My disciples are all villains.

Duanlin Branch on Great Ring Mountain. The mountain was unusually quiet.

Yu Shangrong's Enter and Return Three Souls and his grand technique sent the Duanlin Branch Master reeling for hundreds of meters. He had lost most of his combat strength. It was a one-sided fight with Yu Shangrong doing all the beatings.

Energy blades rained down like a heavy torrential rain on Chang Jian, the Duanlin Branch Master.

It seemed like Yu Shangrong had been suppressing his feelings for a long time and was finally given an outlet to vent. An Eight-leaf cultivator beating up a Seven-leaf cultivator. Although it seemed like an unreasonable and unfair fight, this was how it was when one's sword path had reached its peak.

The theory behind energy blades was for the cultivator to conjure up Primal Qi, condense it into energy, and form the energy into blades… If the cultivator did not have a weapon and attempted to form energy blades with his imagination alone, it would be an arduous and taxing task. The cultivator would have to spend much more energy to achieve it. Therefore, it was important to own a weapon. With a weapon in hand, the cultivator could wrap his energy around it and form energy blades directly. The other energy blades would only have to be replicated via the same process.

A yellow-grade weapon could increase the energy blades' strength and the speed at which they were formed. The number would increase by 30%. A mystic-grade with 30% faster and stronger than a yellow-grade weapon.

For a heaven-grade weapon, there was a leap in its quality. The weapon would obtain a unique ability to penetrate energy. Increasing the blade's strength, numbers, and speed were three times greater than earth-grade weapons. That was how terrifying a heaven-grade weapon was.

Apart from these factors, there was also the owner's affinity with the weapon.

Yu Shangrong had long since reached perfect affinity with his Longevity Sword. It was not three times greater than an earth-grade weapon, but it seemed like it was five or even ten times greater.

The energy blades rained down, destroying the buildings of the Duanlin Branch on Great Ring Mountain were ruined.

When the Duanlin Branch disciples heard the name 'Yu Shangrong', they stared with their mouths agape. They knew how powerful the Sword Devil was. However, when they witnessed the torrential rain of energy blades with their own eyes, they were still filled with fear and awe.

A deep gorge could be seen halfway up the mountain.

The difference between Yu Shangrong and Chang Jian's strength was too great. Yu Shangrong had easily killed Chang Jian.

Nobody dared to step forward or object.

Yu Shangrong opened his hand and the Longevity Sword returned to its scabbard on its own. A faint red energy entered the blade.

Yu Shangrong acted as if nothing had happened as he flew above the headquarters. He surveyed his surroundings for a moment.

None of the Duanlin Branch disciples dared to move.

"I'm sorry for disturbing all of you. Farewell." After saying that, Yu Shangrong disappeared.

…

Over the next month…

The Hengqu Branch's Grand Elder, Zhao Jin, died.

The Seven Stars Villa's Hu Shendao died.

The Celestial Masters Sect's Grand Elder, Zhang Daoran, died.

For a time, the ten great sects lived in fear and trepidation from these events.

The existence of the Evil Sky Pavilion's hitlist was soon made known to the public.

Many disciples who were involved in the attack on the Evil Sky Pavilion left their respective sects in a bid to save their own necks.

…

In the Luo Sect, Southern Great Yan.

The Yun Sect had learned about the existence of the hit list as well.

The Luo Sect's third elder, Lu Ping, rushed toward the meeting hall with a worried expression on his face. As the youngest elder of the Luo Sect, he had a long path ahead of him.

"Elder Lu."

"Elder Lu."

The guards outside the meeting hall bowed when they saw him.

"Is Elder Shan inside?"

"In reply to your question, Elder Lu. Elder Shan is in the middle of a meeting."

Lu Ping went in without hesitation. There were more than ten individuals seated inside the meeting hall. When they saw Lu Ping hurrying in, they looked puzzled.

"What's the rush, Elder Lu?"

The other elders looked at Lu Ping.

Lu Ping did not beat around the bush. "Elder Shan, things aren't looking good. There's a rumor in the cultivation world that Yu Shangrong, the Sword Devil, has returned to the Evil Sky Pavilion." Then, he continued in a hushed tone, "The Evil Sky Pavilion has a hit list with the names of the cultivators who attacked it many years ago. Those on the list would be killed by Yu Shangrong."

"…"

The others were shocked. Yu Shangrong's strength was not to be underestimated.

