Chapter 1377: The Appearance of the G.o.d-Like 2,000-Feet Avatar
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Everyone was puzzled by the sudden decision to return to the Evil Sky Pavilion. This was especially true for Yu Zhenghai since he was close to his second Birth Trial. He had been studying ways to cross the Sky Hook Ropeway during this time. With their return to the Evil Sky Pavilion, it would disrupt his plan. Hence, he was the first to ask, “Master, why are we suddenly returning to the Evil Sky Pavilion?”
Lu Zhou replied, “Old Seventh has gone to Mount Halcyon. It’s extremely perilous there. There are many powerful sea beasts on the route to Mount Halcyon from Penglai.”
He did not mention anything about the shackles of heaven and earth or the Great Void. Since his disciples possessed the Great Void Seed, he would slowly help them to become supreme beings. When the time came, it would be easier for all of them to face those from the Great Void. However, he knew he could not rush things. For now, he would continue to collect clues about the Great Void. In short, it was better to progress using the tedious and long way.
Yu Zhenghai said skeptically, “Old Seventh has always been cautious in doing things. He would not easily place himself in danger. Why is he so impulsive and reckless this time?”
“Even a wise man isn’t exempt from making mistakes,” Yu Shangrong said with a hint of disapproval, “Back then, when Old Seventh was helping you out, he had also made many huge mistakes.”
Yu Shangrong had to forcefully swallow the words ‘when Old Seventh helped you to rebel’.
Yu Zhenghai said defensively, “It’s not Old Seventh’s fault. He’s very good at strategizing and achieving goals, but he’s just not very skilled at leading a sect.”
At this moment, Lu Zhou interrupted the duo and said, “Since everyone’s here, let’s go.”
“Yes.”
…
Meanwhile, Qin Renyue brought the 49 swordsmen with him as he rushed over after receiving the news that Lu Zhou and the others were leaving. He was planning to persuade them to stay.
When Qin Renyue saw Lu Zhou and the others had already flown into the sky when he arrived, he called out, “Brother Lu, wait! Why are you in such a hurry to leave?”
Lu Zhou turned to look at Qin Renyue who was flying over and said, “I have important matters to attend to so I won’t stay any longer.”
Qin Renyue revealed a regretful expression as he said, “I haven’t properly entertained Brother Lu. Since Brother Lu has something to attend to, I won’t persuade you to stay. Yuan Lang.”
“Yes, Venerable Master Qin.” Yuan Lang stepped forward.
“Lead Brother Lu to the runic pa.s.sage.”
“Yes.”
Lu Zhou nodded slightly and said, “I’ll visit again once the matters are settled.”
“You’re welcome to visit at any time.”
With that, Yuan Lang led the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion to the runic pa.s.sage in the Qin clan that leads to the golden lotus domain.
…
Golden lotus domain.
30 miles north of the Divine Capital.
There was a sudden burst of light before the people of the Evil Sky Pavilion, plus Yuan Lang, appeared.
Yuan Lang surveyed his surroundings. When he saw the flying beasts littered the dark and gloomy sky, he turned around and cupped his fists together before he said, “The imbalance in the golden lotus domain is rather severe. Great Venerable Master Lu, if there’s a need, the 49 swordsmen are willing to help the golden lotus domain.”
Although the Evil Sky Pavilion’s general strength was not bad, there were only so many of them. They could not split themselves, after all. Moreover, the experts in the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council were also limited. With the support from the 49 swordsmen, the Divine Capital would be much safer.
On the contrary, the green lotus domain was relatively better and did not need any help for the moment.
For these reasons, Lu Zhou nodded.
Upon seeing this, Yuan Lang said, “I’ll bring people over tomorrow.”
At this moment, Mings.h.i.+ Yin walked next to Yuan Lang and nudged Yuan Lang with his elbow. He said in a low and conspiratorial voice, “You’re quite interesting. Are you interested in joining the Evil Sky Pavilion?”
