Chang Le'an spotted Li Shuang from a distance, and a flash of disgust crossed his eyes. Their junior sister had already suffered so much because of her—she had only just begun to recover. What was Li Shuang doing here?
Hadn't she bullied their junior sister enough?
As Li Shuang approached, Chang Le'an prepared a few sharp remarks, but his words froze on his lips.
Because—
Li Shuang didn't even glance at them. She walked straight past, heading directly into the Disciple Hall.
Chang Le'an clenched his teeth as he watched her indifferent figure disappear inside. What was she pretending at? Why would she suddenly come here? Wasn't she just trying to "accidentally" run into them to humiliate their junior sister again?
"Third Senior Brother, what is Senior Sister Li doing here?" Ye Zhaozhao asked softly, her expression pitiful. "Will she plot against me again? I'm really scared of Senior Sister Li now."
"Don't be afraid!" Chang Le'an puffed out his chest immediately. "I'll find out what tricks she's up to this time."
He pulled Ye Zhaozhao along, storming after Li Shuang—only to hear her cold voice ring out:
"Sign me up."
Chang Le'an's pupils shrank, and he rubbed his ears in disbelief.
Li Shuang? Signing up?Surely he had misheard!
The disciple on duty accepted her token out of habit and began recording the information. Suddenly, he froze, then looked up in shock.
"Li Shuang, Qi Condensation Stage? Are you sure you're here to register?"
Li Shuang's voice was steady. "Sign me up."
Ye Zhaozhao's eyes flickered as she stepped forward timidly. "Senior Sister Li, are you certain you want to register for the Langya Secret Realm screening competition? Inside the Secret Realm, all disciples' cultivation will be suppressed to the Foundation Establishment Stage. Normally, only disciples who have at least reached that stage participate. Even the screening competition requires fighting with Foundation Establishment cultivation. With your current level… I'm afraid it will be difficult."
Li Shuang frowned slightly and turned to the registrar. "Does the registration rule say that disciples below Foundation Establishment are forbidden to participate?"
The disciple wiped his forehead nervously. "Not… exactly. But…"
Everyone knew the gap between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment was enormous—almost insurmountable.
Before he could finish, Li Shuang cut in calmly: "Then please register me."
The disciple hesitated, then had no choice but to comply. "Very well. Senior Sister Li, the first competition begins in three days."
Li Shuang retrieved her token with a nod. "I will be there."
She ignored Ye Zhaozhao and Chang Le'an entirely as she turned to leave.
But Chang Le'an blocked her path, sneering. "Li Shuang, do you still think you're the Senior Sister of Lingxu Peak? You're no better than a new disciple now! The harvest of the Langya Secret Realm concerns the sect's reputation. Only true elites may enter!"
He looked her up and down with open disdain. "Tell me, what does the word elite have to do with you anymore?"
Back then, when he was only at the Golden Core Stage and she was in Nascent Soul, he had been forced to give her face. But now?
She was the one who had turned against them first—he no longer had to be polite.
"Third Brother, don't say that," Ye Zhaozhao said gently, though her eyes glittered coldly. "Senior Sister Li didn't mean to end up in this situation."
But deep inside, her thoughts were sharp.
The Supreme Forgetfulness Art? For so many years, no one had been able to cultivate it. Who knew if it was even real?
She herself had suffered greatly just from a minor setback in her cultivation. And Li Shuang—she had lost everything overnight. However calm she looked on the surface, her heart must be bleeding.
Li Shuang had taken everything from her. Now she would stab at Li Shuang's deepest wound.
"She deserves it!" Chang Le'an's voice was cold. "If she hadn't abandoned you on the snow mountain, you would have returned safely with us. How would any of this have happened? Li Shuang, mark my words—I will uncover the truth of what happened there one day. And I will make you repay the suffering our junior sister endured, a thousandfold!"
Li Shuang's gaze was indifferent. "I'll be waiting for you to discover the truth."
Her calmness only fueled his rage. He was about to spit more venom when Ye Zhaozhao quickly tugged at his sleeve. "Third Brother, enough! I don't want to dwell on it anymore."
But in truth, she was the one who most wanted that incident buried forever.
Chang Le'an looked at her with pity. "Zhaozhao, you're too kind—that's why you're always bullied. You want to forgive her, but she would never forgive you. Don't worry. Once the Langya Secret Realm matter is settled, I'll give you justice. Li Shuang will pay the price."
Ye Zhaozhao lowered her eyes with a gentle sigh. "Third Brother, let's not talk about it now."
Then she turned to Li Shuang. "Senior Sister Li, Third Brother and I have also registered. If you participate, you'll surely run into us. By then…"
Chang Le'an cut in harshly, "By then, I'll show you no mercy! Let's go, Junior Sister."
He dragged Ye Zhaozhao away.
She glanced back at Li Shuang, her eyes filled with feigned regret. In truth, she secretly hoped Li Shuang would make it into the fifty-person team.
Because within the sect, Li Shuang was still protected. But in the vast Langya Secret Realm… it would be far too easy for someone to die unnoticed.
Unfortunately, Li Shuang was far too weak now. How could she possibly enter the top fifty?
Ye Zhaozhao suspected she simply couldn't accept her fall and was struggling in vain.
Li Shuang, meanwhile, merely watched their performance expressionlessly. She felt no waves in her heart.
Those two no longer had the power to affect her.
That they had also registered didn't matter.
Her purpose was simple—restore her cultivation and find the treasures needed to build her foundation.
She was walking her own path.
As for Lingxu Peak, their grievances had long since been settled. She wouldn't seek revenge, but she would not let them stand in her way either.
Her calm face carried an unshakable determination.
The path of the invincible swordsman was hers to walk.
Li Shuang's world was vast—too vast to waste on petty entanglements.
Meanwhile, at Lingxu Peak.
Chang Le'an and Ye Zhaozhao returned.
"Big Brother, guess who we saw signing up?" Chang Le'an sneered. "That arrogant Li Shuang! She really dared to register for the qualifying round. If I meet her in the competition, I'll definitely—"
He was abruptly cut off by a weak voice.
"Third Junior Brother, who did you just say signed up?"