Eunuch Zhang shuddered as he looked at the shattered pieces on the ground. “A fake?”
Eunuch Zhang hurriedly bent down to clear up the shattered pieces on the ground. Although his cultivation base was not as high as Mu Ertie’s, he was still quite knowledgeable. The bronze Hades Ring did not look like a fake no matter how he studied it. The inscriptions on the ring were a little crude, but it contained energy. Based on its quality, it should be quite the treasure. Then, he furtively glanced at the ring on Mu Ertie’s finger before realization dawned on him. He said indignantly, “Your Majesty, the Evil Sky Pavilion is too much of a bully! They actually used a fake ring to exchange for the blue crystal! How shameless!”
Mu Ertie said angrily, “You dog slave, why weren’t you brave enough to say such words when they were here? Now that they’ve left, you’re shouting so passionately?”
Eunuch Zhang chuckled sheepishly before he said, “I’m sorry, Your Majesty. I just can’t help but feel angry on Your Majesty’s behalf.”
Mu Ertie sighed. “In any case, there was nothing I could do.”
Mu Ertie’s judgment was naturally good; after all, he managed to sit in his throne so firmly for such a long time. He was ruthless and decisive when the situation called for it and knew to retreat at the appropriate time. The burden he carried on his shoulders as ruler was not something others could bear.
Mu Ertie could choose to kill Lu Qianshan or to lower his head and build a good relationship with the Evil Sky Pavilion. Lu Zhou had collectively reduced the Birth Charts of the people in the Black Tower Council, defeated the White Tower Council’s Lan Xihe, and intimidated the cowardly Leader of the Dark and Light Alliance. It was clear to him what his decision should be after considering these factors. It would be very unwise for him to make an enemy out of the Evil Sky Pavilion.
…
While Lu Zhou flew in the air, he turned back to look at Si Wuya and said, “I don’t remember teaching you the Qi Observing technique…”
Si Wuya smiled and said, “That was a lie I made up to intimidate the Black Emperor…”
Lu Zhou and Lu Qianshan. “…”
The duo had to give it to Si Wuya; the Black Emperor fell for his lie after all.
Lu Qianshan asked curiously, “Although it’s a lie, the ingredients to conceal the energy can’t be made up, right?”
Si Wuya nodded. “It’s a coincidence really. I’ve refined pills to conceal my aura before based on the ancient books.”
It was with these pills that Si Wuya helped his fellow disciples to conceal their Great Void energies.
Lu Qianshan said to Lu Zhou, “Pavilion Master Lu, please don’t take offense for my actions earlier. I only said you’re my ancestor to lure the emperor into giving up the blue crystal…”
“Make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Lu Zhou said tonelessly.
Lu Qianshan prayed inwardly, ‘Please protect me, old ancestor!’
…
In the Lu clan’s estate.
Madam Lu was waiting in the main hall all this time. When she heard that Lu Qianshan and the others had returned, she, along with the old butler, came out to welcome them. A few other clan members came as well.
“Master, are you okay?” Madam Lu asked anxiously. After all, she was aware of the Lu clan’s situation. She was worried that Lu Qianshan would go into the palace, never to return.
Lu Qianshan smiled as he replied, “I’m fine. From now on, nothing will happen to the Lu clan.”
“But… We don’t know if the royal court will decide to deal with us in the future…” Madam Lu said worriedly. They all lived on the emperor’s whim after all; who could tell what the future held?
Si Wuya said with a smile, “Your worries are unnecessary. The Black Emperor promised my master not to make things difficult for the Lu clan. With this, not only would he not look for trouble with the Lu clan, but he would have to ensure the safety of the Lu clan as well…”
Madam Lu and the others were baffled when they heard these words.
Lu Qianshan had no intention of explaining the matter. He only said, “He’s right. Hurry up, don’t just stand around. Prepare the best feast for tonight. I want to entertain Pavilion Master Lu!”
Lu Zhou, who did not like liveliness, shook his head and said, “There’s no need for that…”
Lu Qianshan understood immediately so he ordered his men to clean up an independent courtyard for Lu Zhou. He also prohibited others from entering the independent courtyard in the estate.
…
In the evening.
Madam Lu grabbed Lu Qianshan’s arm and asked, “Master, what’s that young man’s background? Based on Old Jiang’s words, is he from a major sect?”
Lu Qianshan, who was in a good mood, said, “Indeed, you can say he comes from a major sect…”
Emboldened by this answer, Madam Lu said with a meaningful smile, “Master, look at our Yu’er; she’s no longer young…”
As soon as Lu Qianshan heard these words, he frowned immediately. Then, he said sternly, “I’m warning you now; you better now repeat these words again.”
“I… I understand…” Madam Lu hurriedly agreed.
