Chapter 171: My Sincere Heart s.h.i.+nes as Brightly as the Sun and the Moon
Zhu Honggong gulped. He looked at the three huge characters that hung over the great hall’s entrance, Evil Sky Pavilion.
It was the Evil Sky Pavilion that was feared and coveted by many!
Zhu Honggong could not remember how often he had dreamed of this place. Now that he was finally here, his feelings were conflicted.
They finally entered the hall.
Zhu Honggong moved faster now. He knew that his master hated those who dallied the most. He followed closely behind Mings.h.i.+ Yin. They walked past two huge pillars and were now at the center of the great hall. He looked up…
A lively elder who did not seem to be all that old was seated at the high seat in the great hall. His eyes were deep and piercing.
Thud!
Zhu Honggong was so frightened by Lu Zhou’s gaze that he fell to his knees immediately. He quickly kowtowed. “Greetings, master! May you live a long and prosperous life!”
Upon hearing this, Mings.h.i.+ Yin felt his eyelids twitch. He felt as though he had met his match.
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, “You rascal.”
“Master… I can explain. I didn’t betray you! I had no choice but to leave! Please forgive me, master!” Zhu Honggong did not even dare to breathe loudly.
Duanmu Sheng, Mings.h.i.+ Yin, Little Yuan’er, and Zhao Yue, who had just arrived, stared at Zhu Honggong.
Lu Zhou said, “You had no choice?”
“I was tricked by Seventh Senior Brother!”
“Why were you the only one who was tricked?” Lu Zhou’s words were clearly meant for his other disciples as well. When he had first transmigrated over, apart from Little Yuan’er, Zhu Honggong was not his only disciple who was swayed.
Upon hearing this, Mings.h.i.+ Yin looked at Zhu Honggong with an unnatural gaze.
Zhu Honggong said loudly, “My sincere heart s.h.i.+nes as bright as the sun and the moon! Please judge me fairly, master!”
Lu Zhou placed his hands on his back as he walked toward Zhu Honggong.
At this moment, Zhu Honggong was trembling in fear. He lowered his head, afraid to meet Lu Zhou’s eyes.
“Old Eighth… Don’t you wish for me to die as soon as possible?”
Upon hearing this, Zhu Honggong trembled even harder. He kowtowed again and said, “I don’t dare!”
Lu Zhou shook his head. He did not know what was going through Ji Tiandao’s mind back then. He recruited so many outstanding disciples, but why was Old Eighth as cowardly as a mouse?
“In recent years, you’ve made quite a name for yourself with Old Seventh’s help… The crimes you’ve committed were petty. The Evil Sky Pavilion will bear the responsibility for those crimes you’ve committed,” Lu Zhou said with his hands on his back.
It was the truth. Even if Lu Zhou was unwilling, outsiders would still s.h.i.+ft the blame of his nine disciples’ deeds to the Evil Sky Pavilion. That was how the Evil Sky Pavilion got its bad reputation. Ji Tiandao was ranked first on the blacklist because of this as well.
“I’ve made a grave mistake!” Zhu Honggong genuinely admitted his wrongs.
“Ding! Disciplined Zhu Honggong. Reward: 100 merit points.”
“What kind of plans are Old Seventh hatching these days?” Lu Zhou asked.
Since Si Wuya was Darknet’s Sect Leader, why would he be stirring up a storm? Old Eighth and Si Wuya were close. Perhaps, Old Eighth might know something about it.
“Seventh Senior Brother has never spoken to me about these things. I honestly don’t know. He… He has a closer relations.h.i.+p with Eldest and Second Senior Brother. They meet quite often to discuss major events under the heavens. I don’t even understand the things they discussed,” Zhu Honggong answered honestly.
“Why were you there at the Green Jade Altar the other day?” Lu Zhou asked again.
“Seventh Senior Brother said the Fiend Temple was going to join forces with the Righteous Sect… They intended to isolate the Darknet and the Nether Sect. Seventh Senior Brother would never let them do as they pleased.”
Lu Zhou stared at Old Eighth. He knew each of his disciples well. Zhu Honggong’s cultivation base was at the peak of the Divine Court realm. Naturally, this was due to his cultivation method being flawed.
