Ever since returning to the Evil Sky Pavilion, Ye Tianxin never had the chance to speak to her master face to face like this. Based on her memories, she had never done this as well even before she left the Evil Sky Pavilion. The fairfolk had a rough fate; they were annihilated by others. She was the only survivor, and she lived a solitary and hard life while she wandered the lands like rootless duckweed. She had nowhere to go; the Evil Sky Pavilion was the only place she belonged to. Moreover, as the saying went, ‘A master for a day, a father forever’.
Ye Tianxin was still keenly aware of the mistakes she had made before so she did not dare to ask for any favor from her master.
She looked at her master who wore a calm expression on his face and remained kneeling on the rush cushion with her hands before herself as she said, “Kindly enlighten me, master.”
Lu Zhou said, “I taught you the Blue Waves Technique in the hopes that you’ll be able to be like water, knowing when to advance and when to retreat. Like water, you have to know how to adapt and co-exist with purities and impurities. I gave you the Amorous Hoop in hopes that you’ll put it to good use and put an end to those who should be ended.”
Ye Tianxin’s heart trembled slightly.
Lu Zhou continued. “The monk, Fa Kong, was a Nine-leaf elite who had mastered the karmic fire from the red lotus domain. If you weren’t careful, you might not have survived. Do you understand?”
When she returned to the Evil Sky Pavilion from the Moonlight Woodlands, she could still withstand the prolonged battle with Liu Ge. However, against the monk, Fa Kong, who had the strength and cultivation base to kill an Eight-leaf cultivator, she was just like an ant trying to uproot a tree. It was incredibly foolish.
Ye Tianxin bowed and said, “I won’t forget your teachings, master. I’ve sinned in the past, and I merely want to atone for them.”
“Since I’ve decided to accept you again, I’ve let go of the past. If you’re still stuck in the past, how are you going to improve in the future?”
Ye Tianxin’s body shook slightly. She did not expect her master to have such high hopes for her.
After saying all this, Lu Zhou finally arrived at the main reason he had summoned her here. “Give me your hand.”
“Understood.” Perhap, she was a fairfolk, her wrist was supple and as white as the snow. However, it could also be due to her unhealed injuries.
Lu Zhou placed two fingers on her pulse. His Primal Qi flowed along her Extraordinary Eight Meridians and into her sea of Qi. His skillful and precise control over Primal Qi allowed him to easily examine the conditions of Ye Tianxin’s body.
Lu Zhou could clearly sense some lingering effects from her battle with Liu Ge and his men. Her life aura was on the weak side, and she needed time to recover.
Lu Zhou removed his fingers from her wrist before he said, “You’ve lost much of your longevity. If you keep this up, it won’t be any help to your cultivation.”
“I’m already satisfied that I’ve reached the Eight-leaf stage…” Ye Tianxin had never expected she would become an Eight-leaf cultivator in the first place. It was just her good fortune that she encountered Cheng Huang. Moreover, she did not think she was talented enough to continue improving past this stage.
In this sense, her thinking slightly resembled Mingshi Yin’s. Being an Eight-leaf cultivator was powerful enough for them, and they would still command respect. There was no real reason for her to risk everything for the Nine-leaf stage.
Alas, the times were different now.
Lu Zhou spoke slowly, “There’s going to be a huge change under the heavens. I’m afraid being an Eight-leaf cultivator is no longer enough.”
“What do you mean, master?” Ye Tianxin asked in confusion.
“How much do you know about Jiang Wenxu?” Lu Zhou asked in return.
“When I was in the Divine Capital, I heard Senior Sister Zhao Yue mention him. Master, are you saying the disaster is real, and the red lotus domain will invade Great Yan? Is that the great change you’re talking about?” Ye Tianxin asked.
Lu Zhou merely nodded. He slowly rose to his feet with his hands on his back and said, “Although Yu Zhenghai and Yu Shangrong have returned to the Evil Sky Pavilion, they’re arrogant, stubborn, and unyielding. Apart from them, among the other disciples, you’re the only one who has reached the Eight-leaf stage first. I’ve already preached to the world. I’m sure there will be more Nine-leaf cultivators in Great Yan before long. If I’m not here, who’s going to support the Evil Sky Pavilion?”
Ye Tianxin looked up at her master in shock. She was slightly surprised by the amount of hope her master placed in her.
Lu Zhou continued to say, “Since you’re at the Eight-leaf stage, you should seize the opportunity…”
“Understood.” Ye Tianxin bowed.
