SWNOVELXO Chapter 12
Chapter 012: Squandering Talent”
“Cultivate! Cultivate! I just want to cultivate!”
Lu Ye had no interest in Chu Ling’s fate. If she died, so be it.
His focus was singular: surpass everyone in one go, reaching a height unattainable by anyone, especially those bothersome women.
Time would erase all unwanted ties. Altitude would bury all regret.
With every moment, his Saint Core grew brighter and larger, the True Essence within compressing and condensing again and again.
He was determined to lay an unshakable foundation—strong from the first step, strong at every step.
At this moment, he sensed a figure outside his room.
Without looking, he knew it was Chu Ling.
She had survived? Lucky her.
Chu Ling, now fully healed, sat cross-legged outside his door, silently cultivating.
On Chixia Peak, one of the auxiliary peaks of the Great Dao Sect, her presence did not go unnoticed.
The Great Dao Sect boasted nine main peaks and seventy-two auxiliary peaks. To hold dominion over even an auxiliary peak required a cultivation level of at least the Integration Realm, a testament to the sect’s unparalleled strength on the First Heaven.
Due to her confinement on the mountainside, Yue Hongling was visible from Chixia Peak. Frustrated by her punishment, she resolved not to apologize to her detestable senior brother.
Still, her master’s reminder had planted a seed of doubt.
Was her senior brother truly that considerate?
Delving into her memories with the wisdom of a former emperor, Yue Hongling began analyzing the precise and layered energies that had supported her past breakthroughs. The deeper she looked, the more astonished she became.
Achieving that level of precision was incredibly difficult, requiring not just exact calculations of pills and treasures but also an intimate understanding of her body’s changing conditions.
She hadn’t noticed this before.
Hmph! So what if he cared for me deeply…
A hint of sadness flickered across Yue Hongling’s face.
Even if Feng Wuxie hadn’t died, their relationship might not have blossomed. Her senior brother, despite his flaws, had his merits.
But Feng Wuxie’s death was an unhealed wound, a thorn deeply embedded in her heart—a thorn that had festered into a sickness over time.
As General MacArthur once said, “The lost love is the truest of loves.”
Even Lu Xun, in Water Margin, alluded to the notion: “What one cannot attain in youth will haunt them for a lifetime.”
The more Yue Hongling thought about it, the more miserable she felt. To distract herself, she threw herself into cultivation.
Her chosen technique, The Eternal Defiant Sutra, was created by the fearless emperor himself. Her training mirrored its namesake, her punches bold and unrestrained, her red robes sweeping through the verdant forest like a dance.
From afar, a young man on Chixia Peak, his eyes brimming with admiration, watched her practice.
Beautiful. Majestic.
The Great Dao Sect housed such an extraordinary woman?
The youth leapt into the air, his sword beneath his feet, and flew toward Yue Hongling.
“Greetings, Junior Sister. I am Linghu Wushuang, the new senior disciple of Chixia Peak. Your fist technique is exquisite. May I spar with you?” he asked with a warm smile.
Yue Hongling paused to consider.
Linghu Wushuang… that name feels distant.
She recalled that after Lu Ye declined the Holy Son title, Linghu Wushuang had assumed the position. He had reached great heights but ultimately perished during the dark upheaval on the Eighth Heaven.
He was undoubtedly a talent, though Yue Hongling had seen countless exceptional individuals. Even emperors were no strangers to her.
“Kid, you wouldn’t stand a chance. Let’s not waste time,” Yue Hongling replied, her tone dismissive.
“Um…” Linghu Wushuang hesitated. “Aren’t you younger than me?”
“Even so, you’re still a kid to me.”
Seeing that Yue Hongling had no intention of fighting, Linghu Wushuang didn’t press the issue. He was aware that challenging someone he’d just met could come off as rude.
“Why are you training in the mountainside? The spiritual energy here is sparse, unsuitable for cultivation,” he asked curiously.
“I’m being punished,” Yue Hongling said nonchalantly.
“What? What did you do?”
To Linghu Wushuang, being punished so soon after entering the sect was serious. If a master were displeased, one’s cultivation journey could become a thousand times harder.
“I didn’t do anything wrong! My master is just biased toward my detestable senior brother. Once I’m free, I’ll make her apologize!” Yue Hongling declared indignantly.
Linghu Wushuang was dumbfounded.
‘You’re… this bold? Planning to tickle your master until she apologizes?
No wonder you were punished!’
Still, he couldn’t deny her charm. Yue Hongling wasn’t just stunning but also spirited and lively.
“Biased toward your senior brother? What happened? Tell me about it,” Linghu Wushuang urged, genuinely curious.
“Fine, I’ll tell you!” Yue Hongling began recounting.
“I broke that lousy senior brother’s door, and he grabbed me by the neck, threatening to kill me unless I fixed it. He actually tried to strangle me!”
Linghu Wushuang was appalled.
“How could someone act like that? All over a broken door? That’s outrageous!”
“Exactly!” Yue Hongling exclaimed.
“And after I fixed it, I knocked on his door for something important, and he punched me right in the eye! My eye was black and blue, and you can still see faint traces.”
Linghu Wushuang leaned closer to examine her eye—a breathtaking pair of eyes, gleaming like the night sky with hints of violet from the bruising.
He clenched his fists in fury. Such beauty deserved reverence, not violence!
“Unforgivable!” he fumed.
“There’s more!” Yue Hongling continued, detailing how her senior brother had reneged on gifts and even threatened her during their disputes.
“This is outrageous! What’s his name?” Linghu Wushuang demanded.
“Lu Ye!”
“Lu Ye, is it? Junior Sister, don’t worry. I’ll challenge him and make him apologize to you!” Linghu Wushuang declared heroically.
But Yue Hongling fell silent.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, puzzled.
Yue Hongling hesitated before muttering, “You… beat Lu Ye?”
Don’t kid yourself!
She knew Linghu Wushuang didn’t stand a chance.
No one ever doubted Lu Ye’s strength. His character, temperament, or identity might be questioned, but his power? Never.
“Forget it. You couldn’t even handle one of his fingers.”