Yuan Lang: “???”
Lu Zhou turned around and said, “Alright, don’t waste time.”
With that, everyone followed Lu Zhou’s lead and flew toward the Divine Capital.
Yuan Lang scratched his head as he looked at the group of people who had flown away and muttered under his breath, “Was I too slow to agree?”
…
When Lu Zhou and the others flew into the Divine Capital, many cultivators looked up curiously.
No matter the time, the Divine Capital was a no-fly zone. Those who dared to do were all bigshots.
At this moment, the sound of a horn rang from the palace walls.
The experts from the imperial palace rushed up to the wall, prepared to meet their enemies.
Lu Zhou was just about to fly into the imperial palace when…
Swoos.h.!.+
A golden arrow shot out from the sky in the depths of the imperial palace toward Lu Zhou.
The cultivators below were not worried at all. They advanced, following the people in the sky curiously. When they saw the golden arrow, they grew even more confident.
After all, the golden arrow was from the number one G.o.dly Archer in the Divine Capital, Hua Yuexing.
Over the years, Hua Yuexing had guarded the imperial palace and killed countless fierce beasts. She had long been acknowledged as the best G.o.dly Archer by the young cultivators, surpa.s.sing G.o.dly Archer Chen Zhu of the past.
Swoos.h.!.+
The golden arrow arrived in front of Lu Zhou from 10,000 meters away with an ear-piercing noise.
Lu Zhou raised his hand and easily caught the golden arrow. With that, the golden energy arrow dissolved into Primal Qi and returned to the universe.
Lu Zhou and the others continued to fly unimpeded.
The people from the Evil Sky Pavilion had long gotten used to such a scene so they were all unusually calm.
On the other hand, Hua Yuexing, who was hovering in the distant sky, frowned when she saw her energy arrow had been easily dissolved. She thought powerful enemies were invading the capital so she hurriedly ignited a talisman to request help from the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council.
At this moment…
“Hua Yuexing.”
Lu Zhou’s dignified voice rang from afar.
Although Hua Yuexing could not recognize the person in front of him, the voice was still very fresh in her mind. She exclaimed in shock, “Pavilion Master?!”
At this time, cultivators and experts rushed from all directions into the sky.
In order to overcome the imbalance, the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council had long made peace.
Avatars appeared one after another in the sky. Although their owners were nowhere close to approaching their second Birth Trials, they were still powerful figures in the golden lotus domain.
The avatars with seven or eight Birth Charts were about 700-750 tall. They made for a rather spectacular sight.
These cultivators were all protectors of the Divine Capital. With them, peace would continue to reign in the capital.
Buzz!
The sound of energy resonance that was far louder than the ones before suddenly rang in the air.
The cultivators in the direction of the sound in unison.
A dazzling golden avatar appeared.
Even when they bent their heads all the way back, they still could not see the full height of the avatar.
Cultivators usually judged cultivation bases based on the height and body of avatars.
This dazzling golden avatar towered over all things north of the Divine Capital. It looked as though G.o.d had descended from the sky.
Lu Zhou called out, “Zhao Yue.”
At this moment, a woman hastily flew out of the imperial palace. Shocked, she hurriedly kneeled in the sky and said, “Greetings, master.”
Upon hearing this, cultivators on the palace walls and the capital, including those from the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council, bowed in unison.
“Greetings, Pavilion Master Lu.”
“Greetings, Senior Ji.”
“Ding! Wors.h.i.+ped by 2,350 people. Reward: 2,350 merit points.”
The commoners in the Divine Capital were no fools. Upon seeing all the powerful figures in the capital bowing so respectfully, they kneeled and kowtowed as well.
With the arrival of such a G.o.d-like person, the golden lotus domain was saved.
“Ding! Wors.h.i.+ped by 105,500 people. Reward: 105,500 merit points.”
Lu Zhou had only manifested his avatar to announce his return to the Divine Capital. He did not expect to gain so many merit points from it.