Lu Zhou turned around and faced Ye Tianxin as he said, “You’ve mastered the Blue Waves Technique… When you’re highly familiar with it, it may sometimes be as lofty as a mountain of ice or like a sea of boiling water. It may change erratically or be as calm as a mirror… It’s an extremely profound cultivation method. You’ll understand the meaning of a book when you read it 100 times. From this day on, you are to repeatedly cultivate this method. Don’t slack off.”
“Understood!”
“Ding! Taught Ye Tianxin. Reward: 1,000 merit points.”
Lu Zhou was slightly surprised when he received this notification. It was a rather huge reward. He merely intended to advise her to fulfill his responsibility as her master, to enlighten her, and also to strengthen the Evil Sky Pavilion. With this, in a way, he was also improving his strength.
“Don’t move.” Lu Zhou flipped his palm, and a blue lotus appeared. This was the extraordinary power he accumulated after meditating for half a day; everything was contained in this palm.
The blue lotus descended; its power was focused on Ye Tianxin. When it bloomed, Ye Tianxin jerked and rose to her feet. She raised her hands and looked at her body in disbelief.
The blue lotus seemed like her lotus, at this moment. Its energy nourished her Extraordinary Eight Meridians, and she could feel her injuries were further healed. Apart from that, her sea of Qi was flowing smoother than before as well.
Soon after, the blue energy disappeared.
Ye Tianxin bowed and said in a voice brimming with gratitude, “Thank you, master!”
Lu Zhou glanced at her and extended his hand. “The Amorous Hoop.”
Ye Tianxin did not hesitate. She brought the Amorous Hoop out and presented it with both hands to her master.
Lu Zhou waved his hand and said, “I’m your master, and it’s my responsibility to teach you and make sure you’re safe. That will be all.”
When Ye Tianxin heard this, she was shocked. She did not leave immediately. Instead, she raised her arms and prostrated herself in a sincere act of worship. “I’ll fulfill my promise to you, master.”
After that, Ye Tianxin stood up respectfully and retreated from the room.
Lu Zhou slowly walked to the side of the rush cushion and sat down before picking up the Amorous Hoop.
He remembered when he first recruited Ye Tianxin as his disciple. She was a smart and well-behaved child. It was also for those reasons that he had given her the Amorous Hoop.
Lu Zhou flipped his right hand, and a Shining Stone appeared. When the Shining Stone burst into flames, he tossed the Amorous Hoop into the fire.
Based on his previous experience, Lu Zhou was familiar with the process so he did not pay too much attention to it.
At this moment, he was looking at the system dashboard before checking the prices of the item cards. Just as he had expected, the prices increased after he reached the Nine-leaf stage. The Deadly Strike Card and Impeccable Card were now sold at 15,000 merit points each. Even the cheapest item card, the Thunderblast Card, was sold at 5,000 merit points each.
Fortunately, he had the extraordinary power and the Nine-leaf cultivation base. He was relying less on the item cards now. It would be enough just to have a few on hand.
…
Time passed by in just a blink of an eye. Early the next morning.
Lu Zhou heard some creaking noise so he opened his eyes and looked at the source of the noise.
The Amorous Hoop was now completely red after being burned. Then, it swiftly reverted to its original appearance. A gleam of light flowed through the hoop’s blade as well.
With this, the Shining Stone’s energy was exhausted.
“Ding! Obtained desolate-grade Amorous Hoop. Reward: 1,000 merit points. Owner: Ye Tianxin. Refinement needed before use.”
Lu Zhou waved his hand. The Amorous Hoop flew into his hand.
“Is anyone there?”
“Your orders, pavilion master?”
“Give the Amorous Hoop to Ye Tianxin.” He pushed his palm forward, and a surge of energy opened the door. The Amorous Hoop flew out and hovered before the door.
The female cultivator was from the Derived Moon Palace and a former subordinate of Ye Tianxin. Therefore, she recognized the weapon at once. However, she felt that the weapon had changed even though she could not tell what was different. She felt her heart moved as she hastily stepped forward to take the Amorous Hoop. Then, she bowed and said, “Understood.”
…
The female cultivator left the eastern pavilion and made her way to the southern pavilion. Shortly after, she was outside Ye Tianxin’s room. She bowed before she said, “Palace Master, your weapon!”
There was no immediate reply.
After a while, the door creaked as Ye Tianxin opened the door. She emerged from the room and said, “From now on, you’re forbidden from addressing me as palace master from now on. I don’t care even if you are my comrade.”
“Yes.”
“We’re all sisters, and I know why you’re doing this. However, I’m now a disciple of the Evil Sky Pavilion. Just forget everything about the Derived Moon Palace, understand?”
“Yes.”
Ye Tianxin looked at the Amorous Hoop. As soon as her eyes landed on it, her eyes flashed. “My Amorous Hoop…”
