A Single Chime Shatters His Dao Heart

Lin Wushuang had genuinely not anticipated that demonic sect methods could be so bizarre. Over the years, he had clashed with many demonic cultivators but never encountered such bizarre methods.

He keenly perceived a fact: the demonic sects nowadays seemed to be undergoing some kind of change. They were becoming more difficult to deal with than before.

No wonder the Sect Leader wanted to launch the Demonic Extermination Conference. He must have also sensed the rising momentum of the demonic sects.

They had to strike this demonic arrogance harshly!

“By the way, do you remember your junior brother?”
“Junior Brother? Master, has something happened with Junior Brother Qi recently?”
“I’m not talking about Qi Xiao.” True Master Dao Sword suddenly said. “I’m talking about the one from five years ago, whose cultivation was crippled and who was expelled from the sect.”
Lin Wushuang was momentarily stunned. He obviously recalled the person named Li Wangyan.
“I remember, Master.”
“Last time I was traveling, I was ambushed by demonic sects and severely injured, nearly perishing. At that time, your junior brother was within the demonic sects. He secretly saved me. He has a life-saving debt towards me. Therefore, after I recovered from my injuries, I brought your junior brother back to the sect. He is now using the alias Li Feiyu, serving as a steward within the peak. Your Junior Brother Qi is in seclusion, so he is temporarily taking over the Peak Lord position.”

Such a thing?!

Only now did Lin Wushuang understand why his master had urgently summoned him back several days earlier. Clearly, his master had already anticipated the Sect Leader’s intended action.
After all, even a Nascent Soul True Master like his master had nearly fallen at the hands of the demonic sects. Then the sect itself was attacked by demonic elements. If the Heavenly Dao Sect swallowed this humiliation again, they might as well disband the sect right now.

“Since you have returned, go see your junior brother. Talk with him. Regarding the incident back then, there are hidden circumstances. Master is already investigating. However, he might hold some resentment towards you—if possible, Master still hopes you two can resolve conflicts.”
“I respectfully obey Master’s command!”

Resolving conflicts with others was something Lin Wushuang wasn’t good at. But since it was his master’s order, he should follow it.

Thus, he went directly to the Peak Lord’s main hall.

Upon entering, he saw a man bent over handling sect documents. This person’s appearance gradually overlapped with his memory. It was indeed that junior brother who had been expelled.
He quietly approached this junior brother’s side, finding him seriously handling peak affairs.

“Junior Brother.”

He suddenly spoke.
Li Wangyan seemed startled, instantly channeling spiritual power.
Then he discovered it was Lin Wushuang standing beside him.

Lin Wushuang keenly noticed that this junior brother’s eyes underwent several changes. As for the specific emotions within them, Lin Wushuang, who cultivated the Ruthless Sword, could not clearly discern.
However, he knew this junior brother of his probably didn’t like him, or rather, harbored resentment in his heart.

“So it’s Eldest Senior Brother, returned! What brings you to me?”
His tone sounded somewhat distant, but Lin Wushuang didn’t mind. After all, he treated others similarly.
“After returning, I paid respects to Master. I heard you have now taken over Junior Brother Qi’s Peak Lord position. As a member of Dao Sword Peak, I naturally should report to you. That conforms to sect rules.”
Here, he paused, his face expressionless.
“Incidentally, Master said that regarding the incident back then, there were some misunderstandings. You likely hold dissatisfaction towards me. He hopes we can resolve conflicts. Junior Brother, do you have any dissatisfaction towards me?”
“Eldest Senior Brother misunderstands. The incident back then indeed had hidden circumstances. Senior Brother, you were deceived. How could I resent you because of that? Honestly, if our positions were reversed, I would probably act even more poorly than Senior Brother. Since there was no conflict to begin with, how can we talk about resolution?”

Li Wangyan’s words were somewhat unexpected to Lin Wushuang. However, he originally wouldn’t experience emotional fluctuations because of such things.
“In that case, I am at ease. Junior Brother Qi is in seclusion, likely for the Demonic Extermination Conference. Before I returned, I was also attacked by demonic sects. I will probably also enter seclusion soon. Your Second Senior Brother hasn’t returned yet. Peak affairs will likely still trouble you.”
“I dare not waste Senior Brother’s trust!”
“Very well!”

Lin Wushuang then quickly departed.

After he left, about half a day later, a woman dressed in red arrived at the Peak Lord’s hall.

“My dear Peak Lord Li! Have you missed me?”
“Hong Lian, have I not said before not to come find me without important matters? If your identity is discovered, it would be very bad.”
“I heard your Eldest Senior Brother is back?”
“Hmm. He was just here.”
“My task… was it handled without issues?”
Li Wangyan nodded. “No issues. The Bliss Curse has already been planted. I can shatter his Dao Heart at any time.”
“In that case, the thing you promised me… you’re sure you can accomplish it, right?”
“Are you sure you want to do this? You are the Saintess of the Life-Severing Sect.”
Hong Lian sneered. “Since you already know that as the Saintess of the Life-Severing Sect, I can use you as a furnace for nourishment, why don’t you think… the Sect Leader is preparing to use me as a furnace, planning to nourish me once I reach Golden Core?”

