“He won’t come up?” Lu Zhou frowned slightly and scoffed. “I’ve waited for him for six months. Instead of managing the Nether Sect, did he come here to laugh at me?”
“Master, you’ve misunderstood Eldest Senior Brother. When I saw that you were still cultivating in seclusion, I sent letters to Eldest Senior Brother and Huang Shijie for help,” Mingshi Yi replied honestly.
Lu Zhou did not reply. Indeed, the time he spent meditating on the Open Earth Scroll had exceeded his expectations.
The four Elders had already severed their lotuses and were recultivating. Although five months had passed, how could they return to the Eight-leaf stage in that time frame? Moreover, nobody knew how an Eight-leaf cultivator without a Golden Lotus would fare against an Eight-leaf cultivator with a Golden Lotus. There was no precedence of this, after all.
Apart from that, although his disciples were improving quickly, they were no match for Eight-leaf cultivators, after all. Indeed, Mingshi Yin could not be blamed for this.
However, it was a fact that Yu Zhenghai did not know how to respect his master and his master’s teachings. In the end, Lu Zhou said indifferently, “Tell him to scram.”
“Master? Eldest Senior Brother has traveled far to be here. I think that he’s sincere. If we tell him to scram now, isn’t it…” Mingshi Yin said.
Lu Zhou interjected, “If you sympathize with him, you can stay at the foot of the mountain with him.”
“I… That’s not what I meant… I just feel… Mhm, Eldest Senior Brother should get lost.” After saying this, Mingshi Yin bowed and went down the mountain.
As expected, Yu Zhenghai was still standing in the same spot. His hands were placed on his back. He was neither domineering nor servile. He looked lost in thought as he stared up at the Evil Sky Pavilion. When he saw Mingshi Yin coming down, he smiled and nodded as he said, “I always knew you’re considerate… Old Fourth… Come, let’s have a talk.”
Mingshi Yin, “???”
“What’s wrong?”
“Nothing… Eldest Senior Brother, what are you standing there for?” Mingshi Yin asked.
“This scenery brings back memories. I can’t help but feel sad…” Yu Zhenghai said with a sigh.
Mingshi Yi was speechless; he wondered what was there to be melancholic about?
Yu Zhenghai said, “I was more mischievous than all of you when I first joined. I’ve explored every corner of Golden Court Mountain. I like this mountain. I can look at the trees here forever.”
“…”
‘Why does this sound awkward?’ Mingshi Yin, naturally, did not dare to verbalize his thoughts. He asked tentatively, “Eldest Senior Brother, aren’t you coming up the mountain to meet master?”
“No,” Yu Zhenghai said with his hands on his back, “He’s old. We have nothing in common to talk about.”
“How do you know that when you haven’t tried talking to him?” Mingshi Yin mumbled.
Yu Zhenghai chuckled and said, “How long have you been in the pavilion?”
“60 years.”
“I was in the pavilion for nearly three centuries…” Yu Zhenghai said with the air of a senior, “Nobody in the world knows him better than I do.”
Mingshi Yin considered Yu Zhenghai’s words before he said, “If you know him that well, then all the more you should talk to him.”
“Old Fourth, you aren’t sent by master, are you?” Yu Zhenghai turned to look at him.
Mingshi Yin put away his frivolous air, cupped his fists, and said, “Eldest Senior Brother, master has told me to tell you to get lost… to go as far away as you can. If there’s no other way, you should kill yourself where you stand, and he won’t save you.”
“Is this what he said? Or is there more?” Yu Zhenghai glared.
“I’m worried that you’d clobber me if I told you…” Mingshi Yin chuckled.
“Just tell me. I won’t blame you.”
“He said that of the ten disciples he’s recruited in his life, you’re the worst… Ow, you said that you won’t hit me, Eldest Senior Brother! Stop! Stop! Stop! I’m not finished yet…” Mingshi Yin retreated hastily and tidied his clothes. “He said that you’re useless and as cowardly as a mouse.”
Yu Zhenghai clenched his fist. He steeled himself and said, “Old Fourth, hold my saber… I’m going up.” He flipped his palm and his Jasper Saber spun out, landing in Mingshi Yin’s hand.
Yu Zhenghai placed his hands behind his back. He stepped into the barrier as though it was no man’s land.
