Chapter 190: Taking Leave
Lu Zhou looked around his surroundings. He remained quiet even when he saw all his disciples kneeling on the ground. His gaze shifted from Ye Tianxin to Pan Zhong before he called out, “Pan Zhong.”
“I’m here.”
“If you want to return to the Clarity Sect, will the Clarity Sect agree to it?” Lu Zhou asked indifferently.
Pan Zhong fell to his knees immediately and declared his allegiance. “Pavilion Master, since I’ve joined the Evil Sky Pavilion, I’ve never thought about leaving. If you didn’t give me the Six Yang Technique, I’ll still be afflicted by the bitter cold. As long as I live, I’ll be a person of the Evil Sky Pavilion; if I die, I’ll be its ghost.”
“I was saying, what if,” Lu Zhou said.
“What if?” Pan Zhong scratched his head and said, “If I return, I think I would be cut into eight chunks before I could even reach the main entrance…”
Mingshi Yin rolled his eyes and said, “What did you do that you’re not even deserving of a second chance to make amends?”
“It’s not about making amends. This is the Clarity Sect’s rules. The elders stick to the rules rigidly,” Pan Zhong said.
Lu Zhou looked toward Zhou Jifeng and asked, “Zhou Jifeng, what about you?”
Zhou Jifeng knew the reason Lu Zhou was asking these questions. He replied, “Although the Heavenly Sword Sect has been good to me, we’re no longer able to share the same sky. Even if I want to return, they would never take me in.”
Lu Zhou turned to look at Hua Wudao and asked, “Elder Hua, what about you?”
Hua Wudao seemed to have foreseen that he would be asked the same question. He cupped his fists and said, “Would you like to hear the truth, Pavilion Master?”
“Naturally.”
“If I didn’t join the Evil Sky Pavilion and am willing to return to the Yun Sect, I think the Yun Sect will accept me.” Hua Wudao was a Six-leaf elite after all. After his recent breakthrough, he was now a Seven-leaf elite. A talent such as himself would have been accepted anywhere he went. However, he had joined the Evil Sky Pavilion. It was practically impossible for him to return to the Yun Sect.
The trio’s answers reached everyone’s ears.
At this moment, all of Lu Zhou’s disciples did not dare to say anything. They did not want to interrupt Lu Zhou’s thoughts, whatever they were. Their kneeling alone was the utmost they could do to plead for Ye Tianxin.
Ye Tianxin clearly knew what the questions meant. She felt worse when she heard Zhou Jifeng and Pan Zhong’s replies. She kneeled without moving as she linked her fingers together. She had betrayed her master, denounced her ancestors, and left… She was no different from Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng. She was not Hua Wudao after all.
“The Fish Dragon Village incident has been solved. Wei Zhuoyan, who framed me, has died… Do you have anything to say about it?” Lu Zhou asked calmly.
Ye Tianxin’s body trembled. She did not dare to look at Lu Zhou. She kept her head lowered as she said, “I know that my sins are grave and unforgivable…”
Lu Zhou’s expression was calm. He waved his arm dismissively and said with nary a ripple in his tone, “Our ties have been severed… Leave.”
Ye Tianxin’s heart sank when she heard this.
The others only looked up and sighed. They wanted to help but were powerless to do anything else.
Ye Tianxin rose to her feet with great difficulty.
“Palace Master.” Her former subordinates were pained to see her like this. The only thing they could do was support her.
Ye Tianxin bowed deeply toward Li Zhou and said, “I joined the pavilion when I was ten and have been cultivating 20 years. I will never forget how you’ve nurtured me, instructed me, and gave me the Amorous Hoop. I have committed a grave sin and returning to the Evil Sky Pavilion was only my wishful thinking. However, you responded to my hostility with kindness by getting to the bottom of the Fish Dragon Village incident and killing Wei Zhuoyan. This favor amounts to a new lease on life for me…” Then, she kneeled on the ground again. “Please accept my final kowtow, master.” She kowtowed loudly three times to Lu Zhou.
Nobody stopped her. They only watched in silence.
Mingshi Yin wanted to plead at first, but Duanmu Sheng stopped him. Judging by the hour and the situation, it was not wise to oppose their master right now. Mingshi Yin understood that as well and only shook his head helplessly.
Lu Zhou seemed calm.
Ye Tianxin rose to her feet after she finished kowtowing.
“Since you saved Little Yuan’er… I’ll give you the Amorous Hoop. You’re on your own now…” When Lu Zhou flipped his palm, the glittering Amorous Hoop materialized in the air while spinning slowly. He swung his arm and the Amorous Hoop floated toward Ye Tianxin.
