My Disciples Are All Villains

Yu Shangrong suddenly felt his heart race. He held his breath as he studied the Golden Lotus under his feet. Sprouting leaves all over again sounded simple, but it could also be the most difficult thing to achieve. It was due to his rich experience that he did not meet with obstacles like most novices did. The difficult part for him was doing all these things while he was still injured from severing his Golden Lotus. Moreover, this was his first time having to form a Golden Lotus again. Which came first, the Golden Lotus or the leaves? Without roots, how could there be leaves? To put it more aptly, which came first, the chicken or the egg?

Whizz!

His avatar shook, and the sound of resonance grew louder as well. The leaf began to take shape, and in just a while, the entire leaf had sprouted. He had successfully formed his first leaf again. In other words, his cultivation base was now in the One-leaf Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm again. He did not have to judge the height and might of his avatar. He could sense that it was a true One-leaf avatar.

His Golden Lotus continued shaking, and the radiant circles continued to move downward. According to his own speculation, the Golden Lotus should be forming any time now. Unfortunately, when he felt that his Primal Qi was almost depleted, he had yet to see the Golden Lotus. Maintaining the appearance of an avatar expended a great amount of Primal Qi. Moreover, he was injured.

'Hm?' Yu Shanrong raised a palm. He extended his arm before himself and stared at the avatar.

The radiant circles had disappeared, and the sole leaf spun around the avatar. There was no Golden Lotus! This was a novel experience for Yu Shangrong. He was an Eight-leaf elite who could arrogantly look down on everyone, his name, the Sword Devil, incited fear in the listener's heart. And still, he found it hard to accept what he was seeing. "An avatar without a Golden Lotus."

He clenched his fist, and the avatar disappeared.

Yu Shangrong's eyes gleamed. He closed his eyes and sat with his legs crossed before he began to absorb Primal Qi again. He kept this up for a day and a night.

When he sensed that some of his Primal Qi had been replenished, and his mental state had improved, he summoned his avatar again. There was still no Golden Lotus under the avatar's feet. Only one leaf could be seen.

Yu Shangrong amassed all his Primal Qi and gathered it below his avatar's feet and attempted again. He wanted to form a new Golden Lotus. He kept attempting in this manner. When his Primal Qi was about to run out…

Boom!

His avatar dispersed.

The spot where he sat suddenly caved in.

Yu Shangrong fell, plunging into darkness. He could not see anything at all. A cold blast of wind blew against him, and his face turned pale from the cold. Even so, he remained calm. He quickly found his footing and stopped falling in midair.

With a strike of his palm, a shining golden palm seal shot out and illuminated his surroundings.

"Melilot?" Yu Shangrong saw a huge path of melilot below him.

Whizz!

He was distracted by this sight when a net-like cover suddenly sealed the opening above him.

Click.

Yu Shangrong frowned slightly as he flew upward.

Bam!

He struck the net-like cover with a palm seal.

The cover did not move.

He launched another palm seal.

Bam!

It remained unmoved.

Bam! Bam! Bam!

After three more consecutive strikes, the cover still showed no signs of moving.

"Millennium frost iron?" Yu Shangrong shook his head, looking slightly displeased.

"Longevity Sword!" He gently summoned his sword that was lying on the ground above him.

'No way.' It seemed like his ability to remotely control an object had been greatly weakened.

He flew up to the cover and touched the cover. His palm shone with golden radiance.

The golden radiance illuminated the cover, and he could see Formation veins inscribed on it…

"A weakening Formation vein?" Yu Shangrong shook his head again. It was skillfully and brilliantly designed. The people of the Noblemen Country survived thanks to these items.

The things that he deemed weak were too insignificant to mention. However, this cover had exceeded his expectations.

Yu Shangrong sighed softly. Based on the situation, it seemed like he would need a higher cultivation base to summon the Longevity Sword to him. It was not something he could do at the moment.

He descended slowly. He launched another shining golden palm seal to take a good look at his surroundings.

This seemed to be a trap. It resembled a shelter as well.

After observing it for some time, Yu Shangrong closed his eyes and sat down with his legs crossed. Since he had made up his mind to begin again, he should not bite off more than he could chew…

One-leaf was still a leaf. He could do without a Golden Lotus for now.

…

The Evil Sky Pavilion.

After a day and night's worth of flying, Lu Zhou, Si Wuya, and Little Yuan'er finally arrived on Golden Court Mountain's Evil Sky Pavilion. They landed in the pavilion.

"Who's that?"

"Another newcomer!"

"Learn from your past mistake, will you? It must be Mister First since the old senior brought him back with such fanfare," Pan Zhong said as he crossed his arms.

"Is Mister First so gentle? Maybe it's Mister Seventh?" Zhou Jifeng shook his head.

"There's something you don't know. I heard Mister Seventh is extremely clever. His information network is spread throughout Great Yan. If he's unwilling… nobody can get a hold of him," Pan Zhong said confidently.

"You've got a point… Moreover, none of the nine Evil Sky Pavilion disciples can be judged based on their appearances."

Both of them seemed to have come to an agreement. Then, they walked toward Lu Zhou and the others after exchanging a look.

"Greetings, Pavilion Master! Greetings, Miss Ninth…" Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng were already familiar with the procedure. There was no need to greet Mister First. He was nothing but a traitor! At the very least, they could not greet him in front of the pavilion master.

"Did anything happen in the Evil Sky Pavilion these past few days?" Lu Zhou asked as he stroked his beard.

Pan Zhong answered honestly, "In reply to your question, Pavilion Master… nothing eventful happened in the Evil Sky Pavilion. Mister Third oversaw day-to-day operations, and everything went smoothly. The sects of the Noble Path, on the other hand, are spreading lies about the Evil Sky Pavilion everywhere."

"Lies?"

"It's the same news about Mister Second being dead, and the withering of the plants and trees on Golden Court Mountain. They're saying… saying…" Pan Zhong stammered.

"You can speak freely," Lu Zhou said.

"They're saying your great limit is just around the corner…" Pan Zhong did as he was told and revealed what he had heard.

Lu Zhou nodded. That much was expected. Sometimes, he wondered how many times those on the Noble Path needed to be crushed before they would realize the folly of their ways?

'Great limit? Do I look like I'm going to die so soon?' It was meaningless to ponder about such matters at the moment.

Lu Zhou looked at Si Wuya, who remained silent, and Princess Yong Ning who was in his arms. He said, "Yuan'er, bring the princess to the south pavilion to rest."

"Yes, master." Little Yuan'er cupped her fists.

"As for you…" Lu Zhou's gaze fell on Si Wuya. "Repent in the Cave of Reflection for seven days."

Si Wuya's expression remained unchanged. He merely cupped his fists and said, "Thank you, master."

Although Si Wuya's attitude to Lu Zhou was respectful, Lu Zhou could sense the lack of sincerity. However, he did not say anything and returned to the eastern pavilion. He had come up with seven days for the sentence because he wanted to replenish the Heavenly Writing scrolls' extraordinary power during that time. Without the extraordinary power as his backup, he could not help but feel that something was missing.

After Lu Zhou left, Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng respectfully bowed at Si Wuya and said in unison, "Greetings, Mister First."

Si Wuya only looked at them before he made his way to the Cave of Reflection.

The two of them hurried after him.

"Mister First, shall I fetch you a coat?"

"Mister First… You look more handsome than I'd imagined…"