My disciples are all villains.

Chang Yan returned to the cave.

The Duanlin Branch disciples rose to their feet.

As the first disciple, Shao Jinhan was now in charge of overseeing the management of the branch. While the elders remained in secluded cultivation, he had no choice but to shoulder the responsibility.

"Eldest Senior Brother, should we inform the patriarch about the theory of severing the Golden Lotus?" someone asked.

Shao Jinhan shook his head and said, "Even if we were to tell him about it, we should only do so after the Evil Sky Pavilion is dealt with… The patriarch's great limit is near, severing his Golden Lotus would only expedite his death. Having survived until now, the Duanlin Branch has to take drastic measures."

The core disciples who stood in front of Shao Jinhan nodded.

Shao Jinhan continued to say, "Also, none of the Duanlin Branch disciples are allowed to sever their Golden Lotuses. This is our chance to see if we can establish ourselves in the cultivation world."

…

At night.

All was quiet in the Evil Sky Pavilion.

Below the northern pavilion, on a rock on the cliff face halfway up the mountain, the three elders were staring at the moon.

"I don't understand how the pavilion master managed that… The energy blade contained a talisman curse. Even an elite from the Celestial Masters Sect would have a hard time nullifying the curse," Pan Litian said as he leaned against a rock.

Hua Wudao said, "If you don't understand it, Elder Pan, how could I understand it? I've repeatedly examined Princess Yong Ning's Extraordinary Eight Meridians. Her damaged meridian vessels seem magically healed."

The two of them looked at Leng Luo who wore a silver mask.

Leng Luo looked at the moon as he stood with his hands on his back and said, "I'm not as old as the pavilion master, but I think that I'm knowledgeable enough. Yet, I've never seen such a unique healing method before."

"Old Leng, didn't you survive after self-destructing with heavy injuries back then?" Pan Litian asked.

Leng Luo glanced at him.

Pan Litian no longer tried to joke with Leng Luo. He said, "How much of his strength do you think the pavilion master is keeping from us?"

Hua Wudao shook his head. "On the surface, the pavilion master's cultivation base is only at the Dao-transforming Stage of the Divine Court realm. However, I think he's still at the peak of the Eight-leaf stage."

"Indeed, the pavilion master's strength is unfathomable… However, I can't help but think that the pavilion master is already at the Nine-leaf stage," Pan Litian said with a chuckle.

Leng Luo and Hua Wudao looked at Pan Litian in unison. In fact, both of them had this thought for a long time now. However, they were confused. Why would the pavilion master go so far to pretend he was only in the Divine Court realm instead of dealing with all the forces who opposed the Evil Sky Pavilion? He allowed these forces to grow, and now, these forces had formed the Fiend Extermination Alliance.

"Nine-leaf… That's rather impossible. Moreover, since the pavilion master shared the method of severing the Golden Lotuses, it means he's also seeking ways to attain the Nine-leaf stage."

"You have a point… However, how would you explain what happened with Princess Yong Ning?" Pan Litian asked.

Leng Luo glanced at Pan Litian before he pushed away from the ground swiftly. He flew to the Evil Sky Pavilion with his hands on his back, leaving these words in his wake. "Even if I know the reason, I wouldn't tell you."

"Elder Hua, what about you?" Pan Litian looked at Hua Wudao amiably. "Don't worry. Although I'm older than you, you're the only one I can comfortably talk to in the Evil Sky Pavilion."

Hua Wudao was slightly taken aback. Why did this sound like a threat? He rose to his feet immediately and said, "I have something to attend to. Hua Yuexing is trying to attain the Three-leaf stage recently. I should watch over her."

"Old Hua… Don't tell me this is a folly of your youth?" Pan Litian laughed.

Hua Wudao appeared embarrassed. He activated the Eight Trigrams circle under his feet and left with blinding speed.

Pan Litian was alone now. He lay on the rock and looked at the bright moon. As though in a daze, he muttered to himself, "… If only I were 200 years younger…" He had barely finished speaking when he heard a sound from below.

