Chapter 417 - 416: The First Deep Talk

Chapter 417: Chapter 416: The First Deep Talk

"A person’s life?" Ling Fei was slightly startled, not understanding why Lian Shuang would express such a sentiment.

This didn’t fit the mindset of a young woman.

In the eyes of the world, Lian Shuang was a favored daughter of heaven, a goddess.

She was a lofty and unattainable existence.

But now, she seemed troubled, lamenting life and showing a state of mind different from her peers.

"What’s troubling her?" Looking at the melancholic Lian Shuang who was gazing into the distant Void, Ling Fei was immensely surprised.

’Does Lian Shuang have a story of her own?’ Ling Fei wondered.

Otherwise, why would Lian Shuang be acting like this?

This made Ling Fei even more curious.

In fact, from the very beginning, he had been extremely curious about this senior sister of his.

However, since Lian Shuang didn’t say anything, it wasn’t his place to press for details.

"Tell me, what do people live for?" Suddenly, Lian Shuang turned her head, looked at Ling Fei, and asked.

In her eyes, Ling Fei saw a hint of bewilderment.

At this moment, Lian Shuang was no longer that unattainable Female Sword God.

She was like a little sister from next door, lost and confused about life.

At that instant, Ling Fei’s heart stirred, and he couldn’t help but feel a pang of compassion.

Ling Fei never would have imagined that the proud, aloof senior sister who usually pointed out the shortcomings in his Martial Arts would reveal such a vulnerable side.

"Everyone’s environment is different, so their purpose in life is naturally different too. Therefore, the answer to ’what do people live for’ will vary from person to person." Seeing Lian Shuang’s expression, Ling Fei took a deep breath and said this, as his own purpose in life was different from others’.

"Everyone’s environment is different, so their purpose in life is naturally different too," Lian Shuang murmured to herself.

But within the bewilderment in her eyes, a trace of sorrow had appeared.

"Senior Sister Lian Shuang, why the sudden reflection?" Ling Fei inquired, wanting to understand this senior sister of his better.

"I wonder, what is Junior Brother Ling’s purpose for living?" Lian Shuang didn’t answer, asking a question of her own instead. The confusion in her eyes faded, replaced by a hint of curiosity.

"My purpose for living?" Ling Fei was taken aback.

Seeing the expectant look in Lian Shuang’s eyes, he composed his expression and said, "Since I was a child, I’ve resolved to become strong to lessen my father’s burdens. It’s still the same now. My goal is to become a mighty expert, to protect my family, to shield them from the wind and rain, and to let them live without worry."

"That is my purpose for living." As he finished, Ling Fei’s gaze became incredibly resolute.

For this goal, he was willing to go through fire and water, unafraid of any danger.

"To lessen your father’s burdens, to live to protect your family?" Lian Shuang blinked, staring at Ling Fei with curiosity. "You don’t live for yourself?" To her, his words seemed incomprehensible, completely outside her own understanding, which only piqued her curiosity.

"Not live for myself?" Ling Fei paused, not understanding why Lian Shuang would ask such a thing.

"Shouldn’t a person live for themself?" Lian Shuang said.

"A person does live for themself," Ling Fei nodded slightly, then said with a firm gaze, "but in my world, my family is my everything. There’s no separating them from me. So, living for them *is* living for myself. There’s no difference."

"Family!" Lian Shuang’s body suddenly trembled as if struck by lightning. Her eyes grew misty as she gazed into the distant Void, a reminiscent look on her face.

If one looked closely, her eyes seemed to be swirling with mist.

But what was more apparent was coldness.

Seeing this, Ling Fei was surprised.

"Does Senior Sister have no family left?" Seeing her reaction, Ling Fei couldn’t help but ask.

"I am no longer myself. Family? Heh." Lian Shuang gave a bitter smile. She turned back to Ling Fei and said, "You’re quite fond of that girl from the Beiming Sword Sect named Shangguan Wan’Er, aren’t you?" It seemed she was unwilling to talk about herself, so she changed the subject to him.

