotus."
"No… That's impossible," Zhao Zhao replied, shaken. "Even if she resents me, Senior Sister knows how important the snow lotus is to Master. Even if she doesn't like me, she wouldn't disregard Master's life."
"I didn't think she'd go this far! When Junior Sister found us, she was badly injured, but the snow lotus was untouched—that proves her loyalty to Master," said Third Junior Brother Shen Yue, joining in the accusations.
"If Zhao Zhao hadn't scared off the monsters, we'd all have died! Compared to her, Senior Sister's behavior was despicable," said the fourth junior brother with disgust.
Voices of blame echoed one after another.
Li Shuang screamed in her heart—this isn't what happened! She had never blamed Zhao Zhao for the strange stagnation in her own cultivation. She only trained harder.
Their poor relationship stemmed from something else.
Zhao Zhao was sweet and charming. She quickly won everyone's favor on Lingxu Peak, including Li Shuang's—until one day...
Zhao Zhao claimed her cultivation had gone awry and asked Li Shuang for help. Trusting her, Li Shuang approached—only for Zhao Zhao to suddenly cry out, begging for mercy.
Coincidentally, their master arrived just in time to see what looked like Li Shuang bullying Zhao Zhao.
From then on, similar incidents occurred repeatedly.
Li Shuang, always too slow to explain herself, was branded jealous and petty. Even so, she had never wished Zhao Zhao harm.
Hadn't all these years meant anything to Master and the others? Did they really trust Zhao Zhao's lies over her?
Li Shuang tried to speak: "It's not like that, I—"
"Enough!" Lingxu Zhenren interrupted coldly. "I had high hopes for you. But the moment Zhao Zhao arrived, you feared she'd surpass you, so you tried to suppress her! And now you dare risk her life? I, Lingxu Zhenren, no longer consider you my disciple!"
With that, he severed the connection.
Li Shuang stared at the dimmed talisman in a daze.
Her last spiritual energy was gone. She couldn't contact anyone again.
Would they believe her if she told the truth?
No. They never had.
Whatever Zhao Zhao said, people believed. Whatever Li Shuang said, they only scorned.
She had been cast aside long ago.
Lifting her head weakly, Li Shuang looked at the Longyin Sword lying nearby—her faithful weapon since the Golden Core stage.
Within the sword was Long Yan, the spirit she had carefully nurtured.
She called to him softly, and his shadow appeared in the air.
"Long Yan," she said, "take the Longyin Sword down the mountain. Get help."
Long Yan hovered silently.
Confused, Li Shuang repeated, "Long Yan—"
Before she could finish, the Longyin Sword rose into the air—and stabbed straight into her dantian.
Li Shuang looked down at the blade piercing her, stunned.