Unlike his other disciples, Lu Zhou remembered Zhu Honggong cultivated the Nine Tribulations Thunderblast. He was lacking in the two last Tribulations that were also the crucial parts of his cultivation method. Old Eighth was fated to not be able to enter the Nascent Divinity Tribulation realm. Everyone said that Old Eighth’s cultivation talent was poor, but no one knew it was due to his flawed cultivation method.
It was clear that the Evil Sky Pavilion disciples’ were carefully picked from the ma.s.ses.
Lu Zhou was taken aback by Old Eighth’s loyalty that was at 5%.
This was different from Ye Tianxin. Ye Tianxin had harbored hatred toward him after she betrayed the pavilion. Although she no longer hated Lu Zhou, she was not regarded as a true disciple of the Evil Sky Pavilion yet.
However, Old Eighth had maintained a 5% loyalty all along. This meant that Old Eighth had been concerned about the Evil Sky Pavilion all along.
“Since you know you’re wrong… Your punishment is to stay in the Cave of Reflection for now,” Lu Zhou said with a wave of his arm.
Zhu Honggong was slightly stunned. He remembered what his Fourth Senior Brother had reminded him during their journey. He did not dare to be careless. He kowtowed again and said, “Master! This disciple knows he has committed a grave sin! Please punish me harshly!”
Everyone else was taken aback by this.
‘To think that there’s someone who’s not satisfied with a light sentence.’
The Cave of Reflection was not exactly the best place. It was extremely cold, the kind of cold that seeped into the bones. Even those with a cultivation base had to circulate their Primal Qi constantly to keep warm. The process of constantly circulating one’s Primal Qi was a long-term torture.
Apart from Ye Tianxin, Lu Zhou had never truly punished his disciples harshly.
“Master, Old Eighth has committed a grave sin. He should be punished harshly.”
“I agree. He should be punished harshly.”
“Eighth Senior Brother’s skin is thick. The Cave of Reflection is too easy for him! Master… why don’t you break his legs so that he won’t be able to run around in the future?” Little Yuan’er suggested.
‘Uh…’ Zhu Honggong felt like crying. ‘They said Little Junior Sister is naïve and pure of heart… Why don’t I get that vibe from her?’
Lu Zhou stroked his beard and said, “50 strokes of the plank, refurbish the Golden Court Mountain, and three years in the Cave of Reflection with your cultivation base sealed!”
“Huh?” Zhu Honggong was beginning to regret his words. He could endure the first two punishments with his thick skin, but to spend three years in the Cave of Reflection with his cultivation base sealed was hars.h.!.+ He was worried that he would be frozen to an icicle!
“What? You have something to say about it?” Lu Zhou asked.
Zhu Honggong hastily bowed and said, “I accept my punishment!”
“Take him away.”
“Yes, master.”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin walked up to Zhu Honggong, tapped his shoulder, and said, “Move!”
Zhu Honggong did not move.
“You dumb pig! Are you so frightened that you’ve lost the strength to walk?”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin made a lifting gesture with his hand. A surge of energy covered Zhu Honggong and hoisted him up. He walked out of the great hall.
They arrived at the back of the mountain. At this moment, Zhu Honggong began to pant heavily. He said, “Master didn’t beat me up? Master didn’t beat me up! Senior Brother… Am I dreaming? Pinch me, quick…”
Mings.h.i.+ Yin rolled his eyes and said, “Are you that afraid of being clobbered?”
“Of course, I am… Master’s temper… No, I think master’s temper is different from before.”
“Count yourself lucky! I told you, if you begged for mercy the way I taught you, master won’t punish you too harshly,” Mings.h.i.+ Yin said, feeling slightly pleased with himself. “For the sins you’ve committed, spending time in the Cave of Reflection with your cultivation base sealed is far too light a sentence.”
“You’re right, Fourth Senior Brother. Thank you for helping me avoid a heavy punishment. I shall forever remember this favor!” Zhu Honggong said.
While both of them were discussing the punishment that their master had meted out, Pan Zhong suddenly appeared with the Six Yang Technique in his hands. When he saw Zhu Honggong, he spoke in a sinister tone, “Mister Fourth, we have a newcomer?”