Rustle!

Pan Litian's ears twitched. He smacked the rock with a palm.

Bam!

He spun upward and allowed gravity to run its course. He said sternly, "Who dares trespass upon this land?" Then, he launched a hand seal toward the forest nearby.

Bam!

The hand seal sailed into the forest and vanished from sight.

The rustling noise stopped.

"What an incredible speed!" Pan Litian dove and flew above the treetops. He vanished from sight. Although he had yet to completely recover his cultivation base and was heavily injured from the battle with Ba Ma, it did not mean cultivators could easily escape under his nose.

Rustle!

"Found you!" Pan Litian tossed his gourd bottle out. He dove toward the foot of the mountain at lightning speed. However, when he arrived at the foot of the mountain, he stopped giving chase. He was an experienced man after all.

"Trying to lure the tiger off the mountain? Fat chance of that happening!" After Pan Litian finished speaking, he did not hesitate and turn around to leave.

At this moment, a voice rang in the air. "Why don't we have a chat, senior?"

"Hm?" Pan Litian frowned. He turned around to look at the dark forest. "Who are you?"

"I'm Feng Liu of the Zhencang Branch." Feng Liu emerged from behind a tree.

"Feng Liu?" Pan Litian had never heard of this minor character. He racked his memories and confirmed he really did not know nor heard of this person. He scoffed and said, "This is Golden Court Mountain, the territory of the Evil Sky Pavilion. I advise you to leave as quickly as you can. If you're caught by the Evil Sect Pavilion disciples, I won't be responsible for whatever fate befalls you."

Feng Liu bowed and said, "My master, Zhencang Branch's Master, Feng Qinghe, has met you several times, old senior."

"You're Feng Qinghe's disciple?"

"I am."

Zhencang Branch was once one of the ten great sects. During the Clarity Sect's golden days, they, naturally, had good relations with the branch.

Pan Litian descended on the ground. He studied Feng Liu for a brief moment before he asked, "What business do you have with me?"

Feng Liu was about to start a lengthy speech when Pan Litian said in a deep voice, "Make it short. My time is precious."

Feng Liu was slightly taken aback. He was prepared to make a speech about the Noble Path's principles and talk about the Clarity Sect's destruction by Yu Zhenghai's hands. Yu Zhenghai was the Evil Sky Pavilion's disciple. Pan Litian was living with his enemies, after all. He really did not expect that Pan Litian did not give him a chance at all. When he regained his composure, he said, "Old senior, the Noble Path's Fiend Extermination Alliance has been formed… The Evil Sky Pavilion will be destroyed sooner or later…"

Swoosh!

Pan Litian suddenly tossed his gourd bottle out. It shone with a golden light.

Feng Liu defended himself with his arms.

Bam!

Feng Liu stumbled three steps backward before he regained his footing. "You're as powerful as ever, old senior. As expected, your cultivation base is being restored. Alas, your internal wounds are serious…"

Pan Litian was slightly shocked. He did not expect Feng Qinghe's disciple to possess such a profound cultivation base. However, his expression remained unchanged as he said, "Did you come here to try and drive a wedge between me and the Evil Sky Pavilion?"

"The Fiend Path is cruel and vicious. It deserves to be persecuted. Yu Zhenghai has ravaged the nine provinces, and the people are living in misery! Old senior…"

"Shut your piehole," Pan Litian said in a deep voice.

"Very well… In that case, all I ask of you is that you fulfill your promise, old senior… I'm sure you remember how my master helped you leave the Clarity Sect all those years ago..." Feng Liu said.

Pan Litian remained silent.

Feng Liu bowed and said, "Truth be told, Feng Ping is my younger twin brother. He ran into Old Villain Ji in Liang Province and has lost his cultivation base. He's now a good-for-nothing. My demand isn't excessive. Of the nine Evil Sky Pavilion disciples, pick one and destroy his or her cultivation base. With that, the debt between you and my master will be considered paid. What do you say?"