My disciples are all villains.

When Lu Zhou saw the balance of his merit points decreased from more than 100,000 to 1,800, he felt his heart ache. A frightening idea appeared unbidden in his mind at this moment. How great would it be if the seven great sects came and attacked the mountain again? He quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea as soon as it appeared. He did not have the means to repel them if they showed up again. His extraordinary power had not even been fully replenished yet, at the moment. If he were to fight, he reckoned he could not even defeat Zhu Honggong, Old Eighth, now.

Lu Zhou had displayed his Nine-leaf Golden Lotus avatar in front of the seven great sects. Anyone who had a working brain would not recklessly provoke the Evil Sky Pavilion before they were powerful enough.

'Equip,' Lu Zhou thought to himself.

The Hundred Tribulations Insight avatar dissolved into spots of starlight that swirled around him before they quickly merged with his body. He felt a sudden surge of power entering his dantian's sea of Qi. His weak dantian's sea of Qi was filled to the brim by this tidal wave of power. Shortly after, he could clearly feel his Ten Worlds avatar being replaced by the Hundred Tribulations Insight avatar.

…

At this moment, Primal Qi surged around the eastern pavilion.

The others at the Evil Sky Pavilion, naturally, sensed this unique disturbance.

Inside the southern pavilion.

Pan Litian, who was reclining on a wooden chair while lazing in the sun, listened to Leng Luo as he bragged. He shook his head and said, "Although I've not seen it with my own eyes, I clearly heard the sounds of the battle that night. I believe you."

Leng Luo chuckled and said, "Old Pan, what do you mean you believe me? I'm telling you the truth. I'm not exaggerating at all. You old thing, do you regret not being able to witness such a scene?"

Pan Litian did not retort, which was unlike him. Truth be told, Pan Zhong had told him about the strange things he saw the night before. There was no one who did not want to see a Nine-leaf cultivator in action. Alas, he was recuperating and lost the chance to see the Nine-leaf pavilion master. Could he possibly head to the eastern pavilion and request the pavilion master to demonstrate it for him? Of course, not.

Leng Luo said, "Looks like the truth of the great limit has been shattered… I consider myself fortunate for living in a time where this happened."

"I feel the same," Pan Litian sighed and said, "I thought that I'd loiter around and spend the rest of my days living an ordinary life. To think that I lived to see this day. Interesting…"

As the two of them conversed, the intense disturbance from the eastern pavilion finally reached them.

Leng Luo and Pan Litian looked over at the same time, unsurprised. They were already used to such unique disturbances here.

"The pavilion master is trying out some new techniques again." Pan Litian shook his head.

"Perhaps… the real method of attaining the Nine-leaf stage is in the pavilion master's hands."

Their eyes brightened at once. They were both Eight-leaf elites. Prior to this, they did not think about attaining the Nine-leaf stage at all. They had thought that the Eight-leaf stage was the peak for all cultivators. Now that it was proven it was possible to attain the Nine-leaf stage, how could they not feel excited?

The two of them exchanged a look and nodded in tacit understanding.

…

Meanwhile, Lu Zhou raised a palm. The Hundred Tribulations Insight avatar appeared above his palm. He was experienced in this. He shrunk the avatar to the size of two fists, a feat that required much skill. This was his Hundred Tribulations Insight avatar. It was standing on a Golden Lotus. However, there were no leaves.

The Golden Lotus aside, if Lu Zhou did not take a good look at it, he would have thought it was some low-rank avatar.

Lu Zhou raised his palm until the avatar was level with his face.

The Golden Lotus under the avatar's feet was spinning.

The next step would be for him to sprout new leaves.

Lu Zhou silently gauged his current Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm's cultivation base. He could sprout leaves if he wanted to. Hence, he circulated his Primal Qi and sent it into the avatar.

Golden rings of light appeared around the avatar and moved downward in layers upon layers.

His power traveled downward along the radiant rings as well. It grew brighter in intensity.

The surging of Primal Qi inside the eastern pavilion never stopped.

At this moment, Zhu Honggong and Zhao Yue entered the eastern pavilion…

"Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm? Sprouting leaves?"

"No way, the Ten-leaf stage?" Zhu Honggong was startled with a jump.

"No… this is the energy of the One-leaf." Zhao Yue was also attempting to sprout leaves herself. Hence, she was very familiar with the energy and aura of the process.

"I won't fall for that. Let's go!" Zhu Honggong laughed and pulled Zhao Yue out of the easter pavilion.

There was no point staying in the eastern pavilion. Their master was cultivating. If they disturbed him now, they were just looking for trouble.

The energy that indicated the One-leaf stage and Hundred Tribulations Insight were just a ploy to fool people. Zhu Honggong would not be fooled.