The Yun, Tian, and Luo Sects made up the Three Sects. The Yun Sect was the only one who had a conflict with the Evil Sky Pavilion. The Tian Sect mostly stayed out of secular affairs. The Yun Sect had only occasional interaction with the ten great sects and did not have much enmity with the Evil Sky Pavilion. Their last conflict was partially caused by Ye Tianxin when she persuaded the Yun Sect to send out a dozen Divine Court realm cultivators to attack the old villain on Bluesun Mountain. The attempt, however, ended in failure with failure.

"The Yun Sect was involved with Ye Tianxin. Every debt has its debtor. What does this have to do with the Luo Sect?" someone asked.

"Lu Ping, don't you belittle our strengths and glorify another force's power. It's only a name list. There's no need to get all worked up about it."

When Lu Ping heard this, he frowned. He lowered his voice and said each word clearly, "Let me finish before you jump to conclusion. The Hengqu Branch's Grand Elder, Zhang Jin, the Seven Stars Villa's Hu Shendao, the Celestial Masters Sect's Zhang Daoran… They're dead."

"…"

The others gasped as they looked at Lu Ping in disbelief.

"The Sword Devil merely kills according to the name list. Anyone who finds himself on that list will die. A month ago, the Duanlin Branch Master, Chang Jian, had died. His name was first on the Sword Devil's list. I've sent my men to the Duanlin Branch. Sect Master Chang had just recently attained the peak Seven-leaf stage, and he was still utterly defeated by the Sword Devil…"

The meeting hall was now deathly silent. They were beginning to see how serious the matter was.

Shan Yunzheng raised her head, her expression was grim.

Someone said, "You said that the name list contains the people who once attacked Golden Court Mountain?"

"That's right."

The others relaxed slightly. They were grateful that the Luo Sect had stayed out of that affair.

"Elder Shan." Lu Ping looked at Shan Yunzheng who sat at the side.

Shan Yunzheng was Luo Sect's Second Elder. She was also the only female elder of the Luo Sect. She was the best archer acknowledged by everyone in the Luo Sect.

It was rumored that Shan Yunzheng was once considered for the title of the Divine Capital's Three Godly Archers. Her disciple, Hua Yuexing, made a grand entrance into the cultivation world, and with her amazing talents, she went to the Divine Capital and took her master's place.

In terms of cultivation base, Hua Yuexing was not at Shan Yunzheng's level yet. However, she had great potential and a bright future ahead of her.

The others looked at Shan Yunzheng.

"Your name's on the list."

"…" Shan Yunzheng felt as if her heart had just been hammered. Although she tried her very best to remain calm and maintain a peaceful expression, a sense of fear welled in her heart.

The others seemed to be rather carefree. They sympathized with her, but they were relieved they were not on the list. Some even took pleasure in her misfortune.

The meeting room remained silent for a very long time.

Shan Yunzheng finally spoke, "Does the sect master know about this."

"Not yet.'

"I'll act as if I don't know about this, then," Shan Yunzheng said.

"Hm?"

'What did she mean by that?'

'How can you ignore the fact that your name's on the hit list?'

Lu Ping cupped his fists and said, "Elder Shan, we must proceed with caution… If the Sword Devil comes knocking, it'll be too late to regret it."

"Elder Shan, I think that Elder Lu has a point. We should deal with this seriously. We can't afford to brush this off," the fourth elder said.

Shan Yunzheng shot to her feet. She looked around herself and said, "Are all of you afraid?"

The others smiled disapprovingly.

"Why should the Luo Sect be afraid?"

"We're not exactly afraid. Let's focus on the matter at hand and not distract ourselves. Elder Shan, what do you plan to do from now on?"

The others looked at Shan Yunzheng again.

Shan Yunzheng said tonelessly, "The Luo Sect has ten holy lands. They span Luo Peak, Purple Cloud Peak, and some 20 mountains. There are up to ten thousand disciples at each site, and they're all protected by barriers and Formations. There are also experts skilled in Formations and Daoist seals. The first holy land, which is this very place, has inherited the Formation from the past ten generations of sect masters. The elders are also the mainstays of the Luo Sect… We should all band together to resist the Sword Devil. In the vast cultivation world, the crooked can't be allowed to triumph over the noble. We must not allow them to do as they wish."

The meeting hall was silent again.

"You have a point, Elder Shan… Evil is evil, and we can't allow the balance of the world to tip in their favor. Although the Luo Sect's Formation can't compare to the Divine Capital's Ten Terminal Formation, it's not something that can be easily broken."

