He was too afraid of offending a Nine-leaf cultivator, but he could not offend the Taixu Academy and the Hengqu Branch as well. In that case, the best course of action was to cut the weeds and eliminate the roots. As to what would happen after this, he would leave it to their investigations.
Shen Liangshou did not even dare to breathe loudly. He wiped the sweat off his face. “That old man Lu… His aura seems even more powerful than Old Senior Ji.”
“Shen Liangshou.”
“Here…” Shen Liangshou raised his hand. He was at the top of the whitelist, and yet, he was living like a servant.
“He called the person behind him Hua Chongyang. Isn’t he the leader of the Nether Sect’s Four Great Protectors?” Huang Shijie asked in confusion.
“That’s right. He has a profound cultivation base, but I don’t know why he’s here…”
Huang Shijie nodded. “Since he’s close to Nine-leaf Lu, Penang Lai won’t let this opportunity pass us by. Don’t you forget why we’re here.”
“Understood!”
…
Lu Zhou did not travel through air. Instead, he deliberately traveled on foot for the first leg of the journey to see how Miss Conch would react.
Hua Chongyang followed behind him quietly.
Lu Zhou stopped when they were inside a forest. He looked at Miss Conch’s feet before he said “Where’s your house? I’ll send you back.”
“House?” She shook her head.
‘She’s homeless?’ Lu Zhou studied her again. She was truly mysterious. Apart from being gifted in the tongue and tune of beats, she survived under such harsh conditions. Children from ordinary families would find it difficult to survive being homeless. After muttering to himself for a while, he said, “Then, I’ll take you with me.”
Hua Chongyang called out, “Senior Lu.”
“Hm?”
“I have something to say, but I don’t know if it’s appropriate,” Hua Chongyang said.
“You’ve already hidden your identity, and I haven’t cleared that debt with you yet,” Lu Zhou said in a deep voice.
“…” Hua Chongyang jolted.
Lu Zhou glanced at him. ‘Well, aren’t I in disguise as well? What an awkward double standard…’ He shook his head. This is not important.
“I’m Hua Chongyang, one of the Nether Sect’s Four Great Protectors and the First Seat of Azure Dragon Hall,” Hua Chongyang said, “The Nether Sect is currently the greatest Fiend sect under the heavens. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, Senior Lu.”
Lu Zhou looked at Hua Chongyang and asked, “What’s your point?”
“Miss Conch is pure and naïve. It’s difficult for her to survive in the dangerous cultivation world. I… I can look after her. I’ll treat her like my biological little sister,” Hua Chongyang replied.
“You?”
“I don’t dare compare myself against you, Senior Lu. You’re a Nine-leaf elite, after all…” Hua Chongyang lowered his head.
Cultivation base had nothing to do with looking after another person, after all. If a great Nine-leaf elite with a family of his own brought a child back with him, how was the elite going to explain himself? If he was a lone cultivator, he would not have the time to raise a child as well. was one thing.
At this moment, before Lu Zhou could reply, Miss Conch said, “I won’t go with you.”
Hua Chongyang. “???”
“Hua Chongyang, why did you come for her?” Lu Zhou’s gaze was stern. ‘I won’t allow you to lie to me about this.’
Hua Chongyang’s chest tightened from Lu Zhou’s pressure. He had no choice but to honestly reply, “When the empire is ruled by an incompetent monarch, it’s our duty to take him down. The Nether Sect is only acting as the situation calls for and has the support of the civilians and cultivators of the nine provinces. However, we’re having trouble conquering Jing Province…”
“So, you plan to use this little girl?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Well…”
Lu Zhou was not wrong when he used the word ‘use’. It was the truth.
Hua Chongyang appeared awkward. He looked at the young girl sheepishly. At this moment he recalled Lu Zhou was not a member of the Penglai Sect. Lu Zhou had merely said that to fob him off. He mustered his courage and said, “I have a presumptuous request… If the Nether Sect can have your assistance, old senior, I’m sure we can easily take down Jing Province.” If they had the help of a Nine-leaf elite, they would no longer need Miss Conch or the vicious beasts at all. After he had spoken, he no longer had the courage to look Lu Zhou in the eye.
After a moment’s silence, Lu Zhou said, “I have no intentions of meddling in this trivial matter… However, I’m quite interested in the Sect Master of the Nether Sect.”
Hua Chongyang asked in shock, “You’ve heard about my sect master, Senior Lu?”
“A little.”
“To tell you the truth, my sect master’s master… is also a Nine-leaf elite like you! I wonder if you’ve heard of… the Evil Sky Pavilion that has taken the cultivation world by storm, Senior Lu?” Hua Chongyang was invigorated. He immediately spoke about the Evil Sky Pavilion. He was now convinced Lu Zhou was a lone elite.
“Nine-leaf? The Evil Sky Pavilion?” Lu Zhou could not give himself away. After all, his objective was to meet Yu Zhenghai and see what the rascal, Si Wuya, was up to.
“The Evil Sky Pavilion Master single-handedly defeated the seven great sects not long ago. His blooming Nine-leaf lotus is peerless…” Hua Chongyang’s tone was filled with respect. However, he realized he had spoken when he said the word ‘peerless’. He coughed lightly and corrected himself. “Naturally, compared to you, Senior Lu, he’s slightly lacking. After all, the pavilion master is getting old. Even if he’s at the Nine-leaf stage, there’s still a limit to the addition to his life.”
Lu Zhou. “???”
‘You’ve got balls talking crap about me!’
“How do you know his lifespan would remain the same after he’s attained the Nine-leaf stage?” Lu Zhou asked. Even he did not dare to make such a claim. His actual cultivation base was still at the One-leaf stage, after all. However, he had a feeling that the addition was surely more than 50 years once he broke through from the Eight-leaf stage to the Nine-leaf stage.
“You have a point, Senior Lu. I’m too uneducated,” Hua Chongyang said.
“If Yu Zhenghai has such a master… Why didn’t he ask for his help and flatten Jing Province?” Lu Zhou asked.
“Well…” Hua Chongyang dared not speak of such matters lightly. This was his sect master, Yu Zhenghai’s personal matter. It was rarely brought up in the Nether Sect as well. Then, he said, “Perhaps, you can ask my sect master in person about this.”
“Sure,” Lu Zhou replied. They clicked easily. Then, he looked at Miss Conch and said, “I’ll take you with me.”
“Mhm.”
A surge of energy lifted the two of them. They rose into the air and flew toward Jing Province City.
Hua Chongyang nodded silently. He thought that the Nine-leaf elite lived up to his name. Stability was the best way forward. He followed them quietly.
The three of them passed through the forest as they flew.
Miss Conch seemed excited by this. It was as though she had not flown before or had not flown for a long time. She pointed below and said, “Beautiful.” Then, she lifted her conch to her lips and softly blew into it.
The deep hum resounded across the skies. It was clearly an ordinary sound but was sonorous and forceful as it reached the lands below.
In the forest, the beasts ran wildly. The forest rumbled as clouds of dust rose between the trees.
The birds who heard the sound flapped their wings and flocked together.
Some of the vicious beasts that had begun cultivating moved at lightning speed.
As the three of them flew, the birds and beasts followed them.
Lu Zhou was not surprised to see this. He merely said, “Conch.”
“Oh.” She passed the conch to Lu Zhou.
Lu Zhou scrutinized it. It was not a weapon. It was just an ordinary conch. This was not a sound technique. ‘Is it possible that the tune is also part of the beasts’ language?’
Lu Zhou returned the conch to her.
“Thank you.” Surprisingly, Miss Conch thanked him.