Zhu Honggong was not the only one who had these thoughts. Almost everyone in the Evil Sky Pavilion had similar thoughts.

After all, they were already used to this. Even if Lu Zhou stood before them, activated his avatar, and told them it was truly a One-leaf Nascent Divinity avatar, nobody would believe or question him.

...

Lu Zhou looked on as the shining rings moved downward.

About an hour later.

When the final ring of light faded away, Lu Zhou saw a plump and bright leaf appear on the Golden Lotus.

He did it! Even if it was just a single leaf, Lu Zhou was extremely pleased and satisfied. From this moment on, he was a true One-leaf Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm cultivator.

After sprouting the leaf, Lu Zhou resumed his meditation of the Heavenly Writing scrolls.

...

Early the next morning, Lu Zhou had barely opened his eyes when he heard someone calling out from outside

"Master, Fourth Senior Brother is back!"

"Summon him here."

"Oh."

Lu Zhou emerged from the eastern pavilion with his hands on his back and looked up at the Golden Court Mountain's barrier. Everything was as it should be. In fact, it was even more powerful compared to its former glorious days. He was already missing the Peak Trial Card. What he would give to obtain another Peak Trial Card.

At this moment, Mingshi Yin entered the eastern pavilion and fell to his knees immediately. Then, he prostrated himself on the ground as he said, "Greetings, master!"

Lu Zhou frowned when he saw Mingshi Yin was about to follow in Zhu Honggong's footsteps and flattered him. He waved his hand and said, "That's enough."

"I genuinely wanted to worship you, master. I can't help myself… There is none who's not in awe of your Nine-leaf stage, Master," Mingshi Yin said.

"Are you done?" Lu Zhou looked at Mingshi Yin. He wondered what was going through his fourth disciple's mind. If Mingshi Yin had time to flatter him, he should be cultivating instead.

Mingshi Yin shook his head, no longer dared to continue. He tried to mimic his Eighth Junior Brother but ended up looking like a fool instead. How come his master was not disgusted when his Eighth Junior Brother did this?

"Where have you been these past couple of days?" Lu Zhou asked.

Mingshi Yin quickly explained how he infiltrated the seven great sects, followed Feng Qinghe, and killed him.

When Lu Zhou heard this, he asked in confusion, "You killed Feng Qinghe?"

"I was just lucky… Feng Qinghe burned his sea of Qi and played dead. He sealed his dantian's sea of Qi and crawled into the forest. However, he was already heavily wounded by you when I found him. That's how I managed to take him down!" Mingshi Yin said.

The battle that night was too chaotic. It was only natural that there were stragglers. However, Lu Zhou did not expect Feng Qinghe managed to get away. With his Nine-leaf avatar, he would have been able to sense any fluctuation of a slightly powerful Primal Qi. He had to admit; Feng Qinghe was truly cunning.

Little Yuan'er who had just arrived chimed in, "Fourth Senior Brother, how did you manage to tail him? Did you use his tactic as well?"

Mingshi Yin. "…" He cleared his throat and continued saying with a straight face, "Let's not dwell on the details."

No matter the method Mingshi Yin used to track Feng Qinghe and kill Feng Qinghe, there was no doubt he had done the Evil Sky Pavilion a huge favor. Lu Zhou definitely would not pick on small flaws. He praised Mingshi Yin. "You've done well."

"Thank you for the kind words, master… I have another thing to report," Mingshi Yin said.

"Let's hear it."

"After killing Feng Qinghe, I ran into an old lady…" Mingshi Yin described the looks of the old woman he met in the valley and told Lu Zhou everything he knew. After recounting his experience, he said, "That old lady is Feng Qinghe's helper. She wanted to kill me, but fortunately, I was smart enough to mention your great name, master. She was too frightened to do anything after that."

Although Mingshi Yin's words were slightly exaggerated, based how his description of the old woman's stooped figure, skill in manipulating the Expansive Heavenly Energy, being Feng Qinghe's helper, unfathomable cultivation base, and living in seclusion, Lu Zhou deduced she was once the proud daughter of the heavens who once was renowned among the Confucian sects. Lu Zhou stroked his beard and calmly said her name, "Zuo Yushu."

"Who's Zuo Yushu?" Mingshi Yin scratched his head.

At this moment, Leng Luo's voice rang from behind him.

"It's only natural that you've not heard of her. Zuo Yushu was a cultivation genius of the Confucian sects whose name shocked the heavens 500 years ago. She was said to have the highest possibility of being the first female saint of Great Yan. However… the Confucian sects wouldn't allow a female to learn its art. Zuo Yushu, headstrong as she was, broke off all relations with the Confucian sects."