At this moment, the elder that sat furthest away from the door said, "What if the Sword Devil decides to wait outside? He's of the Fiend Path, after all… As the saying goes, 'It's easier to dodge a spear in the open than defend against an arrow fired in the dark'. The Yun Sect's Luo Shisan, the First Seat of the sword altar, one of the eight altars, wasn't a match for the Sword Devil, and there are many who could bear witness to this…"

He had a point. The concern about the thief was worse than the theft itself. Who could guarantee that the Sword Devil would not stab them from the back?

At this moment, a disciple hurried into the meeting hall. He announced loudly at the door, "Elders, there's a letter."

"From whom?"

"The Sword Devil."

Everyone felt their hearts sank when they heard this. The inevitable had happened.

Shan Yunzheng frowned. She waved her hand and said, "Read it."

She knew that she had to stay together with the others. Otherwise, with her strength alone, it was impossible for her to evade the Sword Devil's pursuit.

The disciple opened the letter and read its contents. He seemed to be in a difficult position. In the end, he cleared his throat and read out loud, "I, Yu Shangrong, would like to trouble you to inform the Luo Sect's Second Elder, Shan Yunzheng that everyone on the list would have their lives claimed by my sword. In a show of exceptional grace, the Evil Sky Pavilion grants Elder Shan a chance to atone for her sins. From this day on, the Evil Sky Pavilion shall add a name to the list every seven days until Elder Shan shows herself or until there are no more names to be added. Please forgive me for my crude choice of words. Writing isn't my strongest suit."

After the disciple finished reading this, he looked puzzled.

'Is this the tone the f*cking Sword Devil should be taking?'

Even the other elders were puzzled, let alone him.

Shan Yunzheng had a complicated expression on her face. She took a deep breath and said, "It's him alright."

"It's him?"

"Many years ago, I tried to shoot him from the peak of the third holy land. However, his energy was too dense. I didn't expect him to hold a grudge after all this time," Shang Yunzheng said, "There's no need to fear him, everyone."

The others looked at Shan Yunzheng. She was, perhaps, the only person who could make such lowly words sound righteous.

"That's not right." Lu Ping raised his hand. "The letter says that you can apologize, Elder Shan. This means that there is still hope."

"You have a point, Elder Lu."

"I concur."

Shan Yunzheng was stunned. She looked around herself. She noticed that everyone's attitudes and gaze were different from moments ago. She asked, "What do you mean?"

"Elder Shan… Please consider the bigger picture. I think you should offer your apology."

"That's right… According to the Evil Sky Pavilion's convention, he's supposed to kill you. But since he made the offer, it means this is a chance."

"Elder Shan, although the Luo Sect isn't weak, we're not bold enough to take on the Evil Sky Pavilion as an enemy. Please consider the bigger picture."

Then, everyone said in unison, "Please consider the bigger picture, Elder Shan!"

Shan Yunzheng did not expect the change in their attitudes. She placed her hands on her back and chuckled. "A hitlist, huh… What if I refuse?"

Lu Ping said sternly, "In that case, we'll send you there." He emphasized on the word 'send'. His attitude had been different from the other elders from the start. He was determined that the only person who was supposed to die was the person who offended the Evil Sky Pavilion in the first place. After all, this was the Sword Devil, not some two-bit villain. Why should the Luo Sect shoulder this responsibility when Shan Yunzheng was the one who brought this upon herself?

"Fine! I'll go!" Shan Yunzheng narrowed her eyes in anger.

Lu Ping said, "Tell you what. I have a friend who owns a mount. You can ride this mount to the Evil Sky Pavilion, Elder Shan"

"That's wonderful!"

"That's splendid."

The other elders nodded and offered their praises.

Shan Yunzheng suddenly felt a lump in her chest. She found it difficult to breathe at this moment.

...

News of the hitlist spread further in the cultivation world.

There was the saying that the Sword Devil, Yu Shangrong, would add names to the list as a way to threaten the listed individuals to show themselves. As a result, he went about taking many innocent lives.

At the end of the month, Yu Shangrong made it to number two on the blacklist.

However, in truth, Shan Yunzheng was the only one who was treated this way.

…

Three days later, inside the Evil Sky Pavilion's great hall.

Lu Zhou felt extremely relaxed. Throughout the month where Yu Shangrong dealt with the names on the hit list, his merit points rose swiftly.

Merit points: 32,250.

This meant that he could buy the Ten Worlds avatar. With that avatar, he could successfully enter the Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm. However, he was in no hurry to purchase it.

