My disciples are all villains.

"It can be said that the sword path genius from the northern capital, Gong Yuandu, wielded the king's sword…" Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, "The ever-living Emperor, Liu Ge, wielded the king's sword as well…"

When the members of the Old Age Pavilion heard this, they were puzzled. They had personally seen Gong Yuandu's sword skill. Indeed, Gong Yuandu was shockingly impressive, and there was no doubt he was an elite among elites. Even so, they did not think Gong Yuandu would be able to defeat Yu ShangrongThere was no doubt that he was a top elite. Why would the pavilion master list Gong Yuandu as a person of the third level? The ever-living Emperor Liu Ge ruled over the lands with his sword. Indeed, he wielded a king's sword. However, these two people were dead. Was it not too harsh to compare the living to the dead? There had been countless heroic figures in the past. Who among the living would dare claim that they were superior?

Before Yu Shangrong could reply, Hua Wudao could no longer suppress his curiosity and blurted, "Pavilion Master, if that's the case, does this mean the current emperor, the evergreen Emperor, wields a king's sword as well?"

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and shook his head. "Not quite."

"Kindly enlighten us, Pavilion Master." Hua Wudao bowed.

"The ever-living Emperor had conquered nations and founded Great Yan. The evergreen Emperor merely inherited the throne. He can't be regarded as wielding the king's sword yet."

"I see." Hua Wudao stepped back.

Leng Luo could not help but say, "It's true that Gong Yuandu from the northern capital was an elite, but he was only a rogue cultivator and had never conquered nations or founded a country. For the entire century or so before his demise, he had been hiding inside a coffin. Why would he be regarded as wielding a king's sword?"

Everyone else had the same question in their minds. They stared at Lu Zhou eagerly, anticipating his answer.

Lu Zhou stroked his beard gently and replied in a light tone, "Fighting for your own life against the heavens and the earth and being fearless of death." His tone turned pointed as he looked at the others indifferently. Why did none of them enter the Nine-leaf stage up until now? If they did, they would have been enlightened and deemed worthy of wielding a king's sword.

However, Gong Yuandu was not the only person who fell on this path. Over the millennia, many magnificent cultivators had died on this path as well.

Pan Litian asked, "There are many who fought for their lives against the heavens. Are they all deemed worthy of wielding a king's sword?"

Lu Zhou stroked his beard and nodded ambiguously.

The others were stunned at first. Then, they finally understood Lu Zhou's words.

When he heard this, Yu Shangrong lowered his head. The sword path that he prided himself on was not even at the third level in his master's eyes. He had no retort for this. His master was right. At the end of the day, his sword was but a tool for him to flaunt his sword skills. He was no different from a martial artist.

Lu Zhou glanced at Yu Shangrong. 'You're a young man, after all. If I can't even handle you, I would've spent the past millennium in vain.' He continued to say, "Regardless if it's the Daoist Sect or the Confucian school, they're not the greatest realm."

The others looked at Lu Zhou in confusion. The sword path was already categorized into three levels, and yet, they were not the greatest in the pavilions master's view.

"Having no sword is better than having a sword. Anything the mind can think of can be turned into a sword. Water benefits all things, and yet, it's not unyielding. It adapts to everything around itself."

Lu Zhou stared at Yu Shangrong. Then, he raised his right hand. An energy blade formed between his index and middle finger. Suddenly, the energy blade split into two and multiplied. The tree before the Cave of Reflection shook as well as the leaves shot out.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

The tree leaves stabbed into the ground.

This was not the end.

Everyone felt a gust of wind dislodged the leaves. Even the wind felt like a blade, stinging their faces as it blew at them. Fortunately, they were all cultivators who had undergone Body Tempering. They were capable of resisting this weak power. Even so, the pavilion master's demonstration made them understand what he meant by having no sword was better than having one. Although they understood the theory behind it, how many could actually pull it off?