"We’ve been through life and death together. She’s also the first woman I’ve ever wanted to protect for a lifetime," Ling Fei said, his gaze focused.

A simple sentence, yet it said everything.

"But the Beiming Sword Sect will not let you be together," Lian Shuang said. She appeared indifferent and heartless, but she seemed to see these matters with perfect clarity.

"I will find a way to overcome all difficulties and bring her back to my side. Only then can I protect her," Ling Fei said with a resolute expression.

"Shangguan Wan’Er is very fortunate to have you." Lian Shuang gazed at Ling Fei as if trying to discern the truth in his words, then took a deep breath and spoke.

She could not see a trace of pretense in Ling Fei’s eyes.

"But, are you sure she won’t betray you?" Lian Shuang asked, a hint of curiosity in her tone.

"Betray me?" Ling Fei was startled, then said with great certainty, "She won’t."

’Back then, Shangguan Wan’Er nearly died for me!’

"You sound very certain," Lian Shuang said, "but people change with their environment. How can you guarantee the her of today is the same as the her of the past?"

"That..." At her words, Ling Fei’s brow furrowed slightly. He, too, felt a little worried.

’If Shangguan Wan’Er were truly devoted to me, she would have agreed to come to the Lingyun Sect back then.’

’But he knew her heart was more set on the Sword Dao.’

’It had been that way since they first met and had never changed.’

He couldn’t be sure if she would make a different choice for the sake of the Sword Dao.

Although they had been through life and death together, the time they had spent with each other was, in the end, still too short.

"Hehe, it seems you don’t have enough faith in your Shangguan Wan’Er after all!" Seeing this, Lian Shuang couldn’t help but give a charming smile.

"If she really does betray me, I’ll accept it." Ling Fei, however, shook his head and said, "After all, if it weren’t for her, I would have died long ago."

Hearing this, Lian Shuang’s smile gradually faded. As she looked at Ling Fei, the light in her eyes began to change.

It seemed she hadn’t expected Ling Fei’s feelings for Shangguan Wan’Er to run so deep.

Or perhaps, she hadn’t expected Ling Fei to be so magnanimous.

"If she killed you, would you truly not regret it?" Lian Shuang asked.

"There aren’t so many things in life to regret. This is my choice. Since I chose to trust her, I will. As for what choice she makes, I’ll accept that too," Ling Fei said. He didn’t want to dwell on these matters; no matter how smart he was, he still had his weaknesses and things he preferred to avoid.

"I hope things work out for you both." Lian Shuang smiled, no longer teasing Ling Fei. She then retracted her gaze, took a deep breath, and looked out into the distant Void, murmuring, "Unfortunately, I’m afraid none of this will be so easy. The sunset may be beautiful, but it will eventually fade. As for what tomorrow brings... who knows?"

"It’s true that no one knows what tomorrow will bring. But since we are alive, we should cherish every opportunity we have now and cherish the people around us," Ling Fei said.

"Cherish the present?" Lian Shuang was taken aback. It seemed she had never considered this question before.

"It’s getting late, I’ll take my leave now." The conversation with Lian Shuang had touched upon the very things that worried him, and Ling Fei no longer wished to stay.

At this moment, he felt slightly agitated.

He had already made all the arrangements concerning Shangguan Wan’Er.

His only worry was that Shangguan Wan’Er would be unwilling to leave the Beiming Sword Sect.

This worry had intensified, especially after the battle with Xu Zitao.

Because the Beiming Kunpeng Sword that Xu Zitao had displayed was indeed powerful, enough to attract countless Sword Dao geniuses to join the Beiming Sword Sect.

’Shangguan Wan’Er has been devoted to the sword, obsessed with it, ever since she was a child. Will she choose the Sword Dao?’

Ling Fei couldn’t be sure.

After all, although he and Shangguan Wan’Er had a bond forged through life and death, that affection was still in its initial stages. Ling Fei had no confidence in how things would ultimately turn out.