Mingshi Yin shuddered as he looked at Yu Zhenghai’s back. ‘This is f*cking exciting…’
…
The sun set in the west as it always did. Dusk had finally fallen…
Mingshi Yin and Yu Zhenghai sped up to the Evil Sky Pavilion. They moved at blinding speed as though they were worried that they would run into someone. They even used grand techniques, twice.
“E-Eldest Senior Brother, wait for me…”
Yu Zhenghai was now outside the Evil Sky Pavilion’s eastern pavilion. As he stood before the eastern pavilion, contrary to his expectation, he did not feel melancholic. Instead, for some reason, he felt slightly nervous.
‘Forget it. I’ll come back another time.’ Yu Zhenghai turned around and prepared to leave. However, he halted his steps when he recalled Mingshi Yin’s words. He could not help but feel agitated. ‘What does he mean that I’m as cowardly as a mouse?’ He turned around again.
Mingshi Yin finally arrived by Yu Zhenghai’s side at this moment. He asked, “Eh, Eldest Senior Brother, why aren’t you going in?”
Yu Zhenghai coughed to mask the awkwardness as he dismissed his thoughts and said, “Old Fourth… It’s late now. I’ll come back another day.”
Mingshi Yin looked at the skies and wondered. ‘Didn’t the sun just set moments ago?’
“Eldest Senior Brother, aren’t you mad that master said those things about you?”
“It’s perfectly normal for a master to berate his disciple. How can we, as disciples, hold this against master?” Yu Zhenhai patted Mingshi Yin’s shoulder. “You’re too full of youthful vigor. You should let it go, like me.”
“Uh…”
“See you next time.”
Yu Zhenghai was about to turn around and leave when a gruff voice rang from the eastern pavilion. “Since you’re here, why don’t you come in?”
Yu Zhenghai. “???”
Yu Zhenghai’s heart skipped a beat.
Even Mingshi Yin was shocked. ‘Since when did master’s hearing become this sharp?’
Bam!
The door of the eastern pavilion was blasted open by a gust of wind.
Lu Zhou floated out from the pavilion with one hand behind his back and another extended before himself. With his gray hair and Daoist robes, he had the righteous air of an immortal. The moment he flew above the steps, he unleashed his grand technique.
Whizz!
Lu Zhou appeared outside of the eastern pavilion.
Yu Zhenghai’s eyes widened, and he shuddered despite himself.
“Ding! Disciplined Yu Zhenghai. Reward: 200 merit points.”
Mingshi Yin bowed and said, “Master, I’ll be taking my leave.” He thought it was best if he stayed out of this.
Lu Zhou ignored Mingshi Yin; his eyes were trained on Yu Zhenghai. However, he merely glanced at him briefly before he walked toward the back of the mountain.
Yu Zhenghai understood what his master meant. Although he felt nervous, he had no choice but to follow master at this juncture. He walked behind his master.
Their pace was neither rushed nor slow.
At this moment, Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng were diligently cultivating behind the mountain. Although it was twilight, they could still see their surroundings.
“Brother Zhou, quick, quick… A newcomer.” Pan Zhong pointed at Lu Zhou and Yu Zhenghai who were walking slowly toward them.
“If I’m not mistaken, this must be the pavilion master’s friend…”
“F*ck your guesses. Let’s just get out of here.” Pan Zhong swiftly flew away.
Zhou Jifeng nodded. “You’ve got a point.” He left swiftly as well as though he did not see anyone.
Yu Zhenghai followed Lu Zhou all the way to the highest point at the back of the mountain. This was also the quietest place of the Evil Sky Pavilion.
Lu Zhou turned around. He stroked his beard and asked indifferently, “You killed Gu Yiran?”
Yu Zhenghai walked up to his master’s side and looked at the mountains and the rivers before he replied, “Yes.”
“Where were you… when the ten great elites laid siege on the Evil Sky Pavilion all those years ago?” Lu Zhou asked.
Something stirred in Yu Zhenghai’s heart. As he expected, his master had taken that to heart. He replied, “I sent one of the three Sword Freaks, Chen Wenjie, as reinforcements… However, he was a double-crossing fiend.”
Lu Zhou shook his head. What could someone like Chen Wenjie do? Sending a Seven-leaf Chen Wenjie over when the ten great elites were attacking was akin to giving him a suicide mission.
“Before the ten great elites attacked me, how did they find out about my movements?”