Not only did it require extremely precise control over Primal Qi, one would have to be capable of stirring up the leaves and wind while condensing Primal Qi. It was an almost impossible feat without cultivating or training for 100 years.

Yu Shangrong usually relied on the Longevity Sword so he had never trained in this manner. Therefore, he accepted his defeat.

A person's attitude would determine the height of one's sword. The strength of a person's sword path was determined by one's understanding of the sword. Lu Zhou's current lesson had completely destroyed Yu Shangrong's views. Well, it was only natural since Lu Zhou was his master.

"Can you accept this?" Lu Zhou stared at him.

"I've been enlightened." Yu Shangrong had mixed feelings in his heart. He wondered what his master was thinking. He remembered that his master had never taught them so patiently when they had just joined the pavilion. Who else could tell him these things apart from his master?

"Ding! Disciplined Yu Shangrong. Reward: 500 merit points."

"Ding! Taught Duanmu Sheng. Reward: 200 merit points."

Lu Zhou noticed the different words used by the system. One was disciplined while the other one was taught.

Lu Zhou suddenly recalled one of his forgotten memories. It had something to do with Yu Shangrong's question and worries about how he might kill Yu Shangrong. It was as though Yu Shangrong was afraid of the past repeating itself and was unwilling to mention the past as a result. He knew there was no forcing this. He lost himself in thought for a moment before he finally said, "Reflect on your actions inside the Cave of Reflection."

After Lu Zhou finished speaking, he turned around with his hands on his back and walked toward the Evil Sy Pavilion. However, he did not take Yu Shangrong's Longevity Sword with him.

"Elder Leng, Elder Hua, Elder Pan…"

Leng Luo, Pan Litian, and Hua Wudao cupped their fists and followed.

The moment the four members of the Old Age Pavilion left, the stifling atmosphere eased.

The others exhaled with relief.

Yu Shangrong looked at his master's retreating back. At some point, he did not even know when, his palms were moist with cold sweat.

Zhu Honggong kept his head lowered.

When Zhu Honggong was about to leave, Yu Shangrong said tonelessly, "Old Eighth."

"Huh?" Zhu Honggong stopped in his tracks and shuddered.

"Come here."

"Second Senior Brother… I... I… live in the southern pavilion now."

Yu Shangrong was in no hurry to enter the Cave of Reflection. Instead, he walked up to Zhu Honggong and said, "There's no need to feel nervous." He sounded as gentle and humble as usual. He recalled the sight he saw in Radiant Cloud Forest when his master unleashed the Enter and Return Three Souls on Whitzard's back. He asked, "Tell me honestly, is Master at the Nine-leaf stage now?"

"Huh?" Zhu Honggong was stunned. 'Nine-leaf?'

Yu Shangrong did not ask this without due reason. He knew that he had his own unique understanding and mastery of the sword path. Although he knew he would not be a match for his master, he should not have lost by such a huge margin. There was only one possibility left; his master must have already entered the Nine-leaf stage.

"That can't be… Second Senior Brother, there's no such thing as the Nine-leaf stage… I don't know anything. Don't give me that look, I truly have no idea…" Zhu Honggong kept waving his hands.

Yu Shangrong pondered this silently. Fighting for one's life against the heavens was part of wielding a king's sword. However, without losing one's life, how was one supposed to enter the third level? He recalled Si Wuya's words. Perhaps, his master had found a way to overcome the great limit. That must be why his master had such enlightening remarks.

…

In the Evil Sky Pavilion's great hall.

Lu Zhou, Leng Luo, Pan Litian, and Hua Wudao were the only ones present.

Lu Zhou walked into the hall and sat down slowly. He said, "Sit."

The other three took a seat.

"I believe that all of you are knowledgeable elders… Do you know about the melilot?"

Leng Luo said, "I've heard of it. It's said that the melilot grows on Brackish Mountain. No other plants can grow there as it's covered in snow throughout the year."