“When cultivators reach a certain level, they can no longer be judged by their appearances. Pavilion Master Lu may look young, but in fact, he’s thousands of years older than you…” Lu Qianshan said.
Madam Lu. “…”
…
In an independent courtyard in the Lu clan’s estate.
Si Wuya bowed and said, “Master, I have a question, but I’m not sure if I should…”
Lu Zhou interjected, “Speak.”
“The blue crystals are without Great Void Energies and have lost their value; why is master collecting them?” Si Wuya asked.
Lu Zhou said, “Everyone isn’t aware of one thing: there are actually nine blue crystals, not six. If you can collect all nine blue crystals, you’ll be able to obtain the Great Void energy.”
Realization dawned on Si Wuya. After a beat, he fell to one knee and solemnly said, “Master, I’m willing to give my Great Void energy to you if you need it.”
Lu Zhou looked at Si Wuya and said, “I understand your good intention, but there’s no need for that. At this point, I have nothing to hide from you; your fellow disciples’ and your Great Void energies were given by me.”
Si Wuya instinctively lifted his head in shock. In fact, he had found it strange when he discovered all of his master’s disciples possessed the Great Void Energies. He was always curious as to why and had vaguely guessed it had something to do with his master. However, since his master did not mention it, he did not dare to bring it up as well. Now that his suspicion was confirmed, how could he not feel shocked?
After a while, Si Wuya asked, “Did our Great Void energies come from the blue crystals?”
Lu Zhou shook his head.
Si Wuya. “…”
Lu Zhou placed his hands on his back and said, “The blue crystals were the soil from where the Great Void Seeds grew, and it only absorbed a little of the seeds’ energy. Do you remember the medicinal pill I gave you when you first joined the Evil Sky Pavilion?”
Si Wuya was thoroughly shocked. He asked incredulously, “The Great Void Seeds?”
“That’s right.” Lu Zhou nodded. “To be honest, apart from Yuan’er and Conch, all of your talents were only average. It was even worse for Old Third and Old Eighth. After bringing the Great Void Seeds back from the Unknown Land, I gave them to all of you, defying the heavens and changing all your fates…”
“…”
The eloquent Si Wuya was speechless. To think the precious Great Void Seeds that everyone in the cultivation world was searching for and went crazy over were the ‘pills’ their master had given them when they joined the Evil Sky Pavilion!
Lu Zhou continued to say, “As for how I brought the Great Void Seeds out, there’s no need for you to ask. You’re the smartest in the Evil Sky Pavilion so you should know the secret of the Great Void shouldn’t be revealed.”
“I understand,” Si Wuya replied as he bowed respectfully. “Although I’ve made the pills to conceal my fellow disciples’ auras, I’m afraid they’ll arouse the suspicions of others sooner or later. After all, their cultivation talents are just too heaven-defying. I think it’s best to ask my fellow disciples to restrain themselves and conceal their cultivation bases…”
Lu Zhou nodded. “I’ll leave this matter to you. You may take your leave now.”
“Understood.”
The moon hung high up in the starry sky; it was already very late.
As Si Wuya walked away, he could not help but pause at the entrance and look at the moon. He recalled his time after acknowledging his master. He could vividly remember many of the hardships he had gone through, but the greatest pain he had endured at that time, which he would never forget, was when he ate the pill. After eating the pill, he was in pain for an entire month. At that time, he, along with his fellow disciples, assumed that their master was deliberately torturing them. With these thoughts in mind, he turned and bowed respectfully in his master’s direction before he returned to his room.
…
Lu Zhou sat cross-legged before he brought the giant turtle’s life heart out and placed it in front of him.
According to the theory of activating Birth Charts, if he embedded the seventh life heart and activated his seventh Birth Chart, he would go through a pain worse than death. The predecessors created the Birth Trial to help with this indescribable pain and to strengthen one’s Birth Palace. If one could not pass the Birth Trial, there was a possibility of damaging one’s Birth Palace, causing a drop in one’s cultivation base, when activating the seventh Birth Chart. The predecessors discovered that when they were strengthening the Birth Palace by going through the Birth Trial, there was a possibility of obtaining new abilities after passing the Birth Trial. Over time, the Birth Trials became an essential step in cultivation.
“To start the Birth Trial, I have to find a place with incredibly harsh environments…” Lu Zhou muttered to himself. These harsh places were usually extremely cold or extremely hot places. The pressure from these places would temper a cultivator and provide good training.
“Although the Cold Pond is a suitable place to pass the Birth Trial, it won’t be effective for me since I have Pu Yi’s life heart. Most cold places will only provide me with small improvements… In that case, I can only go to extremely hot places…” Lu Zhou muttered to himself. Soon enough, the river of magma in the Sky Wheel Mountain Range appeared in his mind.
