My disciples are all villains.

The arrow that was nocked had to be fired.

While Lu Zhou circulated his Primal Qi, the extraordinary power of the Heavenly Writing erupted. The transparent Primal Qi seemed to be tinged blue and was extremely magnificent. It looked like blue fireflies were hovering around his palm.

In just a blink of an eye, the cold poison in Zhao Yue's meridians was gradually cleared by Lu Zhou's Primal Qi and the Heavenly Writing's extraordinary power.

A thin layer of fog appeared on the surface of Zhao Yue's body, and heat rose from the top of her head.

In just a short moment, the cold poison in Zhao Yue's meridians began to weaken at an alarming rate before it disappeared completely. Warmth spread through her body, and the thin layer of ice on her clothes and body quickly melted away from the heat.

...

Meanwhile, Hua Yuexing who had just left the south pavilion was lost in her thoughts. The more she thought about it, the more puzzled she became. Perhaps, during her stint in the palace, she was used to doing everything Lady Jade told her to without questioning the reason. Now that she had joined the Evil Sky Pavilion, she found herself doing the same thing.

Hua Yuexing stopped in her tracks and mumbled to herself, "Why did the Pavilion Master ask me that question?" She scratched her head, unable to figure it out.

At this moment, she saw Pan Zhong and Pan Litian.

Pan Zhong had seen Hua Yuexing standing outside the south pavilion from afar. He walked over, cupped his fists, and said, "La-lady Hua… Hello."

"What did you call me?" Hua Yuexing frowned.

"Oh, that's not what I meant… Elder Sister Hua…" Pan Zhong corrected himself.

Hua Yuexing felt speechless.

Pan Litian smacked Pan Zhong's neck, resenting Pan Zhong for failing to meet his expectations. He said, "Lady Yuexing." He corrected Pan Zhong's form of address and gave him a scornful look. His expression seemed to say that it was no wonder that Pan Zhong was still single.

Pan Zhong cupped his fists awkwardly and said, "Lady Yuexing."

Hua Yuexing was not a person who would fuss over minor matters. She cupped her fists at the two of them in response.

Pan Zhong asked, "Have you seen the pavilion master?"

"Do you have some business with him, senior?" Hua Yuexing looked at Pan Litian and asked.

Pan Litian said, "I was fortunate enough to be gifted the Sable Magnolia. Now, my dantian's sea of Qi is open… I should thank him in person for this act of charity."

"You've recovered your cultivation base, senior?" Hua Yuexing had heard about the stories and legends about the Clarity Sect's greatest elite, Pan Litian. Such a person only existed in the stories her elders told her. When she heard that his cultivation base had recovered, she was, naturally, shocked.

Pan Litian shook his head and said, "I wouldn't say it's recovered. It'll take time. In five years' time, I should be able to regain my full strength."

Pan Zhong nodded with a smile.

Pan Litian had been conversing with Pan Zhong lately. Hence, they had grown closer. However, Pan Litian still refused to admit he was Pan Litian. For this reason, Pan Zhong only thought this senior treated him better because they were both formerly from the Clarity Sect. They acted like long lost acquaintances without regard for each other's ages. Sometimes, they did not even act like a senior and a junior. Pan Litian did not seem to mind it as well.

"Congratulations, old senior," Hua Yuexing said.

"You haven't told me where the pavilion master is. I went to the east pavilion and the great hall, and yet, I couldn't find him," Pan Litian said.

Hua Yuexing answered, "He's in the south pavilion. He should be coming out soon."

"Thank you."

"Thank you, Lady Hua… Damn it…" Pan Zhong hastily gave himself a slap. It had been a slip of tongue.

"…" Hua Yuexing only looked on helplessly. She returned to the south pavilion with both of them.

Just as three of them arrived at the south pavilion, a faint blue energy rippled out from Zhao Yue's body like a huge wave into the surroundings.

"Look out!"

Hua Yuexing, Pan Litian, and Pan Zhong activated their protective energies at the same time. They formed transparent shields that protected them from the wave of energy.

Bam!

Alas, their barriers only lasted for mere seconds before they shattered like glass.

The three of them staggered backward before the wave slowly subsided. They looked at Zhao Yue's room with a frightened expression on their faces.

"Uh…" Pan Zhong was speechless.

Han Yuexing was baffled, and she wondered out loud, "What power is this?"

Pan Litian stood up slowly. He looked at the barrier in the sky.

"The power of the barrier."

"No wonder…"

"Why is the Pavilion Master using the barrier's power?" Hua Yuexing could not understand this.

She was not the only one who was confused. Even the knowledgeable and experienced Pan Litian was puzzled.

At this moment, Lu Zhou emerged from the room with his hands on his back. He swept his gaze across Hua Yuexing, Pan Zhong, and Pan Litian before it lingered on Pan Litian. "How does it feel to have your cultivation base back?"

Although it was a long way to go before Pan Litian would regain his full strength, at least, he had hope now.

Pan Litian bowed and said, "I came to thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master… From this day on, my life belongs to the Evil Sky Pavilion."

Hua Yuexing and Pan Zhong looked at Pan Litian in unison.

Lu Zhou noticed that Pan Litian's loyalty was steadily increasing as well. His words were a testament to his attitude.

When Pan Litian said this, he was neither servile nor domineering, neither rushed nor slow. He was calm and collected. There was power in his words when they were said with this attitude. A person's resilience would reveal itself in the midst of difficulties while a person's loyalty would reveal itself in the midst of hardships.

Pan Litian was the first person who had stated his loyalty with such words. Sincerity aside, it was rather pleasing to the ears.

Hua Yuexing and Pan Zhong, on the other hand, appeared awkward. In their minds, they thought to themselves,'Ginger gets spicier as it ages. Compared to him, we're green as grass.'

Pan Litian continued, "When I went to the east pavilion earlier, I felt a powerful surge of energy spreading out… Your cultivation base truly widened my horizons, Pavilion Master. I've never seen such a unique power before. I'm afraid you're the only one under the heavens who can pull this off."

Hua Yuexing and Pan Zhong were puzzled.

Lu Zhou remained silent. After all, Pan Litian had spoken the truth.

Lu Zhou suddenly remembered that Pan Litian was somehow who had traveled far and wide. Pan Litian's knowledge was not inferior to his own. He asked, "When Zhao Yue was young, she was hit by the Dark Yin Palm and was afflicted with cold poison. Have you heard about this before, Elder Pan?"

"Dark Yin Palm?" Pan Litian frowned as he thought about it before saying, "The Dark Yin Palm is an extremely sinister Daoist technique. Indeed, I know of one such person who uses the Dark Yin Palm."

Lu Zhou remained silent.

Hua Yuexing and Pan Zhong looked over at the same time.

Pan Litian did not merely travel far and wide. It was said that he was in frequent contact with some individuals in the palace after he had left Clarity Sect. However, nobody knew what he did during his time away.

"That person is Li Yunzhao, an elite by the Empress Dowager's side."

"Li Yunzhao?" Hua Yuexing's eyes widened.

At this moment, Zhao Yue's hacking coughs rang from the room. When the coughs subsided, she said weakly, "Master… I remember now. The person who came to see me was Li Yunzhao."