Ye Tianxin was surprised. This was the weapon she had spent much time with. She had long forged an exceptional bond with it. She would not have said anything even if her master destroyed her weapon. She truly did not expect her master would give the Amorous Hoop to her.
Ye Tianxin conjured up some weak Primal Qi to wrap around the Amorous Hoop. When she got the weapon, she could feel that her spirit, Qi, and essence had undergone some noticeable changes.
“The Amorous Hoop was made for Junior Sister Tianxin.” Duanmu Sheng was all praise when he saw this. However, when he thought about it, he felt the Overlord Spear was alright as well. He felt much better with that thought in mind. He turned to look at Mingshi Yin and sighed inwardly. ‘Poor Fourth Junior Brother. He was given some junk, and yet, he’s beside himself with happiness.’
Ye Tianxin bowed deeply toward Lu Zhou again. All the words she wanted to say were conveyed with this bow.
Lu Zhou said nothing. He looked on as she turned around and left the south pavilion.
Hua Wudao sighed. “I can see that the child is genuinely sorry for her sins… However, I agree with your decision, Pavilion Master. Deceiving one’s master and denouncing one’s ancestors are crimes that incite the fury of gods and men alike!”
Mingshi Yin was about to offer a few more words of plea, but Hua Wudao’s statement made him swallow his words. ‘Forget it… She’s gone. There’s no need to waste any more words on this.’
Mingshi Yin bowed at Lu Zhou and said, “Master, may I send her off, seeing that we’ve spent many years as fellow disciples?”
Lu Zhou nodded slightly. ‘He can do whatever he wants.’
Mingshi Yin exited the south pavilion and saw the Derived Moon Palace’s female cultivators gathered outside. He frowned involuntarily.
“What are you guys doing?”
The Derived Moon Palace’s female cultivators stopped in their tracks.
“Mister Fourth.” The female cultivators saluted him.
One of the female cultivators bowed at Mingshi Yin and said, “We’re grateful for your help back then, Mister Fourth, and we’re grateful for all the care you’ve showered upon us all this time… We, sisters, have followed the palace master for many years. Where the palace master goes, we shall follow…”
Mingshi Yin felt speechless. “How touching. Alas, you’re too dumb…”
“Uh…”
Mingshi Yin ran down the mountain and caught up to Ye Tianxin.
“Fourth Senior Brother?” Ye Tianxin turned around, puzzled.
“Junior sister… Don’t hold this against master. You saw how it was earlier. I tried to plead for you but…” When Mingshi Yin said this, he turned to look at the female cultivators before saying, “You aren’t going to rebuild the Derived Moon Palace, are you?”
“What do you mean, Fourth Senior Brother?”
“Your cultivation base isn’t restored yet… You’ll attract too much attention if you bring them along with you, and you’ll easily be a target,” Mingshi Yin said.
Ye Tianxin nodded. She was now a clay Buddha that was trying to cross the river. She could hardly fend for herself. She could not act as though she was her former self.
Mingshi Yin smiled faintly. “Don’t be upset. Master didn’t kill you, and he has taken out Wei Zhuoyan. This is a wonderful show of grace… Moreover, master merely told you to leave. He didn’t say anything about banishing you from the pavilion. This shows that he isn’t that heartless after all.”
Ever since Ye Tianxin was captured and brought back to the Evil Sky Pavilion, she rarely had contact with her master. She did not know that her master had changed. With a befuddled expression, she said, “Fourth Senior Brother, are you telling me that I still have a chance?”
“Of course,” Mingshi Yin said with a nod, “I’ll try and slowly persuade master. Perhaps, his anger will fade in the future.”
“I certainly hope so.” Ye Tianxin’s expression brightened up immediately.
“Moreover, you saved little junior sister. Master is most fond of her. I’ll try my best to trick… uh, persuade little junior sister to put in a good word for you in front of master,” Mingshi Yin said.
When Ye Tianxin heard this, she bowed at Mingshi Yin and said, “Thank you, Fourth Senior Brother.”
“We’re both fellow disciples, there’s no need to thank me,” Mingshi Yin looked beyond the barrier and said, “Forget the main road, take the inconspicuous roads instead… Also, before your cultivation base is restored, you shouldn’t show your face in public.”
Ye Tianxin nodded. Then, she faced the female cultivators. At this moment, she seemed to have turned into a cold noble lady, “Although we’re sisters, you’ll only be in danger if you follow me… You’ll remain here in the Evil Sky Pavilion and look after my master on my behalf.”
“Palace Master!” All the female cultivators fell their knees in unison.