At this moment, Zhou Jifeng walked in. He bowed and said, "Pavilion Master, Shan Yunzheng is here."

"Hm?" Lu Zhou descended the steps with his hands on his back. Then, he stroked his beard.

"There's a rumor in the cultivation world that Mister Second has sent a letter to the Luo Sect stating that he would add more names on the lists every day until Shan Yunzheng shows up at the Evil Sky Pavilion," Zhou Jifeng explained.

Lu Zhou frowned.

Although Yu Shangrong liked to challenge elites, he was not someone who enjoyed senseless killing. Why was he so violent?

"Who told you this?" Lu Zhou asked.

"An Evil Sky Pavilion's disciple heard about this from the people at the information station when they bought supplies from Tangzi Town," Zhou Jifeng replied.

"The truth is becoming increasingly distorted." Lu Zhou shook his head. "Bring Shan Yunzheng here."

"Understood."

Zhou Jifeng left the great hall.

Lu Zhou went back up the steps and sat down slowly.

Hua Yuexing and the others hurried over when they heard the news.

A short while later.

Shan Yunzheng and four others walked slowly into the Evil Sky Pavilion's main hall under Zhou Jifeng's lead.

Perhaps, it was their first time here so they were visibly nervous. They placed a box on the floor and bowed.

"Shan Yunzheng of Luo Sect is here to offer her apology." Shan Yunzheng cupped her hands. When she looked up, she saw Lu Zhou who sat on his throne. From the corners of her eyes, she saw Hua Yuexing. She was shocked and felt a wave of anger well up in her heart. Without care for her choice of words, she spat out, "You rascal! How could you join this place?"

Hua Yuexing's expression changed slightly. She took three steps backward.

At this moment, Lu Zhou raised a hand.

A miniature Daoist hand seal flew out.

Shan Yunzheng raised her hands and defended herself with her arms. She activated her protective energy and withstood the hand seal.

Swoosh! Swoosh! Swoosh!

Duanmu Sheng's Overlord Spear was suddenly upon Shan Yunzheng. The densely packed spear shadows overlapped into a thousand layers of waves.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Although Shan Yunzheng was a Six-leaf elite, she was having trouble standing her ground when Duanmu Sheng sneaked up upon her at such close range. Moreover, Duanmu Sheng had been sparring with Hua Wudao, a Seven-leaf cultivator, on a regular basis. The strength behind his attacks was completely different than before.

On top of that, Shan Yunzheng was an archer to begin with. Once her opponent was in close range, even if she had three leaves more, it was difficult for her to put her skills to use. She had no choice but to retreat! Her protective energy rippled before it finally shattered.

Bam!

Shan Yunzheng reeled back. She somersaulted and landed on her feet. Her eyes were wide as she stared at Duanmu Sheng who was wielding the Overlord Spear. Golden energy crackled on the tip of the sword to the dragon carving on the shaft. 'He's strong! Is the Evil Sky Pavilion filled with such strong individuals?' She was thoroughly shocked.

"Stand down," Lu Zhou said.

Duanmu Sheng turned around and bowed at Lu Zhou. "Yes, master."

'Master?' Shan Yunzheng suppressed the fear that rose in her heart.

The Luo Sect was unlike the ten great sects or the Yun Sect. The Luo Sect was like the Tian Sect, they never had anything to do with the Evil Sky Pavilion. She did not expect that her single mistake had resulted in her having such a powerful enemy. She looked at Hua Yuexing who was standing nearby. She wondered, 'Did the rascal slander me?'

However, there was no way that she would say that out loud. She could only dismiss her thoughts.

Lu Zhou pointed at Hua Yuexing and said, "Hua Yuexing is a member of the Evil Sky Pavilion… If you call her a rascal, you're being disrespectful toward me."

Shan Yunzheng's heart skipped a beat.

Lu Zhou continued, "I could've asked her to slap you… but," his tone softened as he continued to say, "You were her master once. A disciple hitting her master is against the order of the world. I'll strike on her behalf…"

Shan Yunzheng raised her hand again. A hand seal like the one before sailed toward her.

Smack!

It hit her cheek. The hit was extremely precise. This time, she dared not evade it. She took the slap squarely. The hand seal slap was not light. With this strike, a five-finger mark was left on her face.

When they saw this hand seal, Pan Zhong and Zhou Jifeng were amazed.

"The pavilion master's hand seal looks the same as mine, but anyone can block mine… The pavilion master's hand seal can't be blocked! That's how different we are!"