Back when he helped Yu Zhenghai to take down the capital, he did not even receive so many merit points. It seems like the capital was prospering.
On the streets, men, women, the young, and the elderly stood in the streets and looked at the golden lotus that looked like it was 2,000 feet tall.
Previously, when the golden lotus cultivators saw the black lotus cultivators and the white lotus cultivators, the golden lotus cultivators could not help but feel inferior. However, now, when they saw the golden avatar that towered over all things, they were naturally filled with pride, admiration, and reverence.
After Lu Zhou determined he was not going to be rewarded with more merit points for now, he withdrew his avatar.
Instantly, the other cultivators felt as though a heavy burden had been lifted off their shoulders.
“Rise and speak,” Lu Zhou said before he flashed to stand in front of Zhao Yue.
Zhao Yue was shocked. In the years that she had not seen her master, his cultivation base had improved so much.
At this time, Hua Yuexing, who had rushed over from afar, arrived. She hurriedly kneeled in the air. “I apologize. I didn’t know the Pavilion Master has returned. Please forgive me.”
At the same time, Yan Zhenluo introduced, “This is Hua Yuexing, the G.o.dly Archer from the Evil Sky Pavilion.”
Kong Wen and his brothers cupped their fists together to greet Hua Yuexing.
Hua Yuexing responded in kind. She was not a fool. She could naturally tell Kong Wen and his brothers were new members of the Evil Sky Pavilion.
Lu Zhou said, “Your archery has improved a lot. What’s your cultivation base now?”
Hua Yuexing said sheepishly, “I’m embarra.s.sed to say my progress is very slight over the years. I’ve only just stepped into the Thousand Realms Whirling stage.”
In fact, Hua Yuexing could be considered a cultivation genius. It was not easy for most people to enter the Thousand Realms Whirling stage in a short ten years or so. Many people would get stuck and take many more years to progress.
Lu Li said, “In fact, there was something I discovered when I was here previously. I have been wondering about it. I noticed the golden lotus cultivators’ speed of improvement is faster than the others. Miss Yuexing is rather talented. It’s rare for others to have such speed of improvement.”
“The golden lotus cultivators’ speed of cultivation is faster?”
“Yes, but I’m not sure about the reason. Perhaps, the land and the water here nourish the people here,” Lu Li said.
Everyone only laughed, treating it as a compliment and not thinking too deep into it.
Zhao Yu asked, “Master, why did you return?”
“We’ll talk about this later.”
“Yes, master.”
…
In a hall.
Li Yunzhao, the eunuch, hastily brought the Empress Dowager over when he heard about Lu Zhou’s return. He did not care about the other cultivators’ opinions.
Lu Zhou did not plan to stay for long. He only planned to rest a while before rus.h.i.+ng to Penglai. When he saw the Empress Dowager, he asked, puzzled, “Empress Dowager?”
The Empress Dowager trembled before she said, “I heard Pavilion Master Ji has returned. Even if I risk injuring my body, I still have to come to see you.”
Li Yunzhao added, “Senior Ji, it’s like this. The Empress Dowager has recovered a lot over the years and recalled many of her memories. She has something to ask of you.”
Lu Zhou nodded. “Speak.”
Since the Empress Dowager was Zhao Yue’s grandmother, he could not ignore her for no good reason.
The Empress Dowager nodded slightly before she slowly asked, “Jiang Aijian is that pitiful grandson of mine, Liu Chen, isn’t he?”
Lu Zhou frowned slightly.
Everyone, regardless of whether they understood the conversation or not, did not dare to interrupt. Those in the know thought that the old lady would live to the end in confusion; they did not expect her to remember such a thing.
“Yes,” Lu Zhou said.
Although the Empress Dowager already knew the answer in the depths of her heart, she still staggered back upon hearing the confirmation. Then, she began to sob.