Li Wangyan shrugged, noncommittal.

“You are truly heartless. Clearly knowing my intentions… yet forcing me to handle matters for you first before you’re willing to find a way for the Heavenly Dao Sect to attack the Life-Severing Sect. How can there be such a heartless man under heaven? Am I really that unbearable?”

Li Wangyan remained silent.

Hong Lian bit her lip.
“My Life-Severing Sect… possesses a true dual cultivation technique leading to the Great Dao… The secret treasury of the Joyful Supreme from years past was contested by many sects. My Life-Severing Sect obtained this technique. It’s called ‘The Great Sorrow and Great Joy of Heaven, Earth, Qian, Kun, Yin, and Yang.'”
“Hmm. I know.”
“I can give it to you.”
“Rest assured. The Heavenly Dao Sect will absolutely attack the Life-Severing Sect. Whether they can annihilate it is hard to say, but the Life-Severing Sect Leader will definitely die. You will also ‘die’ in the process. Afterwards, you will be an ordinary inner sect disciple of Dao Sword Peak. It can be considered washing away the past and facing the light.”

Hong Lian left angrily.

Li Wangyan sighed helplessly.

Hong Lian was not a good person—though she treated him well, Li Wangyan knew very well she was indeed a demon who killed without blinking.
Of course, he himself wasn’t a good person either, so it wasn’t that he had any moral requirements for Hong Lian. It was just—if he were to like someone, he indeed still preferred Senior Sister Qi.
Humans, stuck in the mire, the uglier they are, the more they like the pure moonlight.

* * * *

Qi Xiao, of course, knew Eldest Senior Brother had returned.
But she was already “in seclusion.” This wasn’t a lie; she was already refining her final magical artifact for breaking through to mid-Golden Core, so she didn’t plan to see Eldest Senior Brother.
However, she thought that since Eldest Senior Brother cultivated the Ruthless Sword Dao, even if transformed into a woman, he probably wouldn’t care too much and would definitely be more composed than she was.

—In reality, that was not the case.

The instant Lin Wushuang finished her cultivation session, she already knew about the changes to her body.
“Damn it! What is this?! Could it be that demonic cultivator’s method?! Transforming me like this, for what purpose?”

While she was hesitating and conflicted, Li Wangyan arrived outside her cave abode.

“Eldest Senior Brother! I have important matters to discuss!”
Lin Wushuang instantly thought of the ‘Flower in the Mirror, Moon on the Water’ technique… She remembered she didn’t know it.
She originally thought it was a useless technique. She had her sword—
But… this wasn’t right, was it?

After hesitating for a moment, she opened her cave abode.

“Junior Brother Li, this is…”
Li Wangyan’s eyes lit up. This truly far exceeded his expectations.
He squeezed into Lin Wushuang’s cave abode, circled around her twice, and carefully observed.
“I hadn’t expected that after Eldest Senior Brother transformed into a woman, you’d have such a fox-like face! Anyone who didn’t know might think you were a fox spirit taking human form… Truly a devastatingly beautiful face. The only shortcoming…”
His gaze shifted slightly downward.
“…The development here can only be considered generally full.”

Not compared to Master; even compared to Senior Sister Qi, it was slightly inferior.
Thinking this, Li Wangyan inhaled sharply.

“You!”

Lin Wushuang quickly realized Li Wangyan’s attitude clearly indicated her current condition was related to this person.
She immediately took out her flying sword, pointing it at Li Wangyan.

“Eh~ Look at you, Eldest Senior Brother. Still so impatient. Before taking any action, one must always consider things clearly first!”
Lin Wushuang immediately urged her immortal sword.

And then…

“Ding-ling~”

A crisp bell sound rang out.

At that instant, a tremor originating from the depths of her divine sense erupted, causing her spiritual power to become chaotic. Her body even lost balance, directly falling to the ground. The flying sword also dropped.
“What is… this?!”

She couldn’t believe this was her own body. She felt weak all over, continuously trembling, and for a short time even struggled to condense spiritual power.

“So I said, Eldest Senior Brother, consider things more before acting! Look at the mess you’ve gotten yourself into…”
Li Wangyan took out a small bell.
“Since Junior Brother dared to come before you, Senior Brother, it’s naturally because I have confidence before daring to come—Ah, Senior Brother, I know you want to wait until your spiritual power recovers a bit to send a message to Master. You can certainly try.”

Lin Wushuang’s pupils shrank. She immediately realized this wasn’t just a trap targeting her.

“You really colluded with the demonic sect!”
“The sect said I colluded with the demonic sect, crippled my cultivation, expelled me. If I don’t collude with the demonic sect, wouldn’t my cultivation have been crippled for nothing? Senior Sister.”
“You… you saving Master’s life… it was… a scheme!”
“So what?”

Li Wangyan stared at her, an evil smile spreading across his face.
“So what? My dear Eldest Senior Sister~”

He held that small bell, squatted down, and leaned close to Lin Wushuang’s face.
“Let’s play a fun little game, shall we? Let’s see which is more pleasant to hear—Senior Sister’s cries or the sound of this bell.”

His smile was evil and ferocious.
“Eldest Senior Sister will surely like it very much.”