Li Yunzhao hurriedly supported her. Then, he brought a chair from the side and led her to the seat as he comforted her.
The Empress Dowager said, “I remember everything! I remember everything now! Poor child, he… where’s he now?”
Lu Zhou said, “He’s living well.”
“Then, why didn’t he return? I want to see him! The emperor and I… owe him!”
“There’s no need to blame yourself. The imperial family has always been complicated. It’s not something you could control. He went to Penglai and became a disciple there. You should know why he didn’t return so there’s no need for me to explain,” Lu Zhou said.
When Yu Zhenghai heard these words, he frowned and shook his head. Fortunately, those things had nothing to do with Wuqi. When the Wuqian seized the throne, the tragedy of Liu Chen’s family had already happened.
The Empress Dowager stopped crying and asked, “If it’s possible, Pavilion Master Ji, can you bring him back?”
Lu Zhou did not like forcing others to do things even if he knew he could make Jiang Aijian return to acknowledge his family.
Upon seeing Lu Zhou’s hesitation, the Empress Dowager fainted.
Li Yunzhao hurriedly checked her pulse. He shook his head and sighed. “Too much sorrow. Ever since the Empress Dowager remembered His Highness, she has been beside herself with sorrow and crying every day. Her health is deteriorating, and she doesn’t have many days left to live. If it weren’t for her determination to meet His Highness, I’m afraid she would have…”
Li Yunzhao naturally did not dare to finish his sentence
Lu Zhou raised his hand, sending a blue lotus toward the Empress Dowager.
With the extraordinary healing ability of the blue lotus, the Empress Dowager regained consciousness very quickly. Alas, the blue lotus could not heal the sorrows in the heart.
The Empress Dowager sighed. “This… This is my last wish…”
Lu Zhou stood up and paced back and forth. After thinking for a moment, he said, “I’ll bring him back.”
“Truly?” The Empress Dowager was overjoyed. She disregarded the dignity of the imperial family and hurriedly kneeled in front of everyone.
“Empress Dowager!”
“Grandmother…”
Lu Zhou waved his hand.
A gentle energy surged out and brought the Empress Dowager back up to her feet.
“Your health isn’t good so there’s no need for such formalities.” Then, Lu Zhou glanced at Li Yunzhao and said meaningfully, “Li Yunzhao.”
“I understand, I understand,” Li Yunzha hurriedly said. He stepped forward and coaxed the Empress Dowager in a soft voice before bringing her out of the main hall.
Everyone sighed.
Lu Zhou sat down and swept his gaze across everyone before he asked, “How’s the situation in the Divine Capital over the years?”
Zhao Yue bowed and replied, “With the help of the Black Tower Council and the White Tower Council, everything was and is fine. Previously, Third Senior Brother had also subdued Bai Yi, the green lotus cultivator.”
The cultivators from the Black Tower Council and White Tower Councils cupped their fists together in unison.
Lu Zhou said, “You’ve contributed a lot. If you have any requests, feel free to speak. I’ll try my best to fulfill them.”
A cultivator from the White Tower Council raised his hand before he said, “This is our duty. The white lotus domain and the golden lotus domain rise and fall together, after all. We don’t dare to ask for rewards.”
Then, a cultivator from the Black Tower Council said in a clear voice, “Pavilion Master Lu, we appreciate your kindness. However, we did not come here to be rewarded.”
Lu Zhou nodded. “Alright.”
Then, Lu Zhou brought out the Wind Spirit Bow and tossed it to Hua Yuexing. “This bow will help you. Use it well.”
Hua Yuexing deftly caught the bow. When she felt the mysterious and profound energy of the Wind Spirit Bow, the Falling Moon Bow in her hands suddenly seemed lacking. She said gratefully, “Thank you, Pavilion Master.”
Then, Hua Yuexing retreated to the side, unable to stop herself from admiring her new bow.
The black and white lotus cultivators. “…”
They felt like they had been too impulsive earlier.